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…”
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“I was referring to Mr Low's point where he was suggesting that the NCMPs create duckweeds. I do not think that is true. As the Member Ms Rahayu Mahzam mentioned earlier, you really make what you will of it yourself. You have the opportunity to make your house visits. You have the opportunity to grow your roots in your own constituency, whether you are an elected Member or an NCMP. The fact of the matter is that the scheme being expanded Page: 53 gives the NCMP greater voices in Parliament in terms of numbers, at least, and also with the proposed amendments by the Prime Minister, they are now voting on an equal footing with elected Members. And those were the issues I took issue with.”
“And with the Sigmoid Curve theory, transformational changes have to be made before the peaks of success are achieved, to ensure that success continues uninterrupted. Let me conclude by going back to the point that good politics make for good policies. That is, indeed, true. But it takes two hands to clap and good politics also means that Singaporeans, too, must remain engaged with the Government. Singaporeans, too, must continue to be proactive in active citizenry and play a part in shaping our country's destiny. This is a crucial partnership, as we head into SG51 and beyond, if we want to build on the legacy of our founding fathers and leave Singapore in a better shape for successive generations to come. We all have a part to play. So, in the words of someone recently made famous all over again: "Do or do not. There is no try". Mdm Speaker, I support the Motion.”
“They have, in many instances over the years, taken advantage themselves of the NCMP seat Page: 52 precisely for the advancement of their own political agenda. A good example of this is the hon Member Ms Sylvia Lim. As the Prime Minister noted, she was first elected as an NCMP in 2006 before winning her seat as a Member of Parliament for Aljunied in 2011 and again in 2015. I think even Ms Lim would agree that her presence in Parliament, as an NCMP, gave her the exposure and contributed greatly to her eventual success as an elected Member. More recently, we have seen the Workers' Party opting to re-assign their NCMP seat from Mr Gerald Giam to Mr Leon Perera, both of whom were members of one of the best losing teams on the East Coast GRC slate. This presumably was to allow the younger and newer members, such as Mr Perera, to gain experience and exposure. Why? Clearly for increased exposure, for their own agenda, so that he would be better placed at the next elections. So, the fact of the matter is that the NCMP scheme not only introduces greater diversity and debate in Parliament, it helps Opposition Members gain exposure and recognition. I, therefore, cannot see the basis on which the Workers' Party continues to mount this complaint. Let me conclude, Mdm Speaker. I am heartened by the changes that the Prime Minister has announced. They not only improve the political landscape and make for a solid infrastructure in which to take Singapore forward. Far from navel-gazing, as Mr Low has said, I see in these steps the hallmark of strong political will, great foresight and a determination to build for the future, not for this term, not for the next term even, but for the future.”
“That is precisely what the NCMP scheme, as now currently revised, seeks to achieve. It will be enhanced, it will be enlarged, it will be made more robust and it will give the Opposition an expanded voice in Parliament. I heard the press quoting Mr Low last evening as saying that "the NCMP is still weak because he does not have roots, unlike elected MPs. He is not grounded in a Town Council. He does not have a constituency to run." I think Mr Low has missed the point. The privilege to run a Town Council and to manage a constituency is one that can only be bestowed by the electorate of that constituency. It is a mandate from the people. And if, in elections, the electorate does not choose the Workers' Party to run their Town Council, perhaps because they feel that the Workers' Party is not qualified to do so – that choice has to be respected. The NCMP scheme does not, in any way, take away the ability or opportunity of any candidate to contest freely for the privilege to run a constituency or the Town Council. If you win your seat, then you run the Town Council. You grow your roots. But if you do not, then the NCMP scheme still gives the Opposition a second chance. Hence, in cases where the Opposition candidate has tried but failed to win the mandate of the people, then, in those cases, the best losers are, nonetheless, offered a seat in Parliament – now with all the parliamentary privileges of an elected Member. Clearly, the NCMP Scheme has brought a more diverse range of views into Parliament and we heard that in the last Parliament. At the same time, it has also served the Opposition well, even if they do protest a little loudly.”
“Just because a candidate has been a CEO or a CFO of a company with $x million of paid-up capital or turnover does not necessarily make that person the right person or, indeed, a suitable or appropriate person to become the Elected President. In my view, there is every reason to impose far more stringent qualifying criteria because this is not a popular contest. It is serious business making sure that the constitutional duties are properly discharged. If the Elected President fails as the guardian, Singapore fails. So, if we elect either a populist or a partisan President, what kind of an effective second key can we expect? Second, we should review the current make-up of the CPA which advises the President on a range of matters. I think we can all agree that the members of the Advisory Committee should be well-qualified – they should be strong. The question is: how should we select them and who should they comprise? I would make two suggestions. First, to have more than just the current six members available as advisers to the President. The CPA should be enhanced with competent experts appointed from across a diverse range of fields as well as from across a spectrum of civil society who, collectively, can represent a broad cross-section of stakeholders in Singapore. Second, I would also suggest that these advisers be required to outline the grounds on which they give their advice, save on matters of national security. This ensures transparency and accountability and engenders public confidence. Finally, the last innovation I would like to deal with is the NCMP scheme. Mr Low Thia Khiang said earlier good politics is not shaped or monopolised by the ruling party – alternative voices, dissenting opinions should be heard.”
“The President, therefore, fulfils more than just a ceremonial function. Though his powers are reactive in nature, he is the custodian of Singapore's accumulated foreign reserves and acts as a check and balance on public service integrity and against possible excesses of power by the Executive. In order to achieve that, it is, therefore, necessary for him to act with a mandate and moral authority and that is why he is elected and not appointed. However, the review of some key aspects of the office of the Elected Presidency is timely and appropriate and I will suggest two points. First, as a starting point, it can surely brook no dissent that only the very best, the most qualified, experienced, competent and honest persons of the highest calibre should even be considered. There can be absolutely no political agenda behind this. Yet, we have previously seen the Workers' Party complain bitterly about this programme – complained that the stringent prequalifications for Presidential candidacy has made it much harder for aspiring candidates to become nominated. Why? Why should we feel apologetic about imposing the very most stringent conditions and criteria on a person who is to be carrying out heavy constitutional burdens to safeguard your reserves and mine? Only the very best people should be the Head of State, not an inexperienced or under-qualified one and certainly not a populist one. In fact, I would suggest that we would need to strengthen the qualifying criteria from at least two perspectives. First, obviously, the paid-up threshold has become obsolete and that should be reviewed. But, second and, perhaps more fundamentally, I hope the Constitution Commission can look into this, Page: 51 that we look beyond just the numbers.”
“I, therefore, support the continuation of the GRC scheme and I should add that this scheme is by no means a political tool to marginalise the prospects of success for Opposition candidates in an election. In fact, having taken Aljunied GRC on two previous occasions, I am surprised we still see the Workers' Party continuing to make such an argument. At the same time, I also welcome the move to have smaller and, therefore, more GRCs and more Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) in the next election. I think this makes for better options and choices for the electorate and the Workers' Party surely cannot complain about smaller GRCs! The question of economies of scale in the running of a Town Council can, I think, be easily overcomed by having more than one GRC make up a town, which is currently not the case. Another innovation we will re-look is the Elected Presidency, first mooted by then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1984. Two White Papers later, the Elected Presidency became a feature of our political landscape, as an additional check and balance on the Government of the day – an additional insurance for the people of Singapore. The question is whether this office has outlived its relevance and should be abolished. I think not. Far from heeding the calls to abolish the Elected Presidency, I think it is now even more important than ever that we retain and enhance it. We have heard from the Prime Minister yesterday that our foreign reserves have grown almost 10 times in the period 1988 to 2015. Our GDP per capita has grown about eight times in that same period. These reserves, carefully accumulated over years of careful, considerate and conservative budgeting, need a strong second key to safeguard them.”
