Christopher de Souza
Singapore
“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. My supplementary question arises out of our deployment of our Multi-Role Tankers Transport. I think our airmen and soldiers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and MINDEF should be commended. It was a complex high-altitude mission, and it was successful.”
“Much obliged, Sir. My supplementary questions draw from the fact that the situation displays: one, how Singapore has agency; and two, how Singapore can use the situation as a catalyst.”
“It cannot be allowed to be the master. It does not moralise. Thus, as we embrace AI, we must do so with discernment. We should use it to the extent that it facilitates decision-making, but it cannot be allowed to usurp our decision-making. Innovation cannot come at the expense of trespassing on some existing IP rights.”
“In relation to the study on the drug trafficking and the death penalty. In fact, in response to that, I think there is a very good statistic that we should elaborate on in this House and also out there in education that 15 grams of diamorphine feeds 180 drug abuses for one week.”
“The Singapore Land Authority plays an important role in unlocking the value of state land for community use. As a sportsman, I have personally seen with immense joy how underutilised spaces, such as areas under flyovers, can be transformed into safe and vibrant places for sport and recreation, whether for pickleball, futsal, badminton, te…”
“To propel our status as a hub, Singapore will need infrastructure, such as exhibition facilities, to showcase mediation capabilities, breakout rooms, bilateral mediation hearing rooms as well as printers, laptops and screens for settlement agreements to be typed out.”
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Every one of 1,264 lines we hold for Christopher de Souza, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 20 of 26.
“As for foreign citizens living overseas, the Foreign Investment Review Board will grant approval to buy investment property as long as the property is brand new. However, these citizens and temporary residents are not eligible for first home buyer concessions, which are only available to Australian citizens and permanent residents. The Australian model essentially allows foreigners to buy new developments while restricting their subsequent sale to Australian residents at a price they can reasonably afford. This double-prevention mechanism both tempers investment demand and restricts the resale incentive, thereby providing a nuanced and sophisticated alternative to the Hong Kong model. We should carefully study this Australian model. So, essentially, what the Australian model does is to prevent foreigners from buying anything except new development in Australia and then holds on to that and, eventually if they want to sell, they can sell only to an Australian citizen. And this allows the local population to set a correct demand pricing mechanism which I feel is a good option for Singapore, that the Singapore local domestic market or the Singaporeans set the barometer for demand and a sustainable pricing mechanism for our residential property market in Singapore. According to Minister Khaw Boon Wan in last July's review of the ABSD scheme, the combination of cooling measures introduced and the ramp up in both public and private housing supply has produced encouraging results. The proportion of private residential properties bought by foreigners and companies has fallen sharply, with a similar decrease reflected in private home prices and short-term property speculation.”
“However, I would like to add that in revising and analysing Singapore's property policies, the Government should also have regard to existing policy frameworks that have been implemented in other countries facing similar supply crunches and booms in demand. Singapore has always prided herself on her pragmatism and resourcefulness in the face of physical limitations, and there is much that can be tapped on with regard to other countries' best practices on the property front. There are two models I would like to raise in Parliament today for our consideration – the Hong Kong model and the Australian one (the latter is the one that I prefer) – both of which are potential Page: 78 reference points as we continue to refine and develop our property policies and stamp duty framework to meet the objectives of sustainable pricing in the property market. It has been reported that the Hong Kong government has, in a bid to cool down its property market, introduced a 15% tax on foreign buyers while simultaneously raising stamp duties for short-term speculators as property prices overtake the record highs last seen in 1997. This, it is said, is to curb short-term speculation and stamp duties will be imposed on a sliding scale, with the Government subsequently announcing that it would ban foreigners from buying some new properties coming onto the market, making them exclusive to local buyers. That is the Hong Kong model. But the second model, which I am particularly interested in, is the Australian model, and I raise for the sake of this House. In Australia, all acquisitions of residential real estate by foreign interests require prior foreign investment approval.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill. Property prices have been on the incline as a result of the sharp increase in investment demand for private residential properties, in particular in light of Singapore's relative economic stability and our reputation for having open markets that facilitate investment flow. However, this increase in foreign investment demand, coupled with a possible mismatch on the property supply front, has caused much concern among local residents and potential first time purchasers of homes. These worries are not unfounded, with recent statistics showing that home prices are 16% higher than the recent peak in the second quarter of 2008, with foreign purchases accounting for 19% of all private residential property purchases in the second half of 2011. In response, the Government introduced the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) in December 2011, which requires foreigners and corporate entities to pay an unprecedented extra 10% stamp duty when buying a residential property in Singapore. This bid to curb excessive investment by foreign buyers and thus cool investment demand has been welcomed by some quarters, but the Government must continue to monitor the situation so as to promote a stable and sustainable residential property market in the long run. Notably, these cooling measures will affect not just foreign investors but, to a lesser degree, local speculators such as permanent residents purchasing a second property. This slew of measures was followed by a menu of measures aimed to cool the property market on Friday just last week.”
“Will public education be a key remit of this security centre given that our cybersecurity is only as strong as our weakest link? Cyberattacks Page: 56 are increasingly common and we must not allow the Internet to be the Trojan horse. Mdm Speaker, on that note, I support the Bill. 3.35 pm”
“Such "breach laws" can provide advance warning of further attacks, and also require people to be informed if the stolen data significantly affects them. This can also incentivise companies and organisations to spend more on cybersecurity and be innovative in countering such a threat. Developing defensive cyber capabilities cannot be the sole preserve of the Government. Mdm Speaker, would the Home Affairs Ministry consider imposing greater penalties on persons who breach their duty to protect information obtained pursuant to those proposed powers? Sub-section 9 of the proposed section 15A provides for a penalty of a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to a jail term not exceeding 12 months or both. This strikes me as being relatively not so onerous a punishment considering that intellectual property, trade secrets and sensitive operational details of an organisation can potentially be involved. I am aware that the Minister has said that primarily technical details would be obtained but it is possible that non-technical details could also be required. Furthermore, why not protect such information obtained under the Official Secrets Act since the information relates intimately to national security, essential services and Singapore's foreign relations? The transnational nature of cyber threats, often involving non-state actors as well, also means that there is a need to protect such information obtained. There must be complete confidence that the authorities will properly handle the information obtained, and that privacy, intellectual property, proprietary data, confidential information and the like are adequately protected. Finally, would the Minister also provide an update on the National Cyber Security Centre?”
