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.”
The complete record
Every one of 667 lines we hold for Gan Thiam Poh, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 14.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill to address the growing problems posed by the indiscriminate parking of dockless shared bicycles. Not only are vehicles parked this way becoming eyesores on our landscape, they also contribute to obstruction on pavements, passageways and at the entrances and exits of buildings and estates, posing a hazard. There are two main problems here: one is the problem of the parking infrastructure, and the other, the problem of accountability. Firstly, hirers utilising the bikes need somewhere to leave the vehicles when they have completed their journeys. Mandating the installation of QR codes for approved parking areas will go a long way towards ensuring that these bikes will be deposited where they will not cause disamenities. Having designated parking lots will also enable the rental firms to collect the bikes more easily in a timely manner when needed. However, we need more designated parking lots in a wider spread of locations to ensure the viability and utilisation of shared bikes. LTA has indicated its commitment to enhance our parking infrastructure and I urge the agency to expedite the setting up of more dedicated parking places to facilitate responsible parking. Areas with significant human traffic, in particular, should have more designated parking areas for these bikes. Next, I would like to speak on the issues of accountability in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, I just mentioned that the dockless bikes need more dedicated parking places to deter indiscriminate parking. We must acknowledge that it is not enough to rely on this measure alone. The sense of responsibility of each user is very important. My residents said that indiscriminate parking is akin to littering.”
“Chairman, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] A good healthcare delivery system has to be supported by robust infrastructure. I would like to ask the Minister about the progress of the development plans for our primary and secondary care infrastructure. Will the Minister share updates on the investments for ILTC? How do we make sure that we have enough beds in our hospitals, nursing homes and care centres to meet the increasing demand of our ageing population? Will the upgrading and expansion of our current infrastructure be enough to meet the targets set in the Healthcare 2020 Master Plan? In addition, how will the Ministry be integrating "smart" technology into our healthcare infrastructure to boost care delivery standards and efficiency, and to reduce costs? Quality Care and Patient Safety”
“Chairman, two questions. One, what is the status of the uncompleted units left behind by LUP, that is, those that cannot be completed, that means, those that cannot be done in the past, there are still some? The second question is: what help can be given to those who are having financial difficulty who are renting a flat outside while waiting for their BTO flat? They cannot afford to pay the market rate. Hopefully, they can get it slightly cheaper through the HDB's Interim Housing scheme. Can that be looked into?”
“Assistance to HDB Rental Flat Owners Next, our HDB rental flats provide a lifeline to low-income and vulnerable families which have fallen on hard times. May I ask if the Ministry has the breakdown of rental flats that have two, three, four and five or more occupants? How many requests have been received from the applicants for a bigger rental flat due to the large family size and what is the success rate? Will the Ministry consider allowing them to own a bigger flat with a shorter lease at an affordable price first and then allow them to top up later the lease once their economic condition improves? For large families, this suggestion would assist to relieve overcrowding, which can aggravate tension among family members already in difficult circumstances. Overcrowding is also highly unconducive for families with children and members, particularly the elderly, who are in poor health. Home Ownership for Singaporeans”
“Chairman, I welcome the news that HDB has started a new scheme to build flats ahead, prior to the launch. I would like to ask the Minister whether it is possible for HDB to review and reduce the waiting time for the applicants, so that they can collect their keys within two years of booking. In addition, will HDB build more larger flat types? Flats with more rooms will reduce overcrowding for bigger families and facilitate procreation for those who aspire to have more kids. May I also request for more multi-generation flats to enable more three- or four-generation families to stay together? Many elderly residents have also told me that they would like to stay together with their children and grandchildren, but there is simply not enough space in current flat types. Some seniors also fear losing their autonomy and privacy. Dual-key units will allow them to have their private space to manage themselves. Can HDB waive the resale levy and give more help to senior citizens and retirees who apply to right-size to two-room flexi flats, as practised in the past for Special Account (SA) applicants? There are applicants who may not have sufficient funds in their Retirement Account (RA) nor cash to pay for the flat but, at the same time, they may not qualify for rental flats. Next, I would like to ask if there will be revisions to the terms and conditions for two-room flexi flats to enable more residents in rental flats to become owners. Also, how many BTO flats have integrated two-room flexi rental flats for singles and other types of flats in the same block to promote community bonding and integration? Lastly, how many singles have bought resale and BTO flats in each of the last five years?”
“Last but not least, would the Minister share how we are leveraging technology to optimise the production and management of recycled water, NEWater and further boost potable water supply from seawater desalination? Flooding Prevention”
“How is the Ministry getting our households to leverage technology to conserve water for these household uses? I am interested in the updates for a couple of PUB programmes which tap upon technology to help households conserve water. One is a trial by PUB to install smart water devices for 10,000 new homes. These devices provide real-time information on water consumption during showers. What has been the feedback on these devices and are the monitors effective in helping the families improve the management of their water consumption during showers? If so, can these devices be made available to all households in Singapore? The second programme is a community project to replace the water closets in the homes of lower-income families with more efficient ones. The replacements are expected to help them save up to 10% in their monthly water bills. Has this project achieved its target of reducing the water bills of the selected families? If so, would the Ministry consider expanding the scope of this project? Is it possible for PUB to mandate the installation of only water-efficient water closets island-wide? I would like to ask if the Ministry would consider requiring the installation of such monitors for the kitchen sinks. How is the Ministry incentivising businesses and organisations to optimise water use through technological adoption? Can the Ministry give us some examples of firms which have successfully leveraged technology to cut water consumption? PUB had installed 320 sensors for real-time monitoring to detect leakages from our water supply network. What is the area coverage of these sensors and how reliable are they? What is the average response time to the detection of leakages and how many more sensors will be installed?”