“Can we imagine for a moment that taking place in Singapore? But why has this happened just across our shores? As I have mentioned, politics drive social norms and shape behaviour. The origins of the recent racial tensions in Malaysia can, in some ways, be traced to the racial stratification that has been deeply entrenched in the Malaysian political system for many years, for decades. Political parties were formed along racial lines. The Barisan Nasional coalition is made up of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and the Chinese-based Malaysia Chinese Association (MCA), as well as the Indian-based Malaysian Indian Congress. Can we imagine any of these taking place in Singapore? A racialised political system has resulted in significant lines of divide in Malaysia's society which still persist today. That is why politics is not an abstract. It is not distinct from the policies we seek to make, or the type of society we seek to build. Politics touch and affect the way we live in a very real and tangible way. That is why the GRC scheme, an "innovation" which we have introduced, must remain a very fundamental tenet of our political system. It is the bedrock which safeguards multiracial representation in our Parliament and, ultimately, in our Government. The GRC system was implemented in 1988 precisely to prevent politics in Singapore from being polarised along racial lines. Aside from guaranteeing minority representation in Parliament, the requirement that at least one candidate of each GRC belongs to a minority community means Page: 50 that candidates and their political parties cannot campaign on racial lines. These objectives remain relevant, if not more relevant, today.”
“In June 2015, US President Barack Obama observed this about Singapore in a dialogue with young Asian leaders and he said: "And the truth of the matter is that one of the reasons that Singapore, as I mentioned earlier, has been successful, is that it has been able to bring together people who may look different, but they all think of themselves as part of Singapore. And that has to be a strength, not a weakness, but that requires leadership and government being true to these principles." It is, indeed, a unique strength, but we must jealously guard it for it could so easily turn into a weakness – a fault line in our society to be exploited. When you look around the world today, some of the deepest fault lines in civil society are drawn precisely on racial or religious lines and we, in Singapore, are not necessarily immune to that. Our racial and religious harmony and the Government's role in maintaining this through good politics, can never be taken for granted. Indeed, not very far away from us, in Malaysia, we see an example of a society fractured by their political and social lines being drawn precisely on racial differences. Two recent examples come to mind and you would have seen them in the press, both involving scuffles at an IT mall, one in July 2015 at a popular IT mall called Low Yat Plaza and another one in December 2015 at the Kota Raya. Both involved Malays and Chinese clashing over unhappy business transactions. In themselves, the incidents were not necessarily remarkable. But what I found staggering was the Malaysian government's response. Instead of seeking to bridge the divide, they decided to designate a "bumiputera-only" mall in response; that opened in December 2015. In fact, it came with free six months' rental to Malay entrepreneurs.”
“Inclusion, mobility and opportunity delivered by a sound political system which is fair, transparent and stable, has allowed successive Governments to design and implement policies to benefit and uplift society. As the Prime Minister said yesterday, we need good politics to make for good policies. In my view, therefore, behind every successful society – and, indeed, as Acting Minister Ong said, if we want to achieve, "faster legs, stronger hearts and wiser minds" – we have to have a sound political system. Politics and political systems shape and drive social norms – it is a point I will come back to later – but politics is never very far away from the way we run our society. In his Opening Address, President Tan spoke of the "innovations" to our system which have served us well. These innovations are unique to Singapore. We might have started with the British system, but our founding fathers had the foresight, political will and gumption to adapt and bespoke it to meet the specific needs of our society, our Singapore society. Take the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) scheme, for instance. We have had to adapt and change the original system because we are a pluralistic, multiracial society; quite unlike the British, from whom we inherited the system; quite unlike almost every nation in the world. Singapore is almost synonymous with multiracialism. So much so that if you went to google "multiracial society" now, you will find that two-thirds of the hits on the first page mention or are about Singapore. Carefully nurtured and cultivated over the years of our history, multiracialism is now self-evident in almost every facet of our life – in our schools, our HDB flats, our common spaces, our Page: 49 food and our shared heritage. And, yes, even in our politics.”
“Mdm Speaker, we celebrated SG50 last year. As one Singapore, we rallied together, we reminisced, we rejoiced, we reflected. And we also came together in one unbelievable moment in the outpouring of grief when our founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew passed on. The range of emotions we shared served to bring Singaporeans closer together, like never before. We are still only a fledgling nation, but we have had much to celebrate of our achievements over the last 50 years. It is nothing short of a remarkable success story. But at the same time, we must recognise that all of that is now firmly in the past. We can live in the past, or we can move on. We can strive to build on our past successes, but we can never assume it to be a given that the next 50 years will be anything like the last 50. By all accounts, the litany of challenges for us on the horizon is, indeed, very daunting. What we make of it and how we overcome them will define us as a people and successive generations will measure us by what we put in place and achieve today for the Singapore of tomorrow. How do we tackle the road ahead? Over the last few days in this House, we have heard many suggestions. There have been many passionate calls for bold new directions, policy changes – as my hon colleague Ms Denise Phua said – redreaming and calling for the slaying of the sacred cow as well. There is much richness in the broad canvas of these ideas but we have to find a way to tie them together. I have got some competition. At the very heart of our success has been the stability and cohesiveness which we have enjoyed as a society. But that has not come about by chance.”
“First, salaries must be competitive so that people of the right calibre are not deterred from stepping forward to lead the country; second, the ethos of political service entails that there be financial sacrifices and, hence, there should be a discount in the pay formula; and third, we should continue to adopt a clean wage system with no hidden perks. 1.30 pm Based on these principles, the salary benchmark of a Member of Parliament-grade Minister is set at the median salary of the top 1,000 earners for Singapore citizens with a 40% discount to reflect the ethos of political service and no other payment. We agreed on a new framework on the principles for Ministerial salaries and the application of a new benchmark. These principles were wholly accepted by this House, including by the Workers' Party. This is significant because we now can and, indeed, should, put aside any further political rhetoric on what the appropriate principles or benchmark should be and move on from here. In fact, the recommendations by the Committee itself, which the Government has accepted, provide for a self-reviewing feature at the five-year mark for the new salary framework to be reviewed. This will be a useful exercise after having the experience of using and evaluating the practical application of the new framework. Even though we are now only about three years into the current framework or just slightly past the midway point of the five-year review period, may I ask the Deputy Prime Minister if it would be an opportune time now to take stock of how the new framework has been applied in practice and where the benchmark has moved over the years since implementation in 2012? ASPIRE for the Civil Service”
“Madam, as Deputy Prime Minister Tharman made clear in his Budget speech, this Budget is clearly focused on building Singapore's future. It is a bold, forward-looking, forward-thinking Budget, designed to help Singaporeans not only now but, particularly in the long term, to succeed. That ethos is best encapsulated in Deputy Prime Minister Tharman's closing remarks in his Budget speech. When making mention of Joseph Schooling's first swimming coach, he said that the spirit of Singapore lies in being good at something, taking pride in it and then passing on the passion to the next generation, so that we, Singapore and Singaporeans, can keep moving up. In the same way, we have to ensure that the people who lead our country, who sit on the front bench of this House and whose policies shape the lives of many future generations of Singaporeans to come, will, indeed, keep Singapore moving up. It was against this backdrop that back in January 2012, this House debated the White Paper on Salaries for a Capable and Committed Government. It was a robust and vigorous debate. I think it was so because all of us in this House appreciated just how important it is for Singapore that we set the framework for political salaries at the right level. It is important because we have to ensure that the best, the most capable, the brightest talents are brought into public service. Page: 55 I do not think anyone can seriously disagree with that. The principles enunciated in the White Paper were designed precisely with these objectives in mind. Let me just quickly recap the three core principles which underscored the Committee's recommendations.”
