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 [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.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.”
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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 8 of 10.
“I used to see her with her child. And increasingly, on the weekends, her child would be with her less and less. And I actually asked her one day, "Where is your child?" she said, "Oh, he is having tuition". I said, "Okay". The next week, I saw her again and I asked, "Where is your child?" She said, "He is having tuition." And one day, I asked her, I said, "Madam, you don't mind if I ask you, why is it your child seems to be going for a lot of tuition on the weekends? Shouldn't he be here with you having some fun?" She said, "What to do? He is so lazy. If I don't send him for tuition, he is never going to do his work." And I think this comment by this lady had me reflecting because, essentially, what she was hoping to do was that by sending her child for tuition, that will eventually "cure" him, as it were, of the concern that he was lazy and not wanting to do his work. I think that is reflective of how parents then would view tuition in the context of their children's education. By all means, if your child needs tuition, I think we should be supportive of families who are needy, help them get the tuition. And if people can afford tuition, then get tuition for your children if they need to improve and if they are struggling with their subjects. But I would hope parents would also encourage their children to take ownership of their learning, to be these self-directed learners that we are talking about, rather than regard tuition as a way of ensuring that children do their work. The danger of this, Mr Speaker and Members of the House, is that we will end up with a society, one day, whereby when the tuition finally stops, then what do you do? What do you do when there is no one left to tell you how to do your work?”
“This would require them to be perceptive and have the intuitive ability to make connections between seemingly unconnected events and make sense of them. Building these skills would require our students to be exposed to concepts, such as design thinking and having the ability to oscillate between possessing a macro-worldview and the ability to see how different pieces fit into that view. I would strongly suggest that MOE consider how our youths can be exposed to such concepts from a young age so that they could adopt a more holistic approach in dealing with the complex challenges of the future. I would also like to take some time to talk about the issue of tuition and education, Mr Speaker. This has been mentioned by Asst Prof Mahdev Mohan in his opening speech; by my colleague Mr Louis Ng and a few other colleagues. I think there is a tendency to regard tuition as the scourge of our education system. But we should also step back and take a look at it from the perspective of times when students do need additional help if they are weak in their subjects, if they are struggling, for them to be able to have the opportunity to take tuition in order that they may actually improve. And while I take the point also that parents who perhaps have the means to afford tuition of a different level would be able to pay for that tuition, we also do have self-help groups and community organisations that are able to provide tuition to needy students, to needy families for students who need help at affordable rates. I think the issue here is perhaps one that I feel strongly about and, that is, for parents to understand how tuition fits into the education of their children. I know a lady who lives in my constituency and we see her quite often at grassroots events.”
“By an "I"-graduate, I mean the horizontal top of the "I" will refer to a spread of different technical skills and knowledge, one of which will then go deep to form the vertical part of the "I" and then, the bottom horizontal bar of the "I" will refer to a variety of life skills and other skills that will actually anchor the individual in the journey through life. The call for creating "I"-shape graduates has far more relevance today than before, especially in this age of disruption. Across the globe, we have seen disruptions happening not only in businesses, but also in how we work, play and organise our lives. As the operating landscape of our lives becomes more complex, it is now more important than ever to ensure that our youths and young adults possess a diverse set of skills that allow them to traverse and navigate this increasingly pluralistic world. Ellen Galinsky, the co-founder of Family and Work Life Institute in the USA, advocated that we need to possess seven life skills that allow us to grow and learn throughout our lives. The skills are: focus and control, perspective taking, communications, making connections, critical thinking, willingness to take on challenges and self-directed and engaged learning. Among these seven skills, I strongly urge the Government to cultivate making connections and self-directed and engaged learning in our students and youths. This self-directed and engaged learning would, indeed, be an indication of the "love for learning" concept that is mentioned in the Motion today. In an increasingly complex world where simple linear relationships are giving way to multi-directional ones, our youths need to see both the wood and the trees.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as a small country with no natural resources, Singapore has done well to leverage on our one major resource that has allowed us to achieve all that we have in the past 50-plus years: our people. Leveraging on our human capital has allowed us to thrive and punch far above our weight on the global stage and is a testament to our efforts to develop, attract and retain human capital. A key ingredient to sustaining Singapore's talent competitiveness and enhancing our human capital is a robust ecosystem that supports our human capital development and education is a critical aspect of that system. Indeed, it is this belief in the importance of education that led me to begin my career as an educator in 2001 and it is this belief that motivates me to continue in my career as an educator today. I would like to declare my interest as CEO of a private education institution. Over the years, Singapore has made changes to its education system to ensure that it continues to be relevant. With education being the key to developing people to their full potential, we need to continue to be innovative and visionary in our approach and ensure that we have an education system that not only develops our people to their full potential, but also one that helps them meet the challenges of the 21st century. Mr Speaker, Sir, in my maiden speech a few years back, I spoke about the importance of creating "I"-shape graduates who not only have deep subject-matter knowledge, but also a breadth of other knowledge and life skills that allow them to operate across different fields.”
“Such expressions of thought are important reflections of our community and I agree with the amendments to the Act that will allow such e-publications and websites to be archived. I thus end my speech in support of the Bill.”
“While most people would agree that we need to preserve websites and digital materials for records and posterity, we need to consider several aspects of this practice. First, with new websites and digital content being published or created daily, the amount of information that NLB needs to manage could be increasingly large. With such a wealth of information, how would NLB ensure that the information is stored securely while yet remaining publicly accessible? And while the Bill has made provisions for the archival information to be made accessible, can we consider easing the rules of how this archived content could be accessed and used so that more people can benefit from them? Secondly, while NLB is vested with the authority to take digital snapshots of websites, and publishers of online content are legally obliged to provide NLB with a copy of their e-publication free of protection and restrictions on access, we need to be cognisant that these publishers continue to hold the copyrights to their publications. NLB, in this instance, needs to clarify and explain the boundaries of public and private copyrights, and how it intends to protect private copyright and IP when digital copies of such e-publications are made publicly accessible. Mr Speaker, Sir, the increase in technology and its use have intensified the shift from traditional print media to online digital content, and the increase in reliance on online platforms to disseminate information means that the electronic and digital universe will become an increasingly important space where many conversations, dialogues and other expressions of thought will take place.”
