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. Last November, the US and ASEAN established a comprehensive strategic partnership at the 10th ASEAN-US Summit in Cambodia. This new agreement will facilitate closer collaborations in a wide range of areas, including climate change, energy research, transportation and health, just to name a few. Will the Ministry provide an update on US engagement of ASEAN? ASEAN Plus Three ASEAN has been boosting its engagement with more countries over the years, including through the extra-regional platform of ASEAN Plus Three (APT), which comprises 10 ASEAN member states, the People's Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK). Today, APT is the main platform to promote East Asian Cooperation, including political security, trade and investment, finance, energy and many, many more areas. In view of the rising tensions between the US and China, what are the main challenges facing APT, and how can APT advance to protect and promote the interests of East Asia? Is the APT on track with the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025? Would the Ministry share recent APT initiatives and their outcomes? ASEAN and Pacific Islands Singapore enjoys good engagement with the Pacific Islands. We have hosted the Pacific Islands FinTech Innovation Challenge in July 2022, which aimed to foster stronger collaboration between ASEAN and the Pacific Islands in digitalisation. Will the Ministry share with us which are the areas of cooperation ASEAN and Pacific Islands seek to advance in the near future? Relations with India Post-pandemic”
“Chairman, I was heartened to hear last year that the number of expertise-based redeployments had gone up significantly in 2022. Allowing NSmen to use their civilian expertise to contribute to national defence should provide for a more effective SAF and a better NS experience. After serving their NS, many Singaporeans go on to fulfilling careers in various specialisations, some of which may be valuable to the SAF. We should consider how best to tap on their skillsets and specialisations, and enable them to make better use of their time during their ORNS. Would MINDEF share an update on whether the number of expertise-based redeployments has gone up and in which areas are they contributing to? Digitalisation of NS Systems”
“Chair, many in this House would agree that our people are our most important resource. Our rapidly ageing population and low fertility rate have a direct impact on SAF. Thus, we must ensure that our NSmen are deployed efficiently to tasks which they are able to carry out effectively and safely. With the adoption of cutting-edge military technologies, there are now new tools that our NSmen can use in a wider range of vocations. It is, therefore, timely for us to reconsider whether there are now new opportunities for our NSmen to take on. At the COS debate last year, Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How shared with the House that the SAF had successfully implemented functional assessments for NSFs, with more NSmen safely deployed as transport operators. He also shared that functional assessments would also be extended to pre-enlistees with orthopaedic conditions. Would MINDEF, therefore, provide an update on the implementation of these functional assessments? Work-Learn Schemes”
“As one of the fastest ageing countries in the world, how are we ensuring that we have enough youths and working adults to support the expanding cohorts of the elderly? Do we have an optimal old age dependency ratio to target at? Is the Government prepared to review policies to reduce the old age dependency ratio through boosting our birth rates, attract Permanent Residents or new citizens?”
“Chairman, as we transition to become a green economy, new jobs and business opportunities will be created in almost every sector, ranging from engineering to finance, manufacturing to trade, services to construction. At the same time, certain jobs and businesses will become obsolete. Workers and staff who are unable to adapt will risk unemployment. Traditional enterprises that fail will affect livelihoods and invested capital and funds. How will the Government support workers who will be affected by the green transition? Will the Government share an update on the training and education measures to facilitate the preparation of workers for good jobs and career paths in this nascent sector? What initiatives are available to promote and support green businesses to encourage Singaporeans to explore such new opportunities?”
“This will also decrease our dependency on foreign labour in this sector. With that, I support the Budget.”
“I echo the appeals of NTUC's Secretary-General for skilled essential tradesmen like plumbers, electricians and air-conditioning technicians to be included in the PWM too. Many of our local skilled tradesmen are graduates from our Institutes of Technical Education (ITE) or polytechnics. We should recognise and value their expertise and experience and ensure a sustainable supply of locals into these trades to meet our national needs. Finally, about building a Singapore Core in the maritime sector. The seafaring career has always been tough but it presents many opportunities to Singaporeans when they achieve a certain level of competency as their skillsets are highly sought after in Singapore's vibrant and diverse maritime industry. The Sail Milestone Achievement Programme (SailMAP) is an excellent initiative to encourage Singaporeans to take up a sea-going career. Tripartite partners contribute up to $50,000 to each local seafarer through this programme when he achieves key milestones in his career. I would like to seek the Minister's support to extend the SailMAP to our Special Limit seafarers who move ships such as bunker tankers and passenger ships up to 30 nautical miles off Singapore waters. They are essential to our country as we aim to develop Singapore into a premier global hub port. We need locals to provide high service levels for maritime-related activities in port. As an international maritime hub, it is important to have a core group of Singaporeans to keep the supply chain going in these vital sectors. We should also be looking at uplifting their wages to retain more of these seafarers as they form the backbone of the team navigating our local waters and we should provide a holistic career for them.”
