Don Wee
Singapore
“(In English): Finally, it is about public awareness. Beyond the real estate sector, what efforts will be made to educate the general public about these challenges to foster a culture of vigilance against money laundering?”
“Chairman, Enterprise Singapore plays a crucial role in supporting our SMEs through various grants and schemes in their green transition. However, the current reimbursement model creates uncertainty in capital recovery, discouraging SMEs from making much-needed investments in sustainable equipment.”
“Since the Government has household data on income, education and occupation, SkillsFuture can pre-qualify Singaporeans and directly recommend accredited courses tailored to their needs.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I have one supplementary question for the Minister of State. I thank the Minister of State for his positive update. I also thank LTA for improving the bus connectivity as well as the road safety of my Brickland residents over the past four years.”
“I propose that we channel these funds into strategic areas that will directly benefit Singaporeans, such as sustainability initiatives, green infrastructure projects and education programmes.”
“As the Registrar will be better empowered to maintain accurate records of directors, including disqualification status, this could lead to greater transparency and trust in corporate governance.”
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“I thank the Minister of State for his answer. Considering the recent bank failures overseas, what has been the impact on the insurance premiums which members of the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC) will have to pay? My second supplementary question is: should Singaporeans be concerned with the recent global failures of some of these banks overseas?”
“Thank you, Speaker. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State, will MOF consider working with Ministry of Law or Law Society, to look into this matter as its members also have a duty to highlight such risks to their clients when drafting the agreements?”
“Speaker, Sir, on 18 April, in my speech for the debate on the Motion of thanks to the President for her address, I said that car dealers can bid for Certificates of Entitlement (COEs), keep them up to six months, trade and sell to other car dealers. I also said that if only individual buyers or companies who need COEs are allowed to bid for them, this may bring down the COE prices of vehicles in Category C. [Please refer to "Debate on President's Address", Official Report, 18 April 2023, Vol 95, Issue 98, President's Address section.] I wish to clarify that both sentences were misstatements as COE bids in Categories A, B and D cannot be transferred. COEs in Categories C and E only be transferred once if the bids for them were made by individuals. If the bids are made under companies, businesses or organisations, the COEs cannot be transferred. Thank you for allowing me to clarify.”
“] Finally, I reiterate my appeal to MOM to review the foreign worker work permit quota since a number of SMEs, like the small or medium audit firms, face manpower constraints, especially those in the food and beverage sector. They are unable to hire enough Singaporean workers to meet their operational needs and are struggling to stay in business, even if they have enough demand and clients. I would like to conclude with my support of the Motion of thanks to the President.”
“This will help to raise awareness, inspire and encourage more Singaporeans to consider entrepreneurship. Singapore is working hard to attain food resilience and the Government is stepping up investments in food R&D, such as aquaculture, urban agriculture as well as alternative proteins. This is an appropriate and important sector for our SMEs to participate in. We need to increase local demand so that the cycle of local supply and demand is sustainable. May I also urge the Government to work with SMEs to improve their access to procurement opportunities? It is important for our domestic capability resilience to nurture and build local expertise in as many sectors as possible. Decarbonisation provides generation-defining business opportunities and our Singaporean companies are well-positioned to lead the way. We need Enterprise Singapore to provide more assistance to SMEs so that they know how to measure emissions as many MNCs have started to request their SMEs suppliers to furnish their carbon emission data. SMEs need to keep down their business costs, of which their vehicles' COEs constitute a portion, a big portion. Presently, car dealers bid for the COEs regardless of whether there are clients buying cars from them or not. They can keep and hog the COEs for months and trade and sell these COEs to other car dealers. If only individual buyers or companies, which need COEs, are allowed to bid for them, it may bring down the COE prices of Category C. I hope the Government can consider this suggestion. [Please refer to "Personal Explanation", Official Report, 20 April 2023, Vol 95, Issue 100, Personal Explanation section.”
“As sudden changes to their routines can be distressing for them, advance planning is important. The preparation includes introduction and exposure to facilities, environment settings, volunteers and care professionals as well as financial arrangements and legal documentation. Next, I would like to appeal for more support and assistance for our SMEs. There are many schemes and grants available, but some business owners have trouble navigating and understanding the processes. They are confused by the red tape and even need external consultants to advise them on what they are eligible for. Unfortunately, the owners and consultants' own interests do not always align, as the consultants' earnings are based on certainty and quantity of their commissions. Accessible, timely and neutral advice from knowledgeable agency staff would make a very big difference. As the President noted in her Address, Singapore will face more resource constraints – land, labour and carbon – in the near future. In addition, governments of major economies are providing support to boost their own industrial bases. There will be a greater drive for nationalistic projects. The global business environment will become more difficult for us. I am heartened that our Government will provide more support to promising companies, including customised financial support for local companies to build sustained research and development (R&D) and innovation capacity and to go global and grow into Singapore global enterprises. Will the Government consider publicising and sharing more about companies tapping capabilities in the IHLs as well as the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and engaging on platforms, such as the Global Innovation Alliance?”