“As more information gets published online and with physical copies of books giving way to electronic publications, the process of archiving information becomes challenging. We need to re-examine how we can continue in our quest to preserve parts of our history and identity in the digital age, or risk social amnesia where important electronic information is lost due to the lack of means to archive them. As the Minister mentioned earlier, NLB currently relies on two main ways to archive online content. First, publishers and authors can voluntarily deposit electronic copies of their publications with NLB. Second, NLB would seek explicit consent from owners of websites to take a snapshot of their sites and archive those snapshots in a restricted access database. Both methods can be cumbersome and laborious, often yielding results that are not proportionate to the effort that is put in. So, I agree with the proposed changes to the Act that will empower NLB to archive online materials more expeditiously and facilitate the records keeping process. One of the key benefits of the amendments is to allow NLB to create a more complete picture about online discourses, especially those that shape social or political narratives. The open nature of the Internet allows for more pluralistic expressions of opinions and views. With more conversations taking place on online platforms like blogs, websites, forums and social media, it makes sense for us, as a nation, to archive those conversations so that our future generations can gain access to important records about how their social or political landscape has been shaped by the generations before them.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, NLB can trace its roots to Sir Stamford Raffles who, in 1823, started a small collection of books in the Raffles Library. While the Raffles Library was an exclusive book club that limited its access and membership to the elite, the NLB now serves all residents in Singapore through its 26 public libraries and national archives. As part of the process of preserving our national heritage and identity, the National Library Act mandated that two copies of every Singapore publication made available for sale or distribution should be deposited with the National Library for the purpose of posterity. This was mentioned by the Minister earlier on. Up to date, close to 1.3 million items have been archived and a vast majority, if not all of these items, are in the form of physical "hardcopy" publications, such as books, magazines or written papers. These materials are invaluable in providing us with records of how our society’s narratives and discourses have evolved over the years, and how such narratives have shaped and continue to shape our community, our society and, indeed, our country. In 1995, the Library Review Committee identified technology as a game changer that will disrupt the operations of libraries. In order for libraries to remain relevant and continue to serve the needs of the nation, the Committee recommended that NLB embrace technology and consider how technology could be used to promote and enhance the establishment of Singapore as an international information hub. The Committee's recommendations were prescient, as technology has, indeed, changed the way information is published, disseminated and stored.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am not advocating a “bold” radical revamp of the education sector. Indeed, I feel that the word “bold” has been somewhat overused in this Chamber in the past few days. What I am hoping for is for the Government to continue the good work that it has already done in our education landscape. What I am hoping for is an escalation of this progressive evolution, with a focus on facilitating the creation of more primary education pathways for neurodivergent children. What I am hoping for is for parents to have more choices and options in terms of how they would like to educate their children. And if we get the education of our children right, then we get the future of our country right. 4.48 pm”
“And such guidelines would also ensure that these autonomous specialised schools could actually have a more diverse and varied student demographic than some primary schools from certain residential regions in Singapore today. So, one can set up such schools and ensure that they remain accessible. Now, this I believe is an idea worth piloting. In conclusion, Mr Deputy Speaker, in the early-2000s, MOE set out bold plans to transform the post-primary education sector. In less than 10 years, institutions such as the Singapore Sports School, School of The Arts, School of Science and Technology, NUS High, Integrated Programme (IP) institutions, International Baccalaureate (IB) schools and privately funded international schools were all set up. These schools and their programmes have allowed students to explore many more tracks and pathways that cater to their learning needs, capabilities and aspirations. In recent times, MOE has also made an impact in the pre-primary early childhood education sector by setting up MOE kindergartens and mega pre-schools to ensure a base-line quality for early childhood education, while still allowing private early childhood education options to exist. This has ensured variety and choice for parents who might want different types of education for their young children based on their preferences and whatever their children's needs might be. Having transformed the post-primary sector and with increasing involvement in the pre-primary sector, it now makes sense for the Government to go one more step further and look at diverse options and pathways in the primary school system. I believe that diversity actually creates a stronger and more resilient system overall, which will in turn enhance the entire education ecosystem.”
“These schools would be set up with the same national education perimeters and guidelines as the mainstream schools, with the same flag-raising ceremonies, the singing of the national anthem, the reciting of the pledge and the incorporation of the National Education (NE) modules into the curriculum. I noted that my Parliamentary colleague Miss Cheryl Chan had earlier suggested for students with special needs to be given a "through-train" pathway to secondary school. I think that this is a suggestion worth exploring, but if MOE still feels that the PSLE is relevant to neurodivergent students, then students from these proposed autonomous specialised schools could still be required to take this examination. The key difference is that these schools would have the freedom and autonomy to prepare their students for the PSLE in the way that they deem would be best to cater to these students’ diverse learning needs. I am sure that there are potential concerns that fees of these autonomous schools, if they are privately funded for example, would price themselves out of the reach of students who need them the most. One of the ways that MOE could mitigate this concern is by mandating a tiered-schools fee structure where families who have financial means will pay the full school fees of such schools, while families who are less well-off could pay a subsidised rate, or they could qualify for bursaries from the school itself. It could also be mandatory for these schools to include a certain percentage of these students at subsidised fees. This, Mr Deputy Speaker, in effect, helps to ensure a more equal distribution of resources from the community as those who have the means to afford such education would be, in effect helping those who do not.”
“I would thus like ask MOE to consider facilitating the setting up of autonomous specialised primary schools to cater to these neurodivergent students so that these students are able to study in a specially designed and planned environment that caters to their unique learning needs. Aside from the environment and learning spaces, such schools could be given the freedom to design their own curriculum, determine their own class sizes, hire their own staff with the specialised skill sets and even set their own fees. This would be in line with the Pathlight model, but perhaps on a smaller scale and with more autonomy given to the schools. I believe that there would be VWOs and NGOs like AWWA or the Dyslexia Association of Singapore who would have the expertise and know-how to set up these autonomous specialised schools. Other organisations who might be inclined to provide such services could be religious organisations or established private education providers, and interested parties could even be partnered with philanthropic organisations or charities, or even corporate entities who are willing to co-fund this initiative. MOE could facilitate the setting up of these schools and could also further assist by working with the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) to allow for these schools to be set up in the compound of vacant former MOE schools. Perhaps, a cluster of smaller, autonomous specialised schools could even be housed in a single building to create a unique learning community for neurodivergent children.”
