Edwin Tong Chun Fai
Singapore
“These questions have been answered in the reply to Questions Nos 26 to 31 for Oral Answer on today's Order Paper. [Please refer to "Addressing Issues Identified in Legal Profession Sustainability Study", Official Report, 7 July 2026, Vol 96, Issue 32, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time secti…”
“I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association. The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme was first introduced in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with two key objectives: one, to help Singaporean households cope with daily expenses; and two, to support hawker…”
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“On Dr Chia's two questions, the Nutri-Grade label, yes, it is subject to change as we look at the design. But he will be heartened to note that we have already looked at it very closely. We had about 12 focus group discussions and also studied with the food science people, people who looked at it from a behaviourial perspective. In fact, after this we will be putting up on our website the report of the findings that we have gathered from these focus group discussions. And so, generally, the label is designed, having in mind simplicity, giving fullest of information in terms of the choice, but also easy to recognise so that those who are not so conversant, the elderly, may be able to distinguish them. The Member's second point about the 70%, the figures approximately are 70% will fall into C and D. And of that, about 25, 26% will be D. Looking at these numbers, you can see why we have said earlier that there is a strong desire for us to encourage the market to reformulate on their own. Because much as you design the Grading system, what we also want to ensure – and we do not ban the items – so what we want to ensure is that the market, on its own, corrects it, and – I think, it is a point that Mr Perera made – manufacturers do appreciate that the market is looking out for healthier options. This is one of the ways, along with the advertising ban, that we want to push market in a particular direction. On the Member's final point about the soda fountains, yes, I mentioned that to the extent that we are not able to have the consumers review the product grading – the Nutri-Grade – before it is actually purchased, then at the point of sale, in other words, perhaps at the cashier or at the place where the orders are taken, that summary label will also be available.”
“Water dispensers are available in 30 hawker centres – Members might be pleased to know – and are also easily found in parks across Singapore. By mid-2020, more water dispensers will be installed in the remaining 82 hawker centres. 3.45 pm In addition, 14 bus interchanges and terminals already have water coolers and we will work with LTA and public transport operators to install water points in bus and MRT stations where suitable. In mid-2020, HPB will launch a nation-wide campaign to promote plain water, as part of their nutrition literacy campaign. Whether you are exercising in our public parks, enjoying a meal at the hawker centres, taking a bus, about to take a bus, or in the MRT station, we encourage you to choose plain water and we will make the options available as much as possible. Mr Chairman, to conclude, the Government will continue to enhance the affordability of healthcare and expand support for care-giving. Policies such as the enhanced MediSave700 scheme will provide additional peace of mind for those with chronic illnesses. At the same time, we will pursue downstream savings for our system by encouraging healthier living and supporting Singaporeans in making healthier and we believe, therefore, wiser choices in what they consume. Better health for us all is a vision and responsibility we must all share. We urge Singaporeans to partner with us as we strive for a healthier Singapore not only in 2020 but beyond. Thank you, Mr Chairman.”
“Other jurisdictions with mandatory labelling in F&B settings have, in their own countries, adopted thresholds of 10 to 20 outlets as being the definition of "large chain". But we will study this in our own context. We will take reference from what has been done in other countries, which means that small businesses with one or two stalls, such as those in hawker centres, would not be affected in the first instance. Nevertheless, we will monitor the impact of these measures, and may gradually seek to extend them to more establishments – along the vein of what Mr Perera had mentioned earlier. Concurrently, we encourage F&B outlets not considered "large chains" to voluntarily adopt these measures. We will continue to engage the industry in the coming months to finalise details of these measures, including how to implement them in a cost-effective manner. More details will be shared when they are ready. All these initiatives are part of a longer term approach to reshape consumer behaviour towards healthier living, not just in the choices that they make, but in consumption. Some have suggested stronger measures, such as an excise duty or an outright ban. These will require further study, like those suggestions that Mr Perera raised. In the meantime, we will work closely with industry partners to support Singaporeans in making those healthier choices. Finally, as a complement to our regulations, we also want to encourage Singaporeans to just go for more plain water instead – zero calories and very healthy on the overall grading scale. So, on that front, we have been working with agencies like NEA, HDB, LTA and also NParks to increase the availability and accessibility of drinking water in the community.”
“If manufacturers start today, they will have almost two years to reformulate their products in line with these regulations and avoid being in groups, Grade C or D where they have to compulsorily put on the label. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) will continue to support industry reformulation efforts through initiatives such as the Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme. And HPB will also launch a campaign to educate consumers on using the Nutri-Grade labels to guide purchase and consumption decisions. At the same time, we have heard strong calls from all quarters to also regulate – beyond just the pre-packaged – the freshly prepared beverages, such as herbal drinks and bubble teas. It is clear that they are a substantial and growing source of sugar intake for many Singaporeans. Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar, in particular, asked whether there are plans to extend our regulations to these drinks. Over the past few months, I have met representatives from the freshly prepared beverage sector to hear their views on how we can work with them as well to help consumers make that transition to healthier choices. Most understand the need to inform consumers about the nutritional quality of their products and they support our objective of reducing Singaporeans' overall sugar intake. After a careful review of the local landscape, we have decided to extend the labelling and advertising measures to freshly prepared beverages. As a start, these measures will apply only to the larger chains, which are more likely to have consistent recipes, as well as significant reach and impact locally. We will study the local landscape to determine the appropriate criteria for what comprises a "large chain".”
“Thank you, Sir. Pre-packaged beverages will be graded on a single set of nutrient thresholds, based on their sugar and saturated fat content. For example, beverages with more than 5% sugar content will be graded C, while beverages with more than 10% sugar content will be graded D. But beverages may subsequently be "downgraded", at the point in time, be downgraded to D, if they also contain a high amount of saturated fat. We encourage all manufacturers to label their products with the Nutri-Grade, but the label will only be mandatory for beverages in Grades C and D. The label is intended to facilitate Singaporeans' decisions when they go and purchase these products at the point of purchase. It will therefore not only be displayed on the front of product packaging, but also at points-of-sale the where customers do not have direct access to the product. For example, at e-commerce websites, vending machines, drink fountains, they will be displayed at the point-of-sale as well. In addition to labelling requirements, we will prohibit advertising for Grade D beverages on all media platforms, including traditional and new media platforms across all time belts. This will reduce the impact of advertising on consumer preferences and encourage manufacturers to reformulate. We will continue to allow advertising of Grade A to C beverages, as well as all brand advertising, as we want to encourage manufacturers to reformulate. The point is not to deprive Singaporeans of their favourite drinks, but to encourage manufacturers on their journey towards reformulation to create a wider and broader range of healthier options for Singaporeans to enjoy. The new regulations will be published at the end of 2020, coming into effect a year later.”
“On the screen, Members see an example of the label: Grade A, corresponding to the lowest sugar and saturated fat thresholds, is in dark green; while Grade D, corresponding to the highest sugar and saturated fat thresholds, is in red. This provides a quick, at-a-glance summary of the nutritional quality of the beverage, allowing consumers to compare across products at the point of purchase. Besides the grade, we will indicate the sugar level of the beverage as a percentage of the total volume. So, if you see 12% on the label, it represents 12% sugar of the total volume in that particular product. This provides Singaporeans with more information so that they can compare sugar levels across beverages within the same grade. With your permission, Mr Chairman, may I display a slide summarising the grading system?”
