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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“Thank you, Chairman. With an increasing number of elderly who may be frail who need help to look after them, what is the projected numbers of migrant domestic workers (MDWs) required to support and meet the needs of our ageing population? How would the Government ensure that we can recruit and retain enough trained MDWs? Falling Total Fertility Rate (TFR) Our falling TFR will have a negative impact on the future of our society and economy. What will the Government do to encourage marriages and support young couples to have more babies? Many young people are working hard at their careers and further studies. How will the Government assist and support them to network and meet potential marriage partners?”
“How about providing incentives to employers to offer jobs to seniors? Can the Government provide more details about how it is helping workers who are actively looking for jobs and what are the measures to detect and minimise age discrimination in hiring practices? Finally, about HDB flats – a topic close to my heart. While it is encouraging to note that about 100,000 units of public and private housing will be completed between 2023 and 2025, can more be done to shorten the waiting time for flats for young married couples? Subsidised rental housing under the PPHS and the one-year PPHS (Open Market) Voucher to support eligible families who rent a HDB flat in the open market are both excellent schemes. However, these flats are temporary accommodations. As moving house is one of the most stressful life events, it is no wonder that some couples choose to delay having children until they have moved into their own flats. With later births, couples tend to end up with having fewer children. Hence, I appeal to the Government to review its long-term HDB policy and see if it could consider building more flats – a certain number of HDB flats – ahead of time so that the waiting time for couples, especially the young families, can be shortened to within one year or one and half years. With this, I would like to conclude with my support for the Budget.”
“In fact, just before I came in, I saw that one country has even successfully launched satellite from a platform in international waters. So, we can look at that – onshore and including in the waters offshore – to meet our energy needs. Next, about the employment of older workers. I support the Ministry's decision to continue with the planned CPF contribution rate increase for senior employees, age 55 to 65, by an additional 1.5 percentage points. This will enable our working seniors to build up more CPF savings for their retirement. There is a perception that persons age above 50 face greater challenges finding employment. Based on statistics released in the 2023 Labour Force in Singapore Report by MOM, the unemployment rate for PMETs age 50 and above, is comparable those age 40 to 49 and those below 30, at 2.6%. For non-PMETs – at 2.7% – it is the lowest of all age bands. So, I would like to urge for more job search support and matching for older persons who wish to continue working, especially those who have been retrenched. Of the employees retrenched in the last two years, does the Government have the details of their age groups, the duration of their job searches and how many remain unemployed presently? What are the success rates of retrenched workers age 50 to 55, 55 to 60 and those age above 60 respectively, in finding employment within six months? While I am delighted that all Singaporeans age 40 and above will receive a top-up in SkillsFuture Credit of $4,000 to be used for selected training, I hope that the Government will go beyond ensuring that these will bring about better employability. Will the Government consider tie-ups with employers, including the Public Service, to place those who have completed the relevant training to meet the job requirements?”
“" In fact, in the past, there were more than one attempt by those with malicious intentions to attack our currencies. These attempts have all failed in the end. That was because we have strong reserves to deter attacks by the others. (In English): Sir, as Prime Minister had said, our reserves is a precious resource which must be protected. We have to strike a delicate balance between meeting present needs and future emergencies. For now, let us work with this balance and find ways to increase productivity and augment our economic pie, so that we can finance the needs of our own generation and have some extra to contribute to the next generation, as our predecessors had done for us. Sir, we continue to face the threat of future pandemics and uncertainties. The war in Ukraine, Gaza and the resulting security threats in the Red Sea, disrupt supply chains. The invisible cybersecurity networks have further extended the dimensions of threats from land and sea, and to the air. The lessons from the Ukraine war have given a new perspective and definition of warfare. It becomes clear that we are vulnerable to the use of the technology that we have used to our advantage. Therefore, we need to continue to invest in R&D and support innovation. The family offices in Singapore should be encouraged to allocate resources to support the R&D and innovation initiatives in Singapore, including attracting top talents and scientists to Singapore to work with our researchers and scientists. They may include projects to strengthen our food and energy security. I am supportive of looking into the latest and safer nuclear technology, such as small modular reactors for deployment offshore as the additional green energy solution for our energy needs.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I appreciate the various vouchers, payouts and rebates in the Budget to help middle- and lower-income households cope with the rising cost of living. It is welcome news, in fact, based on the feedback of my residents. With such supporting resources to tackle immediate challenges, our families should be in better positions to take advantage of the longer-term programmes to upgrade and upskill – so that they can continue to fulfil good jobs and earn higher incomes. There were some calls to dip into our reserves in the past so that more handouts and subsidies can be distributed. The House had debated on this issue recently. I would like to take this opportunity to express my agreement with many of my Parliamentary colleagues that, we should be prudent with the use of reserves and continue to make savings for future generations because they are our children and grandchildren. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our parents and even ourselves, will give the best food to our children. Even though it is food that we ourselves enjoy, we will tell our children that we are not hungry, or that we do not like this food, but this is not true. All parents would want to give the best and save the best for their children and grandchildren. Our young and future generations are our children and grandchildren. Therefore, we have the responsibility to give the best to them to take care of them. With regard to the full disclosure of our reserves, it is in our national interest that the Government needs to guard against the ill-intended that may try to scheme away from us. In Hokkien, there is a saying, "capable or not, you will know once you try.”