“Consider the case of 10-year-old Primary 4 student Xavier Wong, who was featured in The Straits Times on 10 May this year. Xavier, who is able to solve mathematics problems that are two years ahead of his level and has an IQ that places him in the top 2% of the population, was diagnosed with mild attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and his behaviour has, at times, proven to be disruptive to his classmates and teachers. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are many children like Xavier with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Aspergers, Autism and other neuroatypical conditions who find aspects of mainstream primary school challenging. MOE has, in recent years, worked very closely with educational and developmental psychologists to offer early detection and interventions for children with special learning needs and has also offered support programmes in mainstream schools for students with dyslexia, mild autism, and ADHD. I sincerely hope that MOE will continue to do good work in this area, but I feel that these programmes are still insufficient to cater to increasingly complex learning needs of our children. Furthermore, unless the Allied Educators-to-students ratio is lowered, it is also very hard for these Allied Educators to cater to the needs of working with such a large group of students in mainstream schools. The class sizes, environments and curricula of the mainstream schools are also not ideal for neurodivergent students who have differentiated learning needs.”
“SPED school students often have moderate to serious physical and/or intellectual challenges that will make it difficult for them to make it in the mainstream education system, and it is good that MOE and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) have worked with these organisations to provide options and opportunities for these students to form the foundation for independent and meaningful lives and careers. In 2004, MOE partnered with the Autism Resource Centre to set up Pathlight School. The aim was to create the first autism-focused school in Singapore that offered Singapore's mainstream academic curriculum together with life readiness skills and to cater primarily to students with autism and related disorders. These students are cognitively able to access mainstream academic curriculum but require additional support, such as smaller class sizes, special accommodations and teaching staff trained in autism. Pathlight has since grown from strength to strength, thanks in no small part to the vision and tireless work of a lady that I have tremendous respect for – my hon Parliamentary colleague, Ms Denise Phua. And I am confident that Ms Phua and her team will continue to "light the path" for many children and young adults on the autism spectrum in the future. The neurodivergent children I am hoping that MOE can provide enhanced educational options for are those primary school students who have neuroatypical conditions that are not so severe or challenging that would require them to enrol in SPEDs or Pathlight but are presently finding it challenging to cope with these conditions in mainstream primary schools. Indeed, these students are not just able to merely grasp the mainstream primary school academic curriculum, many of them are even able to excel in it.”
“In such a system, students who were able to perform well in summative-assessments, such as tests and examinations would do well, thus culminating in what most parents will agree is the mother-of-all-summative-assessments, the PSLE. I do not intend to comment on the PSLE in this speech. I believe that this has been commented on before and will indeed continue to be debated for some time in this Chamber at the future. Indeed, I have to commend MOE for trying to lessen the examination-based academic aspect of the PSLE by providing for schemes like the Direct School Admission (DSA) to allow students to enrol in secondary schools using other criteria apart from their PSLE score. The replacement of the T-score with wider achievement levels in 2021 is also a positive step in the right direction. My point is that while the majority of neurotypical students in mainstream MOE primary schools tend to function well in this system, there are also those neurodivergent students with differentiated learning needs who would perhaps perform better in an environment and system that is different from the typical mainstream MOE primary schools. I am not referring to students with clear special learning needs that are already enrolled in Special Education (SPED) schools, such as those operated by Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN), the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), the Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA) and other volunteer welfare organisations (VWOs) and non-governmental organisation (NGOs).”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion of Thanks to the President. In her speech on how the Government can build a strong partnership with people to co-create the Singapore of the future, President Halimah Yacob emphasised the need of the fourth-generation leaders to work with Singaporeans to build a vibrant Singapore that is full of opportunities, and to create a cohesive and inclusive society that caters to the needs of different societal segments. Mdm President also spoke about the importance of making Singapore a great place to have children, and to enable people with differences to lead full and active lives. It is with this in mind that I would like to focus my speech on catering to the divergent and differentiated learning needs of a particular segment of children and how the Government could enhance education options for these children, specifically those who are of primary-school going age. I would also like to declare my interest as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a private education organisation. Singapore has a well-regarded education system that is both recognised and admired worldwide. Bodies, such as OECD consistently rate our education system as one of the best in the world and, as we were reminded by the Education Minister in his speech, our students have achieved remarkable Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results. The primary school system that we have built is well-suited to cater to mainstream learners who are able to function and learn in what is predominantly an examination-based academic environment.”
“I would like to conclude by presenting the view that it actually takes more creativity and artistic innovation to create works of art that exist within certain parameters and boundaries. In fact, one could make the point that having those boundaries might present certain challenges that would inspire and motivate the artist to achievements that might not have been possible had those boundaries not been there in the first place. Indeed, legendary award-winning producer and writer Lorne Michaels was quoted as saying: "To me there's no creativity without boundaries. If you're gonna write a sonnet, it's 14 lines, so it's solving the problem within the container". So, in the spirit of creativity within the container, I end my speech in support of the Bill.”
“However, I hope that the Minister will be willing to go even one step further and share with the FAC or even the public, the reasons as to why he would have made a particular decision regarding a film that might be deemed as a threat to national security. Such transparency would not only be illuminating; it would also be educational. While I am supportive of the authority that the Bill gives to the Minister, I would like more clarity on the authority that the amendments in section 34A of the Bill provides IMDA-appointed enforcement officers. What training and processes have been put in place to ensure that these officers are equipped with the relevant knowledge to exercise their authority appropriately? And furthermore, how can we integrate this portion of the Bill with other national security initiatives or measures that MHA or the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) might already have with regard to similar threats to national security from film and media sources? Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this review of the FA is timely in understanding the changing landscape of the film industry and also helps to better cater to the aspirations and needs of filmmakers, producers, distributors, exhibitors, audiences and the wider community and, indeed, my clarifications, notwithstanding, I believe that the changes are largely positive. Nevertheless, I am aware of the sentiments held by certain members of the film and media industry that the amendments to the FA may stifle artistic freedom and creative expression and lead to self-censorship. I believe this was also raised by the hon Member Kok Heng Leun in his speech earlier.”