“Madam, the Bill is primarily concerned with active defence – detecting attacks before they take place. Is our critical infrastructure, our systemic response up to scratch where resilience is concerned? Mdm Speaker, as I see it, the various stakeholders have different perspectives on cybersecurity and the nature of the risks that cyberattacks pose to their interests. This Bill is an important step in countering cyber threats but it does not strike me as being an attempt to elicit a coherent policy response. To be sure, this is not the intent of the Bill but, perhaps, it could have gone further. I hope the Minister can discuss how the Government intends to ensure that the cyberspace within our jurisdiction does not suffer from a "tragedy of the commons" phenomenon in which stakeholders assume that someone – usually the Government in our context – is providing the necessary security and so reduce the need for other stakeholders to internalise those risks. This goes Page: 55 beyond business continuity plans; it is inherently about whether we can cope, as a society, with a sophisticated cyberattack and not be paralysed or thrown into a gridlock in various facets of our lives. With our vast and growing infrastructure, cybersecurity is an area where there is a pressing need for better incentives and a "whole-of-society" approach should be pursued. Matters are compounded when there is invariably a sense of futility and despair over the size and complexity of the threat, particularly for companies. This, in turn, reduces the incentive to put investments and to cooperate in mutually beneficial ways. Mdm Speaker, should our laws require companies and organisations to report incidents when their systems have been hacked and data stolen?”
“And we have to adapt to the changed environment as individuals and as a society. Such cyberattacks, in essence, are about the control, distribution and safety of information. And information has been described as a strategic resource that Page: 54 is as valuable and influential today as capital, labour and land had been in the industrial age. Mdm Speaker, cyber warfare, as well as cyberattacks, involves deception and sabotage and can be a strategic game changer as we become more dependent on the Internet for the purposes of work, leisure, education, as well as military operations. It is a non-traditional security threat that is quickly becoming more mainstream and common as cyberspace evolves into a new domain of conflict. Much as we see it as a technical issue, cybersecurity is ultimately a security, economic and political challenge. Much as our laws have had a defensive stance, they must now evolve in tandem with the changing security threat so that they possess offensive capabilities as well. This is primarily in the pre-emptive powers that the Bill seeks to provide in the new proposed section 15A. Mdm Speaker, would the Minister outline our nation's strategy in dealing with persistent and sophisticated cyberattacks? In particular, even as we focus on the pre-emptive strikes to deal with the security threat that the Internet poses, how will the proposed amendments make our system and our response to a real and present danger resilient? By resilience, what I mean is how the various stakeholders ranging from the Government to the corporate sector are prepared and able to continue with their operations in a degraded environment, especially when we are unable to pre-empt or counter a cyberattack.”
“Notwithstanding this clarification sought, Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill. 3.27 pm Asst Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene (Nominated Member): Mdm Speaker, I welcome this Bill. Being a hyper-connected society, our national security is being redefined by cyberspace. The Internet was first developed to supplement the analogue communications among American soldiers and scientists, and trust was a very fundamental attribute in such a set-up. This enabled people who communicated with one another to trust others based on who they said they were. There was also trust that the information conveyed would be handled according to existing legal and social norms. Of course, those norms and the element of trust are now severely under threat. Indeed, the Internet is under severe threat in three key areas: (1) piracy and intellectual property; (2) privacy; and (3) security. All three elements, in varying degrees, are given attention to in the proposed amendments, with security being the focal point of the Bill. This Bill seeks to provide the authorities with pre-emptive powers to deal with a potential danger when there is intelligence that a cyberattack is imminent and could cripple critical infrastructure, such as public utilities, telecommunications, banking and transportation systems. Mdm Speaker, the ready, convenient and affordable access to the Internet today has a trade-off. Users of the Internet are vulnerable to various kinds of cyberattacks. These range from online personal surveillance, hacking, corporate and governmental espionage, the hijacking of web traffic, to the remote manipulation of computer-controlled industrial, governmental and military processes. In short, the integrity of the Internet as a reliable, safe and open infrastructure is under threat.”
“Legislative vigilance is crucial in order to tackle new potential computer abuses, such as the denial or interruption of computer services and unauthorised disclosure of access codes. This is compounded by the fact that cyberattacks worldwide have increased in frequency, speed and sophistication, which means that they are difficult to detect, and often occur without early warning. In Singapore, for example, about 1,000 cybercrime cases, including hacking, were reported under the same Act over the past five years. In order to meet such heightened demands, in terms of both volume and complexity, the amended Act takes a more sophisticated approach to provide for enhanced penalties proportionate to the different levels of potential and actual harm caused. Failure to act on the directions of the Minister, for example, will be made a criminal offence as it should be. That said, Mdm Speaker, one concern is the pre-emptive nature of the powers accorded to the Minister, which would allow him to order telcos or banks to disclose how their computer networks are designed, or disclose reports of any attempted breach, in order to detect or counter a threat. This has, thus, far been justified by the need to thwart potentially crippling cyberattacks, and is part of the Government's larger efforts to counter the spread and Page: 53 sophistication of these attacks. Although the Government has acknowledged that the disclosure of such information may be sensitive and has, thus, put in place some form of legal safeguards to protect the use of such data, it might be beneficial and prudent for the Government, to explain to the public what threshold must be met or what factors will play in the mind of the Ministry of Home Affairs before the power to issue directions is exercised.”
