Desmond Lee
Singapore
“The Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation and Service (LEAPS) 2.0 is a framework for recognising student participation and achievement in secondary school co-curricular programmes.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is mindful of the impact that rising temperatures may have on our students, teachers and officials taking part in the National School Games. Matches are scheduled only after students have had the time to train and become progressively more heat acclimatised.”
“As shared in Parliament in March 2026, the proportion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools has remained stable, at around 7% of the overall student population. This stability is observed across both primary and secondary schools.”
“The Ministry recruits and assesses applicants based on merit and suitability for the teaching profession, regardless of gender. We look for individuals with a passion for teaching, a belief in the potential of every child, and who possess the values and character to make a positive difference in students' lives.”
“Over the past five years, an average of 750 teachers resigned from the Education Service annually, representing a resignation rate of around 2%.”
“MOE has also progressively strengthened open access within the Primary 1 Registration Framework through Phase 2C, which is open to students regardless of whether they have prior connections to the school. MOE had increased the number of reserved Phase 2C places from zero to 20 in 2014; and from 20 to 40 in 2022.”
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“URA and LTA will continue to work closely with the heritage groups and the heritage community in Singapore on the construction methods to protect Ellison Building, as well as the measures that should be taken to preserve the heritage and history of that site. The Government will finalise its implementation plans after these discussions are concluded.”
“Subsequently, LTA put out a tender to invite applications from contractors to be prequalified for the design and build civil contracts for the NSC tunnels. This is a prequalification tender and the document gave general descriptions of the scope of works in these subsequent civil contracts, including the fact that the contractor has to undertake works on part of Ellison Building. Now, these prequalification tender specifications were not just about Ellison Building. They were about the north and south, the whole length of the NSC, from north all the way to south where it terminates. It was not the actual tender for the construction of NSC. LTA's intention had been that following this tender for prequalification of the contractors, LTA will engage a conservation specialist to provide advice on how to better protect Ellison Building. This is akin to how, in the case of Circle Line 6 which will affect part of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station (TPRS), LTA had similarly engaged conservation specialists to advise on how they could remove and reinstate part of the TPRS platforms. We recognise that the circumstances of each development are unique and the conservation measures have to be tailored accordingly. In this regard, LTA and URA have started engaging heritage groups to seek their views on how to better protect the Ellison Building when the construction process begins. There have been two rounds of discussion thus far, which centred on possible mitigating measures to protect the building during the construction of the NSC. In taking this forward, LTA's conservation consultant will explore various mitigating measures in detail as part of the study on Ellison Building.”
“The NSC tunnel also cannot be lowered further into the ground to avoid these underground infrastructures, as doing so will require extensive ramps and portal structures to connect the NSC carriageway with surface streets which will then affect the nearby MRT stations and impact many more other buildings and development. Given these constraints, LTA has had to work out the best possible alignment for the NSC tunnel under the circumstances. Madam, the original alignment for the NSC would have impacted even more buildings and developments and spaces, including Rex Cinema, as well as several of the shophouse units at Ellison Building, much more than what the public is aware of today. In fact, Rex Cinema was completely affected in the initial alignments. Nevertheless, we recognised the heritage value of Rex Cinema and Ellison Building. Hence, agencies were committed to carrying out detailed engineering studies to further minimise the impact on these buildings. On that basis, the Urban Redevelopment Page: 15 Authority (URA) proceeded to gazette the two buildings for conservation in 2008. Indeed, the agencies had worked hard to carry out extensive studies and eventually managed to develop a solution for the NSC to avoid Rex Cinema completely. However, given the very tight space in the Bukit Timah Road corridor, the NSC alignment will not be able to avoid Ellison Building entirely – at least the space underneath the building – which, unlike Rex Cinema, stands much closer to the road carriageway. And I am sure the Member has seen maps that show this. These engineering studies were concluded only recently, and the result is that the impact on Ellison Building can, under current plans, be reduced to one corner shophouse unit, instead of a larger portion or the entire building.”
“Mdm, Speaker, the North-South Corridor (NSC) is an integrated transport corridor which incorporates bus lanes, cycling trunk routes and an expressway that runs elevated as well as underground. When completed, it will connect the residential towns and estates in the north, such as Woodlands, Sembawang, Yishun, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan and Toa Payoh, to the city centre. Given the 21-kilometre length of the NSC, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) had conducted detailed engineering studies over many years. Throughout this time, agencies worked very hard to minimise the impact of the NSC works on neighbouring buildings and developments. The segment of the NSC leading into the city centre runs underneath Bukit Timah Road, where space is extremely tight due to the underground public infrastructure in that area. On one side of Bukit Timah Road is the underground Rochor Canal. This is an important drainage facility which helps low-lying areas in the city cope with intense periods of rainfall. The North-East Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line (NEL) cuts across Bukit Timah Road, while the Downtown MRT Line (DTL) runs beneath Bukit Timah Road. This means that the NSC tunnels must run in between the foundations of existing buildings along both sides of Bukit Timah Road, the underground Rochor Canal as well as the NEL and DTL stations, as well as tunnels. I wish we had a 3D diagram to show Members of all these underground facilities that criss-cross this underground space, but we do not have that facility here. If we do, it will give Members a better sense. This is a very challenging engineering task for LTA. Sufficient clearance distance must be allowed between the NSC tunnels and the surrounding underground structures for safety reasons.”
“Mdm Speaker, in conclusion, for those who do not want their loved ones to even visit these regulated sites, speak to them, put them onto the exclusion list. For those of us in this House and outside who have moral objections to gambling, including some of us who are speaking, do not visit, discourage your friends and family, and help the National Council on Problem Gambling and voluntary welfare organisations who work hard day after day to tackle these social aspects and the scourge of the problem.”
“We are expected to put forward workable solutions for consultation and debate, and we have to implement a solution for Singaporeans. It has to be practical. It may not always be popular but we have to try to solve the problem pragmatically and, most importantly, be prepared to adjust our solution along the way, based on experience and our findings. Mdm Speaker, in conclusion, online gambling is a global phenomenon. It grows at a very fast rate. It is not a problem outside Singapore. It is right here on our shores, in our homes, in people's pockets when they walk around, when they work, when they are at home. It poses law and order and social problems, like I said before. And online gambling is associated with syndicates and organised crime. Banning it will help slow the pace of growth. On its own, it is inadequate, because the problem will go deeper and we will simply be burying our heads in the sand. A valve may allow people who intend to gamble online to do so in an environment with some social safeguards, and we can track the size and shape of the problem and implement further policies.”
