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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“Mr Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Like Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, I have also come across many people like the Ah Kong that she mentioned. Many parents want their children and future generations to live better lives than their generation. So, they work hard in the hope that their next generation would have a good life, scrimping and saving to leave savings for the next generation. Some say that we already have very good savings and no longer have to work as hard as our forefathers. As these values begin to weaken, we may fall into the situation akin to a boat going upstream whereby it will fall behind so long as it is not moving ahead. There is a saying that one can deplete a mountain’s worth of assets. If we do not cherish what we have and become complacent, fail to improve, we may face the risk of a national decline. Being mindful in times of peace is key to our self-reliance. We cannot relax nor let our guard down. Once we are complacent, we will gradually lose our competitiveness, investors will also hesitate to invest in us. Many parents told me that they were worried that their children would abandon our traditional values. Therefore, it is very important to maintain sustainable and stable economic growth. This will enable Singaporeans to enjoy a better quality of life while a strong Reserve will enable our people to enjoy the benefits of a strong and stable Singapore dollar. We all know that Singapore passports have international prestige and convenient access, due to our country's prudent, healthy finances and abundant Reserves. Therefore, it is necessary for the Government to continue to exercise prudent and sustainable financial management to plan and take care of our long-term interests.”
“Some residents complain about incessant barking; others are dismayed by the foul smell of pets’ urine along common corridors and void decks; irresponsible owners who leave pets’ faeces on the ground are also a big problem. Personally, I am quite worried about pets which are mistreated by owners who have lost interest in them, such as by confining them in small cages. I would like to ask how NParks will proceed in tackling these problems, including how it will work with other agencies and Ministries.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill. We can expect greater synergy and efficiency after the consolidation of all non-food-related plant and animal functions to NParks under the Ministry of National Development. I am sure there will be many benefits to be reaped from the optimisation of resources and leveraging of expertise. I would like to take this opportunity to raise a couple of issues on behalf of my residents regarding the population of wild birds and pets. Firstly, about the wild birds. I think we would all agree that most of us want to live and work in environments which integrate nature with man-made structures. Very few people would choose to live in a sterile estate with only concrete buildings. The challenge we face is in striking a balance between the management of wildlife and human populations. Having birds and other creatures around us is good and necessary for our well-being. However, they can also be the sources of disamenity, such as noise pollution and animal waste. Some residents have shared their concerns over the population of wild birds with me, particularly species which are growing in numbers. Does NParks have plans to manage such wild bird populations in our estates? How would NParks tackle big populations of certain birds which appear seasonally? Would the choice of particular trees or plants help to resolve the problems of certain wild birds in our HDB estates? Secondly, about keeping pets in HDB flats. In recent years, I have been receiving many pieces of feedback relating to problems created by increasing pet ownership in our HDB estates.”
“Singaporeans must be introduced to alternative foods, such as liquid egg products, and learn to adapt to the taste and cooking methods of a variety of such foods. A spate of food safety incidents last year reminds us of the importance of staying ever vigilant in our guard against lapses in the food sector. Would the Minister share with us what efforts have been made to ensure food safety so far and how the centralised SFA will operate differently to enhance our capability in ensuring food safety and quality? Last but not least, we need to ensure free and rules-based maritime and air space navigation for transportation to ensure food supply security. SFA will need the support of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Ministry of Transport and other Government agencies to fulfill its mission to ensure food security. With that, I support the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I welcome and support the Bill which will consolidate all the different departments responsible for various aspects of food regulation across Government agencies and Ministries into one central body, the SFA. Over the years, a number of my Parliamentary seniors and colleagues had suggested this and I am very glad that we have finally managed to do so. As a regional and global port, our people have been fortunate in being able to obtain a great variety of food from different regions, even though we ourselves produce too little food for our own consumption. However, today, with climate change, as pointed out, and human mismanagement disrupting food sources, food security is no longer a given. Climate change has resulted in more extreme weather patterns, affecting crop growth and harvests. Overfishing and over-consumption of meat are taking their toll on our food ecosystem, and international research has found that humans’ increasing consumption of meat and dairy products is unsustainable. Although Singapore is a small country, we can do our part by reducing our consumption of meat and dairy products, which also happens to be beneficial to our health. I urge the newly formed SFA to consider implementing policies to reduce meat consumption. Measures can include a combination of school and public education, subsidies for plant-based food and even lower rentals at food centres managed by the Agency. Against this backdrop, we must continue to diversify our food sources and strengthen our ability to substitute various food items in the event of natural disasters or plant or animal disease outbreaks occurring at our usual food supply bases.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply, especially when she highlighted those temples had implemented these services. But we also do notice that in a public housing estate, we have cases where the families have used large metal cages to burn big offering items, which would take place quite close to the housing estate and this would draw complaints from other residents. Would the Ministry consider, for example, incentives to work with the stakeholders or the relevant parties on how they could improve such big casings used to burn large items or even papers? That would be helpful.”
“Will MOH also look into the integration of patient records nationally for better assessment and management of patients by both mainstream and TCM medical practitioners? (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Deputy Speaker, Sir, MOH is working together with top TCM organisations to provide continual training for TCMPs, which will benefit both the practitioners and the patients. TCMPs will be able to learn the most up-to-date, advanced professional knowledge and medical treatment. By doing so, Singapore can become another world-class regional medical hub.”
