Desmond Choo
Singapore
“Through these expanded volunteer networks, we are building something more than a collection of programmes. We are strengthening a culture, a culture where service is valued, where sacrifice is understood and where defence is embraced as a shared mission. We are strengthening the very foundation of our national defence.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Prime Minister for his Ministerial Statement. The Labour Movement has surveyed our unionists. They are rightly worried about growth issues, loss of jobs and cost of living, but they have also expressed confidence that the People's Action Party Government will stay us through these difficult times.”
“Chairman, I would like to thank Minister Tan See Leng, Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State Zaqy and Minister of State Gan Siow Huang for their comprehensive responses and driving policy changes; and also Permanent Secretaries Ng Chee Khern, Jeffrey Siow, and their team of MOM officers, for their dedication in b…”
“Mr Chairman, just two clarifications. One, why is the Ministry raising the S Pass qualifying salary despite the labour market being already quite tight and the potential economic headwinds? What is the expected impact on the local workforce's wages?”
“Chairman, we have seen a surge in overseas travel as Singaporeans continue to embrace travelling in the new post-pandemic norm. Singaporeans are no longer sticking to the usual destinations but, increasingly, also to less-travelled destinations.”
“Since our Independence, Singapore has maintained the importance of capacity-building as a pillar of regional cooperation. In 1992, the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP) was established in our effort to pay forward the help we received in our formative years. It serves as a platform to provide technical assistance to the world.”
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“How can the Ministry ensure that the cleaners are aware of this mandatory bonus? And since this bonus is mandatory, I suggest that the Ministry work with CPF to flag out companies that do not pay the PWM Bonus. This can help to weed out unscrupulous employers. At the same time, we can better protect the interests of the workers. While the implementation details are being developed, I hope that the Ministry can prevent companies from putting in onerous work demands for cleaners to qualify for the PWM Bonus. For example, some companies might attach attendance and medical certificate records as prequalifiers for the PWM Bonus. Many writers, observers and residents have often lamented that the cleaners' work is difficult but the wages are low. And this is, indeed, the case. Even with this PWM Bonus, we would still like for their wages to improve. Much of this is pure economics. The consumers and, hence, the market, does not place a high value on cleaning services. There is a consequent commoditisation of cleaning services. For example, when service buyers consume such cleaning services, they often look for the cheapest contract. In fact, they hope that they can be cheaper with every contract renewal. While there is, indeed, room for productivity gains, much of the cleaners' work has a productivity limit. For example, there is limited foreseeable technology to help a cleaner clear the table faster. Therefore, our lamentations must be consistent with our consumption patterns. As Member of Parliament Zainal Sapari elegantly stated, "You can outsource your services, but you cannot outsource your responsibilities." Mr Deputy Speaker, please allow me to continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, our cleaners have had better wages since we introduced the PWM for the Cleaning Industry. Through vigorous tripartite efforts, and especially by the hon Member of Parliament Mr Lim Swee Say and relentless, passionate advocacy of my fellow unionist Mr Zainal Sapari, we had reversed the downward spiral of decreasing wages. There is now a ladder that the 46,000 cleaners can work towards higher wages. We can add on and strengthen this ladder today. The proposed PWM Bonus will mandate that cleaning companies must pay out an annual bonus to our Singaporean and PR cleaners. This is good news for our cleaners whose work is often undervalued, and wages tend to be sticky because of competitive market forces and workers' lack of bargaining power. This bonus ensures that economic gains are shared more equitably with them. Would this result in a near-term increase in the cost of cleaning? The answer is probably yes. But it would also spur our companies to look into suitable technologies to help our cleaners do their work better and it also promotes greater retention for workers to scale the ladder over time. We must be under no delusion that this ladder is neither a panacea nor a foolproof way of raising our cleaners' wages. In fact, our work is not anywhere near done. This ladder and PWM Bonus can be defeated or circumvented. For example, when service buyers ask for prices without the accompanying technological improvements, then it must necessarily mean that workers must now perform more duties. Coupled with the competitive cleaning landscape, workers might end up doing a lot more than expected. How can the Ministry ensure that our workers are not disadvantaged inadvertently as a result of this Bonus? Many of the cleaners are also older and less educated.”
“I would like to thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive answer and for MOM's efforts to tackle fatalities. But I note that the number of fatalities has been higher in the first part of 2018 compared to that the year before. I would like to ask the Minister of State whether the current framework and the current penalties are sufficient to send a deterrent message to errant employers and what further action may be taken against companies, especially those with repeated infringements.”
“For people without any legal background, this is obviously a major barrier. I hope MinLaw can continue to simplify the claims process and reduce legal jargons, in particular, the process of enforcing the Court judgment should be streamlined. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the changes to the Tribunals must occur to reflect its relevance in the new norms of consumer behaviour. At the same time, it must strike a careful balance between inadvertently fostering a litigious society and consumer rights. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“From the perspective of the claimant, having a judgment without enforcement defeats the purpose of filing a claim. Should the other party resist compliance, a writ of seizure may need to be issued and the administrative and ancillary costs may come up to $400 to $600 easily. While the claimant can appeal to the Registrar to waive or defer the payment or claim the cost from the judgment, it is not guaranteed to happen. Consumers will weigh the cost and benefit and feel that perhaps it is not worth the time and money over a claim as the original claim amount could be lower than what they would have to pay for enforcement. The process could also be complex and may take time. Hence, consumers might just give up if the amount is not large and the cost outweighs the benefits. Rogue business owners or service providers may then be able to get off scot-free. We must guard against these businesses hiding behind the veneer of cost barriers to law enforcement. Consumers must also be made aware of the difficulties of enforcing claims at the time of purchase rather than at the point of making claims. Mr Deputy Speaker, please allow me to continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, increasing the jurisdiction of the Tribunals and strengthening the claims process will help more people to solve disputes through legal channels, and expedite the process of hearing their claim. This would improve consumer protection. Meanwhile, it is also a safeguard for freelancers. For many Singaporeans, especially for the elderly and people without any legal experiences, dealing with the legal processes can be very daunting. When I tried to experience the claims process, I noticed that certain wordings and processes, indeed, require some time to digest.”