“Are they proposing to have apps or tracking devices uploaded on computers or smartphones to monitor people and further detect that they are going onto illicit sites and, perhaps, after that, do you propose to make it mandatory for counselling? Or are you proposing to increase penalties and up prosecution rates and to ask for deterrent sentences? If so, what do you suggest? How will you make the prohibition and the enforcement of the prohibition, such as to promote the flow of people from the illicit sites online to the Toto and Singapore Pool sites on land? Or are you proposing to expand outreach and education and mandatory counselling and, if so, do you believe that it will solve the problem? Madam, we have circulated that flyer with some of the things that we have been doing and, perhaps, the Member can suggest how those can concretely be further improved. Madam, the Government is not able to solve complex social problems through making speeches alone, nor by lamenting a problem. We know it is a problem.”
“But this is not the view of the professionals, the Police, who have seen the problem go underground and who say that this will happen, and it is happening. So, it is imperative, as Minister Iswaran has said in 2014, for Mr Singh making these assertions, flying in the face of what the Police, the professionals, have observed and said it is happening, to provide evidence instead that a total ban will not drive illegal activities underground but will instead drive it to the land-based Toto shops. Fourth, apart from what we have just talked about, there are no details in their manifesto, media releases and speeches on how their proposal of a total and complete ban will solve this real problem inflicted on many Singaporeans, some of whom we have met at Meet-the-People Sessions. And this after two years of debate since the Act was enacted in 2014. First, we invite the Workers' Party to make clear what its position is. Is it an objection in principle, against all gambling? If it is a matter of principle, then state that it is so, both land and terrestrial. But if it is against online gambling, then it is an assessment of where the risks lie. And as I have said earlier, we have the views of the Police and the professionals. In such a case, it would be good if the Workers' Party can put on the table specific suggestions on how it would enact a total ban to solve the problem and make it drive the problem from online to the land-based terrestrial outlets that Mr Singh had categorically said in 2014. For example, does Mr Singh support a complete ban on VPN and technology that skirts around blocking measures? Second, we know, Madam, that law, as a deterrence, is not just about the law and deterrence, but the likelihood of getting caught.”
“In its 27 September 2016 press release, the Workers' Party opposed the granting of exemption to any organisation but did not offer a solution to eradicate the social ills caused by online gambling. Madam, the Workers' Party says a complete and total ban is the best. No need for a valve with social safeguards. They say that these safeguards generate money. We should not tax. We should not put it to good use. We should not allow it. We should not get involved in having any safety valves, any social safeguards. But, Madam, their position is not clear for a number of reasons which I shall submit. First, they do not cite any precedent or any country in the world where a complete ban has solved this growing problem of online gambling addiction. Second, they do not explain why Singapore's approach, and those, such as in Norway and Hong Kong, which have adapted from our system, and which have valves, are inferior. Third, the Workers' Party's rationale is problematic. During the Second Reading of the Bill in 2014, Mr Singh said that a total ban will not drive online gambling underground, whereas Mr Png Eng Huat contradicted him in the very same debate where he said categorically that a ban will drive the problem underground, and I quote, "It is the law of nature." So, Madam, what is the Workers' Party's true position on this matter? Even after this evening, even after the allegations have been made about the Government's intentions, I do not think we are any wiser. Mr Singh's explanation, Madam, is that, with a total ban, most gamblers, he says, would just go to the existing land-based outlets, such as authorised 4-D or Toto shops, which are completely legal and regulated.”
“Madam, our concern is that a total prohibition will only drive the problem further underground – harder to detect, problems surfacing too late. Trends and observations show that. This broadly mirrors the approach that we have taken for terrestrial gambling. So, we need a valve – legal, run by non-profit organisations where people have to sign up so we know who they are, with mechanisms to promote responsible gaming for us to intervene early before the problem gets out of hand. We also intend to work with the exempt operators to study the impact: whether there is displacement; what is the online gambling prevalence after the scheme is put in place; and then whether further tweaks, adjustments and changes to policy need to be undertaken. What has been the Workers' Party's proposals on the online gambling problem thus far? In 2014, during the Second Reading of the Remote Gambling Bill, many Members of the Workers' Party in this House spoke and opposed the exemption regime but did not offer many details of alternative solutions to eradicate social ills caused by online gambling. Mr Pritam Singh, in particular, pushed for a total ban on online gambling and he does not believe it will push the problem underground. Mr Yee Jenn Jong made suggestions on how the exempt operator regime could be tightened if it was implemented. In the 2015 manifesto, the Workers' Party had one line or a couple of lines on online gambling – prohibit all online gambling; no exceptions, and its aim was, I quote, "to eradicate the social ills caused by online and remote gambling". So, we presume, in 2015, the Workers' Party's objective and proposal to Singaporeans was to drive online gambling in Singapore to zero, through a total ban.”
“A study prior to the passage of the Remote Gambling Act found that about two-thirds of respondents who had participated in remote gambling were between 25 and 44 years old. Our assessment, Madam, is that this problem will still grow in Singapore and a total ban on its own will not be sufficient to deal with this problem, however much we may believe that to be so. So, we do need to ask Mr Singh and his colleagues from the Workers' Party: do you accept that the global trend of illicit online gambling is growing worldwide? Do you accept that given how open and wired Singapore is, we will not be spared from the problem? Do you accept that, even with extensive blocking systems as is the case now, illicit online gambling is still present in Singapore, and the problem can still grow? If the answer is "yes", and I am not sure what the Member's answer will be, then the question is what the solution ought to be. The Government's view is that a comprehensive system is needed to tackle this dimension, as the Member says – upstream, downstream, midstream – which has both a law and order dimension, as well as a social dimension, and we have to tackle both. So, what we have put in place is a broad and extensive prohibition against online gambling, and an exempt operator valve that comes with social safeguards and an exclusion system set amidst public education and outreach and counselling. Madam, with your permission, may I ask the Clerk to distribute a one-sheet summary of some of our education and outreach efforts, including some of the new efforts that have been put in place to tackle online gambling?”