“Mdm Speaker, the proposed amendments are timely and convey the toughening of the Government's stance against potential cyber threats which may have severe Page: 52 ramifications on Singapore's national interests and national security. In line with this broad objective, the renaming of the Act as the "Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act" is more than symbolic as it reflects a shift in focus from general computer offences to more targeted legislation directed at preventing and containing cyberattacks on our essential services, defence and even foreign relations. And, therefore, thank you, Mdm Speaker, for allowing me to join in this debate and to support this Bill. In view of the increasing prevalence of cyber threats, the Ministry of Home Affairs has proposed to amend section 15A of the existing Act for effective and timely measures to be taken to make Singapore's Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) robust and resilient against cyberattacks. The emphasis here is on the pre-emptive nature of these measures, which empowers and allows the Minister to order a person or organisation to act against any cyberattack even before it has begun. This is in line with similar moves made by other countries with respect to their own cybersecurity legislation and, more broadly, reflects a much needed awareness and responsiveness on Singapore's part to the fast-changing developments in the cybersphere, as well as the legal best practices of other jurisdictions in regulating their cybersphere. Such tightening of measures is pertinent in light of two major factors, and these two major factors reflect why I support the Bill. First, the fast-moving nature of the cyber world, and, two, the recent increase in cyberattacks. These demand more sophisticated protection.”
“I hope, and am also confident, that this will lead to you, Mdm Speaker, allowing fair, robust and effective debate between the Frontbench and the Backbench, as you displayed so vividly as a Backbencher, going multiple times to the microphone to make your point, effectively and courteously. We, and certainly I, strongly believe that you, Mdm Speaker, believe in effectiveness with courtesy. Therefore, we promise to be courteous, and it is our hope that you will allow us, Backbenchers, the room and the time to be effective. On a more personal note, I remember your independence of thought when analysing and debating many pieces of legislation and I felt re-assured that you, Page: 20 along with Ms Denise Phua and myself, recorded our concern for the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill. We were few among a vast majority, but you were bold enough to make a stand to protect foreign workers' interests, and your position made the legislation tighter, more effective downstream. Such, Mdm Speaker, was your effectiveness as a Backbencher. This was matched by the compassion with which you answered sensitive questions, as a Frontbencher, especially on issues close to your heart – early childhood and empowerment of the less fortunate in our care, in our midst. Therefore, I am confident that your stewardship over parliamentary proceedings will be fair and just, balanced and effective, and wish, on behalf of fellow Members of this House, the very best to you in your new role in this esteemed office. [Applause]”
“Mdm Speaker, may I take this opportunity to congratulate you on your election to this post – a post heavy in responsibility. Mr Michael Palmer occupied the Chair up to end last year. We were from the 2006 cohort, and worked together as fellow Backbenchers to put forth and debate initiatives which we believed would benefit Singapore or the Eurasian community. I remember working out a proposal together with Michael and then-Minister George Yeo to broaden the definition of "Eurasian" so that first-generation children whose parents were of Asian-European lineage, would be recognised officially as Eurasian, if their parents so wanted. We raised this in Parliament, the Government accepted our proposal, and this helped to open the door to new blood, new life in the community – and it was welcomed by the Eurasian Association. We then worked together with Minister S Iswaran when he took over the portfolio of representing Eurasians in Cabinet. Therefore, the Eurasian community was sad to see Michael leave this House though many, including myself, have also expressed the hope that his family will see this through. It is a hope we hold in earnest. Michael was an active volunteer on the Eurasian Association's Legal panel even before entering politics, and we hope that, with time and when he is ready to, Michael will return and continue to contribute to Singapore and the Eurasian community, and continue to make a real difference in people's lives. Mdm Speaker, I did some arithmetic on your career. While you were part of the Prime Minister's Cabinet for 19 months, you were a Backbencher for 113 months or nine and a half years. The arithmetic would suggest that a lot of goodwill from the Backbenchers – these seats, and their occupants – flow with you to your Chair now.”
“Clerk of Parliament, I support the proposal. [(proc text) There being only one proposal, the Clerk then declared Mdm Halimah Yacob to have been duly elected as Speaker of this Parliament. (proc text)] [(proc text) Mdm Speaker went to the Chair and sat down. (proc text)] [(proc text) Then the Mace (which before laid below the Table) was placed on the Table. (proc text)] [Mdm Speaker in the Chair] Page: 11”
“I would like to take up the point on the National Conversation and the Shared Values and provide a very quick sharing of when I had my own National Conversation. There was a resident who spoke line by line what the national pledge meant to him. Rather than have a review of the Shared Values, could we encourage those hosting the National Conversation to have, as part of the agenda, the values of the nation and also a reminder of what those Shared Values are? Not a review, if it is not necessary, but a reminder and to have that as part of the agenda.”
“I thank the Minister for showing the artist's impression which I think was at the junction of Clementi Road and Ulu Pandan Road. My supplementary question would be, would it be possible for the Ministry to allow the Sunset Way residents, who fall within my ward, to go very close to the water to learn of biodiversity and to have river life extend to them, proximately and not just visually?”
“The question was not a hypothetical one. It was borne out of an appeal given to me by a nine-year-old resident along the Bukit Timah corridor. Her name is Rene. In it, she had said that she had viewed a horror trailer at 8.00 pm and was unable to sleep for nights after that, and she checked around and some of her friends also had viewed the trailer. My question is: if the logic is that horror movies are screened after 10.00 pm, would there be an assurance from the Ministry that trailers of such movies are not screened before 10.00 pm because they just may, in the case of Rene, have the children view them? Page: 1453”
“There is a difference between R21 movies being screened in cinemas and open to the public and R21 movies being screened at home. Therefore, my question really is the tone that we are setting and whether the Minister would give the assurance that the tone, going forward, would protect the children and minors at home in light of these changes.”
“The reason why I asked about those seven stations is because all seven are within Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and, thankfully, three of those seven are within my ward in Ulu Pandan. My supplementary question to the Minister is, would the LTA keep me very closely informed if there are any ways to quicken the pace of the construction so that those living in the Bukit Timah corridor benefit from a faster pace and a sooner completion date?”
