Gan Thiam Poh
Singapore
“Chairman, the ComLink+ Progress packages aim to support the efforts of eligible lower-income families with young children to help them achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility.”
“Madam, our maritime sector has been a key growth engine for our economy and provide many jobs and business opportunities. In addition to being an international maritime centre, Singapore is the top bunkering port and busiest container transshipment hub in the world.”
“Chairman, in rating the quality of public transport, most commuters would consider the following factors, such as safety, affordability, connectivity, reliability, accessibility, frequency, speed and last but not least, comfort. All these factors contribute to our commuters’ experience, which many of us go through almost daily.”
“Chairman, many of my residents are appealing to have MRT stations in the proximity of their homes. Will LTA reconsider a new MRT line to support residents at Seletar, Yio Chu Kang, Fernvale at the central, north and northeast zones to the city at the south, and new Woodlands North, as well as to Changi Airport on the east and Tuas on the…”
“Chairman point-to-point (P2P) services play an important role being a convenient and, at times, essential supplement to our public transport system, by providing direct access to specific locations. Our main P2P providers are taxis and private hire vehicles (PHV).”
“Chair, our hawker centres are our national canteens and provide a wide variety of affordable food to suit more palates and budgets. We have had many popular hawker centres sited all over Singapore, which have served residents over many years.”
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“Chairman, the ComLink+ Progress packages aim to support the efforts of eligible lower-income families with young children to help them achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility. The packages focus on the four areas of preschool education, stable employment, improving financial stability through debt clearance and saving for home ownership. The package on preschool education was launched in August last year. Would the Ministry share an update on the response to date? MSF announced that it was working towards launching the other three packages for employment, financial stability and saving for home ownership from this year, 2025. Can the Ministry provide more details and the timelines for each package? Overall, how many families have actually benefited from the ComLink+ Progress packages? What is the average number of families that a family coach handles? Has the Ministry been able to recruit its target number of family coaches so far? Empowering Families to Achieve Stability”
“Madam, our maritime sector has been a key growth engine for our economy and provide many jobs and business opportunities. In addition to being an international maritime centre, Singapore is the top bunkering port and busiest container transshipment hub in the world. To keep Singapore's lead in this sector, we need to continuously improve the standard and range of services by tapping on new technologies and refine processes to facilitate greater efficiency, consistency and reliability of our maritime services. At the core of all these are our people whose dedication, expertise, skills and hard work have enabled our maritime centre and port to perform outstandingly year after year. What are MOT's plans for our maritime workforce's development to elevate their competencies and boost their productivities? How would the Ministry support the adoptions of new technologies to improve existing processes and increase the overall productivity of the maritime sector?”
“Chairman point-to-point (P2P) services play an important role being a convenient and, at times, essential supplement to our public transport system, by providing direct access to specific locations. Our main P2P providers are taxis and private hire vehicles (PHV). Although PHVs have been increasing their market share in recent years, taxis continue to have an important role. Their service supply is more stable and they provide street-hail services welcomed by tourists and those who are less tech-savvy, such as the elderly. At locations with high passenger traffic, such as Changi Airport, tourist attractions, shopping malls and hospitals, their availability provides comforting assurance to their users. Will the Ministry look into improving passengers’ experiences of all P2P transport services in Singapore? Pick-up/Drop-off Points – Private-hire Car Passengers”
“Chairman, in rating the quality of public transport, most commuters would consider the following factors, such as safety, affordability, connectivity, reliability, accessibility, frequency, speed and last but not least, comfort. All these factors contribute to our commuters’ experience, which many of us go through almost daily. The behaviour of fellow commuters is one of the main contributors to the level of comfort experienced in a journey. Unfortunately, there has been feedback that there are inconsiderate commuters who cause nuisance and disturbances to other commuters. The common complaints include conversing with their friends or on their phones loudly, playing loud music, littering and dirtying seats and stations. How can the Ministry discourage such inconsiderate behaviour? Would MOT consider introducing fines and other forms of penalties for recalcitrant offenders? Noise Nuisance in Public Transport”
“Chairman, many of my residents are appealing to have MRT stations in the proximity of their homes. Will LTA reconsider a new MRT line to support residents at Seletar, Yio Chu Kang, Fernvale at the central, north and northeast zones to the city at the south, and new Woodlands North, as well as to Changi Airport on the east and Tuas on the west? Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme With more Built-To-Order (BTO) flats in Fernvale, the demand for bus services has been increasing. Residents need the connectivity to other parts of Singapore and the waiting and commuting times should preferably be minimised as much as possible. Hence, would LTA introduce new bus services in Fernvale under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme, as well as additional new bus services, once the Buangkok Drive extension is completed, to connect to Buangkok MRT and Yio Chu Kang MRT stations? Bus Services along Hougang Avenue 7”
“The Public Toilets Task Force (PTTF) was established in March 2024 to study and recommend ways to improve the cleanliness of public toilets in Singapore. Would the Ministry share its views of the recommendations in its recently released report? Will the stakeholders, such as coffeeshop operators, owners and cleaning companies, be able to go onboard the new cleaning framework? 3.45 pm Tackling Littering Although Singapore is still considered a clean and green city, problems of littering still remain. In fact, like other Members, I personally received many complaints from my residents. As many had commented before, Singapore is not so much a clean city per se, but a cleaned one, with many hardworking cleaners picking up after litterbugs. How will the Ministry tackle this problem and reduce the cases of littering? Cleanliness Hotspots Parks, beaches and public toilets are some of the cleanliness hotspots in Singapore. How will the Ministry address the hygiene problems at these locations as well as at others, such as parts of Chinatown and certain hawker centres? Will customised solutions be required to address the different causes and contributing factors to low standards of cleanliness at these sites? Update on Project Wolbachia The Project Wolbachia has been a great success. The initial results from the multi-site field study show that residents living in these sites where the scheme had been launched are about 75% less likely to be infected with dengue. May I ask when the residents of Fernvale, in my constituency, can benefit from this programme?”
