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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“One major benefit of this is that Defence Counsel can better advise their clients as to whether the prosecution will be able to achieve a conviction. With the amendment, the prosecution will be required to give the defence a document which sets out information about the facts, witnesses and evidence supporting the allegations against the accused person, including statements by the accused that the prosecution intends to rely on during the trial. The defence is then required to provide the prosecution information about the facts, evidence and witnesses that it will produce. The prosecution will also have to provide the defence all other statements made by the accused and documentary exhibits, as well as any criminal records of the accused. This sharing of information will result in a fairer, more efficient trial where both parties are engaged on the same platform, allowing them the time and opportunity to surface and consider the significance of the crucial facts of the case. This will benefit the prosecution because it will be in a better position to decide whether the charge can be made out or whether a reduction or withdrawal of charge is in order. It also benefits the Defence Counsel because it forces his client to be honest and upfront with him or her about his defence. Naturally, the Courts also benefit because the prosecution and defence engage each other on a reasoned and common platform rather than guessing at what each other's case and evidence are. This will translate into more efficient hearings and disposal of cases. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill because it augments the substantive review of the Penal Code with up-to-date Criminal Procedure. 5.52 pm Assoc. Prof. Paulin Tay Straughan: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.”
“In addition, do we have a framework to ensure that we provide adequate "through care" and "aftercare" for an offender, from the point of transition from custody to the community, or at the end of a community order? Another key improvement in the CPC is in the area of compensation and costs under Part XVIII of the Bill. The provision under clause 359 requiring the Courts to actively consider compensation for the victims after conviction has widespread support. This will be especially significant for poorer victims who cannot afford to file subsequent civil suits against the attackers for losses or damages incurred through criminal wrongs suffered or he had suffered. This provision deserves support as it will provide victims with a faster and more convenient way to receive compensation without having to take out a separate civil suit. However, would the Minister please elaborate whether this provision will be flexible enough to accommodate the possibility for the victim to indeed, if he so chooses, file a separate civil claim in the event that he decides to do so? If so, how will the compensation granted by the Criminal Court affect his subsequent civil claim for damages suffered as a result of the same criminal act? I also support the provision for criminal case disclosure procedures under Part IX, entitled "Pre-Trial Procedures in the Subordinate Courts" and Part X "Pre-Trial Procedures in the High Courts" of the Bill for the prosecution and the defence to disclose information about a case to each other. The discovery process coming out of the CPC preserves the independence of the estemmed institutions in the AGC and then the decision-making process as well as allows the Defence Counsel more scope to view the prosecution's documents before the trial.”
“For those with multiple issues, we need to have a comprehensive approach and help them solve their problems through additional coordination with Family Service Centres, CDCs and other self-help organisations. As a community, it is our responsibility to put in a supportive framework and realistic measures to help these people turn over a new leaf and stay on the right side of the law. The Mandatory Treatment Order, under clause 339, may have the most direct and targeted impact from among the community-based sentences being introduced under the new CPC Bill. Today, we have at our disposal a much wider range of treatments for mental disorders and illnesses. We should utilise them to help offenders with such problems minimise resultant criminal behavior. Orders compelling certain offenders to receive medical treatment for their illnesses would be far more effective and meaningful than incarceration. These are cases where we can literally treat the cause of the crime with the right dose of medicine. Ultimately, we want these offenders to be able to believe that with the proper medical intervention, they can live meaningful lives by contributing to our community. The Community Service Order, under clause 346 of the new CPC Bill, is commendable in that the offender can make reparation to his community even as he serves his sentence. However, I would like to ask the Minister if we have staff with the requisite experience and skills to support the offenders carrying out community service orders? How do we ensure that we have a consistent match between the level of supervision and management to the risks involved, especially for higher risk offenders?”
“Next, I support the provision to allow for the Police to refer appropriate cases involving non-arrestable offences to community mediation, under clause 16 of the Bill. This will help to free up precious time Court time, in terms of hearings and pre-trial conferences, and build a sense of reconciliation into the justice system. However, as the general level of education of our population rises and people become more keenly aware of their rights, it is not unforeseeable that in the assertion of these rights, they may neglect the possibility of negotiation and compromise. Therefore, building mediation into the justice system is a good way of reinforcing the fact that some grievances can be solved through talking and compromise. I fully support the introduction of community-based sentences, one of the most significant amendments in the CPC, under Part XVII of the Bill. To augment punitive measures of jail, fine or caning, we now have a wider range of sentencing options. The Short Detention Order, under clause 348 will be effective. We should prevent petty criminals from graduating onto more serious crimes due to the influence of other criminals they meet in jail and the networks they build up in there. We must put a stop to such vicious cycles. May I ask whether this sentence will indeed carry less stigma than imprisonment and whether it would allow the offender to carry on in his job and continue to earn a living. The Day Reporting Order, under clause 341, will incorporate counseling which is a crucial component in helping to lower the chances of the offender re-offending, or the recidivism rate. Some offenders have issues which are better addressed through counseling.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to join in this debate. I rise in support of the Bill. The new Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) will provide an updated regulatory framework which is more flexible and effective, allowing targeted responses to complex issues starting from investigations all the way to sentencing. This assists in achieving just outcomes. It also strikes a better balance between rehabilitative and punitive justice and allows the Courts to take a more comprehensive approach to a wide range of cases, from petty crimes such as stealing to more serious ones involving violence and drug abuse. There is also greater community involvement in the new framework – an important com ponent for re-integrating offenders into the community and preventing them from re-offending. First, allow me to address the greater powers of investigation under the new CPC. Clause 112, division 7, empowers certain authorised officers to require a person to surrender his or her travel documents if there are reasonable grounds for believing that the person has committed an offence. If the person refuses to surrender his or her travel documents, he or she may be arrested. This is a positive measure as this will help our officers greatly in their investigations. Singapore is becoming an increasingly cosmopolitan society. We need to guard against the rise of triad activities, drug abuse, money laundering, and so on. Our men-in-blue need more tools at their disposal to keep crime rates in Singapore low as before. Therefore, the surrendering of travel documents will deter international crime syndicates from carrying out quick "stop-over" crimes such as drug trafficking or money laundering.”