“As a start, we will implement two new regulatory measures for pre-packaged beverages: a nutrient-summary label and an advertising prohibition for beverages with high sugar and saturated fat content. So, two elements – sugar and saturated fat. We want to provide Singaporeans with the right information to make their own healthy choices and also, at the same time, encourage the manufacturers to reformulate their products and create healthier options, a point that Mr Perera also raised. Under this new regulatory framework, all pre-packaged beverages will be given a colour-coded nutrient-summary label, called the ‘"Nutri-Grade". With your permission, Mr Chairman, may I display an example of the label for Members?”
“At the same time, Mr Shahril also applied for the Home Care-giving Grant. Today, his family receives a monthly payout of $200, which they use for essential items, such as diapers, milk supplements and other disposables, as well as for his father's medical expenses. All in all, our schemes have given Mr Shahril the flexibility and the assurance to care for his father in the long term. I have shared how the Ministry is taking important steps to help address the cost of care, both financially and otherwise. These will support Singaporeans in seeking the necessary care. But at the same time, we must take bold steps to encourage healthier lifestyles. I think Members have heard that narrative from the speakers before me. This will delay the onset of disease and reap downstream savings for our healthcare system. Members will also be, nonetheless, familiar with our efforts on this front. Minister had previously described some of our efforts to promote healthy living under the war on diabetes initiative. Although we have made progress in encouraging Singaporeans to exercise more and eat healthier, our daily sugar intake, as some Members have pointed out, remains high. In particular, beverages contribute to more than half of the sugar intake. Both Mr Charles Chong and Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked for an update on our plans to control the consumption of such beverages. The same issues and questions have been raised by Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar in the House last week, while Mr Leon Perera also made suggestions what else we could do should these measures not prove to be effective. As a start, let me outline what we will do.”
“We have also been helping care-givers access respite care at short notice. Care-givers under our Go Respite pilot launched in April last year were able to pre-enrol for these services and activate the respite care at short notice. To-date, 450 care-givers have been pre-enrolled. Beyond expenses for home and community-based services, care-giving expenses can take many forms and we recognise that. So, in October 2019, we launched the Home Care-giving Grant, which replaced the previous Foreign Domestic Worker Grant with an enhanced quantum of $200 per month. By providing cash support directly to care recipients with permanent disability, care-givers have greater flexibility as to how best to deploy these resources. We have since approved more than 4,900 applications for the Home Care-giving Grant, bringing the number of beneficiaries under the scheme to over 16,000. Allow me to share the story of one care-giver, to illustrate how our schemes address the care-givers' different types of needs. Mr Shahril lives with his wife, three children and a 79-year-old father, who is bed-bound after a stroke and heart attack. In October 2019, Mr Shahril needed a break from care-giving duties, as his helper had left the country for home leave. He shared this with the AIC Link staff at Changi General Hospital where his father was treated. Within two weeks, they enrolled Mr Shahril's father in AIC's Go Respite programme at the NTUC Health Nursing Home, across the road from their home, across the road from where they live, and he began his three-week stay there. This arrangement made it easier for Mr Shahril to continue to provide for his own family, with the assurance that, at the same time, his own father was being cared for during this period.”
“We have also worked with healthcare professionals to introduce a course on the "ABCs of Care-giving", with customised components to help care-givers with the different mobility needs of their loved ones. Within the eldercare landscape, there is a range of care-giving options. Many families engage foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to provide care and Ms Yip Pin Xiu asked if care-giver training initiatives will be extended to them as well. There are, indeed. merits to training FDWs and families can decide on how best equip them. We have initiatives to support those who choose formal training for their FDWs, such as the Eldercarer FDW Scheme which we have run since 2016. Training is done before placements in the households that they serve and includes both classroom theory and as well as on-the-job practical training in managing the day-to-day care-giving needs of an elderly person. Care-givers can tap on an annual $200 subsidy under the Care-givers' Training Grant to offset the costs of training for their FDWs or other approved courses. Mr Christopher de Souza has asked about our measures to provide respite care and how effective they have been. Mr de Souza will be pleased to hear that we have respite care options at more than 20 eldercare centres and 40 nursing homes, where more than 3,700 so far have benefited. We have recently expanded the range of respite care options as well, starting with a respite care pilot in September 2019 for care-givers of cancer patients on home palliative care and a night respite care pilot in December 2019 for care-givers of persons with dementia, who experience behavioural and sleep issues at night. And sometimes, these difficulties cause the care-giver not to have his or her own rest. So, that option is available.”
“Mr Faisal Manap asked if patients with physical impairments can obtain support from MediFund for transportation costs. This is an area where new measures complement the existing schemes to provide multiple layers of support. We provide means-tested subsidies of up to 80% for patients requiring transport for centre-based services, dialysis or medical appointments at polyclinics and also at SOCs. Patients who need additional assistance may tap on cash payouts under ElderFund or other schemes, to defray the costs of travel to and from medical appointments. So, we look at the overall framework and these are the schemes that sit outside that supplement and work with the existing framework. Financial concerns represent only some of the challenges that Singaporeans face when loved ones encounter disease or disability. Beyond being able to afford care, we want Singaporeans to feel supported in caring for each other as well. Ms Yip Pin Xiu has asked about our long-term plans for eldercare. Over the years, we have improved the accessibility of aged care services and also deepened the range of services and options available in the community and residential care settings. Last year, for instance, we launched the Care-giver Support Action Plan to support those caring for seniors on their care-giving journeys. Since then, we have been working with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and various community partners to roll out new initiatives. Some initiatives focus on care navigation and care-giver training. Care-givers can obtain information and access referral services at four new AIC Links touchpoints in Toa Payoh, Nee Soon, Pasir Ris and also Choa Chu Kang, which complement the eight existing touchpoints already existing in our heartlands.”
“MediSave Withdrawals for Long-Term Care, or MediSave Care for short, will allow Singaporeans to withdraw directly from their MediSave in cash, providing flexibility for long-term care expenses. Both schemes will be launched later this year. Assoc Prof Daniel Goh asked how we are supporting families who might fall outside of the subsidy thresholds. So, we have those within the framework, that I have just outlined. What happens to those who might fall outside the subsidy thresholds? First, let me clarify that the current income criterion of $2,800 for long-term care subsidies covers close to two-thirds of resident households in Singapore. The median household income per member quoted by Assoc Prof Goh includes the employer CPF contributions, which we exclude in assessing the eligibility for subsidies. The figure is also based on all employed households, and does not consider households with no working persons. Elderly households, or households with elderly members, tend to have a lower income per household member. Hence, a larger proportion of such households will qualify for subsidies, with many qualifying for the maximum rate of subsidies. Together with CareShield Life and other schemes highlighted by Assoc Prof Goh, most Singaporeans will be adequately covered for basic long-term care needs. In addition, as I mentioned to the House last year, we will allow private insurers to introduce additional severe disability coverage on top of CareShield Life, with premiums payable from MediSave. 3.30 pm The third pillar is ElderFund, a safety net for lower income and severely disabled Singaporeans. It supports those who are unable to benefit from schemes like ElderShield with monthly cash payouts, and opened for applications on 31 January.”
