Ganesh Rajaram
Singapore
“Mr Chairman, I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for his responses on the state of football in Singapore. A year ago, when I made my speech about how bad things were, I think the Parliamentary Secretary's response at that time was that the new council was about to be elected, let us give them some time.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the first competitive match for the Lions this year will be against the Maldives on 23 March at the National Stadium. I do hope that a win for the Lions will be the beginning of a good year for Singapore football. And I hope very, very much that my next speech on sport will be a celebration of our football successes.”
“Perhaps this could be the opportunity for Mediacorp to embark on a long-term partnership with pay platforms StarHub and Singtel to go after these rights together. In today’s world, content is platform-agnostic. Nobody cares where they watch content. If it is quality content, they will find a way to watch it.”
“They will also realise their dreams progressively. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore was built on the values and hard work of our fathers and mothers. In striving to narrow inequality and class divisions, we need an all-in, whole-of-Singapore approach.”
“Disruption and the digital revolution have shown that conventional approaches can quickly become obstacles to growth. So, while we must uphold corporate governance at all times, we should also be nimble enough to work fast and smart and be free of red tape.”
“Mdm Chairman, as FAS gears up for its first-ever open elections later this year, my hope is that real leaders with real passion and no hidden agendas would step forward and get the game back to where it should be. At our height, we were ranked number 73 in the world, and this was only in 1993. I am sure we can get there again.”
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“" The point here is that, as parents, we need to understand our children better, to listen more and to listen effectively. And as far as sport education is concerned, we would have succeeded when sport elicits the same unbridled joy in every child that we see when the school bell rings to announce it is time for recess. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Tamil please. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.]: Mr Speaker, sports in schools are not just for ordinary physical exercise. Neither is it for the purpose of competition. Sports are more than that. Children enjoy the benefits of playing in the field through their interaction with one another and learn values, such as comradeship, hard work, discipline and honesty. When children engage themselves in sports, they develop among them the sense of competition, become unenvious, forbearing, develop together good virtues and the sense of accepting defeat. At present, sports in schools have become very competitive. Today, affluent parents send their children for multiple coaching classes so that they can get into top schools under the Direct Schools Admission programme. This favours the affluent parents and discriminates against the less well-off parents who may not be able to afford such classes to prepare their children. Therefore, there needs to be a level playing field. Parents and educators should look into this and create an interest among children for sports and let them enjoy it. When the recess bell is rung, the children run and play with one another. Likewise, such a situation should exist when they engage themselves in sports activities in schools. (In English): Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I stand and support the Motion.”
“" So, I said, "Why didn't you say anything, you don't have to play the sport if you don't like it?" And his response broke my heart, "Because you love football, daddy." That is when I realised that, as a father, I just assumed that my child would love what I loved and would want to be just like me. But I had never bothered to ask him what he liked. So, for the next few years, we encouraged him to play whatever sport or activity he wanted. He tried everything from aikido, to swimming to table tennis to golf. And, finally, after a few years later, on his own, he began to develop a love for football – thank God! And he is today an accomplished footballer, having played competitive football for school and club. It is a sport he genuinely loves, for all the right reasons. As parents, it is natural to want our children to be just like us and have the same interests as us. As a parent, it is also easy to fall into the trap of seeing other parents and their children succeeding and excelling in different sports and thinking to ourselves our boy or girl could also do that. I know of parents who have pushed their children so hard that their children end up resenting not just the sport but their parents as well. I am reminded of an interview I read in the Financial Times about a month ago. It was an interview with Andira Zafirakou, who was recently crowned the best teacher in the world, the 2018 winner of the Global Teacher Prize. She says and I quote, "Every child is different. Some children will really benefit from the military lining up and find it comforting. But, then, some children won't be able to adapt to those environments and that will cause mental health issues.”
“To me, values, such as integrity and fair play, are as important, if not more, than one's ability as an athlete. By including these other criteria in the DSA selection process, the Ministry would send a strong signal to the teachers, coaches, parents and children about the kind of young Singapore it hopes to nurture. And it will also create a more level playing field as these values cannot be paid for. Mr Speaker, Sir, the other main role in education belongs to us, the parents. Fundamentally, it is up to parents who should know and understand our children best, to make the best decision with them and not for them. Let me share a personal experience which I think has helped me become a better father. I think most people in this House know that I love sport. I played it at all levels and am a true football nut. So, when my son came along, all I dreamed of was to see him have the same passion for sport as I did, and for football, in particular. When he was about four or five years old, I enrolled him in a football academy, as I had wanted him to have a very good foundation. But after a few weeks of watching him from the sidelines, I noticed that while he seemed happy enough, instead of going after the ball and passing it, all he seemed to do was chase after the other children, much like he was playing a game of "catching". So, on the way home from training one day, I decided to have a heart-to-heart with him. "Do you actually enjoy football?" I asked. "Yes, daddy, very much", he said, smiling. Then, I pressed, "But why do you just chase the kids around?" The smile on his face turned to a frown and, almost bursting into tears, he said, "Actually, daddy, I don't like football at all.”