“The Magistrate should as far as possible only record a person's plea, pronounce a conviction, listen to a mitigation plea and sentence a person in Court, with the said person also in Court. This allows the Magistrate to read the accused more carefully and also allows the accused person the assurance that he can raise his mitigation in a setting and environment he knows to be independent of the Prosecution. Therefore, will the Minister please assure the House that the amendment does not extend, as far as possible, to PG Mentions? In conclusion, Sir, I support the amendments to the NCMP and NMP schemes as they will increase the level of debate on policies in this House. In relation to clause 2 of the Bill, I seek the Minister's confirmation as to its ambit. Sir, I support the Bill. 3.43 pm”
“I believe that these changes will meet the changing expectations of the Singapore electorate. While the electorate wants the Government to remain stable and continue its track record of providing economic growth, business and employment opportunities, good infrastructure, housing, healthcare and education, they also want greater political participation and more debate on policies. As NCMPs can participate in debates in the House, vote on laws and even propose legislation, having more NCMPs will facilitate this desire. However, as they are not allowed to vote on money and Supply Bills, constitutional amendments and no-confidence motions, this will provide a form of safeguard in that it ensures that the winning team is given the mandate to execute correct policies which benefit the country. Also, this preserves the barrier of "first past the post" Members of Parliament and distinguish him or her from an NCMP. So it is a safeguard. And the safeguard is in fact built into the Constitution and therefore there are already safeguards to address that increase from six to nine. This amendment is generous and magnanimous towards politicians who have actually lost the election. It is a far-sighted move to allow alternative party views to be aired in Parliament while ensuring the Government is still equipped to run the country efficiently. The third amendment I would like to debate is found in clause 2 of the Bill. It amends Article 9(4) of the Constitution to enable a person who has been arrested and not released to be produced (within 48 hours) before a Magistrate by way of video-conferencing link. One concern I have regarding this amendment is that it should not, as far as possible, extend to Plea of Guilt Mentions (commonly known as PG Mentions).”
“Increasingly, Singaporeans want greater participation in political debates and expect more robust debates in and out of the House. Over the years, NMPs have risen to the occasion. Our NMPs had participated enthusiastically in debates on a wide range of issues. Some had even filed motions and proposed legislation. I remember vividly the motion filed by two NMPs, Prof. Thio Li-ann and Dr Loo Choon Yong two years ago to ask that a by-election be required by law should a minority Member, or half or more Members of a GRC slate, vacate his seat mid-team. While I agreed with the Government’s position on the issue, the debate was constructive in that it ventilated alternative views. Our NMPs have made valuable contributions to Singapore over the last two decades and I welcome having them as a permanent feature of our Parliament. The other main amendment is to raise the maximum number of Non-Constituency MPs (NCMPs) to nine. Since the introduction of the NCMP scheme in 1984, NCMPs have engaged PAP MPs in debate over a wide range of issues. The scheme has been widely accepted by Singaporeans and I think, by and large, has been beneficial to our system. Increasing their number will provide a wider avenue for voicing the concerns of the voters who had voted for them. Hence, I support this amendment under clause 3 of the Bill. I also support the consequences of this amendment to the new section 52(3A)(b) of the Parliamentary Elections Bill which puts a cap of not more than two NCMPs from one GRC and the new section 52(3A)(c) of the said Bill which imposes a cap of one NCMP from an electoral division which is not a GRC. This will help ensure the even geographical distribution of NCMPs throughout the island. This also makes the NCMPs' voices more geographically representative.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in this debate. Since the NMP scheme started 20 years ago, NMPs have made contributions to the House, presenting non-partisan views and enriching our debates. The scheme has worked well and they have long been accepted by Singaporeans. Hence, making them a permanent feature of Parliament is the next step. Therefore, I support clause 5 of the Bill which amends section 1 of the Fourth Schedule to abolish the requirement for a resolution to be passed by Parliament before Nominated Members of Parliament may be appointed. With the changes to the Parliamentary Elections Act, which are consequential to the constitutional amendments, NMPs, NCMPs and Opposition MPs may fill at least 18 seats or about 20% of the House. This will help bring in more diverse views while maintaining stability and effective governance. Like NCMPs, NMPs can participate in debates, vote on laws and even propose legislation. However, they cannot vote on money and Supply Bills, constitutional amendments or no-confidence motions. This is as it should be as they have not been elected by the people. The desires of the majority, who voted in the ruling party, will prevail without suppressing the concerns and voices of the minority. This gives us the flexibility to make the necessary adjustments to our policies. We will have a hybrid system which strikes more of a balance between the concept of "winner takes all" and representative government. I believe that this system will allow us to reap the benefits of both systems while minimising the disadvantages. In the past, we have seen NMPs contributing refreshing and out-of-the-box ideas which enriched our debates in this House.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. I would like to have responses to both my suggestions on building filters to block out pornographic as well as sexual grooming sites so that parents do not have to police the Internet at home; as well as the complementary point of Mr Baey Yam Keng on that point. I do not think we have responses yet.