“After the Remote Gambling Act was brought into force, Singapore now has one of the most extensive and proactive set of measures in the world against online gambling – blocking of sites, blocking payments, blocking advertisements, criminalising users who go onto online websites. Yet, as the Member also accepts, in 2014, with virtual private network (VPN) and other technology, with new sites popping up every day, illicit online gambling still exists in Singapore. I mentioned the South China Morning Post report. That syndicate is alleged to have operated more than 500 sites at the point of investigation. Some analysts estimates that in Singapore in 2015, online gambling amounted to as large as S$461 million. The Ministry of Home Affairs continues to see Internet traffic from Singapore to blocked sites and new sites. The Police have observed the trend over recent years of organised crime syndicates in Singapore moving from the terrestrial gambling sphere to online gambling. So, they are moving their modus operandi. And arrests continue to be made for illegal gambling, both syndicates and punters alike. In 2015, 90% of those who were arrested for illegal football betting were involved in online football gambling. And more than one-third of those arrested for illegal lotteries were involved in online remote lotteries. So, I do not think the Member is right to suggest that we are unaware of the risks of online gambling. In fact, all that has been in place since 2014 is to deal with this scourge of online gambling that envelopes the work. To make things worse, online gambling sites are attracting younger Singaporeans, as the Member also accepts.”
“Both the Government and the Opposition agree that online gambling addiction poses serious concerns that we are all concerned about, notwithstanding the Member's assertion that the Government is completely unconcerned and is trying to make money out of this; the most disturbing thing I have heard this evening. Madam, individuals can be seriously addicted and has caused harm to themselves, their family and society. Members from across the aisle have also spoken about the harm. I think Members like Ms Denise Phua would be very concerned if the impression is given that she and other Members are not concerned. From a law and order perspective, illegal online gambling has links and associations with syndicates and organised crime, including transnational organised crime. In November 2015, the South China Morning Post reported that Chinese police had busted a multinational online gambling syndicate which allegedly generated more than US$78 billion in bets and served nearly a million registered members in China alone. Mind you, this is a multinational syndicate. So, how big is this problem? Let us run through some of the key points again, as we had raised them previously. First, there is a large global market for online gambling, estimated at some US$40 billion in 2015, growing annually at 6% to 8% over the last five years. And if this carries on, it will double in a matter of years. With Singapore's high Internet and smartphone penetration rate and tech savvy population, I do not think we will be spared from this global trend. Since 2015, for example, the Police have arrested more than 120 people for illegal online gambling in Singapore. I think the Member would have heard this data last month.”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for raising concerns about the exempt operator regime that was discussed and debated in 2014, in which the Member and many of his colleagues from the Workers' Party actively participated, as did a number of them in the last Parliamentary session in October. The Member has raised numerous questions and made rather serious allegations about motivations of the Government, whether it consulted certain parties, whether this is the Government trivialising the risks posed to Singaporeans by online gambling. All in all, I am rather disturbed by the picture the Member has painted, notwithstanding all that we have put up, public statements and all the things that the Government has put in place to tackle precisely what he has said about the scourge of gambling and scourge of online gambling. Madam, we could spend a lot of this evening and more looking at each of the reports and studies that we have highlighted in the previous sessions, last month and previously in the 2014 debate and before; comparing and contrasting, picking through the data and methodology, both in relation to precedents that we have looked at as well as local data. This is by no means an unimportant task. The Member is calling for transparency, but I think it is better suited to written replies to Parliamentary Questions, which the Member can file. In fact, I understand that Mr Leon Perera had filed some questions about the experience in both Hong Kong and Norway, which were meant for today. And in the interest of ensuring that everything comes out today, if the Member is prepared to allow it to come out, we have a comprehensive reply for him. I propose we use the remaining time to keep our eyes focused on the big picture, precisely what the Member is concerned about.”
“Yes, Madam. It undertakes regular public education efforts to raise public understanding of suicides and available avenues for help. It also runs a 24-hour crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline. So, all in, it is a whole-of-community, whole-of-Government effort. 3.57 pm”
“Madam, Police Officers are trained to respond to cases of attempted suicide in a sensitive manner. They are given training, as part of their basic training, to look out for signs of suicidal tendencies, as well as the "do's" and "don'ts" in dealing with persons with such tendencies. But we recognise that when officers respond to the scene, they do not have full information of what is going on. We train them to be able to assess that this is a case of attempted suicide and to be able to handle this delicately. But the response to suicide risks and suicide attempts is, from the Government's perspective, one that involves a multi-prong strategy. Suicide prevention and early detection and intervention by the family, community and by health agencies, whether Government, voluntary welfare organisations or non-government organisations, are critical. Different Ministries, such as MSF, the Ministry of Education and MOH, work closely with stakeholders in the social services sector on suicide prevention initiatives. These programmes try to build greater resilience in the population, develop targeted intervention for high-risk individuals, and increase public awareness on mental health issues. The social services sector has an important role to play. A couple of months ago, a couple of officers and I visited the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS). It undertakes regular public education efforts —”
“Sorry, can the Member repeat the question? I was lost as I was walking —”
“Madam, the Ministry is prepared to review the position, but in so doing, we must recognise that this is not a straightforward exercise. We need to make sure that we do not inadvertently send the signal that we no longer believe that it is wrong to take one's own life. We also do not want a situation where law enforcement agencies and emergency services which respond to a crisis situation where a person is attempting to take his life, in that very delicate situation, you want to make sure that those emergency services have the power and the ability to respond and to intervene. And subsequently, to have the appropriate powers to provide support to make the necessary referrals of the individual to the various help and medical services available.”
“In 2015, two persons were prosecuted for attempting suicide, out of 1,096 reported cases of attempted suicide. Imprisonments are even rarer. In the five years over 2011 to 2015, five persons who were charged for attempted suicide were imprisoned. Prison inmates who are observed to exhibit suicidal tendencies will be referred to a psychiatrist for assessment. A multidisciplinary approach is adopted and psychologists or counsellors may be involved in the management and care of the inmate. Government agencies, such as the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), work closely with partners in the social services sector on programmes for public education, suicide prevention and support. Madam, everyone has a part to play in paying attention to warning signs of suicidal tendencies of the people around us, especially family and friends. We should not hesitate to refer those who need support to the services that are available.”