“With cash withdrawals, patients will also have greater flexibility to choose appropriate care options, relevant for themselves and their particular circumstances. Second, increasing flexibility within existing schemes. So, first we cover new schemes and new treatments, and second, we look at increasing flexibility within the scheme itself. One example is lowering the age threshold for Flexi-MediSave in 2018 from 65 to 60. Another example is the MediSave700 scheme I have just outlined. The higher withdrawal limits increase flexibility for patients with complex chronic conditions, as they are likely to incur higher costs for their CDMP treatments. Overall, these enhancements are designed to strike a balance, as we have to continue to do, between current medical expenses and of course, future healthcare needs down the road. We will continue to take on board the suggestions, review our MediSave withdrawal limits in light of our overall financing framework, to introduce greater flexibility where possible, and to ensure that they are adequate for the majority of patients in subsidised settings. Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked how we can plan to keep healthcare affordable for elderly Singaporeans. The three pillars of our long-term care financing framework – CareShield Life, MediSave Withdrawals for Long-Term Care, and ElderFund – mirror the "3M" schemes that we have for acute care, and that has worked well for us. They complement existing subsidies of up to 80% for long-term care services, such as day care and home care. The first two pillars represent significant changes. CareShield Life provides better protection for severely disabled policyholders with lifetime payouts.”
“With our continuing efforts to bring more clinics onto the scheme, CHAS card-holders can now receive subsidised treatment at close to 2,000 GP and dental clinics island-wide. In 2019, we disbursed more than $160 million in CHAS subsidies, significantly alleviating the cost of outpatient treatments for Singaporeans. This year, we will be further expanding the use of MediSave for CDMP treatments in outpatient settings. Currently, Singaporeans can tap on the MediSave500 scheme for CDMP treatments, for approved vaccinations and screenings. From 2021, we will increase support for patients with complex chronic conditions by raising their annual withdrawal limit from $500 to $700. Patients with complex chronic conditions include those who have visits for two or more CDMP conditions, or one CDMP condition with complications, within a year. This is aligned with the higher CHAS subsidies we implemented for complex chronic patients in November. In effect, rather than MediSave500, these patients will in fact benefit from an extension of the scheme, or MediSave700. Administratively, we will align MediSave500 with all other MediSave schemes, shifting from a per-account to a per-patient limit. Overall, we expect more than 176,000 patients to benefit from the enhanced MediSave700 scheme. Ms Tin Pei Ling asked us to consider greater flexibility in the MediSave withdrawal limits, especially for seniors with significant balances. I believe Mr Pritam Singh also raised the same issue. We have been working to increase flexibility under MediSave in a few key areas. Let me outline them. First, covering new treatments and services. We are expanding MediSave to cover severe disability under the upcoming MediSave for Long-Term Care scheme.”
“Ms Tin Pei Ling asked how we are supporting chronic disease patients, and Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked specifically about what we can do to encourage them to seek early intervention in the community. In June 2018, we raised MediSave withdrawal limits for conditions under the Chronic Disease Management Programme or CDMP, from $400 to $500. We also expanded CDMP to cover ischaemic heart disease and pre-diabetes. Today, CDMP covers 20 conditions, including four mental health conditions: schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety. We regularly review the list of CDMP conditions in consultation with clinical experts, and will include conditions such as eczema in our review. Last November, we introduced higher subsidies for complex chronic conditions for CHAS Blue and CHAS Orange card-holders, and also expanded CHAS Orange to cover common illnesses. We also launched the CHAS Green card – part of a wider initiative to shift healthcare beyond hospitals and into the community. All Singaporeans are now eligible for subsidised CDMP treatments at CHAS GP clinics, regardless of income levels. This represents a fundamental shift in primary care financing, with universal subsidies for GP treatment. Ms Irene Quay asked for an update on the success of these measures. Let me just outline the broad parameters with reference to a few facts. I am happy to share that around 200,000 Singaporeans received their CHAS Green cards in 2019, entitling them to the programme that I have just outlined a moment ago. Altogether, 1.7 million Singaporeans have received their CHAS cards, seven times more than when CHAS was first launched in 2012.”
“Mr Chairman, as the Minister for Health has shared, we have delivered on our Healthcare 2020 objectives, including having Minister Gan remain as the Health Minister till now. Today, Singaporeans live longer, healthier lives than when we made these goals in 2012. We enjoy some of the best healthcare in the world, and this remains affordable and also accessible to all. But the future will bring new challenges, and we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. It will take bold steps – from Government and the community in partnership – to ensure that we can continue keeping these commitments to our citizens. Our healthcare financing system has weathered the test of time. Each financing scheme plays a unique role in ensuring that no Singaporean will be denied appropriate care because of an inability to pay. First, Singaporeans enjoy means-tested subsidies across public healthcare settings, covering up to 80% of the costs of treatment. Singaporeans are also covered by MediShield Life for large hospitalisation bills and costly outpatient treatments. Coverage starts from the moment one is born, and is for life. Next, MediSave helps Singaporeans set aside some income towards future healthcare needs. It can be used to offset out-of-pocket expenses and also pay for health insurance premiums. Finally, MediFund provides a safety net for those facing financial difficulty. This framework has worked well for us. Seven in 10 subsidised hospitalisations by Singaporeans do not incur any out-of-pocket expenses or payment, while eight in 10 incur payments of less than $100. Still, we regularly review each pillar of healthcare financing to give Singaporeans peace of mind in seeking the care they need. As our population ages, we can expect more Singaporeans to face chronic conditions.”
“I think that assurance we give to investors would be the best assurance we have in growing, perhaps, not just the IP sector but overall in our key development areas in Singapore. 7.15 pm”
“I am not sure that is capable of a short answer but I will try. We have to first realise that no one will choose Singapore to file their patents in or to enhance or enforce their IP rights, if we do not have a strong neutral legal system. So, at the baseline, that is always something that we look at, frankly speaking. What else do we do? We want to make sure that our laws are updated. So, as I mentioned on several occasions and also earlier, we will look at enhancing and revising the Copyright Act, an experience that we have had after we did extensive consultations. What else can we do? What else can we say to people about how their ideas, their patents, their innovations will be better protected in Singapore and also enforced, should the case be necessary? Third, we also want to make sure that we be with the system from start to end. So, I mentioned in my speech earlier, IDEAS, for instance. How do you monetise the value in intangible assets? Assets that would otherwise be difficult to look at in terms of valuation. We look at how it can be done so that we can help companies raise capital, raise financing and leverage on the value of such intangible assets. When you bring all these together in the eco-system, you will then have, in Mr Christopher de Souza's words, a formidable fortress, in which to not just register but enforce and eventually enjoy filing of the patents in Singapore. When we provide the whole spectrum of services, that is when we can then go out there and tell the major companies, inventors and innovators of the world – come into Singapore. We have the entire suite of services for you, and should there be any disagreement, any dispute over the services, they will be resolved in a firm, fair and completely above board, neutral, rule-of-law fashion.”