“This is to ensure that the child would outshine his team mates and secure that precious DSA place in the school. Another child, who had no interest in any sport, was enrolled by his parents into a shooting class that guaranteed success in the DSA trials and a place in a top school. Yes, the boy got into the school through DSA, but is now miserable as he does not enjoy the sport and only enrolled and played it to get into the top school. We need to ask ourselves if this is what the DSA scheme is intended to be and if this "gaming" of the system is acceptable. Is this what sports is about? Do we want to encourage such behaviour and, worse, reward it, by giving these children places in our top schools? What we need is for the system to also recognise and reward children who exemplify good sportsmanship and character as these are qualities that will stay with them beyond their school sporting careers. Just look at Japan at this year's Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in Russia. They were a hair's breadth away from beating Belgium and qualifying for the Quarter Finals but the world now remembers them more for their behaviour off the field, for their fair play and how they left their dressing room spotless and penned a note of thanks in Russian to their hosts. Perhaps, the Ministry can work on tweaking the DSA trials to include criteria, such as sportsmanship, fair play and traits and values exhibited like Sean See from St Andrew's Secondary School. Sean, the school's hockey captain, captured our hearts earlier this year when he asked the umpire not to allow a goal that his team had scored when their opponent was not ready, as he felt it would not have been fair to the other team. This resulted in his team eventually losing the match.”
“Sports in our schools should be a meeting place for friendship, fellowship and the pure enjoyment of sport, regardless of your family and financial background. It is one of the few places in a child's schooling life where he or she is not judged by their academic prowess and we should do all we can to return to this spirit. Sir, I would like to turn our attention to my second point, about the DSA programme. When conceived and introduced in 2004, the programme was to enable Primary 6 and Secondary 4 students who are exceptionally talented not just in academics but also CCAs, and sports included, to be guaranteed places in secondary schools or JCs, through tests and trials. While the scheme has worked and Minister Ng Chee Meng has announced that a review is being undertaken to address how different schools select students, here are some observations about the scheme that merit further scrutiny. One unintended consequence of the scheme is the emergence of "DSA coaches". These are sports coaches who have, over the years, studied the DSA entrance requirements of schools and created programmes that aim to guarantee your child a place in the school of choice if you enrol your child in their classes over a period of time. Some of them are so good at it that they will refund the fees if your child does not make it to the school of your choice through the DSA programme. Sir, all parents want the best for their children. So, parents who can afford the fees would enrol their kids in these programmes. But what do these coaches actually teach? A friend, whose child attended one of these classes, talked about how the coach instructed the child not to pass the ball to his team mates during the trials or when the coaches from the DSA schools were observing him.”
“Again, this encourages elitism, where the affluent parents will be able to get their kids on the school team because they can afford the additional coaching. There are also vendors who are harassed by parents on the sidelines: parents who yell instructions and abuses during tournaments and pressure the coaches to place their children. Again, this is not what playing sport is about. Worse still, children who have parents who work lose out because their mothers or fathers are not at the training or competition grounds to lobby on behalf of their children. This is behaviour that is fundamentally wrong. Sir, I urge the Ministry to take a closer look at how schools organise their PE curriculum and CCA, and how external vendors are appointed. For sports CCAs, what are the credentials of these vendors and how are they assessed? It cannot just be about winning tournaments. Perhaps, Sport Singapore, the Singapore Sports Institute and the Singapore Sports School can lend their expertise to help schools craft the PE and sports CCA curriculum so that every child can enjoy and reap the benefits of sport. Teachers managing sports CCAs as well as vendors could also be better trained to nurture children who play sport, which could include advice on nutrition and physical and mental wellness. Sir, what I am sharing is probably not new to many in this House, or to any parent with school-going children. But I raise this now, in light of this Motion, to strongly urge the House that if we are serious about encouraging our children to pursue their passions, that education continues to be the pathway for success for those who have less, then perhaps it is time that we pay more attention to sports education.”
“I understand that some schools do introduce one or two sports during PE, but this is not comprehensive, nor is it standard across all schools. The Government could also take the lead in creating public spaces where kids can play sports without the hassle of booking fields and courts, many of which require some form of online registration and payment, which children might not have access to. We have done an amazing job with our park connectors. Surely, we can do just as amazing a job by creating open, public spaces in neighbourhoods where any child can play a sport of his or her choice, without fear of reproach, meaning, not being chased away or reprimanded as I was decades ago when honing my football skills in HDB void decks. Sir, I call for greater scrutiny on external vendors appointed to run CCA programmes for schools. For those running sports CCAs, many are former national and club sportsmen who may have robust credentials as sportsmen but have little or no qualification or experience in coaching or, more importantly, educating children. I have seen this first-hand, where fundamentals like proper warm-up and warm-down techniques, drills and explanations about sportsmanship and respect are not part of the sports CCA's curriculum. What you often find instead is a strong emphasis on winning, which in itself is not a bad thing; but sports education in schools should be more than just about winning. There are vendors who blatantly tell parents, "Your child need more coaching. I am happy to coach him outside of the CCA hours, and these are my rates". And lo and behold, the kids who go for these private extra coaching end up on the first team representing the school.”
“Parents are then told: "Don’t worry. You can engage your own coach and enlist your child in a programme to participate in the sport he or she enjoys and, we, as a school, will recognise it as an official CCA". What this means is that the more affluent parents will engage private coaches for their children, and the children from less affluent families make do with playing an alternative sport which they may not like or have any interest in. It also means that parents have a very big say in the running of the CCA and, sometimes, this can lead to conflicts of interests with regard to team selections and performance. Perhaps, a solution would be for schools in a particular zone or area to come together and decide collectively to offer sports that they may not be able to offer on their own. Schools pooling their resources could also alleviate cost concerns as, when CCAs are farmed out to vendors, it usually means that parents have to top up the fees. The shared fees would reduce the burden for less affluent families. Sir, another suggestion I would like to make is for all schools to have a common basic sports curriculum to introduce popular sports to all children. If a child does not know what sport he or she wants to participate in, the introduction to a comprehensive sports programme, perhaps during physical education (PE), will allow the child to familiarise himself or herself with different types of sports and identify ones that he or she enjoys and would want to pursue. This would also give children a broader understanding of sports in general, be it rugby, football, swimming, table tennis, badminton, hockey or whatever the sport may be.”