“HDB flats are perceived to be risk-free and underwritten. On the other hand, this has consequently led investors into thinking that the same would apply to private property. I would like to suggest that the marginal buyer's stamp duty (BSD) be better reviewed to have different set of rates for HDB resale flats, private residential and non-residential properties and to be progressively tiered based on per square foot instead of purchase value. It can be applied to both buyers and sellers. This may help cool down the market, especially the HDB resale prices and tax more equitably high cash over valuation (COV) above the average and the norm. For young families, in addition to the extra chance for balloting as first-timers with a child, the Government may consider another extra chance for those with two children and so on. May I suggest that such applicants be prioritised ahead of other applicants? Likewise, those who have registered at the Registry of Marriages (ROM) should also be prioritised ahead of those who have not. Next, I would like to appeal for the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) to be extended to skilled tradesmen. I am heartened that the PWM covers workers in the cleaning, security, landscape, lift and escalator, retail, food services and waste management sectors. The PWM will ensure sustainable wage increases for these workers that commensurate with their skills, productivity and career progression. Together with the Occupational Progressive Wage and Progressive Wage Mark, these are concrete measures to show that we value their work and compensate them adequately. These changes are steps towards strengthening our social compact to be a more inclusive society that values both cognitive and technical skills.”
“Redeveloping these plots and intensifying the use of these mature centrally located estates will make better planning and financial sense. There is a need to check on the HDB resale market too. The increase in grants to first-timers for the purchase of resale flats is certainly welcome. However, the sudden and rapid increase in the prices of resale flats without the support of economic fundamentals would affect some more, such as non-first-timers, including divorcees and hard-pressed families with unfortunate circumstances who can only buy resale flats. This also has a serious impact on those whose incomes are unable to progress to match the rapid increase in resale prices. There are suggestions to apply the same income ceiling for Build-To-Order (BTO) applicants to the buyers of resale flats and to disqualify those who can afford to pay exceptionally high Cash Over Valuation (COV) from buying resale flats. On the other hand, there are others who want the income ceiling caps to be removed to help the sandwiched classes who can neither afford private housing nor are eligible to buy public housing. I urge the Government to review these feedback and suggestions and consider a balanced solution. The limited supply, rise in EC prices as well as the rise in prices in private property in areas other than the central core area are other contributing factors to be dealt with. I am in full support of ensuring stable public housing prices, which is important for providing a social safety net for Singaporeans. The people trust the Government to safeguard Singaporeans' interests and be the buyer of last resort for public housing. On the one hand, this may have led to the perception that property prices will only go north, not south, thus driving up their demand and prices.”
“Speaker, Sir, the outlook for the global economy is uncertain. Achieving economic growth in the current environment will be challenging, due to the decoupling of the US and China, the Ukraine war, supply chain disruptions and rising interest rates, among other reasons. With the slowing global economy, one after another, tech companies are retrenching worldwide. And there may be ramifications across other sectors. We need to stay prudent and exercise great care in how we manage our expenditures. I would first like to speak on the property market. We need to keep our property prices in check. I agree with the Government's cooling measures to curb the demand while striving to pump up the supply which was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the dark horizons around us, Singapore remains attractive as a hub for many investors. The demand for housing is very strong. Robust demand from investors who have the confidence to invest in Singapore also helps to drive the demand for rental private properties. Would the Government review and consider boosting the supply of public and private housing even more? Will HDB be able to increase the supply of HDB flats from the current 25,000 to even more, such as 50,000 per year for the next two years? Would HDB consider doubling the number of new Executive Condominiums (ECs) supply? Similarly, will the Ministry of National Development (MND) consider implementing measures to support and facilitate the development of more private housing, especially on some lower density land plots in the central region? Some are occupied by ageing, even decrepit or neglected buildings, which require high maintenance and repairs. Many are in good locations with excellent amenities.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. I just want to ask: since the law has been changed to compel the owners of the above units who refuse to cooperate to work together to help repair the ceiling leakage issue, so far, how many cases has been taken to Court for enforcement?”
“I would suggest that the Government may need to review the tax on profits made by the sellers of property and HDB flats and increase the grants to first-timers in additional to increase in supply to achieve both objectives to check on runaway prices without fundamentals while supporting our first-timer Singaporeans to own their home. It is certainly unhealthy and worrying if HDB resale prices and private property prices are rising without fundamentals. However, I understand there are also negative sales in the market. Would the Minister share what are the negative sales for each of the last five years, if data is available? There is no doubt of the need for us to continue our efforts to ensure affordable homes for Singaporeans and remain committed to our mission of homes for everyone “居者有其屋”. We are not just building housing but also endearing homes for all Singaporeans. With that, I support the Motion by Minister Desmond Lee.”