“What this tells us is that the same or greater quality of drug is being brought in at a lower value and this could mean that they are more accessible on the street. Secondly, of all the new abusers, new methamphetamine abusers made up the largest proportion while new cannabis abusers saw an increase of 7%. Methamphetamine is one of the most commonly abused drugs among youths. It is popular because it has short-term upsides; it has been touted to give you better outcomes for examinations, to let you do better in sports and so on. But it also has very severe long-term adverse effects, such as brain damage. These signs tell us that we must remain unabated in our unstinting fight against drugs. The drug problem is a serious social tragedy. We cannot look at it only in terms of the individual drug abuser who suffers from the addiction. In that context, may I please ask the Deputy Prime Minister to comment on two issues: first, to reaffirm Singapore's commitment to an absolute zero tolerance of drug abuse and trafficking; second, in light of the numbers that we see on youths and on methamphetamine, to outline the Ministry of Home Affair's (MHA) strategy, specifically in arresting the increase in the number of new and young abusers. Finally, may I use the remaining time in my final cut on MHA to record appreciation and gratitude to the many men and women who serve on the Home Team. We live in an ever-changing environment. We face new and novel threats both from within our own country and from outside. Many of the Home Team officers put their safety and well-being in harm's Page: 14 way on a daily basis as they go about their job to keep Singapore and Singaporeans safe. For that, we are grateful for their dedication. 11.45 am”
“It has been three years since this House passed the amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act to remove the mandatory death penalty in certain limited instances of trafficking. These and other amendments were introduced at a time when Singapore's drug situation had shown some improvement over the years. At that time, however, this House had expressed a concern that the perceived relaxation of the death penalty could lead to a misperception that the law is softening its zero-tolerance attitude towards drug trafficking. Page: 13 Since then, we have had the following statistics from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB): the drug abusers arrested by the CNB have decreased 14% between 2013 and 2014. The number of new drug abusers has also seen a slight decrease of 5% over the same period. In relation to drug abusers, there is a decrease in the recidivism rate for drug abusers released from the DRC over the 2012 period. These are generally good signs, but we cannot and can never afford to be complacent. The Director of CNB recently expressed the concern that two-thirds of new abusers are below the age of 30. Whilst new abusers have come down, the fact is, he said, "more of our young people are trying drugs". It is, therefore, with some alarm that I learn from the Singapore Children's Society that they have started seeing young abusers, some as young as 13 or 14, appear and being treated for drug abuse. Madam, two further factors are significant in my view. First, while the street value of drugs in 2014, estimated to be about $8.1 million, has come down markedly from that in 2013, it is significant that the quantity by weight has increased. Cannabis, for instance, has gone up by about 125%.”
“Yes. It is important to ensure that we maintain that with a high level of technology. What steps are being taken to use and harness advances in technology to assist immigration procedures? Page: 144”
“In 2014, one of the success stories was the large heroin haul seized at the Woodlands Checkpoint. More recently, a large quantity of aramine tablets were seized at the Tuas Checkpoint by alert officers. Even more recently, boxes of illegal firecrackers were seized at the Tuas Checkpoint just before the Lunar New Year. Second, there is an ever-growing threat of terrorism which we have to guard against. My colleagues have spoken earlier about it. Given the nature of global jihad, we have had to safeguard our borders against foreign terrorists who may attempt to enter Singapore to conduct attacks or use Singapore as a transit point to travel to other destinations. In light of the above, I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister to comment on the following: first, are our resources, both frontline and backend, sufficient to handle the increasing clearance volumes at the checkpoints? This relates not only to passenger clearances but also container cargo, inward consignments and parcels at the parcel post centre. Second, what is the Home Team doing to enhance competency and capability, given the expected increase in passenger and cargo influx? Third, in January 2015, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced the launch of the Integrated Checkpoints Command (ICC) to enhance border security designed to keep pace with the threats and changing operating environment. Whilst it is still early days, will the Deputy Prime Minister please briefly comment on the expected role of ICC in this arena? Fourth, it should not be forgotten that whilst we need a high level of security and vigilance at our borders —”
“Madam, the number of persons cleared at checkpoints in Singapore in 2013 alone topped the 100-million mark. That works out to almost 300,000 per day, each day, every day of the year. That is a staggering number by any stretch. Improvements in transport and communications have made it easier for people, goods and funds to move across borders. This should be so, as we live and work in an increasingly globalised environment. We can only expect volumes of travellers and cargo handled at our land, air and sea checkpoints, which had been increasing over the years, to continue to do so. This upward trend will continue with globalisation and greater inter-connectivity worldwide, as more economies develop and transport links are being established. While this inter-connectivity brings greater economic opportunities to Singapore and convenience to Singaporeans, it also heightens the security threats. These are real threats, as illustrated by the Woodlands Checkpoint breach which occurred in March 2014, shortly after a similar breach two months earlier at the same location. Thankfully, the offenders were apprehended. But this was brazen behaviour and, in some ways, we can also be thankful that not more damage was done. We cannot afford to be complacent. To me, two factors stand out. First, the challenge of dealing with transnational crime, in particular, organised crime and drug trafficking and drug syndicates, which no longer operate solely within jurisdictions. Such syndicates have layered and complex structures with multi-dimensional and extensive networks. They Page: 143 operate across jurisdictions. Our immigration officers play a key role in the arrest and disruption of drug syndicates, protecting Singaporeans from the potentially devastating effects of drug abuse.”
“Second, the nature of cybercrime is now transnational and borderless and international cooperation is necessary. Does the Deputy Prime Minister see a need, in fact, a challenge in obtaining international cooperation when it comes to fighting cybercrime? Finally, apart from enhancing enforcement capabilities, what steps are being taken to promote public education and awareness which are often the first line of defence against cybercrime to facilitate better detection, deterrence and investigation?”
“But it bears testimony that if you Page: 139 marry up these rates with the high level of mobile phone penetration, you can understand why we say in Singapore that many Singaporeans are themselves susceptible to cybercrime. What is more worrying, however, is the 2013 Norton Report which reports Singaporean cybercrime victims as having the highest average per capita losses worldwide in 2013, and that is about US$1,158. This is four times the global average of US$287 and twice the year before in Singapore. Further, the Report goes on to say that the direct financial loss in Singapore due to cybercrime had grown from US$944 million in 2012 to about US$1 billion in 2013. The IDA's report also highlights that Asia has increasingly become targeted for cyberattacks as people here have become more affluent and technologically advanced. In that context and, in the midst of that environment, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) was set up and will be in operation from 1 April 2015. In addition, I saw recently that Singtel has, in collaboration with the cyber security firm, FireEye, set up an advanced security operations centre. In that context, may I invite the Deputy Prime Minister to comment on this? Whilst we strive to secure Singapore and Singaporeans from cyber attacks, one also has to strike a balance between privacy and security. Would the Minister care to comment on whether these steps are becoming more invasive and intrusive into a private citizen's rights online? I see a few other challenges and I will quickly outline them. First, in terms of resources, would the Minister be able to comment on whether there is a shortage of cybersecurity experts? That was the comment carried by The Straits Times in the newspapers when the CSA was launched a few weeks ago.”