“I can speak a little more slowly now. The clock is not running. So, a model clause is useful but parties must want to come to Singapore. So having a model law is one thing, but what we want to do is to really build the eco-system that supports why a party from outside Singapore will want to choose Singapore. So, if I may summarise some of the points from my speech earlier. First, we have to make sure that Singapore law is accessible, that it is first-rate, it is commercial. Our high-quality jurispurdence coming out of our Courts help a lot in that regard for parties who want to choose Singapore law. Second, we must build a system that is neutral, that is based on the rule of law, that parties, when they come into Singapore, when they make their investments into Singapore or they choose Singapore as a forum, they know that they will get first-class hearings, hearings that will not be unduly interfered with, hearings that will be governed by the rule of law and as far as possible, in our best-in-class facilities as well, in Maxwell Chambers. Third, we want to look at the way in which our stakeholders – law firms, lawyers, those who practise here, those who practise abroad – are equipped with this information, so that when they do the negotiation, persons such as yourself, Mr Christopher de Souza or Mr Murali Pillai, can then take these learning points, take these model clauses and persuade external parties that in Singapore, we do not only have the best facilities, but we have the best, most neutral system that will ensure a fair adjudication of the disputes. I think all of these parts must come together in order for us to build a first-class and continue to sustain that first-class international dispute hub.”
“Mr Chairman, in conclusion, my Ministry will continue to ensure that Singaporeans continue to enjoy effective access to high quality justice – that is a fundamental – and also to build on Singapore's attractiveness as a legal services hub, ensuring that the benefit of the ensuing growth will be shared by more. Importantly, we do all this not on our own but through working closely with so many stakeholders – the bench, the bar, the legal industry, the universities, law students and the wider community – and for that, we are very grateful.”
“A total of 79 submissions were received, which demonstrates the interest of the public and the professional sector in trying to contribute to ideas as to what can be done. These ideas will be distilled into design principles guiding the Power District's development for the next 15 to 20 years, including the former Pasir Panjang Power Station A. In the coming weeks, SLA will also be launching engagements with stakeholders to rejuvenate the Old Kallang Airport. This is part of the Reinventing Spaces into Vibrant Places initiative that was launched with URA in 2019. SLA is also partnering NParks to develop a site at Tanglin Road into a community use space with a playground, benches, something that will appeal to members of the public. Let me now quickly finish up with the geospatial front. There will be a full launch of the OneMap 3D that will take place later this year. The map will allow users to visualise Singapore in 3D. This will support the efforts of businesses and the public, who require these services, to have new platforms to support their services and products as well as also develop services for the community at large. SLA will be launching the 3D Singapore Sandbox this year. It will facilitate private sector access to 3D geospatial models and data on a restricted basis and through this, we hope to encourage the private sector to experiment with innovative solutions and services for their customers and the general public using 3D geospatial models. The Sandbox will enable SLA to obtain feedback from the private sector to enhance the experience and to improve the geospatial models.”
“Paralegals and support services do play an important role in Singapore's legal industry. We note Mr Patrick Tay's suggestions and we will continue to work with the relevant stakeholders so that we can support this segment of the legal industry more closely. Third, we will be conducting the first run of the China-Ready Programme for Singapore lawyers this year. The programme will expand the pool of Singapore lawyers who understand Chinese culture, the way in which business is done, the legal system and laws; are conversant with Mandarin in the legal context; and can also work with Chinese companies and law firms to better meet clients' needs. This is one element of the Ministry's strategy to help Singapore lawyers seize new opportunities in different jurisdictions. Finally, before I run out of time, let me touch on some of the questions relating to the work of the Singapore Land Authority (SLA). SLA optimises land resources to support the economic and social development of Singapore. That is its overall mission. It plays a number of roles, including, as Mr Christopher de Souza outlined, optimising the use of state land and of course, also developing Singapore's geospatial capabilities. Let me elaborate on some key initiatives. The SLA is intensifying its efforts to engage and collaborate with stakeholders, members of the public, on the interim use of vacant State land and properties. For example, Members may be aware that SLA and URA launched the Power-Up Pasir Panjang ideas competition in April 2019, and reached out to members of the public, professionals and students to co-create ideas for the Power District.”
“Grants to support up to 70% of adoption costs were available under the schemes. Strong efforts have been made to promote these schemes. The Law Society reached out to at least 450 Singapore law practices through workshops and seminars to promote this programme and Altum was one of those who was a participant in these events. They were able to upgrade from the standard suite of computer services – they were using Microsoft Office, I believe – to legal technology solutions that were more curated and were better suited to their needs. The firm achieved time and cost savings from automating routine but important tasks, including shortening the time required to complete the checking of references in documents by up to 66%. The Roadmap will include plans to help to continue to fund law firms, help them to understand what technology can do for their efficiency and also expand support to in-house legal teams to adopt legal technology. As Mr Patrick Tay mentioned, this reflects our belief that both those in practice as well as those in the in-house role have much to benefit from adopting legal technology. So, we will support the development of cutting-edge legal technology relevant to their work and also reform legal education to build a pipeline of tech-ready legal professionals to support the legal industry. More details will be announced later this year. Let me touch on Mr Patrick Tay's other point on mid-career PMETs. We will help such PMETs to exploit new opportunities that will be created. The Law Society and Workforce Singapore have developed a Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) to help employers hire and re-skill mid-career PMETs to join the legal sector as paralegals or legal secretaries.”
“This conference and indeed, the week, will continue to position Singapore as a thought leader in this field and also a forum that parties can choose to come to, regardless of whether the ultimate contract or the subject matter of their agreement is in Singapore or not, to choose Singapore as a forum. In the area of civil cooperation, Mr Murali Pillai asked about the legalisation of documents. I think it is a point that Mr Murali Pillai has raised several times. The Hague Apostille Convention. We agree that this will be useful and we are currently working towards its accession. This will include preparing the necessary draft legislation domestically in order to accede to the Convention, and thereafter, we will be in the position to do so. All these efforts will create opportunities for those in the legal sector and also for those who want to enter the legal sector. On this note, Ms Rahayu Mahzam asked what the Government is doing to support lawyers and law firms to exploit these opportunities. Let me again, in the interest of time, outline a few initiatives. First, we will be launching a Technology Innovation Roadmap. What does this do? This roadmap is the product of intensive consultations with more than 80 stakeholders. This includes law firms, companies, law schools, research institutes and other Government agencies. It will help Singapore law firms understand and embrace technology to improve productivity and the quality of their legal services. Let me give one example. Altum Law Corporation is a five-lawyer strong Singapore law firm. Under the Tech Start for Law and the Tech-celerate for Law initiatives, MinLaw and the Law Society curated a shortlist of technology solutions and also vendors to help address common problems, common issues amongst smaller law firms.”