“While unaccounted-for-water losses is among the lowest in the world at 5%, I hope the Ministry will continue to explore ways to reduce our losses further. Last but not least, we must continue with our water conservation campaign. Public education remains as important as ever. We must also empower our citizens and residents and businesses to conserve water. Are we on track to reach our target of reducing water per capita from 148 litres to 140 litres by 2030? Can the Minister elaborate on new water saving designs and installations in our buildings? The non-domestic sector is expected to account for about 70% of the future water demand. Hence, it is critical that we work with this sector to optimise water conservation. What plans does the Ministry have to incentivise businesses to invest in water saving measures and technology? Not only do companies which use a lot of water be required to submit Water Efficiency Management Plans (WEMP), companies with significant usage could also do so. Are there industry yardsticks by which companies can be compared against and assessed on their water usage efficiency? If so, what are the plans the Ministry has for these companies which are not optimising their water usage? Leveraging Technology Mr Chairman, Singapore is moving towards becoming a Smart Nation and, increasingly, we will be leveraging technology to conserve and optimise the management of water. Would the Minister elaborate in what ways technology is being used or would be used to optimise the way the Ministry and PUB operate? How can such use of technology benefit Singaporeans? In our homes, the four biggest uses of water are for showers, washing in the kitchen, laundry and flushing toilets.”
“Mr Chairman, weather uncertainties caused by climate change could result in prolonged dry spells. All of us would recall how the water level in the Linggiu Reservoir in Johor fell drastically in late 2016 and early 2017. Imported water from Malaysia is one of our four National Taps. This reservoir supplies over 60% of our water and is being threatened by climate change. Would the Ministry share its strategy to boost the water supplies from our other three National Taps? What investments and other measures does the Ministry have to enhance our water security and ensure that our water supply remains resilient to meet future demands and against climate change? Our second National Tap comprise our local reservoirs and storm water runoff. With the increasing number of extreme weather conditions, from prolonged dry weather to heavy downpours resulting in flooding here, storm water harvesting is an obvious solution. Can the Minister share an update on what infrastructure investments we will be making to collect water during the heavy rains while mitigating the flooding at the same time? The other two National Taps are recycled water, NEWater and desalination. Used water is also important. What are some of PUB's plans to further optimise used water management in Singapore? NEWater and desalination plants will meet up to 85% of our water demand by 2060. Would the Minister share updates on the operations of our current plants and the progress of the building of new plants? Desalination is a very energy-intensive process. Does the Ministry have plans to work with researchers to optimise the energy demands of desalination plants? I am happy to note that PUB is expediting our pipe repairs and replacements to minimise water leakage.”
“Chairman, one of the best ways to help an ex-offender reintegrate into society is to help him secure and hold down a good job. Not only will the job sustain him financially, it will also provide meaning to his life, enabling him to be a valued member of our community as he contributes his skills and expertise at work. However, matching jobs with ex-offenders is easier said than done. On one hand, the prisoners’ aptitude, attitude and interests have to be taken into account. On the other hand, due to social stigma, employers have to overcome the psychological hurdle and take a leap of faith before giving an ex-offender an employment opportunity. The speed of change at our workplaces has become so rapid that even many of the gainfully employed are at risk of being left behind. This is why we have to constantly send our employees for training to upgrade their skills. So, imagine the knowledge and skills gap faced by ex-offenders after they are released from prison. If we cannot help them to bridge that gap, it would be difficult to bring down the rate of recidivism. Ex-offenders, facing difficulties finding work or at work, will be tempted or even compelled to return to familiar old, bad habits. Hence, I would like to seek an update on the Ministry's plans to enhance employment assistance and skills-training for ex-offenders. During incarceration, prisoners must have access to relevant education and skills training as part of their rehabilitation. What types of learning programmes are available to prisoners and how does the Ministry encourage them to take up these courses? What are the main challenges and obstacles faced by the prisoners and trainers? Supporting Ex-Offenders”
“Yes, a clarification. I just want to ask the Minister. I noted that the Minister mentioned that the immigration rates more or less will be stable. But can that rate be sustained, because all these new immigrants will one day become old? They will be part of our ageing population.”
“Mr Chairman. I thank Minister for the reply —”
“Mr Chairman, what measures does the Government have to review our population strategies so that we will have a vibrant economy and a cohesive society? Young people are needed for a dynamic economy and to support older people who are living longer lives, some of which are years of poor health, resulting in high medical costs. However, our birth rates have been low, hovering around the TFR of 1.2 for years. We are just not producing enough. For a cohesive society, it is necessary to have the majority of residents who are Singaporeans at birth, growing up with common life experiences to facilitate a stronger national identity and a sense of unity. Immigration can only be implemented at a measured pace because social integration and cultural assimilation can pose challenges. Will the Ministry share with the House its plan to reboot our population growth strategies and policies? Keeping Singapore Open”
“In the finance industry, even if you ask for a short-term loan using a long-term asset, a bank or lender would ask for a repayment plan for this short-term loan. And this is also one of their prime conditions for granting approval. Presently, there are other taxes, such as Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD), Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) and Additional Seller's Stamp Duty (ASSD), that will help us preserve our capital while allowing revenue to fund for social expenditure, such as the many different types of subsidy and special HDB CPF grants for our younger generation to buy HDB flats. For retirees, there are also many options, such as the Lease Buyback Scheme, to support their retirement. On that note, may I ask the Minister if for every dollar paid by the low-income group, they will get $4 or more in benefit, in return? Likewise, for every dollar spent by the middle-income group, they will get back $2 or more in benefit, in return. With that, I support the Budget.”