“I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the response. My question has to do with the sub-contractors. Therefore, if there is an internal calculation which LTA comes to, for any given infrastructure project for transport, would the LTA then not award to a person who has tendered much lower than that figure? Because, realistically, the project could not be done within that lower figure and, therefore, we avoid squeezing the sub-contractors further down the road. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, if I understand the Member correctly, I would like to reassure the Member that when we call for a tender, or even before we call for tender, we make sure to assess the project accurately and we go stages by stages. Wherever possible, we meet the tenderers to discuss on the cost estimates per se. We do not necessarily look at the lowest tenderer; we also look at quality and how realistically the project can be implemented and completed. In fact, prior to looking at all the cost estimates, we work very closely with the market, the industry, to ensure that our cost estimates are accurately provided. Page: 1332”
“Equally, in Sunset Way, there are two blocks that have been announced. We are still waiting for construction. No doubt they were held back because residents decided to take a vote at a later date. Will MND also try to expedite their construction of LUP?”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to take up the point on whether this incident or incidents will spur us from accident reporting to incident reporting and near-misses. I know the Minister has replied to that saying, "Yes, it will". My further question is whether that can be shared between the services. For example, in the Army where there is a safe land movement unit and they have a good safety record, would they be willing to share with the Air Force or the Navy, where there are less land movement exercises to be performed – cross-service sharing of best practices and near-misses, arising out of the new inspectorate? Page: 1258”
“Page: 1119 In conclusion, Sir, essentially, the amendments in the MDA must wed the policy intent behind them. That is to continue to retain an armory of muscular legislation to deter drug traffickers while inventing a new and useful tool that could potentially dismantle syndicates upstream. If that policy is not diluted downstream, then we would have a winning formula. Time will tell. For my part, I will watch and follow the execution of the policy as it takes its course. We cannot afford to mis-step. If we all remain focused on the intent, and not let the eddy currents of conflicting interpretations of limbs water it down, then, Mr Speaker, we would have the prospect of a good victory. We would have taken the initiative a step forward and advanced in our battle on drugs. 6.21 pm”
“If there are different definitions of assistance, then we may run the risk of ineffective deterrent measures coupled with an inability to neutralise the syndicates upstream. This will be a disaster. So, would MHA give the assurance that the policy intent is to retain a high threshold of assistance and that this will be given effect to by the enforcement agencies? A final point, Mr Speaker, I would like to make concerns the criterion of mental disability. I agree that no man or woman should be punished if he or she did not have the mental capacity to appreciate the consequence of his or her crime. But, if loose interpretations of mental disability are allowed, a legal case may boil down to a fight between the psychiatrist for the prosecution against that for the defence, with the judge being forced to weigh one psychiatrist's assessment over the other's. We need to pause and realise that a distinction must be drawn between diminished responsibility in the context of murder as opposed to drug trafficking. Killing can be a spontaneous act, especially for non-premeditated cases. Drug trafficking, on the other hand, is often rational and calculated. It is seldom spontaneous. My view is that the more rational, calculated or pre-meditated the nature of the crime, the less scope there should be for considerations for mental disability or any other such forms of diminished responsibility. Why? Because there is an increased likelihood that the trafficker has internally weighed the cost-benefit analysis of the crime. Correlatively, it is my hope that the Courts should be very strict in interpreting such provisions, or risk opening the backdoor for the offender to escape harsh punishment notwithstanding his or her understanding of the consequences of the crime.”
“Therefore, in order to keep the deterrent nature of the MDA still in play, as I understand the intent of MHA to be, then the potential trafficker must know, arising from this debate, that the presumption is that he is liable for the death penalty unless, and only unless, he can prove the elements which qualify him for life imprisonment. Would the Deputy Prime Minister confirm this? Why this is important is because drug trafficking is largely a highly rational crime. Very often, it is a cost-benefit analysis. The risk of punishment is weighed against the financial reward. In that process – in that rationalisation – the punishment must be adequate to deter. I say again, drug trafficking is largely a commercial, rational crime. Page: 1118 My second point on the amendments proper is that the substantive assistance criterion must contribute to apprehending the wider drug network. My view is that assistance should be construed strictly, such that it leads to concrete outcomes (1) helping or resulting in the dismantling of syndicates or (2) assist in dismantling of syndicates, or (3) assisting in dismantling in whole or in part a drug network. This is especially important given that these networks and syndicates are primarily based overseas, with Singapore as the "crown jewel" for supply purposes. We cannot have and must guard against varied interpretations and definitions of assistance. This will have the very dangerous consequence of diluting the policy intent of these amendments, that is, to continue to have harsh measures to deter drug trafficking while creating a useful tool that will attack the syndicates upstream. Let me be blunt.”
“Two grandparents, one suffering from severe diabetes, the other very aged. They are caring for their grandchild. Why? Their daughter and their daughter's husband are in prison. Why? Drug addiction. We are helping the grandparents with vouchers, food rations and home visits. I feel for these families. Do we all not? Should we all not? Let me give the House one more example. Before entering politics in 2006, I served as a DPP at the Attorney-General's Chambers. I was handed a prosecution file. Case? Murder? Who was murdered? A landlord. Who murdered the landlord? A drug addict. Why was the landlord murdered? Because the drug addict wanted to ransack the room for money to satisfy his drug craving. We prosecuted the case and the culprit was convicted of murder. Drugs fuel crime. In this case, drugs made a man murder. What we are debating today is not child's play. It is very serious business. We mis-step, open the flood gates, our war on drug falters. We cannot afford to mis-step, we cannot afford to open the flood gates. I have concerns about three of the MDA amendments. First, the amendments allow for the option of death or life imprisonment. I have a question about this. When a trafficker is caught, say, at the Causeway or at the airport, what will his holding charge state? That he faces the prospect of the death penalty or that he faces the prospect of death or life imprisonment? I ask this because traffickers are deterred more by death than by life imprisonment. This can be seen from Deputy Prime Minister Teo's speech which indicated that some traffickers deliberately bring in less than 15 grams, signalling a likely intent to avoid the death sentence.”