“Back in the day when I wanted to play a sport, I just turned up when the teachers asked me to and that was it, we played. Today, it is a pretty complicated exercise to play in the sport of your choice. Most schools now have an online registration system for CCAs that opens for a specific window, during which parents must go online to register their child for the CCA of their choice. And it is not a given that you will get to play the sport or CCA that you have selected for your child as there are limited places. So, it is on a first-come-first-served basis. This is also incredibly tough for parents who do not have immediate access to the Internet during that specific window. I am speaking from experience here. I have always been puzzled by the thinking behind this. If you are a child in a primary school and love a sport and want to play it, you should be encouraged to pursue your passion instead of being told that there are “not enough” places in that CCA and sent off to a sport or CCA that you have absolutely no interest in. As I understand it, part of the reason for this is that schools now farm out some of their CCAs to external vendors who cannot cope with the large numbers of students keen on popular sports, or are not paid to do so. Often, we hear about schools that decide against offering sports options that they do not excel in. I know of one particular school that stopped offering a sport after repeatedly finishing second and third in national tournaments. Parents and children are also told that that there are too few children interested in that particular sport so it does not make sense to offer that CCA. The end result is that even if it is a fairly popular sport like football or tennis, some schools tend to not offer the sport as a CCA.”
“Much of it will be through anecdotes from my experience as the father of a child who has gone through sports education in a local primary school, as well as from the many conversations that I have had with parents with children in the current primary and secondary school local system. Like many in this House, my wife and I enrolled our son in the local primary school system. It is a system that is robust, well thought through and which works. While many parents focused predominantly on a school’s academic success, accessibility through alumni membership or perhaps proximity to home, my wife and I, when looking for a primary school for our son, also looked at the breadth of sports offered by the school. You see, Sir, as I have shared before in this House, sports is not just about fitness, wellness and competition. More importantly, Members in this House who have played sports would agree with me here, sports is about learning traits, such as teamwork, fair play and values such as respect, resilience and graciousness. Through sports, children learn sportsmanship and other life skills. They develop a sense of fellowship with one’s competitiveness that is not selfish or self-centred. Sports would also enable our children to build relationships with people across all sectors, with many lasting a lifetime. On the football pitch, when you are playing as a team, it matters not whether you live in a 1-room rental flat or a good class bungalow, or whether you are the top student or worst student in class. What matters most is that you are working together, having each other’s back, in the bid to score against the opposing team. It is perhaps one of the best social leveller platforms around. So, when it was time to sign up my son for a sport, it was a new experience for me.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank you for allowing me to speak on the Motion. When my colleague and fellow Nominated Member of Parliament, Asst Prof Mahdev Mohan, mooted the idea of a Motion that recognises and endorses the love of learning as the foundation for our future and that education should be inclusive, accessible and a lifelong experience for everyone in Singapore, it was a no-brainer for me to endorse and support this meaningful Motion. Sir, as I have recounted several times in this House, education has played a key role as an enabler and is the main reason why many other Singaporeans and I have been able to progress and succeed in life. I would also like to preface my speech by stating that the education system in Singapore is a world-class system that has done well for our country and continues to be a key path of success for those who have less. However, like any system, now and again, there may be a need to take a step back, every once in a while, to see if there might be tweaks and adjustments that would ensure that a strong system becomes even stronger over time, to keep up with evolving needs and demands. In Singapore, growing affluence and rising aspirations are a few among many factors that point to a need for an even more calibrated approach to education. Some may argue that Singapore is doing fine. It is precisely because we are doing so well that we should take this opportunity to wholeheartedly support things that are working well for Singapore and perhaps consider slight tweaks to areas that are not functioning at their full potential. In my speech today, I will be focusing on two main areas: sports education in Singapore and the bigger role that parents can play in nurturing the talents of their children.”
“Firstly, I thank the Minister for the comprehensive Statement. I share his sentiment and I feel for the families for their loss. Having said that, the Minister has answered most of my questions. I just want to elaborate on one point about empathy and the maturity of commanders. I have got a son who is entering National Service next year. When I look at myself compared to him when I did my National Service, I would like to think I was a lot more matured than him going in. I think that is because, as the society matures, kids are taken a lot better care of and they are more pampered at home. We have got kids who are going into NS who are not of the same build of before and I would like to think they are not as hardy. Having said that, in terms of commanders, whether they are section commanders or officers of other rank, does the army focus on qualities like empathy as well as being able to assess how a kid is doing vis-a-vis performance? Because, to be fair, I do not think it is intentional, I think all commanders and all National Servicemen want to perform at the best of their ability. But, sometimes, it is difficult to tell and maybe they would need a lot more training in this area. So, if the Minister could share if there is such training and if it is going to be enhanced, given that we are getting generations coming in that may be a little less hardy than what we were, growing up.”
