Dennis Tan Lip Fong
Singapore
“Yes, Sir. By combining practical experience with advanced analytics, we can transform traditional operational careers in the highly productive technology-enabled professions, ensuring that more high-value decision-making and better paying jobs remain in Singapore.”
“When Singapore officers are deployed at Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, do they enjoy the same legal protections and operational autonomy as their Malaysian counterparts enjoy when stationed in Singapore?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Relating to one issue of co-parenting, I would like to ask will the Ministry consider granting foster parents synchronised access to the child's Health Buddy app? Currently, foster parents have no access to the app and require the cooperation of biological parents.”
“Thank you, Speaker. I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Would the Ministry consider a tiered co-payment model for private providers similar to the EIPIC-P scheme where middle-income families can pay a regulated rate for a fixed number of additional private therapy hours to supplement their child's public intervention?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just one clarification for the Senior Minister of State. I thank the Government for acknowledging the gap regarding the software-driven energy degradation and for the commitment to monitor and test when necessary.”
“Yes, just a quick clarification. I thank the Minister of State for the answers and the details. The feedback I receive is pertaining, especially to making appointments, because there have been instances where foster parents experience appointments being cancelled without their knowledge, and then having to arrive at the hospital unnecessa…”
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“Could I ask that LTA do a more comprehensive review of footpaths and consider, in the longer run perhaps, or in the medium term, how footpaths can be expanded to provide for safe and better usage of all devices as well as pedestrians?”
“Chairman, I have two supplementary questions, one for the Minister for Transport. As the Minister has shared, it is good to encourage and make available the uses of different sustainable fuel options like methanol in the busy port of Singapore. However, I think we are the top bunkering port in the world and there are many other ships that come here to take on bunkers. What efforts are being made to encourage ship owners, firstly, within our registry of Singapore and, secondly, ship owners that use our facilities both in and outside port limits, to encourage them to switch to more sustainable options? May I take the opportunity to compliment the existing work that has been done by the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, but I look forward to the Minister's clarification. The second question is for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. Can I just echo my colleague, Mr Gerald Giam, on his concern about the width of certain footpaths? Indeed, not all footpaths are as per the measurement that the Senior Parliamentary Secretary just shared. Actually, just two days ago, I was at a traffic junction when I saw a PMA stop in the middle of the road and was trying to gesticulate to get the attention of a cyclist who stopped right at the traffic light, trying to cross the other way. Then, I realised what happened after a couple of seconds – the PMA rider was trying to ask the cyclist to make way so that he can get on to that little island before he crossed onto the subsequent zebra crossing. So, there are footpaths in Singapore that may not be able to allow two devices.”
“Like enforcement against illegal use of PMDs, such as e-scooters or hoverboards on roads or footpaths, which unfortunately we still see today, though less frequently than before, for the new measures to work effectively, there must be regular enforcement against illegal or unsafe use as well as against non-compliant mobility scooters, as the lack of enforcement will encourage non-compliance. Regarding enforcement efforts against PMAs able to travel beyond the prescribed speed, I note that for current e-bikes, though there may be officers at certain busy spots carrying out spot checks, we still see e-bikes exceeding the permitted speed limits, sometimes even on par with the vehicles travelling alongside them on the roads, far exceeding the 25 kilometres per hour limit. I hope LTA will consider more stringent enforcement measures to deter speeding for all mobility devices, including measures against shops that help to tweak the speed mechanisms of devices. Regular enforcement must come hand in hand with good public education. LTA must consider how to push out the messaging on the new rules via mainstream and social media to achieve good public knowledge and consciousness. Public education should not be merely for the mobility scooter users, but for the public at large. Public knowledge of what is allowed and what is no allowed will, I believe, enhance compliance and encourage considerate use by all. PMAs Used for Livelihood Purposes”
“In the recent review of existing regulations for PMAs, such as mobility scooters, AMAP recommended a speed limit of six kilometres per hour and for users to be medically certified. I agree that there should be a reasonable speed limit, given the risk of collisions with pedestrians sharing the same path. Having said that, I also received feedback that a speed of six kilometres per hour is a bit too slow, especially for some seniors who are used to using mobility scooters to travel beyond their immediate neighbourhoods and the reduced speed would also mean longer travelling time for some. I understand that six kilometres per hour is tied to average walking speed, but I wonder whether the proposed speed can be slightly higher than six kilometres per hour, at least for wider or less busy paths. AMAP has recommended to allow only users who are certified to have medical needs or walking difficulties to use mobility scooters. I hope this medical certification restriction will not be applied too rigidly. Some seniors may not be able to walk very far before they need to rest, due to declining physical ability, and not necessarily due to serious illness or diagnosed conditions with their lower limbs or spinal areas. PMAs do provide seniors with confidence to be out and about, which is a good thing. May I suggest the use of PMAs be extended to seniors reaching a certain age, for example, 67 or 70?”