“Drugs orphan children. Drugs destroy families. I feel it a duty to the residents and constituents whom I serve to raise my concerns about some of the amendments. Mr Speaker, Sir, before entering politics, I volunteered at the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association. Why? So that I could reach out to youths at risk and speak about the havoc drugs create to their young lives. Some Singaporeans fall prey to drug addiction. That, for many, is the death of their drive and ambition. I repeat – that, for many, is the death of their drive and ambition. I find it odd that so much of the debate is centred on the compassion society should have on the drug trafficker. That, to me, is skewed. Let us not forget who the victim here is. It is not the trafficker. It is the society; it is the many families broken by drug addiction. We should have compassion for this brokenness, too. The way to do so is to maintain immensely strong and muscular measures to deter drug traffickers from targeting Singapore. Why do I feel so strong about this? Why do I take a position which seems to go against the tide of the debate in the House? Let me share. As a Member of Parliament, I have seen the devastation drugs have had on families. These are not hypothetical examples; they are real examples. For several years, we have helped a grandmother who lives in Ulu Pandan raise her grandson. Why? Because her daughter got hooked on drugs and spent time in prison. On top of her work as a cleaner, this devoted grandmother saw to her grandson's needs. Her grandson would often visit us. When he did well in school, we all celebrated. When things got tough, we encouraged. A bond has been built. But the missing link is his mother. Why? Drugs. Page: 1117 I give another real life story.”
“I thank the Minister for Defence for the assurance. It is certainly reassuring. I have a question arising out of the use of technology. Because of the quick pace of technology advancement, in order for our NSmen who perform ICT, for example, myself, who is still performing ICT, to leverage on that technology and be kept up to speed, would there be refresher courses for men like us, to operate the systems? So, have refresher courses for NSmen to be kept up to speed to fulfil their missions.”
“On low-wage workers, I understand that there is a probation period and, during the probation period, many of the rights for contract staff are not included, for example, medical leave, compassionate leave and annual leave. So, is there a way in the Employment Act to either reduce the probation period for low-wage workers or to allow contract rights under the contracts for permanent staff to also be included in the probation period? Page: 1043”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Ministry, of the 105 eldercare facilities, whether a pilot could be organised to have eldercare and childcare facilities within the same location for two reasons. First, the children who are taken care of by their grandparents will see that their grandparents also have needs. And, secondly, for the working parents who leave their children with the grandparents, then, the grandparents can be in the same geography as the grandchildren to take care of them.”
“I thank the Minister for his response. I understand that the Bukit Timah Canal stretches all the way to about Sixth Avenue and then there is Maple Avenue downwards to Sungei Ulu Pandan, and out to the sea where it is caught again for the Pandan Reservoir purposes. And it is that second artery that I would like to pose a question on the Maple Avenue or the first diversionary canal. My concern is that there are many residential homes there between Bukit Timah Road and Ulu Pandan Road, and whether there can be a priority for PUB to expedite the widening and the deepening of the canal where it is near homes, for the sake of my residents. Page: 969”
“[Gesturing with his hands] This is Watten Estate, Minister, and this is Tan Kah Kee Station and this is Bukit Timah Road and everything behind Bukit Timah Road. My ward is everything behind Bukit Timah Road. There is Hwa Chong Institution and behind Hwa Chong, condominiums and landed housing. And therefore I would request that LTA also prioritise the concerns and be proactive in preventive measures of cracks happening on that side.”
“Questions for the Minister. I appreciate that our economy and labour market in Singapore must continue to be competitive and nimble. I would like to request whether that can be balanced with some form of suggested industry benchmarking for wages, especially those earning less than $1,000 inclusive of cleaners. Secondly, on the long-term goal of education to promote employability for the next generation, I think we would reap results for that next generation. So in the meantime, what can we do for the present group? Thirdly, is there a suggested policy where Government procurement is concerned, to best source and fair price when awarding contracts which will then have a trickle-down effect of raising wages to the contractor and the sub-contractor.”
“May I ask the Minister this: in line with the CCTV rollout and that policy for the Ministry of Home Affairs, whether priority could be given for hotspot loanshark areas to be installed with CCTVs in the common access areas, for example, lifts and staircases? Page: 949”
“Mr Speaker, it is encouraging that while there has been a dip in the number of cases, there has also been an increase in enforcement, reflecting the 22% enforcement against harassment and the rise of 22%. Drawing from that, I have two supplementary questions for the Minister. The first is, in relation to upstream, how do the measures move upstream to address, challenge and attack the puppeteers of the runners, who are being enforced against? Second and apart from upstream, where the cross-jurisdictional nature of the offence, the extra-territoriality of the offence, how do the measures presently go upstream beyond our borders to challenge these mechanisms overseas?”
