Darryl David
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just have two supplementary questions. While it is heartening to know that there have been no evidence of external influence in this case, I would like to ask if the Government does indeed keep track of possible cases that fuel the possible coordinated efforts of organisations and agencies that may not be made so public a…”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Just two supplementary questions for the Minister. The Minister mentioned earlier about the revamping of CCE. I would like to ask Minister that are there specific strategies or techniques taught to students, either within CCE or in other aspects of school, in terms of self-regulation, how to manage their emot…”
“Three clarifications, please. The first for the Minister. I suggested in my cut, Minister, about the possibility of using AI to create avatar teachers to to minimise or to positively impact the teacher-student ratio. Can the Minister share if MOE is willing to consider this?”
“I ask for leave to withdraw my cut. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $15,473,381,200 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,185,000,000 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“A dedicated AI CET centre could offer modular programmes ranging from foundational literacy to advanced applications in responsible AI governance, sector-specific problem solving and workplace integration.”
“By situating enrichment within neighbourhood schools, broadening the scope of learning beyond examinations and nurturing pathways for high-potential students, we can combine academic excellence with inclusivity and social cohesion.”
The complete record
Every one of 500 lines we hold for Darryl David, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 10.
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank both Ministers for patiently and thoroughly explaining the process to us. I would like to ask one clarification which is related to what I think Minister Lawrence Wong said earlier about, for whatever reason health – emotional, psychological – should individuals choose not to get vaccinated, is there any possibility that they could, therefore, end up being excluded from certain activities, from certain places. I think Minister mentioned that they might have to take more thorough tests but I think this was raised to me by a couple of my residents and they said they might choose not to take the vaccination, "Will I be stopped, say, for example, going to watch a movie? Will I be stopped from going to school? Will I be stopped from doing certain things if I do not get vaccinated?" If Minister could, perhaps, clarify this and give the assurance that, perhaps, the Government will not go down this path? It would be useful, I think, for those who do not get vaccinated to know.”
“If our concern is that such professionals might not have sufficient teacher training, then I strongly recommend that MCCY, perhaps, work with MOE to see how these professionals could undergo basic teacher training certification in the fundamentals of education, for example, how to impart education, how to work with curriculum and so on while concurrently actually bringing their art and their craft, in working with the students. I believe that incorporating more of the arts and culture into our school’s curriculum and involving more of our arts professionals in the delivery of this curriculum is a huge step in the right direction. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to end my speech with a quote by Prime Minister Lee from six years ago, at an event marking the 30th Anniversary of the Lasalle College of the Arts. I do not know if Prime Minister remembers this or not. It was in 2015, I believe, Prime Minister or 2014 and I quote, "Creating jobs, upgrading workers, making Singapore a more attractive place to work – these are all important things in life." And I agree. "You have to put bread on the table. But 'Man does not live by bread alone'. We do wish for the finer things in life, to appreciate beauty and love, and something uplifting for the spirit." Mr Speaker, Sir, sports, arts, culture, these are indeed uplifting for the spirit and I believe that it is about getting that balance right that even as we extend support to these industries, I would hope that the Government can go one step further to take this opportunity to further embed sports, arts and culture not just in the fabric of our community, but in the psyche and the soul of our people as well. With that, I end my speech in support of the Ministerial Statement.”
“For example, MCCY and MOE could leverage on the performing expertise of our arts professionals to engage and employ them even as auxiliary educators of sorts for them to come into the schools and bring real-life artistic experience to our students. Using our arts performance like this would, I believe, be a win-win situation because it will allow our arts performers an alternate revenue stream, something else they can do besides their actual performing and it also allow our students to be exposed to and be taught by and be nurtured by as it were, actual, professional arts practitioners coming from the arts industry. I believe that some schools do engage professionals now on an independent ad hoc basis, but what I proposing is, perhaps, having a dedicated core of arts and culture professionals who are actually considered auxiliary MOE educators and having these educators being deployed in a structured formal manner to every MOE school in the country, and through this way we also educate and bring our young people or young adults into the world of arts and culture through forms such dance, music, singing and so on. I would like to briefly refer to the article in The Sunday Times, last Sunday, where it was reported that there are many musicians who have decades of experience, but who cannot get teaching jobs due to a lack of a formal music degree. I believe it was Cultural Medallion recipient Jeremy Monteiro, himself is a world renowned pianist who said, and i quote, “It would be a waste if local musicians, who have years of experience in the industry, but no formal education, are not allowed to formally teach part-time or full time too.” The same, perhaps, could be said of theatre practitioners or dancers as well.”
“I would like to ask if the Government has a plan that is dedicated to helping and assisting those who are in the sports and fitness industries, that will not only help them through these immediate challenges, but also reflect a mid-to-long term strategy for how the sports and fitness industries could thrive and flourish in the new normal that we will all undoubtedly find ourselves in. I would also like to focus now on opportunities for those in the arts and culture industries. I am aware that my Parliamentary colleagues, Members of Parliament, Ms Carrie Tan and Minister of State, Ms Low Yen Ling had a good debate about safeguarding the livelihood of our Arts & Culture professionals in Parliament last week. And it is heartening to know that MCCY is taking steps in this direction, especially in terms of helping to support our Arts & Culture freelance performers and also in terms of creating professional opportunities or projects that our performers can work on. No doubt, many of the practitioners, professionals and organisations could rely on some of the schemes such as JSS & SIRS for support as well. What I would like the Government to consider is what more can be done, in the mid-to long-term to ensure that we are better to support the Arts & Culture and Sports & Fitness industries. It would be good, in Arts & Culture for example, if the MCCY could see how they could partner with the MOE to bring arts and culture more into the curriculum and integrate arts and culture into our schools' curriculum – not just in terms of subjects being taught by MOE such as music, art or drama which are sometimes taught in formal context by trained MOE teachers, but by ensuring that all students are exposed to the various arts at all levels of the curriculum.”