“Measuring density by estate is important because when you have high densities in certain regions over others, what the everyday Singaporean experience is the rush of the crowd where they live when they go about their day-to-day activity. This is further exacerbated by MND's decentralisation strategy, which is to reduce congestion in Singapore by bringing jobs closer to homes. Higher population density is also a key contributor to a higher urban temperature. And while some of the urban temperature caused by UHI can be mitigated through infrastructure planning, the day-to-day rush observed by Singaporeans in denser locales is harder to control. Does HDB evaluate and compare the population density of all HDB towns to ensure that each town's population density is at a comparable healthy level; and mitigation measures should, perhaps, be carried out to reduce the density in some of the towns with higher density? For residents of the denser towns and areas, what is being done to reduce the UHI and the WBGT? Can we ensure that upstream planning norms also take into consideration the population density of estates rather than looking at greenfield or brownfield sites available for public and private housing launches? Ultimately, my question to the Government is this: how do we ensure that Singapore remains liveable for the everyday Singaporean, beyond those that have privilege to live in less-dense areas or estates like Bukit Timah or Sentosa? Gracious Living Spaces for Safe Delivery Services”
“Mr Chairman, over the years, this House has raised questions about the urban heat island effect, with studies showing a difference of 7 degrees celsius between urban and less built-up areas of Singapore. Less has been said about the WetBulb Global Temperature (WBGT). Both the urban heat island (UHI) effect and WBGT, are important indicators of heat-related stress on the human body at work or at play in Singapore. Researching the UHI and the WBGT brings about questions on ensuring liveability and a high quality of life for Singaporeans in the long-term. There are many factors that contribute to liveability but today, I would like to talk about population density as it is a factor that can intensify the UHI. The overall population density of Singapore is around 8,000 persons per square kilometres. While this may not be near the population density of certain cities, however, given that Singapore is a country and not just a city, once we break it down further to measure the density of actual liveable space, such as by excluding roads, offshore islands or even industrial estates, the reality can be quite different. How do URA and HDB measure the population density of our towns and estates? For example, if and when HDB measures population density of a HDB town, does it use the total land area or the residential area? Taking this distinction from HDB's publication entitled "Key Statistics – HDB Annual Report 2021-2022". Next, how do URA and HDB take into account population density for the building of our towns, estates and residential homes? URA and HDB should assess the population density of our HDB towns and private estates and consider whether we need to make any adjustment to the density of any of our towns or estates.”
“I also hope that HDB can arrange for a copy of such handbooks to be delivered to the Town Council office at the time of delivery to residents, so that the Town Council and I can refer to it when we attend to residents' feedback on the LUP. Next, Aljunied-Hougang Town Council was not included in the Working Committee during the design and implementation stage for the LUP. I would like to ask that the Town Council should be included in the Working Committee at the outset, so that it can give its technical input on the design and any considerations based on the Town Council's ground knowledge in managing the common space around the LUP location and certainly well ahead of any straw poll. Upgrading Older Flats”
“It is never easy to ask people to shift to a different address and it is definitely not an empathetic solution. Many residents still cannot accept HDB's explanation of the issue of cost. I would also like to ask the Government to explain to affected residents of each affected block the true reasons for LUP not being available to that block. Is it due to cost, and if so, how much it would cost and how much would residents have to pay? For residents whose blocks have technical constraints, let the residents know. Please also inform residents of the alternative mechanical options available and the costs involved. And please inform the Town Councils so that they can convey the same explanation when asked. Next, I would also like to convey some feedback arising from the recent LUP polling exercise at Block 833. One, there are residents in the same block who, while not eligible to vote, may be affected by the LUP construction. For example, their flat may be partially blocked by the new lift shaft, or they have other concerns such as privacy or other disamenity issues. May I ask that in future LUP exercises, views of other affected residents in the same block who may not be eligible to vote should also be sought and taken into consideration in advance during the design stage, before the actual polling and before a design is firmed up. Two, HDB should have an information centre handling enquiries regarding the LUP at the HDB Hougang office instead of requiring residents to go to one at Serangoon North, since the Hougang office is just a short walk away. Three, the LUP handbook should be given to residents in the same block much earlier than just one week before the main polling.”
“I speak again on the issue of lift upgrading for the six blocks of HDB flats in Hougang SMC, where there are still certain flats which do not have same-floor lift access, as I have done every year since 2021. HDB recently gazetted the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) for 10 units of HDB flats at Block 833 Hougang Central. I am glad that HDB has finally agreed to provide LUP to these residents of mine, though I am still none the wiser of why there was a change of mind. I continue to speak for the remaining five HDB blocks in Hougang. This is a very real issue affecting a number of my residents, especially those with mobility needs requiring assistance to assess the stairs outside their units when they have to go out, not to mention inconveniences or risks when ambulances are dispatched. I have said previously that I would feel the pain when residents told me that their parents or grandparents had to be carried when accessing the stairs next to their unit. Residents also have to pay additional charges for delivery items. Minister Desmond Lee replied to me at last year's Committee of Supply (COS) that as of January 2023, there were about 140 HDB blocks with units without direct access to lifts on the same floor and that they are due to technical and site constraints or high costs, some of which exceeded $100,000 per unit. I would like to ask the Government to not just look at the issue of lift access from the angle of cost alone, something that could have been mitigated or avoided if HDB had tendered out lift upgrading projects consisting of the blocks with problematic designs together with other HDB blocks with no design issues for LUP. The Lift Access Housing Grant is not an option for many residents with whom I have spoken to on this issue.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his answers. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary highlighted the harsh punishments when retailers are caught with selling illegal batteries or devices. Can the Senior Parliamentary Secretary share with the House, despite these harsh punishments, what are the challenges that LTA face in trying to clamp down on the number of retailers selling illegal devices as well as illegal batteries? And are there any new plans that LTA may have to deal with the continuing import of illegal batteries and devices?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister of State for the answers. The Minister of State mentioned about making an appeal to affected residents to approach them to discuss options. Could the Minister of State elaborate on what are these options and what are the likely cost of these other options? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, every block is unique and every unit is unique, so it is important for us to better understand the different specifications and the unique needs of each household. So, I would like to urge the Member to ask any resident who face such an issue to approach the HDB.”
“As a smaller actor, Singapore may have to be a price taker to conditions created by others, but we have the benefits of agility and relative unity given our size. We also have friends and partners. How does MFA propose that we use these advantages to secure Singapore and protect our interests in a more uncertain and tumultuous time? This may be a test of our wisdom and capability. In the event differences among the different sides should escalate, how does MFA propose that Singapore mitigate the elevated risk that may result? Pressure from various parties and major powers is likely to mount on Singapore under these circumstances. They will come externally and may even emerge internally. The public needs to understand this risk, be prepared for a response and be ready to support it, including accepting the cost mitigation efforts which may entail and what might these be.”