“This includes sharing with them the trust services of Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC) supported by MSF and available insurance coverage. I urge the Government to work with the insurers to improve access to insurance coverage for persons with autism. They must not be discriminated against for unrelated risk factors, which is the most common and longstanding complaint. For low-income families, we must ensure that the treatment is affordable to them and provide the appropriate subsidies so that they will be able to keep up with the therapy. Counselling and adequate support should also be provided to the family members who often suffer from caregiver fatigue and burnout as well as depression. We need more activity and care centres for children and adults with autism to engage them and allow family members to work with peace of mind and caregivers to take regular breaks. For lower-income families, the lack of capacity in these centres often mean that someone in the family – often the mother – would not be able to work because she becomes the caregiver. This is a blow to their household income, plunging them into deeper financial difficulty. The new daycare activity programme by the Autism Association (Singapore) making use of community spaces, such as public libraries and schools, to address the issue of the lack of capacity in daycare activity centres for those over 18 years old is a good start. Autism lies on a spectrum, so while there are those who will be able to work and live independently, there are others are not able to do so. We need to establish care arrangements for them when their ageing parents and families are unable to continue taking care of them, especially the financially disadvantaged ones.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I welcome the Government's commitment to improve social safety nets to help Singaporeans better cope with setbacks in life. One group of Singaporeans which I would like to appeal for more support is families with autistic children, in particular, those from the lower-income families. One in 150 children in Singapore has autism, higher than the global average of one in 160 but lower compared to countries, such as the US, Japan, Denmark and Australia, which is one in 60 to 70. Experts think that our high rates are partly due to greater detection from higher awareness and testing and, if data from developed countries, like the US, is an indication, we may detect more cases in the future. Hence, it is important that the Government expedites the set-up of a national infrastructure to provide holistic support for Singaporeans with autism, from diagnosis to end of life. Early intervention is critical. The Ministry of Health (MOH) can or may ramp up public education efforts to increase awareness among parents to diagnose their children as soon as possible if they notice the symptoms. Parents should be reminded to follow up with their children's developmental milestone checks at polyclinics, clinics or hospitals. Upon diagnosis, these children need to be given sufficient treatment and therapy at the optimal frequency to give them the best chance to develop to their highest potential. This is an essential and the best investment we can make in them, especially during the small window period when they are young, which will yield good progress and benefits over the long term. Parents should also be provided with comprehensive advice by an appointed Government agency on how to navigate our system for the best care and protection for their children.”
“Next, regarding the beverage container return scheme, does the scheme operator have the flexibility or room to exercise creativity to entice consumers to recycle plastic bottles and metal cans, such as by refunding the deposits and topping up in the form of supermarket vouchers, in the event the scheme operators are partnering the supermarket chains, which have a better network of outreach, so as to improve the recycling rate? Would the Minister share what is the average return rate in other countries which had introduced this scheme earlier than Singapore? I would also like to ask how much space does a single returning point take up, and what would be the estimated monthly cost to operate a returning point? How will the Ministry ascertain the success of this scheme? Will the scheme be funded by taxpayers' money? Are there any Government grants that the beverage producers can tap upon to minimise producer fees which may be passed on to consumers eventually? I am worried that consumers will likely end up paying more if the recycled material value is lower than the cost of joining and complying with the licensed scheme. The other concern would be over people fighting over used metal cans and plastic bottles at F&B joints or rubbish collection points. Finally, I have some questions about food waste reporting. I would like to ask about food manufacturers which also have food catering businesses. May I propose that the food caterers be required to report the leftover food items brought back to their factories as food waste too? Would the Ministry consider penalising food caterers who dump the food waste at clients' places instead of bringing it back to the factories? Are food waste generators required to report the amount of food waste periodically?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill, which seeks to reduce packaging and food waste. Consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are, understandably, concerned about higher costs as a result of the new legislation. Allow me to share some of their specific queries. Supermarket outlets whose operators have an annual turnover of more than $100 million will be required to impose the minimum five-cent charge per carrier bag for purchases made. Does this charge apply to convenience stores like Cheers and 7-Eleven, which are related to the NTUC Fairprice and Dairy Farm groups respectively? May I clarify, for online orders of groceries by these supermarkets, would the charge also apply to the deliveries made? Mr Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] About 80% of our residents' households live in Housing and Development Board and about 16% in condominiums. It is a habit for Singaporeans to put their rubbish into plastic bags before throwing them down the rubbish chutes. I am concerned that residents will proceed to buy more plastic bags, which may be cheaper than five cents per piece if they buy in bulk. Unfortunately, there seems to be no better material than plastic to bag wet and perishable products. (In English): I am also concerned that reusable plastic bags, which shoppers are encouraged to bring along, may not be environmentally friendlier if the frequency of usage is low.”
“Chairman, the four self-help groups, namely, the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), Yayasan Mendaki (MENDAKI), Singapore Indian Association (SINDA) and the Eurasian Association (EA), have been playing an important role in uplifting their respective communities through programmes and services for vulnerable families. Their support for youths and education is especially noteworthy. They also build mutual understanding and strengthen bonds across different ethnic groups while preserving their own cultural practices and traditions which make Singapore's heritage so rich, diverse and interesting. What are MCCY's plans to engage our self-help groups and deepen collaborative efforts so as to strengthen cohesion among our communities? 1.15 pm Community Dispute Management Framework”
“Chairman, buildings in Singapore account for over 20% of our carbon emissions, what are MND’s plan to expedite our transition to a low-carbon built environment? Certainly, more can be done to green our existing stock of older buildings, which may be less energy efficient. Can the Ministry share its initiatives and schemes to reduce the carbon footprint of our older buildings? 2.45 pm At last year's COS, MND announced that it was exploring whether to require building owners to conduct energy audits to improve the energy performance of their buildings. What is the outcome of this review? Will the Ministry proceed to require this of owners, and if so, will there be any Government assistance to help the smaller building owners to perform the energy audits. Integrated Planning and Design”
“Chairman, the Singapore Exchange (SGX) has rolled out mandatory climate disclosures requirements, starting with issuers in the financial, energy and agriculture, food and forest products industries, based on the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures. Are there plans for the public sector to do likewise? The objective of mandatory climate disclosures is to ensure that the impact of our actions on climate change are systematically and thoroughly recorded in our work, business and investment decisions. Having actual data tracked routinely will help our organisations to get a better understanding of their choices in the course of their actions, enabling them to make better decisions in the future. This will lead to a more responsible and efficient allocation of resources and capital as well as to expedite Singapore's transition to become a more sustainable nation with low carbon emissions. This will also help us meet our international obligations and attain our net-zero carbon target in time. Climate Disclosures by the Government”