“Chair, our hawker centres are our national canteens and provide a wide variety of affordable food to suit more palates and budgets. We have had many popular hawker centres sited all over Singapore, which have served residents over many years. Their structures are ageing and some can do well with some upgrading, others may need to be rebuilt to optimise layouts. Would the Ministry share whether there are any plans to upgrade or rebuild any of our hawker centres? Rejuvenation of Hawker Centres”
“Thank you, Chairman. Singapore's carbon tax has been increased to $25 per tonne. It will rise to $45 per tonne in 2026 and 2027. This will have an impact on electricity bills. With expected higher electricity bills, businesses will be hard hit. However, it is not easy for many companies to change their operations to be more energy efficient. Sunk investment costs in current equipment and tools, lack of expertise knowledge, among other constraints, are major obstacles for them, especially for SMEs. What are the help and supporting measures MSE would offer businesses to increase their energy efficiency? Support for Households Utility bills are likely to increase despite lower fuel prices due to higher carbon taxes. As we face hotter days and warmer nights, many households are turning to air conditioning and showers to cool themselves down, which result in higher electricity and water bills. What kind of support will the Ministry provide the households with, to help them manage their energy and water consumption more efficiently? Would the Ministry share about its public education outreach and advisories to motivate and help households adopt more green lifestyle habits and transition to more efficient home appliances? Recycling”
“Singapore's Relations with Africa Africa is an emerging market offering many business and non-economic opportunities. How has our engagement with countries in Africa been and what are the initiatives to deepen our links with Africa? Would the Ministry share more about the official visits and areas of collaboration which we will be working on? How can we increase mutual understanding and interactions between our people to facilitate further cooperation in trade and investments? What are the main areas of trade and investments from Singapore businesses so far; and how are we encouraging more Singapore enterprises to consider venturing into Africa? Engaging Middle Powers”
“Mr Chairman, the Middle East continues to be a key region of importance for Singapore. Singapore was the first country outside of the Middle East to conclude an FTA with the Gulf Cooperation Council which entered into force on 1 September 2013. Would the Minister share an update on how this FTA has enhanced trade and relations between Singapore and the Middle East? Singapore also maintains good relationships with the countries in North Africa, especially Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. How is the Ministry working to build stronger links with Arab states like Egypt and Jordan? In 2023, the Port of Singapore Authority inaugurated their new head office in Cairo and Changi Airport International conducted a feasibility study to establish the Cairo Cargo City. What has been the progress of these two initiatives? Singapore's Relations with Latin America Singapore has engaged Latin American countries in many areas of cooperation, including trade and investment, science and technology, and education. How are we deepening our links in facilitating business opportunities in this emerging market? Would the Minister share with the House a progress report of how the Pacific Alliance-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (PASFTA) with Chile, Colombia, Peru and Mexico has benefited our relationships and trade? Likewise, for the FTA with the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), which comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, what is the update on our areas of cooperation so far? The Ministry had shared in the past that Singapore was looking into initiatives with our Latin American partners on the digital economy, food security and carbon credits collaboration. What is the update on these?”
“Chairman, Total Defence is a collective effort, and it would be useful to tap on our people’s ideas and feedback to obtain fresh and a wide range of perspectives on how we can defend Singapore. By empowering the public to contribute meaningfully to our nation’s security and stability, Singaporeans will feel a deep sense of belonging and build stronger community networks. We should provide flexibility to allow ground-up initiatives to experiment with methods and solutions that may not be immediately feasible in large-scale Government programmes. Let us consider crowdsourcing of innovative ideas from the broader community, particularly from youths who have fresh perspectives and savvy skills. In the face of new and evolving threats, how is MINDEF/SAF encouraging innovation in Total Defence?”
“Chairman, we face increasing uncertainty and complexity in our security landscape. Potential threats to our national security include conflicts in our region, acts of terrorism, organised crime and natural disasters. Our servicemen have to respond to a wide range of emergencies and threat scenarios, such as military attacks or cyberattacks, hostile acts involving explosives, chemical or biological weapons, and more. 12.45 pm This is particularly challenging for our NSmen because they are not soldiers by profession. Yet, they must be adequately equipped, both in terms of skills and equipment, to perform their roles effectively and safely. To perform any job well, hands-on or real-life exposure is needed for the practice and experience. All the more so for our soldiers, who have to perform under a diverse set of high-stakes and time-critical situations that can range from peacetime responses to wartime contingencies. In this context, what are the ongoing efforts by MINDEF/SAF to ensure that our servicemen are equipped to do their roles well and to enhance their operational effectiveness? Training Safety in SAF”
“Sir, our resident TFR reached an all-time low of 0.97 in 2023. What is the latest TFR? Did we have more births from the Year of the Dragon? What is the updated data on the number and ratio of working citizens to those who are retired? I am heartened that the Government is providing greater support for parents who desire more children. Will there be incentives to encourage and support young couples to have more children earlier? What is the Government doing to help and support singles who are interested in marriage to meet potential partners? For children of single mothers, I urge the Government to admit them into the Baby Bonus scheme and update legislation for their inheritance rights to their mothers' assets.”