“Mr Chairman, that the rivalry between Washington and Beijing is becoming more and more serious is undeniable, as are other points of friction in East Asia and beyond. The Prime Minister discussed it. One of the Deputy Prime Ministers also raised the issue on several occasions. Competition among major powers is a common feature of their relations. Well managed, they can spur innovation and grow within stable and predictable parameters. If not, contestation can prompt friction, tension, instability, unpredictability and an extreme conflict. A key element of US-China ties today is marked by the US and its allies on one side, China and its partners on the other. Contentiousness is growing in the arc from the Korean Peninsula and the Sea of Japan, through the East Asia Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. Ships and aircraft are challenging established norms and interpretations of international law, even as these areas are seeing greater militarisation. In the process, ships and aircraft from different sides are increasingly emboldened, or perhaps ordered to adopt riskier manoeuvres. There have been collisions and near collisions. Left unattended, current developments could spell greater instability in the region, perhaps even crisis and confrontation. Of course, no one expects Singapore to do anything about the increasingly tense regional atmosphere on our own. That said, it is in Singapore's interest to work with various partners to encourage better management of tensions before they get worse and more difficult to contain. Could the Minister explain to this House and the public the efforts that MFA is undertaking towards this end? What is the MFA doing to work with fellow ASEAN members and other partners to reduce the growing risk?”
“But what goes on in Myanmar has arguably more direct consequences for Singapore. With the worsening situation in Myanmar, how does MFA intend to address the multiple challenges that Myanmar poses to Singapore and the region in the coming year – whether by ourselves or in conjunction with our ASEAN partners? The MFA stated at page 104 of the FY2024 Revenue and Estimates regarding Myanmar, "We will safeguard our interests through engagement of all key stakeholders, while playing a constructive role in supporting ASEAN's efforts to encourage a peaceful resolution to the crisis." So, what are MFA's concrete plans for playing this constructive role? Will MFA also be officially engaging the National Unity Government and other groups opposed to the State Administration Council? These actors are, in the end, key stakeholders too. How will MFA work with our ASEAN partners to concretely address any limitations of the Five-Point Consensus process? Myanmar”
“Mr Chairman, the conditions in Myanmar following the military coup in 2021 are not improving. The civil war appears to be turning more intense with the military suffering territorial losses, the attacking of civilians and more lately, the decision to conscript the male population. Casualties and lawlessness seem to be melting. Displaced persons and refugee numbers are climbing. This despite ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus and efforts to reach to the military leadership of the State Administration Council as well as apparent informal contact with the National Unity Government. How with the change in ASEAN Chair affect the progress made so far? Events in Myanmar may seem far away from Singapore to some. However, given that Myanmar is a regional neighbour, our fates are linked. Civil war in Myanmar has also led to rising human trafficking, expanded drug production, increased drug trafficking and what looks like an exponential growth in scams. The Straits Times recently reported – based on Police figures – 46.8% increase in scams in 2023, with loss totalling $651.8 million. Some of these scams allegedly originate from Myanmar. Singaporeans have also been ensnared by crime syndicates and forced to work for scam operations in Myanmar. If we are concerned about tackling drugs, human trafficking and scams in Singapore, we should also be concerned to see how more efforts should be made to address some of the roots of this problem. That also means – among other things – supporting Myanmar's return to stability. There are both humanitarian and practical reasons for doing so, as I laid out above. It is also easy enough to ignore what is happening in Myanmar, as conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine continue to rage.”
“Mr Chairman, a resident, who is a single father taking care of two daughters in their early teens, shared with me that while he welcomed the change in law last year doubling the paternity leave from two to four weeks, the benefits which he received are significantly less than single mothers, divorced or otherwise, who are having care of their children. For example, he does not enjoy the substantial reliefs which a woman is entitled to under the Working Mother’s Child Relief. My resident, who has a full-time job, would like to engage a migrant domestic worker to help with housework and care for his children. However, he is not entitled to any tax relief under the Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Relief. IRAS allows women who are married, separated from their husbands, divorced or widowed, and had children who lived with them to claim the relief. Can the Government consider equalising the entitlement to this relief, such that men or women can qualify to apply for this relief as long as other criteria are fulfilled, so that single fathers like himself needing domestic help will get the same relief as single women in his position? Trusted Hub for Trade and Enterprise”
“I would thus like to ask: one, whether the Government has an update on the climate developments of the Northern Sea Route since 2021; two, whether the Government has studied the possible economic impact of the Northern Sea Route to jobs and businesses in Singapore; three, has the Government studied the projected impact to the capacity of Tuas Mega Port in 2050 and beyond, should the Northern Sea Route become the predominant shipping route, and if so, whether it has taken any measures into account in the planning of the Tuas Terminals? How will our economic policy adapt to the changes brought about by the development of the route in the coming years? And what are the Government's plans to ensure that the country remains economically competitive if the route should affect our status as a premier global hub, port and international maritime centre? Lead Southeast Asian Climate Change Efforts”
“Mr Chairman, with climate change, countries around the globe have been bracing themselves for changes in the nature of global supply chains and economic policy. One of the changes we have been following is the opening of the Northern Sea Route and how this may affect the economy of Singapore. The question at hand is not merely a transport or maritime issue which Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Minister Chee Hong Tat addressed in 2020 and 2021 respectively, but is respectfully at heart an economic one. Today, Singapore is the second busiest port in the world and with the maritime industry contributing to 7% of local GDP, employing more than 170,000 people, the investment of $20 billion into the Tuas Mega Port can be seen as a vote of confidence in the development of Singapore's port capabilities as an economic strategy. However, with climate change, should the Arctic sea ice continue with its current decline at a rate of 13% per year, an uninterrupted sea highway between Asia and Europe and the US that is navigable by large container ships will be created, allowing for a shorter route between Europe and the Pacific. What this means is that cargo shipments may bypass the Suez Canal and the Malacca Strait, and hence Singapore. This raises concern of whether Singapore will remain the top transhipment port in the world and a major port of call, which may in turn have trickle-down effects to the economy that should not be underestimated. Cargo passage along the Northern Sea Route has increased from 41,000 tonnes of cargo in 2010 to 285,000 tonnes in 2019 and is expected to only increase in the future, given that the warming in the Arctic has been four times faster than the rest of the world.”