“I think it is quite sad that even when the person has departed, payment is still required. I think it is good to avoid that. The proposal to only consider the locations for the price differences in itself has clearly indicated that one has accepted that there is indeed a premium for land value, notwithstanding that there are premiums for other factors too. In fact, the current policy not to peg the BTO prices to the market price but at around 25% mortgage servicing ratio (MSR) of the applicant's income is better, with additional grants to first-timers to ensure that the flats are within their reach and the price of BTO is based on income and not market price. We will be better able to address Singaporeans' concern and fear. The 25% MSR is lower than the international affordability guideline of 30% to 35% MSR. Furthermore, Singaporeans can use their CPF to service their mortgage without the need to pay, using cash or only using minimum cash outlay. In addition, residents are grateful that HDB has been working with CPF to keep the HDB housing loan rates unchanged despite that the market interest rate has been rising for the past one year. It has provided great support for most Singaporeans in the face of the challenging market currently. On the other hand, we need to guard against the price-gap between HDB prices and private property prices widening, and the Government continues to ensure that flats remain affordable for Singaporeans. The Ministry must be careful not to leave the prices of private housing unchecked. This will require the Government to continually look into further regulation and cooling measures.”
“The land which HDB flats stand upon have increased in value. HDB building quality and maintenance also help to hold their values vis-à-vis private properties. The current policy that all land sale proceeds will have to return to our national reserves is a wise approach. It is fair that the premium and costs of the land sales are to be shared by all Singaporeans. This would prevent the Government of the day from finding an easy way to finance the national expenditure. In addition, there is a risk that the Government would have less incentive to cool a rising property market if it relies on land sales to fund expenditures. Mr Speaker, if we were to consider the proposal by hon Members, Mr Leong and Ms Hazel Poa, that we exclude the land value in the pricing, may the hon Members then share their views on how we would then address and ensure the fair allocation of flats among Singaporeans? There will be other questions arising from there for the public and for the residents. Will there be allocation based on family size, based on standard sizes of flats and so on. In their Members' proposal, the result will be likely that there will not be any more resale market. How would the Members propose to look after Singaporeans who want to age in place and also need cash for retirement as they are left with residual values of the construction cost? Members have to address what will be a fair residual value and if it is a straight-line depreciation, or heavy front-load and light-back? What about residents who want to right-size to smaller flats to monetise the value for retirement, and also to have smaller flats to maintain? I heard the clarification by the hon Member that the residual value is required to pay back the land cost plus interest even when the person has departed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a resident once asked me to ensure that the Government kept the prices of HDB BTO flats low, like what she paid in the past, so that her children could afford them. She, however, also requested that she could sell her existing flat high in the resale market so that she could make more profit for her retirement. It is quite ideal to her. However, if you think further, someone will have to pick up the bill, the question is: who is going to pay for and bear the burden of the difference? Ultimately, it is the taxpayers – our children, our grandchildren. HDB flats have evolved to provide not only roofs over our heads but also to support retirement as part of our social safety net. I am very much in support of the measures for retirees to support their retirement needs through the Lease Buyback Scheme and renting out of rooms as an option. These are workable as there is a market premium. There are serious concerns if nobody will want to pay the market premiums for Singapore’s properties and HDB flats. Despite the availability of cheaper options even in other countries around Singapore, investors are willing to pay premiums for our properties as they have included other intrinsic values, such as social and home security, environmental friendliness, infrastructural convenience, supporting amenities and so on and so forth. There are many factors that affect the prices of properties, but the main one is demand and supply. Land on our small island is limited. However, in tandem with our dynamic economic growth and generally optimistic outlook for our future development, the demand is strong. Hence, the value of our land and properties has risen correspondingly. For today’s debate, the focus is on HDB flats, which house about 80% of our resident population.”
“This should greatly reduce the chances of random throwing, especially for those with mental or psychological problems, including those with dementia and those with special needs. For now, camera footage can only occasionally capture those throwing litter from the windows. In order to avoid being accused of violating personal privacy, the cameras can only be aimed at the outer walls. A resident asked me if residents living below the offending units could be allowed to install cameras pointing upwards from their windows in an attempt to identify residents throwing rubbish from above, while not violating their privacy. Will the new Bill penalise those who throw food to feed birds? Could NEA also investigate and penalise those who have left rubbish along public corridors and in common areas, since there are often their address or other identifiable markings left on the rubbish? Can NEA also punish those irresponsible contractors and home owners who dispose of their renovation debris and packing cardboards downstairs? These large quantities of waste can cause safety and environmental issues, especially in newly completed HDB blocks where they accumulate in large quantities. In this case, it should not be hard to figure out the identity of those culprits. I hope the Minister will consider the above suggestions. I support the Bill.”