“What are the Ministries’ views on these measures? Finally, I would like to ask how many cases of convicts have repeated sex offences after their release?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in full support of the Bill. The new framework for FMEs will certainly help our police force to solve crimes more effectively and accurately. I am hopeful it will also serve as a deterrent and reduce the incidences of crime. Next, the SEPP is indeed suitable for dangerous offenders who are at risk of reoffending after release from prison. Members of the public, in particular vulnerable potential victims of violent or sexual crimes must be protected from such criminals. Numerous past cases have shown that despite time in prison, despite counselling or therapy, certain offenders, upon completing their sentences, continue to pose a threat to our community. They remain unsuitable for life outside of prison. Hence, it is the right decision to keep them detained. While I am assured to learn that the assessment of an offender’s suitability for release takes into consideration many factors, including the results of psychological tests, would the Ministries of Law and Home Affairs share in greater detail, what methods are used in these assessments to determine if the convicts will pose a threat to the public? Regarding sexual offenders deemed suitable for release, especially those who had attacked children, would the Ministries consider additional measures for public safety? For example, in some other countries, such as South Korea, Poland, even some states in the US and more recently Thailand, these offenders are given the option of chemical treatments to reduce the risk of re-offending. Countries such as Germany and the Czech Republic also offer other long-term, permanent surgical options. Have the Ministries looked into and considered whether these options may be included as supplementary measures for such offenders in Singapore?”
“Thirdly, the information from the autopsy may be used during the counselling for future pregnancies. Fourthly, autopsies enable an improved management approach for future pregnancies. Finally, detection of chronic diseases of the mother would help prevent maternal morbidity or mortality. The mandatory insurance coverage of autopsies after stillbirth would help the women to reduce the costs of the stillbirth. In addition, the results of autopsies should help to reduce medical costs in future pregnancies, which benefit the women and insurance companies. Lastly, a tax benefit could be considered to provide practical assistance and support to the parents for the surprising costs of stillbirth, especially helpful for the mothers with lower socioeconomic status. These costs may be higher due to any maternal health complications that contributed to the stillbirth. The parents may incur additional medical costs if they seek mental health treatment. The parents may also face additional costs related to the child's burial and funeral.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are strong reasons to support the Bill to allow bereaved parents to name stillbirth babies, whom they had carried for more than 24 weeks. I hope that families experiencing this tragic loss can find some solace and closure in naming their babies and as they conduct the necessary rites with these names, laying the babies to rest. This legislation recognises these babies as beings in their own right – distinguishable from their parents. May the names provide their grieving parents a last chance for them to express their hopes and wishes for their children, gone too soon. I commend the Ministry for considering and fulfilling the wishes of the affected families. I, therefore, wholeheartedly support this proposed legislation, notwithstanding, there are some pertinent issues for the consideration of the Ministry. One consideration for parents after a stillbirth is the availability of a wrongful death claim. If a baby's stillbirth was due to wrongful conduct, it is important to recognise the tort claim. The approach may be taken from a legal marker equating foetal life with that of born persons. The claim would be in alignment with the reproductive justice principles. The mother is the parent of the child. She should not be deprived of the choice for a wrongful death claim. Next, the Ministry may consider mandatory insurance coverage for autopsies after stillbirth. This is consistent with the reproductive justice framework. Firstly, an autopsy allows the parents of the stillbirth child to find out how the child died. It gives a sense of satisfaction that all avenues of investigations have been carried out. Secondly, the autopsy could reveal whether similar problems would affect future children.”
“I am in full support of the Bill because for Singapore, one of the smallest nations in the world, having our Ministers or President on select, curated international organisations, will allow us to put our views across and have a say in how certain future international rules will be designed. It is easy for the international arena to ignore tiny nations like us. We need to have a presence wherever possible.”