“As such, I think it is fair to say that I understand the concept of creative freedom in the media and why it is important for us to get the balance right, between allowing space and licence for artistic creativity to grow and blossom but not allowing carte blanche such that anyone can come up with a media product in the name of art or creative freedom that could have a damaging effect on society or on the community. In my opinion, the Government has been progressive in its attitude and policies towards media over time since I began my career as a media professional in the early 1990s. I believe that things will continue to change both for those who produce media and those who consume it to reflect changing societal norms, consumer tastes and preferences and technological advancements and developments. But these changes need to be calibrated and measured and there are boundaries that should never be crossed. In a small, multi-ethnic, multireligious country like Singapore, national security is paramount. While most films do not openly preach violence against the community, we cannot ignore that certain plotlines could contain innuendos that may injure the feelings of some communities, or some films could have thinly veiled messages that are disparaging to a particular religion or could be viewed as legitimising certain extremist views. As such, I echo the comments that my colleague, the hon Member Mr Ganesh Rajaram, made and I am supportive of the Minister having the authority to decide all appeals regarding films with national security concerns. I was also heartened to hear the Minister say earlier that he will seek the views and consult the FAC before arriving at a decision.”
“While such structured refreshment of the FAC ensures that new perspectives are being constantly brought in, I feel that the authorities can consider emulating the practices on corporate boards by renewing the tenure of some members beyond three years, provided that it can justify why the tenure of these members should be extended. This ensures that there is a good mix and overlap of new members and experienced ones, which will be useful should there be a need to rely on experience and historical knowledge when deciding on appeals. On this note, could the Minister also shed more light on the composition of the FAC and the process as to how members are selected, and does the Government plan to engage the industry and films community to solicit nominees for the committee? I believe that in drawing some of the FAC members from the industry, this will be critical in ensuring that the committee has the endorsement and support from the community and also helps strengthen the buy-in for decisions that the FAC would ultimately have to make. The third area, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, is that of films and national security. We heard this debated in quite a few speeches before mine. Clause 11 introduces a new section 24 to deal with appeals to the Minister against a decision refusing to classify or reclassify a film on the grounds of national security. Mr Deputy Speaker, I spend more than 20 years in the media and communications industry, and I was also a media educator for almost 10 years.”
“I hope that any required qualifications will not be too narrowly defined and the approval process not too tightly regulated. Second, I understand that the CA scheme might not be applied to all categories of films. Could the Minister please explain why that would be so, and if we could work towards eventually allowing CAs to classify films up to a higher classification level, similar to those currently classified by the authorities? I would also like to ask under what circumstances the authorities would override or reclassify a film already classified by a CA. This topic of reclassification was raised by my colleague, the hon Member Mr Zaqy Mohamad. My concern is that if the authorities were to do this too often, this could result in the public perception that the authorities only prefer CAs to “rubber-stamp” ratings in accordance with the authorities' pre-approved guidelines and standards. The second area, Sir, is the appeals process. Any appeals for reclassification are currently being decided by FAC. Clause 12 in the Bill amends section 25 to modify the composition of this committee. It is encouraging to note that the committee size is no longer fixed at 15 but is now stipulated to comprise between a minimum of 15 members and a maximum of 21, with an appointment period not exceeding a three-year term. I am supportive of this change as it ensures that FAC can incorporate more diversity and FAC gets refreshed on a regular basis. I would like to suggest, however, that the authorities strike a balance between refreshing the FAC too frequently and in ensuring that FAC retains some level of institutional knowledge about the appeals process.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, digital technology and the Internet have radically changed the film and media industry by democratising how media is produced, distributed and exhibited and have also altered the way we consume media content. Take, for example, Netflix, which was once regarded primarily as an online-streaming platform that provided traditional film production companies another alternative channel for exhibition. With funding and rapid development and growth, Netflix now produces its own films and dramas, which it shows on its own platform, thus completely circumventing traditional distribution and exhibition channels. In light of such disruptive evolution to the film and media industry, in light of changing social norms, it is timely that the Government review the FA to ensure that it remains relevant in the age of digital media. I would like to focus on three main areas in my speech. The first area is the co-classification of films. Section 19 of the Bill provides for individuals to be registered as film CAs to administer the classification of films. This provision is, in principle, a positive one, as it signifies a more collaborative and consultative approach towards film classification. This should benefit distributors and audiences in the long run because of the wider range of views incorporated as part of the classification process and the increased number of film industry professionals who now have been trained to classify films. However, I do have some clarifications that I hope that the Minister can help me with. First, while the Bill describes the procedures to apply to be a CA, it does not specify the type of qualifications one needs to have before application and who will approve these applications.”
“Sir, I would like to declare my interest as the CEO of a charity and Institute of Public Character (IPC). The Singapore Government has generally maintained an arm's length relationships with charities. Under the current framework, the Government sets the broad policies and directions and leaves it to NCSS to disburse funding and the Commissioner of Charities to police them. Apart from a small number of charities that have the financial resources to employ a management team, most charities are volunteer-run and are supported by a small administrative team. It is unrealistic to expect these smaller charities to have complex management systems and be well-versed with all the regulations associated with the collection of donations. How can the Government help these smaller volunteer-run charities to better understand the complexities of running a charitable organisation and help them meet the standards of transparency and accountability? There is also a danger that these disingenuous individuals might take advantage of public compassion to solicit funds in the name of charity and divert those funds for non-charitable purposes. The problem is likely to be exacerbated by the rise of fake news and Internet scams where scammers create official-looking websites and documents to try and trick or deceive the public and donors into donating funds. In light of these challenges, how can the Government help citizens to discern between a real donation drive from a fake one, and help them to understand what to look out for when donating to charities, especially in the case of online charity donation drives?”