“I would like to focus on opportunities that our Government can take during this period and in coining the term opportunities, I would like to echo a phrase that PA Deputy Chairman Minister Chan Chun Sing was quoted as saying "an opportunity of a generation" – that COVID-19 could be seen as an opportunity of a generation. So, I would to like to see how opportunities could be explored during this period in the Sports & Fitness and Arts & Cultural industries to make them a more essential part of our community and society. Mr Speaker, Sir, most of us would agree that sport has the ability to transcend boundaries and bring people together regardless of their race, language or religion. COVID-19 has indeed had a significant dampener on sports. You need to have spectators to have meaningful sporting activities, and just even play together, you need to have people come together, and understandably so we could not do that in the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides that, COVID-19 has also had an impact on those who are in the sports and fitness industries, regardless of whether they are hired employees, freelance coaches or instructors or owners of sports and fitness related businesses. It is thus heartening to note that some activities such as the Singapore Premier League or SPL will be resuming soon, this weekend, if I am not mistaken, and the Government has managed to relax the guidelines and constraints around sporting activities.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, one of my favourite sayings is, "When you are up to your neck in crocodiles, do not ask which way the river is flowing." Essentially, what it means is that when you are in a tough tight, difficult situation, solve the situation, focus on getting out of the difficult spot and give that priority over everything else. I believe we have seen our Government do this in the past six or seven months with five Budgets that have been rolled out to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Singaporeans and Singaporean businesses. JSS, SIRS, CSG, various industry support packages, different industry grants – they have all provided valuable lifelines for Singaporeans and Singaporean companies to pull them out of the river of crocodiles and get them out from a very difficult period, and would be important to continue to be that supportive foundation that Singaporeans can reply on moving forward. While the Government has done a good job, so far, with regard to immediate crisis management and to meet immediate needs, of our Singaporeans. The fact remains that there are, to paraphrase Deputy Prime Minister Heng, "profound uncertainties ahead". So, I am heartened that the key phrase in the Statement is the strategy to emerge stronger. In other words, now that we are out of that immediate danger, what can we do to navigate the river to be mindful of the currents to ensure that our boat sails in that right direction; being mindful, of course, of all the crocodiles that are around us.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister for the reply. It is very heartening to hear what Minister said, specifically that no Singaporean student will be displaced from a position in our AUs because of an international student. I just have two supplementary questions, Mr Speaker. First is a question to the Minister that when we decide on the international students to admit into our AUs, do we consider or look at a ratio or a good balance of which countries these international students come from? And if we do, is this ratio periodically reviewed? The second thing is when we determine which areas or field of study that we offer these international students places in our AUs for, would we also consider not only the needs of Singaporeans but whether or not the respective industries that these students could be graduating into are able to absorb these students into the workforce?”
“Our Singapore identity as a quilt is a patchwork of many cultures and multiple identities that we have stitched together and that has stayed together over the past 55 years. But, like any quilt, over time, we do have the occasional tears in the fabric, too, and some parts of our quilt maybe they are fraying at the edges. But, perhaps, these are the parts of our community that we have not always heard, engaged or connected with, and who are somehow feeling more like a discarded scrap of cloth, rather than part of a beautiful and wonderful quilt. So, it heartens me to note that the Government is intending to convene the Emerging Stronger Conversations so that all Singaporeans can have meaningful dialogues about important societal issues. These conversations, Mdm Deputy Speaker, have the potential to be the stitching that will reinforce and strengthen the parts of the quilt – but only if we are able to take a long, hard honest look at ourselves and have the difficult conversations that need to be had. And only if we are able to do so with kindness. After all, if we start to turn on each other and start to be unkind – if we flame, criticise, destroy, tear down, burn down rather than build, construct and work together, then we begin to rip the quilt apart. And if that should happen, then I fear that Singapore is finished. But if we come together in these conversations and treat each other with dignity and respect, then I am confident that not only will we mend these tears, but – working together – we will all craft a better Singapore quilt, a stronger Singapore quilt, one that will provide warmth, comfort and security for many generations to come. [Applause.]”
“We have a chance now, as a collective society, to recognise merit across a broader level and this can only make for a richer and more diverse representation of who we are as Singaporeans. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I seek your indulgence in closing my speech with not a grandfather story but a grandmother story. My grandmother, who is now 92, used to make my sister and I quilts when we were much younger. Coming from the tough, hardy Pioneer Generation, my grandmother did not believe in wasting money on new blankets and made these quilts from various scraps of cloths that were sewn together. Some of these cloths had more of some prints than others; some were leftovers from a blouse, or even excess scraps from pyjamas – all were unique, none were the same. Sometimes, the prints clashed, sometimes they were complementary. But it worked. The quilt kept us warm when we needed it; at other times, it was a pretty reminder of my grandmother’s love because, as my sister just reminded me recently, quilting is hard work. Which is why in some cultures, quilting is a real communal activity – many hands make light of hard work. And when there is a tear, everyone comes together to mend the fabric. Mdm Deputy Speaker, earlier, Minister Edwin Tong referenced the Singapore Tapestry. In a sense, I think of the Singapore identity as a quilt. The metaphor is quite similar, although I think, in the Minister's term, the tapestry is something more grand and majestic, which I also see Singapore as. The reason why I picked the quilt is because the quilt, for me, is something that you hold close to you, it keeps you warm, gives you comfort and protects you.”
“It is not just about celebrating mavericks per se, but mastery of a chosen field by those whose efforts merit recognition and reward for their unrelenting pursuit of excellence. In sport, for example, let us pop our heads out of the pool for a second and look at athletes who have made an impact, such as Irving Henson, the Singaporean Powerlifter who broke the world record, and the indoor skydiving phenomenon that is Kyra Poh. In the culinary scene, our Singaporean chefs regularly take home Gold at top international competitions. At the 2016 Culinary Olympics which are held once every four years, Louis Tay, Teo Yeow Sian, Tristan Fang, Alan Wong, Roy Lim and Alex Chong took on the best in Germany and the world and they came out tops. Yet, I wonder if more can be done to celebrate our Singaporean gastronomical rock-stars in the same way that we herald the international chefs cooking in Singapore’s kitchens. So, why not extend the definition of excellence in the arts to beyond the classical? Let us have more arts scholarships and bursaries, not just for the traditional fields, but in other non-traditional fields, too. And if we do have someone who is able to make a mark for Singapore on the international stage in the performing arts and raise the profile of our country – for example, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng talked about BTS, the Korean phenomenon, although I must admit I am more of a Blackpink fan myself, thanks to and purely because of my daughter, nothing else – I would love it if, one day, we had a Singapore pop phenomenon who succeeds at the global level, we should celebrate and promote this achievement because they have brought the Singaporean brand name to a global international level.”
“Or is it simply a snapshot of how well that child can be drilled to take an examination at a particular point of their life? I am not suggesting that the PSLE be scrapped any time soon. I understand that it is a sorting mechanism for Secondary school placement. I get that. However, just as almost every Primary school has a combination of coursework and examinations that determine their pupils’ year-end grades for each Primary level from Primary 1 to Primary 5, I strongly urge the MOE to see how they can make each Primary 6 student’s grade a final grade, a combination of coursework and their PSLE examination score. Mdm Deputy Speaker, a good examination score is only a reflection of what one can reproduce in certain controlled situations. It is no indication of what one can truly achieve. And we are living in a world where it is increasingly not so much about what you know any more; rather, it is about what you can do. So, I would hope that the MOE can examine the methodology of allocating a final grade to all Primary 6 students that is based on a combination of school-based coursework and the standard PSLE examination, instead of all students being simply reduced to a one-shot, high-pressure, examination-based mark. And while we aspire to move beyond examination-based academics, why not challenge ourselves to go beyond academics altogether as we broaden the definition of “merit” to redefine what “excellence” should look like. In moving beyond traditional definitions of success, we have the opportunity to redefine what "great" looks like, looking further past academic achievements and to those who have not only walked roads less travelled to the beat of their own drum, but achieved the highest standards in their chosen field.”