“The Government will factor in companies' sustainability-related policies and practices when evaluating Government tenders, including event venues, accommodation, public waste collection contracts and so on. I am curious how wide the scope would be and to what extent items will be evaluated. For example, as meat accounts for nearly 60% of all greenhouse gases from food production, does it mean less meat at events organised by the public sector? I look forward to the public sector's green procurement becoming an exciting new opportunity for our home-grown companies. It is very important to support our SMEs as the public sector transits to green procurement. SMEs may face significant obstacles in their attempts to bid for and win public procurement contracts for many reasons, including their limited resources, lack of knowledge about the new green requirements, unfamiliarity with possibly lengthy and difficult bidding processes and so on. I appeal to the Government to make an effort during this transition phase to provide support for our SMEs. How is the Government driving green procurement, so as to help SMEs and to engender a green economy? GreenGov.SG and Green Procurement”
“Thank you, Chairman. In 2021, the public sector launched GreenGov.SG to lead Singapore's pursuit of sustainable national development, as laid out in the Singapore Green Plan 2030. Under GreenGov.SG, the public sector aims to reach ambitious sustainability targets in carbon abatement and resource efficiency as well as influence support and enable green efforts nationwide, whether these are initiated by individuals, community groups or the private sector. Under GreenGov.SG, the public sector aims to peak its carbon emissions around 2025, ahead of the national target. Specific targets are set for buildings, information technology (IT), transport and solar deployment. Public sector infrastructure and operations, such as public transport, infrastructure and healthcare facilities, are included. May I ask the Minister to elaborate on how this will be done, without affecting the quality of public services? Will such efforts entail higher costs, leading to higher fees? If so, what measures are there to mitigate these increases, particularly in view of the inflationary environment currently? In addition, how will the Minister ensure that the public sector's organs, Ministries, and statutory boards meet the set targets? Would MSE share how GreenGov.SG will work with Singaporeans and residents and the private sector to reach its ambitious goals? Can the Government provide an update on our progress so far and what lies ahead? Government's Green Procurement The Ministry had shared that to enable a sustainable economy, it would require the public sector to engage in green procurement. Hence, products must meet high efficiency or sustainability standards. This requirement will apply to a very wide range, from electrical appliances to building materials.”
“Thank you, Chairman. One question. ITE College West is situated in my constituency, so I have a first-hand encounter on how the ITE students have organised activities for my Choa Chu Kang residents very well. And these students are supported by very caring ITE lecturers, who not only teach, but also care for them, as many of these students come from disadvantaged families. So, with the introduction of a Higher Nitec since 2022, both the students and the lecturers have to grapple with additional demands. I understand that each student has about 20 hours of classroom time every week, and each lecturer has to handle 40 students, which include the SEN ones. Therefore, can MOE consider giving ITE the flexibility to employ more teaching assistants to augment the lecturers? 1.00 pm”
“Mr Chairman, decarbonisation is a generation defining business opportunities and our Singaporean companies are well-positioned to lead the way. According to the UOB SME Outlook Study 2022 Report, many SMEs understood the importance of sustainability. We need Enterprise Singapore to provide more assistance to SMEs so that they know how to measure emissions as many MNCs buyers have started to request their SME suppliers to furnish their carbon emission data. What are the quantifiable aims of the Enterprise Sustainability Programme (ESP)? How does Enterprise Singapore promote this ESP to the 290,000 SMEs in Singapore? I understood that many business consultants help to promote these Government schemes to the SMEs and assist these SMEs with the application of grants or reimbursements. These consultants' earnings are predicated on the loan amounts approved or amounts of grant received by the SMEs. If a particular scheme's approval process is lengthy or if there is no certainty that the grant can be approved after a huge amount of capital expenditure is incurred, the business consultants will only promote more straight-forward schemes, like Enterprise Financing Scheme, and not the ESP nor the Enterprise Innovation Scheme (EIS). I also hope that Enterprise Singapore can process the reimbursements according to the mini project milestones completed so that these SMEs' cash flow constraints can be alleviated. Lastly, how can more support be provided to the small accounting and auditing practices which provide sustainability accounting or assurance services to the SMEs? Sustainability Reporting”
“Chairman, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to our economy and society. In particular, the education, training and opportunities for our young people had been impacted. Many lessons and training programmes were conducted online, and our youth were not able to harness the full benefits of in-person interactions and hands-on experience. Technology is changing the way we live and work. Notwithstanding the global layoffs by major technology companies, digital skills – such as coding and data analytics – will continue to be crucial in the future of work. It is important that our young NSmen are adequately prepared to meet the challenges of the new economy, even as they train to defend our nation. In this regard, MINDEF's Work-Learn Scheme is well-placed to meet the aspirations of our people. Since it was introduced in 2018, MINDEF had expanded it to cover more roles and vocations. Last year, Senior Minister of State Mr Heng Chee How highlighted and updated that the SAF will introduce another two Work-Learn Schemes – the Digital Work-Learn Scheme for eligible servicemen to pursue undergraduate degrees in areas, such as Computer Engineering and Data Science, as well as the Work-Study Diploma for Supply Supervisors. Can MINDEF provide an update on the expansion of the Work-Learn Scheme for NSFs to more roles and vocations? Vocation and Career in SAF”
“Maintaining armed forces is expensive. Building a strong and advanced military is even more so. Being a small country, it is more challenging for us to negotiate prices for weapons and such as we do not have the economies of scale. 7.30 pm Given these developments, could the Minister for Defence please tell us what will our defence spending look like in the coming years? What are the projections for defence spending this year? Will spending return to the past baseline following the impact of COVID-19? Military Expenditure”
“Chairman, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many countries have started to allocate a bigger share of their budgets to defence. Countries understand that they can no longer take their security for granted. Germany intends to raise its defence spending by at least 2% of its GDP. Likewise, Japan is stepping up its defence spending and seeking to move beyond 1% of its GDP too. It goes without saying that the US and China have consistently expanded their annual budgets and will continue to do so. Many countries are likely to follow suit. Could the Minister for Defence tell us what some of the global trends in defence spending are? Given our small size and vulnerable position, how will these spending trends affect Singapore? Singapore's Defence Spending Singapore has consistently and continuously invested in defence over the last five decades to ensure we have a strong military force capable of a robust defence. There are trade-offs and opportunity costs as a result of our efforts to sustain our commitment to defence. We have persisted, despite the challenges, as we are cognisant that Singapore, as a small island-state, can neither take its own defence for granted nor count on others to defend us. Many of our pioneers were sacrificed when Singapore quickly fell to the Japanese in 1942 when Great Britain was distracted by events in Europe. Hence, upon our Independence, our founding leaders heavily prioritised national defence as they were keenly aware that without ensuring our own security, there would be no future for Singapore. A recent MOF report states that the Government will need to make further moves to boost revenue. These fiscal pressures will continue, given the uncertain economic conditions, our ageing population and rising costs.”