“Speaker, Sir, we are certainly feeling proud as a Singaporean when our then-Senior Minister Tharman was invited and appointed to serve at prestigious international organisations. He was appointed to Chair the G20 Eminent Persons Group on Global Financial Governance. He also Chaired the Board of Trustees at the G30 and so on. The jobs of our President and Ministers, who are also Members of Parliament (MPs) with constituency duties, are demanding. While it may be beneficial for our national interest to have them appointed in foreign and international organisations and champion for Singapore, the concern is whether the demands of these appointments will have a negative impact on their ability to fulfil their local ones. One of Singapore's greatest challenges is our small pool of top local citizen talent which the Public Service, political and private sectors need to compete for. Perhaps, one of the intents of this Bill is to overcome the constraints. Will the Government limit the numbers and type of appointments Ministers can take on in their private capacities? We can understand that foreign and international organisations have their reasons for inviting the Ministers or the President. If they should take these on, they might have to let go of other appointments to ensure that they have the time and energy to fulfil their main responsibilities as Ministers and MPs. How would the Cabinet screen, vet and make recommendations for appropriate invitations to be approved? We must also put in place mechanics to prevent conflict of interest for the President and Ministers with such appointments.”
“I thank the Minister of State. May I ask if there is a guideline on the acceptable noise level between a modified vehicle and a sports car? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Indeed, there are guidelines and, in fact, if you look at it, over the years, especially starting from this year, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has taken on a more stringent approach. So, you can see that things are more stringent and tighter today. What is key is that we need to work together with the community as well as the whole-of-Government agencies. This is something that we have been doing. There may be cases here and there, but we will look at them and address the issues together with the community and the agencies.”
“Mr Speaker, I have a few supplementary questions for the Senior Minister of State. First, will the high COE lead to fewer cars deregistering? Second, is there an increasing trend or decreasing trend for high-end cars purchased as a result of higher ARF that has been introduced? Third, are there any plans to change it to a usage-based system, that is to say, drivers will be charged based on usage?”
“Another concern I have is regarding the inability to use biometric data, especially due to ageing. Singapore is a fast-ageing society, but so are many other countries. For some seniors, fingerprints can no longer be read well by scanners due to dry and worn-out skin. Eyes affected by cataracts or post-cataract surgeries may affect the effectiveness of iris scans. Even face recognition scans face challenges. What are the Ministry’s plans to deal with this problem as more of our people will be senior or elderly? Next, our immigration system has been under a great deal of stress due to the world witnessing unprecedented challenges, such as pandemics. In such situations, we must quickly adjust. I support measures to enable ICA to establish processes to control the entry or transit of persons for reasons of public health. Finally, I want to voice my support for the proposed measures to keep out persona non grata from our doorstep. We need to tighten border security measures to keep these unwelcomed persons as far from our border as possible. Doing so will reduce the time and manpower demands to process and subsequently send away these foreigners. However, due to the high number of passengers travelling between Malaysia and Singapore every day, there is a possibility that persons impersonating others will try to slip through. Will the Ministry share with House the measures to counter these criminals? In the last three years, how many persons had been caught using falsified identification documents? With that, I conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the amendments to the Immigration Act that will strengthen our border security and ensure that our immigration system will be more efficient and responsive to the evolving challenges of our time. Digitalisation and automation will help fortify our border security even as we speed up and simplify the immigration clearance process. We can substantially cut processing time, eliminate mistakes, improve the entire experience for passengers and reduce some of the tedious work for our immigration officers by utilising technology. This move will place us at the forefront of international practices for immigration processes, in addition to strengthening the security of our borders. On the other hand, with increasing reliance on digitalisation and biometrics, there will be higher risks from system vulnerabilities and failures. How will the Ministry ensure the reliability and security of our IT systems at border controls? Every day we receive reports about hacking and data breaches, affecting organisations across sectors and at all levels. Digital connectivity means that now we need to defend our systems from attackers from around the world, not just at our borders. Physical copies of permits and passes still have their place as they are immune to hacking attacks, power failures and equipment malfunction. Even as the Ministry seeks to up our cybersecurity, let us continue to have backup plans and modes of operation as part of our resilient ecosystem. I would also like to ask how the Ministry will protect the data privacy of individuals since biometrics are not replaceable. If biometric data breaches occur, personal identities can be stolen and the hackers can gain access to all aspects of the targets’ lives.”
“What were the considerations in deciding on this volume threshold? Finally, what are the Ministry's long-term plans for the PWS sector?”