“Deputy Speaker, I welcome it as it will help to raise the standard of professionalism in this sector and increase public confidence in TCM. Many of our elderly across different ethnic groups have been relying on TCM or a combination of TCM and Western medical treatments. TCM has made significant contributions to public healthcare in our multiracial society. It is also gaining recognition and popularity in the West. The introduction of compulsory CPE hours per year will bring TCM professionals in line with the existing practices for our mainstream medical practitioners. I am convinced that it is also beneficial for the TCMPs to be kept updated about the new findings, best practices and latest technologies. These will enable them to make better and more accurate diagnosis and care for their patients better. I certainly support measures to enhance the Ministry's investigative powers and increase the penalties for errant TCMPs. Such a move is necessary for the protection of patients and will also increase the confidence of patients in TCM professionals. The reputation and image of the TCM sector will also be lifted by enhanced professionalism and higher standards as a result. For instances where there had been complaints about negligence or misconduct not directly related to the treatment aspects, will there be an avenue for mediation? Next, I would like to ask the Minister how many complaints have been received so far each year for the past 10 years and whether the rate of such complaints had fallen after the introduction of the registration and certification of TCM. In addition, what efforts have been made to accord the accreditation to "Tie Da" physicians? I would also like to know how many patients have used TCM services each year for the past 10 years.”
“Will the Ministry consider requiring all media to carry reminders of the harmful effects of tobacco in all screenings of videos, movies or drama productions where the scenes of smoking cannot be edited and cut?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, first of all, let me wish all the Members in the House a Happy Lunar New Year and "人日快乐". Mr Speaker, Sir, I am in full support of the Ministry's proposal to implement standardised packaging and enlarged GHWs for tobacco products. As various research projects have found, such packaging will help to reduce the appeal of tobacco products and seems effective in reducing smoking in countries when standardised packaging was introduced. I share the Ministry's concern that after so many years of public education, the number of smokers in Singapore has not actually decreased as much as we hope for. We have to invest more effort into solving this addiction problem, especially among the younger smokers. Some of my residents have asked me if the Government would consider banning the import of tobacco products altogether. We had discussed this option in this House before and concluded that a hard ban would not be advisable as this would just drive the buying and selling underground, and encourage smuggling, particularly from across the Causeway. It is better, for now, to allow tobacco products to remain on the shelves of our shops and supermarkets while removing the customised designs of each brand and product. Standardised packaging will remove the illusions of their purported attributes and enable shoppers to see them as they are – tobacco – nothing more and nothing less. I would like to ask the Minister if the Ministry has details of smoker profiles in each age group. Since the producers were required to include graphic warnings on the cigarette packs sold, have the different health warnings been effective? Will the Ministry consider requiring the producers to restrict the percentage of nicotine content and other harmful contents?”
“What I want to clarify is that lately, there are many countries that have legalised the sale of certain drugs which are considered illegal in Singapore. But in those countries, they have legalised these drugs. In other words, they allow retail of those drugs. But in Singapore, these are definitely prohibited; we will not allow them. So, for persons dealing in those drugs, I know they are not welcomed to Singapore, but they are okay in their country. In regard to that, the proceeds that are derived from sale in those countries, if they were brought to Singapore, how should we treat them?”
“Sir, may I confirm that those persons who actually conduct such activities, which are deemed illegal here but are legal there, for them to launder their money over here, we cannot do anything against them?”
“Minister, what I want to raise is for joint applicants. What if something happens, say, if someone passes on or for whatever other reason, would HDB allow them to continue to purchase the flat, that is to say, as a result, they do not fulfil the conditions? And if they cannot, would a special waiver be given not to impose a penalty on them for such unfortunate cases?”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, the overhaul of our employment legislation has been a long and extensive process. I am glad to see it is finally coming to fruition. The changes will benefit and enhance protection for all employees. Proposals, such as the removal of the monthly salary cap of $4,500, additional protection for more vulnerable employees and improvements to dispute resolution services, are greatly welcomed. One of the amendments is to increase the salary cap for paying overtime to non-workmen from $2,250 to $2,600. This is expected to benefit an additional 100,000 workers. On the other hand, the cap for workmen has been left unchanged at $4,500, since about 99% of workmen are already covered under this threshold. However, I feel that, as a matter of principle, we should gradually remove all salary caps for overtime. If companies need to pay equally for each unit of work-time input, regardless of whether work is done within official work hours or during overtime, they would be more motivated to look into productivity upgrading measures to reduce overtime work. This will be in line with our goal of better work-life balance for all employees. Enhanced productivity also means that our workforce and companies would be more competitive. The result will be a win-win situation for both employers and employees. All these developments will boost Singapore’s attractiveness to investors so that quality jobs will continue to be created for Singaporeans. On this note, I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“The Bill does not cover properties purchased in the resale market or developments exempted by the Housing Developers Act. How will the Ministry prevent money laundering through this avenue? Finally, I have a couple of questions regarding the powers granted to the Controller of Housing (COH) to refuse, suspend and revoke a Housing Developers Licence given to applicant(s) who has/have been convicted of any offences relating to money laundering and/or terrorism financing, as well as for an applicant which is a company if it has a substantial shareholder or person of responsibility which/who has been convicted of such offences. Will these regulations apply to a person who has previously been convicted for a similar offence beyond our jurisdiction? Will this legislation only apply to new developers or also target newly appointed directors or new shareholders of existing developers?