“Climate change demands urgent action from everyone, across all sectors of society. As we focus on upskilling and capacity building of workers, we must also not overlook the support and training we need to give our educators. We need to grow our pool of sustainability educators and we need to do so fast in this quick journey of manpower transition, so that we do not lag behind our 2030 and 2050 goals. Mr Deputy Speaker, in closing, I look forward to the replies to the concerns I have raised.”
“But to ensure that graduates are well equipped to meet the demands of the times, all such courses must go through sufficient policy and industry validation. For instance, IHLs should, if they have not done so, internalise the SkillsFuture reports to assess SkillsFuture needs in these areas and assess what skill sets they have to teach undergraduates and graduate students. We should also encourage our course providers to ensure that all courses provide adequate time, emphasis and coverage on Singapore, so that students can really understand how to green Singapore and the challenges that Singapore face. Do knowledge providers have the right people to teach and impart such knowledge and skills? How do we ensure this? Some form of impact assessment is necessary to track lifelong learners' progress, comprehension and application. Second, knowledge and content providers across the IHLs also need to be given adequate support to do this important work of providing the knowledge and skills for the workforce. Hiring practices at university need to reflect contribution to society beyond traditional publication and impact factors. If Singapore is to succeed in our green transition, more emphasis needs to be placed on hiring experts that have real-world experience in solving complex sustainability challenges. Demand is also growing for Singapore to help build regional and international capacity. Overall, there is growing demand for Singapore's experts to be ready and available to impart valuable knowledge. To do so, we need more Singaporeans to step forward with the right knowledge, skills and attitude to help grow our local, regional and international sustainability talent. Indeed, we need to actively grow our pool of educators.”
“I asked whether we have sufficient sustainability-related courses that businesses and workers can afford to attend, both in terms of time and money. In my speech today, I will go on to talk about the quality of the education to be provided. Mr Deputy Speaker, capacity building is a core concept of development. In the context of climate change and sustainable development, upskilling is now necessary to ensure a just transition and that no worker is left behind. Singapore has been investing heavily in lifelong learning and upskilling since SkillsFuture was launched back in 2015. Government spending has shifted towards adult education and training to accelerate the nation's green transitions. IHLs form the backbone of this shift and there exists a multitude of courses available to build capacity and upskill the existing work force in areas such as environmental, social and governance (ESG) and carbon services and trading. However, growing our talent pipeline must also include investing in primary, secondary and tertiary education. I am pleased to hear of a new Master of Science (MSc) in climate change and sustainability programme at the National University of Singapore (NUS). The MSc programme in data science for sustainability was also launched in NUS to train data scientists who can integrate their knowledge and skills with an understanding of sustainability issues. The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has the Asian School of the Environment and offers majors in environmental and earth systems science, public policy and even a second major in sustainability. These are examples of positive development in Singapore.”
“While I am extremely thankful that the authorities and stakeholders were commendably quick to assist and arrange for care for the son thereafter, this case reinforces the need for us to consider developing and implementing an early identification and support programme for elderly caregivers who are caring for adults with special needs. Such a programme could adopt a multi-agency approach that involves our AACs, day care centres for adults with disabilities, healthcare providers and even service providers like lawyers who may have interactions with family members in the course of their related work, for example, doing Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), as well stakeholder agencies like Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and MSF, such that each party can trigger another party to provide necessary checks or support for the family concerned. Studies should be done to see how contact and support can be appropriately maintained by one or more stakeholders for both elderly caregivers as well as the special needs adults. Last year, I said in my Budget debate speech that we should work towards AACs, which cater to the different needs of seniors, whether social or medical, or for more specialised areas like mental health or disabled persons who are seniors. The centres should still be referring centres even if other organisations or sub-units are involved. Indeed, an expanded AAC can also perform the coordinator or contact role for elderly caregivers of adults with disabilities. Mr Deputy Speaker, let me know move on to ongoing efforts for green transition. Last year, I said in my Budget debate speech that we need a detailed roadmap for retraining workers in these sectors as Singapore decarbonises.”
“And can we also consider for these homes to allow some of the special needs adults to be able to go home to their families on weekends, providing some balance between residential care and home care, allowing family members suitable respite in the process? Minister Masagos also said that MSF has been working with the sector to develop plans to better support adults with autism and their families, given the increase in awareness of autism and in the clarity of its diagnostic criteria and that MSF will share more details in the coming months. Indeed, I hope that MSF is able to share such details during COS, including details of any studies undertaken recently. In November last year, I filed a Parliamentary Question asking the Minister, among other things, whether the Ministry keeps a record of the current number of elderly caregivers who are caring for adult persons with intellectual disabilities and whether the Ministry will consider developing and implementing early identification and support programmes for such caregivers. Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How mentioned in his reply that MSF does not directly track the number of elderly caregivers who are caring for adults with intellectual disabilities. In December 2023, news broke that one of my Hougang residents, an adult with special needs, stayed in his flat with the body of his elderly father after his passing for five days while continuing to attend day sessions at the day care centre.”
“There are about 50 residents with autism spectrum disorder in these adult disability homes which have the capacity to house about 100 residents, and about 20 referrals are pending enrolment. Mr Deputy Speaker, I believe there is such a need to increase our day activity centres and residential homes. I believe that we really should increase our resources to provide continuous training for adults with disabilities, including but not limited to special needs adults, such as those with moderate to severe autism beyond their time in the SPED schools. In my view, there are multiple possible benefits. We should continue to think of ways to improve long-term post-SPED school education or training, providing further education and skills training, if possible. More studies should be done to increase the possible range of work training these adults can undergo and the range of work they can undertake in society. This will enhance their lives and promote better integration with society. At the same time, spending time at day activity centres rather than at home, with structured programmes, activities and interaction with others will enhance the mental well-being of such adults. My heart also goes out to senior caregivers and their special needs adult children, wondering what is going to happen to the care of their children when their health gives way one day. Even when these parents may have other children who are non-special needs, is it appropriate to expect them to take over care of their siblings when their parents pass on? Should we not provide adequate residential homes for these adults with more structured care and development?”