“Madam, it almost goes without saying that Singaporeans have become increasingly connected to the Internet. A few simple numbers published by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) illustrate this quite clearly. Household access to Internet has gone up to 87% in 2013. The usage of individual Internet has risen to 72% in 2012. And the mobile penetration rate, which is the total number of phone subscribers over the total population, has increased to a staggering 156% in 2013. We are now fourth in the world on that score and higher than Hong Kong, the United States or the United Kingdom. These individuals carry not only just mobile phones but also smartphones which allow them to carry out a variety of transactions online. This has been demonstrated by the increase in the volume and value of e-commerce in Singapore. It is predicted by E-commerce Alliance of Singapore that we will have e-commerce at the value of $4.4 billion in 2015 and an estimated 55% of these transactions will be cross-border in nature. This, itself, has corresponded with the significant increase and rise in cybercrime of both large as well as small scale. We have seen a range of both petty online scams and extortions which target young or old susceptible individuals to well-organised pre-meditated cyberattacks which threaten the national and financial security of Singapore. Again, the point is probably best illustrated by considering two published reports on cybercrime. The first, recently in January 2015 by the SPF and I think my colleague, the hon Member Mr Kumar, has cited some of these figures earlier.”
“This is an important safeguard because every gambling addiction starts with just one punt. I would like to ask the Minister, therefore, how he sees this condition being imposed and, more importantly, to be continually policed. For instance, would an operator be required to verify the age of gamers, or limit the number of times the site is accessed each time by each person, or have to submit regular reports to the authority? Madam, it bears reiterating that the social ills of problem gambling afflict more than just one gambler. Families can end up broken, children's futures compromised and relationships fail because the ill effects of a gambling addiction are so very destructive. It is all very sad and we cannot ignore the fact that online gambling is even more devastating. We have to act to protect society, particularly the young and vulnerable, from this. I, therefore, support the Government's proactive initiative in addressing this through a suite of very comprehensive measures through this Bill, targeted across the whole spectrum of remote gambling activities. At the same time, I would also urge the Government to complement this with effective public education, encouragement, support and to work with and through VWOs, grassroots organisations and other community support groups to help problem gamblers and their families. Madam, I support the Bill. 3.43 pm”
“Madam, this is probably the most debatable aspect of the Bill since some might argue, that with all the concerns we have expressed over online gaming, why then should we leave the door even slightly ajar for exempt operators to tempt punters? I think the answer lies in acknowledging that no amount of legislation or even strict deterrent sentencing will eradicate gambling. Like drinking, prostitution and drug trafficking, all of which are the subject of some of the toughest laws we have in Singapore, gambling will continue to take place and it will be worse if driven underground, especially given the virtual terrain in which these activities operate which make it inherently difficult to detect. I believe, therefore, that there should be a controlled outlet for online gaming to occur. Take the experiences of Hong Kong, France and Norway, which Minister mentioned, for example. These were studied by MHA prior to drafting this Bill. They have similar, albeit slightly less stringent, I think, laws against online gambling, but each has an exempt operator regime as well. That said, however, I do share the concern that the exemption should not be lightly given. The operator applying for exemption must be scrupulously reviewed and the conditions to be imposed judiciously as well as continually assessed. I am sure the Government would agree with that. On this note, I would like to seek some clarification on section 28 of the Bill and this is my last clarification: 28(1)(c) spells out, in my view, one of the most important conditions Page: 64 before we can allow an exempt operator onto the market, which is, I quote, "to contain and control the potential of remote gambling to cause harm to young persons, vulnerable persons and society at large".”
“Section 21(1), in particular, provides that an authorised officer has to be, and I quote, "satisfied that a person is participating or has participated in any unlawful remote gambling activity", before a blocking order could be made. My three comments are: first, this formulation requires that an offence Page: 63 has already been, or, is being committed, before the blocking provisions, which are essentially for the protection of the gambler and probably his family as well, can apply. Would the bar thus be set too high or possibly invoked only at a stage when it is already too late? Second, there are eight factors listed at section 21(4) which has to be taken into account. In fact, the provision says itself weight must be given to all these factors before a blocking order can be made. Again, in the context of the stage at which the provision is being invoked, which is often time-sensitive, would these criteria be too onerous and take too long to be satisfied? A payment blocking order has to be quickly effected before payment is transacted, failing which it would be rendered nugatory. Third, a payment blocking order under section 21(2) restricts, amongst others, the provision of credit, cheques, bank drafts, electronic fund transfers and the like. Would these provisions be sufficiently wide to also cover "money's worth", which is a term used elsewhere in the Bill, or virtual but convertible money which is often the currency used in online transactions? Madam, I move on to my third aspect which relates to the exemption regime as set out at Part 5 of the Bill.”
“Given that more than US$400 million is estimated to have been spent on online gaming this year, that probably tells us that a lot more online gaming takes place but not in physical premises and not under the scenarios which the Common Gaming Houses Act would have powers to deal with. The second aspect of the Bill relates to the protection of the public from online gaming sites and proactive steps to block unwelcomed sites from being allowed to provide, facilitate or advertise remote gambling. In addition, payment blocking orders may also be issued to stop any payment instructions issued by a person, who is participating or has participated in remote gambling activities. Madam, I agree with these steps and I really cannot see any serious objection to them, given that we already currently block a variety of objectionable sites ranging from pornography, to anti-piracy websites and other sites which, like Ashley Madison, promote matters against the public interest. So, this measure is also not exceptional, when compared to the approaches taken in other jurisdictions. I should add that I also welcome Minister Iswaran's comment on having enhanced penalties for those who invite or facilitate young persons below the age of 21 to gamble remotely and those who employ young persons in connection with the provision of gambling services. Before moving on, may I please raise three points of clarification from the Minister in relation to the application of section 21 of the Bill. This provision in section 21 sets out the circumstances in which a payment blocking order could be made.”
“It was first enacted in 1961 and, most recently, revised in 1985, almost 30 years ago. When it was enacted, the stated main purpose of the Act was to provide and I quote, "for more effective control of public gaming, especially in coffee shops and places of public resort". We are quite a way away from that scenario now. However, that piece of legislation remains today one of the most commonly evoked pieces of legislation when law enforcers need to combat problem gambling. The question is whether these provisions and powers will be sufficient in today's world to deal with the cybercrime and cyber gambling of today. Madam, a few years ago, in a decision PP v Peh Chye Hong under the Common Gaming Houses Act, the accused was prosecuted for running a physical cybercafé which provided Page: 62 online casino gaming services. Although in this case the accused was convicted, one can already see how uncomfortably the definition of "common gaming houses" might sit with a cybercafé, even a physical one. However, if one were to replace the physical cybercafé with a virtual online one and with the advent of Internet technology today, it is really not difficult to do so, then even that comparison breaks down and it seems unlikely that such a virtual gambling site could be caught by the Common Gaming Houses provisions, which were enacted at a time when such facilities were not even contemplated, let alone in existence. Further, the current provisions also do not cover the individual who is gambling on the website from the comfort of his own home, and not from a conventional "common gaming house" as defined by the Act. Apart from this case and a few others under the Common Gaming Houses Act, there have not been any other reported decisions concerning online gambling that I could find.”