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the introduction of the Bill to address some potential loopholes in our legislative framework governing real estate transactions which may be exploited for money laundering and financing terrorism. As a member state of FATF, we should support and cooperate with its various recommendations. Notwithstanding, I have some concerns and would like to seek clarifications. Firstly, how many member states of FATF have implemented similar recommendations so far, especially nations with financial centres? Is there a level playing field for all states, especially financial centres? The Bill requires developers to perform customer due diligence (CDD), maintain records and report on suspicious transactions, amongst other measures. How will the Ministry ensure consistency in the way different developers perform such checks and how can it ensure compliance from all developers so that these measures will not end up as a matter of formality? How will the Ministry qualify "best efforts" and the definition of "negligence"? In addition, are the measures a continued responsibility or only applicable at the point of the contract, that means, is the developer required to conduct regular checks, periodical checks, before obtaining the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) or Certificate of Statutory Completion (CSC)? At which point in time do the duty and responsibility of the developer end? This is pertinent as the buyer could be a group of investors, fund, trust, public or private company with a variable capital structure and have more than a shareholder or company registered. The shareholders and investors of these entities could change after the Sale and Purchase.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the amendments will certainly simplify the criteria for legal aid applications substantially. Instead of considering several components of disposable income and capital, focusing on the main categories of the applicant's per capita income, home AV, savings and investments will help to expedite the assessment process. However, the new set of criteria still leaves certain applicants at a disadvantage. For example, an applicant may need to support parents, siblings or other vulnerable family members who do not stay with him under the same roof and thus are not considered during the computation of per capita income. I hope the Ministry will be able to exercise some flexibility for such applicants on a case-by-case basis. I would like to seek clarifications about the role of CPF contributions under the new criteria. Will it be considered a component of savings and investments? If so, can it be excluded since the payouts from CPF are not immediate? In addition, if an applicant has a negative net worth, that means his personal liabilities exceed his personal assets. Can this be taken into consideration for his application? May I ask the Minister how many applications were received in the last 10 years and how many were unsuccessful? What were the main reasons for the unsuccessful applications? Can the Ministry provide details of the various categories? Lastly, for applicants rejected for legal aid, can the Ministry consider alternative assistance for them? For example, a deferment payment scheme for legal fees may be useful for those who are cash-strapped or who are asset-rich but cash-poor. With that, I conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Senior Minister of State, I think my question has yet to get an answer, that is, cost structure between the subsidised and non-subsidised stalls, one by NEA and one by another model. I would like to know, generally, what are the operating costs, what are the similar ones and what are not the subsidised ones.”
“PWCS uses pneumatics to transport refuse to a central collection centre through pipes, greatly reducing the reliance on manpower, and also reduce foul odours and cockroaches and rats. I am worried that there are some bad apples among residents who throw oversized items into the refuse chutes, causing blockages, leading to system failure. I hope the Ministry would put more effort into public education to teach residents how to use this new system in the correct way to ensure its smooth operation. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State, up to now, how many residents in the trial district have asked for assistance to retrieve valuables which they have accidentally thrown into the rubbish chute. Is there a way for the system to retrieve valuables accidentally thrown away within a short time? I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State. I support this Bill.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill. The implementation of DPWCS is a great step towards greater efficiency and a higher standard of hygiene in the treatment of our refuse collection. It will boost productivity of our cleaning system substantially. This is especially important in view of the difficulties we face in attracting and retaining workers in this sector and our ageing population. The pneumatic system will reduce smell and exposure to pests, such as rats and cockroaches, which are common in open refuse collection systems. I am glad to note that the amendments will provide for the implementation of PWCS on a larger scale and bring more residences under the system. What I would like to raise for the attention of the Ministry is the maintenance and repair issues for this more complex system of refuse collection. What measures are in place to enable vendors to detect faulty mechanics in the system which can ultimately lead to malfunction? I had encountered an isolated mechanical fault which caused the breakdown of the compactor, leading to the failure of discharge of waste at one of the rubbish chutes in my constituency early this year. The compactor broke down without the awareness of the collector. Are the workers adequately trained to recognise signs of trouble, especially if it is hidden within the system, so that they can alert the maintenance and repair team as soon as possible? Once the system or mechanics break down, what are the contingency plans to ensure refuse continues to be collected and removed to prevent hygiene problems? Mr Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I support the new regulations to build PWCS in more areas in our country.”
“Occasionally, the owner runs into financial difficulty halfway through the construction. Hence, I strongly urge the Ministry to further strengthen the regulations to ensure that the funds for a specific project are not allowed to be diverted for other uses. I support the Bill. 4.45 pm”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, I welcome the amendments which will help the subcontractors enhance their cash flow and minimise losses. However, many subcontractors had told me that they are likely to continue to suffer in silence and resort to the law only as a last resort as they are afraid to lose jobs from main contractors. The amendments had taken the uneven balance of negotiating power between main contractors and subcontractors into account. I appeal to the Ministry and relevant Government agencies to consider extending advisory assistance to our subcontractors and guide them with familiarising themselves on their rights and deserved payments. They should and can work with the Government agencies to minimise their losses and avoid worsening their cash flow crunch and falling into financial difficulty. The construction industry suffers from many problems and disputes. This Bill seeks a fairer allocation of risks to subcontractors and easier settlement of payment disputes. This is because in reality, there are many complex underlying issues which have been unresolved. Besides unrealistic contract periods and tight manpower resources which have very serious safety implications, both during the process of construction and in the distant future, the parties involved pass the buck in pushing responsibilities for defects and payments. One common example is the deliberate delay in payment by the owner and main contractor. To make the situation worse, the funds received by the main contractor for specific work done are diverted for other uses instead of paying the subcontractors. Some projects were tendered at a loss due to miscalculations. Others were tendered at unrealistic fees because the main contractors just wanted incoming funds to stay afloat for as long as possible.”