“The 2G and 3G leaders have built a relationship as strong as a tower with the people. This will not be easy for the 4G leaders. They still have much more to learn from senior leaders in our Parliament. Let us take Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim as an example. He had been a Minister for 16 years and a Member of Parliament for 22. I was a Board member at the Media Development Authority for some time with him and had the opportunity to interact with him. He always had a smile on his face. And from the Permanent Secretary in MCI to all who still work in the Ministry, everyone was simple and interacted courteously like him. The 4G leaders would have much to learn from their experiences and lead the country well. (In English): Sir, President Halimah Yacob, in her speech, asked for the 4G leaders to make bold moves. For this to happen, trust has to be paramount. If there is no trust, people will not believe the messenger and bold policy decisions will be that much harder to effect. In today’s digital world, the messenger and the way the message is delivered are sometimes more important than the message itself. My hope is that the 4G leadership strives to be continually self-aware as they engage with the people of Singapore. Trust is earned, not given; I am confident that the 4G leadership will build their own strong connections in the years ahead. 6.08 pm”
“My events team in London had made reservations at a halal restaurant in Cannes, which was a challenge back then as there were only a handful of them. It was a Middle Eastern restaurant which they said was a highly recommended seafront restaurant. So, we sat down to dinner at that restaurant, ordered our food and everything was going well. In the middle of our main course, loud music came on and, to my horror, a belly dancer emerged. She went table to table to try to get diners to join her on the dance floor. I broke out in cold sweat, hoping that she would not stop at our table to ask the Minister to dance. Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob patted my hand and said in his usual calm manner, “Ganesh, don’t worry about it; just enjoy your food. I’ve encountered this in my travels to the Middle East many times and they won’t disturb you if you are busy eating your food.” And true enough, the belly dancer skipped our table. Beyond the belly dancing episode, Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob was always connected, calm and gracious in work settings, so much so that it is quite hard to disagree with him. And even on occasions when we have disagreed, Dr Yaacob would always make it a point to explain his side of things. He is, to me, an excellent example of a leader who is self-aware, connected and genuine. And this, to me, is why he is trusted by all who have worked with him and the people he serves. Sir, in Tamil, please. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Last week, President Halimah Yacob mentioned in her speech several points on how the 4G leaders should lead our country. They must receive the support of the people. They must have a good relationship and trust among the people, she said. They must work hard for that.”
“I would like to pay tribute, Sir, to three of these leaders who recently stepped down from their Ministerial posts. Sir, Singapore owes a debt of gratitude to Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Mr Lim Swee Say and Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim for their dedicated service and contributions over many years. I did not have the privilege of working closely with Mr Lim Hng Kiang and Mr Lim Swee Say, but I have seen how well they connect with the ground and how trusted they are. So, thank you, Sirs, for your contributions. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I did have the very great privilege of working closely with Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim for over the last decade or so. Prior to working with him, I had the privilege of lining up behind him at a popular briyani stall at Newton Food Centre when he was Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, probably in the mid to late 2000s. What struck me then was his humility and graciousness. No one would have noticed that a Minister was in the queue. He was friendly, approachable and got his food without any fuss; all this, with his trademark smile. I was impressed. Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob and I met formally when he was the Minister for Communications and Information. Because of my appointment to the then-MDA Board and also several other MCI committees, I had the opportunity to work closely with Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob. What strikes me most about Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob in my interactions with him over the 10 years is his awareness of those around him and how he makes it a point to make those around him feel comfortable and at ease. Let me share with this House my favourite anecdote about Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob. In 2013, I hosted Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob to a dinner at a television market in Cannes, France.”
“But in today’s digital world, where reputations are made almost instantaneously – and lost just as quickly – how our next generation leaders engage with Singaporeans will be particularly crucial. Behavioural experts will tell you that how you are perceived is often the starting point of how your message is received and understood and this intuitive impression you make on your audience is very much a function of the multiple visual and social cues you send out. Sir, self-awareness is, funnily enough, one of those qualities obvious to those who value it and quite invisible to those who struggle with it. In a paper published in the MIT Sloan Management Review in February this year, self-awareness was cited as the most important capability for leaders to develop. Successful leaders know where their natural inclinations lie and use this knowledge to boost those inclinations, or compensate for them. A Korn Ferry International study also found that self-awareness impacts the bottom lines of companies. Sir, our 4G leaders have shown their capabilities in leading Ministries, formulating policies and tackling difficult issues on a daily basis. As they transition to become the future leaders of Singapore, I hope very much that they will strive to remain fully aware of the aspirations and concerns of Singaporeans on the ground, beyond the traditional avenues of feedback. Sir, the advantage that the 4G leadership has today is that they are surrounded by a treasure trove of experience and wisdom that lie with 3G and the second generation (2G) leaders, many of whom are still with us in this House. They exemplify the trust and connection with the people that President Halimah spoke about.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion to thank President Halimah Yacob for her Address in this House last week. Sir, President Halimah's speech clearly defined the roles and challenges facing the 4G leadership of Singapore. Building a well-connected world city, developing a vibrant economy, forging a cohesive, caring society and nurturing a Singaporean identity that we can be proud of. These were all addressed by Mdm President and they struck a cord with all Singaporeans. But to me, Sir, the most important points of Mdm President's Address were about the 4G leadership earning the trust and connecting with Singaporeans. Trust is a commodity that cannot be taken for granted and is not easily earned. The trust that we currently have between Singaporeans and the Government will not automatically pass on from one generation to another. Mdm President said and I quote, “In each generation, the people and leaders must work with one another, go through trials and tribulations together and forge their own bonds afresh”. She added, the 4G Leaders they will need to listen to the views and feelings of the people and, by their own words and deeds, show that they have heard”. These are powerful words and I hope very much that the 4G leadership will heed this very wise advice, Sir, as trust and connecting with the people are the foundation stone of the social compact between Singaporeans and their leaders. So, how should the 4G leadership connect, maintain and build on the trust that their predecessors have had for all these years? My sense is that this is already happening. We have arguably the brightest and most able talent of their generation on the 4G leadership bench. Many are natural born leaders.”