“While the One Team Singapore initiative helps those involved in core sports, there is a possibility for more flexibility in standards, so that athletes from non-core sports that have achieved a certain standard are also supported through funding that helps them grow their talent and boost our Singapore sporting capabilities and our sporting heritage as well. The Future of Football/SportSG”
“I would like to ask MCCY if there are plans to further engage Team Nila, so that its volunteers can be deployed beyond sporting events. What are the new skillsets that we would like these volunteers to build on? And how can we develop Team Nila so that it can also be a platform for community volunteer programmes? Funding and Support for Team Singapore National athletes, even those who have won medals often, often fork out funds from their own pocket to finance training and travel costs. The launch of the One Team Singapore fund last October is thus a much-needed shot in the arm for our athletes who want to hone their skills and take their sporting prowess further afield to represent Singapore in prestigious games and competitions. 12.14 pm I understand that under the One Team Singapore initiative, elite athletes could get up to S$100 million in funding, with the Government to match donations of up to S$50 million from Singaporeans and corporate firms from 2017 to 2022. Could the Government provide an update as to how athletes have benefited from this fund so far? Corporate support for sports is a large part of the culture of many countries where sporting achievements are a hallmark of success. Can support for sporting talent extend to even supporting athletes after they have retired from competitive competition, so that they can mentor and grow the next generation of sports leaders? To use a sporting metaphor, this will allow us to help them pass the baton to build a lasting sporting culture of indelible memories and boost strong interest in sports.”
“Mr Chairman, apart from diet control, regular physical activity and exercise are important components of a healthy lifestyle that helps to keep us physically strong and mentally sharp. From a national perspective, a healthier population would mean everyone spends less of our individual net income on healthcare and related treatments. This is an effective way to ensure that our critical healthcare resources are not tied up to treat preventable diseases. To encourage Singaporeans, especially our children and youths, to be physically active and take up sports for leisure, MCCY and SportSG have rolled out several academies and clubs to conduct regular classes for different sports in various sports halls and areas. I believe that these academies and clubs are doing well and they have been well-received by the public so far. Can MCCY provide an update on the enrolment and participation in these academics and clubs? Are there further plans to enhance these sporting programmes to extend them to other sports and activities? And what else does MCCY plan to do to get Singaporeans to be more active? Team Nila Team Nila was launched in 2015 to create a common identity for sports volunteers. Since its inception, Team Nila has contributed to various sporting events and its volunteers have distinguished themselves for being professional and having a strong work ethic. I am speaking from personal experience, having interacted with many of our Team Nila volunteers. With a strong volunteer management programme and a robust volunteer training framework, I believe that Team Nila has the potential to contribute beyond their current role and be a positive force for change within the community.”
“Depending on the success of these projects, are there plans to help our farmers export their urban farming technology, or even other forms of Singaporean-developed agri-technology to the region and beyond? Urban and Environment Design Mr Chairman. From glow-in-the-dark trees, a solution that makes use of biomimicry technology and saves on street lighting, to the foot traffic electricity in London’s Heathrow airport, to parklets that have sprung up in urban areas to make city life more vibrant, much is being done all around the world for urban sustainability. Parklets, for example, are very effective in increasing both green space and communal spaces in a city. Essentially, parklets convert curb-side parking spaces into small scale public parks where people can sit and relax. People get the chance to meet friends for a chat while enjoying the city, thereby increasing community engagement. Also, parklets replace parking spaces, reducing accessibility for cars and discouraging driving in the city, as part of a wider car-lite initiative. There are also initiatives like New York’s GrowOnUs canal in Gowanus. Designed by Balmori Associates, a New York-based international landscape and urban design firm, the floating gardens act as sponges, filtering and cleaning water, as well as helping to provide wildlife with a safe habitat. I would like to ask, Mr Chairman, what more can be done in terms of out-of-the box and creative ideas for the Government to partner with the people and the private sectors to make Singapore greener, more vibrant and exciting. Breakaway Works on Landed Houses”
“Mr Chairman, public housing is not just something that is a part of our national landscape. It is a part of our national psyche. With more than 80% of Singaporeans living in public housing and the fact that almost every Singaporean would have been to a public housing estate at some point in time, many visitors to our country are always amazed when I point out some of the more modern HDB blocks to them, saying that they look like private apartments. Indeed, such is the quality of design today that there are times when I myself cannot tell the difference between public housing and private condominiums when the two are side by side until I come much closer. As much as the Government has continued to build modern, stylish and affordable new generation flats, it has also rolled out a variety of schemes and measures to enhance and improve the older flats at mature estates as well. I would like to ask if MND could share what plans it has to continue to improve public housing, especially for older flats and in the mature estates in the future. Food and Agriculture Singapore imports more than 90% of the food we eat. Although our limited farming lands and fishing grounds have made it impossible for us to be self-sufficient in food supply, we should, nonetheless, support our local farmers to adopt new farming technology to enhance our food supply resiliency. Could AVA provide an update on the available schemes that our local farmers can tap on to develop their business? How will these schemes help us to meet our food needs and enhance our food safety and security? I understand that AVA has, in recent months, tendered out several plots of land to vegetable farmers to experiment with new farm and farming technologies.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. The ICM ITM is expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of around 6% for the industry and create more than 13,000 PMET jobs by 2020. Media companies in Singapore include content creators in the film and/or television industries, 3D animation, cutting-edge video games, trans-media storytelling and new media initiatives. Leading digital media companies, such as Lucasfilm, Tecmo-Koei, Double Negative, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft have also opened offices in Singapore. But what part can smaller media companies play in Singapore’s quest to be a global media hub? If it is crucial to create a digitally-enabled media environment, what measures are there to help smaller media industry players take that digital journey of transformation? Could the Government share how it is helping to build digital media capabilities needed for continued growth in the long term? Libraries and the Future Economy Mr Chairman, we would all agree that the library is and should always remain an important social and educational institution and that it has an important role to play in our new evolving economy. How can we ensure that libraries remain viable and relevant in this new economy? Can libraries better support the nationwide effort to promote and prepare all Singaporeans for the future economy so that jobseekers and entrepreneurs alike have access to ever-changing knowledge? Beyond the computerisation of services and the development of technology to support reading, what can libraries do to make reading, whether it is traditional or digital, delightful and engaging for its users in all languages? Libraries and Reading”