“For example, the Tribunals can mandate certain cases to be mediated by the tripartite partners with consensus made enforceable by the Tribunals. This process is important in establishing new longer-term forms of protection for Singaporeans joining the freelance industry. This is also an expanding part of the Singapore workforce that operates outside of the ambit of the Employment Act. The Tribunals can form a key thread in the fabric of support. The other significant change to the consumer landscape is the fast growth of micro transactions involving larger groups of consumers. For example, there are many disputes involving customers who purchase items through Facebook or Carousell and where the expected services are not rendered properly, leading to disputes. In such instances of micro transactions involving multiple parties and claimants, it is often not economically feasible for the individual to file such claims. However, does the Tribunals allow for a larger group of consumers to file for such claims collectively? The evolving nature of online retail is such that many consumers can be affected very quickly over a very short period of time. Perhaps the Ministry can consider for such collective action without everyone having to file individual claims, as perhaps also expounded by the hon Member Mr Murali Pillai. The Tribunal was set up in 1985 to provide a quick and inexpensive forum for the resolution of small claims between consumers and suppliers, as stated also by hon Member Mr Christopher de Souza. While the cost of filing claims in the Tribunals is affordable, at 1% of the claim amount for consumers, this cost quickly escalates in the enforcement of the claims.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in today’s debate on the Bill. The changes in consumer behaviour and the nature of service provision require that our Tribunals evolve its reach and jurisdiction to remain relevant as another arm of consumer protection. There are two major changes in consumer behaviour that will make evolution of the Tribunals timely. First, services are increasingly being performed by freelancers in the gig economy for companies. For example, the media and tour guiding industry are dominated by freelancers. They do not have the security provided by the Employment Act and some use the Tribunal as a main recourse to pursue unpaid services or when disputes in the provision of services occur. Therefore, the increase in monetary value of claims and the adoption of judge-led proceedings will help the freelancers. This is especially so as the monetary value of their services increase over time. I also suggest that the Ministry can work with the tripartite partners to develop industry-specific claims mechanisms to help our freelancers. While the claims process has been simplified over the years, the process can be intimidating for many freelancers. For example, the process requires the person to identify the breach and evidenced it in writing. This can be intimidating, especially for those less acquainted with the legal process, as also brought up by hon Member Mr Patrick Tay. And our freelancers may frequently come up against larger companies which have access to legal counsel, though lawyers cannot be present during proceedings. Establishing industry-specific claims mechanisms for freelancers may help to level the playing field.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. Two supplementary questions: the first is, because at base, ride-hailing is fairly straightforward with locations clearly marked out. Is there then scope for us to have a simplified version of tests, especially for those with language difficulties? And second, for those who have engaged in longer-term contracts with the ride-hire companies to rent the vehicles, can there be an extension for them in order to pass the test in time?”
“Rather than just attachments to companies in Singapore, America or the United Kingdom (UK), our students can be given opportunities to study or work alongside their Southeast Asian counterparts. The MNCs which operate in this region can be useful partners under the Global Innovation Alliance to scale up such opportunities. We should also seek to establish business councils with Southeast Asian countries where there is currently none. This provides companies with bilateral and multilateral opportunities to deepen understanding of the investment climate and structures. Having the fastest-growing region at our doorsteps is an unparalleled chance at economic expansion. We must be mindful that it also brings along regional companies eager to partake in the growth. We will have competition and opportunities in equal measures. While economic restructuring and technological disruptions have affected jobs and caused uncertainty, we are restructuring from a position of strength in a high-growth region. Many of the fastest growth countries in the world are Southeast Asian. However, we need a new, a different job market to help our Singaporeans to navigate the vagaries of the changing market. We will need longer-term investment in Southeast Asia to ensure longer-term economic growth. We have the correct foundation in Singapore, but we must all participate in this change so that all Singaporeans can grow together as one. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion.”
“Because investment structures in this region are not fully developed, there are opportunities to develop solutions for such inefficiencies. In fact, such market inefficiencies have given rise to a generation of fast-growing Southeast Asian companies that can compete globally, such as Go-Jek. In fact, if you try Go-Jek, it is already more than a ride-hailing company. They have Go-Clean for cleaning, they have Go-Med for healthcare, they even have Go-Massage if you need a massage. The pace of expansion is relentless. We need our people to better understand the region in order to thrive. Joining in the Southeast Asian growth can create a potential second wing for our economy. It diversifies and expands our economic space. More importantly, the larger market allows our companies to expand and create more and better jobs. I have a 60-year-old resident who was retrenched from his Oil and Gas job nine months ago. When I visited him recently, I thought that he might be despondent from not finding another job easily. Fortunately, he had leveraged on his network in Thailand which was established in an overseas posting quite a few years ago and had found another job in Thailand rather quickly. We can similarly build such resilience in our system by looking at the Southeast Asian market as an extension of the Singapore domestic market. This then requires our companies and younger Singaporeans to better understand the region. Our schools, Public Service and trade associations have already started exchanges. We must continue to deepen engagements at all levels. With Singapore as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chair, this is an important opportunity for our different entities to lay the foundation for deeper ties.”
“They also found it harder to reskill. Even our policy changes can affect them adversely. For example, I have a Chinese-educated resident who found it very difficult to pass the Private Hire Car Driver's Vocational Licence (PDVL) for private hire vehicles even though he has been very adept at his craft for the last two years. We need to find new job types within the community that can best meet the income and lifestyle needs of our older workers. In 2011, the North East Community Development Council started the Community Employment Programme. Annually, 166 residents worked in jobs, such as cafe corner assistants, for five hours daily. They earn around $500 per person and $740 if you include Workfare incentive for a 55-year-old. We term these micro-jobs. These are not full jobs and are not meant to be so. The scheme shows that there are good possibilities in both the private and public sectors for similar and better-paying micro-jobs. For example, our older workers can help to engage residents and run the administrative functions in a Senior Activity Centre. We need such job-creation capabilities to continue to keep our residents in the workforce beyond 67 years old, especially when one in four Singaporeans will be more than 65 come 2030. Next, let me share some thoughts about the next macro-economic change and its impact for Singapore. It is the rise of the Southeast Asian market. With a $6.2 trillion combined economy and a population of 620 million people, the Southeast Asian market is one of the fastest growing regions in the world. By 2020, the World Economic Forum predicts that Southeast Asia will be the fifth largest economy in the world. The investment and job opportunities for Singapore and Singaporeans are tremendous.”