“Deputy Speaker, the new corporate structure VCC is attractive as it will provide greater flexibility for fund management companies. Before I go on, let me declare my interest. Currently, I am an employee of a local financial institution (FI). As the VCC structure allows it to issue and redeem shares without needing to seek shareholders' approval, investors may enter and exit from their investments freely. It will make it easy for the fund manager to facilitate change of investors to meet business needs and keep pace with market practices. This will encourage fund managers to have the domicile of their investment funds here. I am pleased to note that the Bill will be requiring the assets and liabilities of different sub-funds to be segregated so that the assets of one may not be used to discharge the liabilities of the others. This is a vast improvement in addressing the problem of contagion risk. This is due to the issue of sub-funds having their own set of investors but the same legal personality, leading to the risk of assets and liabilities commingling. I have some clarifications to seek. Will the FIs be responsible for the KYC (Know your Client) process and SOW (Source Of Wealth) verification for each of the investors of that VCC or investors in the sub-funds? If so, it may be necessary to allow FIs to have access to the information of the investors and shareholders if the authorities expect FIs with whom the account is opened to be compliant. I would also like to ask what had been the number of disputes received so far from investors against fund managers in each of the last 10 years. Singapore has a strong reputation as a safe, stable and well-regulated financial centre. What measures are in place to eradicate scams and Ponzi schemes? I support the Bill. 7.05 pm”
“I welcome the use of maps to show the boundaries to enable the electorate to know their constituencies prior to the GE. This will provide greater ease of viewing and clarity. 2.56 pm”
“One of the doubts raised was the possibility of ballot boxes being replaced during transfers. I would also like to ask for details about how ballot boxes from overseas are organised. Next, I would like to ask whether the Elections Department can provide the ballot paper sample which uses black as the base colour. My concern is that it may affect voters' ability to identify the candidates or the party logos on the ballot papers. Elderly voters may have difficulties reading the ballot papers. Has a consultation been done with different age groups about the design of the ballot paper to ensure clarity of design and readability? In addition, how would the Elections Department ensure that the Assistant Returning Officers or polling staff provide indisputable guidance to voters at polling stations? Had there been reports or complaints made in past elections, such as those about assistants prompting voters to tick for certain candidates while addressing their queries at the polling stations? One of the amendments is that elections deposit will be based on an elected Member of Parliament's monthly allowance, rounded to the nearest $500. Will the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) consider reducing the deposit required further, such as by pegging against the median gross monthly income for full-time work, which is currently $4,232? This will further strengthen the efforts by the Government to ensure the building of an inclusive society. The deposit should preferably be set at a level that will not discriminate against those who have less wealth but have the qualities and willingness to serve. Will the Elections Department consider further automating the nomination forms to make it largely system-enabled for potential nominees/candidates as well as for proposers and seconders?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the initiative to introduce amendments to improve the administration of elections. I have a few suggestions and clarifications. Firstly, I have a query about the proposed amendment to abandon the vote count at a polling station where a sealed ballot box has been lost or destroyed before the ballots can be counted. This amendment is unpalatable to many voters who strongly believe that every vote is sacred. Why should all the votes at the affected polling station be nullified due to a single loss, damaged or tampered box? This is a recommendation which a number of constituents are uncomfortable with and find difficult to accept. Why can we not proceed with the counting of the votes from the unaffected, sealed ballot boxes? Secondly, it was proposed that should the number of votes from the affected polling station be enough to sway the electoral result for that constituency or division, voters of the affected station would be required to go through a fresh poll. However, I think that a re-poll of the affected electoral division does not necessarily ensure a fair and equitable election. This is as good as holding a by-election, especially when the national results have already been announced. Perhaps it would be better that the re-voting exercise be held only in the event that the votes in the affected boxes could potentially sway the election result. I would like to ask how many such incidents, including tampering of ballot boxes, had been reported since Singapore gained Independence and what other types of complaints pertaining to ballot boxes had been received? What were the measures taken to ensure the transparent and indisputable transfer of ballot boxes from polling stations to counting centres?”
“May I know the exact date of the suspension, whether there are bids received for the tender which has been suspended? About the termination few months ago, were there any bids that have been received for the open tender or the asset-owning company? And has the Ministry gone through all those who had tendered? Probably some contract sum offered is well within the budget, most likely can be considered?”
“We can consider effective measures and best practices in other countries to strike a balance between the two groups, for example, setting up smoking rooms with air filters or purification machines in public facilities, office buildings and shopping malls. At the same time, we must persist in continuing our public education to let our citizens understand the harm of smoking more deeply. We have to pay special attention to our younger generation to prevent them from picking up the bad habit of smoking or follow in the footsteps of older smokers. I believe that some smokers, influenced by our environment, will see the light sooner or later, and once they understand, they will naturally be determined to abandon this bad habit which is harmful to others and themselves. With all these measures, before long, we will definitely be able to reach a smoking rate below 10%.”