“Second, encouraging published research on areas of Singapore law that are relevant to commercial parties internationally, and finally, promoting standard forms, that is, use of, straightforward, standard forms, governed by Singapore law. 7.00 pm Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked about progress in dispute resolution. Singapore remains one of the leading hubs for dispute resolution in the world today. We have flagship institutions that Mr Christopher de Souza mentioned providing a full suite of such services. We have best-in-class hearing facilities at Maxwell Chambers. We will continue to strengthen that framework by supporting the eco-system for viable international dispute resolution services. We have various reviews underway, including a review of the International Arbitration Act. I had earlier mentioned the Singapore Convention on Mediation. Yes, indeed, we were one of the first two countries, together with Fiji, to ratify the Convention. This took place a few days ago in New York. These efforts, not just to get the countries to sign and to ratify, but to promote more countries to come on board, have broader implications for Singapore's place in the world. It is a powerful statement for multilateralism and has also enhanced our reputation in the international arena. We will build on the signing of the Convention last year. We will host a second annual Singapore Convention Conference in September this year. This will be part of a week-long of events related to international dispute resolution services.”
“And the SCT may order one party to pay money to another party arising from these claims and also order a party to make good on deficiencies, as in the Member's example, the construction contract, for instance. Moving on, Mr Christopher de Souza and Mr Sitoh Yih Pin spoke about strengthening Singapore's position as a premier international legal services and dispute resolution hub. Members will know that we are constantly looking at how we can enhance this, what we can do, what other spaces we can fill or other opportunities there will be for the Singapore brand. We look at what we can do to create value for our economy, what we can do to enhance Singapore's value-add as a business hub and of course, ultimately, providing good jobs for Singaporeans. We also want to support our people and businesses in exploiting these opportunities as far as possible. Let me touch on a few initiatives. One area in which we shall move to keep pace with the competition is in the area of conditional fee agreements (CFAs). Following public consultations last year, we are working on introducing a CFA framework for certain categories of proceedings. The framework will help our lawyers and law practices by levelling the playing field for Singaporean lawyers and law practices, as against foreign lawyers who may already be able to offer such agreements in their own jurisdictions. We are also studying whether allowing CFAs for a wider range of proceedings can further promote access to justice. Second, we are also promoting the use of Singapore law. Our initiatives include increasing free access to Singapore judgments. Steps have been taken to make more Supreme Court judgments from 2000 freely available online, and also potentially even earlier judgments, earlier than 2000.”
“This is one area where the original stakeholder or perhaps owner of the assets is not around to say how it should be done or what his intentions were. So, we do have to be careful. But within this rubric, strike an appropriate balance so that we can look out for the interests of both the convenience of the parties applying as well as also the rigours of what the interests of the beneficiaries ought to be. We will provide more details in the coming year. Ms Tan asked about unscrupulous contractors. We have seen one or more of these types of individuals at some stage and I think it is frustrating. Let me give some suggestions as what can be done. There is the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) which Mr Lim Biow Chuan can share more information on. CASE publishes a Consumer Alert List on its website. That is a useful first port of call. It lists companies that have multiple complaints made against them and operates to warn consumers about contractors with poor track records. So, to those cases that Ms Tan has spoken about where there have been repeated cases, it ought to be on this list. If not, we will try and find a way to better police it so that members of the public can be warned. If there are unfair practices, for example, false and misleading claims and so on, CASE may refer the matter to the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) for further action under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act. There will be sanctions against errant suppliers. Where an amicable settlement is not possible even with CASE's assistance, consumers can file claims with the Small Claims Tribunals (SCT). The SCT provides a forum that is low-cost, no lawyers are involved. For example, claimants are only required to pay $10 for claims up to $5,000 in value.”
“We continue to monitor its effectiveness as part of the broader framework that we have to resolve community disputes and also study areas for improvement of the processes. However, I would stress that mutually agreed solutions between two neighbours, for instance, should always remain the first port of call, that is, should always be the first base that one goes to instead of triggering a process in Court. The CDRT, as far as possible, should be a measure of last resort. So, we encourage Singaporeans to engage their neighbours in an amicable manner, when disputes arise – use community mediation services, use grassroots leaders who can facilitate the process. On community mediation, I should stress that the approach has been effective. In the past three years, more than 80% of the cases mediated before the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) has resulted in a successful resolution arising from the mediation. Third, the Government is also reviewing the processes and requirements for the application of probate and letters of administration. Mr Murali Pillai asked for an update on this. Amongst other things, we are considering digitalising the process, in sort of the same fashion that I have been outlining, to make it simpler, easier and faster, and linking up Government systems to facilitate the retrieval of information. At the end of the day, information has to come through so that the applications can be processed and that sometimes is choke point. So, we will work on digitalising the process. And also streamlining the legal requirements imposed on applicants. These, I believe, will improve the experiences of Singaporeans dealing with end-of-life issues. But even as we streamline, we must be careful that the law will continue to protect the interests of beneficiaries.”
“They have structured internships with Legal Aid Bureau (LAB) to inculcate not just the spirit but also to allow us to tap onto the law students to assist in our pro bono programmes. There have also been efforts by the wider legal eco-system. For example, the Singapore Academy of Law will be launching a collaborative workspace called "CLICKS @ State Courts", which will help firms adopt technology by providing them with shared amenities and facilities such as meeting rooms and office equipment. And by reducing operational costs, firms can then consider providing accessible and affordable legal services. But I think Ms Rahayu will agree with me when I say that access to justice goes beyond legal aid and just providing low bono or pro bono services. It is equally important that we see access to justice as understanding the problems in daily life, understanding at what stage there should be legal, and perhaps, also social intervention so that we can provide simple yet effective and, as far as possible, long lasting solutions to the problem at hand and not just fix the surface, leaving the underlying problems to continue to rear its ugly head. My Ministry has put in place various legal frameworks to deal with these issues. We have, over the last year or so, established a new Protection from Harassment Court. It will have specialised expertise and processes. Cases will be heard by specially trained judges. Volunteers will be on hand to assist victims, including from a social aspect and not just from a legal aspect. These changes are intended to minimise anxiety and stress, and to ensure that the victims of harassment can obtain effective remedies. Second, the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal (CDRT).”
“We will be working with the Law Society Pro Bono Services (LSPBS), which administers CLAS, to implement the changes in the coming year. Despite these changes, I wish to assure Members of this House that there will be no material impact on the number of households eligible for criminal legal aid. We will also continue to support the efforts of LSPBS to improve the administration of CLAS. This includes using technology to make the application process more efficient and user-friendly. At this juncture, let me acknowledge the strong support of members of the Bar, without whom the scheme would not have been quite so strong. Since 2015, the five largest law firms, Allen & Gledhill, Dentons Rodyk, Drew & Napier, Rajah & Tann and WongPartnership, have generously sponsored the CLAS Fellowship to enable lawyers to join LSPBS exclusively to handle criminal legal aid cases. Sixteen law firms have also signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) to pledge to take on CLAS cases. And I thank the lawyers, the legal fraternity for their support of this programme. Ms Rahayu asked about support for Singaporeans who cannot qualify for legal aid. To do so, we continue to forge strong partnerships with stakeholders to provide affordable legal help. So, even if you cannot qualify for these programmes, what else do we do? We work with the LSPBS, the legal fraternity and our community partners to provide legal help through Community Legal Clinics and various legal literacy and legal assistance programmes. The Government also works with the Law Society and the Law Schools to cultivate a strong pro bono culture within the legal profession. For example, law students are exposed pro bono work from an early stage.”