“If they do not evolve fast enough, our workers’ wages would be stagnant and they might eventually lose their jobs. Therefore, our ITMs must be pervasive and help our companies to transform. This is a point also brought up by Minister Ng Chee Meng and Mr Melvin Yong. For example, asset pooling, such as sharing of technology, can help our SMEs overcome their lack of resources and inertia. Working with NTUC to introduce customised training is another. Two, we need a better matching of jobs and workers facilitated by AI-enabled platforms. The latter sounds ironical but is the shot in the arm for the job market. The current mycareersfuture.sg is a useful start. It has embedded capabilities to learn and get better at matching jobs to workers. However, it will need refinements to improve participation by the smaller employers. Reaching a critical mass is essential for AI to be effective. Many micro SMEs or smaller SMEs have yet to post their jobs on the platform. Many workers, especially the older ones, have also not used it because of language barriers that we need to address quickly. Many more workers need help to look beyond their current industry and navigate to new possibilities which they find it very difficult to use. This might require human intervention. Three, I propose we need to develop the capabilities to generate or look into micro-jobs. Our ageing population requires new job types to sustain the economic vibrancy and competency of our Singaporeans. Many older workers prefer jobs that are less physically demanding. However, many jobs still require shift-work or extensive amount of time at the workplace. Technology disruptions and economic restructuring have the potential to affect the jobs of our older workers disproportionately.”
“What it does mean is that some jobs will be redefined and others lost. What it also means is that we need to identify such jobs earlier and help our workers to reskill early. Yet, while it is relatively easy to identify at-risk jobs, it can be difficult to retrain and move workers. I met Mdm Tan in her mid-50s who has been working in the printing industry for the past 20-plus years. She does some order processing and basic typesetting. It is rather typical of work in a traditional SME printer. She knew that she was in a sunset industry as consumers move to digital images and her work has been automated quickly. Yet, when I encouraged her to make plans early, she declined to change industries. She lacks direction on which job to change to without significant loss of income. Her children have yet to start working and she needs the income. The process of retraining was also daunting. Many Members of this House would have encountered similar examples. The consequence of us not making such a change earlier would be eventual retrenchment and extended unemployment. The rapid disruptions have also caused anxieties for our workers, even including the younger ones. Many knew that changes are coming but what to move into is usually a much tougher question to answer. And the training to undertake that leads to a successful job switch is even tougher to make. The demands of the new economy requires a new job market that is more fluid and responsive to the needs of both employers and workers. I suggest three key features to this new job market. One, this new market needs companies to evolve new jobs quickly, with workers ready to train. Ultimately, companies provide jobs.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of the Motion. There are two important macro-economic changes that will impact Singapore’s workforce significantly. They can impact our job and wage growth and, ultimately, our social compact. One, automation and AI; and two, the rise of the Southeast Asian economy. Macro tech-inspired economic changes, such as automation and AI, will accelerate workplace changes and create new types of at-risk workers. The rise of AI and automation has left some to speculate that many jobs could be lost. It is not all doom and gloom. The demise of human jobs has, to date, been largely over-exaggerated. Technology generally creates more jobs than it destroys. In Singapore, for example, automation has taken away jobs, such as the bus conductor. But it has created a generation of route-masters and technicians over time. These are higher value jobs. But some jobs might, indeed, be made redundant. The jobs that appear to be most at-risk in Singapore are those exposed to market restructuring and technology. They include admin, executive, finance assistants and traditional manufacturing operators. For example, many telemarketing jobs and call centre jobs are already replaced or complemented by AI. Less than a week ago, Google demonstrated the Google Duplex technology powering the Google Assistant making a hair salon booking with a human hairstylist. I watched the demonstration and was rather tickled by the sounds "umm," "uhh" and tonal inflections that created a convincing, realistic cadence. But I started to worry when the Google Assistant could decide on alternative booking slots when the preferred one is unavailable. It is very sophisticated. Our admin executives and even concierge services must take notice.”
“We not only need to strengthen our security measures but also increase our enforcement powers in case a serious incident happens. The CSO and the power given to the Police to restrict the use of drones are of great importance. In order to successfully execute a high-risk operation, tactical secrecy is critical. When I was a Police Officer, I took part in many enforcement operations. Every operation was risky. Manhunt for suspects and raids are especially dangerous. When leading an operation, I was always concerned about external disturbances, for example, intrusion by innocent passers-by. If it was not handled properly, the lives of the Police Officers, victims and the public could be endangered. With this new clause in place, the Police will be able to focus on the operations to arrest the terrorists and criminals. The second important clause in this Bill is that the Police are given the power to ask operators to assist in the operation. When an incident occurs, the Police will be able to order the operators at the site to assist Police operation and investigation. Under Police request, they must suspend their operation for the time being. When a serious crime occurs, time is critical for enforcement and investigation. Although operators are mostly willing to cooperate, however, there may be exceptions. I hope MHA can explain to the operators MHA’s requirement and their duty under this clause. This Bill is an important link in our anti-terrorism and crime-fighting framework. I support this Bill.”
“But it is beyond doubt that the way their operations were fully shown made the task of the security forces not only exceedingly difficult but also dangerous and risky." Our media personnel are responsible and will not seek to compromise operations. However, the operational terrain today is a lot more complex because of social media channels. Thus, the CSO is critical to protecting lives. So is the proposal to provide the Police with the power to take down autonomous vehicles in an attack, as these can compromise tactical secrecy. With regard to the issue of lack of transparency, every Police Officer seeks to live up to the Police's oath to protect life and property. We can trust that they will discharge their duties professionally. There is no reason to believe that we need allowing people on Facebook "live" or any other social media channels to monitor their operations in order that they may execute their mission professionally. While I support the proposals in this Bill, there must be greater public education on these matters. I would like to ask the Minister for his plans on public education and awareness for these measures. As we have done numerous simulated terrorist attacks to prepare our security agencies and other stakeholders, including the public, may I suggest that a mock CSO be included in future exercises as a way of promoting greater awareness on this matter? Mr Speaker, allow me to continue in Chinese. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, Sir, all over the world, terrorist attacks and serious incidents occur constantly. Although there are no similar incidents happening in Singapore yet, we must always stay alert and be prepared for the contingencies.”
“I have commanded a few operations during my 13 years with the Police Force. This included gunman operations, kidnapping, manhunt for suspects who committed capital offences. We realised that all operations are inherently risky, but those of this nature are especially dangerous to officers. I had gone into dangerous situations with my officers, knowing full well that the risk can only be managed but not totally eliminated. The responsibility was heavy. I wanted my officers to return safely. Tactical secrecy and integrity are critical to minimising risk. I constantly worried about the loss of the element of surprise and our suspects ready to inflict grievous harm on my raiding officers. I could not afford information leakages. I certainly could not allow prioritising any sharing of pictures involving the crime scene and the operations over the safety of officers and Singaporeans. Back then, I did not have to contend with Facebook "'live", "live" Twitter feeds and the fast spread of news through apps like WhatsApp. I only had to manage and, very rarely, the odd photographer with telescopic lenses. There were no drones to contend with; information sharing was rather limited and much slower through multimedia messaging service (MMS) and short message service (SMS). During the trial of Ajmal Kasab, the prime accused of the Mumbai terrorist attack on 26 November 2008, Justices Aftab Alam and CK Prasad called the "live" coverage of the security operations "reckless". According to the newspaper, The Hindu, they said, "it is not possible to find out whether the security forces actually suffered any casualties or injuries on account of the way the operations were being displayed on the TV screen.”