“Thank you, Speaker. More and more new buildings will be equipped with pneumatic waste conveying systems. It is the responsibility of all owners, including strata owners, to ensure that the systems are functioning properly to move waste efficiently to keep the building and surrounding environment clean. I support the new Bill's proposals that empower the Director-General to take enforcement actions against property owners who fail to maintain, repair and replace their systems. May I ask the Minister, does the Ministry keep track of the cost of the system, including mechanical and maintenance costs, for comparison with the labour cost saved and what is the approximate difference? Undoubtedly, besides increased productivity, such systems also bring other benefits, such as environmental benefits and so on. Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I support the new regulations on high-rise littering from HDB flats. It is reasonable to assume that the registered landlord or tenant is the offender. If the person who litters is a guest of an HDB unit, the owner is also responsible for taking care of this problem. I would like to ask the Minister whether the authorities can continue to explore how to curb the incidents of objects thrown from public corridors and stairways of HDB flats and punish the violators more severely. For some, fines and Corrective Work Orders (CWOs) are not enough to curb this bad habit of high-rise littering. I would like to ask the Minister to consider authorising NEA to order home owners who have recalcitrant household members to install netting on their windows.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State and just have a clarification. Are there cases where the lorries had not complied and are causing accidents? As a result of the accidents, the families are caught in a very difficult position.”
“Question No 12. Happy birthday, Speaker.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you. I rise in support of the Bill. I have some questions for the Minister. I would like to know how the Ministry would introduce or facilitate more competition among suppliers and operators of chargers in all areas, including multi-storey car parks in HDB estates. As this is a very new sector still developing and evolving, the number of operators is limited, especially for a small market like ours. My concern is how to ensure that users and consumers can benefit from competitive pricing and, of course, affordability. My next question, following up on my first point, is how would the Ministry ensure a level playing field for all vendors to compete effectively, for the good of EV owners and drivers? I think it is important that we have a range of vendors. Over time, the smaller suppliers may get muscled out of the market, leaving drivers with fewer choices, at which point, they would be at the mercy of the remaining operators. I hope that the Ministry would implement measures to foster a healthy suppliers' market. Another point of concern is how do we regulate platform providers to ensure that all imported portable chargers are compliant with the regulations? Would the Minister share how enforcement will be carried out? While we have the legislation, how do we enforce effectively while it is still at this early stage to address fire safety concerns?”
“My question is, is there data to show what is the effective rates of using mRNA and the seriousness of reinfection, and the difference between mRNA vaccine and others, these two categories.”
“Thank you, Speaker. I just want to ask the Minister is there data to show what is the reinfection rate and the seriousness of using mRNA and other vaccines.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the clarifications. I just want to ask whether MHA has identified some areas where it would advise the public not to hold events that could lead to these possible consequences.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, one of the greatest challenges for safety in the online universe is anonymity. Users need not disclose their true identities and profiles. Rogues, under this dark cover, send out harmful content. The proposals to require OCSs with significant reach to comply with the new Code of Practice will go some way to reduce Singapore users' exposure to such materials. I have a clarification regarding the term "Singapore users". Does this apply to all users who register, or have accounts set up in Singapore, or base their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses in Singapore at the point of registration? In addition, do the restrictions apply at point of access subsequently, namely their IP addresses? Another query is about Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) which are increasingly popular with users. With VPNs, how would the Ministry ensure that Singapore users would not be exposed to harmful content? Next, would the Ministry elaborate on the definition of harmful content within the Singapore context and legal perspective? In dealing with OCSs with global reach, there may be some differences between desirable and undesirable, Eastern and Western values. Even what most of us agree on protecting children from, such as violence, cyberbullying and sexual content, have grey areas, especially for teenagers. I hope the Ministry can share its perspective on this. Finally, a point about companies' management, culture and environment, as we hear about in the recent developments at Twitter. Twitter staff's ability to prevent misinformation and hate messages has been greatly reduced. In such situations, how would the Ministry ensure that we are able to enforce the controls on such platforms? With that, I support the Bill.”
“How would the Government use the tax revenue to support our residents and the decarbonisation efforts? With that, I support the Bill.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I fully support our Government's net-zero ambition and the implementation of measures to achieve our goal, including the carbon taxes. There is no doubt that our determination to not damage our environment further will provide a good future for our children and grandchildren. Ideally, there should be a level playing field for all on this earth, for every individual, whether one is a big or small economy, a big or small country. We must not forget that we all share the same earth. While we are determined to stick to our environmental protection commitments, we cannot be sure others will do likewise. There remains a possibility that other countries will continue to resort to the easy way out, in order to make themselves more price competitive. This is the reality of the global marketplace. In view of this, how will the Government help EITE sectors, such as the electronics, chemical and energy industries to remain economically competitive? How will the Ministry ensure that jobs are not lost to jurisdictions with less stringent legislation? If this were to happen, the global carbon emissions will not be reduced despite the loss of local jobs and investments. How will the Government get the largest carbon emitters, such as all the energy producers in the world, to take the lead in becoming more green? I would like to know what the allowances are to incentivise the continued investments in decarbonisation. What are the incentives to develop optimal solutions and technology that will result in no additional cost to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Finally, the impact of the carbon taxes will spread to all sectors of our economy. How will the Government minimise the impact on consumers at the receiving ends?”