“For elderly individuals with multiple chronic illness would need frequent outpatient care, especially those who are retired or unable to work, if the annual withdrawal limit remains at $700, this top-up may not provide much help to them. The withdrawal limit was last revised in 2021. In times of rising prices, will the Government consider raising the withdrawal limit for MediSave to reduce the cash outlay for retirees? The Silver Support Scheme is set to be increased by 20%. Will the Government also consider increasing the withdrawal limit for MediSave by the same 20%? (In English): I will next touch on the issue of support for adults with disabilities. I welcome Deputy Prime Minister Wong's announcement that he will provide more support for adults with disabilities. He said he will expand spaces in sheltered workshops and day activity centres where they can undergo skills training and launch more enabling services hubs to provide community support to persons with disabilities and their caregivers. I believe that, as a society, there is a lot more we can and should do for adults with disabilities among us, in particular, adults with serious special needs as well as their caregivers. Earlier this month, I filed a Parliamentary Question asking whether the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) will consider increasing the number of day activity centres and residential homes for adult persons with autism. Minister Masagos replied that there are currently eight day activity centres serving adults with autism spectrum disorder with over 300 clients enrolled in these day activity centres and about 80 referrals pending enrolment. He also said that there are four adult disability homes funded by MSF serving adults with autism spectrum disorder.”
“Given that the quarterly quantum of Silver Support Scheme will now be raised by 20%, can the Government consider raising MediSave withdrawal limits from, say, $500 to $600 and from $700 to $840 for chronic cases as well and that those suffering from multiple illnesses be granted further extension of the caps on a case-by-case basis? Mr Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong emphasised in the Budget that the Government would strengthen its support for the elderly. I hope the relevant Ministers can share more details on this. Deputy Prime Minister Wong mentioned that the refurbishment and enhancement of senior-friendly facilities in neighbourhood to enable the elderly to live more independently and safely in the community. This includes expanding sheltered walkways and bus stops with elderly-friendly features. In August 2022, the then Transport Minister stated that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) did not have plans to expand existing sheltered walkways. Currently, LTA’s sheltered walkway coverage is limited to within 400 metres of MRT stations and bus interchanges. I hope the Government can reconsider this strategy, especially in LTA managed or state-owned areas. For example, LTA could consider collaborating with the Town Councils to connect HDB neighbourhoods with sheltered walkways to busy bus stops. Furthermore, the Budget also includes a one-time MediSave Bonus for eligible Singaporeans. The amount is determined based on age and the annual value of the individual's residence, ranging from $700 to $1,500.”
“As recently as August 2022, in an answer to a Parliamentary Question, the then-Minister for Transport said that there were no plans to expand the criteria of Land Transport Authority's (LTA's) existing covered linkway programme covering a 400-metre radius of major transport nodes, such as MRT, LRT stations and bus interchanges. I hope that there is now a rethink about this approach for covered linkways, especially on lands administered by LTA or other state lands. LTA should consider linking at least the heavily utilised bus stops to nearby housing estates. For example, working with Town Councils to link up such heavily utilised bus stops with the nearest covered walkways within the HDB estates. Still relating to seniors, the Budget will give all Singaporeans born in 1973 or earlier a MediSave Bonus of $750 and double this at $1,500 if they are part of the Majulah Generation and their residence has an annual value of not more than $25,000. For seniors with especially multiple chronic illnesses and frequent medical appointments, this MediSave top-up will not help much as long as the annual MediSave withdrawal limit remains at $700 a year for patients with chronic illnesses. Can the Government look at increasing the cap for the MediSave withdrawal limit for seniors with multiple chronic conditions so that such seniors, especially seniors who are retired and not working or are unable to work, will be less out of pocket when paying their bills? I know that the MediSave withdrawal limit was revised in January 2021. Would it now be timely for the limit to be raised, at the very least, to keep up with elevated inflation?”
“Volunteers may not always be able to take over the roles, expertise and, indeed, professionalism of the professionals in our AACs. Next, for the group of seniors who do not wish to be involved in their AAC activities or do not desire to keep in contact with their AACs, I would like to know what are the plans that Age Well SG may have for them as far as outreach and keeping in contact are concerned? This will be in line with tackling loneliness and addressing the need for seniors to be socially connected, as mentioned by Deputy Prime Minister Wong. I am especially concerned with those who live alone, keep to themselves and who are not close to their families or neighbours. Beyond having more or more varied activities, we need to study what approach can be taken to better enable AACs to keep in regular contact with this group, at least to provide support when it is needed. Studies should also be done to see how AACs can attract better male participation. Deputy Prime Minister Wong also mentioned in his speech of silver upgrades to our residential estates to enable seniors to live more independently and safely in the community by way of amenities, such as therapeutic gardens and barrier-free ramps and senior-friendly home fittings, such as wider toilet entrances and shower seats. I look forward to more details from the Government, including how these amenities will be made available to residents in their homes and in our common spaces. Deputy Prime Minister Wong also mentioned that there will be improvements to infrastructure for seniors' mobility and safety, such as more sheltered linkways, bus stops with senior-friendly features as well as safer and more pedestrian-friendly roads. I welcome these.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, for my Budget Debate speech today, I would, first, like to speak on certain issues relating to the support for our seniors followed by the issue of support for adults with disabilities and, finally, like in my previous year's Budget Debate speech, I will continue with the issue of green transition. Mr Deputy Speaker, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said in his Budget speech that preventive care is especially important for seniors, that loneliness can do great harm to a senior. They need to stay active and socially connected. Hence, the Government will set aside $3.5 billion to start the Age Well SG for the next decade. There are several components to this, and one component is that there will be an expanded network of Active Ageing Centres (AACs) providing a wider range of programmes. Mr Deputy Speaker, as always, the devil is in the details and I look forward to hearing more details from the Ministers in charge on the changes and plans for AACs but, in the meantime, I have several comments and questions. First, I would like to ask the Ministry of Health (MOH) what is the current situation with the staffing as well as the recruitment efforts for our AACs? How will MOH assist our AACs to recruit and maintain additional staff to tackle the manpower needs for a bigger scale AAC landscape? Does the Government have a guideline in mind for the manpower staffing per centre under AAC 2.0, of course, taking into consideration that requirements for clusters may vary according to the size of the cluster? AACs have a mix of staff and volunteers while staff strength of AACs may vary from centre to centre and volunteers are also an integral part of AACs.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just a quick clarification with the Minister of State. So, does the ICA or the Airport Police track passengers who were, for example, scheduled to take a flight within the next 24 hours, and for some unforeseeable reasons, their flight was cancelled or postponed, and it goes beyond the 72 hours, is there a special mechanism to track such passengers? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the question. Yes, indeed. We work very closely with the airline, the Airport Police and the community within the airport. So, I want to assure Members that we are aware of such situations if they arise and we will also work with the passengers to assure them that they can go to various places and not to worry about it.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State: with the change in ASEAN Chair, this year, to Laos, does Singapore expect any change in the momentum of ASEAN's engagement with Myanmar and how does Singapore continue to expect itself to support the new ASEAN Chair in ASEAN's engagement with Myanmar, regarding the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus?”