“But, yet, there are many students who are not able to deliver an examination-based performance, but who are no less intelligent or capable than their peers who are able to do so. I spent more than 16 years in the Polytechnic and worked with students who had less than stellar grades based on their examination-based academic results. Yet, when they were exposed to an academic system that was based more on coursework and project work, they were able to score well and achieved very good GPA; thus achieving, and I quote, “academic success”, albeit in a less examination-centric system. So, grades and GPA, Mdm Deputy Speaker, are important; they do give us some indication of how students perform. However, I would hope that MOE can continue to work on how we can create more academic systems that are less examination-focused and more coursework based. In short, let us work on different grading systems, broader grading systems, which allow different students different paths to achieving good grades. Take the PSLE, for example. I recognise and applaud the fact that there already are alternative routes that students with differentiated intelligences and capabilities can take to move on into Secondary schools, such as the DSA. I also applaud the fact that MOE is moving towards PSLE scoring bands, as opposed to using absolute T-scores. But the fact is that the PSLE still remains the “mother-of-all-examinations”, one that relies purely on students’ ability to replicate what they have learnt over the years in a few hours. And if we look at it, Mdm Deputy Speaker, what does a PSLE score tell us? How intelligent a student is? What the true potential of that child is?”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion of Thanks to the President. Many Members have already spoken about the need to mitigate the crippling effect of COVID-19 on our economy and our people during these challenging and unprecedented times. I am very heartened also that while the methods and the means might differ, that both sides of the House are united in the approach that we have to strengthen the Singapore Core and support Singaporeans through this difficult time. What I would like to focus on is what Mdm President said in her Address last week with regard to how Singapore’s model of meritocracy has to evolve and change. Meritocracy, which can be defined as “a social system in which advancement in society is based on an individual's capabilities and merits” has served Singapore well as a fundamental principle for the past 50-odd years. However, I find that we would need to move beyond too narrow a definition of meritocracy, especially vis-a-vis our education system. I am heartened that in the speeches shared earlier by Minister Maliki and Minister of State Sun Xueling, they both stressed that we have to move away from the focus on the academic arena to move into other broader, non-academic arenas, as it were. My point is to look at it from a slightly different perspective, Mdm Deputy Speaker, and that is to make the point that we have placed too much focus, not so much on academic qualifications per se, but on examination-based academics for too long. Our children and students are often judged by a grade or a mark that is determined by how well they are able to perform in an examination.”
“This would give our children, especially those from lower income background, a sense of pride and ownership that they have their own personal device that will allow them to navigate the same digital and virtual education landscapes as their peers. The deliberately neutral branding also encourages status equality, not to mention standard software and hardware upgrades that will leave no child lacking. Mr Speaker, Sir, I know that this might seem like an audaciously ambitious idea, but aiming high and overachieving is something that Singapore has always done. So, I urge the MOE to give this idea a serious thought and I look forward to the day that not only can we ensure that every student – every student is provided with their own personal Smart Learning device, but we can take pride that this device was designed and produced by our MOE, specially for our children. Singapore could very well be the first nation in the world to achieve our vision of "smart learning." Mr Speaker, Sir, 2020 will no doubt go down in memory as one of the most volatile years the world, and Singapore, has experienced. Yet in every crisis, lie opportunities to innovate and transform and the past 100 days have certainly seen our companies and schools doing just that, as they have experimented and innovated with new methods of doing business and conducting lessons. As Singaporeans, we are a resilient people. And we can be masters of our own destiny and forge our own uniquely Singaporean path through this crisis. With the Government playing a pivotal role and strengthening its commitment to the people, I am certain that we will emerge as a stronger and more cohesive society after COVID-19. I thus conclude my speech in firm support of the Fortitude Budget.”
“With more control over the design and functionality of this device, this all-in-one custom-designed learning device could function as a lap-top, a tablet, an e-text book, and a communication tool. A veritable digital "Swiss-Army Education Knife" of sorts. The ownership of this multi-function device might also eliminate the need for piles of back-breaking, physical textbooks year after year after year. Going to school in the future could be as easy as just bringing along this device and all forms of learning and work submission can be done digitally on a unified platform. Quite literally, we are putting the world in the hands of our school children. The software could be customised and adapted to suit the pace of learning for different children while also providing personal insights to how each student engages and interacts along the learning journey. Mr Speaker, Sir, I envisage the schools of the future to be one where students would do everything off this device. The operating system of this device could function like an enhanced version of the MOE's present Student Learning System (SLS) and would allow for more coordinated and unified communication and work planning. This would meet the twin goals of being environmentally friendly while also taking a huge step towards being a digital smart nation. We could tier the ownership cost of the device depending on varying household incomes, with the aim that no school-going child should be deprived of their own personal learning device. No school-going child should be deprived of their own personal learning device.”
“In the early days of COVID-19, there was a meme circulating that the virus was more effective than CEOs and CTOs in pushing for digital transformation. This meme turned out to be quite prophetic and in the past few months, we have seen companies accelerating digital implementation and making remote work platforms mainstream in somewhat record time. The same could be said about our schools. Since the start of the circuit breaker, school-going children across all age groups have adopted home-based learning. It was reported that more than 96% of students are participating in it. On the one hand, this figure is encouraging as it shows that our children have adapted well to learning on digital channels. Yet, on the other hand, it was reported that MOE had to loan out thousands of computing devices and internet dongles to families. These figures suggest that there is a gap in accessibility to digital learning. It is heartening to know that MOE intends to accelerate the ownership of digital learning devices for all Secondary school children from their initial date of 2028. However, I would like to clarify if there are similar plans to accelerate the ownership of these devices for children from other levels of study – so not just Secondary school students and above, but perhaps for Primary school students. And more critically, if there are, will this device be purchased off-the-shelf and supplied by different tech companies or will it be a proprietary device uniquely designed and manufactured by MOE for our schools and for our school children? I am strongly advocating for the latter, Mr Speaker. In addition to have the opportunity for Singapore businesses to benefit from both hardware production and software development, the benefits to our children will be myriad.”
“Frontline jobs that were not given much attention in the past are now being recognised as being operationally essential. Singapore is no exception. COVID-19, indeed, has created some jobs that were unheard of prior to the pandemic. In January this year, we would have no clue what a Safe Distancing Ambassador, a test swabber, a swab assistant or a temperature taker was. But they have now entered the lexicon of our everyday use – in terms of the language that we use. Indeed, as reported in the media this week, we will soon have Digital Ambassadors to help hawkers and senior citizens to learn digital skills. These jobs were clearly created out of the need to manage the challenges of COVID-19 and also help provide part-time employment to those who were made redundant by the crisis. In the mid term, certain jobs like Safe Distancing Ambassadors will continue to be relevant but in the long run, some of these jobs could be less necessary as we internalise the need to practise safe distancing, when a vaccine for COVID-19 becomes available or as we level up on the digital front. To ensure that this precious workforce does not become redundant when these semi-permanent positions are no longer required, how can we future-proof the career paths of currently employed Singaporeans and to help our people retrain, up-skill and continue to pivot and shapeshift, as it were, to stay relevant as we respond to the new normal. I sincerely hope that this is something that the National Jobs Council will need to consider as it balances short-term national needs with the long-term prospects for our people. The next topic, Mr Speaker, Sir, is on digitalisation and education.”