“I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply. Many small and medium enterprise (SME) owners had informed me that they are actually affected by the climate change although their buyers may be overseas. So, I do hope that the Ministry for Sustainability and Environment (MSE) can consult the SMEs when setting up this fund.”
“These programmes can be tailored to meet the individual needs of students and provide them with the necessary skills to join the workforce. I would like to request for more training for teachers to better support students with special education needs. This could include providing ongoing professional development opportunities and creating specialised training programmes. More inclusive classroom environments, providing more support services within mainstream schools and increasing the number of specialised schools and programmes would be a big step forward. Parents of children with special education needs need more support and information on available support services, parent support groups and how they can be involved in decision-making processes related to their child's education. ITEs can support and improve accessibility for students with disabilities by making its facilities and campus more accessible. This includes providing ramps, elevators and other assistive technology. Last but not least, may I request support for ITEs to collaborate with community organisations and businesses and create internship and work opportunities for these students? Internships will help students to gain practical experience and improve their chances of finding employment after graduation.”
“I hope the Ministry of Education (MOE) can give more resources to the ITEs so that it can start to recruit teaching assistants like what the other public schools are already doing currently. With more teaching staff, the lecturers will be able to provide more individual attention to students and customise their teaching to the specific needs of each student. Significant progress in providing support and services for students with special education needs (SEN) has been made. I applaud that. However, may I suggest the following for further improvement? Would the Government consider targeted public education campaigns, community outreach and increase the visibility of special needs students in mainstream settings to raise public awareness and understanding of special education needs to reduce stigma and gain acceptance? Like Healthier SG, can MOE tap on private sector psychiatrists and psychologists so that deserving students can receive diagnosis quickly? I was informed that the current waiting time to be seen by Institute of Mental Health (IMH) or other restructured hospital can be long. Proper assistance can only be rendered towards the special education needs students who have been diagnosed formally. There is also a need to expand support services, such as therapy, counselling and mental health services to meet the diverse needs of these students. This could include increasing funding for services, expanding the pool of qualified professionals and increasing the availability of assistive technologies. More funding is required to develop more specialised programmes for students with different disabilities, including autism, visual and hearing impairments, and learning difficulties.”
“In addition, businesses must also pay for vehicle registration fees, road taxes and maintenance costs. The COE of a van is $87,000 currently. Can we have a separate category for commercial vans and provide grants to these companies so that end consumers can pay lesser? How about establishing an Alliance-for-Action involving Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Enterprise Singapore (ESG), Land Transport Authority (LTA) and companies like supermarket chains so as to explore the possibility of operating a fleet of commercial vehicles like vans and trucks 24 hours a day? This is to minimise lull time and mitigate the shortage of heavy vehicles carpark. Can MOM issue more work passes to businesses like confectionaries, supermarket chain, essential services providers whose operations can function overnight? By doing so, our businesses can employ more foreign workers to overcome manpower shortages for roles which Singaporeans will not take up and as a result, the businesses' productivity will improve. Generally, electric commercial vehicles may have a higher upfront cost compared to their conventional counterparts, but they offer lower operating costs, reduced maintenance expenses and environmental benefits. I spoke with a few SMEs owners who own diesel-fuelled buses and trucks. Besides the high upfront cost, they also need to upgrade their substation which requires another sum of capital expenditure. Can the Government look into this aspect? Next, I would like to advocate for special needs students from disadvantaged families while studying in ITEs. I declare that I am the advisor of the Union of ITE Training Staff.”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In terms of funding and resource support, the Government may wish to consider providing more support to SMEs that are already established and connected to our local networks, before considering whether it should support their overseas ventures. Our local companies should develop an ecosystem comprising SMEs and local large companies (LLCs) to market their products and services as a team to multinational companies or when expanding to overseas markets. Within this local network, our companies can share information on customers, other companies, industries and the economy, as well as services such as legal and translation services. It is more cost effective. There is also room for further collaboration between our businesses and our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and research centres. This type of team strategy had been used effectively by companies from countries such as Japan and Israel. We can start from the 23 Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs). (In English): As for the problem with manpower constraints, would the Government consider reviewing the foreign worker work permit quota? Some SMEs argue that the quota is too low and does not reflect their actual labour needs. As a result, they are unable to hire enough workers to meet their operation needs and are struggling to remain competitive. All these quotas are being taken up despite the high price of foreign workers levies. Does that mean that the quota system is not working as desired? One of the major expenses for businesses is the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) for vehicles. The cost of obtaining a COE can be significant, especially for larger vehicles like vans that are used for commercial purposes.”