“Mr Chairman, SNI was launched in late 2014 with the aim of applying digital and smart solutions to provide better services to our residents and businesses. Since then, a number of new Government agencies and interagency task forces have been set up to drive our efforts to achieve that vision. It would thus be good if the Government could provide an update on the progress of the various strategic national projects mooted under SNI and link this progress to some tangible outcomes related to those projects. The development of SNI requires a pool of talent with bold vision and strong technical competencies. We, therefore, need to grow our talent base and groom individuals to possess a strong mastery of information systems science and the application of actionable intelligence. The creation of a talent pipeline takes time and we have to put in place a robust ecosystem that supports the training, development and deployment of these talents. Could the Government share what specific steps it is taking to ensure that we have sufficient large and diverse talent bases to deliver on the Smart Nation projects and goals? Supporting Our Smart Nation Ambitions”
“While the Government needs to be mindful about managing the socioeconomic impact of immigration on Singaporeans, many of us will agree that immigration certainly leads to a richer and more diverse society. However, as we go about forging a national identity and building an inclusive Singapore, we need to ask ourselves what can be done to manage this new diversity in our society that has been brought about by immigration? A Canadian Prime Minister, whose country was rated by a study as the second-best for migrants to live in, once said, and I quote, “Diversity is our strength.” As we move forward, and as our society welcomes its share of new citizens, I hope that the Government can share how it plans to strengthen integration and build social cohesion such that we, as Singaporeans, can also view diversity as one of our strengths. Strengthening Integration”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. My speech will also contain quite a few number of "F" words, specifically flexible, family and friendly. In recent years, a number of companies have implemented flexi-work schemes where employees can choose to start and end work within a range of agreed times. Progress in digital technology has also been the catalyst for the development of collaborative project management platforms that have reduced the need for employees to be housed in the same physical workspace. These practices have facilitated the gradual transition of business models from those that focus on office presence and facetime to those that emphasise deliverables. These initiatives are, indeed, starting to make an impact in helping employees better manage demands from work and family. On the public housing front, significant progress has been made in housing to support couples that start a family early, and enhancements made in preschool provision have also helped dual-income families better manage the education needs of their young children. Despite these measures, the 20- and 30-somethings remain concerned about their ability to manage their work and family aspirations. How can the Government better support work and family aspirations, and encourage private sector companies to introduce more family-friendly workplace policies? Immigration and Integration Sir, at the cultural crossroads of global flows, Singapore, like many of the multicultural cities in the world, has welcomed, and will continue to welcome, people from around the world for many years. And there are, indeed, those who have come to our shores who end up making Singapore their permanent home.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the unexpected Budget surplus that we have this year is exceptional and we must not assume that we will have a surplus of this quantum again. Indeed, the next decade will see Singapore undertake several major projects to upgrade our healthcare systems, transportation network, infrastructure and to beef up various aspects of our security. I understand that the only way for us to ensure that we do not overly burden our future generation is to ensure that we have a fiscally sustainable and prudent Budget now. Having said that, it is important that the Government also remembers to temper any future tax increases with the appropriate measures and schemes to help those who need assistance and help when that day comes. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, I conclude my speech in support of the Budget. 4.32 pm”
“Having an extended family living close to one another will provide a much-needed social support network. This is especially important in Singapore’s ageing society where dual-income families are norms rather than exceptions. As such, grandparents are great sources of support for grandchildren when parents are out at work and the daily interaction between grandchildren and grandparents are wonderful ways to keep the elderly mentally and physically active and engaged. Singles, too, can also play their part in an extended family network. One of the new initiatives in the PHG is the introduction of the $10,000 subsidy for singles who are buying resale flats to live near their parents. While this will no doubt encourage singles to live in proximity to their parents, the impact of the subsidy on actual purchases will be different, depending on the differing prices of the estate where the parents live. For example, someone whose parents live in a mature estate could expect to pay a lot more for a basic flat to live near their parents, as compared to someone who is buying an equivalent flat to live near their parents in a non-mature estate. The difference could be in the tens of thousands, which is quite substantial for a single individual. Instead of a fixed amount, could the Government consider having a PHG that is based on the percentage of the selling price of the resale flat, subject to a minimum of the original base of $10,000 and a maximum ceiling? This would be helpful for those who have little choice but to buy flats in more mature estates because their parents happen to be living in those estates. Ideally, this principle can eventually be applied to other proximity-based housing grants as well in the future.”
“Can the Government use the ITMs to identify jobs that will be made obsolete and redundant in these industries and help employees in those jobs transit into new roles in other sectors where demand for manpower is growing? As Singapore moves into its next phase of growth, we must ensure that we have the right mix of human capital to support that growth. The development of human capital is imperative and should also be done in tandem with the development of digital skills. The second area is to focus on the benefits for families in the area of education. As an educator, I strongly believe that education is an important leveller that enables social mobility. While the increase in Edusave contributions will benefit all students, it would also be ideal if we could provide targeted help in larger quantums to those in our community who need an additional leg-up. For example, can we consider an enhanced financial assistance scheme where there are different tiers of Edusave grants and top-ups, depending on family income? Other initiatives that we could consider would include making student care more accessible and affordable by giving higher levels of subsidies to lower-income families and prioritising student care services for children of single working-parents because these families typically do not have the same level of social support that dual-parent families have. The final area I would like to focus on is that of the enhanced Proximity Housing Grant (PHG) designed to benefit families. I welcome the different enhancements that the Budget has made to the PHG. I believe that these enhancements will, in the long run, promote family ties and encourage family members to live near one another.”