“Having a large, ever-expanding pile of Reserves is our best guarantee against an uncertain future. It is the mountain backing up our Singapore dollar, ensuring its stability and strength. The advantages include affordable imported goods and the leeway to draw upon these savings in times of emergencies. It is important to remind ourselves and the younger generation that during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, with our Reserves, the Government could back the $150 billion guarantee for all bank deposits here and, in 2009, funded the $4 billion Jobs Credit Scheme and Special Risk-Sharing Initiative. When foreigners know that we have a good fiscal system, a prudent and responsible Government, they will not speculate against our currency. Our reputation has meant the Singapore passport has been rated the most powerful in the world. Spending is easier than saving. We have to continue our public education effort to teach Singaporeans the value of preserving and growing our national piggy bank – our Reserves. Yesterday, our hon Members have suggested that we use part of the land sale to finance recurrent expenditures. It may be good to know the pros and cons of the proposal. From the prudent and disciplined financial planning angle, the proposal sounds similar to the concept of reducing mortgage policy, enabling long-term asset to meet the recurrent expenditure for retirement needs. So, one must know, and I do not think Singapore is going into retirement. Hence, one may ask whether it is the best policy as we need to work together to bring many more good years together to our children, to our next generation and to Singaporeans.”
“Although more top-ups would be needed to maintain these systems, the fact that these systems would already be in place will make things a lot easier for the elderly of tomorrow. Young people are, in fact, indirectly contributing to their own future care." Next, I would like to voice my support for the plan to borrow for new infrastructure projects. Currently, some Statutory Boards are already borrowing, but doing so on a bigger scale is certainly the way forward. As the Minister had pointed out, this would help to preserve our Reserves while spreading the costs over many years. It will benefit other generations, too. With Singapore’s triple-A credit rating, we will be able to attract strong interest and promote our local bond market. I would like to ask the Minister if the bonds will only be sold to institutions or be open to individual investors as well for Singaporeans to participate. If so, we have to be selective about which projects to be made accessible to the man-in-the-street. Not all projects will be suitable for individual investors. For projects involving participation across borders, such as Changi Airport Terminal 5, the Kuala Lumpur (KL)-Singapore High Speed Rail, the Johor Bahru (JB)-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link, foreign entities and investors should certainly be allowed to participate and subscribe. However, for bonds to finance projects like local transportation, we have to be careful that we are not too commercialised in our offerings. I agree that it is important to keep half of our earnings from our Reserves. We must be mindful to grow it not only for ourselves but also for our future generations, as we earn the substantial interest income in perpetuity.”
“I believe most Members would have heard of it – the last batch of things or money left behind by the deceased – the shouweiqian (手尾钱). It is the money or things placed in the hands of the deceased before nailing the coffin; the coins are called 手尾钱. This money will be distributed to the children and grandchildren. And the ritual is called fen shouwei (分手尾). The tradition believes that things left behind by the deceased will bring good luck for the family. It symbolises the love from the older generation to the next generations, and also the responsibility on the part of the children to carry on the traditions. To be able to bring luck and fortune to the next generations is considered a virtue according to traditional values which should be passed from generation to generation. (In English): The same article in The Straits Times that I read, and I quote: "those who do not desire to support the older generation (must) consider that they themselves have, in fact, been supported by this very generation many times over. Would young people have been able to enjoy the quality education, the vibrant economy, the high-paying jobs Singapore has to offer if not for the values and revenue generated by the work put in by those who came before them? Paying more to support the elderly is merely a form of giving back… paying more now would mean paying less in future because it prevents additional problems arising in future which would require even more revenue-raising... policies to improve the healthcare infrastructure and social safety net will not just ensure better care for today's elderly but also ensure there are proper systems put in place to meet the needs of tomorrow's elderly.”
“These good traditions have laid a solid foundation for us. Will these values disappear in the future? (In English): An article that I read in The Straits Times written by a very young writer by the name of Ng Chia Wee, I quote, "The family is an economically important societal entity. Strong families are the bedrock of national fiscal sustainability. If the family abandons its responsibility to care for its aged members, the Government will have no choice but to step in, leading to greater spending and thus revenue-raising… rising Government involvement in healthcare does not mean falling family involvement. As Minister Heng remarked, rising amounts of healthcare and social expenditure will place greater demands on families and the Government." Sir, let me go back to speaking in Mandarin again. (In Mandarin): The important value of filial piety is still very strong in our community and is deep-rooted. Repaying our parents is universal, regardless of ethnic and religious backgrounds. Except for a small number, Singaporeans shoulder the primary responsibility of caring for elderly parents. With small families of only one or two children and increasing life expectancy for our aged, the road ahead will be filled with challenges. On the other hand, parents love their children and will normally not want to become a burden to them. Many senior citizens I have met told me that they do not want to cause any inconvenience or trouble for their children, and they also want to leave something for their children and grandchildren. This is the case even for those whose children are doing well financially. In fact, there is a very meaningful tradition in our Chinese community.”