“I am in firm support of this and while this is a positive boost for SME tenants, there is also the possibility that a significant number of smaller landlords could themselves be small companies or even individual owners who are dependent on this rental income to meet their income needs and financial commitments. Waiving the rental income for their tenants might thus result in them being deprived of revenue or even being slapped with penalties from financial institutions because they are unable to service their loans. What help and support would the Government be able to provide smaller landlords in such situations? And if these smaller landlords are unable to fulfill their financial obligations, would the Government be able to intervene to mandate that financial institutions perhaps could suspend loan repayments until this group of landlords are able to start collecting their rental income? I would like to move on now, Mr Speaker, Sir, to helping workers and those who have lost their jobs. Despite all the measures that we have put in place to support companies through COVID-19, not all companies will survive the downturn and the global economic slowdown. Retrenchment is thus imminently unavoidable. It is heartening to know that one of the major thrusts of the main and supplementary Budgets is to preserve jobs and a new National Jobs Council will be set up to look at job creation and the deep skilling of workers. COVID-19 has transformed the way we think about work. In many countries, what was traditionally known as "3D jobs" – dirty, dangerous and demeaning – are now considered as important services that keep countries going, that keep communities going.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the measures introduced in our four Budgets thus far have been designed to provide short-term measures and immediate relief to save businesses and preserve livelihoods and jobs, as well as to accelerate the long-term transformation of Singapore's socio-economic framework and foundations, so that we, as a country, can emerge stronger from this crisis. While there has been a comprehensive range of schemes and measures rolled out, I would like to focus on a few key areas in my speech. The COVID-19 pandemic has seen the Government take bold, unprecedented steps to help our businesses stay afloat. As most of us know, two of the biggest overheads that businesses must manage are manpower costs and rent. To support manpower cost and to save jobs, the Government has introduced the Jobs Support Scheme and either waived or provided rebates on manpower levies. To help companies manage rental cost, the Government first introduced several measures such as rebate on property tax and waiver of rental for tenants of Government properties. More significantly, this is now being reinforced with proposed legislation to mandate commercial landlords to grant rental waivers to their SME tenants who have suffered a reduction in businesses due to COVID-19. This is rare in Singapore's context as the Government does not usually engage in direct intervention of the market, especially in private business arrangements. But this is not a common crisis and this uncommon step of intervening demonstrates the commitment of the Government to help SMEs weather through the storm.”
“I had worked with the various agencies like LTA, Town Council, HDB and our grassroots leaders to try and address this issue but we were not quite clear about what guidelines with regard to legislation we could use to effect any change on the resident. The resident has since moved out but I believe problems like this might exist. So, if these modified vehicles are indeed the main culprits of fire, then I urge the Government to take strong enforcement actions against owners of such vehicles and individuals or businesses that provide unauthorised modification services. In conclusion, Mr Speaker, Sir, the proposed amendments are not only meant to further enhance and safeguard the well-being of PMD/PAB users, they are also meant to further protect other stakeholders, such as their families, neighbours and pedestrians. As such, notwithstanding my clarifications, I conclude my speech in firm support of both Bills.”
“Other malls, such as Funan Mall and Westgate, that currently provide a thoroughfare for cyclists and PABs users, could possibly thus have to rethink how to design and designate the use of their thoroughfare in view of these amendments. I would thus urge the relevant authorities to work closely with property owners to identify how they can redesign their spaces so that their spaces continue to remain accessible to users, while still being safe for pedestrians and consumers. I do have some other areas of concerns, Mr Speaker, quoting fire investigation reports, which suggest that most PMD and PAB fires are caused by illegally modified units, especially those units that have modified battery compartments. While the Government may introduce Bills to prevent unauthorised entry of non-compliant devices, I would like to ask the Minister to clarify the Government's position is with regard to individuals or businesses who engage in the unauthorised modification of PMDs and PABs since these modifications are often one of the main causes of fire. These PMDs/PABs might be compliant with standards when they were first imported but then eventually became "non-compliant" over time due to modifications that could eventually endanger the lives of users and others around them. For example, there was a resident in my constituency who actually ran an informal PAB/PMD modification workshop from his HDB flat. Not only did the vehicles he modified endanger the lives of users, he also created potential fire hazards for his own family and immediate neighbours as his home and the public corridor were cluttered with tools of his trade like spare parts, battery compartments and wires.”
“The Bill introduces a new definition of "path-connected open spaces" that enable the authorities to designate substantially-levelled and unenclosed open spaces that are surfaced, such as courtyards, plazas and atriums, as pedestrian-only paths, footpaths or shared paths. I believe these amendments will be welcomed by pedestrians, especially young families or the elderly who frequent neighbourhood malls where some riders can often be seen riding across the open-air atriums of these malls to reach their destinations. I have received feedback that examples of some areas where this has been happening with frequency are Buangkok Square, Punggol's Oasis Terrace and Westgate, just to name three. However, Mr Speaker, I believe that while these amendments to the Bill will provide an additional safeguard to the well-being of pedestrians, we also need to ensure that the policy does not eventually make existing users of PABs worse off, especially those individuals like food delivery riders who depend on PABs for their livelihood. Due to the recent amendments of the Bill, many food delivery riders who used to own PMDs have switched to PABs to complete their deliveries and they would, sometimes, ride into the atriums of the malls before dismounting from their PABs. With the new proposed amendments to the Bill, adequate parking spaces for PABs must be provided nearby so that delivery riders can park their PABs safely and securely, without having to ride into the atrium of the mall or to find suitable parking spaces that might be some distance away. That might also, of course, also impinge their mode of delivery.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, while the Bill has made provisions for the visible part of the market by regulating commercial import and sale of small motorised vehicles, I would like to ask, as some of my other colleagues have alluded to, to what extent does the Bill cover the "invisible" or grey market, that is, online? For instance, will the Bill restrict individuals from purchasing non-compliant PMD/PAB from online retailers who are located overseas and then bringing in these vehicles for their own personal use? Similarly, how would the Bill be applied to individuals who import or buy such vehicles online for their family members? A casual search on online platforms, such as Carousell, reveals that there are many individuals who are reselling PMDs and PABs. I would like to ask: would the Bill also apply to these individuals who are thus not importing new non-compliant vehicles for sale but actually reselling vehicles that do not meet present safety standards? While I do not have exact figures, Mr Speaker, Sir, it would be reasonable to assume that the present circuit breaker (CB) measures have resulted in an increase in online commercial activity. So, it might be good for the Government to consider the Bill against the platform of online sales and "resales". In the same vein, Mr Speaker, the Active Mobility (Amendment No. 2) Bill complements the earlier Active Mobility (Amendment) Bill that was passed in Parliament this year to further enhance the safety of pedestrians by broadening the coverage of the original Bill to cover path-connected spaces to facilitate active mobility while also enhancing enforcement against active mobility violations.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Active Mobility (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament earlier this year to enhance the safety of PMD riders, as well as pedestrians who shared the same public space with them. The present proposed Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) Bill is meant to further enhance the safety of PMD and PAB users by ensuring that the devices imported into Singapore meet the required safety standards. Safety standards of PMDs and PABs came under scrutiny in 2019 as the number of PMDs catching fire, mostly during charging, had surged to a record high of 102 cases and there were 13 other fires related to PABs. These figures essentially translated into approximately one fire every three days. In one of the worst cases, a homeowner died in hospital two days after he was rescued from a burning flat where the blaze was linked to three burnt e-scooters. And just recently on 20 May, three residents were taken to hospital due to a PAB fire. Not only do these fires impact the immediate users and family members of PMD/PAB users, they also affect the rest of the residents in the surrounding units as well. The Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) Bill is thus proposed with the view that we need to better safeguard the lives and property of PMD/PAB users by ensuring that these devices are safe for use and do not pose a threat to the users and those around them. I am in firm support of this. Part 2, clauses 5 to 8 of the Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) Bill lays out the conditions regarding the import of small motorised vehicles and Part 3, clauses 9 to 15 of the Bill lays out the enforcement conditions.”