“As this proposed increase will not take place for a few years, I would like to now shift my focus to the present and to look at three specific aspects of the Budget in my speech. First of all, a vibrant and innovative economy. Digital technologies have disrupted traditional business models, changed the ways business decisions are made and have transformed how goods and services are delivered and consumed. Many businesses are struggling to keep up with these transformative changes and it is crucial that our firms, especially our SMEs, develop digital capabilities and competencies to compete in this digital era. The SMEs Go Digital programme has been a timely shot-in-the-arm to help our businesses ramp up their digital capabilities. This is especially important for our SMEs that might not have the same corporate resources and knowledge as MNCs to initiate large-scale upgrading and transformation. I hope that the scale of this programme can be ramped up to go beyond supporting the 650 companies that it is already benefiting. While we help businesses transform, we also need to ensure that we have the talent base with the right skills to support that transformation. I believe that we need to focus on two areas: to up-skill and re-skill our workforce. Firstly, we need to put in place a robust continuous education framework to benefit employees working in industries where jobs are increasingly being automated. These employees need to be up-skilled and re-skilled to take on technologically-enhanced roles so that they can continue to add value to their employers. We also need to help employees who are displaced by technological changes and innovations to learn new skills. The Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) have been developed to help 23 industries reinvent themselves.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this year's Budget is set against the backdrop of shifting global economic dynamics, emerging technologies and an ageing population. With these challenges in mind, the Budget has laid out specific initiatives targeted at ensuring that Singapore will continue to have a robust and vibrant economy, as well as a healthy stream of tax revenue that we could tap on to support our long-term social objectives. In this regard, this year's Budget is fiscally prudent, measured and well-balanced, with emphasis given to address both immediate concerns and long-term needs. Two initiatives, in particular, have created much talk on the ground ─ the SG Bonus and the impending rise in GST. Some chatter has likened these two initiatives to the well-worn analogy of giving a chicken wing and taking back a chicken. While this analogy may draw a few chuckles, I think that it is a somewhat facile one. [Deputy Speaker (Mr Charles Chong) in the Chair] The Singapore Government has always been committed to sharing the fruits of the country’s development with Singaporeans and the SG Bonus is yet another instance of this commitment. Linking the SG Bonus with the proposed rise in GST, however, gives an inaccurate perception of a relationship between the two issues. The adjustments in GST is important and necessary to help Singapore secure a robust tax revenue to support our future social spending. However, I believe that while the lower-income and middle-income group will pay more of this consumption tax when GST is eventually increased, the Government must continue its current policy, such that they receive a corresponding increase in tax transfers and subsidies, so that the increase in GST will result in a positive net transfer to this group.”
“I thank the Minister for the answer. I have a couple of supplementary questions. First, in such cases, does the Ministry or the school provide counselling services for the child that is affected by this rather unfortunate turn of circumstances? Does the Ministry then follow up to see whether the child is adjusting well in the new school? My concern, of course, is coming from the perspective of the welfare of the child.”
“The different mother tongues, for example, say the different MTLs, do we notice a difference in terms of the percentages of Singaporeans who teach these MTLs and does MOE then have different strategies for different MTL teachers?”
“One question, then, Sir. Thank you for the indulgence. With regard to the MTL teachers, do we differentiate between teachers of specific mother tongues in terms of the different languages and do we have different strategies that we adopt for these teachers?”
“I thank the Minister. Just a couple of quick supplementary questions —”
“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. Indeed, it is heartening to see that the Government has been making progress in the area of supporting parents from different socioeconomic status in the course of their journey as parents. I have two supplementary questions, Mr Speaker. First of all, could the Minister shed some light, in light of perhaps changing circumstances and the rising cost of living, on when the next review of subsidies would be due? My second question is to perhaps assess the support that is given to non-working mothers or mothers who are working part-time. I do understand the logic that when the parents are working full-time that, therefore, they would need the support of childcare. But in some of my visits and interactions with the residents, the feedback I have received is that there could be many reasons why a parent chooses to work part-time or is unable to work, and it does not necessarily mean that they require any less support with regard to quality childcare and quality early childhood education. I hope the Minister could shed some light on these two areas.”
“As much as they have tremendous benefits for humanity, there is a dark side to this as well. At best, cyber pranksters can cause widespread inconvenience. At worst, cyber terrorists can cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands, if not, millions of innocents. I thus believe that it is timely that the Government is taking steps to address the critical issue of cybersecurity and I stand in firm support of this Bill.”
“I am aware that the Parliamentary Select Committee will, no doubt, present its views on how the issue of fake news can be tackled in due time but, until then, can we utilise the provisions in this Bill to take action against the perpetrators of fake news? If someone were to hack into a Government agency’s system and issue falsehoods via the agency’s website or automated broadcast system, then can the Government take issue with the perpetrators for committing a cybercrime and also prosecute them for what their hacking resulted in? For example, if someone hacks into the Singapore Police Force (SPF) website or creates a fake SPF site to spread fake news of terror acts, how would the Government deal with the perpetrators and the ensuing chaos that possibly could result from this cybercrime? Fake news, as we all know, can lead to widespread panic that erodes the trust in public institutions. So, can the cybersecurity office hold the perpetrators of such cybercrimes responsible for the consequences of their crimes? Or will the crimes fall under other legislation, such as the CMA? And, if so, how can the Cybersecurity Bill complement the legislation under CMA? Mr Speaker, Sir, advancements in science and technology have always benefited humanity by enhancing conveniences in our daily lives and enabling us to do things that once existed only in our imagination. At the same time, there will always be deviant individuals who will use science and technology for criminal activities or subversive purposes. Consider how nuclear power has allowed humanity to make significant progress, yet that same nuclear power and capability, in the hands of the wrong individual, can have catastrophic consequences for humanity. Digitisation and Internet technological advancement are no different.”
“For example, clause 1 in Part 3 of the Bill suggests that a CII can be defined as a computer or computer system that is necessary for the continuous delivery of essential services in Singapore. Although some services might not be regarded as "essential", they could be considered significant, and any disruption of these entities could have a serious socio-economic impact. Moreover, there could also be private organisations that would require the appropriate assistance, advice and, more critically, protection in this area, too. On a related note, if an organisation’s computer system, especially a commercial or private one, is designated as a CII, how much access to its database would the cybersecurity office have? For example, if the computer system contains sensitive personal data like health records from insurance companies or investment portfolios from private banks and private organisations, how would cybersecurity be balanced with the intrusion into the privacy of the individual? I noted that the Minister earlier mentioned that cybersecurity officers are going to be bound by certain very clear guidelines and perhaps even legislation or laws with regard to ensuring confidentiality when they access such information. But I think we cannot deny that there are some potential ethical dilemmas that could arise when cybersecurity officers, in the course of their work, gain access to personal data that contains identifiers when the providers of that information did not give explicit consent for the information to be used or accessed. While it might not fall strictly under the rubrics of the proposed Bill, how can we provisionally use the Bill to manage the issue of "fake news"?”