“Inflationary pressures may continue. Would we need to reserve more surpluses to help the people cope with the unfavourable economic environment that may appear in the next few years and, at the same time, cope with the challenges of an ageing society and help the people to provide for their old age? As the average number of family members decreases, young couples may have to support two sets of parents and raise children at the same time. Reducing the burden on young people and couples is also a top priority, requiring us to think out of the box. Can the Government take advantage of the surplus to increase funding and increase childcare subsidies significantly, so that all infants and young children receive the same subsidies? Make all Government-subsidised childcare services uniformed, which can reduce the family pressure of young couples, thereby encouraging them to have children and consider having more children. This may also reduce psychological pressures and promote fertility. Psychological pressure is one of the factors causing infertility. At the same time, the annual credits of $1,000 per child can be considered extended until the age of 21 or the completion of National Service. Mr Speaker, since our current economic situation allows us to invest more in childcare, the Government can boldly provide more comprehensive and integrated support and funding to couples who are willing to have children. I hope the Government will carefully consider the above opinions. I support the Budget.”
“For working mothers, would the Ministry of Finance consider removing or increasing the cap of $80,000 on personal income tax reliefs so that their families get benefit from the Working Mother's Child Relief? Let us give these mothers as much support as we can. After all, the number of working mothers earning higher incomes who also have more children are not many, hence the loss of tax revenue to the IRAS should be insignificant. As for couples intending to have children or who are already expecting, MOH should work with doctors to conduct more public education outreach to encourage couples to take up the free genetic screening programme, PaREnthood genetic Disease Carrier Test (PREDICT), at the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. This will help them make informed decisions about family planning. I also urge MOH to consider allowing couples planning to get married to qualify for this free assessment. Would MOH also consider the building of public subsidised confinement and infant care centres to help mothers recover after delivery? Next, I have some concerns regarding our ageing population. We need to expedite the building of additional healthcare facilities as soon as possible to meet the increasing demand for nursing homes and day care for senior citizens. Would HDB also build more smaller single room rental flats for needy singles, so that they can stay by themselves in each unit without having to share these flats with strangers and having disputes often? I personally receive quite a number of such requests at my Meet the Peoples Sessions. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Presently, international trade barriers are rising, which may have an impact on investments and the economic environment.”
“They may have no one to support them or they need to support children in trouble and even grandchildren, despite their advanced age. For elderly workers in the low-income groups, additional WIS would be helpful. I would like to appeal for the qualifying wage ceiling for the Senior Employment Credit, Enabling Employment Credit and Uplifting Employment Credit to be increased from $4,000 to $5,000, to bring them closer to $5,500, the nominal median monthly income in Singapore. This would allow a bigger group of workers to qualify for wage offsets for their employers and boost their employability. Next, I would like to express my appreciation for the new measures to support large families. Many of these large families are also part of the sandwich class, having to provide for more children and to take care of their elderly parents. In our endeavour to push for a higher fertility rate, we must continue to incentivise, reward and support them. For those willing to have more children, let us do more to support and assist them. Let us commit to long-term subsidies, with more for every additional child they have. In additional to financial support, I urge the Government to consider providing them with reserved allocations, higher priority and even grants for bigger HDB flats, with the quantum correlated to the number of children they have. Can a greater number of Sale of Balance flats be set aside for their selection? I urge MND to commit more resources to the building of BTO flats to reduce the waiting time to 12 to 18 months. Would the Ministry of Manpower consider exempting large families from maid levies? To the Ministry of Transport, I would like to request that it considers providing large families perhaps with COE rebates for family-friendly cars.”
“Speaker sir, the Budget is one of the most generous and inclusive, with something for everyone, and has been widely welcomed by our people. I would like to take this opportunity to share my views and opinions, and make some suggestions which I hope will be useful for Singapore’s long-term planning. Firstly, we must continue to support our lower-income workers in lifelong learning and training programmes to upgrade their skills. With relevant and in-demand skillsets, they will be empowered to get better and higher paying jobs. However, for some of them, due to family and work demands, committing time and energy for training is indeed challenging. Their priority is to earn as much money as possible to meet their families’ immediate needs, so some take on more jobs or shifts to supplement their incomes. Their working hours may be long and if they do manual work, physically tiring. Their children may be young and they may need to look after elderly, sick or disabled family members. Hence, to help these lower-income workers cope better, we should consider boosting our Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) Scheme. I am heartened that since January this year, employees on WIS received higher payments of up to $4,900 per year, with 40% in cash and 60% in CPF. For the self-employed and platform workers, payouts are up to $3,267 per year with 10% in cash and 90% in MediSave. Can the payouts be increased to take into account the rise in the cost of living and adjusted to provide a higher cash component? For workers living hand to mouth, more cash in hand would alleviate the daily financial stresses they face. There are some senior citizens who need to work due to challenging circumstances.”
“It may be quite a financial loss to them to babysit their grandchildren. The government subsidies may be helpful to certain families which prefer their grandparents to look after their grandchildren. I support the Motion.”