“I thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply. As a school sportsman who spent more time on the field than in the classroom, I have had been a huge fan of DSA. I am glad to know that DSA will continue for this year. I do understand that there will be challenges for different types of students applying under DSA. For example, it might be easier to arrange for e-auditions and e-interviews for those using the arts or drama. The Minister mentioned something about the students who are participating in sports in lieu of the national sports games or time trials. I am just wondering, Minister, for many of these individual sportsman, especially, the timings of that particular sports would determine sometimes whether or not they are able to qualify for the programme in certain schools. Would the Minister or the Ministry be able to clarify how will the schools be more transparent, perhaps, ensuring that there are some common guidelines or common practices across all the schools with regard to say accepting students who are swimmers, athletes or tennis players in the absence of objective qualifying times, which would have been the case if there had been national sports games or even national time trials.”
“I thank the Minister for her replies. And it is very heartening to know that the reply regarding students with special education needs as well. Thank you also for giving examples of some of the groups that are allowed to return to schools during this period. I expect, as the Minister Lawrence had mentioned, in time there will be more information on who will be allowed to return midway during circuit breaker period. But for now, can I ask the Minister to share MOE's experience with regard to perhaps students who are boarders or students who do not have strong family support at home and maybe might be in school hostels, for example. Are special concerns given to these students in terms of allowing them the support, bearing in mind that they might be in their room for a significant period of time without the family support that other children or other students may have in their home.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to thank the Ministers for their statements, especially Minister Lawrence Wong earlier for the reassurance that Singaporeans who are returning to Singapore after spending some time overseas, will be able to come back to the haven that we all call home. My question is on outbound travel, Mr Speaker, and that is, I understand that we have been more and more stringent with outbound travel moving from advisory that says only for essential travel, and now moving to all travel. But my question is, in light of the fact that the situation is more heightened, will we be even stricter with the travel of our Singaporeans and Singapore residents overseas, knowing full well that if they travel out, a significant proportion of these outbound travellers will then have to come back? So, will the Government ever consider limiting travel, perhaps, requiring outbound travellers to seek unique and special permission, and then when they come back, how would we propose to manage these cases differently from those returning cases of people who have already been out for some time?”
“That is what makes Singapore special. As the Government, we need to empower our community stakeholders to celebrate their heritage, promote their heritage in everyday spaces, and more importantly, facilitate its transmission to the next generation. Can MCCY share how it intends to continue to engage the community to sustain interest in, and deepen appreciation for Singapore's cultural heritage? High Performance Sports My final cut, Mr Chairman. The 2019 SEA Games was a mixed-bag of results for Team Singapore. While we had a number of hits, such as winning our first-ever gold in softball and making a clean gold medal sweep in underwater hockey, we also had a number of misses. For the first time in 50 years, we did not win a gold for water-polo and did not do as well as we thought we would in women's table tennis doubles. With less than five months to go before the Tokyo Olympics, can MCCY provide an update on how Team Singapore athletes, especially the up and coming ones, are faring regionally and internationally? Mr Chairman, the uncertainties surrounding COVID-19 and the high rates of infection in Japan have also thrown a bit of a spanner in the works. There is the possibility of COVID-19 being declared as a global pandemic and there is thus the possibility of the Tokyo Olympics being significantly affected by this as well. How is MCCY supporting Team Singapore's preparation in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics? And how does MCCY plan to support Team Singapore athletes if they were to compete in a host-country where the rate of COVID-19 infection is high? SG Youth Action Plan”
“In 2015, the Singapore Botanic Gardens was successfully inscribed as Singapore's first UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2019, we submitted the nomination documents to have "Hawker Culture in Singapore: Community Dining and Culinary Practices in a Multicultural Urban Context" on the UNESCO's Representative List. Mr Chairman, culture is a way of life. It is the social glue that binds different communities together. It creates shared beliefs among people and a common identity that helps define the character of the nation. And in many ways, the Botanic Gardens and our hawker food are part of our cultural and national identity. We grew up with hawker food and everyone has our own favourite hawker stalls and, of course, we would always remember strolling through the Botanic Gardens with our loved ones. Some of us here in the House might even remember strolling through the Botanic Gardens and then going to the hawker centre across the road for some excellent murtabak, dessert and drinks. Yet, culture is not only defined by UNESCO titles, neither can culture be created by attaching labels to empty physical spaces. Culture exists only when people attach special meaning and importance to places or to practices, and only when places and practices hold personal memories to people. So, the places where we live, work and play hold many memories about our traditions and way of life, which make us uniquely Singapore. Mr Chairman, Singapore's cultural heritage belongs to us all. Singapore is a multi-ethnic and multi-racial society. The different communities living and working in Singapore are all part of our cultural fabric and the different communities need to define for themselves what is culturally important to them, while also celebrating the aspects of other communities.”
“Mr Chairman, our children are our country's future. The environment that our children are living in and growing up with is very different from ours, as will be case from generation to generation. But the world today is economically more uncertain and is more polarised and fragmented with opposing camps holding deep, uncompromising views. Disruptions, dis-intermediation and shifting of economic powers globally have threatened the existing world order and has triggered the competition for hegemony among global nations. Our children and youth have a stake in Singapore's future as influencers for change. As the Government, we must ensure that we provide opportunities for our children and youth to grow and develop holistically. How is MCCY supporting equal opportunities and holistic development for our children and youths? Arts and sports, for instance, are crucial ways to nurture the young. And studies have shown that participation in arts and sports can bring about positive cognitive, behavioural and social outcomes. How will MCCY ensure that all children and youth, regardless of their background and ability, have access to arts and sports opportunities? As our youths enter the workforce, we must also ensure that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to thrive, especially when the future of work has yet to be defined. How can MCCY work with the other relevant Ministries to ensure that we prepare our youth adequately for future workforce challenges? Preserving Our Cultural Heritage Second cut, please.”