“We also undertook three rounds of rigorous user testing with LAB clients on the Portal and also on iLAB because we recognise that it can also be very frustrating if it does not work, the portal is not intuitive and not interactive enough. So, we have been fairly rigorous in the way which we have tested it before it goes out to market. The broader legal system also designs access to justice and legal awareness with the end-user in mind. For example, the Courts have pioneered an online dispute resolution system which litigants-in-persons can use to conduct negotiations and mediation for claims online for the Small Claims Tribunal. Mr Sitoh would be glad to hear that as well – you can now mediate your case online as well. And we are also exploring new features, such as asynchronous hearings to make it more convenient for Singaporeans to resolve their disputes. So, rather than to have parties at the same time at the same place, these facilities make it easier, facilitate claims before the Small Claims Tribunal and also allow for some mediation to take place. I shall elaborate more closely on the law firms' adoption of technology, a point raised by Ms Rahayu, later in my speech. Let me touch now on criminal legal aid. MinLaw has also been working with our partners on the Criminal Legal Assistance Steering Committee (CLA SC), including the Law Society as well as the Criminal Bar, to review the means criteria for the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS). We will adopt the new means criteria and limits for civil legal aid, what I have just outlined, for CLAS as well. These changes will simplify and therefore shorten the application process, while at the same time, maintain the rigour of the means test which we need to have, given that these are public funds that are being used.”
“These are the key criteria in assessing an application for legal aid. This will reduce processing time by at least two weeks, speeding up the process so that access to legal aid can be granted more quickly. It also, at the same time, is two-way, allows the applicants to check on the status of their application and be updated as to its progress. Second, the Legal Aid Bureau has just launched the first phase of its new chatbot, "iLAB". It will be able to provide basic legal information to LAB's potential applicants. It will also be able to triage them based on the nature of their case. And in most cases, this will save the applicants a trip to LAB to discuss it with the case officers in person. Finally, we are working to include a feature which will allow users to generate simple legal documents. Potential applicants can use these documents to self-help. They do not have to go to see lawyers. With iLab, these simple standardised documents commonly used can be generated. We hope to launch this in the next few weeks. Mr Singh spoke about design thinking. I think these are all features which fit towards that. And it is a good reminder by Mr Singh that we should be looking at the various enhancements to ensure that they are designed around our clients' needs. And I take the point that it ought not be dense or verbose, and we will endeavour to avoid that. Putting information online, enabling online applications, making it two-way, the process being dynamic, will make it easier for our clients who may find it difficult to be away from their families or take time away from work.”
“To date, over 150 businesses have used the IPOS Go app to protect their brands. These points would also be interest to Mr Singh who asked about we design processes and systems with the end-user in mind. Let me also turn now to address Ms Tan's and Ms Rahayu's points about access to justice. First, on civil legal aid. One change we have implemented is the increased flexibility to grant aid. Applicants who do not satisfy the means criteria but are otherwise unable to afford basic legal services without causing significant hardship to themselves and their families, these persons may have their applications reviewed by an independent Means Test Panel. Previously, the moment an applicant failed the means test, then the application was rejected. Now, we look at whether or not this person has failed it only because he had circumstances that might cause hardship to himself or to his family. The panel may waive the means criteria for these deserving applicants. The grant of aid will, of course, still be subject to the merits test, to ensure that applicants have good reasons to bring or defend their cases in law. Mr Tay asked about improving service delivery for legal aid. We will do so through a number of key initiatives. Let me just quickly outline them. First, we have just launched the revamped Applicant Portal for civil legal aid and new features will be included over the next few weeks. When completed, this portal will do away with the need to appear in person to complete the means testing and also the statement taking so that it can be done remotely without having to make a trip to the office. It reduces the need for applicants to provide information that the Government already has. So, for a start, we will tap on MyInfo to provide personal details and income information.”
“This identifies intangible assets that are critical to the companies' businesses and recommends how to report them in a way that best communicates the business value of these intangible assets to their investors and the market, obviously, to try to realise the full value of such intangible assets. This helps companies when they raise financing. Second, IPOS' subsidiary, IPOS International, helps enterprises develop strategies to protect, manage and also commercialise the intangible assets and intellectual property (IP). To date, IPOS International has helped about 100 enterprises, with close to 95% of them being SMEs and start-ups. That is in answer to Ms Jessica Tan's question as to what help has been given to companies in Singapore. It has also developed a series of IP management business guides, which around 1,000 enterprises have accessed. Around 70 enterprises have used IPOS International's diagnostic tool, illuminate® for enterprise, to assess their IP and intangible assets risks and gaps, and perhaps they will be working on them and, eventually, can also take advantage of IDEAS. 6.45 pm Third, we have expanded our patent acceleration initiatives last year to cover Artificial Intelligence (AI) patent applications. AI patent applications can now be granted as early as six months after filing. This supports the development of innovative AI technologies and helps companies with these technologies to remain competitive ahead of the curve. And as we know, technology sometimes outmoded very quickly. So, the quicker we can deal with the patent applications, the more value it is to the companies. Finally, the newly-launched IPOS Go mobile app enables businesses to register their trademark in just 10 minutes, down from the previous average of about 45 to 60 minutes.”
“I understand that MOM also makes applications to the ECT to publish judgments or grounds of decision that become useful reference points for parties in the same vein as I have outlined. Next, let me touch on criminal justice. On this, we have worked closely with MHA and other stakeholders in the past two years to make wide-ranging amendments to both procedural and substantive criminal law. Much legislation has been passed in this House on this aspect over the past two years. In particular, the Penal Code amendments have kept our legislation apace with emerging crime trends developing here and around the world and strengthened protection, in particular, for vulnerable victims. We have implemented most of these changes. This year, my Ministry is supporting the work of the newly-formed Criminal Procedure Rules Committee chaired by the Chief Justice. This committee will ensure that the Court procedure remains nimble and also adaptable to adjust and meet evolving needs. Mr Christopher de Souza and Ms Jessica Tan asked about supporting the efforts of Singapore enterprises to thrive in an innovation-driven economy. We have several initiatives. In the interest of time, let me just highlight a few. First, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) and the Singapore Exchange (SGX) have launched a new Intangible Disclosure Evaluation and Audit Scheme – a bit of a mouthful, so we have short-formed it to IDEAS. IDEAS provides a subsidy of up to $10,000 for companies to undergo an intangible asset evaluation and audit.”
“Mr Patrick Tay also suggested that in the case of insolvent companies, or companies that either cannot or have been unable or refuse to pay the wages, that MOM could advance money to the worker and thereafter stand in his place as a preferred creditor. I understand that MOM has looked at this proposal before and Mr Patrick Tay will probably know that while doing so might well help that specific worker in the immediate short term, it may also inadvertently create a larger problem of a viable company defaulting or owing the salaries in knowledge that the workers could find an alternative avenue to obtain those payments using Government funds. Overall, this leads to a potentially bigger problem in the system for a longer time. That said, for workers with no other alternative to recover unpaid salaries, the Short-Term Relief Fund (STRF) and the Migrant Workers' Assistance Fund (MWAF) can be tapped on. These provide ex-gratia payments to low-wage employees whose employers were unable to pay salaries due to financial difficulties or business failure. On the publication of certain ECT decisions, Mr Tay would know that, today, ECT judgments or grounds of decision are available to the public upon request. Why upon request? Because the original proceedings in the first place under the statute are held in private to protect the confidentiality of the parties. So, it follows that whatever takes place in those proceedings is not reported as of right. But the ECT will assess requests for either the judgments or the grounds of decision and, where appropriate, such as when it would help future cases or there is strong precedential value, then those would become available.”