“On a positive note, it may also encourage employers to relook at the need to retain senior staff to give support to their colleagues with young family. This could potentially be a win-win situation for the job market and employment. We need to factor in the growing trend of more singles across all age groups, with the most significant increase amongst those age 25 to 34. For many of them, marriage is no longer as much of a priority, but they are open to marriage if they meet suitable partners, as was mentioned by some of the Members here. We are also operating in an environment of greater caution due to the worrying number of scams, including on dating apps. Would the Government consider running a social networking agency and app, where participants and organised activities are screened and vetted? This framework could provide a safe and trusted space for busy singles to network and meet potential partners beyond their usual work and social circles. For younger couples under the age of 30, they have less time to accumulate savings and this concern may lead them to postpone having children. I urge the Government to consider providing more subsidies for this group for pre-natal care and deliveries at our public hospitals. The Government may consider building confinement care facilities to support both parents and baby at subsidised and affordable rates in new towns and estates. Would the Ministry of Education (MOE) provide more places and lower fees in Government-supported preschools? Finally, would the Government consider following Sweden's example, where grandparents are now eligible for government subsidies to babysit their grandchildren? More senior citizens today continue to work longer, some even past their retirement age.”
“Would the Government consider increasing the sizes of flats and the number of bigger flats with six rooms or more, and in tandem, increase the quantum of HDB subsidies with every child born, up to four children, specifically for the family with more than two children? These subsides should be claimable with the birth of each qualified child. We must continue to expedite the building of HDB flats and the collection of keys. We should give allocation priority to first-timer couples, followed by families based on the number of children under the age of 18 in the household. Declining fertility has been a challenging issue in many developed countries, even among those with generous Government support schemes, such as Sweden and Norway. Nonetheless, we must persist with initiatives to create and maintain a conducive environment to encourage Singaporeans to have and raise children. I commend and endorse our Government's continuous efforts over the last few decades to build a "Singapore Made for Families". It is heartening to note that from April, the Government will pay for four weeks of mandatory paternity leave and an additional six weeks of mandatory Shared Parental Leave, with the latter increasing to 10 weeks from April next year. The assistance will ease the transition for the arrival of a new baby and nudge some parents to consider having more. When the Prime Minister suggested more maternal and paternal leave, this was welcomed by couples but some also expressed concerns over the potential trade-offs, such as the loss of opportunities due to competition in jobs. Some in the corporates have also expressed concerns over the sharing of heavier loads among colleagues that may not be rewarded.”
“We must take care of the housing needs of these young couples, give them higher priority in the queue, increase their housing subsidies, lower the threshold for home ownership and shorten the waiting time. We can also increase the housing subsidies for young couples under a certain age, in order to encourage them to get married early. We can shorten the waiting time for home buyers and start building HDB flats in advance, based on the number of first-time applicants and the average number of marriages yearly in recent years, therefore reducing the waiting time to about 18 months. While waiting for a BTO flat, we can provide short-term subsidised rental flats for couples. We can also give priority to families with more children to move to larger HDB flats first, exempt them from the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) requirement and increase the number of subsidies. (In English): Will HDB consider allowing couples to upgrade and exchange to bigger flats with more rooms when they have at least three babies, without requiring them to fulfil the MOP, and only need to top up the difference between their original purchase price and the bigger BTO flat upon exchange with HDB? The bigger flat also takes into consideration the family's need to accommodate a helper or grandparents to take care of the young ones. Next, the size of our flats may be a contributing factor to low fertility. If we build more smaller flats based on the norm of smaller households, it may become an entrenched, self-fulfilling trend, where new households have fewer children to fit comfortably into the available flat sizes.”
“Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Singapore's fertility rate has been low for a long time, which is a major problem that bothers us. Although the Government has taken many measures, there are still few results. However, we should not be discouraged. Instead, we should be determined and have the courage to continue to introduce more favourable measures to increase the fertility rate and change the declining trend in the birth rate. The survey by our National Population and Talent Division shows that the main reason for married people not having children is the economic burden, which is 64% of the respondents. But the main concern of singles is that the cost of raising children is too high, which is 89%. Clearly, economic factors are still the main reason affecting fertility. Therefore, I suggest providing all-round economic support at all stages of a child's development. We can increase the parenthood subsidies, increase the quantum of Baby Bonus and expand it to more families, and increase childcare subsidies. The cost of commercial childcare centres is very high and the Government should increase funding for them, improving their quality and reduce the cost of childcare for parents. Mencius once said, "For the order and stability of a country, it is necessary for its people to have a property of their own." We also pursue our home ownership policy in Singapore. I think the Government should create a housing policy that is more friendly to young couples. We know that birds will build their nests before they lay eggs. Young couples who are about to become parents would always want to buy a house for their new family before considering having children. It can be said that buying a house is a must for young couples!”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I support the Food Safety and Security Bill. The Bill will update and consolidate existing rules and regulations related to food safety and security. With an overall framework, SFA can better strengthen and enforce the system for regulating food safety to protect public health. I have some questions. In order to strengthen our country's food security, in addition to the MSR that white rice importers must comply with under the current rice reserve program, SFA is considering requiring key food operators and farm feed suppliers other than for white rice to meet minimum stockpile requirements in the future. What factors will the authorities consider when implementing the new requirements? This Bill aims to improve the level of procurement and production safety in the food industry, and also to increase the accountability of industry organisations in handling food, including record traceability, submission of food control plans and feed control plans. May I ask the Minister, what are the main concerns of the food industry about this Bill when the authorities are conducting public consultations? What plans does SFA have for the challenges and problems they will face? Are there any measures to help the industry, especially small companies, adapt to the transition period and meet the requirements of the new food safety system? Finally, could the Minister share his views on the impact these new requirements will have on the industry?”
“Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Scam cases have become more rampant in recent years. From 2019 to 2023, the number of scam cases increased almost five times, with losses reaching $650 million in 2023 alone. Despite the government and banks' continuous public education activities and measures to protect bank accounts, the number of victims voluntarily transferring money to scammers remains high. What is worrying is that some victims still insist on transferring money to scammers despite the scams being exposed by relatives, friends, bank employees, or even the police on the spot. In this case, I support the Protection from Scams Bill by the Ministry of Home Affairs. It offers certain protection and restricts victims of online and telecommunications fraud cases from conducting bank transactions to better protect them. Those who receive a restriction order will not be able to transfer money from their accounts, take out loans, and use ATMs or credit cards. I would like to ask the Minister, if it is found during the police investigation that a third party assisted the party in transferring money to overseas scammers, will the authorities also issue a restriction order to him? The effectiveness of the bill depends on the police's quick response and investigative capabilities. Can the government consider giving the police stronger powers to reduce losses? Finally, it takes a while to wait before remittance. Can the minister ask the bank to add a checking procedure to give the police and the bank more time to try to contact the person involved and make the necessary confirmation and explanations.”
“I thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply. I do receive quite a number of residents' feedback, who actually came to me. It is because of the timeframe that they came to me for. I wonder whether it is possible for the Ministry to go further to work with agencies to have direct access to the data, of course, with the permission of applicants.”
“Residents may have different rest hours due to shift work. Hence, I would like to ask the Ministry how it will make assessments and recommendations where the criteria is subjective and convince all parties that it is being fair and even-handed? Madam, our grassroots volunteers have also tried and managed to locate the source of the noise that – as they found out – are a few levels above and has travelled to the complainant unit, while the complainant has been wrongly insisting the noise came from the unit immediately above. It is also interesting to note that the units in between have no issue with the noise travelling. My final point is regarding the number of cases involving mental health illnesses. With our rapidly ageing population, we will have more cases of mental illness related to ageing, such as dementia, in addition to cases in our general population. Are our agencies ready to cope with the increased demand on their resources? How will we retain the volunteer mediators and prevent them from burning out on the job? As for those ordered to seek treatment for their mental health issues, how can we ensure that they will remain compliant and sustain their treatments and medications? Do neighbours have effective and expedient recourse if they refuse to be compliant? Actions against them may also hurt the rest of the family. What support is there to assist such family members in dealing with difficult and uncooperative mental health patients? Madam, it is important for our community and Government agencies to keep a balance approach in resolving neighbourly disputes. We need to encourage better cooperation and build more tolerance, while being more considerate and sensitive to the needs of others. On this note, I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Madam, the CDRA was passed to ensure that no person should cause unreasonable interference with his neighbours’ enjoyment or use of their residence. It is unfortunate that we need to introduce an amendment Bill to empower Government agencies with additional regulatory tools to resolve community disputes. While these are necessary to bring relief to some long-suffering residents, it is a reflection and indictment of our community. We must intensify our public education programmes and outreach to remind all residents to be more considerate towards their neighbours as we live in a high-density environment. I support the proposed changes to direct residents to make use of community mediation as early as possible to resolve their disputes. Presently, about 70% of registered cases cannot be resolved because one or more parties refuse to take part. With legislation compelling all parties to attend mediation when directed by the authorised agencies, we can expect better communication and clearer understanding of one another’s issues and perspectives, increasing the chances of cooperation and compromise to resolve disputes. However, there is still an important role for our teams of dedicated grassroots leaders and volunteers to mediate in community disputes. In addition to fixing physical problems, such as hoarding and noise pollution, these teams also work closely with the IRCC to help resolve disputes which may threaten religious and racial harmony. For cases of noise disruptions, even with the assistance of noise sensors, resolving such cases may remain challenging for the CRU to be set up. What is acceptable and reasonable to one may not be acceptable to others. Tolerance levels with respect to the volume of the noise, frequency and timings vary with different people.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I also would like to join the Minister and other colleagues to thank all the workers and volunteers and also the public for putting in effort to help solve these problems. My question is, I understand that LTA has mentioned before that it has spent $2.6 billion on the renewal of the North-South and East-West Lines. In fact, I read from the social media that some people have asked why there were still the axle box failures, despite the spending on the renewal the North-South and East-West lines. I also want to ask the Minister, does he expect this amount to be increased further after this incident?”