“Madam, it has been a criminal offence to attempt suicide. It was thought to be important that society should signal through the law that it opposes people taking their own lives but, in practice, prosecutions are rare. Police officers try to respond to cases of attempted suicide with sensitivity and compassion. Persons who attempt suicide are emotionally and psychologically distressed. They are literally at the brink. When responding to such cases, the priority of the Police is to ensure the person's safety. Police Officers try to look out for signs of suicidal tendencies and take this into consideration in their response. As regards arrests, Police arrest persons for cases of attempted suicide, usually to prevent them from doing harm, either to themselves or to others. When it is assessed that there is no such risk, they may not be arrested. When an arrest is made, Police Officers use handcuffs when the assessment is that there is a need to ensure the safety of the person, prevent the person from further self-harm, prevent the person from causing harm to escorting officers or members of the public in the vicinity, or to prevent the person from absconding. For all cases of attempted suicide, the Police will recommend the appropriate follow-up. The Police may refer the person to the Samaritans of Singapore for counselling or engage the next-of-kin to assist in supporting and caring for the person. If there are clear signs indicating possible mental instability, the Police may refer the person to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for an assessment of the person's mental state. If deemed necessary by medical professionals, the person may subsequently be warded at IMH for care and treatment. As I said earlier, prosecutions are rare.”
“Beyond these efforts, our planners are open to looking at the different ways in which the area can be redeveloped and rejuvenated, while retaining its distinctive identity and character. We understand that the residents and the heritage community who are passionate about conserving Dakota Crescent have been working on proposals, and when Mr Lim Biow Chuan showed the set of documents, we see it for the first time, although from a distance. We look forward to receiving these suggestions and will engage Mr Lim, members of the Heritage Community and the various groups that have worked on this project, to come up with a plan that is sensitive to the character and heritage of Dakota, while keeping our eye to the future. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." (proc text)] Adjourned accordingly at 5.58 pm. Page: 75”
“And last year, Singapore's oldest Teochew temple, the Yueh Hai Ching temple at Phillip Street, which was established in 1826, also received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Conservation Award (Merit). And, of course, we witnessed the inscription of the Singapore Botanic Gardens as our first UNESCO World Heritage site. Madam, we have come a long way in our conservation journey. It has not been easy. There have been hits-and-misses and we need to do a lot more work on the road ahead. Not many Singaporeans realise this, but there are more than 70 national monuments on our island and more than 7,000 conserved buildings dot our cityscape. Going forward, we will continue to add to this list and expand our heritage spaces, even as we strive to transform our city to meet our future needs. Madam, in the case of Dakota Crescent, we recognise that the area holds special memories for many people who grew up there and lived there. Even for people who have not lived there before, they look at Dakota Crescent and either see a reflection of their early childhood, or, for younger people, they see it as an opportunity or a window into the past. And that is why the National Heritage Board (NHB) has worked on several initiatives to commemorate the heritage of Dakota Crescent. For example, NHB commissioned a research project in April last year to document the history of the Dakota Crescent area, including key community landmarks and buildings of architectural interest. NHB is also working on a video documentary of the estate, which will be uploaded on NHB's heritage portal, Roots.sg. Community groups have also been active in their efforts to commemorate Dakota Crescent by collecting individual memories, conducting tours and documenting the history of the estate.”
“Otherwise, they risk collecting dust and melting into obscurity and people will forget about them. The intangible dimensions of our heritage are, in fact, also an important part of our shared identity and provide a link between the past and the present and, hopefully, with the future. Intangible cultural heritage can refer to the festivals we celebrate and the diverse aspects of our traditions and our culture. These cultural expressions of living heritage are history in the making. They not only provide an emotional connection to our past, but also serve as inspiration and anchors for the future. At the same time, building owners also have a part to play in conservation. When we started out in the 1980s, many building owners did not see the value of conservation and, in fact, had to be persuaded quite hard at times to conserve their buildings. It was seen as a burden with additional cost, hurting their property rights, and many were reluctant to do so. But now we are seeing a change of mindset and, increasingly, more owners are becoming more receptive to the idea of conserving their buildings. Our collective efforts at conserving and revitalising our built heritage have slowly gained recognition at the international level. Since 2001, a number of restoration projects in Singapore have been conferred UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Conservation Awards. These recognise and encourage public-private initiatives in restoring structures of heritage value in the region. Page: 74 URA's conservation programme was also conferred the distinguished Urban Land Institute 2006 Global Award for Excellence in recognition of its works.”
“This survey includes research and documentation of buildings and sites of historic or cultural interest found in Singapore and completed in and before 1980. This will also allow us to be better informed when drawing up future land-use plans. Even after deciding to conserve a building, much research and documentation work still needs to be carried out. In particular, URA will study how the building can be adapted for re-use and contribute meaningfully to the plans for the larger area, while being sensitive to the history of the conserved building. As far as possible, we look for ways to enhance the overall heritage value of the place. One example is Balestier, which is a key identity node because of its strong heritage value and distinctive old world charm. The area is rich in history and home to an interesting mix of conserved pre- and post-war shophouses and the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, which is a National Monument. When a parcel of state land at Balestier was sold in 2008 for a hotel development, the sales conditions included requirements for the developer to provide a public park at the entrance to the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall. The unique hotel-park development synergises with the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall and the surrounding heritage shophouses, adding to the vibrancy of the larger Balestier area. Today, the area continues to be bustling with people visiting the heritage buildings, Zhongshan Park as the new park is called, and going to the area for lighting and hardware shops and, of course, not forgetting the famous "Tau Sar Piah" in the Balestier area. I highlight this example because heritage conservation work does not stop when buildings are gazetted and protected.”
“When we do our work, our focus is not just to plan and build new infrastructure but to undertake development in a way that is sensitive to nature and to our past, and to build stronger emotional connections with our city. That is why, over the years, we have placed more emphasis on the conservation of buildings as an integral part of our urban master plan. For example, we have conserved large areas, such as the Historic Districts of Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Little India and Singapore River. And for Kampong Glam, some of you may know, there is actually a community committee, both of people who live there, people who run businesses there, stakeholders who are interested in heritage, culture and so on. We have retained several pre-World War II residential flats in Tiong Bahru built by SIT. We have also conserved many historical buildings which are representative of our rich architectural heritage and bear testimony to the history and development of Singapore, such as the Queenstown Public Library and the key buildings of the Alexandra Hospital. This process of identifying buildings and sites for conservation is an extensive and rigorous one. It is not just based on nostalgic or sentimental value alone, but, importantly, we take into account the historical and heritage significance of the buildings, as well as their architectural merit. Page: 73 We also involve many stakeholders in the process. MND and URA take in feedback from our Conservation Advisory Panel (CAP), local community groups and also members of the public. In addition, NHB has recently embarked on a tangible heritage survey to build on NHB's existing database of heritage resources.”