“Thank you, Speaker. I welcome this Bill which seeks to manage Singapore's water demand, projected to almost double in 40 years' time and safeguard supply. I support the introduction of mandatory water recycling requirements for industries which use huge quantities of water, as well as giving more legal powers to PUB to ensure our water security. As for the amendments to impose charges on PWS, I have some queries. PWS' constructions to collect rainwater or get water from the sea to produce desalinated water need to be approved by PUB. They complement PUB in providing complementary water supplies. Would not the imposition of the WBT and WCT have an adverse impact on PWS, discouraging them from the provision of their services? Would the Ministry share the profiles of these PWS? How many are there and have their numbers been increasing in recent years? How many of these are rainwater harvesters and desalination plants? To whom do they supply their processed waters? I would also like to know if the Ministry had engaged with PWS regarding the proposed measures and discussed their concerns. What do both parties think would be the likely impact of the new taxes on this sector? Would the Ministry consider delaying their implementation? Would the Ministry explain the reasons for the different tax treatments? For example, why are all PWS which produce water for their own use exempted from WCT, likewise for rainwater harvesters? Are the private producers inter-company and intra-company, that is, so-called related company sales exempted from WBT and WCT respectively for those within the production compound or a related company at other locations? How does the agency manage? All small rainwater harvesters, defined as below 350 cubic metres, will be exempted from both WBT and WCT.”
“Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I just want to ask the Senior Minister of State whether there will be additional dual-trains for Sengkang LRT stations, as requested by my residents.”
“For example, if the judge believes that the cross-examination could bring undue stress upon a vulnerable witness, he can set out restrictions on the cross-examination process. The judge could also interview the children in person to understand their wishes and issue a judgment that serves the children’s interest. This Bill will also improve the efficiency of the family justice process. Without the Court’s approval, parties cannot raise unnecessary requests which will frustrate or delay the justice process or affect the children negatively. For couples considering divorce, I hope that they could mend their differences at the end of the day and there should not be any grievances overnight. The solution of their dispute still lies in them. I also hope that it will not be worse off.”
“I am supportive of the introduction of "rebuttable presumption" to address the issue of respondents dissipating assets, such as by spending money or moving it to another account. With the presumption, the onus is then on the respondent to show that there was no intention to siphon the assets. The applicant must show that this happened less than three years before he or she applied for a clawback order, or that there is an impending move that would frustrate enforcement of the maintenance order. Evidence found by the MEO can be used. In addition, I hope MEO could assist the Court in deciding on the percentage allocation and distribution of the sale proceeds of the existing flat or property to minimise the housing needs challenges faced by both parties after divorce. Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] As the saying goes, "Every family has got its own set of problems and it is very difficult for the judge to preside over family affairs". I thank MinLaw and MSF as well the Family Justice Court for their effort to push through this Family Justice Reform Bill to focus more on therapeutic justice, so that adversity could be reduced and parties could go through this difficult time of their life and move on. The presiding judge in divorce cases will have greater controls, including setting restrictions on the cross-examination process in Court to prevent family relations from further disintegrating. Because both parties would try to reveal each other’s faults, the judge would have the power to issue Court orders to protect the interest of the family as well as the children.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Family Justice Reform Bill that will help address the issues. It is certainly helpful to have a new unit of Maintenance Enforcement Officers (MEOs) set up and given the power to obtain information about the parties' assets and means from entities, including banks and Government agencies, such as CPF Board and HDB, to ensure that those who refuse to pay are dealt with more decisively. The officers are part of a new Maintenance Enforcement Process (MEP), which will simplify applications related to non-payment of maintenance orders. While the MEOs could help distinguish between those who cannot afford to pay maintenance and those who have the financial means but refuse to pay, the officers may face challenges if the parties who could have the ability and capability to derive a better income have, indeed, tried his best to do so and chose not to do so to benefit the applicant. In addition, the officers would still need to work on the acceptance of medical certification from medical practitioners to determine if the respondent's medical conditions are reasonable to justify lower maintenance payments or exclusion of possible imprisonment order for failure to show proof of payment. Will the officers require the respondent to seek confirmation from only selected medical officers? In the case of a bankrupt respondent, will the award and repayment of maintenance payments be prioritised against other creditors? How would the MEO or Court prioritise if the respondent who is the only sole breadwinner and also child who needs to support parents and his income is insufficient to support all, especially if the parents are sick?”
“Thank you. I have a further question. Are there people who actually withdraw from this scheme halfway?”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I just want to understand this programme. So far, what are the things that the families have benefited so far among all these applicants that —”
“Last but not least, I would like to appeal for more assistance for the middle-income group who are burdened by inflation and rising costs and yet are not qualified for most of the assistance schemes, which are targeted at lower-income groups. I would like to conclude with my support for the Motion.”