“Thank you. I would like to seek a clarification from the Minister. There is a wait-out period of 15 months; so, will there be an impact on the rental market because these residents probably will have to find HDB flats for rental? As a result, this might drive up the rental prices.”
“For residents who do not have chronic diseases to follow up at the GPs, the face-to-face consultation after enrolment via Healthhub will probably be the first and only visit to the GPs under Healthier SG. I doubt anyone with no sickness would want to see a doctor regularly. If a healthy person sees the GP for their first health consultation under Healthier SG or subsequent follow up, will they be given a medical certificate (MC) or memo to excuse them from their work? Will all employers recognise such "excuse sheet", the same as during COVID-19, when employers must recognise ART-positive results as proof? For such residents, the doctor will advise them on appropriate preventive measures as part of their health plans, such as health screenings and vaccinations. The doctor may also make referrals to community programmes. I would like to ask if it is necessary for doctors to do social prescriptions for such patients? Will health coaches not be more suitable? With that, I support the Motion.”
“I hope that the Ministry will not penalise the doctors in charge as these patients should be the ones responsible for their own health. Many GPs clinics, especially those in mature estates, are already overwhelmed with patients. For some popular clinics, the wait for the face-to-face onboarding health consultation may take days to weeks. If the enrolment for particular clinics is always too many for the doctors to cope, how will this be resolved? Another concern is regarding the use of Healthhub to choose preferred clinics and enroll in Healthier SG. Will assisted support on-site and via helplines be available at the clinic itself or at CCs? As many seniors are non-IT savvy and some may be illiterate, they will not be able to use the apps after enrolment to monitor their health progress. They may require simple printed materials to do manual recording. This means that the GPs will have to manually key in the progress reports into the available system to enable monitoring. This is additional work for GPs if they have many of such senior patients. For this group of seniors, they will not know how to use apps like Healthy 365, ActiveSG and OnePA to book and pay for activities. They may have to ask the doctors to teach them during their first consultations or even subsequent consultations and this will take up the doctors' time, which could be better used in treating patients. Another concern is about patients who are not enrolled into Healthier SG at GP clinics. The clinic assistant will have to remember to charge correct prices for patients under the Healthier SG and non-Healthier SG schemes. For the popular clinics, the clinic assistants may be overwhelmed, resulting in longer waits for all patients.”
“This preventive care model is yet another step in our journey to help Singaporeans achieve and maintain their best health and live more good years. The proposals in this White Paper will further strengthen the role of GPs in the national healthcare framework. It is a superior strategy and deserves our full support. I have always believed that our family doctors play an essential role in this endeavour. Residents find it comfortable to have family doctors with whom they are familiar with to look after their healthcare issues. I believe it can be technically done to have all GPs to have online access to patients' records. However, we must recognise that there is a need to balance patients' confidentiality and operational efficiency. In addition, I would like to ask the Ministry how will the balance be maintained between need and demand for certain medications. Some patients may ask for more than necessary, as generic medications are generally more economical. Will patients be given a choice between new and generic medications? Patients may still find it a burden regarding the choices of new medicines. I hope this plan can be expanded soon to allow residents to visit more than one GP at similarly subsidised rates for the management of diseases. Some GPs may be more experienced and skilled at managing certain diseases. This is because certain GPs may have individual competitive strengths or specialties. Thus, each patient may like to have a principal GP doctor in attendance and be assisted by such specialists upon referrals. Next, may I ask what would happen to the doctors or clinics in the case of uncooperative patients with problems adhering to their healthcare plans? I am concerned because the White Paper has stated that this new model will be outcome-based.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I thank MOH for further expanding the role that our clinics and family physicians can play in universal healthcare. Years ago, some of my Parliamentary colleagues and I proposed to the Government to allow residents to visit neighbourhood clinics instead of polyclinics, while benefiting from the lower outpatient service fees charged by polyclinics. The Government then launched the CHAS scheme, allowing residents to visit their own GP clinics at the price of polyclinic fees. Since its implementation, the plan has been welcomed by residents. I also shared feedback from residents at that time. In many cases, residents often perceive that their family doctors were more cordial, reliable and trustworthy. So, recoveries were quick after the visits. Sir, the recommendations of the White Paper are commendable. Residents do not need to go to the polyclinics to queue for outpatient services. They can easily go to the family doctors in their neighbourhoods for treatment and follow-up consultations, hence prevent the deterioration of chronic illnesses. At the same time, they can obtain early and proper treatment. In the last session of Parliament, I talked about "the best doctor", that is, prevention is still the best medicine. Therefore, this White Paper is the best form of medical practice. It is farsighted and looks to the future so that Singaporeans can age in place. I hope that under this scheme, residents will have more flexibility to change clinics or GP, if the GP has transferred to another clinic or has left. (In English): Deputy Speaker, Sir, I fully support the excellent proposals in the White Paper on Healthier SG.