“Where the spouse cannot find work, perhaps due to poor health or other reasons as a reason why the orders have not been fulfilled, we should recognise that support services rather than legal proceedings will provide more effective relief for the wife and the children concerned. Nevertheless, at the same time, our laws must also have the tools to deal with a spectrum of options, different situations, including imprisonment, if necessary, so that we can enforce and give teeth to orders that have been made in Court. This serves as a strong deterrent. But, overall, Members should be assured that where there are genuine financial difficulties, circumstances that the family faces, the Courts will more likely order mediation or financial counselling to find a solution rather than to just simply impose the hard law. The Government is also considering how to make the overall maintenance regime, both in terms of the orders made as well as the enforcement, simpler and more effective. Moving on to civil justice. Members will know that two committees – one convened by my Ministry, the other by the Judiciary – made broad-ranging recommendations to enhance the efficiency, affordability and overall effectiveness of our Court system. We have completed public consultation and further discussions with key stakeholders and will introduce legislation to implement some of these changes in due course. Mr Patrick Tay raised concerns with the enforcement of Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT) orders. We are studying recommendations to streamline and simplify the enforcement of judgments and orders and will announce more details in due course once we have completed that.”
“They are often also vulnerable, especially those families with children, whose interests, above all, must be looked after. That is the design focus of our laws – to look after the children in any matrimonial or family proceedings. This awareness has driven our revamp of the family justice system since 2014, as Members would be aware. Our aim is to reduce time, cost and, perhaps most importantly, unnecessary acrimony and to recognise and protect the interests of the children, so that the acrimony does not affect and adversely weigh on the outcomes for the children. We have moved significantly to improve the process. For example, in 2019, more than 55% of divorce cases were decided on the simplified track, which is faster, less costly and, obviously, less painful through the process, up from just 24% in 2015. These are encouraging numbers, but we do want to go further. The Government has, therefore, accepted the recommendations of the committee to Review and Enhance Reforms in the Family Justice System (RERF). The committee was tasked to look beyond just legal proceedings and, instead, focus on designing a robust eco-system of support for families. The committee made recommendations on mental capacity issues to address the needs of our ageing population as well. We are working with our stakeholders to implement these recommendations and put them into place. Ms Jessica Tan spoke about the enforcement of maintenance orders. This is an important concern and we do not want someone to have to spend time running from pillar to post to try to recover something that the Court has already granted by way of an order. We have taken steps, however, over the years to address this issue.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank the Members for their speeches and for the queries that they have raised. I will address them. MinLaw's mission is, broadly, two-fold: first, to continually update our legal framework to meet both today's and tomorrow’s needs; second, to work together with our stakeholders to strengthen Singapore's position as a leading international legal services hub for Asia and, of course, the world. In the past two years, we had passed many pieces of legislation to achieve these objectives. We have redoubled our efforts at establishing Singapore as a legal services hub. This has included, as Mr Sitoh Yih Pin has said, the signing of the Singapore Convention on Mediation. I will touch more on that in a moment. Our focus for the coming year will be to implement the changes that we have put in the place, to ensure also that every Singaporean can be confident of effective access to justice in Singapore. Our legal system must be user-friendly, affordable and provide effective solutions. It must also be accessible to the most vulnerable amongst us. We will, therefore, continue to grow the legal services sector to ensure that more can enjoy the benefits of this growth whilst at the same time ensuring that those who require and need those services will have access to those services. Let me begin by speaking about my Ministry's efforts to strengthen the overall legal framework. Mr Christopher de Souza, Ms Jessica Tan and I think several others have touched on this. First, family justice. Those who use the family justice system are usually in a state of emotional turmoil, mental anguish and have seen their families break up. It is not a legal proceeding that they wish to be in.”
“But, at the end of the day, what drives the decisions that we make ultimately, has to be the output, the performance and the way in which the public retains and reposes confidence in the functions of the Attorney-General.”
“I will address all three questions at the same time because I think they fundamentally centre on the question of trust in the independence of the Attorney-General and, of course, the functions of that office. What other jurisdictions do, they do it for the reasons best known to themselves, or perhaps a design that is in response to the system that they themselves have. I highlighted the differences that I think Ms Lim is very familiar with in other jurisdictions. Some of the Attorneys-General hold political office, others have affiliations; yet others as Ms Lim will be aware from my speech also do not have security of tenure and go by a fixed term. So, it is different processes for different systems; and each country, each jurisdiction must decide what works best. In our context, we look at it from the perspective of what the broad institutional protections are – in terms of the appointment, in terms of the removal, in terms of the fact that the Attorney-General has no political affiliation and holds no political office. But, more than that, we also look at the individual, persons of integrity, utmost integrity, discharging those functions. And finally also, the proof of the pudding is really in the eating – in looking at the conduct, looking at the fact that, with no fear and no favour, there have been high-profile prosecutions including those that I have outlined which demonstrates that our system is working. And that I think is manifestly clear from the surveys that have been done. So, yes, we constantly review this system that we have. We understand that other countries look at the separation. We look at our system and we constantly evaluate it and we will make adjustments as appropriate.”
“In some of the other mentioned jurisdictions, the requirements for removal are considerably less stringent. In total, these safeguards are important. But, I am sure Ms Lim knows, that alone cannot itself maintain public trust. The Attorney-General's actions are also important. Attorney-General Lucien Wong recently said that the Attorney-General's independence is "enshrined in the Constitution and is an established rule of practice within Chambers". The Attorney-General has also not shied away from prosecuting individuals who may be well-connected or indeed hold high positions. Ms Lim has, in her speech said, that a Prosecutor must have no hesitation. Some examples of more recent and those further back prosecutions include actions against a Minister of State; against sitting and former Members of Parliament; against at that time, the SCDF Commissioner; the then-NKF CEO and also the then-Deputy Chief Executive of PUB. The public trust the Attorney-General and the broader legal system because we appoint individuals of the highest calibre and integrity and they exercise their discretions independently. The high levels of public trust in our legal system and the Attorney-General's Chambers, speak for themselves. I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm the Government's fundamental commitment to and respect for, the Attorney-General's independent exercise of prosecutorial discretion, which is essential to a society governed by the rule of law.”