“From our experience from COVID-19, there is a need to review to expand the programme to build early, before the sale of the BTO flats, with shorter waiting time of 12 to 18 months. Many families with young children depend on migrant domestic workers and nannies to help out with caregiving. However, the standards of their service can vary widely. Is there any way for MOM to set up a training, assessment and accreditation scheme, which parents can use to inform them of the capabilities of the maids or nannies they are considering to hire? There is a shortage of infant care, childcare and kindergarten teachers or centres in certain areas. For parents, it is important for their children to be enrolled in centres near their homes to minimise travelling for the kids. Will the Government look into the distribution of these centres and staff, how to attract teachers into these sectors and minimise the attrition rate? Next, I would like to move on to request for a review of measures to manage our national income gap. We have to continue our effort to minimise the social divide in our society. Values which divide high- and low-income groups should be discouraged, and harmonious social integration needs to be strengthened. This also applies to the workplace. There is a need for employers to establish policies to nurture a harmonious and caring work culture in our workplaces. A good leader in the company is not only measured by tangible results. He must be able to motivate all his team members with different capabilities and abilities to work hand in hand and care for one another as a team. We are a competitive society, but we must learn to embrace compassionate meritocracy, especially since we need to have more of the young in our workforce to support the aged.”
“The proportion of singles in the age group below 50 years has increased and, more significantly, the increase is highest among those below age 35 – the age group which is most conducive for having children. We understand that people generally prefer to meet members of the opposite sex in so-called "natural settings", even though, for many, their networks and social circles are limited. Nonetheless, we should review how we can improve on facilitating social interactions for our potential couples. For example, I think it would be helpful to review and get feedback on the activities and events organised by the Social Development Network (SDN). What kind of activities and events do the young find attractive and relevant in today's context? For example, do the participants get to learn or experience something meaningful, even if they do not meet someone special? If that is the case, SDN will be able to attract more participants, enlarging the pool and increasing the chances that singles will meet other interesting singles there, as SDN should also be able to offer a value-add, which is to provide the assurance that all participants are screened and they are who they claim to be. The Ministry of National Development (MND) is making the effort to ramp up BTOs for all applicants, especially for first-timer families. We welcome the good news. It has many supportive policies which I commend, but I would like to make a request for future flats to be built bigger, like the older flats built in the 1980s and 1990s. A sense of greater available space is more encouraging for families to have a second or third child.”
“However, the average education level of our population has increased over the same period and so has the average income. Hence, would the Ministry be able to advise if the current old-age support ratio is acceptable, in view of the rise in the average Singaporean's income and the continued investment in education and lifelong learning and training for Singaporeans? We may also need to consider if we should let each generation self-finance their needs in old age, for example, using their life contributions to the nation to avoid burdening our children and grandchildren. At the same time, to survive and stay competitive, Singapore must remain open. But there is a limit to how many foreigners or new citizens any country can absorb before the sense of shared national identity is affected. We must maintain our Singaporean Core and, at the very least, prevent our TFR from declining further. I certainly hope that it is partly due to 2022 being the year of the tiger in the lunar calendar, which usually sees fewer births among the Chinese and not another indication of a shrinking future generation. The pro-family measures announced in Budget 2023, with the Baby Support Grant extension, cash support, increased Paternity Leave and Unpaid Infant Care Leave, are, indeed, supportive of parenthood. I welcome the commitment made by the Prime Minister's Office in the addendum to extend more help to parents caring for infants. We, as a nation, must continue to try to do more to boost marriage and parenthood. Firstly, the Government may need to play a bigger and more active role to bring our young men and women together.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion of Thanks to the President for her Address. Let me begin in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): I do not think anyone would object to the fact that more support should be given to our disadvantaged groups and lower-income earners to improve their lives and incomes. The key, though, is how we should do it more effectively and more sustainably. Just blindly subsidising people might leave them idle and run the risk of consuming the whole savings? As the saying goes, "It is better to teach someone to fish, rather than to give him a fish." A fish can relieve your hunger pangs in the short term, but not for too long. If you want to have fish throughout your lifetime, you must learn how to fish. That is the best policy. (In English): Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Hence, there is a need for the Government to continue to invest heavily in education, SkillsFuture, reskill and upskill training. The Workfare Income Supplement scheme, Progressive Wage Credit Scheme and Special Employment Credit and so on and so forth are equally important. Whatever more to do or to be done, we should continue to leverage and enhance on our existing schemes. I agree with the President that in an increasingly troubled world, we must stay united and strengthen our bond as one united people. We are not only facing an aged population; we are also facing a declining fertility rate. Our TFR hit an all-time low of 1.05 last year. Our old-age support ratio, computed as the ratio of the working-age population – meaning those 20 to 64 years old – per person aged 65 and above, has been declining, from 10.5 in 1990 to 3.8 in 2022, last year.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, for decades, sellers have been providing buyers with carrier bags free-of-charge. Obviously, the cost of the bags has already been priced in and bundled with the selling prices of the products for sale. With the implementation of the disposable carrier bag charge, how would the Ministry ensure that the participating businesses pass on the cost savings from the plastic bags to consumers? I would also like to ask what would be the estimated amount of carbon reduction derived from the decreased production of bags, in addition to the environmental impact, especially the harm caused to marine life. What is the possibility of getting supermarkets and other stores to switch to alternatives, such as biodegradable bags? Would the Ministry work with retailers and supermarkets to increase the availability of such bags? As for beverage containers, I would like to ask how the Ministry will ensure that return points for the containers are easily accessible beyond supermarkets. I support making it compulsory for supermarkets to have collection points as many people buy their drinks from there. Would there be return points at coffee shops, hawker centres and food courts as well? With that, I support the Bill.”