“I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight an issue in our current driving framework. For taxi services, the taxi driver must be aged 30 and above and be a Singapore Citizen. However, for GrabHitch driver-partner services, PRs and those aged below 30 are allowed to provide driving services. On the surface, GrabHitch is a social car-pooling service which allows all drivers to give a lift to riders heading the same way. In practice, this may be a loophole which enables foreigners and younger, less experienced drivers to provide driver services. How will the authorities check and ensure that the drivers are genuine social drivers? Rooting out unqualified persons would help protect the livelihoods of our genuine platform workers. Will MOM investigate this discrepancy? Last but not least, there have been cases of foreigners coming to Singapore to do delivery work. How would the Ministry tighten the regulations and increase enforcement to ensure that these illegal workers do not encroach upon the livelihoods of our local platform workers, depress their wages and, if accidents were to happen to them, and others. I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“In addition, among platform workers born before 1995, a significant proportion would be beneficiaries of the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme. Due to their age, their income, compared to fellow workers, may not be as high. Hence, the Government can consider letting them join the CPF scheme so that they can benefit and be given the WIS as additional income. On behalf of platform workers, I would like to thank the government. From 2029, all eligible platform workers will receive full employee WIS, up from the two-thirds of employees' WIS presently. (In English): Next, I would like to raise an issue not covered in this Bill but which I hope can be included in a future amendment Bill. For normal employees, work cannot exceed 44 hours a week and total overtime cannot exceed 72 hours in a month. However, there seems to be no such regulations for platform workers. There is a risk of platform workers being overworked and not being adequately paid for the additional hours or compensated for higher risks of working while fatigued. Will the Ministry consider looking into this and implementing measures to ensure that platform workers are adequately protected? At the Sitting in July 2021, I had asked MOM to consider mandatory breaks for drivers of private hire cars to mitigate health and safety concerns relating to driver fatigue from continuous driving. As drivers are paid for the number of trips they make, I am also deeply concerned about the dangers of overwork for such platform workers. I hope the Ministry will consider looking into the use of technology to support the drivers to take a short break if the need arises, if they are tired and reduce the safety risks to themselves and others, including their families.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I strongly support the Bill. Our platform workers perform important services utilised by many Singaporeans and residents. They should be accorded similar protections and benefits as employees in similar wage bands. The proposals in the Bill are greatly welcomed since they will help boost their retirement and housing adequacies and get the necessary compensation and representation. I am heartened that many of the suggestions, feedback and appeals by my Parliamentary colleagues and me to improve the welfare of platform workers over the past few years have been incorporated into this Bill. For example, in May 2021, I had requested the Ministry through a written Parliamentary Question to enact legislation to require companies hiring platform workers to recognise them as employees so that they can get the corresponding benefits and cover them for personal accident insurance. Hence, I am delighted with the Ministry's decision to gradually align CPF contribution rates of platform workers with employees and require platform operators to purchase work injury compensation insurance for their platform workers. My residents in Fernvale will certainly be delighted to know that this law will be passed in Parliament. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I do understand that the five-year period for the CPF changes is intended to help the platform operators and the platform workers adjust over time, but I hope that the Ministry would consider shortening this timeframe from five to three years. Three years should be enough for all to adapt and allow platform workers to start accumulating more CPF savings earlier.”
“This leads to us missing the original goal of our legislation and the loss will outweigh the gain. In addition to exempting food donors from liability through legislation, the government can also implement incentive measures. I have thought of tax incentives, however, tax incentives have pros and cons. They may inadvertently incentivise people to stockpile or over-purchase, causing unnecessary waste which is exactly the opposite of what we want to achieve. In general, our legislation needs to balance the interests of food donors and the ultimate beneficiaries. It is the most basic requirement that food donors must comply with food safety regulations when handling food. The implementation of the Good Samaritan Food Donation legislation can not only reduce food waste, but also help people in need and reduce the burden on the environment. (In English): I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“This is an important step to reduce the amount of food discarded prematurely. Compared to other countries with similar legislation, such as the US, I would say that our proposed conditions are on par with these other countries. I agree with the proposals in the Bill, such as for the food to meet the Sale of Food Act, that the food must not have been "unsafe" and "unsuitable" for consumption when it leaves the possession or control of the food donor, and that the recipients be informed of handling requirements and time limit for consumption. In the EU, the labels on the donated food must also indicate the presence of common allergens. It would be a good condition for us to consider including as well. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Food donation can effectively reduce food waste. However, because donors are afraid of trouble or worry about legal liability due to food safety issues, they would rather throw away the food than donate it. However, there are still many families in need in our society. After all, we cannot stop eating because of the fear of choking. By legislating to exempt food donors who meet food safety and hygiene conditions, we will encourage food donations, reduce food waste, and help families in need. The experience of the US, Italy and other countries has proved that effective food donation laws can significantly promote food donation behaviour. At the same time, we must have balance in the new legal framework and not go too far. If the conditions for exempting food donors from liability are too cumbersome, it will increase the cost for potential food donors, which will reduce their willingness to donate and lead them to do the convenient – discarding food.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I welcome this Bill. This Bill will help to cut down on food wastage while ensuring food safety and hygiene for recipients. The liability waiver will go a long way to empower all stakeholders, from the suppliers to donors and volunteers, to save and distribute edible food with peace of mind. The amount of food waste in Singapore has increased by about 30% in the last decade. Such wastage is not right nor sustainable. I hope all stakeholders can do their part to anticipate demand more precisely and reduce potential wastage. In the face of increasing challenges for food production and transportation, due to international conflicts and extreme weather, unpredictable conditions, food prices are expected to keep going up. Moving forward, we will have less room for waste. As a nation which imports 90% of our food, we need to invest more effort to identify points of wastage and work together to move unsold products to the needy expediently. One of the greatest concerns we all share is our hot and humid weather condition. Food spoil quickly in this climate. For cooked food, for safety, they need to be eaten within four hours of preparation. Other products, such as bread and fruit, mould within days. We require a robust cold chain logistics network to support donors. The unpredictable amounts of donated food from different sources pose a challenge for storage and distribution by voluntary welfare organisations. Would the Government consider supporting interested donors to advise and assist them on food storage and transportation? Suppliers and stores, together with the Government, should also clarify food expiry labels, such as "best before", "use by", "expiry", for the benefit of consumers and donation recipients.”
“Sir, I just want to check whether there is a study on the timing when most accidents occur and then the TP can pay attention to those certain timings of the day. That is my question. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Accidents happen not only according to timing. So, even in the hours of the day or night when there are no vehicles, accidents have happened. At times, accidents happen during peak periods. So, the whole idea is not about timing alone. I think it is about the behaviour. So, we want to make sure we enhance the behaviour of people. We have looked at the various factors of accidents, why accidents happened. Essentially, it is about the lack of control of their vehicle. They did not look out sufficiently for traffic or their own presence along that road. So, it is beyond timing. There are many other factors that affect why accidents happen.”