“How soon do these SMEs receive the grants or reimbursement from the time they submit their applications? I would like to appeal for more assistance for SMEs applying for Government assistance, subsidies or grants because some struggle to understand suitable solutions for their business needs and complicated application procedures. Sometimes, the application process takes too long and they may not receive the subsidies in time to meet their operation cashflows. Some commerce and trade associations assist SMEs with their applications for Government schemes and support measures too. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) may consider boosting financial support for chambers of commerce and business associations to better assist SMEs in this respect. I understand that business consultants promote these Government schemes to their SMEs and their earnings are predicated on the loan amount approved or the amount of grant received. Therefore, if the application cycle is too long for a particular scheme, it is less likely that a business consultant would promote this scheme to his or her clients. I also urge our Government agencies and Government-linked companies to support our SMEs by providing more business to them so as to benefit almost 70% of the Singaporean workforce indirectly. For example, the Government can divide big projects into smaller contracts, allowing SMEs to compete with one another to undertake such projects. The winners will be able to establish reliable business channels and prove their performance abilities and competence to Government agencies, going on to achieve growth, expand their scale and develop to a size big enough to compete with foreign companies and compete for larger Government projects. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this year's Budget. It is assuring that quite a few pressing issues have been addressed by this Budget. Today, I would like to speak on two topics. The first, is how to provide greater support for our small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the second, is on assistance for special needs Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students from disadvantaged families. Our SMEs contribute to almost half of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employ at least two-thirds of our Singaporean workforce, playing a crucial role in our economy. They need supportive measures to ensure their growth and sustainability in an increasingly competitive business environment. Presently, businesses face logistics problems as supply chains remain disrupted amidst increasing geopolitical tensions. They also must deal with rising wage bills as there is a shortage of skilled manpower. The rising cost of business operations puts an enormous strain on their cashflows. I am grateful for the various policies and schemes which the Government has implemented to assist them. The new Enterprise Innovation Scheme, the top-up of $150 million for the SME Co-Investment Fund, $4 billion for the National Productivity Fund and $1 billion for the Singapore Global Enterprises initiative, amongst others, are greatly welcomed. The Government is also investing in the creation of innovation hubs, such as the Jurong Innovation District, to promote collaboration among companies, technology and education providers as well as research centres. What are the aims or KPIs of the new Enterprise Innovation Scheme? Is it to produce a certain number of unicorns by a certain timeline?”
“Next, the paid-up capital requirement was introduced to ensure that operators can keep up with wage climbs under the cleaning sector's existing Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the long haul and adopt more technological solutions which can be costly. I hope that the Government agencies which engage cleaning services from Class 1 licensees do not pass on the costs to Singaporeans indirectly as many are struggling with inflation. I also appeal to the Ministry to provide grants so as to assist these deserving companies in their purchases of expensive equipments to improve productivity. Finally, I would like to ask how NEA will track and check that deserving resident workers in the waste collection and materials recovery sectors receive their wage increments. I support the Bill.”
“The wife also has concerns about the treatment partly because of the medications' side effects he had experienced previously. This FSC informed that such littering behaviour does not warrant a need for enforced treatment. On the other hand, high-rise littering is not a sufficient reason to get the Police to compel the owner to open the door. Meanwhile, the neighbours continue to experience such disamenities. Therefore, I would like to know how this amendment will abate such littering cases. Is it possible to empower NEA to refer them to IMH for assessments directly? I suspect that in some cases, the offenders may not necessarily have any mental conditions, just the bad personal habit of littering. Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to seek a clarification. For recalcitrant offenders, is there a minimum time period when they will be issued the second and third fines after they have committed the first and second offences respectively? I would also like to ask the Ministry if such fines have been effective against recalcitrant offenders? What happens when they plead financial hardship as the reason for being unable to pay and yet continue littering? (In English): The Bill makes it an offence to cause or permit the dumping or disposal of waste in a public place from 1 July onwards. I have had cases in my estate where the contractors and residents threw bulky items into the pneumatic waste conveyance systems and caused blockages for the entire precinct for days. Will this Bill penalise such errant acts? Can this Bill allow Town Councils to install CCTVs to catch the suspects?”
“Mr Speaker Sir, I support the proposal to hold the owners or tenants of HDB flats responsible for high-rise littering from their units. With the new law, I am hopeful that households or co-tenants would be more motivated to prevent littering. I appreciate that NEA will exercise care when investigating cases committed by young children, the elderly and vulnerable groups who may claim to have mental conditions. May I check what age is defined as an "elderly" for the purpose of this Bill? I am concerned that if NEA just issues warnings to cases with mental conditions, the fundamental problem of littering and its associated safety risks remains. Can NEA refer these alleged culprits to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) immediately, so that the medical assessments can be made swiftly? I support that these offenders be required to attend assessments within a stipulated timeframe. If no valid reason is provided to explain their absence, they should be deemed guilty of having committed high-rise littering. I have a case in my constituency where a gentleman does high-rise littering on a daily basis for the past few years. The tissue papers and plastic bags are stuck on trees and may pose health hazards to the residents staying on the second and third levels. When NEA, Town Councils, workers, community volunteers and myself approached the family members on various occasions, they often claim that the house owner is mentally unsound and they cannot control his behaviour. We enlisted the help of a Government agency in the hope that it can perform the assessment and refer this culprit to IMH. This Government agency involves the Family Service Centre (FSC) which spoke to his wife as the uncle is always hiding inside the room or the toilet.”
“Thank you, Speaker. In Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to ask the Minister even if newspaper circulation is not the primary concern here, what measures does the Ministry have to prevent such undesirable behaviours from happening again in future?”
“Private sector players maybe more updated and relevant as they can be more nimble and quicker to customise programmes for Singaporeans. Gone are the days when Universities were the main authority on one's qualifications for a job. Tech companies must continue to drive movement where one's proficiency in a particular software leads to a new career opportunity. Smaller training providers may be more flexible than the conventional IHLs when customising training syllabus. To raise the quality of adult training and education in Singapore, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) sets out Adult Educators (AE) Qualifications Requirements that apply to training providers providing SSG-funded certifiable courses. Can SkillsFuture work with the respective sector agencies, like the Singapore Accountancy Commission, to groom more individual trainers, like the Chartered Accountants, lawyers and engineers who will advertise their courses responsibly? Finally, may I request that the more experienced adult educators be granted more credit exemptions for the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Advanced Certificate in Learning and Performance (ACLP) modules from the Institute for Adult Learning. Thank you. I support the Bill.”