“I also hope that the authorities will review the adequacy of the due diligence efforts of banks, law firms and other professionals or stakeholders who were involved in respect of the funds brought in by the said foreign nationals in the ongoing money laundering case or in respect of funds used for the purchases of different properties and to consider what laws, regulations and measures need to be enhanced to strengthen the current due diligence process required of all professionals and stakeholders and hopefully minimise the risks of such cases recurring, which is embarrassing for our country and tarnishes Singapore’s reputation as a financial centre. Mr Speaker, notwithstanding my questions, I support this Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, this is very disconcerting, not least because of the value of the funds and assets involved but that they had taken place despite existing money laundering laws and regulations having been introduced over the years. The inability of our existing laws and regulations to prevent the current money laundering case is worrying. If banks, law firms, property companies or other businesses or professionals who assisted in property purchase or transfer of funds could have failed to detect or prevent transfer or use of money laundering proceeds, it can also happen to money lenders, dealers of precious stones and precious metals, not to mention, our neighbourhood pawnbrokers. I am mindful that investigation is pending but I would like to ask the Government whether it is able to share what are, to date, the lessons which we have learned from the case so far as far as anti-money laundering (AML) compliance is concerned? Has any lesson been applied to today’s amendments? How have our existing laws or regulations failed to stop the accused persons from bringing into Singapore, funds which have been the subject of money laundering and/or from proceeds of organised crime activities and to be allowed to invest such funds in different ways in Singapore such as buying properties? Has the Government started reviewing the existing laws and if not, whether and when it will do so? These are highly relevant to today’s Bill as we are seeking to apply the current suite of laws and regulations against the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and we need to be assured that the current laws or the proposed amendments can provide adequate gatekeeping to prevent entry to Singapore of funds for financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I declare my interest as a practising advocate and solicitor in the Supreme Court of Singapore. Mr Speaker, we are told that this Bill seeks to amend the Precious Stones and Precious Metals (Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) Act 2019, the Legal Profession Act 1966, the Moneylenders Act 2008 and the Pawnbrokers Act 2015 to provide for the prevention of the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This arises from new requirements introduced by the FATF in October 2020 for member states and reporting entities to assess the risk of proliferation financing in relation to their business and to take measures to mitigate the assessed risk. The proposed amendments to the said Acts add to the existing provisions in respect of prevention of money laundering and prevention of terrorism financing. In August last year, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) arrested 10 foreigners holding multiple citizenships for alleged money laundering offences involving cash, luxury properties, cars, gold bars, handbags, jewellery, branded watches and cryptocurrency, including more than 68 gold bars, 294 luxury bags, 164 branded watches and 546 pieces of jewellery we are told. The assets seized in what is Singapore's biggest money laundering case have risen to more than S$3 billion by January. In October 2023, we were told that 152 properties and 62 vehicles were involved, and we were told last month that 55 new properties and 15 vehicles were given prohibition of disposal orders by the police. Minister Josephine Teo had said that the proceeds "most likely came from criminal activities abroad, including illegal online gambling and unlicensed moneylending".”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would just like to ask the Minister of State, whether she is able to share with the House what specific attributes MSF look for from the prospective adoptive parents of children, specifically where they may have a traumatic past.”
“Mr Speaker, just a clarification regarding my third supplementary question. I thank the Minister again for her answers earlier. Regarding my third supplementary question, yes, I did hear the Minister in her original answer. This is regarding the transition efforts from fossil fuel, including unabated coal power, reducing methane emissions and phasing out inefficient fuel subsidies. My supplementary question pertains to us living in an area where our neighbouring countries may use a lot of coal, for example. So, I am asking how Singapore can engage our neighbours or other countries globally by action and words to persuade other countries to journey along this transition as well.”
“Mr Speaker, I have three supplementary questions and I thank the Minister for her earlier answers. My first supplementary question is that Singapore set up the Singapore Pavilion at COP28. Could the Minister share what were the objectives behind the Pavilion and also the cost and resources that were involved in setting up the Pavilion? And how does the Government assess the gains that we have made through the Pavilion and the efforts of our delegation at COP28 in contributing to the agenda and objectives of COP28? My second supplementary question is that moving forward, what are the Government's shorter-term goal and emphasis in the run-up to the submission of Singapore's first biennial transparency report in 2024 later this year and also as we submit our updated NDC at COP30? Finally, how can Singapore play its part globally or regionally to engage and persuade, by both actions and words, the transition efforts from fossil fuels, including unabated coal power, reducing methane emissions and phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can I ask the Minister, when are the environmental studies going to be commenced and how long would they be expected to take?”
“I would be grateful for the Deputy Prime Minister’s clarifications on the above as they relate to the use of taxpayers’ monies and the proper conduct of Government officials. Mr Speaker, in closing, our President, as our Head of State, should focus fully on his official Presidential duties and responsibilities for which he has been elected to do. Allowing the President to take up appointments with foreign or international organisations in his private capacity could detract from his official Presidential duties. The WP will, therefore, vote against this Bill.”