“This Bill, with these powers, will equip the Police with powers to apprehend anyone involved in the remote gambling chain – agents, intermediaries, operators and syndicates, as long as any part of the gambling activity takes place in Singapore. The breadth of these provisions, in my view, is vital, especially in the context of the problem we are dealing with. Many sites are operated offshore with many degrees of separation between the true operators of the syndicate and the eventual user. Further, the Internet, being what it is, makes it difficult for the key operators to be tracked down effectively. These provisions, therefore, help enhance the powers and reach of law enforcers in order to ensure that the Police would not only be able to curb the remote gambler but also take steps to disrupt or cripple any syndicates, wherever they may be located, so that the wider social harm can be prevented. On this score, I would digress slightly to note that section 9 of the Bill criminalises the activities of an agent, regardless of whether he operates inside or outside Singapore. Would Minister explain how this provision is envisaged to operate and how it would be enforced since this would invariably involve key ingredients of the offence being committed outside Singapore? Mdm Speaker, in order to consider and appreciate whether we need these provisions of the Remote Gambling Bill in our armoury to combat problem gambling, it would be useful to quickly look at the state of our current laws. At present, we have the Betting Act, the Private Lotteries Act, the Betting and Sweepstakes Duties Act and the Common Gaming Houses Act (CGHA). Minister Iswaran has already mentioned the Common Gaming Houses Act which, by its very name, reflects just how out-of-date it is.”
“On some sites, I could even choose the best looking avatar to roll the dice or deal my cards! All this could be done from the comfort of my own home and, with a few clicks, I could even link my bank account to the web operator so that direct debits could be made to cover any losses. And if all that was not enough to entice one to start, most sites also offer free monetary credits, not credits that you cannot convert but those you can convert to cash or money's worth. Hence, unlike the real casino, where one is already a $100 down, if you are a Singapore citizen, once you get in, in the online version, most people start with a credit – the key word of course being "start". Where you end up is an entirely different story! Madam, it is very clear that with the advent of the Internet, problem gambling has become a rather different creature from the mischief which our current legislation is designed to deal with. It is, therefore, very clear to me that we need this Bill to be passed, in order to curb the ominous threat which online gaming poses, particularly to the young and vulnerable who are, of course, the largest users of the Internet, but also to our broader community. As you have heard from Minister Iswaran a short while ago, this Bill seeks to deal with the entire remote gambling eco-system comprehensively. There are three broad aspects of Page: 61 this Bill which I would like to address. The first relates to the criminalisation of every facet of online gaming, not just the act of gambling but also in the provision of the platform for remote gambling to take place. The Bill provides for a wide definition of remote gambling activities and it will be an offence to gamble remotely, facilitate others to do so, or transmit, receive or otherwise provide gambling services.”
“The 3 February 2014 edition of The Economist ranked Singapore second in terms of the amount of gambling losses per resident adult, with approximately half of this amount being lost in casinos and the other half being spread amongst lotteries, betting and offshore Page: 60 gaming websites. It is this latter category of online gaming that is growing at an alarming rate, which concerns us today. An estimated US$416 million was gambled away by local online gamers this year, up by almost 10% from the preceding year. Out of this amount, about 95% end up being paid over as revenue directly to the offshore web operators, often from direct debit from the punter's bank account. This figure is likely to rise over the next few years. In fact, the majority of market trend reports tell us that this growth is likely to be exponential, commensurate with the global trend in a steep upsurge in online gaming. Madam, the big trouble with online gaming is precisely that it is online. The Internet is pervasive and convenient and online gaming sites can be easily accessed by anyone, regardless of age. There are also so many sites to choose from, reflecting the increase in the number of market players getting into this very lucrative business. These businesses are also borderless and transnational – the online sites can be hosted from anywhere and by anyone – and allow anybody to enter the site and start gaming and our current laws do not allow this to be stopped. Our children and many young people can be easily online and accessing these sites without restriction, in no time at all. I myself tried accessing a few sites, of course, just to see what it is like. To begin with, it is really easy to get onto a gaming site. On top of that, the gaming options and varieties are endless.”
“Mdm Speaker, by any measure, problem gambling is not something we want to see in Singapore. Not only is the offending gambler at risk, his family, loved ones and the extended society around him would likely also be the victims of the social ills associated with a pathological gambler. That is why we have had strict anti-gambling laws in Singapore for many years now, recognising the social concerns, as well as the increased potential for criminal activities to take place in and around the context of gambling activities. Yet, over the past few years, the published numbers on gambling in Singapore point to a picture that we simply cannot ignore. The National Council on Problem Gambling, or NCPG for short, conducts regular surveys to assess and study trends in gambling. In its latest report, it tells us that almost half of Singapore residents aged 18 and above have participated in at least one form of gambling activity or another in the previous 12 months. Further, more than half of Singapore residents gamble at least once a week before they reach the age of 30. The trend may not, in itself, be alarming, but it is notable that seven in 10 people believe that gambling once in a while and socially and not excessively, is acceptable. However, the question always in gambling is: when is it not excessive? When is it that it is time to stop? When one loses half his monthly pay cheque or more, or half his savings? Furthermore, as the experience of the now famous Andy's dad in the NCPG World Cup advertisement shows, even when you win, you still cannot stay away! So, when is enough really enough?”
“I am pleased that Nee Soon South residents have been very supportive of our monthly litter-picking exercises. I am pleased that residents also supported "No Cleaners Day" on 1 May. We started this last year. Last year, on "No Cleaners Day", residents picked up 1,430 kg of litter. That is a lot. This year, on our second "No Cleaners Day", residents picked up 500 kg of litter. There is a reduction but I still think that more can be done. We will make "No Cleaners Day" on May Day a permanent fixture in Nee Soon South. I hope this can be done nationwide. Next, I would like to touch on the ill-effects of tobacco use. Tobacco use kills more than five million people per year. Five million people – that is like the population in Singapore.”
“I have been seeing this group of residents quite regularly. One last group of residents that I feel we need to help is the group of residents affected by the "valuation limit". They have money in CPF but they do not have cash. Because CPF says that they have reached the valuation limit, they cannot use CPF to pay their mortgage. Normally, this group of residents are in their 40s, late 40s, in their 50s. They have a lot of responsibilities, children's tertiary education and so on. I hope that we can review this policy. Our compassionate Minister Khaw and his team have done a lot, have done well, over the last few years. Many of my residents have got their flats except those that I mentioned above. And those are some suggestions on finetuning, so as to perfect our caring and compassionate housing policies. Just as we need good transport network, the housing estates will also need hawker centres which are places to get cheap food. The hawker centres have become popular gathering areas for community bonding and networking. I hope NEA can build more hawker centres and build them faster. NEA announced that there would be a hawker centre in Yishun and the announcement was made in 2011. Page: 91 And if I may say it in Hokkien, "Wu tia thio sia, bo kua thio ngia". Until now, we have not seen anything and I certainly hope that construction work can start this year. Mr Deputy Speaker, our physical environment also requires close attention. As we have a higher population density in our estates, we need to pay more attention to greenery, cleanliness and environmental health issues. The Government is already working on addressing these problems but, in some areas, residents should take on more personal responsibility.”