“In fact, some of my residents and friends who visit Singapore, have told me that they feel secure, even when their children wake up early in the morning and wait for the school bus at the bus stop by themselves. This is something that we feel very proud of. A survey by YouGov, reported in January last year, found that our Government's performance in the category of law and order was the most highly rated, with 77% giving the assessment of "good" or "excellent". It is a delicate balance, I agree, to strike between upholding individual rights and enhancing societal safety and security. Our criminal justice system seeks to balance the interests and protection of the individual, with the welfare of the general community. I am satisfied that the safeguards put in place are sufficient, as mentioned by my fellow Parliamentary colleagues, including the requirement of the public prosecutor's consent before any DO or PSO is introduced. Detainees are informed of the grounds of their detention and have access to legal counsel. Furthermore, the DO and PSO must also be reviewed by an independent committee. The present system of periodic review by an advisory committee with assessments by professionals has, in fact, been working well. Sir, as an open economy and an international hub, Singapore must maintain the highest levels of law and order, not just for the protection of our people and our guests, but also as a basic requirement for our nation to survive and thrive in this competitive and increasingly perilous and volatile world. I wholeheartedly support the extension of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act for another five more years.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, since the enactment of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act in 1955, it has proven itself essential and effective in empowering the Police to act against crime syndicates and secret societies. The prosecution of their cases is challenging, due to reasons, such as reluctant witnesses. In fact, I believe a lot of my Parliamentary colleagues in this House would have similar experiences with their residents, who are willing to provide information, but request to not disclose their identity, out of fear and for their safety. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] In the interests of good public order, safety and security, this legal instrument must be availed to our Police force. The extension has become even more necessary in view of recent developments. The INTERPOL has been warning all its member countries about the urgent need to combat the scourge of organised crime, which is "at risk of spreading at an epidemic level". Crime syndicates are forming alliances across borders and developing into international groups. The offences spelled out in the Act – drug trafficking, kidnapping, organised crime, unlicensed moneylending and secret society activities – in fact, are among the most common crimes committed by such syndicates. Our zero tolerance of such criminal activities, and our commitment to eradicating them, have made us one of the safest countries in the world. In fact, as shared by my colleague, Mr Lim Biow Chuan, he had mentioned that we are one of the safest countries in Asia. Last year, the GPI ranked Singapore the sixth safest country globally. Our dedication to public safety has allowed Singaporeans and residents to live in a secure environment and enabled us to attract investors, tourists and event organisers.”
“Families with children with development needs require additional support and resources to help them manage. How is the Government helping the parents of these children? Parenting is a skill. While every child is different, there are general principles and broad strategies which parents can learn and adopt for their own use at home. Hence, courses and training can be helpful, all the more so for parents of children with development needs. Would the Ministry share with House what training and advisories are provided to this group of parents? Progress of SG Enable and Future Plans”
“Madam, the construction of Changi Airport Terminal 5 was put on hold for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Would MOT provide a progress update on its construction works and whether it is on track to be operational around the middle of 2030s? Would it be possible to expedite the construction process?”
“Madam, it has been reported that seven Malaysian and international consortia have submitted Request for Information (RFI) concept proposals for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project; and that the Malaysian government is open to reviving the project. Would the Ministry provide an update on whether any discussions have been held with our Malaysian counterparts and what is the progress of the project to date? Tuas Port”
“Madam, the number of PMAs and PMDs has increased in the last few years. One reason is the jump in the number of seemingly able-bodied persons using them for transportation, especially for food deliveries. Many of them speed along walking paths, posing a danger to all pedestrians. In December last year, AMAP recommended lowering the speed limit of all motorised PMAs from 10 kilometres per hour to six kilometres per hour and only allowing authorised retailers to sell PMAs with a maximum device speed of no more than six kilometres per hour. The panel also asked for enforcement to be stepped up with penalties. What has been the progress of the adoption of these recommendations so far to date? Safe Footpaths”
“Madam, ride-hail cars are perceived to have contributed to rising Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices in recent years. As private hire car (PHC) drivers can borrow up to 90% to 100% of the car’s market value compared to 60% to 70% for privately owned cars, there are concerns that more car buyers are registering their cars as private hire vehicles, so that they can secure higher loan amounts in order to afford them. In January this year, MOT shared that the Government would not rule out the creation of a new separate COE category for ride-hail cars. It would carefully study the pros and cons first. Would the Minister share an update on its study on this issue? Private Transport”
“The Cross Island Line (CRL) will be our longest fully underground MRT line, serving the eastern, western and north-eastern corridors. When operational, its seven interchange stations will provide even more alternative travel routes for commuters. Phase 1 of the CRL is targeted to be completed by 2030. The target date for the completion of Phase 2 is yet to be finalised. The CRL – Punggol Extension is expected to be completed by 2032, serving commuters travelling to Pasir Ris, Tampines North, Punggol and Sengkang. Would the Ministry consider lengthening the Extension to connect to Fernvale, Yio Chu Kang and Lentor stations for resilience purposes? This will provide more alternatives for commuters to switch to the TEL and NEL to travel to the west and north in the event of breakdowns and other circumstances. City Direct Services by Private Bus Operators At last year’s Committee of Supply (COS), I requested MOT to consider providing more city direct bus services during the morning peak hours. I am grateful that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) acceded to my appeal and had since provided an additional trip by SBS Transit City Direct Bus Service 671 to serve commuters from Sengkang to the Central Business District. As noted by the Ministry, the ridership has been increasing as more residents move into the new Build-To-Order (BTO) flats at Fernvale. Residents still find that the additional trip is not quite sufficient. Hence, may I ask if MOT could consider working with private bus operators to provide additional trips during the morning peak hour? Inclusive Transport”
“Designated smoking areas are created to confine smokers and their smoke within a space and protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke. Without these clearly designated zones, smokers are more likely to break the law and smoke in a prohibited area. Therefore, I would like to ask the Minister what is the progress of designating smoking areas in buildings, F&B outlets and various other spaces, and if there are plans to expand their set-ups.”