“I have previously raised a number of Parliamentary Questions on the subject, highlighting concerns about the existing monitoring and regulatory frameworks which were in turn met by assurances from the Ministry that the Government will continue active enforcement as well as review the administrative requirements and penalties to ensure their adequacy. With that in mind, I believe that even more active enforcement and what is currently in place is needed. There are still many unresolved issues in relation to accommodation. For example, the difficult living conditions that some workers are still housed in. Others live in overcrowded dormitories. May I ask the Ministry how he intends to ensure that sturdy and reliable accommodation is provided for workers by the companies? Finally, apart from the above-mentioned changes to the existing legal structure which I support, I believe that it is time for Singapore to move beyond mere legal regulation and towards cultivating a culture of respect for our foreign worker population, be they construction workers or domestic helpers in our homes. Legal rules and regulations can only go so far. The true success of these legal reforms will depend very much on the renewing of our approach, treatment of and engagement with our foreign workers. All workers, whether Singaporean or not, deserve to be treated with dignity. All of us live on our precious island together, and it is on this basis that, Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill. 5.04 pm”
“This is certainly a good step forward and ought to be lauded in terms of addressing the imbalance in the employer and employee relationship, an imbalance that is still all the more stark in the context of foreign worker employment. I believe there is still much room for further work, in particular, in terms of delineating and defining the rights and responsibilities of both employers and foreign workers which would help manage expectations between these two groups. As much as enforcement plays a crucial role in protecting the rights of all parties involved, changes are needed in relation to key employer responsibilities and the consultation process should continue so that our existing framework may be better refined in order to meet the legal and broader social objectives of protection and integration. I am heartened by the steps the Government and, in particular, the Ministry of Manpower are taking in the direction of ensuring better legal protection for the foreign worker population here in Singapore. The often invisible workers whose silent contributions to our physical infrastructure tend to go unnoticed. Page: 758 I would like to highlight the important role the Government has to play in regulating and ensuring that foreign workers' rights are upheld primarily because of the unequal relationship which leaves foreign workers vulnerable at times. Here, I would like to highlight the issue of housing and accommodation for foreign workers which is important and urgent enough to be singled out. Under Part 2 of the First Schedule of the EFMA (Work Passes) Regulations, employers are required to ensure that their foreign workers have acceptable accommodation.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill. Proposed amendments to the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) are broad-ranging and timely. They were finalised after public consultation which involve intensive discussions with key stakeholders in June and July this year. I am glad that the Ministry of Manpower and its Foreign Manpower Division and Legal Division, made the effort to seek and consider the views from the employers as well as the non-Governmental organisations who put forward their recommendations and observation on behalf of the foreign worker population in Singapore. Their efforts should be lauded. I note that this round of proposed amendments to the EFMA focused on ensuring the integrity of the work pass framework in three main ways. This is especially crucial given the unequal relationship between employers and their foreign worker employees. I am, thus, in support of the amendments that would be made in this round of review, namely, the establishment of an administrative regime to complement the prosecution of employers who flout the rules; increased deterrents against EFMA contraventions, especially with respect to the upkeep and maintenance of workers awaiting resolution of statutory claims as well as compliance with salary thresholds for both S and Employment Pass holders and, finally, enhanced administrative powers to facilitate the enforcement of EFMA contraventions. These targeted measures addressed the areas that are in pressing need of review and reform at the moment and will go some way towards deterring some of the most serious abuses against foreign workers.”
“This was echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Teo at the opening of the parliamentary debate on political salaries at the start of this year, where he said that the most important criterion for anyone seeking political office is, first and foremost, the motivation to serve our country and our people. The White Paper has highlighted three principles in relation to salaries. First, the Government will continue to maintain competitive salaries. This is to ensure quality of talent and to take into account the opportunity cost incurred by potential office holders in leaving at the prime of their careers to enter politics and dedicate a substantial part of their lives to service in public office. Developing and nurturing a committed and capable government is especially crucial given Singapore's unique contacts as a small nation in a competitive and uncertain world. This is balanced out by the other two principles that of the ethos of public service which entails the making of sacrifices and the objectives of making and maintaining a clean wage without any perks. A debate on the lowering of ministerial salaries is ultimately about mediating between these objectives. The decision we have arrived at or tempered by the above practice is essentially undergirded by a sincere desire to hold true to the calling of public service. For indeed, politics is not a job or a career promotion, but a calling to serve the larger good of Singapore. It is in recognition of this that I rise in support of this Bill today. 3.18 pm”
“The scheme has been refined over the years with a 2007 review ensuring that pensions were part of, and not an addition to the total remuneration package of office holders. This brings politicians in line with the current practice where the Central Provident Fund (CPF) is the basic retirement scheme for Singaporeans, and, more importantly, strengthens the principle of clean wage by adequately paying political appointment holders during their time in office, as was pointed out in the White Paper. The abolition of the pension scheme is part of a series of more broad-based changes recommended in the White Paper, with concrete changes being made to existing policies and pay structures. Members of Parliament are affected by these changes. I am glad the Government has paid attention to the people's call for review, as it shows that we want to engage Singaporeans, we want to hear their views on the matter. We are committed to partnering them in steering Singapore's future together. This is the essence of public service, and it is this fundamental notion of public service that of serving the people that is the crux of today's debate. Page: 612 I believe most, if not all of us, present at today's debate will agree with me that political office is a calling. Those who want to serve must have that sense of duty to the nation as well as the desire to contribute to public good in Singapore. For Members of Parliament, we are in this business because we believe in the ethos of sacrifice the public service entails to serve our residents. Meeting with residents, listening to them, caring for them, offering encouragement in times of difficulty and mapping out real ways of progress for themselves and their children − that is fulfilling, and that is politics.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill. Before proceeding to discuss the substantive changes proposed by the Bill, I would like to highlight how these changes are a culmination of a deliberate and widely debated, consultative process between the Government and the many stakeholders involved, as reflected in the White Paper titled "Salaries for a Capable and Committed Government". I would like to highlight this as I believe the process evinces an attitude of responsiveness and the willingness to be persuaded by rational, well-thought-out views put forth by our citizens. This falls in line with broader principles of public administration, such as that of transparency and accountability, and is to be lauded. The changes proposed today must thus be appreciated in this light. Prime Minister Lee appointed a committee to review the basis and level of existing political salaries. The report of the committee was itself a result of seven months of deliberation with feedback garnered from a spectrum of stakeholders. Therefore, I rise today, not just in support of the substantive changes proposed by the Bill but also in support of the Government's sincere efforts in engaging our citizens. The effect of the Bill being debated today is such that the pension scheme for political appointment holders, including Members of Parliament, will be removed. The rationale for the pension scheme was to reflect the role and impact of political office holders, and encourage appointment holders to serve longer periods of time so as to develop instincts and an understanding of how the Government works with the objective of serving Singaporeans even better.”