“However, beyond relinquishing, the Bill, significantly, does not provide for how the President can be held accountable when such a situation happens. In comparison, the Ministerial Code provides that a breach of the Code can result in a Minister’s removal from office. Also, what would be the recourse under the law if a President were to disagree with the Cabinet and does not step down for whatever reasons he may have? Mr Speaker, the amendment Bill allows the President to hold appointments in foreign or international organisations in his private capacity. The Bill is silent on whether time and expenses incurred in the course of attending to the President’s duties in the foreign or international organisations in his private capacity would be strictly regarded as private and personal, since the appointments were made in his private capacity. Will taxpayers have to foot the bill for the travel and accommodation expenses of the President and that of his support staff and even the security detail from the Istana? What about the salaries of these civil servants? The Bill, as it stands, does not expressly allow taxpayers’ monies to be spent in the examples I have mentioned, especially as these appointments are held in a private capacity. The Bill is also silent on the right of the President to accept remuneration from the foreign or international organisation. Will such remuneration be allowed? Will the President, in his private capacity, have to take a leave of absence when attending to meetings of such foreign or international organisations in his private capacity? Indeed, my questions above are also for the amendments in the proposed Article 33A pertaining to Ministers holding appointments in foreign and international organisations in their private capacity.”
“However, it may also be conceivable to argue that, at a time of crisis for such an international organisation or the community it serves, it may be morally or as a matter of conscience, difficult to step down and walk away from such a position of leadership. If done, it may even affect the standing of our President or our country. But if the President does not walk away and the Cabinet does not require him to relinquish, whether rightly or wrongly, it may still add to the time and responsibilities of the President within this foreign or international organisation which may, in turn, reduce or affect the time or attention he has on his actual role as our President. Conflicts of interest may happen when one is double-hatting. An example of potential conflicts of interest situation with the President assuming board or leadership positions on foreign or international organisations would be when such organisations were to, after our President’s appointment, hold certain views or may introduce policy reforms or changes in conventions where some such changes may not be completely acceptable to our Government or are inconsistent with our policies; being compelled to not speak up within that organisation, or even to resign at that point in time, may not look impressive to our international friends. What are the remedies when an actual case of conflict of interest were to happen? Beyond Article 22Q(2) providing for the Cabinet to advise the President against saying or doing anything in his capacity as appointment holder of such a foreign or international organisation, the Cabinet can ask the President to relinquish the external position he is holding pursuant to Article 22Q(3) and, under this provision, he must so relinquish, when asked.”
“The Government has argued that it has safeguards built into this amendment Bill, for example, under Article 22Q(1), the Cabinet must be able to advise the President that it is in the national interest for the President to accept and hold that office and, under Article 22Q(2), the Cabinet may, from time to time, advise the President against saying something or doing anything in the performance of the functions of any new office that the President is holding privately and the Cabinet may require the President to relinquish his responsibility under Article 22Q(3). Some safeguards may well be necessary if this Bill is to be passed to expressly allow the President to hold an office in a foreign or international organisation in a private capacity. But are the proposed safeguards sufficient or ever sufficient? Will the proposed safeguards create other complications or unintended outcomes? Mr Speaker, while the Cabinet needs to be satisfied that any such appointment must be in the national interest, this does not preclude the possibility that the role that a president is initially allowed to assume in an international organisation may, unforeseeably, later on turn out to require more time and attention, for example, to handle an unexpected international crisis or an important issue affecting the organisation or the community which the organisation serves, which was unforeseeable or not expected at the time of appointment. Yes, the Cabinet may be able to ask the President to relinquish his responsibility under Article 22Q(3).”
“Mr Speaker, when this Bill was introduced, many Singaporeans I spoke to shared with me and MPs from the WP that they expect our President to concentrate fully on his role as President and they hope our President would not be distracted by the roles he is holding in his private capacity. Indeed, I agree with them. The roles he is holding in international organisations do show that he is held by many with high regard and respect. I can also agree with the Government’s argument that such positions can possibly enhance Singapore’s international standing and help to advance our national interest. However, the time spent on serving foreign and international organisations, no matter how fruitful they can be for our President and even for Singapore, equates to time not spent on his presidential responsibilities, including the roles he had campaigned on. From the conversations I have had, I think there is a very strong argument for a serving president to concentrate wholeheartedly in his or her presidential responsibilities. In fact, undistracted by other external private responsibilities, our president can be encouraged to serve our country and people more fully, not unlike the way President Tharman has shared in his campaign.”
“Mr Speaker, aside from what Deputy Prime Minister said about President Tony Tan serving on the Senate of the Nobel Laureates, I am not aware of any report of any of our past elected presidents holding any concurrent positions in a foreign or international organisations in their private capacity. Certainly, this issue of a president accepting and holding office in a foreign or international organisation in his private capacity has not been brought up for discussion in Parliament until today. I am also not aware of there being other elected heads of state elsewhere in the world who are allowed to hold any concurrent positions in foreign and international organisations in their private capacities while they are in office. President Tharman himself noted, when he was a presidential candidate, that the demands of the office have grown in the face of profound global risks and uncertainties. My colleague, the hon Member for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), Mr Gerald Giam, has shared with us earlier how President Tharman has articulated his vision for the presidency during his presidential campaign, including the roles he had expected to play and the work he had expected to carry out. Suffice to say, the roles and work he has envisaged are very substantial and will take time and effort. But every person, including all heads of state and our own Head of State, the President, only has 24 hours a day. Whether the President has enough time is just one consideration. Ought the President be allowed to do so is another question altogether.”