“In the meantime, Singaporeans and residents need to keep up the habit of best practices in our daily lives, such as putting on masks if unwell, using serving utensils to take food from common shared dishes, maintaining a safe distance from others wherever possible in public spaces and other hygienic practices. We also now have the chance to plan better housing infrastructure to prepare for potential pandemics. The home self-quarantine is certainly a good approach. However, large families with limited rooms have difficulties. Can the Housing and Development Board (HDB) look into how we can improve on our housing designs? The Government also needs to study and prepare community quarantine facilities. Young families with children who fall sick one after another struggle as they do not have enough annual leave to look after them. Can the Government assist and support them? With that, thank you.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore has been fortunate in having the resources to cope with most of the extensive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I agree with the recommendations in the White Paper, which takes into account different perspectives and interests, and seek to balance the needs of different segments of our community. I join my Parliamentary colleagues in thanking everyone who has contributed to combat the disease for the past three years. Our heroes and heroines include healthcare professionals, frontline workers, safe distancing ambassadors, staff at our checkpoints including our airport, transport workers, volunteers and many more, and not forgetting residents from Fernvale, in my constituency. They have sacrificed and risked their own safety to ensure that our lives can continue as normally as possible under extraordinarily difficult conditions. Even as we learn about the disease and have been preparing to boost our defence against it in the last three years, its variants have been changing, some of which evade the measures we have in place to detect them, such as the early temperature surveillance. As the White Paper has highlighted, Singapore needs to continue to boost its science and technology capabilities to deal with future pandemic detection, management and response. We must continue to have the strategic committee and task force to carry out regular exercises and drills as the next pandemic could be much worse and fatal. We need to maintain our production capability and capacity for essential goods, such as masks and test kits as well as vaccines.”
“Madam, may I ask the Minister what is the utilisation rate of Seletar Airport in respect of chartered flights and private aircraft operations and commercial flights, which I understand are currently Firefly flights. Are there any plans to increase its utilisation rate? High Speed Rail The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project was expected to bring travel convenience and economic benefits to both Singapore and Malaysia. May I ask the Minister for an update on the progress of the discussions of the HSR between the two nations? What are the chances of the revival of this project?”
“In addition to our MRT and public bus services, commuters have the options of taxis or private hire cars. With the convenience of almost instant matching on mobile apps, point-to-point transport services have never been more popular. Can the Ministry provide an update on the availability of P2P drivers? What are its plans in the event of a shortage? P2P Transport”
“During the morning peak travel hours, residents have to compete to get on the buses and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) to the Central Business District (CBD). Would the Ministry consider providing more direct city bus services during the peak hours? I would like to appeal, in particular, for an additional trip for SBS Transit City Direct Bus service 671 from Fernvale to the CBD in the morning to meet the higher demand. MRT Network Would the Ministry consider a feasibility study for an extension of the Cross Island Line to extend from Punggol West to support residents at Jalan Kayu and Yio Chu Kang Road, as well as Fernvale? They are especially in need of MRT access to travel to other parts of Singapore. Ridership of Downtown and Thomson-East Coast Lines The construction of the Downtown and Thomson-East Coast Lines greatly enhances accessibility across our island. Would the Minister provide an update on these lines? What is the average ridership for both the Downtown and Thomson-East Coast Lines so far? Review of Public Transport Fare Formula”
“Madam, about half of our public buses will be electric by 2030; and all buses are expected to be electric vehicles by 2040. Will the Ministry consider expediting the conversion of our public buses to electric buses? What are the main challenges facing the conversion process? Public Bus Connectivity”
“Madam, the availability of reliable EV charging stations is crucial to our transition to green vehicles. What has been the average utilisation rate for current public EV charging stations? New charging stations will be rolled out in all HDB carparks. How many EV vehicles and motorcycles can these additional EV stations in each HDB carpark support? Electric Vehicle Chargers”
“Chairman, in view of the rising demand for flats, how many new BTO flats in non-mature estates or new towns are to be built per year in the next three years? Will these include Community Care Apartments (CCAs) which are very popular and expected to be in higher demand, flats with shorter leases and public rental flats?”