“And once these appointments are made, the Ministry should make public the names and the bios of all Committee members. Another issue that has prompted feedback is the amendment to make the Minister the final authority to hear appeals for films with national security concerns. I am in complete support of this amendment. Given the uniqueness of our social fabric, which is dependent on racial harmony, national security could be undermined by films that promote or reflect values and tenets contrary to this. And with the digital disruption upon us, foreign influencers can also target the creative community through funding and other more sophisticated means. I believe that the Minister would be best placed to decide on appeals concerning such films as he will have the entire machinery of the Government’s security agencies to examine the sensitivity of the issues involved. I believe that the Minister will also consult FAC before making his decision, and this should allay the concerns of the filmmaking community. Mr Deputy Speaker, the FA amendment Bill is important and timely in this era of convergence. I support the Bill.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, while I acknowledge the deep concerns in this area, there is also the argument that the majority of law-abiding Singaporeans, legitimate filmmakers and family home movie enthusiasts alike, would have little to fear. However, I would like to ask the Minister for more clarity on the following as many of my Parliamentary colleagues have done just now. Firstly, how senior are the IMDA officers who will be entrusted with these powers? While I understand that these officers will undergo training with the Home Team, what is the nature and duration of this training? Secondly, when is an offence considered serious enough for these officers to enter premises and to seize equipment? Is there a process for a senior authority in the Ministry to assess the facts of the case and to authorise the raid? Thirdly, what is the recourse for people who have been the victim of these raids who may have been wrongly implicated? I hope that the Minister can share these details as they will allay some public fears. Mr Deputy Speaker, the final amendment I would like to focus on is the strengthening of the classification and appeals process. One suggestion from interest groups is that the FAC be made up of nominees from all its stakeholder groups. This, in my view, could make the regulatory process an arduous one with different interest groups lobbying their representatives to influence the Committee’s decisions. Perhaps a more practical approach would be for the Ministry to consider options that would ensure that the Committee reflects a broad representation of the average Singaporean film audience. This would ensure that any allegations or concerns about the dominance of particular lobby groups or a vocal minority can be addressed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this very obviously serves to show that these are decisions best left to the market to decide based on commercial factors. The co-classification scheme also allows for PG13 and below titles to hit the market more quickly. This is pro-consumer, as Singaporean audiences can be the first to watch these films. It has also the desired effect of shortening the window for piracy. This move allows for producers of films and exhibitors to engage in more robust debate about classifications, and this inevitably will build stronger industry capability and better understanding of classification guidelines and processes. Most importantly, Mr Deputy Speaker, this scheme is optional as films can still be sent to IMDA for classification if the distributors want to. Another important amendment to the Act is the granting of relevant enforcement and investigation powers to IMDA. There has been understandably a bit of a furore over this proposed amendment. However, Mr Deputy Speaker, I think that when it comes to films that could undermine our social fabric, disrupt our racial and religious harmony as well as national security, these investigative and enforcement powers, carried out with discretion and attention to detail, will be a very small price to pay. What is of most concern for some quarters is the granting of powers to IMDA officers to enter and search premises without warrant and seize equipment, in particular equipment used to procure a livelihood, such as professional cameras used for filmmaking and also personal equipment, such as laptops and phones. The issue here is the possible abuse of power and the privacy of the individuals being searched. There is much concern that the proposed powers of search and entry without warrant could be open to abuse.”
“The onus, therefore, must be on parents to scrutinise the games that their children purchase online and to make sure that the games are suitable for their kids. I know of many parents who, because of their hectic schedules, are happy to approve these purchases without due assessment. I urge parents to monitor their children’s online purchases until such time when laws governing such online purchases are amended to adequately protect minors. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, another amendment that is most welcome is the formalisation of the Co-Classification Scheme for Films. Co-classification of content is not a new phenomenon and has been tested in several countries and adopted successfully. IMDA, or the Media Development Authority (MDA) as it was known then, also successfully piloted a test co-classification scheme in 2011 and classified some 2,300 titles rated PG13 and below. The scheme, Sir, is a pro-business and consumer move. It is pro-business and driven by the commercial market. Some quarters have commented that co-classification could lead to self-censorship, so that distributors and exhibitors could show the films to a bigger audience. This is not necessarily true as I think we need to give our audiences a little bit more credit. These are commercial decisions, and the market tends to regulate itself. One example is the 2007 film, "Lust, Caution". The distributor originally wanted to release the film as an edited No Children below 16 (NC16) version but, after public feedback, released the original film under the Restricted to Those over 21 (R21) rating. The distributor decided to show several versions of the film to attract a bigger audience. And in other cases, distributors will tend to have just the one edited version because of cost considerations.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, firstly, let me declare my interest. I run the Asian business of a multinational media company, Fremantlemedia International. Sir, I would like to start by commending the Ministry for this review and the proposed amendment of the FA. The last major review was in 1998 and, in the last 20 years, there have been significant technological and industry developments that warrant amendments to keep the Act relevant. In particular, the amendments will help cater to the advancements brought about by the digital revolution, strengthen the protection of minors and, generally, make it easier for businesses to function. Mr Deputy Speaker, let me now look at some of the key amendments more closely. The first is the class licensing requirement for video games retailers to enhance the protection of minors. As video games have become more sophisticated and include mature content on sex, violence and drugs, retailers should be taken to task if licensing conditions are breached. This amendment will ensure that all retailers will have to comply with licensing conditions like labelling and age checks. However, Mr Deputy Speaker, this amendment only applies to physical copies of video games. Increasingly, I have discovered as a parent of a teenager, children buy their games online. What this means is that platforms like gaming consoles and apps are the most common transaction platforms for upgrades and purchases of new games. Parents' Paypal or credit card accounts are required for such purchases. These payment details are usually stored after the initial purchase, with authorisation necessary for subsequent purchases.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for his responses on the state of football in Singapore. A year ago, when I made my speech about how bad things were, I think the Parliamentary Secretary's response at that time was that the new council was about to be elected, let us give them some time. It has been one year and things have gotten progressively worse. So, my question to the Parliamentary Secretary is that, given the status of football today, is SportSG happy with the developments over the last year, and what is the timeframe that it is giving FAS to ensure that standards are raised?”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the first competitive match for the Lions this year will be against the Maldives on 23 March at the National Stadium. I do hope that a win for the Lions will be the beginning of a good year for Singapore football. And I hope very, very much that my next speech on sport will be a celebration of our football successes.”