“Mr Speaker, Singapore has been extremely fortunate to remain safe and secure during a time when many cities experience terrorist attacks and serious incidents, such as hostage-taking, sit-down protests turning into violence protests. We must not stop anticipating in preparing to meet this threat. In doing so, the challenges faced by other security forces and jurisdictions are informative. Where practicable and instructive, we must learn and implement policies and procedures that can best protect our residents and officers. This Bill is important in enhancing the powers of the Police to deal with serious incidents and security threats, including terrorist attacks. The special powers proposed in this Bill will help Police Officers to carry out these very difficult jobs to save lives and neutralise threats. In particular, the powers to protect the integrity of tactical operations are critical for operational success. Some members of the public have raised concerns about the provision to allow the Commissioner of Police to issue a CSO. Their worry is that should this order be in effect, innocent bystanders who had unwittingly taken a photograph might be punished for a crime that they did not intend to commit. Others feel that this provision will affect the transparency of handling and managing security incidents. These concerns are valid, and I seek the Minister's clarification and reassurance that the CSO will only be activated for exceptional situations where operational secrecy and integrity are critical to saving lives and protecting property, and that sufficient awareness and visibility will be in place to show that a CSO is in place. In critical security situations, the safety of the public and officers is paramount.”
“We must, therefore, never over-burden the investigation process with extensive SOPs, nor must we over-rely on video-recording when investigating and judging a case. Sir, I would also like to state my support for the proposal to enhance the protection of complainants of sexual and child abuse offences in Court. It is imperative that the system provides conditions that make it easier for the cases to be reported. Victims or complainants could be reluctant to report such crimes. The proposal will protect the identity of an alleged victim even before a charge is tendered. We must not allow sex fiends and child abusers to hide in the protection of open trauma and reluctance to report. Finally, I welcome the introduction of enhanced computer-related powers of investigation. When criminals capitalise on the anonymity and ease of communication and transaction that technology allows for, law enforcement agencies must be empowered to go after them effectively. For example, facilitating access to computers situated outside of Singapore is critical in today's cross-border investigation. Otherwise, our laws would have failed to keep up with the changing environment. At the same time, I hope that these enhanced investigative powers will be exercised with great care. I am heartened to know that the stakeholders have been consulted and that their feedback has been taken into consideration. With this, Mr Speaker, I support the Bill. 1.46 pm”
“Second, allowing video recording of the interviews and suspects’ statements will allow the Courts to try cases more effectively by providing a contemporaneous account of the interview. How something is said is often as important as what is said. I note that the Ministry has proposed a phased and measured approach. This is sensible, because too rapid an adoption of technology has its downsides. People, even seasoned media personnel, sometimes react differently when they know that there is audio-visual recording. This can also include investigators. We must not compromise on the effectiveness of our investigators, failing which, justice is then not delivered fairly for the victims as much as the suspects. Time must be given to assess, calibrate and enhance the competencies of our officers. Appropriate training should be given to our Police investigators so that they can discharge the interviews fairly and effectively. Court officers who are involved in such proceedings should also be trained to handle such recordings. Some members of the public whom I have spoken to were concerned about the effectiveness of the video-recordings since. As some Members of this House have also pointed out, there could be interrogation or interview before the actual recording. In fact, some have also suggested more extensive recording and other processes. Mr Speaker, we must note that statements are but one element in the entire investigation process. In my years of conducting investigations, I have never relied merely on confession or denial in the statement. I needed corroborative evidence. Our professional investigators look at the whole body of evidence surrounding a case.”
“Mr Speaker, as technology has improved commercial and social applications, the legal ecosystem similarly needs to use technology to enhance the effectiveness of investigation and Court proceedings. Two of the changes proposed in this Bill involve the expanded usage of video facilities in legal proceedings. First, the expansion of video-link hearings for pleas of guilt and sentencing. Video link hearings have been successfully implemented since 1996 for bail and remand applications involving remandees. Over time, video-link hearings were used for pre-trial proceedings, followed by first mentions in 2010. The Government then did not rule out that video link hearings would not expand into accepting pleas or sentencing. I am glad to know that the state of technology has advanced such that it is possible to now hear more substantive matters like pleas of guilt and sentencing hearings in a more efficient, yet procedurally fair manner. It also allows such matters to be heard without moving remandees between the Court and prisons. This will reduce security risks, as well as the manpower needed for the management of risk. While I support this proposed measure, I would like to ask the Minister what safeguards would there be to ensure that the usage of video link will not compromise on the standard and quality of the proceedings and the process of justice. Will the various cybersecurity measures be in place to ensure that the links are free from being tapped or hacked by external parties? Will there be consultation with stakeholders and Court users to ensure that the operational and technical aspects of the video-link hearings do not compromise the quality of justice?”
“Would there be sufficient affordable places in these different pathways and day-care centres for them, such that they can continue with development? With sufficient capacity, we can give our parents, who have worked many years to provide care and support to their special needs children, the comfort knowing that they will continue to be taken of and to lead meaningful and abled lives. Childcare Facilities in New Estates”
“It is comforting to note that our lower-income families at the lowest income tier can pay as little as $5 per month. I hope that the Ministry can also similarly look into enhancing our student care support to include parents up to the 50th percentile income tier, so that our young parents can have similar support from preschool to primary school. Next, I would like to discuss the issues surrounding caregivers taking care of our special needs, disabled and elderly residents. Caregiving can be both physically and emotionally draining. Often times, caregivers need some short time away to either recharge or run errands. However, respite care can be expensive, especially for lower-wage caregivers. Can the Ministry look into strengthening the provision of respite care with a view towards increasing the availability and reducing the costs of respite care? Besides respite care, more caregivers would also need support in accessing the wide range of Government services and also mutual support from other caregivers. A "one-stop centre" announced earlier last year was an important milestone. Would the Minister provide an update on the new caregiver support centre and if more centres are planned for island-wide implementation? Lastly, we have done much over the years to support our parents in helping to care for the special needs children under the Enabling Masterplan. One of the key concerns that many parents have is what happens to the children when they are old enough – 18 years old? Most of them will have to leave the Special Education (SPED) schools and either go into open employment, sheltered employment or training development centres.”