“One approach is to adapt rental pricing to demand conditions. In our manifesto, the Workers' Party called for such dynamic rental: when the development is first launched, rental prices can be kept lower, prior to demand being built up. This also compensates hawkers for taking on the additional risk of being a pioneer vendor. Another strategy, which this Government has already considered and implemented in other dimensions of public policy, is to move away from the highest, or the lowest, as the case may be, to setting the sealed bid to the second price. This is a so-called Vikrey auction, so named after the academic and Nobel prize winning economist who first formally described the mechanism. In a nutshell, the top bidder in the auction still wins, but the price is set at that of the second highest bid. I would not go into the technicalities of this approach, as to why it is desirable, but suffice it to say that auction participants will tend to reveal their true willingness to pay in such a setting, while simultaneously being resistant to a gaming of the system. Vikrey auctions have been used in a number of real world settings, including, famously, on eBay. It is also used much closer to home, for our existing Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system. Applying the self-same principles for coffee shop bids may help mitigate the race to the top or the bottom, depending on one's point of view, present in first-price auction bidding, and help keep coffee shop prices much lower for our residents. Unlocking the Resale Market”
“The price component will maximise the tender price while the quality component which could be weighted to take up as much as half the score includes considerations such as affordability, productivity initiatives and availability of healthy options, as shared earlier. In principle, the PQM allows non-price factors to come into play. In practice however, it is not difficult to game the system. An entire coffee shop may have just one store that offers a single healthy option. Or store holders may price just one so-called "loss leader" item competitively, thereby qualifying for the higher quality score, but the remainder of the items may remain expensive. I have heard anecdotes from real estate insiders that quality scores for such spaces are typically very similar which suggest the quality scores could indeed be gamed, effectively defaulting the auction to a price-based one. 1.30 pm More crucially, feedback from my residents suggests that healthy options are few, as are reasonably priced items, with many items priced dearly. I wonder if MND has received similar feedback, and if the Minister would be willing to share how quality will be ensured, both during auction, and on an ongoing basis. Open bidding for coffee shop spaces encourages high bids, which is generally passed on to individual store owners through higher rents and subsequently to the end consumer via higher prices. As the $41-million winning bid for a Tampines coffee shop last year reminds us, such an escalation of bidding is a reality, as is the higher rents that result. While it is true that the higher bids are not completely forgone by the public purse – after all, they go into general revenue – this amounts to a cross-subsidy, from the residents of newer estates to the general population.”
“Chair, coffee shops and eating houses are familiar features in our neighbourhoods, providing a selection of warm meals to residents after a long day at work or school. They also provide a respite to the frail elderly, homemakers and caregivers. Considering inflationary pressures, would MND share how it will ensure the affordability of these important meal options at the eateries in our heartlands? Pricey Hawker Food in Sengkang Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: This House has just debated that HDB (Amendment) Bill in January where my Sengkang teammate Louis Chua spoke about the disparity in the number of coffee shops typically found in mature estates versus relatively new ones such as Sengkang. He did so again today. Today, I wish to speak about not so much the difference in quality but also the difference in price faced by our residents. Data that my volunteer team and I had painstakingly gathered suggest that hawker food in Anchorvale, the division of Sengkang that I represent, is significantly more expensive compared to more mature estates by an average of around 50 cents. One reason for this is that there are simply less coffee shops and hawker centres in newer estates. Hawker centres are a unique feature of our heartlands and in many mature towns, these often become focal points for the neighbourhood, together in the source of affordable sustenance for families. Yet, in the whole of Sengkang, there has only been one hawker centre and it is not even an NEA-run one, at least thus far. But private control of hawker centres throws up yet another reason for expensive hawker food. The current bidding for HDB commercial spaces including coffee shops and hawker centre spaces follows the standard price quality method (PQM).”