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, in September last year, the Censorship Review Committee (CRC) was set up to conduct a mid-term review of content issues in broadcast, films, videos, publications, audio materials, the arts and new media. I would expect that new media will be the area posing the greatest challenge. The reach of the Internet is a plus. Now cellphones offer Internet access as well, at relatively affordable prices. Therefore, even school children can access the Internet easily, anytime, anywhere. However, our young children may lack the maturity and judgment sense to discriminate good content from misleading or even harmful content. I therefore agree with the position of Mr Baey that there is desirable but also very undesirable content on the Internet. We need to guard against the latter. Hence, will the Minister share with us how the CRC will act on the feedback of parents who want Internet filters, particularly filters against pornographic sites or sexual grooming, to be built into our systems given that the parents themselves are unable to police the Internet to protect their children from such sites? Also, there has been feedback that pornography should not be shown on television or sold here, for example at bookshops or petrol kiosks, like what is seen in some countries. Will the Minister assure us that these basic parameters will not be breached? TV programmes”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the Penal Code was recently overhauled. The overhaul was timely and reactive to the changing nature of how crime and criminal activity are conducted. However, to augment these substantive changes, what is also needed is modern criminal procedure. Hence, an amended Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) should serve to enhance the good work that was done in the overhaul of the Penal Code. I would like to ask the Minister for an update on the amendments to the CPC. Community sentencing options”
“To develop Singapore into an international arbitration hub, the Government has put in place a slew of measures and projects. These include developing a strong arbitration capability and establishing the Maxwell Chambers, a world-class integrated dispute resolution complex. But in order to make Singapore truly an anchor for international arbitration, we will need to convince commercial entities to build into their contractual and commercial ageements dispute resolution clauses which state that Singapore should be the seat for arbitration and Singapore law the choice of law. How would the Government partner the private sector to help achieve this? 3.45 pm Compensation for land acquisition”
“Sir, this concept of social entrepreneurship never really takes off in Singapore in a manner that is significant and impacting the community or people it intended for. Is there something to do with our lack of resources or level of policy support and expertise? My desired outcome for this sector is take leverage of our various hubs of excellence. The target business enterprise could be a value-added chain sector such as multimedia, creative and digital arts or even software technology. Whatever the enterprise we embark, there are two levels for take-off. Training to equip the people that run the business to make it viable and training the people with disabilities with upgraded skills. I am reminded of the popular analogy in Social Service parlance – give me a fish and I eat a day; teach me to fish and I eat a lifetime. Finally, echoing the words of the Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, Mr Lim Boon Heng, we must not only do good which is a corporate social responsibility but do well which is the financial bottomline factor.”
“The child’s motivation and well-being is directly linked to the enthusiasm of the caregiver. If we refresh them, and give them a chance to be refreshed, through relief care, this will not only improve the physical and emotional well-being of the caregiver but also the quality of care of the child and, consequently, the child’s progress. Has MCYS studied other models of government-funded relief care in other countries? If so, could some best practices be adopted in Singapore? If we introduce this, we could then see how we could extend it to care-givers of elderly parents. Therefore, to sum up, Sir, would the Minister consider assisting in the resourcing for and co-funding of Relief Care for Caregivers of Handicapped children in Singapore and broadening what there is already in place? Partnership for capability transformation Mr Chairman, Sir, in this year's Budget Statement, there are many schemes available to help business or SMEs under the Partnership for Capability Transformation. Sir, I may be wrong. However, there are few similar schemes to help people with special needs or disability and on a scale that is significant to lift this sector up and make us truly an inclusive society. To this end, may I suggest to the Minister that MCYS develops soft infrastructure in line with a social entrepreneurship concept. This will need careful study, perhaps undertaken by a special committee at the national level involving the various community partners and stakeholders. The outcome will be worthwhile and sustainable ventures that will put people with disabilities as contributing members of our society. Their integration as equal members of our community is important and possible.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, parents and family members have traditionally been the main caregivers to the disabled. Usually, such home-based care requires a dedicated caregiver, often a lady. Sometimes, the family is able to afford a foreign domestic worker to lighten the burden of caring for the disabled. Other times, less common, the disabled are placed in nursing institutions. The community and the Government can play a greater role to support such caregivers. Caregiving for the disabled, being a long-term or even lifelong responsibility, can be a challenging and sometimes exhausting task that can impact the caregiver financially, physically and emotionally. The daily tasks can be demanding and draining, and caregivers, with their freedom restricted in order to care for the disabled, could be prone to depression and isolation. May I request that the Ministry give relief care to caregivers or the families of the disabled, especially disabled children? As a suggestion, the person providing the relief care will take care of the disabled once a week, so that the caregiver can have some time to recharge himself or herself. This service could be co-funded by the Government. Would the Ministry also consider giving monetary allowances to caregivers to compensate them for their effort? Many caregivers have to give up their jobs. This will help alleviate the financial burdens on these families. I visited homes in my constituency, Ulu Pandan. Very often, if there is a caregiver for a handicapped or disabled child, it is the mother. The mothers, taking care of their mentally challenged and handicapped children, really need an outlet, a form of respite which a day off per week will offer. How can we organise and facilitate respite care for these caregivers?”
“Mr Chairman, this clarification is addressed to the Senior Minister of State, Mr Iswaran, and I hope that the cut and thrust of this will be a bit stylish. He mentioned that there is an increase of 12% to 19% in the number of ITE students going to polytechnics so I think there is a levelling up there. Also, there is a lot of "O" level students who qualify very easily into Junior College (JC) are going to polytechnics. So, I would like to ask clarification of what MOE's plans are beyond the SIT to have the polytechnic diplomas move on for further education to get university degrees beyond the SIT for the degree avenues.”