“Mdm Speaker, I agree with both Mr Lim Biow Chuan and Mr Kok Heng Leun that it is important to protect our heritage buildings. Some old buildings hold significant historical meaning. Others may not quite be so historic, but they have become a part of many Singaporeans' lives and we have formed collective precious memories about such buildings and about such places. If we can keep and protect these buildings, they can help build a deeper sense of identity and rootedness for Singapore and Singaporeans. In master-planning our land-scarce city-state, our planners have many considerations to address. We have to provide for housing, medical facilities, schools, sports facilities, social amenities, religious and civic space. We need space for economic purposes to create jobs for Singaporeans, space for transport, land for nature reserves, parks, greenery and the list goes on. Given these tight constraints, the need to redevelop and rejuvenate our city will always be present. But increasingly, the challenge we have to throw at ourselves is whether we can keep our city vibrant and dynamic and cater to the needs of Singaporeans while retaining that sense of time and space, that feeling of familiarity and nostalgia even amid change. In short, the question is, can we develop without sacrificing our identity and our heritage? And can we conserve without stalling progress and change? The answer, I think, must lie in striking the right balance, between preserving our past and catering to the needs of the present and the future. Mr Kok talked about cultural planning where both development and conservation can co-exist. I think these are solutions that increasingly we have to find. MND is very mindful of this balance.”
“In response to the Member's first question, when a person uses another person's online gambling account as a proxy ‒ presumably because he may not qualify due to age or because he or she is on the exclusion list ‒ the application for both Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club is not automatic, and approval is not given immediately. The person can make an application but he has to turn up physically in person to be verified at one of the centres, to verify his age and eligibility. The operators are required to vet for exclusions and other requirements. The requirement for physical appearance is important. There is also two-factor authentication every time the real gambler accesses the online account. Two-factor authentication takes place through a mobile number, which ought to belong to the real gambler. So, that is an additional friction. And there will be monitoring by the operators and regulators. If it is detected that an account is used as a proxy, then, the exempt operators would, first of all, have to take firm action. Additionally, the regulators and the Police would have to see if any offence has been committed. In her second question, the Member asked whether we monitor local trends and will be looking at the data that is generated from the exempt operators' systems. We certainly will look at all trends and all the data that are available. As I have said earlier, in both Hong Kong and Norway, the valve has enabled the regulators there to have more data points about online gambling trends. They can use this information to help sharpen, tighten and revise their overall framework on online gambling.”
“Syndicates also use technology – WhatsApp, WeChat – to collect bets, finding ways to circumvent detection and enforcement. As part of implementing the exempt operator regime, MHA is working with both operators to conduct surveys and studies. This will give us more data points. Indeed, the experience of foreign jurisdictions with narrow exempt operator frameworks – Hong Kong and Norway – has allowed regulators and law enforcement agencies to collect data on betting patterns, which may otherwise have gone undetected. This helps them to finetune policy decisions relating to remote gambling. I hope that this addresses the Member's question about what has been the experience since 2015 to date. I have given Members some data points and statistics. At the end of the day, given the nature of what we are grappling with, it is very difficult to have and to pin down the exact numbers as you would with something that happens legitimately on a daily basis out in the daylight. That also answers the Member's third question, which is why not invest more in technology. The exempt operator framework only provides for what is already existing in the terrestrial framework. It does not provide for casino-style games and poker. We will continue and must continue to invest in technology. But at the end of the day, we recognise that this is almost like a technological cat-and-mouse game and we recognise that there will still be growth in online Page: 20 gambling. We must have an entire ecosystem – prohibitions, enforcement, education, moral suasion, family support, community support as well as a tightly-controlled valve – that reflects what we do in the terrestrial sphere.”
“Enforcement wise, since 2015 till 2016, Police have arrested more than 120 people involved in illegal remote gambling – syndicates, runners, punters – and these include the 39 arrested during Operation SOGA VI, which was the prelude to Euro 2016. Police carried out more than 100 raids against illegal gambling – terrestrial and online – each year. They continue to keep up this tempo. In 2015, close to 300 people were arrested for illegal gambling, with about 50 charged under the Remote Gambling Act. About 90% of those arrested for illegal football gambling were involved in online football gambling. More than one-third of those arrested for illegal lotteries were involved in online remote lotteries. Police also continue to arrest illegal bookmakers and agents on an on-going basis. Our experience with terrestrial gambling since the 1960s is that illegal terrestrial gambling activities have largely been kept under control, based on recent arrest figures, which number in the few hundreds each year. In a way, the safety valves in Singapore Pools and in Singapore Turf Club have partly contributed to that. We have observed and monitored the illegal gambling situation. Whilst the ban and the prohibitions have reduced traffic to a lot of these sites, there is still this traffic from Singapore to some of the blocked sites, via diversionary measures. There is also traffic to new sites, which pop up each and every day. Over the years, the Police have observed a very obvious shift – syndicates expanding their realm from terrestrial gambling to online remote sphere. Syndicates run bet exchanges for online horseracing, casino gambling, soccer betting and lotteries.”
“Hence, we have to make sure our system is sufficiently robust, sophisticated and practical to address them. Some people asked for hard data. They say, "There are global trends, we know all these but do you have any data?" I think Mr Christopher de Souza had also asked this question. As the Minister for Social and Family Development had earlier alluded to, the nature of remote gambling, especially underground illegal gambling, is such that it is hard to get precise and accurate details of the nature and extent or the exact number of people who are accessing these sites. As a result, we can only rely on best estimates, where there will be varying figures, estimates and statistics. Let me give Members a few proxies, so you get a sense of where we are. In 2013, MHA, prior to introducing the Bill, had conducted and commissioned a study. Then-Second Minister for Home Affairs mentioned this in a speech in 2013. This was a study by an external consultant for the Ministry which included a survey of Internet users. Out of over a thousand respondents, three in 10 Page: 19 acknowledged that they had engaged in remote gambling at least once in the past year, and two-thirds of them were between the ages of 25 and 44. That was 2013, so it is just one data point. There are varying estimates by external analysts on the size of remote gambling in Singapore. We can look for these reports, you can purchase them. The reports analyse the remote gambling market around the world, including in specific jurisdictions. For Singapore, there is a wide range. One estimate suggested that remote gambling in Singapore in 2015 could well be as large as S$461 million, at a time when remote gambling was banned.”