“Homes are within a five-minute walk from the centre, or within the 400-metre radius. There are mixed types of homes housing people with different demographics, facilitating the bridging type of social capital. Within the neighbourhood, there are shops and services of sufficient varied types to supply the weekly needs of a household, so they do not need to visit the mall. There are so called Third Places where people can be regular customers and visitors, and can establish connections. There are attractive, usable public spaces for formal and informal community gatherings. The Residents' Committee in the neighbourhood are empowered to take on estate management, and they constantly engage residents to make meaningful decisions and set rules on how their neighbourhood should evolve and be uniquely organised. More "white spaces" are set aside for this. There is depth of interactions, mutual self-help, and more informal volunteerism. There are formal and informal groupings within the community to plan and organise activities and initiatives within the neighbourhood. Page: 1863 I urge MND to experiment with some of these design elements in building new HDB estates. Let me just summarise the core differences with today's approach. First, there is more emphasis on the software, including infrastructure that supports the building up of relationships, like Third Places. Secondly, very importantly, there needs to be co-creation and genuine empowerment of residents with much more active participation from them. Thirdly, everything needs to be on a human scale, walkable. Together, with having a distinctive character, this will make people stay outside their homes, in their neighbourhoods. I hope MND will take into account my suggestions.”
“Instead, they park the bicycles on their floors of residence. And when I do my block visits, you can often find bicycles clogging up the corridors which lead to congestion and fire hazards. Would the Ministry be open to (i) re-designing bicycle parking facilities that provide more security against theft, and (ii) increasing the number of secure bicycle parking facilities? Designing Great Neighbourhoods Mr Laurence Lien (Nominated Member) : Mr Chairman, I would like to respond to Minister Khaw's call to go beyond building homes to building communities. Indeed, we need to design and build our neighbourhoods into places which are not just great places to live, work and play, but also places where we have strong relationships and community life. Today, people mostly live in gated communities and for many, the main value of the home is its dollar market value. There is often little value ascribed to the value of the community they live in, or the social capital and relationships in their neighbourhood. Social ties among HDB residents seem to have worsened, households more isolated and neighbourly disputes. 11.15 am In our context, let me give the Minister my suggestions. I shared the long version of this as a Guest Speaker at HDB's Senior Management Retreat last year. I am strongly influenced by Jane Jacob's New Urbanism – Prof Robert Putnam, who taught me all I know about social capital and the asset-based community development approach. Sir, in my dream, I hope that each neighbourhood is unique and diverse, and has distinctive characteristics, reflecting the identity of the residents who have emotional attachments to it. Each neighbourhood has a discernible centre, which can be a square or a busy street junction, where the bus or train stops.”
“I would urge HDB to consider this because that way, we can keep the void deck space void but, at the same time, still provide the amenities and facilities that are needed for various precincts. The second idea was the one of sports stacks. Inevitably, every HDB estate will have complaints about boys playing football and that is natural. Boys will be boys. They will play football. Other people also want the space for games, and I also understand that space is a premium and we have limited space. I thought that the idea of having a sports stack, meaning set aside some land away from the main blocks but still part of the precinct. One level could be used for football; another level could be used for ball games like basketball or netball; another level more for the senior-type games like gateball; and another for racquet games like badminton, table tennis and things like that. In that way, we can still maximise the use of the land, the footprint is kept small because we will stack it up so it benefits the residents. It promotes sports and at the same time, it takes away the noise nuisance for the residents. I would like to ask HDB to consider these ideas. Page: 1862 Secure Bicycle Parking in HDB Estates Mr Ong Teng Koon (Sembawang) : Mr Chairman, Sir, many of our residents in HDB estates find cycling a good recreational activity, a convenient form of transport around the neighbourhood and a way for them to travel to the nearest MRT stations. HDB estates were often not designed to cope with this increased demand for bicycles and the resultant need for more parking facilities. Also, HDB estates provide only basic bicycle parking facilities that afford inadequate protection against theft. Residents do not feel confident with parking their bicycles in allocated areas.”
“Does the Ministry have plans to develop more such commercial hubs and, if so, where will they be located? Sports Stacks in HDB Estates and Second Floors in HDB Blocks Ms Indranee Rajah (Tanjong Pagar) : Mr Chairman, I wish to speak on the topic of sports stacks and use of second floors at HDB developments. I have spoken on these two topics before, so I apologise for being repetitive. It is just that I notice when I broach the topic with some HDB officials, the idea still seems to be relatively new to them, so I was not sure that the idea had actually permeated through the levels of MND. And since there is a new Minister since the last time I spoke on it and a new Minister of State and a new Permanent Secretary, I thought I would raise the topic again, believing like Robert the Bruce that if at first you do not succeed, you must try and try again. On the question of second floor of HDB developments, I have noticed that over the years, we are using more and more of the void deck space and taking it away from the use of residents. The problem was best illustrated perhaps by the recent furore over the day care centre at Woodlands. Whilst one should be mindful of the need to have amenities, there is also a need to balance the void deck space available. I thought it would be a good idea to reserve the second floors of new HDB precincts that are being built for amenities, such as elderly day care centres, senior activity centres, facilities for the disabled or childcare centres. There is precedence for this – Block 118 at Bukit Merah View in my constituency has the Moral Neighbourhood Link, a VWO which serves the residents in that area.”
“Currently, there are also many empty plots of land under MRT tracks which are not utilised, such as the space next to Yio Chu Kang MRT Station. These plots of land can offer temporary parking spaces for heavy vehicles. Will MND be able to identify more of such sites to bring relief to residents and drivers, so that drivers of heavy vehicles need not park illegally or find other means to get home after work? It would therefore be easier for them to go home after their work. Residents need not put up with the potential safety hazards and inconveniences, and there will be a win-win situation for everyone. Page: 1861 Growing Alternative City Centres Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Non-Constituency Member) : Mr Chairman, URA's Master Plan 2008 envisioned more regional commercial hubs being developed outside the city centre to offer alternatives for businesses and provide jobs closer to homes. One of the objectives of the Master Plan is to achieve better job distribution island-wide, and reduce congestion and commuting to the city. Sir, having a large proportion of commuters travelling to and from the city centre at the same time, puts huge stress in the transportation network. This necessitates the building of more roads and MRT lines to serve the city centre and puts pressure on public transport operators to add more bus and train capacity to cater to the very high peak loads heading in the same direction. I understand that the Jurong Lake District and Paya Lebar Central are currently underway. May I ask MND for an update on progress of these developments and any other decentralised commercial centres? To what extent will these reduce the crowding in the city centre and manage the stress on the transportation network?”