“As students are exposed to different teaching methodologies and standards, their preparation for Primary 1 and later in their life may differ as well. We need to ensure that all pre-school education providers attain a minimum standard to ensure that our children will have the opportunity to be the best that they can be and climb their own peaks of excellence. On that note, I would like to suggest that the Minister consider implementing an accreditation process for pre-school education here in Singapore. Stress in schools”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, currently, there is a range of teaching methods and content in our pre-schools (kindergartens and childcare centres). MOE, together with MCYS, accredits diploma courses through the Pre-school Qualification Accreditation Committee. I agree with the proposals of Mrs Josephine Teo and Dr Amy Khor and therefore would like to ask the Minister to consider going one step further and accredit our pre-schools to ensure a minimum standard of teaching, learning content and syllabus. Such an accreditation scheme would ensure that all students in Primary 1 start off on a good enough foundation to develop fully in Primary 1. Without such an accreditation scheme, children would likely be entering Primary 1 with varying levels of literacy and mathematical skills. Pre-school education Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, recently, I had a discussion with a group of community leaders on pre-school education here in Singapore. One of them is a grandmother of a 3-year old girl. She shared with us that her son had sent the 3-year old girl to a pre-school which provides a robust and comprehensive programme. Her granddaughter spends the morning in the Basic Programme. This continues with a special programme in the afternoon up to 5.00 pm. Others began to chip in with regard to their own experiences. We realised that there are many pre-school service providers, with few claiming to be specialising in their own niche programmes. This implies the different standards and exposure of students who attend the different pre-schools. We began to feel concerned that many of the children in my Division, who come from low-income families may not have the opportunity to attend such robust and comprehensive programmes mentioned by the grandmother earlier.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the Ministry of Education announced in May last year that the Singapore Institute of Applied Technology (SIT) would be set up to provide an upgrading pathway for polytechnic graduates to obtain industry-relevant University degrees from the US, UK, Australia and Europe. These are in the areas of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Digital Media, Health Sciences and Hospitality. May I ask the Minister if he would consider providing more options in the fields of study and increasing the number of places from the current target of 2000? In addition, given the world class standard of our polytechnics, would MOE consider opening up even more avenues to enable our Singaporean Diploma holders to further their education in order to have them obtain University degrees? Hence, the title of my cut – ITEs to Diplomas and Dilpomas to Degrees. Adequacy of tertiary education places”
“I applaud MOE for this but would like to suggest that MOE take ownership of our SPED schools in order to provide education, the recruitment and training of teachers, performance standards, audits and learning outcomes. There is still room after this transition for the "Many Hands" approach where the VWOs will be more than welcome to continue to contribute their expertise. Additionally, I would like to request for the Minister to share with us the details of the various grants provided to SPED schools and how they have benefited our children with special needs. Lastly, would MOE consider cultivating a conducive outside school learning environment for special needs children by meeting with parents to explain how they can bring out the best potential in these very special children? Primary Education Review (PERI)”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, children with special needs presently receive their education in special education (SPED) schools run by voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) with funding from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the National Council of Social Service (NCSS). One of the objectives of special needs education is to enable the children to function optimally and integrate well into society. I am curious why this task has remained entrusted to VWOs and not integrated into our mainstream school network under the purview of MOE. SPED schools provide customised educational programmes and training for different disability groups. While the needs of these children are different, I cannot see how this differs from those for our independent schools, specialised schools like the Sports School and School of The Arts (SOTA), and schools with programmes for gifted children and so forth. These schools remain under the purview of MOE. The Sports School is not under the purview of MCYS, SOTA is not under MICA nor the new School of Science and Technology (SST) under MTI. Should not, therefore, SPED schools come under MOE? I have parents of children with special needs in my constituency and they would much rather have a structured school programme run by MOE. All children, whether or not they have special needs, are sons and daughters of Singapore. We should give every child the best education. MOE is a world-class institution – its expertise should be extended to special needs children. I understand MOE assists SPED schools with their broad educational policy and direction and provides the majority share of development and recurrent funding, training and professional support to the schools, including advice on mainstream curriculum and pedagogy.”
“Sir, the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) was introduced to achieve a balanced mix of residents from different racial groups in HDB estates and prevent the formation of ethnic enclaves. Residents have more opportunities to meet and form bonds with neighbours of different races. This fosters inter-racial understanding and strengthens social cohesion in Singapore. New citizens and PRs are subjected to the EIP when they purchase HDB flats. However, there is still a risk of enclaves forming. For example, they could congregate at a specific location outside of their homes. It is natural that people feel comfortable with their own kind, from similar backgrounds and culture. However, this could lead to a situation where integration within the Singaporean community is delayed or hampered. Would the Minister provide an update if he sees such racial enclaves forming, whether the EIP is effective in preventing them and what other initiatives beyond the EIP can be introduced to make our new citizens, PRs and foreigners in Singapore very much part of Singapore? Ethnic Integration Policy”
“Sir, I am begging to have the amendment withdrawn. Before doing so, I would like to thank the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Shanmugam, Prof. Ho Peng Kee and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Masagos Zulkifli for the robust response to several important issues that have been raised by Members in this House, including –”
“On this point, would MHA confirm if the recent amendment to the Moneylenders Act has had any deterrent effect on loan shark activities? I ask this because the serious and strong position MHA took during that debate ought to have itself that strong position, deterred the unlicensed moneylending industry from further increasing. On this issue of casinos, I join the chorus of well-argued speeches of Mr Arthur Fong and Dr Ong Seh Hong and request MHA to comment on whether it will roll out measures to deter vice activities linked with the casinos and, in particular, would MHA increase manpower in its Anti-Vice Branch to step up enforcement activities? Loan sharks”
“Mdm Chairman, our population has been growing rapidly in recent years due to the increasing number of immigrants. The number of foreigners in Singapore has gone up by more than 100,000 a year in recent years and the latest figures from the Department of Statistics show that out of the approximately five million people living here, more than a third are non-citizens. I would like to ask the Minister if our crime rates over the last five years have increased beyond our population growth rate. It follows that we would need more anti-crime enforcement officers on the ground – patrolling the streets and working in and with the community neighborhood groups. Would MHA provide an assessment of its capability to deter a rise in crime in the face of the rise in the population and the continuing rise in the population. With the opening of the casinos, we can expect that there will be more gamblers who may turn to loan sharks to finance their addictions. The papers have already reported crime incidents related to patrons of the casino. Therefore, how will MHA work with other Government bodies, such as MCYS and the Casino Regulatory Authority, to ensure that gambling at the casino does not lead to an increase in loans by loan sharks to the Singapore public? The National Council for Problem Gambling has a series of very emotive advertisements and one of them shows a little girl holding onto her piggy bank. So I would ask that if we are wanting to deter the breaking of that piggy bank and the breaking of that family piggy bank, how will we ensure through our inter-governmental relationship with the Casino Regulatory Authority and MCYS that loan sharks do not fund the gambling of addicts in the casino?”