“I would like to ask the Minister, if it is not the case, what would be the ideal ratio which will be good for Singapore? (In English): We have to address the problem of our ageing population through a combination of raising the fertility rate and controlled regulated measures in selective immigration policies. Accept those who are self-reliant financially, can contribute good tax revenue for Singapore or who could create quality jobs for Singapore. Measures, such as ensuring more healthy golden years for seniors by upgrading their skills, boosting productivity and utilising technology, are all very well and good. However, there is no replacing having more babies, youths and an active workforce in our population. Would the Minister elaborate on what other options have been considered, resulting in GST being the preferred choice? What is the average charity donation to IPCs made by Singaporeans per year for the past 10 years and whether it is stable or rising? Will the Government set up another charity fund to support ageing Singaporeans with public donations so that it may help mitigate the need of a GST increase? In Mandarin, again. (In Mandarin): A recent study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in January this year showed that while 40% of Singaporeans think that the Government should tap into the Reserves, and not increase tax, to cope with the social expenditure on an ageing population, 34% of Singaporeans hold the opposite view. Forty-one percent of respondents believe that each generation should be self-reliant and not rely on another generation. Thirty-eight percent hold the opposite view. These survey results lead us to ponder whether the many good traditions left by our forefathers will be affected by the changes in society.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister and his team for a very carefully crafted Budget to cater to Singapore's immediate and long-term needs. Whether we are considering the impending increase of the GST or the methods to finance future infrastructure projects, the issue of our rapidly ageing population informs every decision we make. In Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] On the new Budget announced by the Minister for Finance, from the impending increase of the GST, to how to finance future infrastructure projects, the consideration behind these issues is for our rapidly-ageing population. The number of Singaporeans aged 65 and above is expected to double from 440,000 in 2015 to 900,000 by 2030. Our citizen to old-age support ratio, that is, the ratio of citizens in the working ages to each elderly citizen, is projected to fall to 2.1 in 2030. An ageing population and a shrinking labour market will bring about social impact and increase the burden on the next generation. I would like to ask the Minister whether the Government will continue to implement multiple measures, including those that encourage parenthood and immigration, to maintain the dependency ratio of six to one. There are many Government policies aimed at improving productivity, encouraging the adoption of technology and lifelong learning to maintain sustainable economic growth. As the saying goes, "It takes 10 years to grow a tree and 100 years to educate a person". After 2030, will this ratio still be a good one to allow Singapore to continue to be a liveable and prosperous nation? Will Singaporeans still enjoy a good quality of life without burdening the next generation?”
“Sir, I came across the case of a resident. It could be due to misunderstanding. The Police could not release the identity of the person who lodged the Police report. The accused was wrongfully arrested, in that sense. So, he feels that injustice had been done to him. So, I wish to ask the Minister, under such circumstances when the Police could not reveal the identity of the complainant, what actions can be taken by the Police to assure the accused that action had been taken against the one who had wrongfully lodged the complaint?”
“We need greater efforts in public education and should review our family mediation set-ups as well as legislative frameworks to address family conflicts involving the seniors or the elderly. We also need to avoid placing excessive financial and care burdens on our children. I believe, all Members would have come across this feedback from residents. Most residents I spoke to do not wish to burden their children or grandchildren. Besides ramping up the building of HDB studio units for the elderly to facilitate downgrading, we should also relook how we can help the elderly in all housing types, HDB and private residences, to do reverse mortgage. With declining health, moving to a smaller home is more advisable. But for those who insist on ageing-in-place, how they can monetise their homes is a perennial challenge. As an aspiring Smart nation, we should pay attention to how increasing the use of technology could help enhance support services for our elderly. Research funding and grants for this area will yield innovations better suited to our local conditions and elderly residents. I urge the Government to consider providing more incentives to our local researchers to develop technological solutions to better serve and reach out to our seniors. Successful developments will go a long way to reducing the burdens on our young which is also the wish of our parents and our seniors. With that, I would like to conclude with my support for the Motion.”
“For the past few years, the Government has strengthened the social safety net for our senior citizens, such as the Silver Support Scheme, among other assistance schemes. In the provision of healthcare, MediShield Life addresses most of the general concerns of our seniors. However, there are still Singaporeans who do not quite understand how MediShield Life and other support schemes for the elderly work, despite the efforts of our volunteers, community and grassroots leaders, such as the Pioneer Generation (PG) Ambassadors. At least for medical bills, the elderly can approach the medical social workers for details. However, if they require other forms of assistance, such as financial help or protection from abuse by those around them, ignorance may cost them. How then can we reach out to these pockets of seniors? I hope we can take the time and effort to look into how we can reach pockets of elderly who need various types of assistance or protection, through public dialogues, consultations or formally appointing a committee to develop a feasible and durable framework to deal with this challenge. The promotion of family values, especially the care of grandparents and parents, is a continuous effort and needs to be further deepened. There is a Chinese saying, "家 有 一 老 , 如 有 一 宝 ". It means that the elderly are like a treasure. There are cases where the children do not take the responsibility to take care of their parents and parents who choose to shield their children even when they do not do their duties or even ill-treat them. With smaller family size, the significance of families in unity would increase, especially when we are facing an ageing population.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, this year, our population reaches a critical juncture. For the first time in our history, the number of people aged above 65 will equal those aged under 15. As more of our people age, it is necessary for us to support them in a holistic manner to ensure their physical, mental and emotional needs are well taken care of. Our current approach for healthcare, which is to focus on a healthy lifestyle for all, is the right one. Healthy habits will contribute to better health in old age and reduce both physical and mental hardship for our seniors and their families. The best and surest way to minimise medical expenditures is to live clean, exercise discipline in our food intake and adopt active lifestyles. For our seniors, even if they had not had healthy habits before, it is never too late and we should support and encourage them. I appeal to the National Health Promotion Board (HPB) to step up its good work in public education, including reaching out to seniors through the mass media in their various vernacular. There is a need to ride on the success of homecare medical services and increase the number of such service points to increase the outreach of such services, in addition to the employment of skilled caretakers to meet the needs of our elderly. I am happy to note that MOH is studying assisted living facilities or services which will allow seniors with different physical or mental health needs to retain their independence by living at home. It is very important that we work together to ensure that such assisted living models be adapted to our local conditions and fit in with our HDB estate living settings, where the majority of Singaporeans are.”