“Thus, the introduction of the Cybersecurity Bill is not only much needed, it is also timely. I do, however, have some points that I would like to raise for discussion and consideration. Clause 4 of the Bill has vested the Minister with the authority to appoint a Cybersecurity Commissioner and a team of high-ranking cybersecurity officials who have a wide range of duties pertaining to the cybersecurity efforts in Singapore. Although the appointment of the team will help ensure that efforts across Ministries and Statutory Boards are coordinated and policies are implemented consistently, greater clarity perhaps needs to be given on how this jurisdiction will be established. With the recently established GovTech taking on the role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Government, and CSA already monitoring cybersecurity, how will the newly established centralised cybersecurity office work alongside these agencies? How can we ensure that there is no duplication of duties and, more importantly, what is the unique value-add that the centralised cybersecurity office will bring to our cybersecurity ecosystem that GovTech and CSA are not already doing? Part 3 of the Bill has vested the Cybersecurity Commissioner with the authority to designate computers and computer systems as CIIs and empower the cybersecurity office with greater oversight over these systems. While the Bill has set out some guidelines regarding the criteria of designating CIIs, perhaps more consideration needs to be given also on how the status of a CII is designated and what constitutes the phrase, "essential services".”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, advancements in information and communications technology (ICT) have transformed our society and the way we live, work and play. We are living in an increasingly interconnected world enabled by digital technology, and the inadvertent rise of Internet of Things (IoT) will accelerate our dependency on technology to an unprecedented level in the near future. Singapore remains one of the most connected country in the world. Internet penetration rate in Singapore is at 82.2%, much higher than the global average, and 70% of Singaporeans are active on a social media platform, more than double the global average of 34%. The explosive growth of ICT has ushered in a golden age of digitalisation and has been instrumental in enabling research, applied science, healthcare, transportation and urban development, just to name a few areas. Building upon a robust ICT infrastructure is also the vision of transforming Singapore into a Smart Nation. Yet, the exponential growth of ICT and our increasing dependency on digital systems have heightened our vulnerability to cyber incidents. These cyber incidents can take the form of cybercrime aimed at siphoning money from corporations and individuals; cyber terrorism and espionage aimed at crippling Government systems and pilfering sensitive information; or even seemingly innocuous cyber pranks that could lead to widespread havoc and social disruption. In Singapore, our Government systems were also not spared from such incidents. We have heard various Members in the House already referring to the incidents and the attacks carried out against MINDEF and also our IHLs. What is more foreboding is the CSA warning that there has been a consistent and concerted effort to penetrate our Government’s IT system.”
“As mentioned by the Senior Minister of State earlier, the Runninghour co-op is an inclusive running club that integrates people with special needs through running. The Silver Caregivers Co-op aims to be a one-stop centre to better the quality of life for caregivers of elderly and the Silver Horizon Travel Co-op is a social enterprise that promotes active living and learning for elderly by using travel as a platform. These are some examples of how co-ops in Singapore have successfully served a specific purpose for a larger good. Clauses 6, 24, and 30 of the amended Bill aims to promote inclusivity by clarifying who can be an ordinary member and a management committee member of co-ops and reduces the minimum number of people to set up a co-op to five. I believe that these changes will collectively facilitate the setting up of co-ops, encourage more groups to promote their goals, and will contribute to the development of a stronger civic society in Singapore. Deputy Speaker, Sir, while some co-ops do function as business entities, they also have a strong social mission to help Singapore and Singaporeans. It is important that we continue to support the growth and development of these entities by creating a facilitative climate that both reduces the barriers to set up co-ops, as well as instil a stronger operating framework to safeguard members' interests. With that, Deputy Speaker, I conclude my speech in support of the Bill.”
“Additional training, and even certification, will help strengthen the competencies of officers who are running co-ops. While the clause sets out the broad rubrics, the devil is always in the details. Could the Minster clarify how the rules are derived, what these rules would be and how they would be enforced? Clause 54 empowers the Registrar to protect the co-op by vesting the Registrar with the authority to remove the committee of management of the society and appoint one or more individuals to take over the management and administration of the co-op when the co-op is mismanaged or when there are instances of misconduct. Given that this is a drastic step that is akin to the board of directors stipulating the replacement of the management team in a listed company, can the Minister clarify the guidelines or criteria that would be used by the Registrar to ascertain mismanagement or misconduct? Also, what is the profile of the candidates that the Registrar would consider when deciding on who to appoint in the new team? From where will these appointees be drawn? Would they be drawn from the private, non-governmental organisations or the public sector? In the event when such an action is taken, how will the Government manage the communications such that members of the co-op and the public would not perceive that the Government is taking over the running of the co-op? Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, co-ops, have, in general, brought about positive benefits for their members and the society at large. While I have spoken about the need to regulate the governance of credit co-ops, it is also important for the Government to facilitate growth and development as they allow people to get together based on common interests and for the common goal of furthering the welfare of the society.”
“Credit co-ops, like the Singapore Government Staff Credit Co-op Society that was formed in 1925, probably served a purpose historically when the capital and financial market was less mature. However, given today's context where Singapore has a robust and sophisticated banking and finance sector, like my Parliamentary colleague, Mr Melvin Yong, one cannot help but to question the long-term viability of credit co-ops, as well as whether the management committee of these co-ops possess the right skillsets to navigate the increasingly complex operating environment of financial institutions. Given the significant amount of deposits and loans that credit co-ops are dealing with, I welcome the amendment of the Co-operative Societies Bill where the Government, through the Registrar of Co-Operative Societies, is looking at how we can strengthen the governance structure of these co-ops. Compared to banks that operate under stringent regulations by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), credit co-ops appear to be loosely regulated. At the current moment, credit co-ops are regulated by guidelines suggested by the Registrar of Co-operative Societies and their accounts are audited by qualified auditors. While these are first-line measures to safeguard members' interest and to ensure that their savings are secure, these measures may not be sufficient to guarantee that good corporate governance practices are in place. Good governance requires both a robust regulatory framework as well as officers who are well-versed in corporate governance. I believe that clause 55 in the Bill that allows the Minister to make rules for or with respect to the qualifications and training requirements of co-op officers is thus a step in the right direction.”