“Madam, security operations undertaken by the regional authorities last year led to the arrest of a number of terrorists in the region. While we should take heart at the efforts to improve security in our region, a nagging and continuing concern is that there are still other terrorists at large. In addition, there were worrying signs that international terrorists, like the Al Qaeda group, may be establishing or re-establishing their connections with terrorists in South-east Asia. May I ask for the Minister's current assessment of the regional security landscape and what further steps can be done to help make Singapore and South-east Asia safer? Another growing concern is that Singaporeans may have become de-sensitised to messages and reminders of vigilance as we have not been exposed recently to a terrorist attack. What measures will MHA take to maintain vigilance among Singaporeans in peace time to prevent complacency from taking root? With our population increasing and our doors open to foreigners, what measures does MHA have in place to ensure that terrorist cells do not take root in our community? Whilst ISD has, time and again, shown that it is not terrified by terror, the whole population must lock hands to ensure that terror does not find a foothold here. How does MHA seek to secure the partnership of the community neighbourhood groups in this, ie, to prevent terror taking a foothold here?”
“On the issue of enhanced Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) and continuation of Jobs Credit Scheme, I support the enhancement which will increase maximum payouts by between $150 and $400, with more going to older workers to encourage them to remain in the workforce and the extension of WIS to workers earning up to $1,700 per month, up from $1,500 per month. As fellow Member, Mdm Halimah Yacob, and I have argued before in this House, this increase of $200 will motivate our workers as it awards people who have worked hard through the recession year and received well-earned increments which take their wage beyond $1,500. In conclusion, Sir, it is essential that we continue to reinvent ourselves to remain relevant to the demands of the global economy and create jobs for Singaporeans. We must make our nation relevant to the world. An important key to this is to have an adaptable, motivated, skilled and productive workforce. Therefore, I support the Budget. 1.12 pm”
“For example, parents who need to go for extra training and further studies will require more help with childcare, student care and eldercare. Without the social infrastructural support in place, I do not think we can realistically expect more "Tiger" cubs to be "roaring" out this year, or more babies the following years. After all, the total fertility rate (TFR) must also be productive! Workers in industries being phased out may need temporary financial assistance until they find replacement jobs. The impact on their families, particularly their children, must be minimised to make this productivity exercise as "productive" as possible. So the productivity exercise must itself be productive. As we progress into higher value sectors, we will have areas where we need the input of foreign talent with niche expertise. While we will reduce the number of foreign workers, possibly through the foreign levy hike, the number of foreign talent with niche expertise will most probably not be reduced and I would urge Singaporeans to accept them into our midst as they have valuable contributions to make to our country. While I support the new "Productivity and Innovation Credit", which will provide significant tax deductions for investments in a broad range of activities, from research and development to design activities and employee training, I am concerned about driving automation overly furiously through technology or software. My key concern is that this may lead to lower manpower requirements and consequently, fewer jobs for Singaporeans. We should guard against this. The aim should be win-win – that with automation and individual productivity, more jobs across Singapore are created for Singaporeans.”
“Many young Singaporean couples have expressed their concerns with the rapidly rising prices of both HDB flats and private properties due to the market recovery. Therefore, these measures hopefully will be felt soon. On the issue of productivity and foreign talent, it is time we break away from the low productivity growth we had maintained over the last decade. Based on a UBS survey last year, since 2006, Singapore had jumped eight places to the 24th most expensive city in the world, and if rent is included, 15th place. Improving productivity and raising wages is needed to empower Singaporeans to keep pace with globalisation, progress and the rising cost of living. In view of the resources our Government will be committing to support this major uplift in productivity, I am confident that the goal of 2% to 3% per year is achievable. The greatest gains we can make in our economy can only be achieved from shifting our companies to higher-value activities and creating quality jobs in these sectors which will command higher salaries. Secondary gains can be made by upgrading skills in every vocation and at every level. This productivity growth will involve a comprehensive national effort but this transition period will also be difficult, even painful, for some, as they seek to do their jobs, go for re-training, adapt to new work environments and raise their families all at the same time. Older workers with low levels of education will find this shifting of gear especially difficult. I am interested to hear what social support measures the other Ministries will be rolling out to assist Singaporeans and their families deal with the transition as we move into higher gear.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in the debate. This time last year, we had a sombre debate in this House. The Government had to cut its forecast to between -5% and -2%. There was speculation that unemployment could exceed 30,000, a situation worse than that during the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. Today, it is a different picture. The Government is expecting our growth to be around 4.5% to 6.5% in 2010. This is excellent news. The measures we have taken – such as the Resilience Package, Jobs Credit, SPUR and SRI – have made their impact and contributed significantly to our recovery. The sense of optimism among Singaporeans is palpable. Thank you, Minister for Finance and MOF for an obviously effective Budget 2009. Its boldness and determination, especially of the labour movement, saw us through the recession. It is comforting to see Singaporeans travelling again, chalking up sales over $63 million at the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas) Fair over the weekend, higher than the $60 million in sales achieved at the Natas fair in August last year. Nonetheless, it would be wise to remain cautious as the global financial outlook is still uncertain. Nobel economics laureate, Prof. Joseph Stiglitz, warned recently that the "Great Recession" is not over yet. Our recovery must be carefully monitored and managed to ensure its sustainability. Therefore, on the issue of rising private properties and HDB flat prices, I agree with the recent measures – imposing a seller stamp duty for residential properties sold within a year from the date of purchase and lowering mortgage borrowing limits – to discourage speculation in the property market.”