“As I have said earlier, with Internet access and smartphone penetration rates in Singapore being amongst the world's highest, the reality is that online gambling is available at people's fingertips, whether it is in your home, as Mr Png Eng Huat mentioned in 2014 in his speech, or in people's pockets because they have smartphones with them. Likewise, with VPN and other technology, punters and syndicates will continue to try to circumvent blocking and enforcement measures. We hope people do not take to remote gambling. The collective effort must be undertaken by the Government, NGOs and VWOs. Public education and awareness raising have to work together with deterrence and law enforcement. But if you ask if a total ban will mean absolutely no online illegal gambling whatsoever, I think the answer is no. Let me just give some proxy data. As the Member has said earlier, in the last year plus, we had not had this exempt operator regime. Under the framework, there was, in fact, a grandfathering of existing remote betting facilities by both the applicants until the application is resolved. So, in some ways, it has not been an entire total ban, although we had implemented blocking measures. Nevertheless, online gambling has been here for the last year plus. It is attracting many people and is set to grow. How do we know this? First, look at the global trends. As I have said earlier, estimates are that the global online gambling size was around US$40 billion last year. Over the last five years, it grew by 6% to 8% percent. It will double every 10 years or so, assuming that the rate does not increase. And most of us are very connected to the Internet and are very tech-savvy. So, these global trends will impact us and we have to recognise that these trends will affect us.”
“I thank the Member for her questions. She asked about mixed signals, when in 2014 remote gambling was banned and then now in 2016 remote gambling is allowed through the exempt operators. As both the Minister for Social and Family Development and I have reiterated, in 2014 when the Bill was passed through Parliament, it was made clear that the framework comprised a comprehensive blocking of illegal websites, advertising targeted at Singaporeans and payments related to online gambling, as well as a safety valve. It reflected the Page: 18 way in which the problem could be managed and had been managed in the terrestrial sphere. Madam, in response to the Member's question, there has been no mixed signal. We were very clear and upfront that this was the framework and this was the way to tackle the growth of online gambling back in 2014. But let us be clear that we understand and we share the concerns of the Member and others who have voiced concerns consistently over the years about problem gambling. We are not in favour of gambling. We do not promote and we do not encourage it amongst our people. But we recognise gambling exists and people have very different viewpoints and values about gambling. Some object to gambling, fundamentally and in principle; others think that responsible gambling is possible and there is some autonomy they want to exercise. We have to be practical and recognise the realities when regulating and managing these vices.”
“I believe they are asking a rhetorical question and conflating the way in which you tackle crime and the way in which societies manage vices that have been around for ages. The magnitude of harm resulting from drug abuse is vastly different and much more severe. Our regimes towards drug abuse and vices, such as gambling, are , therefore, different in complexion. To conclude, the reality is that illegal gambling exists today. We cannot wish away the presence of underground markets, where criminal activities abound and signs of problem gambling go undetected. The exempt operator regime aims to provide a regulated and controlled outlet, to divert activities from illegal operators. It is an integral part of our strategy to deal with the problem of remote gambling. It complements the general prohibition of remote gambling, blocking of access and payments to illegal sites, strict enforcement and promotion of awareness and personal responsibility through public education, outreach and engagement.”
“The exempt operator has to be a not-for-profit entity that distributes monies to public, social or charitable purposes. Directors and key officers of the operator cannot have been convicted of offences that render them unfit. The operator must possess a consistent track record of compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. We have also restricted the betting products that the operators can offer. Betting products are limited to those currently available via terrestrial channels. Casino-style games and poker will not be allowed. The exempt operator is also required to implement strict social safeguards, to minimise potential harm to customers. The Minister for Social and Family Development had earlier elaborated on those social safeguards, in response to Mr Christopher de Souza's question. I would like to stress that the exemption regime does not change our stance towards gambling. We do not promote gambling. We do not think gambling should be a way to make a living. We conduct public education on the potential harm of gambling and we have social safeguards in Page: 17 place. We will continue to enforce strongly against all underground gambling activities. Our approach towards gambling is somewhat similar to the approach in many countries when managing other vices, such as drinking and smoking. Although we discourage drinking and smoking, we do not have a complete ban. Instead, we manage the potential harm through regulations and public education. Some have compared gambling to drug abuse and say if we allow a safety valve for gambling, why not have a safety valve for drug taking or drug offences.”
“Many underground gambling operations are related to international crime syndicates. For example, in the run-up to and during the recent Euro 2016 football championship, Police worked with foreign law enforcement agencies through Operation SOGA VI, which was an Interpol-led effort, to arrest persons involved in syndicated remote betting operations. In that one operation, 4,000 individuals were arrested across France, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Singapore. As part of that operation, the Singapore Police Force apprehended 39 suspects in Singapore, who dealt with S$2.5 million of bets. Taking a realistic and clear-minded approach, we have to recognise that a complete ban on remote gambling will drive demand underground and create larger incentives for criminal syndicates to target Singaporeans. Hence, the Remote Gambling Act provided for a tightly-controlled exempt operator regime. The exemption regime complements our strategy of general prohibition and blocking measures. Seen in totality, it is an entire ecosystem and framework of measures trying to reduce the problem of online problem gambling. Madam, this is consistent with our existing approach in the terrestrial gambling space – gambling activities are criminalised and a tightly-controlled valve is allowed as part of the overall system to minimise law-and-order concerns. From our experience with the terrestrial gambling space, this has worked well. A number of other jurisdictions, such as Hong Kong and Norway, adopt a similar approach – allowing regulated operators to complement a general prohibition of remote gambling. However, we are very careful with providing the exemption. We have imposed strict qualifying criteria for the exemption certificate.”
“If we look at IDA's data, in 2014, our mobile penetration rate was at a whopping 148%, compared to the global rate then at 93%. Likewise, the Internet penetration rate in Singapore was at 73%, versus a global average of 35%. Since the RGA came into force, we have effected a general prohibition, with robust enforcement and comprehensive blocking measures, to stem the growth of remote gambling within Singapore. Several hundred gambling websites, together with bank accounts and payments linked to remote gambling services, have been blocked. These measures are necessary, but not sufficient, to protect Singaporeans from the harms of illegal remote gambling and problem gambling. The nature of the Internet is such that it is not possible to completely block access to illegal gambling websites. We would be mistaken to believe that illegal online gambling does not exist today. Determined gamblers can circumvent website-blocking measures by using virtual private networks (VPNs) or through proxy websites. Since February 2015 to date, Police have arrested Page: 16 more than 120 persons for remote gambling activities. Underground gambling poses serious law-and-order concerns, particularly because of its linkages with organised crime. Secret societies are known to offer illegal 4D and other gambling products. Illegal bookies also engage in unlicensed moneylending and money laundering. Illegal remote gambling does not come with any social safeguards, as the Minister for Social and Family Development reiterated a number of times in his response. There is no expenditure limit, no prohibition on the use of credit cards, no monitoring of gambling behaviour and no help provided to ensure responsible gambling.”