“The Presidential veto contributes to a more robust system compared to other major common law jurisdictions which I believe is a reference point that Ms Lim has taken, such as England and Wales, Australia and New Zealand, where the officers in charge of prosecutions in those countries are appointed solely by the government Minister. In Singapore, the Attorney-General does not hold a political office. This further reinforces the independence of the Attorney-General, and is also unlike other jurisdictions, such as England and Wales, Canada, Australia and New Zealand where the Attorney-General holds a political office and is therefore subject to political pressures. Separation of the role of the Attorney-General from that of the Public Prosecutor in those jurisdictions is therefore necessary to ensure the independent exercise of prosecutorial discretion. The Constitutional safeguards in Singapore ensure that the Attorney-General is protected from such pressures and allows him to discharge both his roles as Public Prosecutor as well as the Government's legal advisor without fear or favour. Ms Lim suggested that the Public Prosecutor should have security of tenure. Again, if you look at and compare our system with that of mature common law jurisdictions, the officers in charge of prosecutions in England and Wales, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong do not have security of tenure and typically serve pre-determined renewable terms. 6.00 pm What is more important is that it is very difficult to remove the Attorney-General in Singapore. The President, the Prime Minister and a tribunal of three Judges, which must include the Chief Justice, must all agree that the Attorney-General is unable to discharge his functions, or that there has been misbehaviour.”
“Mr Chairman, Ms Lim spoke about de-coupling the dual roles of the Attorney-General as Public Prosecutor and also chief legal advisor to the Government, and granting security of tenure to this office, to strengthen the system and also made reference to systems in other countries. Let me respond to the points raised. I understand the thrust of Ms Lim's speech. The Government fully agrees that public confidence is important. And because of the way we have built up our institutions, public confidence in our institutions is high. Our institutions work well and have worked well. Survey statistics referred to during the 2016 Committee of Supply debates showed that public confidence in the legal system is indeed high. Let me cite some numbers. Ninety-two percent said they had trust and confidence in Singapore's legal system, and that the system is fair and efficient. Ninety-six percent agreed that Singapore is governed by the rule of law. The same survey also revealed that 90% said they had trust and confidence in the Attorney-General's Chambers. The public's confidence in the Attorney-General's Chambers did not develop by chance. It was the result of prudent legal safeguards, as well as the integrity of those in the system. Let me elaborate. First, the Constitution itself has robust safeguards to protect the Attorney-General's independent exercise of prosecutorial discretion. It provides that the Attorney-General has the discretion "to institute, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for any offence". Second, on top of that, we have a dual-key system for the appointment of the Attorney-General. What does this mean? Both the President and the Prime Minister must agree on the appointment.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as the Member knows, the substance of each transaction will have to be looked at to determine the exact nature of the transaction, whether it is moneylending, whether requires licensing, or whether you can get an exemption. And the substance requires one to look at the specifics of the transaction – what are the terms, what is the context in which the transaction has taken place – to assess if the activity constitutes moneylending, in which case, then licensing would follow. Where they fall outside the scope of the Moneylenders Act, nonetheless, in such transactions, very often you would find also other pieces of legislation applying to regulate the relationship between the two parties or three parties; and that includes a Sale of Goods Act as well as the Consumer Protection Fair Trading Act. But to the extent that there remain gaps in the manner which the Member has identified, then, certainly, my Ministry will work with the agencies to identify those gaps and to look at what the necessary regulations, if at all, might be useful to deal with those gaps.”
“Under the Moneylenders Act, all entities, including startups, can only carry on the business of moneylending if they are authorised to do so by licence, or if they have been granted an exemption, or are excluded moneylenders. Startups that run schemes or programmes that constitute moneylending are subject to moneylending regulations. We understand that the Member in this Parliamentary Question may be referring to Grab's Upfront Cash Programme (UCP) which offered cash advances to selected drivers and delivery partners. We understand, too, that Grab has discontinued granting new cash advances under UCP.”
“(proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“As I am sure Mr Christopher de Souza and Mr Patrick Tay would know, the Courts would apply those standards, looking at it in the context of what it means by drawing parallels with arbitrator misconduct, for instance, or the rules of how a fair arbitration might have taken place. Those principles, whilst not directly relevant to a mediation in the same way, would no doubt guide the conduct of the Courts as to what comprises "serious breach". This is to ensure that mediator and mediation standards continue to be upheld and are not undermined in the process of concluding a settlement agreement. Sir, I believe I have covered all the queries raised by Members. Let me conclude by saying that we are hopeful that as the Convention comes into force, more and more parties will see the benefit of mediation and, through it, as Mr Christopher de Souza points out, the Courts will receive more and more applications and, through that, develop a body of jurisprudence as to how to administer, apply and, in some cases, refuse to apply or refuse to enforce such agreements. Singapore continues to position itself as a thought leader, as a hub, as I mentioned at the outset, for all forms of dispute resolution. And with the Convention and this Bill, we will expect to see that the third of the more popular areas of dispute resolution will now have an avenue for cross-border enforcement, that, in our view, will promote international trade. With the milestone that we have achieved with the Convention, Mr Deputy Speaker, we believe that this Bill will bring rich and varied opportunities to our businesses, mediation institutions and professionals and also our legal profession. Sir, with that, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to.”
“At the same time, the Working Group also noted that standards and applicable standards might change, might shift. There might be more or less emphasis on one point or another subsequently. Accordingly, neither the Convention nor the Bill sets out standards that are prescribed upfront and become immutable over time, applying to the mediator or to the mediation itself. In addition, I would also note that the mediation landscape in Singapore is still developing. We are about six months out from the Convention. We do not currently have plans to impose a regulatory regime on mediators for the time being. At the same time, Mr Louis Ng is right in noting that mediation institutions like SMC and SIMC already require mediators on their panels to adhere to a code of conduct. We also have SIMI, the accreditation body for mediation in Singapore, which sets standards for mediator training and also accreditation. If the mediators are from certain professions, such as the legal profession or the accounting profession, they will also be subject to their professions' own set of standards on ethical rules and other professional guidelines. To the extent that there are, in fact, such "applicable" standards based on the mediator’s licensing regime, due to the parties’ agreement with the mediator, or pursuant to the rules of an administering institution, these standards, and consequently, whether there has been a "serious breach" or not, are to be determined by the competent authority hearing an application under the Bill, in other words, the Courts.”
“Neither the Convention nor the Bill stipulates a list of approved global translators nor is there a requirement to provide such a list. Let me turn to some questions now on the standards of mediations, standards of mediators and also ensuring consistency. Mr Louis Ng asked if the intention is for the industry to self-regulate or if MinLaw intends to consolidate a single set of standards. Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Louis Ng also asked about the definition of serious breaches and what might warrant the Court's refusal of an application under the Bill. Prof Fatimah Lateef noted that local frameworks and culture may drive the conduct of mediation differently in each country, which is a fair point, and queried whether and how the Bill will ensure consistency and standards for mediators before whom agreements are concluded. First, as noted by Prof Fatimah Lateef herself, given the varying nature of mediation and the forms it can take across different countries, languages, cultures, it would itself be a challenge to now prescribe common standards applicable across different countries which signed up to the Convention as being the applicable standards for mediation in all cases. In fact, the UN Working Group, when looking at the issue, considered an illustrative list of examples of potentially applicable mediator standards. But these are standards that we would not be surprised to see in any application to enforce an arbitral award or a Court order, or indeed, a mediated settlement agreement. So, these are issues, such as the independence of the mediator, the impartiality, confidentiality and whether or not there has been natural justice and fair treatment of the parties. These are all standards that you find in one form or another replicated in the Bill.”