“Mr Calvin Cheng asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs in light of the Romanian diplomat's refusal to return to Singapore to assist in investigations regarding his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run accident, what measures will the Government take to ensure that investigations will continue.”
“The Blueprint aims to improve resource efficiency, enhance our environment, build capabilities and foster an environmentally-responsible community in Singapore. It sets out targets for 2020 and 2030 in areas such as energy efficiency, water consumption, recycling as well as air quality, greenery and blue spaces to guide our progress in these areas. We will adopt a multi-pronged approach to achieve these goals. As part of public education to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable development and how businesses and the community can do their part, we are providing information on resource use, for instance, through energy and water labelling schemes, so that firms and consumers can make better purchasing decisions. We will continue to adopt appropriate fiscal measures to discourage over-consumption and to promote the adoption of more resource efficient designs and processes. Sir, we also set minimum standards and mandate best practices to ensure that resource efficiency improvements are sustained over time, while investing in innovation and technology to develop new solutions that address current and future constraints. Sir, as these new initiatives under the Blueprint are implemented over the next few years, we will have a better idea of how effective the strategies and measures are in achieving the targets set out in the Blueprint. This will enable us to fine-tune our approach, in consultation with our key stakeholders, by introducing new initiatives or ramping up existing ones if necessary. INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT OF ROMANIAN DIPLOMAT IN HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENT 7.”
“The work that PUB will start in the third quarter of this year to widen the canal and the diversion canal will help the water to be drained off quickly. But, at the end of the day, it is about clearing up the litter as much as possible because our canals do pick up a lot of litter. Going forward, what the PUB will do is to continue to work with our contractors to ensure that whenever there is a reported blockage, we will clear it immediately. And when the rainy season is coming, we will step up our manpower to check at those places located in low-lying areas. As I mentioned in my reply, we will put in place these measures to ensure that we have some form of early warning system. We cannot prevent the kind of extreme event that occurred on 19th November last year, but if it does happen, I think the most important thing is our response. So, this is the assurance that I can give to the Member – that we will do our very best to ensure that we can reduce the impact as much as possible – but it will be impossible to design for such extremities. GREEN EFFORT IN SINGAPORE (Action plan) 6. Mr Teo Siong Seng asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what action plan his Ministry intends to adopt to step up the "green effort" in Singapore; and (b) what new or additional incentives will be introduced to encourage the business community to play an even greater role in achieving the targets set out in the plan. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, last year, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development launched the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint, which is a comprehensive plan to ensure Singapore's sustainable development.”
“Thank you, Minister, for the comprehensive reply. The areas that the Minister discussed were all in my constituency. I was told that PUB worked overtime to drain and pump out, I think, about 30 hours worth of water and for that, thank you on behalf of the residents. However, I would like to seek two clarifications. The first is in relation to crest protection. Is there any way that PUB or the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources can work with developers before the development is T.O.P-ed to have mandatory crest protection for basement carparks? Secondly, the drainage system that the Minister talked about – and I understand that it comes from the Bukit Timah Canal and goes through Wilby Road as a tributary into Sungei Ulu Pandan and then to the Pandan Reservoir – how will all of these have no bottlenecks in order that drainage actually does go to the Pandan Reservoir? Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, to the first question, I have been told by PUB that we work very closely with the developers and, if my memory serves me right, I think this is part of the Building Code that whenever you have basements, there are certain requirements that you have to put in place against flash floods. I will clarify this and inform the Member what are the stipulations. I have been told that it has already been in place and therefore we will continue to review if that is adequate or not. In some of the basements that were flooded, they did not have such requirements because they were built before the requirements came into effect in the Code. Sir, on the second point, I agree with the Member that drainage reliability and robustness is very important for us.”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker, it is very short. I thank Prof. Straughan for raising her point and I am very happy to have such a compassionate resident living in Ulu Pandan, and that is exactly what I think she is trying to build in – some compassion. Even if we were to make borrowing an offence, there would be some compassion in the manner in which the discretion is used as to who would be eventually prosecuted. That is the first point. And secondly, if you do make borrowing an offence and the borrower is a young offender, you always have the ability to request that he be put on probation. Then, he can understand the full effects of what he has done and part of his probation could be going and scrubbing off "owe-money-pay-money" signs along the corridors. So I think that couples compassion with rehabilitation which is absent if you do not have it as an offence. But I would like to underscore my strong support for the Bill. I am not advocating that we go for making borrowing an offence now. It is only if the measures do not bring the numbers down.”
“These 'fortifications' are the work of a young couple, the Ongs, who have been defending their first home against loan sharks since last July." Why should innocent residents have to spend money, time and energy defending and protecting their homes? It is logical to consider seriously and implement making an offence of borrowing from loansharks. Also, there is a possible counter-argument to that now, that if you give a false address, you can be prosecuted but that goes only so far. What if you do not give a false address? Why if you actually give your own address and the loansharks harass your neighbour? That borrower has not committed an offence yet his innocent neighbour or his neighbour five floors down, to use Mr Fong's example, are being harassed. So I think we need to seriously consider taking that bold step, if these measures do not seek to achieve the lowering of the numbers which are increasing from year to year. Therefore I support the amendments but seek the Minister’s reply on my proposal which attempts to make the regulatory framework tighter and more effective. Thank you, MHA, for the bold measures. I think they are indeed bold, they go upstream as well as downstream, contemporaneously but would the Minister consider going that further step if indeed the measures do not achieve the result that they are seeking to.”