“The mother earns about $31,000 a year. Amanda wants to buy a flat with her mum. She is a first-timer, her mother is a divorcee. They went to HDB to ask for a loan. HDB said no, Amanda works as a freelance swimming coach, no Page: 90 steady income, so cannot buy HDB flat. Amanda got a steady income job since February 2013 and her monthly salary is $2,800. Besides that, she continued as a freelance coach earning another $900 and, happily, they went to see HDB. This time, HDB says no again. Why? HDB says that their bank account does not show that they are building up their savings. I would like to ask how many of you in this House, when you just first started working had savings in your bank account? I remember I was living from hand-to-mouth. I remember I went to my HR department once, telling them that they forgot to pay my salary. But when they checked, they saw that they had already paid but then it was because I had spent it. So, not many people have that kind of savings. Since she has a steady income, her mother also has income, I think we should let them buy their HDB flat. And Amanda is not the only one. I have seen taxi drivers and entrepreneurs having the same problem. They say that "HDB saw my accounts and thinks that I cannot afford to buy a flat". The next group of residents are those who are 55 years or older who want to buy flats. I think we know that when we reach 55, our money in the Ordinary Accounts and Special Accounts are locked away in the Retirement Accounts. So, for those who are 50-plus nearing 55, they are very anxious. Many of them, when they want to buy flats, they have money in their Retirement Accounts, but they do not have flats because they say they need the money in the Retirement Accounts to buy the Studio Apartments.”
“That means parallel with the road with the bicycle signage, and then people cycle in single file. In Holland, there are extensive dedicated cycling paths. Whichever model that we would like to adopt, we need to make a decision, so that more cyclists can have a safer place to cycle. On the other hand, with urbanisation and the tussle for space, I feel that all road users – motorists, cyclists and pedestrians – should show more courtesy to one another. Last Sunday, when I was at a coffee shop in Nee Soon South, quite a number of residents came up to me and told me that, very often, cyclists cycled through coffee shops and they were nearly knocked down by bicycles. Next, on housing. I am glad that the Minister has adopted my suggestion of building three-generation flats and I hope that more will be built. This is to enable residents to live under one roof. For those who choose to live near their parents, I hope that they will be given priority in allocation, so that they can live near their parents. May I also suggest that we build more Studio Apartments and give priority to parents who choose to live near their children? That means we give priority to children who want to live near their parents; we also give priority to parents who want to right-size their flat and live near their children. Next, give more help to those who want to buy flats, especially first-timers and divorcees with children. I notice that HDB has this habit of asking residents to show their bank accounts. Last night, during my Meet-the-People Session, I just saw a mother and her daughter. Daughter, 20 years old, her name is Amanda, left Sports School two years ago and she first worked as a freelance swimming coach and took home about $900. Her parents divorced when she was seven years old.”
“I would like to focus on a few areas where I feel we can further strengthen our social infrastructure. I know that the Government is doing a lot to push for more buses to be put into service to complement the MRT lines. I hope, in doing so, we do not also lose sight of the fact that as more vehicles are on the road, the traffic flow will have to be more efficiently managed. We should also review the size of the bus stops and their locations, so that we do not try to solve one problem but create another in the process. The network of main and arterial roads should also be reviewed to see how we can best use them to ensure an efficient traffic flow. Page: 89 On this note, I would like to ask our Minister for Transport what is the status of road works in Yishun, especially the alternative route to the Expressways because there are so many new BTOs being built, more and more residents shifting to Yishun, especially Nee Soon South, I would like to know what is the status of interchange construction linking the Central Expressway (CTE), Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) and Seletar Expressway (SLE). When will these be completed? Over the years, we have also seen the revival of another form of transport – the bicycles. If our transport cost continues to rise, we may see more people switching to this mode of moving from one point to another. I know of one office building in the city where the developer built a "cage" for bicycles to be secured, and with bathrooms nearby for cyclists to get a quick change to office wear. We need to do more for our cyclists. When I was in France last year for our World Table Tennis Championship, I noticed that there is an extensive bicycle lane at the road side.”
“This scheme allows our youths to have the chance to do volunteer work, both in Singapore and abroad, building up their living skills and character as well. I hope that more youths will participate more actively in this meaningful scheme. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, the Government has been focusing on ways to provide lifelong learning opportunities for PMETs to remain relevant. The Continuing Education and Training (CET) Masterplan is aimed at creating a lifelong learning system that helps employees seize opportunities with newer and better skills. The CET has involved exemplary public and private providers, as well as education institutions, to design and fund training pathways for various industries. The Government is even funding courses in UniSIM for working adults. They can upgrade existing skills or even have the freedom of switching to a new career path. These are evidence of the Government's dedication to ensure that there are sufficient economic opportunities for its people. For the middle income, the Government understands their difficulties as the sandwiched middle class, and has introduced a slew of measures to relieve their financial difficulties. Many benefits previously only available to the lower income have also been extended to the middle income class. These include reviewing the Housing Grants and income ceilings, availing more subsidies for Kindergarten education through the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme, and bursaries for tertiary students from middle income families. Certainly, there is always room for improvement, and I am glad to see that in recent years, with every Budget, there are bold moves to seek changes and improvement for the various groups of Singaporeans.”
“Singapore is a diverse, multiracial country, so it is not easy to maintain social stability. Many politicians abroad envy our political and social stability and development. When we engage actively in debate, we need to see it with a long-term perspective and consider the common interests of our people. Sometimes, people choose a quick solution for short-term gains. However, the long-term invisible negative effects can be difficult to reverse. In order for our political debates to be more constructive, we need to be open-minded and listen to other people's suggestions. Remarks that lack detailed explanations or logical analysis, and words full of hatred will not only not help but can also cause a divide in the society. It is easy to criticise policies, but just to criticise without offering an alternative solution is not constructive. It is not only not constructive, sometimes it can even be damaging. To push for populist policies may be easy; but it is extremely difficult to come up with policies that consider the long-term interests of the country. The Government continuously adjusts its policies to better take care of the different needs of the people, and help our people meet various challenges. For example, our seniors will benefit from the Pioneer Generation Package which aims to substantially reduce their healthcare cost burden. Singaporeans also enjoy more healthcare benefits. As for children who are now growing up, MOE will improve our education system, including changing the school curriculum. The aim of education should never be just to get better grades. It is more important to nurture our students so that they have the right moral Page: 88 values and good character. This is also why we have now introduced the Singapore Youth Volunteering Scheme.”
“Our nation is half a century old and is still young, compared to other countries. They have history, culture and policies that are centuries old while we are still mastering many sectors. Sometimes, we explore on our own, and sometimes, we explore further. Certainly, our journey will become more challenging in the era of globalisation. These are interesting times with the exchange of ideas and rapid development but, at times, social stability is affected. We must find the balance between pursuing change and development, and navigating current challenges. We must also look ahead and help the people realise their aspirations. With a higher standard of living and the voicing of opinions being made easier, more Singaporeans are keen to step forward and voice their opinions. Page: 87 It does not matter whether they voice out as a politician or as a citizen, or sometimes as both. Any debate about the challenges that our nation faces is something that is healthy and will help us explore new ideas. Mr Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The public must remain calm and objective when engaging in any debate, especially a political one. Otherwise, during a heated debate, they may overlook logic and analysis which could lead to negative effects. In March, we saw students in Taiwan forcefully taking over their Legislative Council to demonstrate against the Services and Trade Agreement signed between Taiwan and China. Recently, in Vietnam, we have seen territorial dispute-triggered demonstrations, causing damage to property and even loss of lives. There are many such cases in other parts of the world, including the situation in Thailand today, which is very worrisome.”