“Has the Government received complaints about training providers using IT gadgets to bait elderly Singaporeans to sign up for IT courses? When they turn up on the day of the courses, they are asked to click on a few buttons and leave the training venues shortly after signing the attendance sheets, without learning what the courses promised to offer. In other words, does the Act prohibit the training providers from offering irrelevant items to attract course participants, even though such courses are funded by SSG? I have also received feedback about seniors being recruited to attend courses, especially the IT-related ones, even though they do not have the required language or foundation subject knowledge to understand the training materials. Do SSG's authorised inspectors and persons contact the participants and check on the learning outcomes? How does SSG check on the courses which are conducted virtually, if any? Such random checks will deter training providers from making fraudulent representations about participants passing courses when they had failed. If the Bill is passed, can the persons convicted of the offences be blacklisted and barred from setting up or financing other training operators for a minimum period of time? Will the Ministry share how many suspension notices have been issued against errant training operators since 2016? How does Government prevent scammers from posing as accredited training providers, which can be found on SkillsFuture's online portal and obtain personal information from potential applicants? The Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) are credible training providers. But are we relying too much on these IHLs? How does the Government encourage credible professionals to become SkillsFuture's certified trainers?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Lifelong learning is now an integral part of our social compact in Singapore. Through continuous education, our people are staying updated with the relevant knowledge and skillsets. This enables us to be competitive in employment and contribute meaningfully to our families and community. SkillsFuture plays an important role in our Continuing Education and Training (CET) landscape. In MySkillsFuture portal, these available courses and training providers are grouped by industries and areas of training. Learners can register for courses and claim SkillsFuture Credits via this website. Most assume that the courses offered on this website have been vetted and are recognised by the Government. Otherwise, why would the Government permit Government funds to be used on these programmes? (In English): Hence, I would like to seek clarifications regarding circumstances in which training providers falsely indicate that their courses are recognised by the Government. How can we provide greater clarity on the validity and quality of these courses? Does the Ministry plan to make the portal even simpler and more straightforward, so that the public can check for accredited training providers easily? Are there any guidelines to help the training providers promote their programmes? Will the Ministry exert greater control over where such courses are offered, in addition to the website? In addition, how will the Ministry familiarise Singaporeans with Industry Transformation Maps so that Singaporeans will know which relevant certified courses to enrol in? I have another concern regarding training companies.”
“Thank you, Speaker. What are the main reasons given by these owners who are caught not staying in these flats and if this set of information is useful from preventing this group of potential infringers from applying flats that they do not need, going forward?”
“Thank you, Speaker. Sir, one supplementary question. The few relevant M-SEP firms that I had chatted with are appreciative of this new scheme. They raised concerns that their professionals service providers, like the audit firms in the corporate secretaries which support their incorporation and growth, are also experiencing manpower challenges. Therefore, can MOM and MTI work with the Professional Services Programme office to include or to explore the inclusion of the accountancy sector into this scheme?”
“Each service provider decides on its chargers and uses its own app to facilitate payment and the chargers’ locations. Will the Government consider developing a single app to integrate all service providers and set a common charging rate across all? Lastly, I am concerned about the issues of batteries, as in the utilisation of batteries, swapping services and recycling. I understand that batteries are resource-intensive, requiring up to two batteries for a vehicle on the road. What is the Ministry’s view on this and should we be more mindful about not encouraging battery-swapping schemes? How would we deal with battery disposals? Old batteries may generate a lot of toxic chemicals and potentially cause explosions. The recycling and disposal of such batteries is still an industry in its nascent stage. What are MOT’s plans for this sector? As EVs are adopted by the rest of South-east Asia, Singapore can, potentially, become a regional centre for battery recycling and disposal. If we can close the loop by taking care of EVs from purchasing to charging and maintenance and, finally, to disposal, we will be able to transit smoothly into the adoption and development of this sector. I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Under this scheme, owners who register fully electric cars receive a rebate of 45% off the Additional Registration Fees (ARF), capped at $20,000. I would like to ask what is the outlook for EEAI that will be expiring end of next year? Will the Government consider extending the scheme to encourage more owners to switch to EVs? As 2022 to mid-2025 is the period with the lowest COE quotas in a 10-year cycle, not many owners will be keen to switch to EVs earlier as their COEs are due later, after 2025. Alternatively, would MOT consider a separate COE category for EVs, considering the past few years’ take-up rate for EVs to determine the EV COE quota size? On the COEs for EVs, can LTA consider extending the COE life from the current 10 years to a longer period, say 12 years, at the same quota premium? This will be another incentive to encourage owners to switch to EVs. The PARF rebate, if any, which is at 50% of ARF at the end of 10 years, should be reduced, in tandem, to 45% and 40% at end of the 11th and 12th year respectively. Would the Government consider allowing some rebates or incentives at point of purchase and/or for the usage of EVs manufactured in Singapore? For example, waivers of ERP and road tax and free parking at public car parks for a period of time may be attractive to potential EV buyers. I also urge MOT to consider more incentives for private apartments and condominiums to install chargers so that potential owners will have less range anxiety and switch to EVs with confidence. We also need a clear framework to minimise inappropriate use and hogging of charging lots and ensure that EVs can have access to chargers easily. There are more companies awarded tenders to install public chargers these days.”
“Mr Speaker, I declare that I am working at a Singapore bank and I do not manage any revenue performance target. With the increasing number of EVs on our roads, it is necessary for us to legislate the charging of EVs to ensure safety and accessibility of reliable chargers all over our island. As part of the transitional arrangements, the Government is allowing existing suppliers to continue to supply non-approved EV chargers for six months from the commencement of the Bill. I have a clarification for MOT – will these chargers be allowed to continue usage beyond these six months? Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin, please (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] My next question is regarding power capacity. What are the Government’s plans to ensure that public carparks, industrial parks, public and private buildings, bus terminals, hospitals, amongst others, will have enough and the required electric power capacities? In addition, what safety preparations and back-up measures do we have in the event of flooding of areas with these chargers? (In English): I would like to urge for incentives for private apartments and condominiums to install chargers so that potential owners will have less range anxiety and switch to EVs with confidence. In line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030 to promote EV adoption, Singaporeans can tap on many business and job opportunities. I urge LTA to collaborate with the private sector players like the banks. For example, UOB has put in place financing to promote the development of the EV sector and the transition to green vehicles. MOT had also launched an EV Early Adoption Incentive (EEAI) which runs from January 2021 to December 2023.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. In Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I have a question. First, I would like to declare that my father, uncle and cousin are taxi drivers. Can the Minister consider to completely remove this regulation? In reality, during peak period at taxi stands, it is impossible for the taxi driver to reject a passenger from coming into the taxi after the earlier passenger had alighted, because the driver needs to get out to check the rear row, which includes lifting up the carpets if they follow the spirit of the regulation. This is not practical. In addition, some taxis do broadcast reminders to remind the passengers to check their belongings before alighting.”