“For years, non-smokers have been complaining about neighbours smoking at their window ledges, along common corridors and at landings between staircases. I think this is a common issue that all of us faced as Members of Parliament during the Meet-the-People sessions. The resultant air pollution not only causes discomfort, for residents with health problems, the smoke can even trigger an asthma attack. Families with vulnerable young children and elderly members are particularly concerned. Non-smokers also complained about smoking at coffee shops and inconsiderate smokers smoking in the public lifts. Smoking is one of the main causes of friction in our community and disputes among neighbours, as pointed out by Members earlier on. Mr Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): Unfortunately, despite public knowledge about the harmful effects of smoking and the additional problems created by second-hand and third-hand smoke, the number of smokers in our midst have not gone down as much as we would like. In the last 10 years, our population’s smoking rate had been hovering between 12% and 14%. Last year, it was at 12%, the lowest to date. I have been receiving feedback from smokers who are very unhappy and who are asking for a limit to the number of measures against smoking, including increasing the tobacco excise duty by 10% in this year’s Budget. They ask for understanding from non-smokers and protest the deprivation of their spaces of freedom and enjoyment. On the other hand, non-smokers are calling for a total ban. They are against environments with smoke pollution.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I am in full support of this Bill which will move us closer to our goal of a cleaner, smoke-free environment and a healthier nation. With the amendments to increase the number of places where smoking is banned and to entrust our enforcement officers with additional powers, I am confident we will see further progress in our fight against the scourge of smoking. In popular and crowded places, such as the Orchard Road shopping belt, legislation to designate all public areas within it as part of an NSZ will allow everyone, young and old, to enjoy cleaner air free from pollution. Smokers need not despair. There are designated smoking areas in an NSZ which will provide them with an outlet. Enforcement is key to ensure law compliance. Additional powers of entry, taking photographs and videos will enable our officers to carry out their duties more effectively and are necessary to conduct proper investigations. I would like to ask what measures, especially the use of technology, the Ministry has and will be using to facilitate and increase the efficiency of enforcement, especially the common issue of neighbours’ smoke drifting into other homes in our housing estates, as shared earlier on by a few hon Members. I also want to share this picture from The Straits Times in case Members missed it after the National Day Rally. It is a very interesting one after the Prime Minister had mentioned Home Improvement Programme II (HIP II), the wish list from residents. So, the wish list is whether they can have a fan to blow the harmful second-hand smoke back into the smoker's face. Just in case Members missed it. That is the wish list for HIP II.”
“I hope that the Government can launch more public education programmes to teach riders how to use PMDs on shared paths safely and politely. I support this Bill.”
“Will the process of certification of approved models also include testing of the batteries and their level of safety in view of the number of fires due to e-scooters with substandard batteries? Moving forward, we have to reach out to PMD users and potential users to educate them on considerate and safe riding, how to do so, the new regulations, and the consequences of violating the law, including the impact on those they injure or kill, the fines and potential civil liabilities. They should also learn from where and how to buy approved PMDs. Would the Ministry share with us what other public educational measures will be implemented to reach out to all individuals and households? Mr Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): In the past few years, accidents caused by reckless riders of PMDs have been increasing. I have personally seen on several occasions youngsters riding e-scooters recklessly, posing risks to road users. My residents have also given me feedback about this. The new regulations that this Bill will implement will help improve the current situation. Firstly, all PMDs must be registered and display the registration label. As a result, the number of non-compliant ones should be greatly reduced. However, I am still worried that the Government cannot ban all illegal PMDs, so I would like to ask the Minister if there is any countermeasure. Secondly, the authorities will be able to outsource enforcement, which will help supervise usage of PMDs and ensure that they comply with regulations. Since enforcement work is very labour-intensive, I suggest that the Government adopt more high-tech auxiliary equipment, including AI, to improve the efficiency of supervision. To make our shared paths safer, it is not a one-night process.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the reckless users of PMDs continue to be a major public safety concern, posing risks to road users and pedestrians alike. I have witnessed some of these riders myself, speeding on their e-scooters on the road without consideration for other road users and motorists, risking their own lives and the safety of others. Enforcement remains key. Due to the prevalence of PMDs and the wide areas of coverage, we need more enforcement officers on the ground to monitor users and ensure compliance. Hence, I welcome the introduction of outsourced enforcement officers in this Bill, which will be very useful and helpful for the very labour-intensive task of enforcement. We should complement and augment the efforts of our manpower resources with technology aids, such as street cameras, other high-tech devices and artificial intelligence (AI) to deter reckless users. I would like to ask the Minister if we will be tapping on technological innovations to monitor how shared paths are used and to deter all these reckless PMD riders. Besides speeding and inconsiderate riding, some riders actually break the law by using unauthorised PMDs. One of the common reasons given by such users who were caught was that they had always presumed that it was the sellers’ responsibility to ensure compliance of the devices with LTA’s regulations. Hence, I would like to ask how LTA is going to enforce strict compliance from sellers, including online sales, so that only authorised models are imported into Singapore. This Bill will require that all e-scooters are registered and they have to display the registration mark. Does this mean that the Government intends to inspect all models available in the Singapore market?”
“Is it possible that Ministry will consider to give it as an option to all Singaporeans to consider, even though it is lower payout or higher premium, for one ADL, rather than wait for the three to be fulfilled?”
“The scheme is generally supported by residents, but some have expressed confusion about the names of various Government programmes, in particular, CareShield Life and MediShield. The Chinese names of these two schemes are too similar, with only one character difference and, especially for the elderly, it is not easy to spot the difference. In order for me to explain this new scheme easily, I have tried different ways. Many people do not want to listen, because they feel this topic is "inauspicious". I tried to use a simple name to explain this scheme – "Ping An 123" (Peace 123). Why call it "Ping An 123"? "Three" symbolises coverage from age 30; "two" for the benefit of two parties, that is, the patient and their caregivers, hence, both the family members and the patient will benefit; "one" for lifetime payouts, every month you would receive payouts until recovery or death. That is why I call it "Ping An 123". It does not sound inauspicious. With this insurance, you will have peace of mind until death. Anyway, I hope that Singaporeans can stay healthy, exercise more and prevent diseases. Because if you fall ill, it is you yourself who will suffer. Every resident says to me that they do not want to burden their family members. Precisely because we do not want to burden our family members that I encourage them to consider joining CareShield Life.”