“There are suggestions that it would be better to leave the decision to the Courts. As a safeguard, every DO and PSO has to be reviewed by an independent Advisory Committee. After the Advisory Committee gives its recommendation, the Bill proposes that the President’s decision for the order depends upon the advice of the Cabinet. That is why there are questions as to why the President cannot act upon the independent committee’s recommendation without the Cabinet. Perhaps the Minister can provide clarification and share his views regarding these questions. Sir, I believe all Members in this House, including Members from the Workers' Party, will agree that prevention is better than cure. I believe that they, too, received residents' appeals in the Meet-the-People sessions or house visits or whatever occasion that calls upon us to not wait until things happen for the Government to take action because it will be too late. I believe the Members will not disagree on the good intentions of the Bill which has earned us the reputation as one of the safest cities in the world. With adequate measures in place, all Members can agree or disagree on how to ensure and prevent abuse of power. Once again, I call upon the House, do not wait for things to happen. It will be too late.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry proposes to extend the Act for another five years with effect from 21 October 2019. The rationale provided was that it is necessary and relevant for the maintenance of public safety, peace and good order in Singapore. Various studies rank Singapore as one of the top, if not the top, city in the world for safety and security. In the Gallup Global Law and Order Report 2017, Singapore was ranked top in the "Law and Order Index", ahead of other countries and cities like Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Japan. The Economist's Safe Cities Index 2017 also mentioned that Singapore was ranked top for "infrastructure security" and "personal security", and overall second, behind Tokyo. When ranked by population size, Singapore is ranked top among cities with five to 10 million population, ahead of Toronto and Hong Kong. Interestingly, World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2016 also ranked Singapore first for "Order and Security" globally. The question is whether we can maintain such a high level of security and safety without the extension. Can the Minister share instances in recent years where the powers provided under this Act had been proven necessary? I would also like to know if there had been cases where those involved in the defined criminal activities had continued to be members of triads or secret societies and committed offences repeatedly after their release. I hope the Minister would also address concerns that permitting indefinite detention without evidence in Court or proof of criminal responsibility can be subjected to abuse of power, as mentioned by other Members in the House. Also mentioned by other Members, one area of concern is that the final decision lies in the hands of the Minister for Home Affairs.”
“Just like my other colleagues have mentioned, can the authorities consider helping this group of plumbers because the written English test is not to their advantage? Is there any way that the Government can help improve their English standard? I would like to ask whether PUB can provide these plumbers with more convenient channels to undergo training and upgrade, so that they can obtain the certificate soon. Lastly, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether foreign plumbers who conduct water or sanitary works are also going to be licensed. Moreover, does PUB have enough inspectors to check on whether works are done by qualified plumbers?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I support the Public Utilities (Amendment) Bill. The new licensing framework for plumbers will make Singapore's qualified plumbers more professional, and it is conducive to the improvement of industry standards. This will also help ensure the quality of water and sanitary services provided to Singaporeans and maintain the standard of our public sanitation. As the plumbing systems are getting more complex, plumbers must be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to ensure the standard and safety of our water, and the health of the water users. For example, plumbers must understand the relevant regulations, the designs provided by developers and house owners, and know under what circumstances they should apply for permission from PUB. The new measures will also allow Singaporeans to enjoy more convenience, both in terms of water service and sanitation works. They only need one plumber to carry out these two types of work. Although PUB allows unlicensed freelance plumbers to continue to do simple works, such as clearing pipes, changing taps or the hose to the taps, installing, changing or dismantling basins, and replacing floor traps or the cover of the drainage, this new regulation will, nevertheless, greatly affect their livelihood. Many plumbers are experienced older workers who speak dialect mostly. One of the licensing conditions is that they must have BCA Academy’s Builder Certificate for plumbing and pipe fitting. The minimum requirement for applying this course is to have a “workplace Literacy and Numeracy Level 4 Certificate”.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I am supporting this Bill. I declare that I am currently the employee of a local financial institution (FI). In Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] By merging IE Singapore and SPRING Singapore to form Enterprise Singapore, we will be able to provide one-stop services for our enterprises. I believe that after the merger, Enterprise Singapore will be able to provide more comprehensive and robust coordination services to our businesses. Besides helping our companies improve productivity and the quality of their products and services, Enterprise Singapore can also help them expand and explore the overseas markets. Our domestic market is small. If our local enterprises hope to become even stronger in the future, they need to internationalise. Enterprise Singapore can not only provide advisory services through its extensive network of overseas offices, but also help to link up various companies, so that they can enter overseas markets hand in hand. I would like to ask the Minister how Enterprise Singapore's various departments are going to streamline and consolidate their resources after the merger. I would like to know the current status of the various schemes supporting local enterprises and the number of companies that have benefited from the schemes. Lastly, I would like to know how many companies under the schemes owe or are unable to repay loans from the banks or FIs. I would also like to ask the Minister the number of applications approved under the schemes managed by IE Singapore and SPRING Singapore. How many companies have defaulted and how much is the loss so far?”
“I have additional clarifications. I also hear comments. Since it has been practised for so long, it has been consistently practised, why did the Court suddenly change the precedent? We should follow the precedent and change should be thereafter.”
“I thank the Minister for the clarifications. As rightly pointed out, I also personally received a lot of feedback. On the ground, people are commenting that the Court let those who are rich go lightly and also those who can get off for religious reasons. The worst is they also commented that, for this particular case, it was handled by a so-called lawyer who is also a Member of Parliament (MP) from the People's Action Party (PAP). So, may I know what is the Minister's stand on this and a clarification on his comments? Also, what can the Government do about all these comments and also how should we proceed from here?”