“I have previously cited two pieces of legislation (the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act) as examples of effective legislation where the Government has tackled both the supply and demand side of the problem. It is under the Misuse of Drugs Act an offence to consume drugs, that is, demand and also to traffic drugs which is supply. While I support the measures in this particular Bill, which seek to reduce unlicensed moneylending by deterring the supply aspects of the offence, I urge the Ministry to give further consideration to making the very act of borrowing from unlicensed moneylenders an offence. This will enable the law to also contemporaneously, simultaneously deter the demand for unlicensed moneylending. Naturally, as Mr Sin has said, the Public Prosecutor will have the ultimate discretion whether to prosecute a borrower, and unique circumstances prompting a compassionate approach would likely merit non-prosecution. After all, there is nothing innocent about a borrower giving a false address to a loanshark knowing that an innocent household will be harassed. I would like to quote an extract from a very good article dated 10th January 2010 by journalist Teh Joo Lin, to show the extent of how innocent parties suffer from the giving of false addresses by people who borrow from loansharks: "Step out of the lift on the 10th floor and you see a dozen notices in English and Chinese. They are plastered on the walls and ceiling of a corridor leading to a four-room flat in Sengkang. One notice reads: 'Ex-owner ... has moved out ... for a year plus. Please stop disturbing us, thanks!' Above the door of the flat, two electronic eyes scan both sides of the walkway, recording every moment.”
“Another significant amendment is the new section 32A which provides members of syndicate networks immunity from prosecution in exchange for information which will enable our law enforcement officers to track down other members of the syndicate, thereby providing a potent pool of prosecution witnesses for prosecutorial and enforcement purposes. The illegal moneylending business is organised crime with a long history. To counter this deeply-rooted problem, we need a complete arsenal of weapons. I n particular, I wish to highlight the following concerns about illegal money lending: First, loanshark and harassment cases have gone up from 10,221 in 2006 to 11,789 in 2008. There were 13,771 cases from January to September in 2009. Information from counsellors suggests that more than 90% of those who turn to loansharks are gamblers. Second, the problem will worsen with the opening of the two Integrated Resorts, coupled that with the problem of online gambling. Third, from conducting house visits in my constituency, I have first-hand experience that the whole corridor suffers when loansharks throw paint on doors and graffiti the walls and lifts. It dampens the mood, it depresses the mood. It creates an atmosphere of fear and depression. Can you imagine the effect on the children living next door? Why should innocent neighbours have to suffer? Fourth, as mentioned earlier, innocent residents have to bear the brunt of harassment if a false residential address is given. I have previously suggested in Parliament that the Ministry consider making the very act of borrowing from unlicensed moneylenders an offence.”
“With this legislation, we will be able, among others, to request for such operators to be extradited to Singapore once we track them down. I support the amendment of section 14(1), to increase the penalties for first time offenders from between $20,000 and $200,000 and imprisonment of up to two years, to between $30,000 and $300,000, and with imprisonment of up to four years, and possible caning of up to six strokes. I believe these measures are commensurate to the gravity of the offence and will help deter potential loansharks and runners from joining this illegal trade. Of particular concern is the current practice by some loansharks to use students and minors to harass borrowers. Of the 136 youths caught in the period between October 2008 and September 2009, almost 50% were students. A new section 28B has been introduced, which makes it an offence to recruit a minor (under the age of 16) to commit an offence under section 14 which is unlicensed moneylending or section 28 which is harassment and intimidation. I believe this amendment will have significant impact and look forward to hearing an update from the Ministry on the reduction in the number of such young offenders in the near future. I also fully support the introduction of the new Part IIA comprising new sections 15A to 15H which seek to deter the business of unlicensed moneylending. The provisions to freeze the assets of suspected loansharks will help to stall their operations and prevent them from expanding.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I express my firm support for this Bill. The measures are bold. They target the business owners, ie, the chief operators of illegal moneylending syndicates. So they target upstream but they also target the runners who indiscriminately harass borrowers and innocent residents who may not have even borrowed from them; therefore, targeting downstream. Before I go on to give reasons why I support the Bill and why I think the Bill could be further finetuned to add more robust regulation, I would like to say that my constituency, Ulu Pandan, and the grassroots leaders and the community partners there, will give our full support in carrying out the enforcement and having a community partnership to ensure that this activity is deterred in the constituency and it will be part of our Workplan Seminar next week. In particular, I would like to express my support for the new section 28C, which makes it an offence for a person to provide false contact information of a borrower to an unlicensed moneylender. This is a step in the right direction and will go some way to protect innocent homeowners from harassment. [Mdm Deputy Speaker (Ms Indranee Rajah) in the Chair] 5.01 pm Next, I would like to express my support for the introduction of the new section 5(1A) which treats a loanshark who operates his business in Singapore from a location outside Singapore as having operated the business in Singapore. This is a far-sighted move with the long arm of the law to match. With the help of high technology and our online connectivity, more loanshark operators may operate their illegal moneylending activities here in Singapore while they remain physically beyond our jurisdiction.”