“Chairman. The Public Rental Scheme (PRS) provides a roof over the heads of Singaporeans who have problems affording their own homes. Would MND share an update on the Joint Singles Scheme-Operator Run (JSS-OR) pilot that was launched at the end of 2021 to provide an addition option to the Joint Singles Scheme (JSS) for single persons? How effective has this scheme been so far? HDB Rental Housing”
“Chairman, NEA's data has shown that after a few months of Wolbachia-Aedes mosquito releases, the population of the Aedes aegypti mosquito falls by up to 98%. How many sites is Project Wolbachia currently deployed at and would this programme be expanded to more sites as one of the measures to combat dengue? Efforts to Combat Dengue”
“Chairman, the Hawkers Go Digital Programme has seen an increase in SGQR transactions at participating stalls. Would the Ministry share an update on the growth of SGQR transactions, and the Singapore Together Alliance for Action – Online Ordering for Hawkers scheme? What more could be done to support our hawkers with the use of digitalisation to improve business and productivity? Resilience in Food Supply The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us many lessons, including a few on the resilience of our food supply framework. We learnt the importance of having homegrown sources and diverse suppliers from all over the world. What plans does the Ministry have to ensure the resilience, affordability and accessibility of our food supply? Ensuring Our Food Resilience”
“Chairman, more Singaporeans are now conscious of climate change and the need for sustainability. We see more people bringing their own shopping bags and recycling. I would like to ask the Ministry for an update on the pilot disposable carrier bag charge scheme. Singaporeans are used to collecting and using such plastic bags for the disposal of trash and waste. How do we balance the need to cut down on plastic bags and the need to contain trash? How is the response so far for the collection of e-waste and recyclables via the big blue bins in our housing estates? Has the problem of contamination of the bins been reduced? How can the Ministry encourage more responsible usage of these bins?”
“Chairman, the non-domestic sector uses about 55% of Singapore's water supply. This proportion is expected to increase to 70% by 2060. PUB introduced the Mandatory Water Efficiency Management Practices (MWEMP) for non-domestic users in 2015. Has MWEMP been effective in improving their water efficiency and what measures does PUB have to motivate further improvements?”
“Chairman, with the green transition, there will be a learning curve for companies and workers, and both must meet new conditions. Some businesses may be unable to keep up while others will find new opportunities. Some workers will be made redundant, but others will find themselves in high demand for their new expertise. Even households are not spared from needing to adapt to greening. They must learn new habits to save water and electricity, reduce and recycle waste, for example. How will the Government support businesses, households and individuals with the green transition? Energy Efficiency Measures to Save Costs With increasing inflationary pressures, households are looking for ways to cut down on expenditures, including on utility bills. Switching to more energy-saving appliances would require investments in new ones. What help can the Ministry provide to households to be more energy-efficient and save on their electricity bills? Measures to Improve Energy Efficiency We have over 290,000 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore, employing two thirds of our workforce and contributing to half of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Collectively, our SMEs have a major impact. Any effort to reach our net-zero greenhouse gas emission target must surely require their active involvement. But SMEs have limited resources. What has the Ministry been and is doing to help SMEs become more energy-efficient? Towards Net Zero”
“Mdm Chair, I just overheard about the saliva test kit. Can the Minister of State share more about it. I find it quite interesting. It is very welcomed. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: I have tried it. [Laughter.] Essentially, if you look at it, drugs in the body can enter oral fluid, the saliva, through passive diffusion from blood or may be deposited in the oral cavity during oral, smoke or intranasal administration. So, indeed, drug metabolites also can be detected in saliva. That is one. Then, the saliva test, I have shown Members earlier: you need to swab a person's tongue, using the test kit to obtain minute sample of saliva. The test kit subsequently will check the saliva for controlled drugs and produces results in about eight to 10 minutes. So, it is quite fast. It is similar to the COVID-19 test kits where the test kit will produce red lines if particular drugs are present. So, it is quick, efficient, fast. Nevertheless, we will also have a double check. That means, if we find that there are some test results which are positive, we will bring them back to do further testing.”
“Chairman, I support our zero-tolerance stance against drugs. Unfortunately, as some other countries resort to legalising and decriminalising drugs, such a liberal attitude towards narcotics has been spreading through social media and other channels. This may have an impact on certain segments of our society, including some youths. How will MHA proceed with its efforts to prevent drug abuse? Drug Offences Recidivism”
“Chairman, the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Mr James Cleverly, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, signed a MOU on the Singapore-UK Third Country Training Programme (TCTP) last September. The MOU aims to jointly promote capacity building in ASEAN and the region. The European Union (EU) countries like Germany are also keen for more cooperation. The Federal Chancellor of Germany made an official visit to Singapore last November, which concluded with the signing of the Germany-Singapore Framework for Sustainability and Innovation which aims to increase economic partnership. Singapore-Middle East Relations”
“Chairman, last June, Prime Minister Lee made his first official visit to Africa when he visited Rwanda. I understand that he had announced a three-year Singapore-Africa Partnership Package. We have also kept up ties with South Asia. Several Ministers visited the region last year, including Deputy Prime Minister Wong, who also made an official visit to India in September. What are the plans to step up engagements with emerging markets this year? Latin America”