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This Registration of Criminal (Amendment) Bill includes the DNA of persons who have committed eligible non-registrable offences in the scope of data collection. This will expand the database, allow DNA information to play a greater role in helping the Police to solve crimes and to maintain public safety. DNA can also be used to identify the deceased persons and those who are unable to identify themselves. There are concerns about whether this DNA data can be kept safe from misuse. But we should not give up eating just because of the risk of choking. Imagine someone who almost choked to death wants to forbid eating in the whole world. The analogy is that something which ought to be done is simply not done simply because of little fault or fear of a problem. I am confident that the authorities would do everything in their power to keep the information safe. The medical book 千金药方 or "the Golden Rules of Prescription", says that the best type of medical treatment is to eradicate the root cause of the disease before it occurs. Second best is treatment applied at the beginning of the disease and when the symptoms are superficial. And third best is to give treatment only when the patient is in a critical condition and in extreme pain, and then help him to recover. I am sure everyone will agree that going to the first type of doctor is the best option. Therefore, this Bill is to take precautionary measures to prevent minor problems from happening. I therefore support this Bill.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, in recent years, DNA data has proven to be critical in providing breakthroughs and helping the Police to solve certain crimes or intervene in ongoing cases to save lives, for example, kidnapping. It enables investigators to expedite the identification of victims and suspects. In fact, its use will be efficient in assisting investigations if the data bank has the information of all residents. One would never know how such data may be needed to help solve crimes which could potentially impact anyone of us. Hence, I support the proposals to expand the powers of the Police to collect DNA and non-DNA identifying information for both registrable crimes and "eligible crimes". The wider scope of eligible crimes will include drink driving, fighting in public and voluntarily causing hurt. With more information and a bigger database, our Police's ability to solve cases and prevent crimes will be greatly enhanced. On the other hand, it is very important to ensure the data is safely protected against misuse, abuse and theft. As the protection of data is important, MHA should explore various options on how to ensure verification and certification instead of forwarding the data to a third party or foreign counterpart, if it is feasible. We must have a robust system for the collection of data. It is important to prevent "garbage in, garbage out" and avoiding having the wrong samples collected or stored due to human error. The risk of mismatches needs to be minimised or eliminated. The Ministry should also address the potential problem where there could be delays in verification due to situations such as power outages. I also appeal to the Minister to consider permitting civil use by relevant individuals, with the approval of an independent Court.”
“Thank you, Sir. I would like to check with the Senior Minister of State: is there a time frame to the enforcement order to be taken? Some cases are very complicated; I personally have come across a resident's case – after years of trying, the hoarding issue still cannot be solved. The family members are seeking help, they are in distress that one of their family members has this habit. This poses safety concerns to the family. I just want to find out, under such circumstances, what else can as the Ministry do?”
“This will produce better value for money for the taxpayers because the two systems will in effect both complement and compete against one another. The cost of the salaried service will provide a benchmark, which can be used to assess whether prices charged by private lawyers are reasonable. Staff lawyers will also give flexibility to fill gaps in the system, for example, the participation of too few law firms. The PDO has a role to play in benchmarking and further developing quality standards in criminal defence. It will perform an integral part of the service development of the criminal justice system. The PDO will develop and demonstrate more efficient ways of delivering criminal defence services. We can envisage a wider role for the PDO as an essential guarantor of quality standards, minimum costs and people-centric satisfaction in a more managed market for such services. With that, I strongly support the Bill.”