“Many of these designated parking spaces are located far away from residential homes of drivers of heavy vehicles. For example, they could be located in the industrial estates. On the roads, I have seen prime movers with bicycles mounted at the back of the vehicles as an innovative way to cycle home after the drivers have parked their vehicles in the industrial parks. For many of these drivers, getting home after duty can be a challenge, especially when they start work early and they end work late. They have to travel long distances back to their homes and there are also no public transport vehicles available at those early hours. As a result, some resort to illegal parking along public streets near their homes. This can cause them to be fined and bring inconveniences to others. For example, many of my residents in Seletar have given me feedback that there have been many instances of overnight parking of heavy vehicles along public streets and sometimes within the residential estate. These vehicles pose safety concerns and congestion problems especially to vehicles, such as the public waste collection vehicles, that need to move within the estate in the mornings to remove garbage. Can MND set aside more interim heavy vehicle parking spaces situated near residential areas to meet the needs? Currently, such parking sites are available, located near to residential areas such as those in Bishan and Ang Mo Kio Ave 1. These parking sites are conveniently located under the MRT tracks or near to HDB housing estates. These are heavily sought after by drivers of heavy vehicles and often have a long wait list. It demonstrates that the practicality and needs of such parking sites.”
“First, use of the word "overhaul" to cover shutting down is convenient to HDB but does not square with the usual meaning of overhaul. Second, from the Town Councils' perspective, it is unjustifiable to pay HDB $100,000 per lift when no physical overhaul work was done but the lift instead became extinct. What HDB is bearing is not based on the total bill of the LUP but a lesser amount after first making the Town Council pay to HDB part of the total LUP bill through such lift overhaul costs. This results in a significant drain on the Town Councils' sinking funds, way above the one-off LUP assistance provided by HDB. How does HDB justify such accounting? Page: 1860 Car Parking for HDB Residents My next cut, Sir. In mature HDB estates where there are few multi-storey car parks, families may be asked to park their cars some distance away from the block, even a few hundred metres away, for the second car, in particular. In other car park clusters, even the first car may need to be parked some blocks away. Residents are concerned not just because of the inconvenience. It poses difficulties to the less mobile, and ladies have expressed to me safety concerns. It was reported in December that MND is studying a mechanised parking solution for implementation in mature HDB estates. Since then, some parking experts and others have thrown up some possible strategies. Could MND share more information about what it is looking into to ease the car park shortages for residents in mature HDB estates? More Heavy Vehicle Parking Sites Mr Ang Hin Kee (Ang Mo Kio) : Mr Chairman, under the vehicle parking certificate scheme implemented in 1994, all heavy vehicles in Singapore are required to have a parking lot in an authorised parking place licensed by LTA.”
“If there are these pockets of solace, close to mother nature, away from busy roads and concrete infrastructure, it could well help Singaporeans cope with the inevitable increase in population which globalisation brings to a small and attractive city-country. Lift Upgrading Programme Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied) : Sir, please forgive my flu-stricken voice. First, Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP). The LUP is a Government programme where the bulk of the cost is to be borne by the Government with the balance co-shared between residents and Town Councils, each paying between 5% and 12.5%. However, based on the accounting used by HDB, the Town Councils are paying much more and are subsidising HDB's share. This is because HDB's definition of LUP costs is different from what a common person understands. HDB defines LUP costs as "the total cost of lift upgrading minus the Town Council's share of the lift overhaul costs". What then is lift overhaul? During LUP, new lift shafts are erected. Once operational, HDB requires one or two of the existing lifts to be shut down. According to HDB's logic, the shutting down of these lifts is deemed an overhaul. The Town Councils have to pay HDB the overhaul costs, as overhauls are cyclical works to be done by the Town Councils. The overhaul cost is based on a 28-year life span for a lift. If the lift is 24 years old now, the Town Council has to pay the depreciated portion, that is, 24 out of 28 years of value based on HDB's costings, which cannot be challenged. This could easily work out to about $100,000 for each lift. For 10 blocks, the Town Council would be required to pay a substantial amount of $1 million, just for the shutting down of lifts. There are several issues here.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, one of the most pressing issues today has to do with that of Singapore's burgeoning population. In the annual Population Trends report released by the Department of Statistics, the total population grew by 2.1%, with our total population hitting 5.18 million at the end of June last year. This has fuelled many practical fears and concerns by Singaporeans as to the adequacy of the nation's infrastructure to absorb such rapidly increasing numbers. Page: 1859 One group feeling the strains of this is young, newly-working adult Singaporeans. I would like to ask the MND whether more can be done to ensure that newly built flats are made affordable for younger start-up families as well as the average working-class family. Would the Ministry also continue to review and revise income ceilings on a more regular basis so that it corresponds to the demands of Singaporeans from a wider segment of society, thereby ensuring that homes remain affordable for a broad section of the population? Does the Ministry have plans to help target groups such as divorcees with children and low-income families? Especially divorcees with children, who may be neglected by policies traditionally aimed at catering to the majority of the population? Are there more creative solutions in the line-up beyond just building more subsidised rental flats? Also, as the population increases, we would need more "spill out" spaces such as parks and gardens where people can unwind and come close to nature and feel restored and refreshed. Also, given the many tributaries and rivers in Singapore, how could we help to bring even more Active, Beautiful and Clean (ABCs) projects and near-the-river experiences to Singaporeans?”
“Can the Minister for Education update the House on the progress of SUTD's development in preparation for its first undergraduate intake in April 2012? Perhaps the Minister can also update the House on the progress of the graduate programmes under SUTD's fold? I hope the Minister will be able to shed light on these two points and, with that, I record my strong support for the Bill.”