“Thank you, Minister, for the reply. It is a very positive move that the focus groups have been convened and that there have been eight so far. But if this is a national wide feedback generating process, is the CRC going to convene more focus groups than just eight and, if so, what are the intervals between each focus group and would it go beyond just parents, youth and educators, perhaps going into the heartlands to see what the silent majority think about either broadening or tightening censorship? RAdm [NS] Lui Tuck Yew: Sir, indeed, that is the purpose of the survey and the survey would, I believe, reach out to about 1,000 people, reflecting the different segments of the society and, hopefully, through the survey, be able to gather feedback and inputs or some of their concerns, issues and priorities. For the focus groups, I think the eight groups have reached out to 150 people across industries, both the publishers as well as publishing industries, the arts groups and media but importantly also, of course, educators, parents and youth, as I mentioned earlier. I am confident that in combination, this will allow the CRC to have a feel of the pulse of what the norms and values are and how this may have shifted over time. EXTENSION OF MATERNITY LEAVE ELIGIBILITY 12. Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports if he will consider including more women in the category of those eligible for maternity leave, specifically expectant mothers working with the same employer but for less than three months, contract workers, including teachers with fewer than three months' service at the relevant time, and retrenched expectant mothers outside the third trimester.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to clarify one point. When Dr Lam said – I was out of the Chamber – but I was told that he had rebutted one of my points. I would like to clarify my position that I am not advocating that a medical doctor be now on a legal Disciplinary Tribunal although we hold medical doctors in very high regard, and I hope that there is a reciprocity between the two professions in that regard. What I was saying was that I think there is a great synergy between the legal fraternity calling doctors as medical experts in cases, and in fact the case that the hon. Dr Lam Pin Min cited was the case of Dr James Khoo against Gunapathy. That was a case in which medical experts were called by lawyers. So, it is really a point of synergy that section 50 of the new Medical Registration Act achieves between the legal profession as well as the medical profession which I think will only add to the disciplinary process and be a positive feature for doctors and patients.”
“Finally, I would like to state my support for the new approach to registration of doctors under clause 22. This would allow persons who have the experience and meet the conditions to be registered as specialists. This will help expand our pool of medical talent and benefit the community. So, I join Dr Lam in supporting this Bill. 4.44 pm”
“The public would have greater trust in the medical profession if disciplinary proceedings are perceived to be fair and impartial. Nonetheless, will the Minister be able to assure us that there will be measures in place to ensure that allowing lawyers on Disciplinary Tribunals will not result in the proceedings becoming overly legalistic, which may inadvertently shift the focus from what is medically professional or ethical to what is strictly legal. Therefore, will the Minister assure us that high medical professionalism will continue to be the guiding beacon for the Disciplinary Tribunals? I understand that doctors may also object to a legal professional being appointed as a member or chairman of a DT on the grounds that the industry should be self-regulating. However, I believe that there is also a strong argument that the good of the patient and the public should also be a primary consideration. In cases where a legal professional can make valuable contribution as chair or member of a tribunal, he or she should be brought in. I would like to touch on a point that my hon. fellow Member raised. Dr Lam said that the Law Society had moved on by not including a lay person in the panel and why does the Singapore Medical Council regress by having a lawyer on board, which is in contrast to what the Law Society is doing? I would like to point out that lawyers often call on doctors as expert witnesses in court and they see that there is an importance for the synergy between legal understanding and jurisprudence and what goes on in an operation theatre or how a patient is treated. The lawyers themselves have realised the importance of that synergy and I think that can also be transposed into disciplinary proceedings tribunals.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in this debate. Singapore's health system was ranked sixth best in the world by the World Health Organization in 2000. This is a remarkable testimony to our medical professionals. However, no health system is perfect, and we must constantly look for ways to improve. The Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill seeks to further strengthen our healthcare system, particularly in relation to medical practitioners. One amendment has been hotly debated. This is the new section 50 that allows the SMC to appoint legal professionals either as chairman or member (with voting rights) of a Disciplinary Tribunal (DT). I understand that, initially, 96% of 800 doctors polled by the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) voiced their objections. In contrast, a smaller public survey conducted by the Health Ministry found that 59 out of 78 people are in favour of the change. A concern among doctors relates to the possibility that, as Chairman, the legal professional will have more influence over the conduct of the proceedings. However, I understand that this concern has been dealt with in the Bill, under the new section 50. Where the Chairman is a medical practitioner, he will have a casting vote. Where the Chairman is not a medical practitioner, the issue will be decided by a majority of votes from the tribunal members who are medical practitioners. So it seems that that concern has been addressed. There is a perception among some members of the public that doctors side with fellow practitioners in disciplinary matters. Allowing a non-medical professional to chair certain disciplinary proceedings will help dispel this notion.”
“I would like to thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his comprehensive reply. I have two questions. Firstly, does the HSA have the investigative enforcement and prosecutorial ability to carry out the regulatory framework that he mentioned? And, secondly, if it does not, would the Senior Parliamentary Secretary consider lending support from MHA in the investigative enforcement and prosecutorial work?”
“Just one supplementary question. Minister, last year, in an essay in the Straits Times, the Minister for Finance said that our key tasks in financial regulation must be to devise a new framework that encourages innovation and an open global financial order while avoiding the build-up of systematic risks either nationally or globally. My question is, does the Government see more regulation going forward or is it the case that the Government sees the continued prompt and effective regulation when a crisis happens?”
“While I appreciate the benefits of having a specialised military expert scheme that will serve to attract talent as well as grow deep specialisation and expertise that is essential for a Third Generation Military Force, we must also be mindful that the introduction of the MDES, with its differential terms of engagement and rank structure, will not cause segregation and result in a "separate but equal" organisational structure in the SAF. These comments aside, I stand in support of the Bill. 4.15 pm”
“From my limited understanding of military forces globally, the Singapore Armed Forces is one of the few military forces which has a unified rank structure, with identical rank names and insignia for Officer, Warrant Officers, Specialists, and enlisted men throughout the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This varies from how the military is organised in the United States or the United Kingdom (which uses the NATO rank code). I see this unified rank structure as a strength, a structural characteristic that contributes to the esprit de corps in our SAF. With the development of the MDES, a new rank structure will also be created. This will further set the MDES apart from the Army, Navy, and the Air Force. Sir, I have two questions relating to the new rank structure for the MDES. First, I would like to ask the Minister to share with us the rationale for a new rank structure for this new arm of the army. Why is a new rank structure needed for the MDES? What is the intent of having a separate and distinct rank structure for SAF personnel on this specialist track? My second question is on the perceived impact of this new rank structure for the MDES staff on social solidarity in the SAF. A SAF personnel on the MDES will have to work side-by-side with uniformed colleagues in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Will the different rank of an MDES soldier affect how he is received by the rest of the team?”