“From the resident who gave me the feedback, I also understand that there was no throwing of food, no high-rise littering to attract birds. From the feedback I gathered, it is because the birds know where to source for the food. In fact, they fly into the house, fly into the flat whenever the residents prepare a nice dinner or nice lunch on the dining table. The bird even went into their house. The Senior Minister of State is right; that could be the source but we cannot really ask everybody to close their windows.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. In my area, we have areas that despite the joint efforts put in, the issue is not solved. So, I want to know besides those methods that the Senior Minister of State has mentioned, are there any other latest methods that could be used to resolve this issue? In fact, I have one case which is quite bad. When I was there I can see it is noisy. Is it possible to change to another type of tree whereby it will deter birds from resting in these trees?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the amendments to improve the governance and accountability at our co-operatives, in particular, to tighten the regulations for credit co-ops as they provide financial services. We have 85 co-ops currently, of which 24 are credit co-ops, with assets totalling $8.76 billion. These are not small sums of money and a recent incident of fraud at one of our co-ops highlights the need for more vigilance and stringent controls. For credit co-ops, I would like to suggest that the members' deposits be covered by deposit insurance, similar to the deposits with our financial institutions. Such deposits should not be treated differently from deposits in our banks or other registered financial entities. Next, with reference to the amendment to allow a co-op or the Registrar to co-opt up to two new members to the committee of management, even if there is no vacancy. I would like to recommend that more than two new members may be co-opted. Since the objective is to facilitate the introduction of competent persons to strengthen the committee, which will require talents with relevant experience in finance, accounting, credit, risk management and compliance, a co-op should be able to include more members if necessary. Credit co-ops should also be subject to relevant and similar supervisory frameworks which now apply to finance companies regulated by MAS. With that I support the Bill.”
“Such controls will help reduce incidences of where disproportionate amounts of money are used to pay for commissions, salaries, fees and purposes other than direct assistance for the intended beneficiaries and so on. Next, the amendments seek to clarify the definition of a fundraising appeal to ensure that all such appeals are subject to regulatory requirements. However, I feel that we can do more to address the proliferation of online fundraisers. In particular, how does the Government intend to monitor and ensure compliance from entities not based in Singapore, even as they reach out to Singaporeans and residents for funds? At the very least, for online fundraisers based here, we should consider requiring them to be registered in Singapore and for the accounts to be maintained in Singapore, and at least two of the directors should be Singaporeans. With that, I conclude my support for the Bill.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, I welcome the amendments to strengthen Government oversight and raise governance standards of the charities sector. If our charities sector is to grow, we must ensure that donations are utilised as intended and reach their targeted clients. To increase transparency and boost accountability, the Bill proposes to mandate the electronic filing of annual submissions. I would like to recommend that we go a step further by requiring charities to submit their accounts on a quarterly basis. These accounts should, of course, be publicly available for scrutiny. Besides meeting submission criteria and standards required by auditors of the COC, these numbers should be accompanied by brief notes in simple English so that donors and interested parties can have a clear idea of how the funds are used. The directors' and key management's fees, as well as all related party transactions, if any, must be laid out to ensure arms' length transactions. I do not think such requirements are too onerous nor tedious. Good housekeeping and the provision of regular updates are key to sustainability and a small price to pay towards gaining the trust of donors in a charity. A good growing reputation will attract even more funds to support its cause. To this end, I would also suggest that we require charities to maintain separate accounts for operations and for the charities fund accounts, similar to practices by law firms. We can consider setting ratios where a certain percentage of each dollar raised must be deposited into the charities' fund account for the approved and designated use.”
“Next, I am concerned − as was also expressed by other Members in the House − that with the tightening of regulations, desperate borrowers will be compelled to resort to illegal moneylenders. How effectively we can curtail illegal moneylenders remains challenging, especially with harassment cases, including physical and verbal threats. Will the Ministry review whether current penalties prove to be sufficient deterrents and whether punishments, especially physical ones, such as caning, need to be increased? Finally, under the aggregate cap, those with an annual income of less than $20,000 may borrow up to $3,000, while others may borrow up to six times their monthly income. My concern is that a borrower may try to circumvent the regulations by falsifying income documents or resort to reporting a higher income to meet the loan criteria. What measures does the Ministry have to prevent such cases? With that, I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, the annual increases in the total outstanding loans taken with licensed moneylenders have been substantial. In 2016, outstanding loans totalled $367 million, an increase of 30% from $282 million in 2015, which was also up from $239 million in 2014. Correspondingly, the number of borrowers went up to 40,000 in 2016, from 35,000 in 2015 and 31,000 in 2014. I would like to check with the Ministry if the 2017 figures are available and, if so, whether there have been any changes in the trends. In addition, does the Ministry have statistics on what purposes such loans were for, such as setting up new businesses, family emergencies or to feed gambling habits? Sir, I support the introduction of an aggregate cap which will prevent Singaporeans and residents from borrowing beyond their ability to repay, from multiple moneylenders. Hopefully, with this cap and public education, people will learn to manage their finances better and their need to borrow can be curbed. We need more measures to boost financial management education. Such public education programmes should start young and, for older persons, they should be customised, even in dialects, in order to be more effective and reach a wider range of Singaporeans. Going forward, moneylenders will have to obtain online credit reports from MLCB before issuing a loan. I would like to check whether the reports which lenders need to rely on are the information based on other lenders' updates on loan applications, loan approvals or disbursements of loans. The timing of the input of data affects the total borrowing that lenders will rely on for their approval of loans. Any lead time will create opportunities for system arbitrage and leakages.”