“Meanwhile, World and Asian football are not going to stand still and wait for us to catch up. Are we satisfied with continuing to be has-beens in local and regional tournaments in the foreseeable future? We are already at our worst-ever ranking at 173, I do hope we are not in the race to be the worst-ranked nation in the world of football, the dubious honour currently belonging to Tonga at 206. So, what can we expect for the new season of the S League that is about to kick off at the end of this month, and football, in general? Beyond the emphasis on youth, one good development is the strong efforts by the FAS to stamp out smoking among footballers, particularly, the younger players. Personally, I am baffled that it took so long for the FAS to act on this, given that any sport, not just football, should have a zero tolerance for smoking and require athletes to be in peak fitness. Regardless, better late than never, so it is a good move on the part of the FAS. Mr Chairman, another positive move is the recent tie-up between the FAS and the Sports Hub which makes the National Stadium the home of the Lions. My concern is that with the dismal results and quality of football, will we be doing justice to the magnificent stadium by playing matches with empty terraces? I hope I am wrong. While the FAS has stated recently that fans should not be fair-weather fans and should show our support for the Lions, surely, we must also acknowledge that when you have had horrible "weather" for a year and a half, even the most diehard fan cannot be criticised for praying for glimpses of sunshine before turning up. Ultimately, it is the performance on the pitch, not rhetoric, aesthetics or partnerships, that will determine how many fans show up.”
“And when the team takes to the field, a minimum of three players in the team of 11 have to be under 23 years old. And another new rule is that the foreign signings quota will be reduced from three to two. Mr Chairman, Sir, while the emphasis on youth is admirable and shows a long-term approach to the game, it does beg very obvious questions. One of the key challenges for the new FAS Council was to reinvigorate the S League. How does the Council aim to fill the seats at stadiums across the island, when untested and unknown youth players will be taking to the field? If the quality of play was a major factor for fans staying away from the stadiums, how will the fielding of players who themselves are learning, entice fans to come to the stadiums? Another major area of concern emanating from this emphasis on youth is coaching. Do we have the ecosystem necessary to facilitate this youth development, and to ensure that the under-23 players have what it takes to compete in the S League? There was also a recent announcement by the FAS that it will partner privately-run football academies to grow the quality and pool of youth talent. However, the devil, they say, is in the details. How is the FAS going to ensure that the quality and standards it desires are achieved and that coaches have the necessary credentials? Most of these academies hire ad hoc part-time coaches who may have played football at a senior level but are not qualified or trained to nurture young talent. But the bigger and more pressing issue is this: while this emphasis on youth is good for the future, what happens to the here and now? Football youth development will take years – if done well with an adequate coaching set up – to achieve the kinds of standards we aspire to.”
“We have yet to secure a win since we beat Cambodia 1-0 in a friendly match way back in November 2016, close to 16 months ago. We are now ranked behind countries like Laos, Cambodia and St Grenadines. The results for the other age group teams are similar, if not worse. Our national coach's contract was renewed by the interim FAS Council in the run-up to the elections last year, despite not achieving the set target of a semi-final berth at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Football Federation Suzuki Cup in 2016. When his contract was renewed last year, the national coach was set a target of reaching the Asian Football Confederation Cup finals in 2019. This goal, too, has not been achieved as we have failed to qualify for the tournament. Mr Chairman, given the dismal results over the past year and a half, what kind of key performance indicators (KPIs) has SportSG set the FAS with regard the national team? Has the FAS set a timeline for the national coach to start delivering results? And now that, for the second time, targets have not been met, what are the FAS' plans with regard the position of national coach? Mr Chairman, one of the other challenges facing the new FAS Council elected last year was to revive the fortunes of the ailing S League, our professional football league, which has been plagued by low attendances. In November last year, six months after taking office, the newly elected FAS Council unveiled its plans for the S League and the development of football in the country. The new Council has decided to emphasise youth development and this is at the core of a raft of changes instituted. From this new season, every S League squad will have at least six players who are under the age of 23.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, a year ago at this very COS debate, I spoke about the sorry state of Singapore football. And before I get into the state of football in Singapore again, let me just explain why the sport of football is so important to our country. Football is the most popular sport in the world and, not surprisingly, in Singapore, too. Across the island, it is a common sight to see children of all races running around kicking footballs in void decks, open spaces and grass patches. The sport builds social cohesion, nurtures resilience and teaches the spirit of teamwork from a very young age. It is also one of the few sports that can bring a nation together, as those of us old enough to remember the Malaysia Cup days can attest to. There is also a significant amount of public funds that go towards supporting football in Singapore. According to an article in TODAY online in January 2017, SportSG administers an annual grant of some $25 million from the Tote Board, a Statutory Board, for the development of football and the S League, our local professional football league. So, a year on, where are we exactly with football in Singapore? The much anticipated Football Association of Singapore (FAS) elections took place in April last year and a new team was voted into the FAS Council to oversee the sport in the country. Although many in the new Council were from the previous team that managed football in the country, they promised change and a new dawn for the sport in Singapore. Mr Chairman, Sir, when I made my speech a year ago, Singapore was ranked 164 in the world. I did not think at the time that we would do much worse. Today, we are ranked at 173, an all-time low. Our senior national team has not won a competitive football match in over a year.”