“Madam, before I proceed, I would like to say that I believe all of us in this House have views on this issue, given the number of questions that have been raised. All of us feel very strongly about the ills of remote gambling, both the law-and-order concerns, as well as the social concerns that arise from problem gambling. Like many people outside this House, many of us here may also have personal convictions, values and beliefs about gambling. We respect and understand those personal viewpoints, values and beliefs. But we have to look at the issue from the national viewpoint, understanding the realities, practicalities and challenges at hand. Madam, the Remote Gambling Act (RGA) was passed by Parliament two years ago in 2014 and came into force in February last year. The legislation aims to tackle law-and-order issues associated with remote gambling and to protect young persons and other vulnerable persons from being harmed by remote gambling. The Act provides for a general prohibition on remote gambling. It criminalises the entire spectrum of remote gambling activities and puts in place a comprehensive set of website- and payment-blocking measures. It also provides for a tightly controlled exempt operator regime. So, when the Act was introduced, that was the framework: prohibition with a tightly-controlled valve. Madam, globally, remote gambling is a significant and fast-growing sector. Global remote gambling activities were estimated to be around US$40 billion in 2015 and grew at a rate of 6%-8% annually over the past five years. At this rate, the remote gambling market will double in size roughly every 10 years. Singapore is not immune from these global trends, given our high Internet and smartphone penetration rates.”
“I understand. So, I stand guided by Madam. This is in the context of the General Election rallies being made. I think these statements can be easily found as a matter of Page: 14 public record.”
“The issue of joint appointment, like I have said earlier, is water under the bridge. It would have been ideal if both could address one set of accountants because, really, it is one former entity and one set of accounts. In relation to the entire estate of the different precincts that used to form AHPETC, that is why HDB has suggested, after the Court of Appeal had ruled, that AHPETC had to appoint an accountant, and then suggested that perhaps both sides could consider. And that is in the context that the suggestion was made. Coming back to the Member's confirmation, and I thank him for confirming that he meant "improper" as opposed to "unlawful", because that could be a translation issue. Some of us recall, and we may be wrong, that during the General Elections in 2015, various Members from the Workers' Party or the AHPETC had said that there were no overpayments at all. So, why now the Member's position that there could possibly be "improper" payments, not just improper but that will warrant it being clawed back from FMSS?”
“If unlawful transactions are confirmed, as Town Council Chairman, I have a responsibility to recover that money with my team." Looking at the KPMG's remit, looking at what the Town Council is setting out to do and what the Chairman has articulated publicly to the newspaper, could the Chairman perhaps, in the spirit Page: 13 of this discussion, confirm that he cannot now rule out illegality or unlawful transactions?”
“And again, serious findings were found after lawyers from both sides provided affidavits and addressed the Court. The High Court, for instance, in its judgment, stated, and I quote: "there are grave and serious questions" about the state of accounts and whether payments to related parties were valid or proper". It also stated that there were numerous breaches of the Town Councils' Act and regulations. The High Court found that it was the "height of financial irresponsibility" and if the Town Council were an entity under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA), like a condominium, running a condominium, there would be serious ramifications both in civil and possibly in criminal law. It was a "travesty", the Court said, to ignore its duties, and that some parties who were before the Court had not been completely truthful. That was actually in the High Court's orders. Similarly, the Court of Appeal made certain findings. In fact, it repeated what the High Court had found. I have just spoken about 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. In 2016, we have KPMG which is appointed by AHTC, in compliance with limb one of the Court of Appeal's orders, and in that respect, the latest report in July raised serious concerns and this was what we articulated in the Parliamentary Question reply earlier. In relation to what the KPMG auditors are doing in relation to limb two – which is checking whether there are improper past payments – we came across an article by the Chairman of the Town Council, Mr Pritam Singh, to Lianhe Wanbao one or two weeks ago where he said, translated, "We have to rectify the issues raised, the AGO's report and audit all the previous transactions with the former managing agent FM Solutions and Services Pte Ltd (FMSS).”
“And for the last four financial years, this is a public statutory body charged with municipal services and Page: 12 collecting millions of dollars in public revenues and receiving millions of dollars in grants from taxpayers every year. In fact, collecting money every month through its principal source of revenue, which is S&CC. And its accounts have not been seen fit by accountants to be passed without disclaimers and without qualification. So, I think this is accountant-speak, but accountants will say that a qualified set of accounts is a serious matter. And that is for four consecutive FYs. Not by any accountant, but by accountants appointed by AHPETC and then AHTC. FY2011/2012, four consecutive years, until the present date. AGO is the independent accounting body which audits Government agencies as well, and there were lots of questions that were raised yesterday on Government agencies. Members asked many questions. AGO also made many findings of concern on AHPETC, and, in fact, I have articulated a summary of AGO's findings, which is that there is no assurance that AHTC's accounts are accurate or reliable, or that public funds are properly spent, accounted for and managed. So, that, in sum, is not about one individual process or one individual matter, but it is a finding of the AGO on the whole system of AHPETC and its accounts. In Parliament, this was also debated and all Members were involved deeply in the discussion. Members from AHPETC had, on the surface, agreed with the Motion and we all know that. But in substance, it did not seem that there were real answers in the debate and some of the questions asked were not answered. Be that as it may, this matter then went to two levels of the Supreme Court, both at the High Court and the Court of Appeal.”
“I thank the Member for her questions. On the second question, the email which sent some slides, basically, it flows from the concerns that have arisen with regard to the AHTC and AHPETC issues. We wanted to send out information to make sure that all Town Councils, not just AHTC, were on the same footing and would have this information, especially since we are on a new term, after the General Elections. As for the Member's first question about whether the other Town Councils have control failures, well, all the Town Councils ‒ and I believe AHTC, too ‒ should be submitting their annual accounts by the end of this month, and once everything is in order, they will be tabled before Parliament and then all Town Councils, I believe, will put it on their websites. So, the auditors' findings would then be made available, and the Town Council Management Report (TCMR) would then, of course, come out in due course to set out the banding as well as the findings on corporate governance and other issues relating to Town Council governance. The Member says that other Town Councils may also have governance failures. I have no doubt that, from time to time, they will make errors as well. These will be picked up and the MND and HDB secretariats will raise them. They will appear in the TCMR and we will speak about them. But I think it is also important for this House to keep in mind the context of the issues that AHTC had been facing, in that this is not KPMG citing control findings in relation an audit arising from a year. Instead, actually, this whole issue started when the new AHTC had taken over from 2011 from a Town Council which hitherto did not seem to have any of these qualified accounts.”