“Doctors from the MHPA have conducted health-promoting talks at mosques in conjunction with other events organised by the HPB. Our colleagues in the media have also taken up this challenge. Just last weekend, Berita Harian organised the Berita Harian Health Forum in partnership with Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Page: 86 Prior to this, in 2011, Mediacorp had worked together with HPB to produce Cabaran Segar, or Fresh Challenge, a television programme that traces the journey of Malay celebrities who are trying to quit smoking. I would like to invite even more partners to join us on this journey because in order to improve the health of the Malay community, we require people who have knowledge and understanding of our culture and traditions. Our community is known for our "gotong-royong" spirit and strong social support. In conclusion, with more partners who are able to share their expertise and experience, we will be able to help our Malay community make healthy living everyday living. Sir, I support the Motion. 5.42 pm Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mr Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Firstly, I would like to thank the President for his speech that was encouraging and provides direction to the Government for the Twelfth Parliament. Within a short period of time, we have developed from a lethargic trading centre to a prosperous and vibrant city. Just by looking at the skyscrapers at night, a lot can be said about the Government's efforts to build this nation. Behind the scenes, our Pioneer Generation and leaders had put in a lot of blood and sweat as well as dedication to build a strong foundation for our society. The sacrifices made by our Pioneer Generation are something we should be proud of.”
“Our families also play a big role in providing support to make changes. Children whose parents do not smoke are less likely to smoke as adults. Therefore, we should reduce the smoking habit in our community so that we can be positive role models, and our children can enjoy smoke-free environments. This year, HPB will organise the annual "I Quit 28-Day Countdown" during the fasting month of Ramadan, in collaboration with the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). I look forward to seeing more Malay men quit smoking this year. For the women, we had released the "Good Health, Live Well" calendar last year, in partnership with the Young Muslim Women's Association (PPIS). This calendar was designed to specially help meet the health needs of busy Malay women and their families. This pictorial calendar has cost-saving tips, such as encouraging early health screening, healthy recipes, as well as providing further information on hotlines for social and financial help. The calendar has been well-received. I have been asked on many occasions by my constituents to provide them with copies for their households. We will be exploring ways on how we can continue and improve on this initiative. These new initiatives are exciting and have been successful in bringing the different sectors together. MOH cannot realise the vision of HLMP on its own; success will come only when various stakeholders work with us towards the same goal. MUIS has been invaluable in identifying partner mosques for HPB and has been a strong supporter of our Ramadhan Challenge. Similarly, the People's Association has also partnered HPB to identify sites for the Wellness Programme which will provide health screening. The Muslim Healthcare Professionals Association (MHPA) has also come on board.”
“Now, her husband loves eating healthier dishes and her children helps her to look for healthy recipes. Practising a healthy lifestyle became a collective effort for the entire family. In line with the HLMP's vision to create a health-promoting environment, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) will be partnering mosques to adopt an integrated and holistic approach to improve the health of the Malay community. We will be working with the mosques to offer health programme packages which include health screening, physical activities, nutrition and a smoking cessation plan. Thus far, the Ar-Raudhah Mosque, Alkaff Kampung Melayu Mosque, Al-Mawaddah Mosque, An-Nur Mosque and Al-Ansar Mosque have pledged to offer these health programme packages. Building good healthy habits from young is also important. As the Malay saying goes, "To bend the bamboo stem, do it while it is still a bamboo shoot." Parents lead the way by teaching their children good habits from young and becoming good role models of healthy living. HPB provides guidance at workshops for young parents through the initiative called "Healthier Child, Brighter Future" (HCBF) so that they can inculcate healthy habits in their Page: 85 child from young. Young parents are also provided with the HCBF resource toolkit, which provides useful and age-appropriate health information and tips for raising healthy children. This resource toolkit provides guidance to parents at important milestones, from pregnancy to early childhood. The HCBF resource toolkits are available in all languages, including the Malay language. HPB is also working with the madrasahs to create a health promoting environment so that madrasah students also have the opportunity to learn healthy habits from young.”
“The onus is also on us as Singaporeans to "walk the talk" and improve the lives of fellow Singaporeans. Page: 84 Sir, allow me to continue my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, in his address to the nation, President Tan had outlined the ways in which the Government will be strengthening our social safety nets, including the healthcare system. In fact, even as MOH works towards this goal, we should remember that staying healthy is actually the best option. I am happy to say that there are encouraging signs in our Malay community. In 2013, more Malays had undergone health screening. Seventy-nine percent of Malays had gone for screening for hypertension in 2013, compared to 74% in 2012; 79% of Malays had gone for screening for hypercholesterolaemia in 2013, compared to 73% in 2012; and 33% of Malay women attended breast cancer screening in 2013, compared to 29% in 2012. The positive changes show that Malays are conscious of the need to stay healthy and, importantly, Malays have taken steps to make the necessary changes. In order to achieve greater improvements in health, we must help each other to take greater responsibility for our health. Last month, my Ministry unveiled the Healthy Living Master Plan. This plan seeks to bridge connections between different stakeholders and to ensure that healthy living becomes something that is effortless and natural. During the public consultations for this plan, participants shared stories on how they made lifestyle changes to keep themselves in the pink of health. For instance, a participant shared that, with her family's support, she managed to change the way she cooks, using healthier ingredients.”
“Sir, beyond these concerns, there are many Singaporeans, either individuals or groups, who have taken the constructive approach in playing their part in the development of Singapore. For example, in promoting road safety at MOT, I am heartened to share that I have been touched by the attitude and actions of many Singaporeans who have played a constructive role in our policy-making and implementation processes. While some gave constructive feedback and suggestions, others went further to develop their ideas and suggestions into actions. Rather than only criticising, they see their role and actions as complementing the policies and programmes of the Government. For example, Mr Steven Lim and his colleagues at the Safe Cycling Taskforce (SCTF) have been contributing constructively and significantly to the road safety and safe cycling movement in Singapore. Yesterday, the SCTF volunteered to work with the Singapore Road Safety Council, Traffic Police, LTA and MOE to conduct the Safe Cycling Programme for Youth. I was there and I saw the passion and commitment of the SCTF volunteers to enhance road safety and save lives because they care for fellow Singaporeans. Of course, we have others, such as those in the Love Cycling SG and Singapore Cycling Federation groups, and individuals, such as Mr Francis Cu, Mr Woon Tai Woon and Mr Han Jok Kwang, who have been consistently promoting safe cycling among the cyclist community, as well as providing ideas on how we can improve our infrastructure to enhance road safety. Sir, as a society, we need to expand this space for Singaporeans to contribute constructively, not only with words and debates, but also with action that impact the livelihood of our people.”
“Beyond politics, social media presents a wide spectrum of social discourse among netizens. This will influence the values and behaviour of our society, especially in shaping the behavioural landscape of our future generations. Many Singaporeans, particularly parents, shared their concerns about the social discourse on the Internet. While the majority of netizens are respectful and use social media to bring goodness to our lives, there are those who use and develop platforms to showcase negative social discourse and values. One mother shared with me how her son started to change in his mannerism, the words he used, Page: 83 and his attitude after he frequented certain online forums and engaged in the discussions there. He was also active in sharing articles which were factually inaccurate, crafted and manipulated information to mislead and incite hatred towards certain organisations. Fortunately, the mother was able to find out, counselled her son, explained and showed him what he was doing was wrong. He repented and has changed for the better. In the words of the mother, "while he has realised now, my effort to guide him must go on". Sir, social media is a powerful tool because of its reach and its ubiquity. If used irresponsibly, it is also a powerful weapon that can weaken this country we have worked so hard to preserve and develop. This country we call our Home. I strongly believe that the way ahead is to promote unity, not division or, worse, antagonism. In line with the President's Address, I strongly believe that social media should promote constructive politics – politics that will enable Singapore and all Singaporeans to progress beyond the 21st century.”