“Chairman, MSF has committed to improving early childhood education outcomes through raising the quality of our educators and the centres' operations. In a tight labour market, how can the Ministry continue to grow the sector? Raising the quality of early childhood education requires better staff and curriculum. This, in turn, necessarily incur higher manpower and operating costs. Consequently, there would be higher fees. However, our younger Singaporeans are already facing twin challenges because they are already having children later in life, they end up having to take care of the young children while caring for the elderly parents at the same time. Such sandwich situation is expected to be more commonplace over time. Currently, Singapore Citizen children are eligible for a basic subsidy of up to $300 for childcare per month. This was implemented in 2008. Since 2011, the childcare operators have raised the median fees by 22%. This has somewhat eroded the support from the subsidies. Can the Government review the subsidies, taking into consideration the twin challenges that our middle-income young parents face? How can we continue to ensure that early childhood education continues to be affordable or the quality improved? In conjunction with the review of the subsidies, we should also expand the market-moderating effect of anchor operators. Beyond childcare, student care support is something that our parents will need readily as more families have both parents working. It has become as indispensable as childcare support. Subsidy for student care was enhanced since 1 January 2016. This subsidy is made available to families with a monthly household income of 20th percentile and below.”
“00 pm When I visited the Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) Workers' Union members two weeks ago, I am convinced that technology will generally help our workers work longer and more productively. Most of those I have met were in their 50s. The backbreaking work of hauling luggage can never be fully eliminated because there are just too many different shapes of suitcases for automation. But automated luggage drop-off can take away much of the physical work. Part of the work now is to help passengers navigate and troubleshoot check-ins and drop-offs. The crux is early training and preparation, including for the subcontractors. Will the Ministry assist in ITMs to coordinate digital and technology preparation for workers and companies? How will MCI work with and incentivise employers to identify needed skills and train the workers ahead of digital transformation in the workplace? Automation and the growth of the digital economy are inevitable. This does not sound the death knell for the human worker. Throughout history, mankind has weathered technological disruptions to find new jobs when there used to be none. Human ingenuity was key. But we have to be prepared to adapt and train even though history appears firmly on our side. The consequence otherwise is a digital economy without a heart. Digitalisation”
“Chairman, people are at the heart of the digital transformation. Their skills, knowledge and mindset determine if Singapore can succeed in the new digital economy. Our digital transformation is also only as meaningful as how it could make the lives of Singaporeans better. This is also the heart of the digital transformation. The challenge is how we can help our workers to thrive in this new digital economy. A worker in his mid-50s and has started working in 1980s has survived the typewriter, the pager, browsing using Netscape, emails on UNIX in the 1990s, rise of the mobile devices in the 2000s, the ongoing third industrial revolution on digital manufacturing, while trying to make sense of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, Internet of Things (IoT) and data exchange. Some workers will make the transition fairly seamlessly, but a fair number, especially the mature workers, will need assistance. How can MCI work with the tripartite partners to retrain and reskill workers and, in fact, also the employers, to take advantage of the opportunities brought forth by the digital economy? For there to be good jobs empowered by technology, there must be good companies similarly empowered. For SMEs, they need to develop a digital strategy and access competent manpower to execute the strategy. However, SMEs might find it difficult to adequately resource this change. The longer-term impact is impeded by digital growth and uneven development. Can the Ministry develop a common pool of such technologies and manpower that these companies can tap on to accelerate participation in the digital economy? 7.”
“The consequence is less retirement savings due to the drop in CPF contributions during the years that they may have left the workforce to care for their families. How can the Ministry review the CPF cash and retirement sum top-up schemes to help our Singaporean women to be secure in their retirement? Promoting Fair Employment Practices”
“There are an increasing number of Singaporeans who have to take care of both younger children and older parents because of our marriage trends. They will need greater support at the workplace to balance work-life responsibilities. The recent launch of the Tripartite Standard on Flexible Work Arrangements (TS-FWAs) is a step in the right direction. I would like to ask the Minister how we can further spread and deepen the adoption of FWA. With the Tripartite Standard in place, there is an opportunity to accelerate adoption of FWA. Frequently, the inertia of established work processes and schedules causes employers to go beyond part-time work as an FWA option. I would encourage the Ministry to consider giving to our young parents with newly born children the legislated right to request for FWAs in the first year of birth of their children. This would encourage employers to review existing structures. Our parents will also feel that they are less of an exception in working towards FWAs with their employers. Understandably, companies, especially the smaller ones, might find it difficult to implement. The recent announcement on adjustment in work-life grant is particularly welcomed. Capabilities of the work-life consultants can also be enhanced to look into the process redesign and change management in companies which are really the key issues affecting FWA implementation. The other impact of balancing family needs is that our caregivers tend to drop out of the workforce. Our female residents, being the primary caregivers, have a lower workforce participation rate than their male counterparts. They are also the primary caregivers, whether for children or their parents.”
“Local-foreign Complementarity Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Mr Chairman, over the last two years' Committee of Supply (COS) debates, I have raised the issue about Singaporean and foreign workers, in terms of the Singaporean Core and the complementarity of local and foreign workers. I would like to ask the Minister for an update. Can the Minister share on MOM's treatment of "Triple Weak" and "Triple Strong" companies? I would also like to know if these efforts have resulted in better outcomes for Singaporeans, in particular, for our PMETs.”
“[Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, Sir, it has been several years since Singapore started its economic transformation, focusing on productivity and innovation. The tripartite partners have restructured business processes and the workforce. We achieved 3% productivity growth last year but some economists have cautioned that such a pace might not be sustainable because of limits from a tight labour market. Can the Minister share if this growth is sustainable and what can we do to maintain productivity growth? Yet, productivity growth is only meaningful in how they have benefited our workers who have dedicated themselves to helping companies to grow. How has the productivity growth resulted in better jobs and better wages for our workers? Can we consider setting gains-sharing as a basic requirement for qualifying for Government funding schemes? Capital investment without complementary competent manpower impedes productivity growth. It is important that our workers can take on new opportunities quickly. I hope that MOM can also offer a Career Trial Programme to fresh graduates as well. This helps them with finding an ideal job and lowers the attrition for the employers. The Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) has given mid-career Singaporeans a viable transition to another industry. Yet, many Singaporeans do not know about this good programme. Would the Ministry consider working with organisations, such as the People’s Association (PA) and NTUC to promote and increase awareness of PCP? I am convinced that if the tripartite partners can work together, then the strong productivity growth last year will not be a one-off phenomenon.”