“Instead, may I suggest allowing CareShield policyholders the option of higher payouts if they can afford the additional premiums? As CareShield Life will be administered by the Government, compared to coverage from private insurers, it will provide greater assurance. I request that CareShield Life be made an opt-out scheme so that all who have previously opted out of ElderShield will be covered this time under the new scheme. If they should want to opt out of CareShield Life, they need to provide valid reasons, such as having similar disability insurance coverage with private insurers. Next, may I ask the Minister, on average, based on past data, how many Singaporeans have suffered severe disabilities before the age of 30? Can we also explore the idea of starting disability coverage from the age 21 and extending coverage grants to National Servicemen to show our appreciation for their services to our country? In addition, I would like to suggest that we recruit Singaporeans, as we did for PG, as Ambassadors to visit individuals and households who have opted out of ElderShield or CareShield to explain and assure them of the support by the Government, including financial assistance, to encourage them to join the new scheme. The grassroots organisations (GROs) can work with the volunteers to identify and offer all necessary assistance to the households who need financial help and also encourage them to stay in the scheme. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] CareShield Life is a good plan to provide more protection for Singaporeans with severe disabilities with lifetime cash payouts. This helps to pay for long-term care and reduces the financial burden on patients and their families.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, first of all, let me thank the Committee for the good effort in coming up with this report. I personally welcome the CareShield Life Scheme as it will provide those afflicted by severe disabilities higher payouts for life, compared to ElderShield. This is a good scheme which will benefit Singaporeans as the financial aid will provide an additional layer of social security. CareShield Life is particularly relevant for a rapidly ageing society like ours. We will face, in the near future, every one out of four Singaporeans who is 65 and above, in view of the increasing number of these age-related disability cases to be expected. I would like to ask the Government to consider automatic conversion of all existing ElderShield policyholders aged 40 and above to CareShield Life, while providing them the option of remaining in ElderShield 300 or 400. Under the proposed plan, only policyholders aged 41-50 in 2020 and who are not severely disabled will be auto-enrolled. I believe that this scheme will be accepted by most Singaporeans. Why? Because the lifelong coverage and higher payouts are major improvements upon ElderShield’s benefits. Therefore, the auto-conversion will provide convenience to ElderShield policyholders of all ages, compared to requiring them to sign up for CareShield Life. The proposed participation incentives can be converted into subsidies for the various age groups. I also hope that the Government will allow ElderShield supplement policyholders, who have already paid additional premiums for higher or longer monthly payouts, to port these premiums to their new CareShield policies. Once on CareShield, interested Singaporeans may have the option to approach private insurers for additional coverage and payouts.”
“We continue learning as long as we live. We should emphasise skills training, create opportunities for each Singaporean to fulfil his potential and achieve success, thereby building a prosperous society enjoyed by all. Here, I would like to suggest that we further strengthen and broaden the Edusave Progress Award to encourage Singaporeans to improve themselves proactively by giving incentives to lifelong learners. Where there is a will, there is way. Even a small step counts. We should turn the three "K"s to three "B"s – “bo kiasi"（不怕死）, "bo kiasu" (不怕输), "bo kia jingzheng" (不怕竞争). In other words, not afraid of dying, not afraid of losing and not afraid of competition. You may remember that during the five-kilometre run in the 2016 Olympics, an American and a New Zealand runner tripped but they helped each other to get up. During the 2017 UK Marathon, a runner, Swansea Harrier Matthew Rees, stopped to help another runner, David Wyeth, to complete the last segment of the run. Both athletes demonstrated great sportsmanship. This is how we should build an inclusive, caring and prosperous society. (In English): Sir, there are many challenges ahead of us with our rapidly ageing population, rising protectionism and the threat of terrorism, just to name a few. However, we are descendants of people who had created a miracle island and I am confident that we will be able to overcome these challenges and build a stronger Singapore for our future generations. 2.09 pm”
“HDB should or could challenge its present parameters and further expand the provision of flat types and facilities to meet the higher expectations of Singaporeans while retaining affordability and reach. For example, a new type of flats could perhaps be privately designed with condominium standard or the like but are built and managed by HDB and Town Councils without fences to encourage integration with the other HDB flats around. Sir, I note that condominium Management Corporation Strata Titles (MCSTs) do not allow non-residents to share the facilities with the condominium residents, while HDB residents feel that it is also not fair for condominium residents to use their multi-purpose halls at HDB estates for private functions such as wakes. A fence has divided both worlds apart. It warrants a rethink of the potential impact on the efforts to build a cohesive and inclusive society and preventing widening social impact of income inequity. Sir, in Mandarin, (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Foreigners always attribute Singapore's success to the three characteristics of Singaporeans – "kiasi" (怕死), "kiasu" (怕输), "kiabo"（怕无）. These three characteristics have their pros and cons. They have generated the spirit of perseverance and the drive for progress of our people. However, they also created some problems at the same time. If they are not dealt with appropriately, they can also generate utilitarianism and make people profit-driven and indifferent towards each other. This will hinder our efforts to build an inclusive and united society. I feel we need to redefine what success is. I agree that the Government should broaden the definition of success. Success should not be just about academic achievement and material comfort. It is about lifelong learning.”