““Killer litter” is a term coined decades ago and, today, it continues to be relevant to every one of us. Most of us live in high-rise apartments, whether they are HDB flats or private condominiums. As we have experienced, killer litter can occur anywhere, posing a grave danger to all. Sometimes, high-rise littering are not deliberate acts of throwing items down the building block. Rather, these are items placed on ledges or open terraces or hung on balconies. With more extreme weather conditions nowadays, more items are at risk of injuring someone when there are strong winds. How will the Government deter potential high-rise littering and ensure that residents take precautions with their items in open areas? Public Cleanliness”
“Chairman, cleanliness, or the lack of, in the toilets of our coffee shops and hawker centres has been a perennial issue. For a brief period during the COVID-19 pandemic, they improved greatly and Singaporeans were hopeful that finally, clean toilets in our beloved hawker centres will become the new norm. Unfortunately, this turned out not to be the case, and the state of wet and dirty toilets resumed. As a developed country, this is an area in which we must make more effort to improve upon. What are the plans by the Ministry to address the issue of dirty toilets in public places, including those in the wet markets and coffee shops? In addition, how can we involve more Singaporeans to keep other public spaces clean? 6.45 pm Public Toilet Cleanliness”
“Sir, many of our residents depend on hawker centres to provide their main meals several times a week. Hawker centres are an integral part of our community lives, providing a wide range of good food. However, with rising costs of ingredients, manpower and utilities, our hawkers are finding it harder to keep their food prices as affordable as in the past. On the other hand, fewer Singaporeans are becoming hawkers, even as many of the current hawkers are getting older and gradually retiring. What is the Ministry's strategy to maintain the balance between keeping hawker food prices affordable while ensuring the earnings of our hawkers are attractive enough to continue working and to bring in new talent into this sector? Affordability of Our Hawker Centres”
“Chairman, as part of Singapore's efforts to mitigate climate change, our carbon tax was increased from the previous $5 per tonne of emissions to $25 per tonne. It will rise to $45 per tonne between 2026 and 2027. The higher carbon tax rates will prompt businesses to consider and search for ways to be more energy efficient. However, reasons such as sunk investment cost in current equipment and tools and manpower constraints, especially for SMEs, are some of obstacles for enterprises. What are the help and supporting measures available for businesses seeking to be more energy efficient? Carbon Tax Singapore's carbon tax has jumped fivefold from $5 per tonne of emissions to $25 per tonne. In the next three years, it will rise to $45 per tonne. What plans does MSE have to educate, encourage and assist our households to switch to more energy-efficient appliances and adopt green lifestyle habits to obtain savings on their electricity bills? With more hot days and warm nights due to global warming, how can households keep cool without turning to air-conditioning, which is one of the major appliances that consume more electricity? Improving Energy Efficiency in Households”
“Mdm, for the past few years, our Government authorities; the media and various private organisations, such as banks; have been issuing advisories and warnings to the public about scams, including online scams. Unfortunately, the number of cases in Singapore continues to increase. Many of these scams have been conducted via platforms and channels like Facebook, Telegram, WhatsApp, Carousell and other e-commerce sites. How will MHA work with online platforms to better protect Singaporeans from scams? How much impact does the Ministry expect the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA) to have on reducing such online criminal activities? Will MHA be reviewing its public education strategy to improve its reach and effectiveness for the prevention of online scams? Anti-scam Capability Online scams are a scourge affecting not just Singapore, but also many other countries. Many lives and families have been wrecked by this growing digital pandemic. Scams in other forms are equally problematic – causing financial hardships, undermining the social fabric and eroding public trust in societies. Will the Ministry look into drawing public and private investments into developing anti-scam capabilities in Singapore? These capabilities have the potential to be developed into a leading industry's products and services, like the role anti-virus software play in digital devices.”
“Thank you, Chairman. MINDEF introduced the Work-Learn Scheme in 2018. It is a good initiative for our young NSFs to learn and be prepared for the workforce while they undergo training to defend Singapore. Through the Work-Learn Scheme, NSFs have the opportunity to put what they have learnt into practice. In turn, the hands-on knowledge they have gained also enhances their understanding of what they have studied. This could also help them to better envision their future career pathways, as they would be in a better position to discern if they would like to pursue particular areas of study in the future. Can MINDEF provide an update of the Work-Learn Scheme? How many have benefitted from this scheme and are there plans for expansion? Tapping on the Skills of Pre-enlistees In my earlier cut, I talked about my support for the Work-Learn Scheme, which provides opportunities for our NSFs to work towards a diploma or university degree while serving in the SAF. In our polytechnics, we are seeing students developing critical knowledge in fields that have military applications, including engineering and IT. There is synergy between their areas of interest, their studies and what can be applied to SAF's operational needs. I would like to ask MINDEF if there are plans to tap on and further develop the relevant knowledge and skills that future NSFs may have acquired in courses prior to enlisting in NS? Expertise-based Deployments”