“Mr Chairman, I have three cuts, may I take them together?”
“In last year's National Day Rally, as I have mentioned earlier, Prime Minister highlighted the broad plans to "more than double" the current spending on early childhood education over the next few years. Part of this increase in spending is to raise the number of families that are eligible for additional means-tested subsidies by raising the household monthly income ceiling from $7,500 to $12,000, thereby helping an additional 30,000-odd families. However, there remains a care-giving gap. Under the current framework, a larger subsidy quantum is given to working mothers to support their child care-giving needs when they are at work. In contrast, a smaller subsidy quantum is given to non-working mothers with the understanding that they provide home-based care-giving to their children as an alternative to full-day childcare services. This has resulted in a somewhat unique situation sometimes where dual-income families could receive a higher level of pre-school subsidies than single-income families. Mr Chairman, I would like to state for the record that I am very grateful for all the hard work that my wife does as a full-time mum, a non-working mum, and I agree that non-working mothers could provide the home-based childcare giving that working mothers are unable to. I am very grateful for that. 6.00 pm However, the reality is that not all working mothers are able to provide effective home-based care for various reasons such as having to meet the demands of caring for elderly family members, who are old or who have special-needs; or in fact, caring for their other children whom might have special needs as well. I would like to enquire what measures are in place or can be put in place to better support this group of non-working mothers? KidSTART”
“Mr Chairman, a research on neurology and developmental psychology found that the early years of a child's learning experience plays an important role in the child's future physical, cognitive, emotional and social development. Early childhood education, therefore, has a direct impact on the child's overall development, the type of adult that he/she will become and the society that a country will develop accordingly. In his research, Jack Shonkoff of the Harvard School of Public Health went as far as to suggest that early childhood education is the most important investment that a country can make because it forms the foundations for a prosperous and sustainable society. This is because a stable, responsive, rich and nurturing learning experience in the formative years of a child will have a lifelong impact on his/her mental and physical health, as well as the human capital potential. At the National Day Rally in 2019, Prime Minister Lee announced that the Government would be increasing Government-supported pre-school places to improve accessibility to affordable and quality pre-schools. Measures to be adopted include the extension of the Partner Operator (POP) Scheme, which will improve the affordability, accessibility and quality of POP services through Government funding and support. Beyond the Government's plans to expand the Anchor Operators (AOPs) and POPs in the early childhood sector, how else is the Government intending to support other pre-school operators, especially the smaller independent ones in this sector? Non-working Mothers Next cut, please. The Government has made significant investments in recent years to enhance the quality and accessibility of early childhood education.”
“I would like to ask the Government are there plans to help these individuals and families through better coordination and sharing of information across Government agencies, NGOs and VWOs? Support for Families in Need”
“Mr Chairman, the past two years have seen the production of several media shows that highlighted the complex social issues that Singapore faces, and in that process, offered us a deeper glimpse into the challenges and struggles that some Singapore families have to grapple with. Channel News Asia’s thought-provoking documentaries, "Don’t Call Us Poor", "Inside the Children’s ICU", and "Inside the Child Protective Service" have highlighted the crucial point that there will never be a simple solution, there will never be a simple solution to tackle social issues because of the inherent complex inter-dependencies that reside in them. Indeed, these could be what philosopher and management scholar, C West Churchman, referred to as "wicked problems". 5.15 pm Classic examples of wicked problems include economic, environmental, political and social problems whose solution requires a great number of actors to come together to deliver a holistic whole-of-the-problem solution. Wicked problems are impossible to resolve in a piecemeal manner as the inherent complex inter-dependencies that exist between the variables in these problems will render any effort to solve one aspect of the problem to reveal or create other problems. Singapore has always adopted the "many helping hands" approach when it comes to community assistance. Many community agencies on the ground provide a variety of support services to those in need, from family matters to financial aid and even healthcare. As social needs become more complex however, individuals and families in need may require multiple forms of social support, which could be provided by different community agencies today.”
“I would thus like to ask what plans the Government has to develop and support the local media industry in this evolving media environment? Multilingual Government Communications”
“The growing popularity of over-the-top (OTT) media services has led to a worldwide decline in viewership rating amongst free-to-air (FTA) TV channels. Although the Nielsen Singapore Media Index Report released in late 2018 found that approximately 3.4 million people in Singapore continued to tune in to FTA TV channels on a weekly basis, the same report also highlighted that there is an upward trend of people consuming on-demand OTT media services. This cuts across all demographics and implies that, over time, fewer people will be exposed to Public Service Broadcasting messages from FTA TV channels and that the Government will need to explore other channels, other platforms and other medium to share these messages with Singaporeans. How is Public Service Broadcasting remaining relevant given the increasing competition for eyeballs from online and foreign platforms? Developing the Media Industry My third cut, Mr Chairman. The consumption of media has shifted from over-the-air broadcasting services to over-the-top (OTT) services that I mentioned in my previous cut. These OTT services offer media content directly to consumers via internet streaming; bypassing cable, broadcast and even satellite television platforms that were traditional distributors of media content. Furthermore, the availability of OTT services also mean that consumers today have a greater variety of media content to choose from and are exposed to a wider range of media options from beyond our shores. This shift in media consumption pattern has brought about disruptions to the local media scene as our local media providers need to adapt quickly to offer a greater variety of original content over non-traditional platforms.”
“Mr Chairman, as we have heard from my Parliamentary colleagues speaking before me, the outbreak of COVID-19 has once again shone the spotlight on the dangers of fake news and their negative impact on social cohesion and trust. Governments around the world are combating the daily deluge of fake news on COVID-19 and Singapore was also not spared. Fake news such as the shutting down of MRT stations and certain shopping malls, closure of schools and rumoured deaths sparked social panic and in some cases, xenophobic reactions against certain communities and restaurants. The deluge of fake news has undermined the ability of governments worldwide to manage the COVID-19 epidemic. Indeed, the World Health Organization (WHO) went as far as to label fake coronavirus claims as an "infodemic" that threatens the management of the outbreak. To manage the "infodemic", a WHO representative met tech firms in Silicon Valley recently to urge them through moral suasion to do more to combat the spread of fake news and deliberate false information. While some countries have taken strong positions on the deliberate spread of falsehood regarding COVID-19 by even arresting the perpetrators, the Singapore Government has taken on a different position by issuing correction orders under POFMA. Even though we have taken on a less harsh approach than other countries in this instance, the truth is, that online falsehoods and untruths in general will continue to be a scourge, a scourge to our community. I would thus like to ask how the Government can continue to help Singaporeans guard against deliberate online falsehoods in an increasingly complex digital and media environment? Public Service Broadcasting Next cut, please.”