“The PDO should be responsible for the contracts coupled with a declaration form that the lawyers hold valid practising licence and have been in active legal practice in criminal law for a minimum of three years with supporting cases. This specifically designed criteria should be created for an effective introduction of the system. The likely benefits of such a device in place will ensure the following. First, provide good or better quality services from private practices at equal or lower costs. Second, create a better alignment in the objectives of the PDO than would be possible with private sector lawyers. Third, provide management information on the supply of criminal defence services that would not otherwise be available to it through contracting. Fourth, provide a test or a benchmark for the cost and quality of the criminal defence services by private practitioners under the contracts. Fifth, provide independent, high quality and value-for-money criminal defence services to the public. Sixth, provide the PDO with benchmarking information to improve, implement, initiate and introduce better performance of the contracting regime with private practice lawyers. Seventh, raise the level of understanding within MinLaw of all issues faced by criminal defence lawyers in the provision of high quality services to the public. Eighth, recruit, train and develop people to provide high quality criminal defence services in accordance to the objectives of the PDO. Ninth, share with private practice lawyers in terms of forms and systems which are developed within the PDO to assist in the overall improvements in the provision of criminal defence services. In the longer term, the best approach will prove to be a mixed system, combining both private and staff lawyers.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, I fully support the establishment of the Public Defender’s Office. The PDO will ensure legal aid for vulnerable citizens and permanent residents who are charged but do not have the financial means to hire a lawyer. The new programme will set the income cap at the 35th percentile, which would cap the defendant's per capita household monthly income at $1,500. I think this cap is quite reasonable and it is a good beginning as well. I also support the expansion of criminal legal aid to include all non-capital charges, but not private prosecutions not handled by the Attorney-General, gambling, organised crime and terrorism, as well as traffic summons and certain charges such as littering and illegal parking. I am reassured that the Attorney-General has given the Minister the power to authorise the Chief Public Defender to grant assistance to ineligible applicants who are facing exceptional circumstances. These particular factors may include the applicant's medical condition and caregiving obligations, among others. It is important that the authorities retain a certain amount of flexibility, as each defendant and case is different. They face different difficulties. Some families may also run into temporary problems and are not able to get aid. (In English): Deputy Speaker, Sir, the setting up of the Public Defender’s Office (PDO) will ensure that accused persons who are vulnerable will have access to representation and defence in Court and build confidence in our justice system. There will be a new system of contracts for the lawyers in the private sector to provide legal aid services.”
“Finally, about the disclosure to an adopted child of the truth about his or her birth. The disclosure of a child's adoption is a very sensitive and emotional issue. Depending on the relationships and personalities of adoptive parents and children, the consequences can vary widely. Sometimes, the disclosure can destroy an established relationship. When the adopted child has become an adult and wishes to find out who his or her natural parents are, that is his or her choice. For younger children, it should be left as a private matter between the adoptive parents and the adopted child. I hope that the Ministry will continue to adopt a cautious approach, as it has done so far. I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill. 6.32 pm”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, to find a good home for every child identified for adoption, prospective parents are screened through the Home Study Report (HSR) before adoption. For this report, they have to submit information pertaining to their reasons for adopting, their family, education, employment and health, among others. I would like to ask the Ministry how comprehensive the health information submitted is. Will the couples need to submit more detailed information with the new Bill? The reason is that, generally, although not for all cases, adoptive couples tend to be older couples. MSF had said that the couple should not be more than 50 years older than the child. But, if the child to be adopted is 10 years old, this would mean that the couple may be up to 60 years old. Hence, I think it is important that all potential adoptive parents undergo comprehensive medical examinations certifying that they are fit and healthy, both physically and mentally. I look forward to the Minister's clarification on this issue. Next, I would like to express my concerns about the threshold for the dispensation of the unfit, biological parents' consent for their children to be adopted. This group of parents would include those who are in jail for extended periods of time, are very abusive or drug addicts and so on. I fully understand and support the Ministry's review on this issue and its aim to enable affected children to grow up in safe and stable families. Severance of ties between the biological parents and their children should only be allowed under strict conditions and must be very carefully considered. I seek the Ministry's assurance in this sensitive matter that the best interests of the child will be considered thoroughly from all angles.”
“Would the Ministry consider additional necessary support, including financial help, for young children with challenging illnesses who come from dysfunctional families or are being cared for by divorced single moms, such as by ring-fencing partial funds from their fathers’ CPF accounts, for their healthcare expenses? Although the current CPF Act does stipulate the existence of a special trust account, the Courts have no power under the legislation to direct and/or to set aside amounts from their fathers’ accounts to help pay for the healthcare expenses of these children during the divorce proceedings or when the families are abandoned by the fathers. With that, I support the White Paper.”