“Mr Speaker, our Parliament has to decide today whether to allow the Government’s amendment of the Constitution to create a framework for the President and Ministers to perform foreign and international roles in their private capacities. Under the proposed Article 22Q which is being introduced by this amendment Bill, the President may accept and hold an office in a foreign and international organisation in his private capacity if, and only if, the President is not disabled by Article 19A(1) from performing the functions of that office; the Cabinet advises the President that it is in the national interest for the President to accept and hold that office; and the President, acting in his discretion, concurs with the advice of the Cabinet. The PMO said in a statement that, from time to time, the President or Ministers are invited to take up key positions in foreign and international organisations, and I quote: "Accepting such positions can enhance Singapore’s international standing and help to advance our national interest..." It has already been reported in The Straits Times that if the Bill is passed, it would allow President Tharman to continue with his roles in the WEF and G30. We are told that President Tharman currently holds several international appointments, including being chairman of the Board of Trustees of the G30, a member of the WEF’s Board of Trustees, Co-chair of the GCEW, and Co-chair of the Advisory Board for the UN Human Development Report (UNHDR). Mr Speaker, it is indisputable that our President’s appointment is a full-time position having a substantial salary, which makes it one of the best-paid elected heads of state in the world.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his answers. Will the Ministry consider developing and implementing an early identification and support programme for such caregivers that is on a multi-agency basis, beyond MSF and perhaps with the Ministry of Health (MOH), Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), with the Active Ageing Centres (AACs) on the ground, and in fact, including other stakeholders like the Law Society and doctors? I say lawyers and doctors, because they may have to interface with such families in the course of their related work. Rather than to leave it to the families to seek help when they have illness like dementia, because at that point in time, they may not have sufficient extended family support. So, I would urge the Government to consider looking into this.”
“This disparity can be addressed. Can caregiving grants such as the Home Caregiving Grant and the Migrant Domestic Levy Concession for aged persons with disabilities be extended the household where the care recipients are not seniors and may have no ADL issues but are involuntarily unemployed because of their medical condition. After all, the conditions that threaten employment, for example, early onset dementia, severe autism, Down Syndrome, schizophrenia and so on, are neurological or psychiatric conditions that affect soft skills, like cognitive and communication skills, and may not always affect one's ability to perform ADLs. And so, to use ADLs as an indicator and an eligibility determination for the grant is not comprehensive. Mr Speaker, more help can be given to support caregivers, especially caregivers where to give up their full-time jobs to care for their family members and do not have an income or may need more financial support. For a start, I hope the Home Caregiving Grant can be increased beyond the current $400 for deserving cases. In closing, Mr Speaker, I hope the current means testing formula can be further improved upon to take into account the specifics of an individual's financial situation, particularly his or her cash flow and health condition, and make healthcare more affordable and accessible for all. More help should be extended to adults with special needs or other forms of disabilities who are in the working adult age group but are unable to work and requires part or full-time care from family members, especially families where the parents are getting on in age. Mr Speaker, I support the original Motion. 4.05 pm”
“Should a working adult take care of his or her disabled child because the child is not capable of independent living and let us say he or she earns about $7,000 per month, taking the median salary of someone in the 40 to 44 years old age group, and the spouse is a full-time caregiver without any income, this works out to a PCHI of about $2,333 per month. The family only marginally qualifies for 30% subsidies and entitlement for daycare services. Furthermore, the Senior Mobility Fund is targeted as seniors aged 60 and above, leaving out younger persons with disabilities (PwDs) who also require nursing and rehabilitation support. The younger PwDs in spite of their nursing and rehabilitation needs will not be able to access the fund. And even if the age criteria is extended to include younger PwDs, they do not qualify if the PCHI is more than $2,000 and the annual value of their property is more than $13,000. In short, I am concerned that those affected are not getting enough support. There are PwDs in the working age group with rehabilitation needs and I hope the Senior Mobility Fund is extended to include these. I also hope that PwDs in the working adult age groups qualify for subtleties in daycare and residential care. Beside the opportunity cost of loss income, they should not be penalised just because they live with a working family member out of necessity. Four, more support should be given to caregivers of adults with special needs or disabilities. While we do have existing grants and concessions, such as the Caregivers Training Grant, Home Caregiving Grant and Migrant Domestic Levy Concession, some of these are limited to households where the care recipient is elderly and exclude families where elderly parents are caregivers to disabled children.”
“Besides, some of these non-critical illnesses are congenital, making afflicted individuals excluded from medical insurance scheme, which require that one must be free of pre-existing medical conditions before they are onboarded. The eligibility criteria of CareShield Life can be expanded to include consideration of those who can still perform ADLs but are unable to earn a stable income due to non-critical illnesses. This aligns with the original intentions of CareShield Life, which is targeted at individuals with long-term care needs. Two, for such individuals with non-critical illnesses, we should offer more subsidies with medical supplies, consultations, treatment, rehabilitation and daycare services. Medical expenses of such injuries are not limited to specialist outpatient care or inpatient care, but also included other essential areas like medical supplies and rehabilitation. Three, increase subsidies for inpatient and outpatient specialist treatment for both individuals with non-critical illnesses and their caregivers should be made available. While there are existing subsidies for long-term residential care, daycare and rehabilitation, many families do not meet the eligibility criteria due to the ceiling limit set by the PCHI or even the annual value of their property. For example, the PCHI upper limit to qualify for daycare subsidies set at $2,800. This can make it challenging for working adults taking care of their disabled children as their income may exceed this limit.”
“While the numbers of such families may not be large, their plight is significant and warrants our attention. According to SG Enable, 3.5% of people aged between 18 and 49 in our country are disabled. These numbers are not negligible and we must recognise the challenges faced by these families. Moreover, data from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) estimated that in 2022, there were approximately 32,000 persons with disabilities aged between 15 and 64, with about 1,000 of them unemployed and 22,000 outside the labour force. These figures underscore the urgency of addressing their needs. Moreover, for families where such adults with special needs or mental issues require their ageing parents to continue to care for them, the burden of caregiving, both physically and financially, can be tremendous. I have some suggestions to provide for better assistance to these families. One, we should create a list of non-critical illnesses that necessitate long-term care and force individuals out of employment. This list would include conditions, such as early onset dementia, severe autism, Down Syndrome, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. Such conditions can be financially burdensome for families and access to social support for these individuals and their families is currently limited. For example, eligibility for claims on the CareShield Life remains limited to individuals who are unable to perform at least three activities of daily living (ADLs). However, the abovementioned ailments, while detrimental enough to put one out of employment, do not always impact one's ability to perform the ADLs. Many insurance plans cover critical illnesses and the insurance products available on the market that cover non-critical illnesses remain limited.”