“Mr Chairman, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has transformed the way we collect, store and use data. It has heralded in an era characterised by the blurring of digital and physical boundaries, and the growing use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, robotics, 3D printing and the Internet of Things (IoT). In the push for a Smart Nation, the Singapore Government, through GovTech, has introduced various initiatives to streamline the provision of Government services online and through digital platforms. While we have been making steady progress towards realising the vision of a Smart Nation Singapore, the complexity and amount of data that the Government has to manage has also increased correspondingly. In recent years, we have seen several instances where Government data was compromised. In 2019 alone, two high profile breaches were surfaced where medical data of individuals were leaked online. First, the personal information of more than 14,200 HIV-positive individuals and there was also a case of a loophole in the HSA's system resulting in the compromise of data that affected more than 800,000 blood donors. Clearly, data security is everyone's business. I understand the Public Sector Data Security Review Committee (PSDSRC) has submitted a slew of recommendations to the Government last November and the Government has accepted those recommendations, which are to be fully implemented by 2023. Can the Government provide an update on the action plan to implement the recommendations, and how is the Government ensuring robust data security, even as it uses data more extensively? Smart Nation and Digital Government”
“Many Singaporeans have also extended similar courtesies not only to their fellow countrymen, but also to the foreigners in our midst. Non-government organisations have come forward to distribute masks and sanitisers to migrant workers, to educate them on proper hygiene to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the migrant communities, and some have even raised funds for those who need it. These are examples of the indomitable spirit and resilience of our people. So, instead of sharing pictures of empty shelves at supermarkets or showing videos of residential storerooms that are stacked with hoarded goods, let us showcase more positive examples of how Singaporeans and Singaporean residents have rallied together to weather through this storm as one people. Mr Speaker, in many ways, this is a Budget for everyone and every segment of the society. More importantly, this is a Budget to help Singapore get through the economic uncertainties during COVID-19 and to ensure that we emerge stronger from this entire episode. The current Budget demonstrates the decisiveness of the Government and its commitment to Singapore and Singaporeans as it has acted quickly and decisively to come up with a budget to deal with the many challenges that have arisen due to COVID-19. I am thus confident that this Budget is well-designed for such extraordinary times and end my speech in support of the Budget.”
“This is part of the overall effort to transform the social services sector so that the SSAs can better meet the complex needs of our evolving society, especially when Singapore is experiencing a rapidly ageing population. I believe that this is a step in the right direction towards building a more caring society. We also need to constantly encourage and incentivise our companies to employ people who are differently-abled. An example of one such company is Foreword Coffee that employs people with special needs as their baristas and cashiers or fast-food restaurants that hire differently-abled individuals as wait staff and service staff. As announced in the Budget, the Enabling Employment Credit (EEC) will replace existing schemes to support the employment of differently-abled individuals by providing wage offsets for employers. Can we further incentivise companies to employ differently-abled individuals by providing more direct incentives to these companies, perhaps in the form of tax rebates? I believe these direct incentives will provide a strong impetus for companies to offer fair and equal employment opportunities to everyone. Mr Speaker, Sir, the theme of a caring society is a significant and powerful one. Indeed, the COVID-19 situation, though challenging, has brought out and continues to bring out some of the best behaviour from Singaporeans from all walks of life as Singaporeans and local communities have come forward to support their fellow citizens. Some have left masks and sanitisers at lift landings for their fellow residents. Others have come forward to organise food delivery and even social programmes for those who are under quarantine or those who have to stay at home.”
“Also, will the Government consider extending help to other industries, besides the five already mentioned in the Budget, if the economic fallout spreads to other industries? Moving on to the topic of supporting families, Mr Speaker, Sir, building on the momentum of the past few Budgets, the current Budget continues the trend of investing in our children and youths by enhancing the level of support for the preschool and early childhood sector. In 2018, the Government committed $1 billion to the early childhood sector and I understand that it will invest almost twice this amount per year for the next few years to further support this sector. Part of this investment will be used to enhance grants to ensure that quality preschool remains accessible and affordable for young parents and that every young Singaporean child will be able to have a good headstart in education to maximise their potential and human capital gains regardless of their family's socioeconomic situation. While we have raised the income eligibility for additional subsidies for the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) to $12,000 a month to benefit a larger number of families, would the Government consider putting in place more support and subsidy for after-school student care once the child graduates from preschool and enters primary school? I believe this will help support families, especially by providing working parents alternative care arrangements for children, while they are at work It was announced in the Budget that over the next 10 years, the Government will also set up a Community Capability Trust of up to $350 million to support our Social Service Agencies (SSAs) to strengthen their organisational capabilities and enhance their levels of service provision.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is not an exaggeration to say that we are living in somewhat unstable, uncertain times. The magnitude of global events has increased and the impact of these events is far-reaching. For example, just as the world saw a potential improvement in the global economic landscape last year with the inking of Phase 1 of the trade agreement between the US and China, along came the COVID-19 virus to make an unforgettable impact on the international stage. The true impact of COVID-19 on countries and economies is hard to estimate, and it is likely that the long-tail impact of the outbreak could be significant. I am thus heartened to know that the Singapore Government has put forth an expansionary Budget to cushion the impact of COVID-19 and help Singapore-based companies and our citizens emerge stronger from this episode. The Government has come up with the Stability and Support Package to help key sectors of the economy – Tourism, Aviation, Retail, Food and Beverage (F&B), and Point-to-Point transport services – that are hit hardest by COVID-19. I am encouraged that the Budget will cater for tax and rental rebates to defray the cost of businesses, as well as wage-support schemes and training incentives to upskill Singaporeans and keep Singaporeans employed during these difficult times. Based on current medical knowledge, COVID-19 is more infectious than the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and current epidemiology models seem to predict that the outbreak is likely to last longer than SARS. But even when the worst is over, it will take many more months before it is "business as usual". Would the Government cater more funds to support businesses and Singaporeans if the downturn period turns out to last longer than expected?”
“A related issue would be how the Government intends to equip our enforcement officers with the right training to handle errant riders without compromising their own personal safety? This was referenced earlier by Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and I am sure that many of us are familiar with the video of an enforcement officer kicking a speeding PMD rider off his device when the rider refused to stop. We should not condone the use of force by enforcement officers in the course of performing their duty, but I feel that there should be proper protocols in place for dealing with errant speeding PMD riders. Imagine if the rider in the video was not stopped and subsequently crashed into someone and hurt them badly, or worse, even kill them. Would the enforcement officer have then been blamed somehow or held responsible for allowing this to happen because he was not trained to stop the errant speeding rider? While these amendments will help address some immediate problems, they will not guarantee that there are no more accidents as a result of errant PMD riding. I thus hope that our PMD riders and users will also play their part by riding in a socially-responsible manner as we progress towards our goal of a car-lite community that is safe for everyone – both PMD users and pedestrians. With that, I end my speech in support of the Bill.”