“They will also be called upon to enhance internal processes. Audit professionals and tax advisors, CFOs and finance teams must understand and apply carbon tax regulations and guidelines, both regionally and globally. With the sustainability movement being at a nascent stage, there is insufficient skilled talent in this area. More must be done to equip the accountancy profession with certifiable skills in sustainability. In this regard, the Government can partner professional bodies, like ISCA, in preparing the accountancy profession for the transition to a green economy. To conclude, I commend the Government again on its efforts to ensure greater alignment among the Government agencies. I support the Bill.”
“Furthermore, unregulated accountants and accountancy services can lead to a negative perception of the accountancy profession and its competencies. This will undermine public confidence and trust in both our accountancy profession, the regulatory system and Singapore’s credibility as a global financial centre. I propose, for a start, to make it compulsory for financial statements of public-listed companies to be signed by the preparer who must be a Chartered Accountant. I would also suggest making it mandatory for the Audit Committee chairperson of a public-listed company to be a Chartered Accountant. This will help ensure that the entire financial reporting value chain is subject to proper and adequate quality control. The third area is the need to boost sustainability skillsets. As I mentioned in my Parliamentary speech last month, the accountancy profession plays a critical role in supporting Singapore’s transition towards a green economy. Accountants are required to meet the demands arising from these trends, which include decarbonisation, sustainability reporting and green finance. CFOs and finance managers will need to manage carbon trading. They need to understand carbon markets, credits and measurement of emissions, as well as sustainability reporting frameworks, guidelines and principles. They also need to navigate different and difficult regulatory and sustainability frameworks, both regionally and internationally. Those in corporate finance will need the skillsets in green finance and sustainability risk management. This is timely, as this House has just passed the Carbon Pricing Bill yesterday. Audit and assurance professionals will require upskilling in sustainability reporting and assurance requirements.”
“To do this, there should be regulation whereby preparers of financial statements, especially those working in public interest entities, must be Chartered Accountants. Accountants in Singapore are, primarily, unregulated as long as they are not public accountants. Under the Accountants Act, only those who provide public accountancy services must register with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. There are no regulations governing those who provide non-audit services like accounting, taxation or consultancy, financial services and those who are employed in business, commerce and industry. Furthermore, the title "accountant" is used loosely, as any individual can practise and declare themselves an accountant. This has grave implications. There is no incentive for unregulated accountants to continuously upskill or adhere to ethical requirements as they are not required to comply with continuous professional development requirements and are not answerable for misconduct or any forms of discredit to the accountancy profession. For instance, unregulated accountants who are not kept abreast of the anti-money laundering regulations and sanctions may be susceptible to being used by money launderers as they may not be aware of the latest money laundering methods and trends. Another concern is the impact of poor quality financial reporting on audits and the effective functioning of capital markets. Relevant and reliable financial information is core to the functioning and integrity of our capital markets and it supports the reputation of Singapore as an attractive place of business with strong financial systems and credible finance as well as accounting professionals and advisors.”
“Given the diverse roles professional accountants can play in an increasingly complex business environment, SCAQ should be designed to cater to a wider range of career pathways. I note that SCAQ, currently, contains a module on valuation but does not delve deeper into the topics of sustainability and forensics. For the existing valuation module, a review should be undertaken to consider if the curriculum should be broadened to provide appreciation of pertinent valuation issues driving the businesses currently, for example, changes and impact to businesses caused by climate change and/or other ESG factors. The review can be conducted jointly with the Institute of Valuers and Appraisers Singapore, which is supported by the Singapore Accountancy Commission currently. To further enhance the programme’s value proposition, it should focus on attracting a wider audience to inject talent diversity through the review of the programme entry requirements and structure enhancements, increasing flexibility on how practical experience is recognised and exploring regionalisation opportunities. For greater inclusivity and to widen the talent pool beyond those who have pursued accountancy tertiary studies, having multiple entry pathways and recognition of relevant competencies would improve the profession’s accessibility. The second area is the need to tighten policy and enhance regulation of preparers of financial statements. While we build the talent pool, it is important to also look at upholding financial reporting quality, which is crucial to maintaining Singapore’s reputation as a global financial centre and business hub.”
“The Business Times reported that students are choosing courses that will lead to hot jobs in fields, such as data science and environmental sustainability, over accountancy. The accountancy talent pool has also shrunk. According to data published by MOE, the total intake of accountancy students at the Autonomous Universities has fallen from 1,508 in 2017 to 1,368 in 2020. This seems to contradict with my observations, as there is now a severe shortage of accountants in the jobs marketplace, with demand outstripping supply. Demand for accountants will continue to grow. Singapore's accountancy sector is expected to add 6,000 to 7,000 jobs by 2025, from a workforce of about 100,000 now. The talent shortage in the accountancy sector is an urgent issue and we need to develop the accountancy talent pipeline to meet the projected demand to support the growth of Singapore’s businesses and the economy. More needs to be done to increase the supply of professional accountants. I would like to suggest the merged entity to look into these three key areas. The first area is on the enhancements to the Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification (SCAQ). SCAQ is the gateway to the future of the accountancy sector. It is the main qualification pathway for one to qualify as a Chartered Accountant of Singapore. As the national Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification, SCAQ is an important product of Singapore and a brand with the potential to be marketed regionally and internationally, just like the renowned ACCA, which is a key export of the UK. SCAQ was launched in 2013. It should be reviewed and enhanced holistically to be more in line with market expectations.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I declare that I am an elected Council Member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) and a member of the Accountancy Workforce Review Committee, but I do not have any commercial interest in any accounting entity. Accountancy has continued to thrive because of the key role it plays in supporting capital markets and businesses, and it continues to evolve and remain relevant to industry needs. As reflected in the Accountancy Jobs Transformation Maps for In-house Finance and Accounting Functions and Accounting Practices, job roles in accountancy continue to evolve and new roles are emerging, in tandem with the rapidly changing business landscape. I commend the Government for the Jobs Transformation Maps and various other initiatives to upskill and reskill the profession. All professions have to constantly adapt to changes arising from technological advancement and climate change, and the accountancy profession, in particular, is adapting well. These developments reflect the need for the Government to prepare accountants for emerging roles. Therefore, the merger of the accountancy-related units in ACRA, SAC and ASC secretariats into a strengthened accountancy function under one entity is a step in the right direction. This merger will strengthen the effectiveness of regulation, standard-setting and sector development by harnessing synergies across complementary functions. The merged entity will also be better able to support the needs of the accountancy profession as Singapore transitions to a green economy. Looking ahead, there are pertinent areas that need to be enhanced to further grow the accountancy sector and profession. For instance, there is a misperception that the accountancy sector is no longer an attractive career.”