“Perhaps this could be the opportunity for Mediacorp to embark on a long-term partnership with pay platforms StarHub and Singtel to go after these rights together. In today’s world, content is platform-agnostic. Nobody cares where they watch content. If it is quality content, they will find a way to watch it. Sir, given the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on public service broadcast (PSB) content every year, surely a small portion of that spent on Olympics rights is justified, as these could have a far more lasting and tangible public service effect than any PSB programme. In fact, the halo effect of Schooling’s win is still being felt two years after his feat. Some things, as they say, are priceless. 7.15 pm Public Service Broadcast Programmes”
“One recent partnership was the Channel 5 drama "Missing", a first-ever co-production with Thailand. Mediacorp will also have to look at partnering pay television platforms across the region and locally to elevate the quality and increase the footprint of its content. Perhaps, the Government can look at incentive programmes for Mediacorp to achieve this. Lastly, Sir, my favourite topic – the broadcast rights for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. I thank Minister Yaacob Ibrahim for his comprehensive replies to my Parliamentary Questions a few weeks ago on this issue. I agree with the Minister that sports rights are getting more expensive, particularly for marquee events like the Olympics. And I also agree that as important as these events are for the viewing public, we cannot be held to ransom to any ridiculous fee being asked for by rights holders. But as someone who has been on both sides of the fence – a rights holder and a buyer – I would like to suggest that the 2020 Olympics should be seen with a special lens. Firstly, the Tokyo Olympics will be telecast on prime time in Singapore. Secondly, we have the prospect of watching our Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling win more medals. Other athletes, such as Quah Zheng Wen, will also be in their prime. Thirdly, while Singaporeans were grateful for the last-minute deal to telecast the Rio Olympics two years ago, the hurried rescheduling of programming is not ideal. It must have been difficult for Mediacorp to garner sponsorship and advertising, given the last-minute deal. If the deal had been brokered earlier, it would have given them more time to approach global sponsors of the Games, who are, as I speak, already planning their media spend for the Tokyo Olympics.”
“They also checked their facts and corroborated news breaks. A renewed focus on quality journalism – which was the strategy of the New York Times – will reinforce the credibility of our mainstream media and result in growing readership. In a sea of emotional and sometimes irrational online commentaries, we must ensure that people are also provided with mature, well-argued opinions. We are beginning to see this renewed commitment to quality journalism by SPH and Mediacorp. Programming on Channel NewsAsia consistently stands out because of a focus on quality. Last year, we saw the documentary, "Regardless of Religion", the follow-up to the previous year’s hit, "Regardless of Race". Yet again, the producers treated a very difficult subject with sensitivity and made it entertaining and interesting. It helped that they had a natural talent to front the show. Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary's ease in front of the camera was pivotal in the success of the programme. It is programmes like these that go a long way in setting the platform and developing social cohesion. Programmes, such as "Insight", also deserve mention for their investigative journalism. But while Mediacorp is putting the emphasis on quality and seeing positive results, it also needs to foster more partnerships to thrive. Sir, partnerships are becoming the norm in the media industry among companies big and small. We have already seen some major mergers in the broadcast and film arena: the Disney and Fox merger is among the biggest. And the recent changes at the Board and management level at Mediacorp have begun to show positive effects, with the company embarking on partnerships and looking to cement more.”
“Many Singaporeans reading the personal ramblings of these so-called political-social commentators are not fully aware of the backstory and agendas of these sites and their contributors: online commentators who are more than happy to make inflammatory and controversial remarks to grow their readership for advertising revenues; commentators who insinuate without fear of any organisational sanction, and who are not bound by any code of ethics or journalistic ethos. Sir, in the competition for eyeballs, newsrooms are getting younger. While the actual effectiveness of using young journalists to attract young readers warrants an in-depth study, I would like to suggest that newsrooms consider a structured and coordinated mentoring scheme to help develop and guide the younger journalists. When I was a rookie Malaysia Cup reporter in the early 1990s, the mentorship that I received from veteran football writer Jeffrey Low was invaluable. It played a key role in my development as a journalist and the stories I broke. That uncanny eye for detail, relationship building and the art of learning how to ask the right questions, these are things that cannot be learnt in the newsroom. They are learnt on the ground, on the job. There is a rich wealth of talent among veteran journalists in the newsrooms at SPH and Mediacorp, and we must encourage our newsrooms to tap on these senior journalists. Old-school journalists can be terrifying to those who skate on the wrong side of law and ethics because they relied on investigative journalism and not Internet journalism. They did not have Google to help them look for information, nor did they report off stories posted on social media. Instead, they spoke to people face-to-face, on the telephone, and developed their own network of contacts.”