“Would PMD riders be required to carry with them their competency certificate at all times when they ride, just as motorists are required to have their driving licences with them while they are driving? I have some other areas of concerns, Mr Deputy Speaker. The amendments to AMA stipulate that the ban of PMDs on footpaths will be expanded to cover all forms of devices, including hoverboards and electric unicycles, except for motorised wheelchairs which are still allowed on footpaths. I have come across several residents who face mobility challenges, but they are not yet at a stage where they might require a motorised wheelchair specifically. Would the authorities consider allowing such residents to use PMDs on footpaths if they can get themselves medically certified that they need PMDs to assist in their mobility? In short, are we prepared to allow them to use different forms of motorised devices, other than motorised wheelchairs, to assist them in their daily commutes and movements? Since the announcement of the ban of PMDs on footpaths in November 2019, our footpaths have, indeed, become much safer and many food delivery riders who used to ride PMDs have switched to other forms of mobility devices, such as e-bikes. That said, there remain some deviant and recalcitrant riders who continue to ride their PMDs on footpaths in a dangerous manner. I have personally witnessed a few such cases myself. How would the Government propose to curtail such deviant riding and can the Government share any information perhaps on the number of riders that have been taken to task since the footpath ban came into effect in November 2019?”
“On the topic of the minimum age of riders and competency tests, the amendments in the Bill have made some new provisions pertaining to minimum riding and supervising age. The concept of having a minimum age is important as maturity and responsibility of PMD usage are generally correlated to the riders' age. However, the devil is in the implementation details. For example, while clause 23A 5(a) and 5(b) stipulate that regulations on different minimum ages could be made for different classes or descriptions of PMDs, how would the different minimum age for the different types of PMDs be determined? Does this imply that some PMDs are deemed to be more "dangerous" than others and would, therefore, require a higher minimum age? Also, if there are different minimum ages for different PMDs, would the authorities not face a challenge in implementing this on the ground as there could be various permutations of ages and device type that the regulators and enforcement officers have to deal with? While the competency theory test will certainly enhance the riders' awareness of road safety, the challenge again is in ensuring that all riders go through the test. The new competency test would be relatively easy to enforce for new riders and those who wish to purchase PMDs as it could be stipulated that they produce their competency certificate to PMD retailers before they are allowed to purchase a PMD. However, the same could not be said of existing owners of PMDs or those who co-share a PMD with their family members and friends. How would the authorities ensure that all PMD riders are certified to be competent before they ride?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, when PMDs were first introduced in Singapore, they were heralded as a solution to close the first- and last-mile connectivity gap by enabling commuters to travel from their homes to key transportation hubs. They were also seen as a viable solution to help Singapore transit to a car-lite society by providing commuters with an efficient means of travelling short-to-medium distances with relative ease. The adoption of PMDs was rapid. By the end of 2019, it was estimated that there were about 100,000 PMDs in Singapore. This is in addition to other types of mobility devices like electric-bikes, hoverboards and electric unicycles. As shared by MOT in a Parliament Sitting in November 2019, there were almost 300 PMD-related accidents in 2018 and the number of accidents for 2019 is estimated to be in the similar range, if not higher. There were also a number of fatalities as well. The amendments to the AMA are thus timely, not so much to stop the use of these devices, but to ensure that our footpaths are once again safe for the significant majority of the population. One of the amendments to the AMA is to prohibit the use of mobile communications devices while operating PMDs. While comprehensive statistics on the relationship between using mobile devices when operating a PMD and the likelihood of accidents might not be fully available, we can take a leaf out from the rationale of banning the use of mobile phones while driving a car. I thus strongly support banning the usage of mobile communications devices while operating a PMD as I believe this will minimise distractions for riders, and increase their level of attention on the road so that they are not a hazard to others and to themselves.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am supportive of these amendments as they come down strong on those who prey on vulnerable women and girls. While the law punishes the offenders, I believe more can be done to support unwitting victims who have been deceived by these vice syndicates. Many of these women and girls were lured to come to Singapore by false promises of legitimate employment but only to be coerced and trapped into sex work. Many of them were desperate to leave the trade but were coerced to stay in the trade with threats. While the Government's position is not to prosecute potential victims of trafficking, I hear that we need to put in place a better support system to rescue these women from vice syndicates. Can the Government and authorities work with local NGOs to put in support systems for these victims before we repatriate them? Can the Government also work with the respective agencies in the victims' home countries to ensure that their welfare is addressed before we send them back, as they might have to face possible recrimination from the vice syndicates in their home country? Mr Speaker, I believe that all the Members in the Chamber here today would agree on what I feel are the two key points of this Bill. Firstly, that the places where young children and families live should be kept safe and secure from any vice-related activities and, secondly, that sex trafficking of women, especially girls, against their will is a heinous offence and that such traffickers should face the full force of the law. It is with these two aspects that I conclude my speech in firm support of the Bill.”
“I am supportive of this amendment and its enhanced penalties as they would help to restrict the use of residential units as unlicensed brothels by putting the onus on property owners and their appointed agents to not turn a blind eye to illicit vice activities conducted on their premises. At the same time, I am encouraged that the amendments also offer protection to owners and agents who have done their due diligence and are genuinely unaware of the happenings in their units. In short, those who have done their due diligence should not be unjustly punished. The amendments in clause 10 for section 146A have given the authorities greater power to prosecute and undertake enforcement actions against overseas operators of vice services who use remote communications channels to facilitate the provision of commercial sexual services in Singapore. Given that such services can be managed and organised by overseas vice syndicates, there are, indeed, merits in extending the enforcement power of the authorities beyond our shores. Yet, the challenge lies in actually being able to enforce the law. How would the authorities carry out cross-border enforcement actions against overseas-based vice-related operations, especially in contexts where Singapore does not have repatriation or reciprocal arrangements with the countries where the syndicates are operating out of? I hope the Government would shed some light on this area. The amendments to clauses 3, 4 and 5 that increase the penalty of offence in trafficking women and girls and to import them under the false pretence with the intent that they be employed or used for the purpose of prostitution either within or outside Singapore will certainly serve as strong deterrence to would-be offenders.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore has generally taken a pragmatic approach to vice-related activities. Prostitution per se is not a crime in Singapore. The Government's approach has been to restrict prostitution to licensed brothels by outlawing activities like solicitation and pimping that are largely linked to unlicensed prostitution. This model has generally worked in the past to limit such vice-related activities to certain areas of Singapore where licensed brothels operate. This approach, however, is less likely to work in today's context where commercial sex can be procured easily online via the Internet and social media platforms. Operators of online commercial sex platforms have increasingly offered sexual services out of residential units, such as private apartments, condominiums and even from HDB flats in the heartlands. According to a news article published in The Straits Times in 2017, operators of these unlicensed brothels are attracted by the low rent of these residential units, as well as the discreet locations that these residential units have. A follow-up Straits Times article in May 2019 reported how more than 150 women and a man were arrested in May for vice-related activities that were operating out of residential units, some of which were in the heartlands. Operating out of an unlicensed brothel compromises the safety and security of an environment in which young children and families live, and I am heartened to know that the amendments in this Bill comprise active measures to ensure that landlords are now legally obliged to not turn a blind eye to such activities. The amendments in clause 12 for section 148 has now clarified that landlords and/or their appointed agents need to perform reasonable diligence when leasing premises out to tenants.”