“Social media is one, where many Singaporeans view and participate in political discussions and issues affecting our nation. This expands the traditional engagement platforms, such as here in Parliament, face-to-face seminars and forums, Meet-the-People sessions, as well as at the coffee shops, wet markets and through our regular house visits. Social media is now an integral part of our society, making the world smaller. If used responsibly, it enhances communications but, if used irresponsibly, it will serve only to confuse and mislead. With its inevitable influence, diverse views at both ends of the spectrum will be made readily available to almost all of the populace – some factual and accurate; others, not. Politics today is not and will not be the same as it was a decade ago. However, whatever we discuss and do, we should not underestimate its impact on our people and our nation. Sir, I stand by the President's position that to achieve all our goals and maintain our success, it is crucial to maintain constructive politics that puts our nation and our people first. We must not follow the footsteps of other countries, and I quote the President, "the hurly-burly of politics has resulted in short-term populist measures, and sometimes gridlock and paralysis" which will weaken Singapore. Our policies must meet the needs and resonate with the pulse of our people. Our political discourse must facilitate meeting these needs and aspirations of Singaporeans. The way ahead is to build social cohesion and reject social segregation. Every political player should participate in constructive politics, politics that matters – responsible politics that will translate into a better Singapore for Singaporeans.”
“At its core, what this means is that all Singaporeans, regardless of background or station in life, must be given an equal opportunity and access to be able to improve themselves, move up the socioeconomic ladder and start from the same starting point as everyone else. That is the only way we can ensure that our social programmes will remain sustainable in the long term. Sir, with that, I support the Motion. 5.24 pm The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Minister for Transport (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim): Mr Deputy Speaker, let me begin by expressing my support of the Motion of Thanks to the President for outlining the priorities and focus of the Government in bringing Singapore forward. He defined many crucial economic, social and political challenges, some of which will be deliberated through the agenda set for this debate. I am confident that we will set the agenda right, stay true to our forward-looking narrative and craft policies that will enable Singapore to continue being successful and Page: 82 harmonious; policies that have been the envy of others. Nevertheless, we should never underestimate the undercurrents of change and the complacency of continued success. I will speak on the issues of constructive politics and social discourse, particularly on social media, in English and on promoting healthy living in Malay. The President raised the point about political narrative in his Opening Address. It is worth contemplating. The demographics of our population today have changed. With technology, many new forms of platforms and avenues have emerged for political and Government policy discussions among Singaporeans.”
“Welfarism and handouts drain our country's fiscal resources and erode the work ethic which has been the bedrock of our success, and encourage an entitlement mentality. All of this makes for a softer, less competitive Singapore and we will gradually be marginalised, and we cannot afford this. We all joke about the kiasu Singaporean in school or at work. But in many ways, this is what stands us apart – our strong work ethic and ethos, our willingness to go the extra mile should all be part of what it means to be uniquely Singaporean. Sir, in the foreseeable future, it is likely that social policies and transfers aimed directly at helping the low-income will become a mainstay feature in our fiscal policies. The GST Voucher Fund is an example of a permanent feature of our fiscal policy and not just a temporary offset measure. Introduced two years ago, it was recently reinforced and will be made available till 2020. This signifies the Government's assessment that the income gap will not be significantly bridged anytime soon, and, by extension, we are also likely to see progressively enhanced social policies to assist lower-income Singaporeans. I am concerned that we do not create a dependency on such transfers which are not paired with co-funding or co-payments. In contrast to off-set packages, once we introduce a permanent transfer, especially over a sustained period, it will be difficult to withdraw or even recalibrate. We should, therefore, place more emphasis on other ways of closing the income gap. A key pillar of the President's Address is the need to ensure a fair and inclusive society. Central to that must be social mobility.”
“Hence, it is crucial, Sir, that as we step up our social programmes and strengthen our safety nets, that we do so only by striking the right balance, and ensure that every programme, every commitment, every promise that we make is sustainable in the long term. We spend what we can afford, and we never, never give in to the temptation to continually expand social entitlements on a popular basis. While over the remainder of our term in this House, we, as Members, must be vigilant and critical, and scrutinise these programmes that are suggested, to ensure that they all have clear financial sustainability. Second, we have to ensure that our social programmes and spending remain firmly anchored on principles which serve to incentivise work and reward productivity and improvement. This is the only way in which to keep social programmes sustainable. Take Workfare, for example. It sounds like welfare, but it is not. Workfare is one of the key pillars of our social safety nets, but it is not a handout. In 2007, when Workfare was introduced by the Deputy Prime Minister, who was then Second Minister for Finance, it was made very clear that, and I quote, "Workfare is a scheme to supplement income and incentivise work. It is not a needs-based welfare scheme." I am sure we all want the low-income worker to be paid higher wages. But should that also be the case if there is absolutely no increase in productivity, or where there are no skills upgrading? We would, in truth, be selling ourselves short if we did. We want our people to benefit and then graduate from Workfare. They must use Workfare to upgrade their skills, get themselves a better job, and a chance to better their and their family's lives. That is how Page: 81 our social programmes ought to work.”
“We have many examples of well-intentioned schemes, designed by governments to benefit its population, but, instead, brought about significant liabilities for generations to come. Take the USA, which has been an example some of my fellow Members have raised. In 1965, President Johnson introduced Medicare and MedicAid. When it started, Medicare, the healthcare programme for the elderly, was a US$12 billion programme. It has since ballooned to a US$550 billion programme in 2012. The Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, which manages the funds and pays the expenses on Medicare, is projected to be solvent only for Page: 80 the next 14 years on average, so much for being able to accurately estimate healthcare inflation. It is a dire situation, caused by spiralling costs and uncontrolled spending, and could well bring a country down. The United States spends 17% of its GDP on healthcare, one of the highest in the world. Yet, I would argue that the average US resident probably gets no better standard of medical care than do our citizens at a fraction of their cost, especially with Dr Puthucheary's super cost-effective eight steps to good health. The National Health System (NHS) in the UK is another example. It provides free medical services to all, no means testing. So, anyone can avail themselves of these services. It sounds like a dream proposition – free healthcare for all. But anyone who has experienced the system will tell you that it is riddled with inefficiency and in need of serious reforms. Waiting times, even for a much needed serious operation, is inordinately long, and standards of medical care are anything but consistent. Just last year, British Prime Minister David Cameron himself acknowledged that the NHS, in its 65th year, has deep-seated problems.”
“It is also just too blase to say that the Government should just subsidise healthcare insurance premiums, as has been suggested. In order to fund the programmes, the Government would have to raise money and it has to be done in a sustainable manner without it being a burden on future generations of Singaporeans – our children and our children's children. It is all too easy to spend our reserves. We all want to better the lives of the less privileged, the low income, the disadvantaged – who would not? In fact, in times of need, it can be very tempting to resort to dipping into a higher proportion of the reserves to fund our social programmes, but this, as we can see, can have a very devastating and destructive effect on the long-term good of our country. We only have to look at the recent experiences of some countries in Europe, like Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland. These nations are now saddled with large unsustainable debts and enormous deficits following years of popular government spending on social programmes. Dependence, or I should say over-dependence, on handouts has led to a sharp drop in productivity, loss of competitiveness in these economies which are noted for its high unemployment and high taxation rates. These countries struggle to even make ends meet and need a bailout, let alone keep their social programmes sustainable. Closer to home, we see similar examples in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea. All of these countries are comparable to Singapore. All of these countries have also seen social spending increase dramatically over the last decade with no corresponding reduction in income inequality. In fact, in some countries, that gap has widened. It is also not as if the greater the spend, the more effective the programme.”