“Effective transformation also requires that our officers can take on the new jobs. Could the Minister provide further updates on the job redesign efforts for the Home Team? How many jobs or functions have been redesigned? How has the Ministry also tapped on the expertise of retired officers? Could these officers be converted into civilian officers and deployed to take on other security-related responsibilities in the public or private space? These officers may also be able to raise the capabilities and support the needs of the private security sector under the Industry Transformation Map (ITM) that was launched just this month. Workers in the Private Security Industry”
“Second, we can leverage even greater use of behavioural insights to tackle our youth drug addiction problems. According to the CNB, the proportion of new drug abusers arrested in 2017 remained high and close to two-thirds of new abusers were under 30. The thrill for such young abusers is usually boredom and not getting caught. They are not always from traditionally defined broken homes. So, broken windows explanations are inadequate. This means that while we cannot go soft on our tough stance against drugs, we must develop new ways of finding new solutions. Programmes, such as “Natural Highs” in Iceland, succeeded because of strong behavioural insights. Could MHA similarly develop stronger behavioural insights in informing our future programmes? The number of online scams has been increasing and becoming more pervasive, especially amongst the older users. We have worked hard at roadshows and awareness campaigns. Perhaps, it is timely to make cyber health checks as commonplace as our basic health checks. It is a mindset shift that cyber issues similarly require routine and pervasive intervention as do chronic health problems, especially for older residents. Community partners can work with the Home Team to develop easy to use diagnostic kits and help our elderly users stay healthier, cyberwise. Fourth, we can make greater use of integrated data analytics for predictive enforcement. While crime-mapping is not new, the availability of artificial intelligence (AI) opens up new horizons in more effective manpower-lean policing. Yet, this is not about going down the route of the movie “Minority Report”. This is about better understanding our key threats and developing targeted effective solutions.”
“Chairman, our Home Team has done an impeccable job in keeping us safe. Yet, it has its work cut out going ahead. Because of technology, crimes and social issues are fast-evolving, complex and multifaceted. Coupled with a leaner workforce, MHA must evolve new ways of staying ahead of the criminals. The Home Team is undergoing an important transformation. Could the Minister provide further updates on the Home Team’s transformation process, especially in improving coordination and interoperability across different agencies? How has it resulted in more effective enforcement? How have the community partnerships evolved to help in Home Team’s work? And what will be the focus of the Home Team's outreach efforts in the coming year? In MHA’s ongoing transformation, I hope that we can make an even greater shift towards tapping upon and empowering the individual and community entities in crime prevention. The fast-evolving, extraterritorial and multifaceted nature of crimes make purely Home Team-led actions more challenging over time. I would like to propose four ideas and approaches. First, we need to enhance capabilities to develop and test new ideas quickly. The fast-evolving nature of crimes and community issues meant no entity has the monopoly of good solutions. MHA needs to develop platforms that will increase the academic and community participation in analysing and developing local solutions to our Home Team issues. This might involve building up a national databank, such as Iceland’s Registers Iceland (ISCRA), where partners can use the data for analysis. This is much like building on open-source codes where coders write and test new codes to build ever more robust systems quickly.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, Singapore's Foreign Service Officers play important roles in defending Singapore's interest in the global arena, be it representing Singapore at multilateral meetings, responding to international crises or rendering consular assistance to Singaporeans in distress overseas. Given the increasing demands on MFA's work, there is a need for MFA to ensure that it has sufficient manpower and competencies to meet these challenges. How will MFA ensure that its officers are equipped with the necessary training, knowledge and capabilities to fulfil its mission? Has MFA also explored tapping on mid-career applicants for these posts and, if so, what percentage of its Foreign Service Officers are made up of mid-career entrants? How can MFA also work with overseas Singaporeans and agencies, such as Enterprise Singapore, to enhance its capabilities?”
“Chairman, Smart Nation is not merely about technologies but also a transformation in itself, a way of life and a way of conducting businesses. To be pervasive, we need to tackle barriers to adoption, such as multiple platforms for cashless payment and the lack of manpower, to implement these changes. SNI involves the National Strategic Projects which cover five main areas, such as National Digital Identity, e-payments and Moments of Life. Could the Minister update on the progress in these five main areas? What efforts are in place to integrate SNIs into our ITMs? For Smart Nation to succeed, it must also have sufficient competent manpower. Yet, competition for such talent is keen. The Ministry can consider also tapping on converting mid-career talent by adapting the Professional Conversion Programmes (PCP) for public sector needs. These are after all good jobs for Singaporeans. The desired scale of the Smart Nation movement requires that info-communications technology (ICT) officers in other parts of the Government are also trained and equipped to take on the new initiatives. Will sufficient training be put in place to ensure alignment and scalability? Accelerating the take-up of SNIs might perhaps require greater policy leverage. For example, waiting for free market forces to reduce the number of e-payment systems might take too long because of substantial installed base effect and innovation resistance. In a huge economy like China, there are really only two dominant e-payment systems. The Government or us can consider picking winners or legislating to require interoperability of our e-payment service providers or along the lines of the Cross-Carriage Measure that has been applied to the telcos.”
“Such families would have to cope with the stresses and rising costs of looking after children and meet the needs of healthcare and other forms of care for their aged parents. Therefore, we need to review how our subsidies and support for childcare and student care are structured, especially for parents with more than one young child and also elderly parents to take care of. As these responsibilities must be juggled and balanced with their careers, could the Government also consider making eldercare or family care leave mandatory in Singapore? This could provide some relief to Singaporeans who must take care of family members who are not covered by childcare leave or parental leave. I am confident that as long as the Tripartite Partners work together, we can tackle the challenges and successfully transform our economy. We plug the gaps, we gear up our workers and students for these challenges and we provide greater support for them and their families. Together, we can create a better future for Singaporeans. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget. 1.42 pm”
“As long as workers are involved early, productivity gains are shared, workers' value are unleashed to take advantage of transformation and workers' energies and ideas to make airport processes better". For students, ITMs must be made accessible to them so that students can understand the key thrusts of our economic transformation for their desired industry or profession. NTUC, through its youth wing, can help the students navigate the ITMs through industry tie-ups and youth career networks. The latter peer-to-peer systems are more accessible and less top-down. It is shared from an industry peer to another student. Information is personalised, curated and more readily accepted by our millennials and younger generation. Furthermore, to increase youth involvement in SMEs, we also call on the Government to try to help SMEs by providing seed funding to create internship opportunities, and these opportunities can be managed by intermediaries, such as NTUC or the trade associations. This would then give SMEs greater access to young talent. The changes brought about by our economic transformation will require workers to be nimble and ready to take on new challenges. Thus, our social system must also be enhanced. More social support should be given to our workers to balance their work and home responsibilities better. Young parents, for example, would require more support in the new economy as they can be considered as "double sandwiched" – middle-income and also having to take care of young children and older parents. As Singaporeans are marrying later, families are getting smaller and people have longer life expectancy, the responsibility of taking care of both young and older parents can converge at such a point in a young couple's life and for a prolonged period.”