“It was in this context that HDB agreed to PRPTC's appointment of a different set of accountants, namely, PwC to carry out its Court of Appeal orders. To ensure that the reviews were carried out efficiently and effectively, HDB invited both Town Councils and both sets of auditors to a meeting in June to discuss the implementation details, such as scope and timeline, but AHTC twice declined to attend as it did not agree that PRPTC was bound by the Court of Appeal order, precisely what the Member has asked earlier in relation to PE. AHTC also did not give PRPTC access to the documents of PE and requested that HDB seek clarification from the Court of Appeal first. On 8 July 2016, the Court of Appeal ruled that PRPTC, on behalf of Punggol East, had an interest in the outcome of the work carried out by KPMG and because the issue of joint appointment, as the Member had alluded to, was already moot by then, the Court of Appeal directed that the two accountants communicate directly with each other to provide each other access as may reasonably be required to safeguard each other's interests.”
“On the night of 19 January 2016, the night before the next Court of Appeal hearing, AHTC wrote to the Court to state that MRI Moores Rowland had also withdrawn on 17 January 2016. So, this was 19 January; the date they had withdrawn was on 17 January. But no reasons were given. The latest development was also not mentioned in AHTC's two affidavits by the Chairman, I believe, on 18 January 2016. At the Court of Appeal hearing on 20 January 2016, it emerged that Business Assurance withdrew because it did not want to reveal its PMP inspection findings. This led the Court of Appeal to raise concerns about whether the Court had been apprised of all the facts in a candid and forthright manner and whether the Town Council had in place a system to ensure due diligence in selecting candidates to do this work. Page: 10 The Court of Appeal eventually heard evidence on 22 January 2016 that both of AHTC's nominated firms of accountants each had a member who had failed ACRA's PMP inspection. Agreeing that AHTC's nomination approach suggested a lack of rigour and basic due diligence, the Court of Appeal then directed AHTC to appoint one of the Big Four firms as the matter was of public interest and involved public funds. That is where I come from, as background, to the response to the Member's question. On 1 March 2016, AHTC then announced that they have appointed KPMG LLP with HDB's consent ‒ HDB consented because it is one of the Big Four ‒ to perform the task ordered by the Court of Appeal. After KPMG's appointment was announced by AHTC, PRPTC informed HDB on 3 March 2016 that it wished to appoint KPMG jointly with AHTC, but later updated HDB that AHTC was not agreeable.”
“Following the Court of Appeal judgment, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), on behalf of HDB, had written to AHTC and PRPTC on 4 December 2015. AGC had highlighted the importance of appointing accountants that could competently execute the duties envisaged by the Court of Appeal's orders, given the complexity of the work entailed. HDB suggested that the accountant be from the Big Four accounting firms. And to avoid duplication of effort, competing access to documents and incurring of costs, HDB also asked both Town Councils to consider making a joint appointment of accountants. And that is the genesis of the Member's question. On 4 December 2015, AHTC, however, nominated Business Assurance, while PRPTC sought to jointly appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) with AHTC on 15 December 2015. When asked to reconsider its nomination, AHTC had applied to the Court of Appeal for directions on the issue of appointment. AHTC also did not respond to HDB's subsequent queries on Business Assurance's experience and expertise, for example, their years of experience in the relevant areas of audit and the latest Practice Monitoring Programme (PMP) inspection results. The Court of Appeal later directed AHTC to file an affidavit to respond to HDB's queries by 11 January 2016. On the day of the deadline, AHTC had filed the response but instead of answering HDB's questions on Business Assurance's experience and competence, AHTC said that Business Assurance had withdrawn due to "intense media scrutiny", that since Business Assurance had withdrawn, it was no longer necessary to provide the information on Business Assurance and that the Town Council had nominated a new firm, MRI Moores Rowland, instead.”
“Madam, the Court of Appeal order was against the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC), as the Member would be aware, along with the former Chairman because they were involved in the proceedings. This AHPETC no longer exists in its Page: 9 previous form as a legal entity. Instead, because of the intervening General Elections, Punggol East was carved out and handed over to PRPTC and became part of that entity. So, based on the Town Council's declaration order, we are advised that this means that all the rights, obligations and liabilities of Punggol East then flow on to its successor organisation. In that sense, the accounts that relate to AHPETC are in relation to what would now be AHTC, which is one successor, and PRPTC, which is the other successor in respect of the Punggol East portion. So, that makes sense. The orders then need to be applied to all the entities for which the issues of AGO and all the Foo Kon Tan reports, and, indeed, the nub of the discussion in Parliament, they all relate to the former AHPETC. In that sense, both were required to comply with the Court order, which was initially at AHPETC. We are given to understand that PRPTC wanted to discuss the issue of appointment because they wanted to have some coordination and efficiency because, essentially, they are looking not just at PE or AHTC but looking at the whole previous entity and how they inter-relate. I think that makes sense. We are also given to understand that there was an attempt to then appoint a joint accountant but without success. In order to assist in Members' understanding of the question that the Member asked, allow me to take this House and Members through what we understand had happened.”
“Mdm Speaker, this is an area that we will look at in the course of the Town Councils Act review. In particular, we will further look at the handover process. We understand that when boundaries change, especially across political lines, delays in submission of accounts and documents may impact the financial audits of the receiving Town Council. This is certainly something that we need to look at in the course of this review.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his questions. The Town Councils Act review is ongoing and we aim to complete the review by the year. As the then Minister for National Development Mr Khaw Boon Wan had articulated, I believe at the opening of the Parliamentary debate of the Auditor-General's report, he said that the Town Council Act review ought to focus on three areas, principally: first, it would make clear that Town Councils are subordinate to and must comply with public authorities charged with public duties; second, to strengthen the Town Councils' corporate governance and financial accountability framework; and third, to strengthen MND's regulatory oversight and the powers to obtain information and conduct investigations, as well as to look at the overall penalty framework. In that sense, we will look at the Member's suggestions in the course of this review. I think I have addressed the Member's questions.”
“Residents of Aljunied, Hougang and also Punggol East need to be assured as to whether or not there were any improper past payments that ought to be recovered. The Singaporean public also needs to know as public monies and grants are at stake. Page: 8 MND and HDB will be studying the accountants' subsequent findings carefully and will take the necessary and appropriate actions to ensure that residents' interests are safeguarded and that any improper past payments are duly recovered.”