“We have to put in more effort to monitor the challenges faced by our lower-income and middle-income groups closely and policies are updated to ensure that their aspirations are within reach. Perhaps a new scheme or a Household Transformation Map – since we have the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs), I think we can consider the Household Transformation Maps (HTMs) – in totality of all relevant programmes can be looked at by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to reach out to all these families to assist and guide them to achieve their aspirations. This “upward mobility elevator” instead of “poverty elevator” would be a step forward in building a cohesive and progressive nation. There are many good policies and schemes that benefit Singaporeans, for example, our Build-To-Order (BTO) flat prices are pegged against the average income of an income group, there are various housing grants, special employment credit, job credit and various Ministry of Manpower (MOM) schemes to help our workers. These should be continued. There could be further think-out-of-the-box approaches for existing policies, for example, to review the existing childcare grant to include parents who have left the workforce temporarily to look after their young children and to grandparents, nannies, or babysitters who help look after the grandchildren or children to support parents to increase the total fertility rate (TFR). Our existing public housing policies have been successful and should be preserved. HDB shall remain the key developer of housing for 80% of our population. I urge prudence in changing the ratio as it serves Singaporeans well in racial and community harmony while meeting the aspirations and dreams of Singaporeans.”
“It is important that our system has values, such as mutual support and cohesiveness. This is the essence of nationhood. In the face of challenges posed by a disruptive innovative economy, we need to ensure that Singaporeans can manage such rapid advancements confidently and leverage upon them for our benefits and life improvement. We shall not be limited by our physical and ability constraints. The disadvantaged can also benefit from technological innovation and get elevated socially. Increasingly, in an integrated globalised economy, opportunities are no longer limited by borders. The cost of living remains one of the key concerns among those I meet. Perhaps it would be good to reach out to every household in the low- and lower-middle income with guidance and assistance in addition to the GST vouchers. We have Pioneer Generation offices (PGOs) that did the good job to support those in the PGs. A similar approach could be considered to ensure that such households are assured of attention and assistance by the Government. The Government also needs to keep in tune with the younger generations and ensure that the polices are up to date that could be tailored to meet their aspirations as they are vital to our nation building. We need to continue to strive for real income increase and guard against the rise in cost of living as the impact on the middle- and low-income groups may not be easily eliminated by redistribution through grants and subsidies. The lower income groups are not only affected financially but emotionally and psychologically as well, as they perceive escalating prices pushing items beyond their reach.”
“In all the best teams, leaders and team members are constantly communicating and updating one another to facilitate the necessary adjustments and corrections. We must keep channels of feedback open and continuously address the issues affecting our people. People have to be able to trust our leadership and Government which must remain honest, have integrity and be free from corruption. Our leaders must exercise fiscal prudence and grow our Reserves, which is absolutely vital for our long-term survival and stability. We need to keep our currency stable and strong to counter imported inflation, so that we will have more levers with which to manage local inflation and cost of living. Very importantly, the Government must ensure a fair and equitable system for all, which will assure Singaporeans and motivate everyone to put in his best effort. They will be able to see that there are multiple paths to success and unlimited opportunities. As long as they work hard, they can be assured of upward social mobility. Even better, the Government has put in place a framework to make guidance and assistance available to all, such as SkillsFuture and Adapt and Grow programmes. Perhaps the Government can look into providing such guidance and assistance services permanently to Singaporeans. How do we resolve the inherent conflict between meritocracy, which rewards ability, skill and talent, and the resultant income inequality? It is through compassion and inclusiveness. A compassionate community which is inclusive of people from different strata will help to ensure our country’s stability and success. Life is like a marathon. When one of ours trip and fall, we should stop to help him get up again so that we can continue the race together.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak in support of the Motion of Thanks to the President. I was moved when the President reminded us that we are an exceptional country. Sometimes, some of us take our existence, rights and privileges for granted because we compare ourselves with other developed nations of the world. But as we all know, we do not have what they have – no hinterland, no natural resources, not even enough natural sources of water. Due to these insufficiencies, despite our stability, prosperity and progress, anxiety and insecurities about our future surface from time to time. On quite a number of occasions, people I met asked me whether Singapore would be able to continue to survive and if a bright future would remain for our children. One person I met recently asked if Singapore would continue to do well in 20 years’ time. I think citizens all over the world ask themselves similar questions about their nations’ economic and political future, but not questions about their countries’ existence and survival. I do not think any of our ASEAN neighbours have any doubt that their countries will still be around for their future generations, regardless of political turmoil or economic crises. My answer to the question about our existence is another question. What is our raison d'etre? There are many answers to this question, including our roles as a global transportation, commerce and financial hub. It all boils down to our usefulness and relevance to the world. Therefore, as long as we have value, our survival is guaranteed; and when we add value, we thrive. Every generation has to find its own raison d’etre. Because we are so small and there are so few of us, literally, we have to work exceptionally well as a team.”
“Hence, to address the possibility of abuse whilst the communication ban is imposed, I would like to suggest we tap on the use of technology, such as equipping every policeman with a body video recorder. The record could be reviewed by an independent committee and the composition of the members can be discussed to ensure independence. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] As the saying goes, "Don’t fear what is, fear what if". Every Singaporean must stay vigilant and must not think that terrorist attacks will never happen to them. We must prepare for the rainy days. We do not have to be overly panicky, However, it is better to remain cautious. If we stay united, we will succeed.”