“We need MAS to incentivise and guide the financial institutions to provide transition finance to these large emitters which will try its best to nullify its GHG emissions. We need ESG to provide more assistance to SMEs so that they know how to measure emissions. And we should look to MAS to lead a regional effort to support a just transition and decarbonisation not just in Singapore, but in the region. Being a frontrunner in adopting sustainable initiatives also means that Singapore companies will be in a better position to help others in ASEAN. Increasing the carbon tax to $25 per tonne will raise the retail cost of electricity by an amount well within the fluctuations we have been seeing since 2021. The entire ecosystem of players – Government, regulator, companies, financial institutions, SMEs and consumers need to come together to support our net-zero target by 2050. I hope Singaporeans will come together on this issue of greening our economy and focus on the big picture at this inflexion point in our history. Decarbonisation is a generation-defining business and job opportunity, and our Singaporean companies are well-positioned to lead the way. Notwithstanding the abovementioned, I support the Bill.”
“Rather, tight regulations and effective enforcement will deter environmentally harmful behaviours, so that the carbon tax need not do all the heavy lifting. Over time, we will gradually phase out habits, lifestyles, items and systems which are not green. As the large emitters are already applying their own internal carbon prices and are aligned on decarbonisation, I believe that the carbon tax should not have too much of an impact on Singapore's competitiveness. Although, in the near term, this is a concern because not many countries have a carbon tax to begin with. To deter carbon leakage, can the Government also explore taxing the carbon content of imported goods? For example, the European Union had unveiled its draft scheme to target imported steel, aluminium, cement, fertiliser and other greenhouse gas-intensive goods produced in countries with weaker climate policies. The rationale is to protect the industries in Singapore, which face high carbon costs and progressively tougher climate regulations at home, against cheaper imports from nations with weak or no emissions regulations. The aim is to try to get everyone on board in terms of putting a cost on carbon dioxide emissions and level the playing field for international trade. We should ensure that the large emitters in Singapore do not set up shop in neighbouring countries with lax climate policies, which make the goods produced there cheaper. Of course, we are aware that Singapore's competitiveness is not due to tax rates alone, but our entire business ecosystem and high-quality workforce. During the "Transition Finance Towards Net Zero Conference" which was held on 4 October 2022, Senior Minister Tharman mentioned, and I quote, "we need all instruments of public policy to accelerate action". I agree with him.”
“The implementation of carbon tax will catalyse our local SMEs' effort to reduce carbon emission as these companies contribute Scope 3 emission to their supply chains. I would like to seek clarification from the Minister on how our SMEs, for example, our local agricultural producers who cannot afford to be certified by second party opinion service providers, participate in this journey? It is really challenging for them as they will have to follow an accounting methodology that requires knowledge and understanding of the types of business activities contributing to carbon emissions calculations. Fees for auditors to assess the outcomes of the calculations and transition costs are essential. It does require a certain level of rigour and demonstration of that rigour to be able to identify the investments needed to decarbonise and for SMEs to join the net-zero ecosystem. Can the Government fund the installation of remote sensing and other emerging technologies that bring down the cost of monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), which underpins the activity of carbon pricing, thus lowering the barrier to entry for these SMEs? The setting of a carbon tax also allows the opportunity for us to examine complimentary policies which will support our nation's decarbonisation goals through regulation, supporting growth of green opportunities and taking a leadership role in ensuring a just transition for the region whilst maintaining our competitiveness. Since reducing our carbon footprint is the main objective, carbon taxes must be complemented by more stringent environmental regulation. The point is not to collect a lot of carbon tax.”
“Allowing large emitters to buy credits will also help fulfil Singapore's ambition to become a hub for regional carbon credits. By prioritising the reduction efforts of domestic emissions, and then allowing large emitters to buy credits, we create a win-win situation for our climate and our carbon market development. Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] While establishing a just transition, we must also remember that there will be an impact of carbon tax on other stakeholders not earmarked as high emitters, including SMEs and lower-income individuals. I am heartened that the carbon taxes will be revenue neutral and earmarked to support decarbonisation efforts. Will the Ministry sharing greater detail how this will be done, as the broad tax will trickle down and find its way to everyone of us? For example, will there be an efficiency grants to spur SMEs with their decarbonisation efforts or carbon dividends for the lower-income households? (In English): Singaporeans and our local companies should embrace the opportunities that come with this green transition. Many companies share Singapore's goal of decarbonising and are aligned with its net-zero vision. Their anchor buyers may also require them to commit to net zero. Efficiency grants can be extended to more companies and industries to ensure that carbon abatement is an economy-wide project. Tax exemptions could be granted for startups and joint ventures that specialise in emerging green technologies and services. The Government should also continue to incentivise green financing initiatives by financial institutions with even greater focus on transition industries in the SME segment.”