“In both cases – for businesses and students – there is a "last mile gap" in connecting available schemes with the target groups and stakeholders. I would suggest that the Labour Movement could play a bigger role in bridging the gap for both businesses and students. Recently, I visited the workers from the SATS Workers' Union (SATSWU) at their workplaces at the airport. They proudly showed me the new technologies, such as automated check-in and bag-drop. They could now attend to more passengers and guide them – adding value where they previously could not. There were important developments that would improve workers’ productivity and allow workers to work for longer in better jobs. So, I asked, "How is this possible?" They shared that because the industry changes were shared in advance, gaps were identified early and their skillsets were identified in advance. SATSWU also worked with the company to train its workers. However, it was also noted that the operations also depended in part on sub-contractors. The passenger experience was dependent on the capabilities of these smaller companies. These smaller companies might lack the resources to train their workers and undertake productivity initiatives. The Labour Movement can coordinate with these companies and their bigger unionised counterparts on training needs. Then, the training modules can be placed on board NTUC’s ULEAP bite-sized training platforms, so that workers can be trained without significant downtime. This will eventually improve our transformation capacity. Before I left the airport, I asked the workers, "Can we continue to do better?" They shared with me and said, "Of course, we can. Transformation is not new to us, changes at the airport are constant.”
“One in four companies are slow to transform their businesses and some have not digitised any part of their businesses at all. Clearly, these businesses lack transformation capacity. For example, many training programmes require time away from work. But in a tight labour market, workers are prioritised for operational purposes. The schemes announced in the Budget, such as Productivity Solutions Grant, will go in some way to aid companies to innovate and build deeper capabilities. However, there is still a missing link of a last mile connection of turning transformation plans into transformative actions. Our future workers might also need to be primed for the transformation. Our younger Singaporeans are the future of Singapore’s workforce. They need to be part of this transformation. In a recent survey done by Young NTUC in January 2018 on about 400 students in the universities and private educational institutions revealed that around 83% have not heard about the ITMs. Out of the 17% who said they have heard about ITMs, the level of understanding about them was only 6.5, out of a scale of one to 10, whereby 10 denotes that they fully understand the information. This is a concern. It meant that, for most students, the industry that they are studying hard for would have changed in no small measure by the time they graduated. But they would not know this until they have entered the workforce. Students in the IHLs who are poised to enter various industries need to understand these plans so that they can gear up for the changes in the sectors. While the roll-out of ITMs is not yet complete, the communication of the ITMs need to be stepped up so that businesses, workers and students are plugged into the plans and development within their sectors.”
“Mr Speaker, the Budget that we are debating about today is about the future of Singapore and, to a large extent, our ongoing economic transformation and the value that each and every worker brings to this ecosystem. Critical to this transformation are the social and career foundations that we are putting in place for the workforce. I will touch on how we can strengthen our social and career foundations further to help Singaporeans, especially younger Singaporean workers and families, to prepare for the changes. Ever more rapid technological disruptions will continue to fundamentally change how work is done. Singapore's limited resources meant that we have ever narrower margins of error to prepare ourselves for the new economy. Our workforce, especially the workers of the future, must be able to take on future challenges quickly and adroitly. The Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) are important guides to help companies and workers understand and prepare for this future. We have committed $4.5 billion for this effort. Ideally, employers and employees are aligned in the ITMs and work towards redesigning jobs for the future, promote innovation and seek and seize opportunities to go international, where possible. Because this transformation requires fundamental structural changes, ITMs will, understandably, take time to be pervasive. Two recent surveys done, one on businesses and another on students at the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) hinted that we need to intensify our transformation efforts. In a survey done by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), companies said that ITMs are a good initiative but about half of these companies are not so clear on what the transformation processes entail.”
“Finally, this merger provides a good opportunity to re-examine the various schemes that are offered and for the new agency to align, refresh or revamp schemes where possible. I would like to urge the new agency to put in place processes and schemes that will be easier for companies to access and apply for. Mr Deputy Speaker, this merger can provide Singapore with a full value stream platform to help our businesses to grow. It also opens up new opportunities for us to relook at our ITMs, especially in operationalisation. With this, I support this Bill.”
“For example, in the retail and food and beverage (F&B) sector where SPRING Singapore has been a major player and lead agency of the ITM, how would the merger change its approach to helping the F&B businesses? There are opportunities in getting local businesses to benefit from global supply chains and expansion opportunities. For example, in the SC VivoCity project in Ho Chi Minh City, we can find familiar names, such as NTUC Fairprice via its CoopXtra venture, Breadtalk, and also Xiao Ban, which is linked to the famous Lao Ban Dou Hua. In the case of CoopXtra, the overseas venture has allowed new food supplies to be established for Singapore. I hope that with the new agency, we can accelerate such growth and expansion of our local businesses. Two, from an outside-and-into Singapore perspective, there are also opportunities for the new agency to work with EDB to explore synergies in operationalising our ITMs, especially in cluster transformation. In attracting investments into Singapore, our SMEs can benefit in providing strategic partnerships and ancillary services to the MNCs. Bringing in the right MNCs can catalyse transformation in many industries, especially through horizontal competencies, such as information and communications technology (ICT) and supply chain management. As with any merger, there is a lingering concern on the deployment of manpower. I would like to ask the Minister if the employees of IE Singapore and SPRING Singapore will be absorbed entirely into this new agency. Will there be any redundancies and, if so, what will happen to the staff who are made redundant due to this merger and will they be redeployed?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the fast-changing economic landscape demands that our businesses see the global markets as a continuum of the domestic market. Changes in financing structures and supply chains and ease of doing business overseas have opened up business opportunities beyond Singapore. There is a consequent need to support our local businesses to seize such opportunities. The new Enterprise Singapore can play such an important role. With the formation of the new agency, it should not simply be an amalgamation of two current separate approaches to helping our companies. The chances to tap on overseas opportunities and best practices should influence how we help SMEs to grow. I would like to ask how will the support and assistance for SMEs to grow be different from what it was before? What new strategies will be taken to assist them in building capacity and remaining relevant in Singapore, or in expanding their businesses abroad? Yet, because many of the SMEs might not be ready for overseas expansion, how can we still ensure that these SMEs are not neglected as we help the potential winners? They still face many pressing issues, such as improving productivity, manpower shortages and business process re-engineering. We must ensure that efforts to help them continue unabated. The new agency, with its new integrated mandate of helping businesses to grow, can also develop new ways in operationalising the ITMs. There are two separate facets: one, from Singapore-to-overseas; and two, outside-and-into Singapore. I will take them in turn. First, many of the ITMs were developed while the two agencies were still separate entities. How would the ITMs change now that the local-overseas nexus is much stronger?”