“Overcoming the challenges posed by the current walls among Government departments is one thing. How about between Government and non-Government entities? More often than not, there are many exchanges and overlaps between information and data held by Government agencies and non-Government-related bodies. These include information which have to be requested from or extracted from private entities. An example of such situations are medical records. I would like to know how the Government intends to ensure the cooperation of private entities in providing access to such information? For example, what is the progress in getting private medical practitioners to share their consolidated patient records with the Ministry of Health (MOH), which is necessary for better health care management of patients? In addition, in situations where Government bodies have to provide information to private entities in order to enable certain transactions and the provision of certain goods and services, how would the Government ensure the safety and privacy of such information? A recent study found that nearly half of IT professionals have sought information they were not permitted to access. The personnel guilty of this are the very ones charged with keeping the information safe – the IT staff. This can happen in both Government and non-Government entities. I would like to ask what strategies do we have in place to plug this gap in our cybersecurity measures. With that, I conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the amendments to this Bill as these are significant steps towards better coordination and greater efficiency across our Government Ministries and agencies. Even though most of our data have gone digital, our vision for whole-of-Government coordination to provide a unified platform of services has only been partially realised. There are still quite a number of "walls" among our Government departments. I think some of these exist for good reasons, such as to ensure that only necessary information is shared on a "need to know" basis, for confidentiality and to protect personal privacy. Notwithstanding, since we view Government-related services and transactions as a whole, it is better to consolidate data and information to avoid duplication, reduce red tape, boost efficiency and enhance coordination of planning and services. For example, for a family in financial difficulties, they can expect appropriate and timely allocation of assistance due to better coordination of the sources of assistance. I note that agencies, such as HDB, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), LTA and the Traffic Police, could have maintained different records of traffic offences under their respective areas of responsibility, although there are similarities in some of the areas of responsibility. I would like to ask if the record of offences in each of the enforcement agencies and across all agencies and Ministries, such as URA and HDB parking offences, are actually consolidated and, if not, will it be consolidated with LTA and the Traffic Police's records of each individual? Similarly, will his or her records with other enforcement agencies or Ministries, such as the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Ministry of Manpower, be consolidated?”
“Would the Ministry share how would it ensure that the food recalled would not be recycled, repackaged or even re-exported for sale? Do we have the manpower and expertise to conduct the necessary checks and investigations? With that, I would like to conclude my support for the Bill. 6.18 pm”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Sale of Food Act has been protecting Singaporeans since 1973 by ensuring that only safe and properly labelled food is available for purchase. The Ministry is proposing that the role of the Act be expanded from the regulation of food safety to the promotion of public health. It seeks to provide consumers with content on labels which will enable them to make informed choices. There will also be tighter control over advertisements to disallow certain health benefits claims or projections of misleading images. I support these measures wholeheartedly. So far, sellers have been given much leeway to exercise their creative licence in marketing their products. Unfortunately, we have witnessed how harmful such practices can be and it is timely that the Ministry resumes a tighter rein on the information or misinformation which is provided to consumers. I would like to ask the Ministry how will enforcement be conducted. Does it mean that, in future, all food manufacturers and producers will be required to present evidence for the benefits claimed before their products can be sold in Singapore? How would we ascertain the reliability of such information? For imported products, is there a list of accepted foreign bodies or government agencies which are certified authorities? In addition, I would like to ask if consumers will be allowed to take legal action against manufacturers for false claims. In foreign markets, particularly the US, there had been such lawsuits in the past. Will the Ministry be able to support the affected consumers in prosecuting such sellers? Lastly, with the amendments, AVA will be empowered to direct the storage and disposal of recalled food which poses public health safety concerns.”
“How does the Government check on online purchases and curb online sales by overseas vendors or suppliers? All these foreign sellers are not within our jurisdiction, how can we take these overseas suppliers to task? Do we have any collaborative enforcement agreements with foreign governments? Another issue which we need to address is that of smokers smoking at home at their windows and in lifts, affecting their non-smoking neighbours, as pointed out by hon Member Mr Yee Chia Hsing. The problem here is second-hand smoke, as mentioned, which drifts out and pollute the environment and, especially the third-hand smoke, which are the harmful chemicals which accumulate on surfaces in the vicinity of smokers. Is it possible to require smokers to close their windows or require buildings to install smoking cubicles or cabins to solve this perennial problem? Lastly, I would like to suggest that we look at having empowered volunteers, especially the youth volunteers, to help carry out public education and enforcement, similar to the community volunteers who tackle litterbugs. I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Speaker, Sir, much work has been done over the years to curb the scourge of smoking and I appreciate the difficulties of this task as mentioned by other Members. On one hand, we want to discourage Singaporeans from picking up this harmful habit or kick the addiction. On the other hand, we also do not want to drive it underground. This is a setback that we have to guard against. I think that raising the minimum legal age of smoking from 18 to 21 over three years is reasonable. In fact, in my recent house visit, I did check with some residents. They have also pointed out that by having it staggered over three years is a good move. In view of the existing measures to control smoking, I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary if he can share with the House how effective the current measures have been in reducing the prevalence of smoking. These include, for example, the illustrations of the harmful effects of smoking on cigarette packaging, the increase in the number of non-smoking public areas and the implementation of non-display at points of sale. In addition, I would suggest that the authorities consider public education through more intensive media advertisements, such as over the radio, television and the Internet. I understand from some of my residents that the recent advertisements on our free-to-air channels which promote upcoming programmes are overly repetitive. Perhaps the Government can consider tapping on these pockets of under-utilised television time slots to run various public education advertisements which share different aspects of the harmful impact of smoking and methods for quitting. Next, I am curious how we can enforce the ban on unauthorised imports of tobacco products.”