“With a smartphone in hand, anyone can be a broadcaster, streaming real-time updates, which can potentially provide valuable information to perpetrators and give them a strategic advantage. This is what the Bill clearly seeks to prevent. What the Ministry could have communicated better and much more strongly is that the Bill does not seek to prevent hostages or witnesses at the sites from communicating with the authorities, especially information about the attackers and their operations. As part of our SGSecure campaign, our Home Team has been educating Singaporeans about what to do in the event of an attack – "Run, Hide, Tell". We tell Singaporeans to move away from danger, stay out of sight, switch their phones to silent mode and provide information to the Police by calling, SMSing or using the SGSecure App. This advisory has not changed. However, I hope the Ministry will consider allowing communications via other additional platforms in the event that these official channels become overloaded or malfunction. On the other hand, in case the terrorists or their sympathisers manage to transmit images or text in the midst of the mayhem, I hope we are equipped with the technology and know-how to jam the signals and prevent their broadcasts. Fines and jail-time are not going to be deterrents for them. Lastly, regarding the concerns by civil society groups over the definition of a "serious incident", I would like to caution that we should not assume that nothing would happen, even at seemingly small gatherings or peaceful protests. The risk of escalation is always there. It is the duty of the Police to protect everyone, regardless of language, race, religion, political convictions and beliefs.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as we look at terror incidents around the world, the methods used by terrorists have been evolving in order to inflict maximum damage and strike fear into the hearts of target communities. Even though there have been no attacks in Singapore so far, there is no guarantee that such incidents will not happen here. We must be prepared and equipped, both at the national level where our security agencies have oversight and at the individual level. We must cooperate and work together to protect our homeland. In this respect, refraining from communicating at the sites of terror attacks is one of the ways individuals can cooperate with and assist our security forces. Their actions, or rather, the lack of, could potentially save the lives of the unfortunate ones caught in the event and those of the men and women who risk their own to rescue them. However, there are some concerns over the ban on the transmission of photos, videos, text and audio messages. I think it is worth our time to examine more thoroughly the implications of this ban. Part of the anxiety expressed so far stems from the novelty of the proposal, which is probably unprecedented. I understand that Singapore is among the first in the world to introduce such legislation. I agree with the intent as it aims to protect everyone and it will empower our security agencies to mount an effective response, should we ever need it one day. We should draw lessons from the 1972 Munich Olympic incident, the 2008 Mumbai terror attack and the 2015 Paris terrorist attack. The efforts of the security forces in all three incidents were severely compromised by television broadcasts. Today, rescuers have more than TV crews to worry about.”
“(In English): I would like to ask the Minister how the Ministry determines what standard of measurement of carbon emissions to use, and the types and quantities of classified substances. Going forward, how would the Ministry decide when to increase or decrease the minimum taxable quantums and the appropriate tax levels? I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Speaker, Sir, this year being designated our Year of Climate Action, it is fitting that we, as a nation, take meaningful and significant steps towards reducing our carbon footprint and GHG emissions. For too long, GHG emissions had been an externality on our environment. It is timely that our Government has chosen to implement various policies, including CP, to "internalise" the externalities of GHG emissions, so that the costs and benefits will impact those who choose to incur them. I certainly support CP to incentivise both industries and consumers to do the right things to reduce our contribution to GHG emissions. The transition period should be bearable as the taxes will result in slightly higher prices for consumers but not enough to impact our economy's competitiveness. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Imposing carbon tax on major GHG emitters is a wise move by the Government. The GHG emission from these 30 major emitters accounts for 80% of our total carbon emission. I agree that this measure can help reduce environment pollution and hence help do our part for the environment and the next generation. All electricity consumers, big or small, will somewhat be affected by the rise of electricity tariff. However, the increase is estimated to be bearable for the general households. The Government has estimated that for a 1-room flat, electricity costs will increase by only 30 cents per month and for an executive flat, $1.10. I believe all of us will work together to reduce electricity usage, which is good for the environment and can save money as well.”
“Recently, the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and the Singapore Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Alliance for Research and Technology did a study on one major bike-sharing operator in Singapore. They analysed their data of 10,000 bikes in April and May 2017 and found that each bike was only rented for 30 minutes a day on average. Hence, it is wise for the Government to control the operators and the number of bicycles through licensing. I support this amendment Bill.”
“They said jokingly that indiscriminate parking is not just a 'land' issue; it has also become an "air, sea and land" problem. They explained that "sea" means bicycles are dumped in the drains or by the river; "air" means that you even see bikes on trees or left in the corridor of HDB blocks. So, this is really an "air, sea, land" problem. We must adopt a carrot-and-stick approach. Hence, I support the provision that all operators will impose a temporary ban on users who repeatedly park the bicycles irresponsibly. In addition to public education to remind users to park responsibly, we should also consider imposing a fine on recalcitrant offenders, or we can reward those who park responsibly. I think this can send the message more effectively to riders that they must be responsible for the bicycles used. I would like to ask whether the Ministry possesses any users' data, such as age and the average income. This data can help us determine the amount of the fines or reward. According to my observation, users are from various social strata, and the majority are from the low-income group. Most of them are young and middle-aged, including students and foreign workers. The fine should not be set too high and the award should not be too little so that it can achieve a good deterrent or rewarding effect. The amendments require that all operators must apply for a licence. This will help the Government to control the quality of the operators and ensure that they properly manage the number of bicycles. Perhaps, the market is already saturated. It is estimated that out of the 100,000 bicycles, only half are frequently used.”