“On a separate but related matter, in 2017, data security firm Check Point Software Technologies ranked Singapore as the world's top spot to launch global cyberattacks from. While the attacks may originate somewhere, being a technology hub in Southeast Asia means that we have a high amount of Internet traffic from other countries going through us. We are a hub with high inter-trade and data connectivity. It is inevitable that some attacks will originate from Singapore and other similar hubs. Yet, it is also our global responsibility to stop attacks where possible. It is also an opportunity to provide a trusted gateway for countries and businesses. It establishes Singapore as a secure business node. We must not stop at exploring and developing ways for us to be used as a gateway for global cybersecurity. In spite of the concerns, this Bill puts us in the right direction in hardening our systems for both current and future security needs. With this, I support this Bill.”
“While we must not compromise on security, we must ensure that the reporting processes are not unnecessarily onerous. Companies and their staff already face substantial reporting requirements to other Government bodies. We must seek to rationalise compliance for ease of operations without compromising on security. While a strong CSA is necessary for our cybersecurity, it must not also intrude upon privacy unnecessarily. The Ministry has assured that there are safeguards in place. And it will adopt a calibrated approach, depending on the severity of attacks. Can the Ministry also share more if it will adopt a tiered or classification system that would spell out the scope or limits of investigation, depending on the level of severity of the incident or attacks? For example, the security agencies have used threat-level systems to decide on the intensity of preparation and fortification that needs to be done. Could a similar system be put in place so that stakeholders and parties involved will have a clearer picture of what is required of them should a cyberattack or breach of systems happen? And more importantly, the requirements needed of them during peacetime as it affects business costs and manpower requirements. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would also like to know if the cybersecurity manpower is sufficient to achieve the aims of this Bill. While our IHLs have been training more students and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has introduced Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) for the IT sector, and they have been in place for some time now, would the supply be sufficient? How can the Ministry work with the Ministry of Education (MOE), MOM and even the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to ensure that there will be sufficient manpower to meet our future needs?”
“Mr Speaker, cyberattacks are almost commonplace in recent years. In fact, in May 2017, billionaire businessman Warren Buffett said to his investors that cybersecurity could be the number one problem for mankind. The numbers confirm this. In the first six months of 2017, globally, there were more than 900 data breaches in the first six months of last year. Analysts say that the damage caused by cybercrimes globally could hit US$6 trillion annually by 2021. No country has been spared. Singapore has been targeted by cybercriminals. We must put in place laws to safeguard our critical cyber systems and infrastructure. I have three points of concern, namely, on costs, processes and manpower needs. In meeting the requirements, CII sectors will have to impose more stringent requirements on their systems or require their vendors to do so. This will inevitably lead to higher costs, as pointed out by Members of this House. In the Report on the Consultation Outcome paper released by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), it was stated that MCI will not be providing grants to offset the costs of audits and risk assessments because they are regulatory requirements. However, it will work with the sectors to streamline requirements so that they can minimise compliance costs incurred because of the Bill. May I ask what is the estimated compliance costs involved for the various sectors? For sectors that face greater complications in meeting the requirements, are there existing schemes that they can tap on for this purpose? What is the timeline for the implementation of these compliance measures? Companies might not only need time to ramp up their compliance capabilities but also need technical guidance from MCI. My next point is on processes.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Second Minister for her comprehensive reply. Just a couple of clarifications. First, understandable that while investigations are ongoing, the Minister could not share more, but is there any reason to believe that the processes have not been thorough on the part of the companies that require the Police to enhance and tighten those processes? Secondly, because of the large quantities that had been stolen, are there any reasons to believe that any other companies will require similar tightening processes?”
“Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. Just one point of clarification. There has been feedback from parents, especially in schools whereby there are younger parents and more children, that some schools have to prioritise the after-school student care for the lower primary students. This has caused some inconvenience, especially when they have two or more children in school and one of them has to go into the private space. Can I check with the Minister if the plan is to cater capacity for all levels of primary school students?”
“This will further promote accountability, responsibility and transparency in the management of co-ops and protect whistleblowers who alert the authorities about lapses or other matters of concern. The measures proposed in this Bill would not eliminate fraud or lapses completely. It would not be reasonable to expect that it will do so. But they will go a long way in ensuring that the system is transparent and robust without sacrificing on ease of operations. With this Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“In that regard, I would like to ask, for the last five years, has any co-operative been in jeopardy and was unable to meet its financial obligations and protect members' interests? If so, how many co-ops were in this position and have steps been taken to rectify the problems? There could be also members of credit co-ops who have taken on loans and have defaulted on them, especially where the payment is not made through salary check-offs. What percentage of loans had to be written off by credit co-ops and is this comparable with other financial institutions? To ensure that co-operatives have competent management and staff members, professional training and upgrading of skills is required. As there are many types of courses, will the Registry identify relevant training areas for key committee and staff members? Deputy Speaker, Sir, while these measures are necessary to improve the governance standards of co-operatives, it will also involve administrative processes that will take time and incur costs. We must be able to strike a good balance between the robustness of governance and the ease of operations. May I then ask whether the Registry will provide any assistance to co-ops during this initial period? Also, what is the timeframe given to co-ops to get all their processes in place? Some co-ops, like the Singapore Government Staff Credit Co-op, have adopted a whistleblower policy and the terms are clearly spelt out on its website. These are good practices. I do encourage the Registry to consider that this is something that all co-ops should perhaps adopt. Credit terms should similarly be made available to members and the public on their website.”