“Only certified personnel will be allowed to practise in such massage establishments, and practitioners may face revocation of their licences if breaches are made. This body will also regulate and protect the employment rights of the practitioners, coordinate and provide training and upgrading programmes. With that, I conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Bill proposes to deter unlicensed massage establishments by increasing the penalties. While this is necessary as a deterrent, it is even more important to step up enforcement with more effective checks and frequent raids on such outlets. I would like to ask the Ministry how responsive its departments are to tip-offs from members of the public and the whistleblowers who provide information about suspected establishments. For buildings with a higher concentration or recurrence of seedy providers, is it possible to require them to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras along the corridors and entrances to help deter illegal activities? The Bill will also penalise landlords who knowingly continue to lease premises to unlicensed massage establishment operators. I would like to ask what conditions would qualify as "knowingly". Based on my understanding of the Bill, lessors are expected to take reasonable steps to evict the tenant after conviction. The lessors will have some time to prepare as the Police will inform the lessors once their tenants are charged. I would like to suggest that we require landlords to be more proactive in checking on their tenants. They should be required to submit evidence of periodic surprise checks, at least twice a year, to prove their diligence in ensuring that their properties are not being used for illegal activities. Provisions in the Bill have been made to regulate employment at the massage establishments, such as the stipulation of the minimum age and the necessary medical health screenings. I would like to recommend that we take steps to professionalise this sector by setting up a body to issue licences for the individual practitioners.”
“Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill. I am in favour of the amendments to exempt CPF members who have pensions, annuities or other CPF-approved benefits which match the set benchmarks from having to top up their Retirement Sums. These individuals have all, in their own ways, prepared and stored up equivalent financial reserves for their retirement. Next, I also support the amendments to allow more CPF members to make transfers to their parents’ and grandparents’ RAs. This will be achieved by reducing the members’ OA thresholds. Last year, CPF had made it easier for members to transfer monies from their OA to their spouses’ SA or RA. I would like to suggest that CPF consider further lowering the requirements to facilitate transfers between spouses. Can CPF also expand the criteria to allow parents to transfer some of their CPF savings to their children or siblings who have special needs? Over the years, a number of my residents who are not doing well financially and are unable to meet the BRS have requested to make CPF withdrawals to support the needs of such family members. They are struggling and the assistance they receive is barely enough. If withdrawals cannot be made, at least the transfers would afford them some peace of mind. Finally, I would like to ask how many applications for transfers to top up the accounts of family members have been made in each of the past 10 years. Will the Ministry share the breakdown of these data and how many applications were successful? I would also like to ask for the details of cash top-ups.”
“Next, I seek details about the funding for the railway and the stations. Will both governments issue bonds to investors to finance the entire project or raise funds through capital markets to allow Singaporeans and investors to own the equity of the operators or assets? Will there be rental and advertising revenue and which parties will be entitled to their collection? Residents have also asked me for the indicative ticket prices. How will they be set and will they be benchmarked against comparable major cities with similar services? Will advance ticketing systems and cashless payment be introduced to allow customers to book via phone and online? Finally, I would like to seek more information about our station’s accessibility. Will the Government be connecting the railway station to the Jurong East MRT station and bus interchange for the convenience of passengers? Will there be ample car park lots for business and day travellers who may leave their cars behind for the train ride? May I suggest we allocate ample taxi lanes, similar to what is provided at Changi Airport, for taxis to pick up travellers? I conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the KL-Singapore HSR project will benefit Singaporeans and Malaysians greatly and will deepen the close relationship of both countries. I am sure residents on both sides of the Causeway are very much looking forward to the greater access and convenience it will provide as well as the additional economic benefits to both nations. We can certainly expect a boost to tourism for both Singapore and Malaysia. In the future, travellers may even use it as a link to Thailand, Laos, China and other countries in south and central Asia and Europe. In fact, recently, I learned that Laos had started building a railway project linking China to Thailand. I would like to ask the Minister if we have any estimates for the economic benefits that HSR will bring. For example, what will be the estimated number of travellers per year; the planned economic activities and industrial developments around the railway; how many jobs will be created; and if there will be technology transfers and plans for the training of staff? It is also important to quantify the expected impact on air travel and coach services once HSR starts its operations. The CBR Bill will set out the terms for the construction, maintenance, operations and regulation. Would the Government share what is the agreed operating model and the finalised shareholding for HSR? Will the operation model of the railway station be similar to the existing service model at Changi Airport? I would also like to ask what will be the operator’s service recovery requirements to minimise service disruption. In the event of a potential terrorist attack, under what conditions would the Government be suspending the railway services? Would we need consensus from our Malaysian counterparts?”
“I suggest that the Government continue to strengthen national education, organise inter-religious, interracial exhibitions in various constituencies so that people can better understand one another's culture and customs. This will also be a very good opportunity for new immigrants to understand Singapore's multicultural and multi-religious society. Let us continue to build a caring, loving, supportive and inclusive society. We must stay united, regardless of race, language and religion to build a fair and just Singapore. (In English): Singaporeans must continue to work together to build an inclusive and compassionate community. We must be considerate and tolerant of the little differences which make our cultures so rich and unique, bearing in mind that we have more in common and share more similarities than differences. We can only progress by helping one another. The able caring for the less able, and those blessed with more must share with those who are less fortunate, regardless of race, language or religion.”