“We cannot ignore their contribution and importance. We must also put ourselves in their shoes and understand the challenges and pressures they face. Sometimes, you cannot have the best of both worlds and you have to give up certain things and make sacrifices. But we cannot dismiss their sacrifices and take it for granted. We cannot have the cake and eat it. Therefore, we all have the responsibility to do our best to support and encourage them. Unity is important. I am grateful to the Government for the great support it has given to low-income families over the years, including giving them a substantial subsidy for childcare. MOE also provides free breakfasts to those disadvantaged children. I hope the Government can also increase the childcare subsidy for children in the sandwiched middle- and low-income families to further assist them and ease their burden. This will help mothers who have to juggle work to supplement their household income. I also hope that the Government will consider giving subsidies to mothers who are unable to join the workforce due to difficult circumstances. (In English): Sir, next, the focus of this White Paper regarding caregiving has been on recognition and support for caregivers. The enhanced respite care options and Home Caregiving Grant and the broadened scope of the Household Services Scheme are all excellent proposals. But these may not apply directly to certain families, who need to depend on migrant domestic workers for caregiving and yet cannot afford to do so. Would the Ministry consider some form of subsidy to lessen their financial burden or even waive the maid levy entirely?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I fully support the proposals to introduce new workplace fairness legislation to ensure that women are not discriminated against. However, we must also acknowledge that we continue to receive feedback that there are employers, large and small, who discriminate against women who are pregnant. How will the Government facilitate and encourage employers to adopt fair practices to hire pregnant staff? Will we be able to include such fair practices as part of the MOM framework in the consideration of the application of EP and other work passes? It would be good to have a platform to highlight companies with fair practices with regular testimonies by their staff and, perhaps, as part of the consideration of the Best Employer Award. Would the Government look into having legislation to enshrine FWAs, such as early release of staff with children, so that they could pick up their children from childcare or spend more quality family time? I appreciate the action plan to entrench FWAs as a workplace norm. Our experience during the pandemic has proven that it can work very well, with benefits for both employees and employers, as well as the environment, as we cut down on commutes to the office. To nudge hesitant employers and companies, I would like to suggest that the Government consider enticing companies that implement FWAs with privileges like a higher foreign worker quota or a co-payment element like Workfare. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, each of us has at least one important person in our life. She is our mother. Mother is great. They hold us in their wombs for nine months and take good care of us as we grow up. As the saying goes, women hold up half the sky.”
“Minister, since the one-metre social distancing with mask on is not necessary, will the National Environmental Agency (NEA) consider for pasar malams to resume in the neighbourhood?”
“Madam, disputes among neighbours are becoming increasingly common. Unfortunately, a significant number take a long time to resolve due to the uncooperative neighbours, some of whom are openly and persistently flouting the law. These cases include harassment, obstruction of passageways, dangerous placement of objects, fire hazard and noise pollution. Would the Ministry consider setting up a dedicated team for mediation and enforcement and a hotline for residents to contact for issues relating to neighbour disputes? Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals”
“Chairman, the Ministry launched the Alliance for Action to Strengthen Marriages and Family Relationships in August last year. What has been the progress so far? What would be the new initiatives in the six areas of focus – newlywed couples, parents, single parents, families with early risks, marriages and families among different religious faiths, and families in general?”
“Thank you, Chairman. I thank the Senior Minister of State Amy Khor for the update on the actions against modified vehicles. May I know from Senior Minister of State, is there a plan to go for enhanced penalty against those who modify their vehicles, the owner and also the one who provided the service?”
“Thank you, Chairman. More Singaporeans and residents are taking up cycling as a form of exercise and as a green mode of transport. Can the Ministry share an update on the islandwide cycling network as well as plans to make cycling safer for cyclists and pedestrians on pathways which are currently not part of the network? Road Network Our road network spans 9,000 lane-kilometres and requires much maintenance to keep it in good and safe condition. In the face of labour shortage, how would LTA upkeep maintenance? Will LTA be leveraging on new technology or materials to maintain this network effectively? Modified Vehicles Illegally-modified vehicles cause not only noise pollution, which disturb residents, especially late at night. They also put the drivers, passengers and other road users at risk. There have been quite a number of incidents where they either burst into flames or would not be able to function safely. What is LTA doing to address this problem of illegally-modified vehicles and motorcycles? Point-to-Point Sector – Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle”
“Chairman, what has been the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our plan to grow the MRT network from 230 kilometres to 360 kilometres in the early 2030s? Would the Ministry share what is the progress of the feasibility study of the new lines, including the possibility to have a line to serve the residents in Buangkok, Yio Chu Kang, Fernvale and Punggol? Bus Services Rationalisation”
“Thank you, Chairman. The aviation sector has been badly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the travel sector gradually recovers, how fast can Changi Airport open up to more Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs)? How will the Government support our airport to recover its role as an aviation hub safely? In the longer term, how will the airport continue to remain competitive and provide good jobs for Singaporeans? 7.15 pm More Flights to Changi Airport As almost all Singaporeans and residents complete their vaccinations and boosters or acquire immunity, it will become safer for our travel sector to resume. Can the Minister provide an update on the upcoming plans to reopen our borders and attract more flights to Changi Airport? Would the Ministry share its outlook for the aviation sector for 2022? Reviving the Aviation Sector”
“Thank you, Chairman. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State what are some of HDB's considerations in considering the profile of shops that it would prioritise in an area.”