“One of the reasons for this turnaround was a focus on quality, in-depth journalism. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Thompson said, and I quote, "We believe that more and more people are prepared to pay for high-quality in-depth journalism that helps them make sense of the world." An emphasis on balanced quality reporting and commentary will inevitably bring more subscribers and readers, be it for print or online. While reporting news quickly and accurately is important, Singaporeans would benefit from reading varied, considered commentaries that provide a deeper and sometimes alternative view of pressing national issues. Mature, cogent and well-argued commentaries can deepen the level of debate and discussion among Singaporeans and also broaden the consciousness of the impact of certain arguments. I would like to suggest, Sir, that this is not a question about funding. It is about talent, and about nurturing and developing quality talent in the newsrooms. To me, the country needs more of quality commentators, such as The Straits Times Opinion Editor Chua Mui Hoong and Mediacorp journalist Barathi Jagdish. Their commentaries are thoughtful, considered and balanced. They raise questions like good journalists, but they do so constructively. Their arguments are backed by facts and not just emotions. Sir, the digital revolution has removed barriers to information. Singaporeans today are bombarded by tidal waves of fake news and agenda-led emotional reactions of online bloggers and pseudo-journalists.”
“Chairman, firstly, let me declare my interests as I run the Asian business of a multinational media company, Fremantlemedia International. Sir, over the last few years, MCI has been spearheading Singapore’s digital transformation – from AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, immersive media and IoT – within a short span of time. I would like to commend MCI for its foresight, and its multi-prong approach to digital disruption and transformation. Sir, I would like to focus my speech today on the mainstream media. The mainstream media, to me, has perhaps the biggest and most important role to play in combating fake news in Singapore. They also have a crucial role to play in strengthening social cohesion. These can be achieved through two pathways: enhancing the quality of journalism and building a network of partnerships. I am pleased that both Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and Mediacorp are heading in these directions. Editor-in-Chief of the SPH English/Malay and Tamil media group, Warren Fernandez, said recently that good journalism and news organisations that are credible and reliable play a vital role in combating fake news. This emphasis on quality journalism and credibility will ultimately also have important consequences for the company's bottom line as print circulation and advertising revenues continue to decline at SPH. Sir, The New York Times faced a similar predicament just a couple of years ago but managed to turn things around. Indeed, it has just announced that it made more than US$1 billion in overall subscription revenue in 2017. While other media companies are struggling, The New York Times saw its circulation surge, adding 157,000 digital subscriptions in just the fourth quarter of 2017 alone.”
“They will also realise their dreams progressively. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore was built on the values and hard work of our fathers and mothers. In striving to narrow inequality and class divisions, we need an all-in, whole-of-Singapore approach. Singaporeans expect much of our Government in this pressing matter, and rightly so. But can we not also expect just as much, if not more, from our people? Building a society based on justice and equality, to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation, will take time and involve more than just the leadership of the Singapore Government. It will need the entire collective will of the citizens of Singapore, with heart and backbone. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Budget. [Applause.]”
“Many Singaporeans own their own homes, enjoy a high standard of education and healthcare, and go about their daily lives in a safe and secure environment. Yes, there is income inequality and there always will be. But the Government has taken the lead in addressing these issues with policies and assistance at every level and touchpoint. We have a meritocratic system that offers multiple pathways to social mobility. At the end of the day, bridging a class divide can only truly happen if Singaporeans work together to ensure that every single child from a low-income family is equipped with the perseverance, confidence and resilience to succeed. At the same time, we must also create more opportunities for children of all income backgrounds to mingle and build lasting friendships. Encouraging greater participation in team sports and team-building activities would help engender a sense of community and help narrow the social division. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Tamil, please. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] There is an ongoing debate in Singapore about the gap between the well-to-do and the less fortunate. There are many negative comments on this gap about the Government. The gist of it is that they say that the Government has not done much about it. What is true is that the Government alone cannot correct the situation. Our contribution is also necessary. I did not come from a well-to-do family and, in fact, the Government's policies have been the very reason that made me stand here and make this speech. To correct this situation, parents like us, communities, societies must encourage our youths to have faith in the programmes that the Government provides. We must make our youths as caring humanitarians. If they lead such a life, the gap between us will be reduced.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as Minister Grace Fu acknowledged in her reaction to the IPS study, sports is one of the best platforms for people of different backgrounds to integrate. And sports certainly played a key role in my integration in school when I faced a very stark class divide. Through sports, being on the school team and playing in national tournaments meant that where I came from, where I lived in, what shoes I wore did not matter. We were teammates. We trained together, we won and lost together. We became brothers both on and off the field. Some of my best friends today are friends I made playing sports. Mr Speaker, Sir, the early failures and challenges I faced as a child from a lower-income family could have been devastating. What I am today is very much the result of how my parents brought me up. Their insistence that I face and overcome challenges, coupled with the positive reinforcement and support at home, taught me again and again that the positivity, perseverance and resilience would light the way to where I wanted to go. It is parenting with heart and backbone. My parents never once allowed me to feel like I did not belong among the smartest or richest kids in Singapore. Self-pity was not in their vocabulary. They encouraged me to dream big and to take ownership of what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. My teachers never held my background against me and the education system gave me the tools to succeed. Parents and teachers are a powerful combination, and they form the core of a special support group that is essential if we are to narrow the class divide. Mr Speaker, Sir, the starting point for Singaporeans is already a lot better than many others in the world.”
“You see, Mr Speaker, my father, who came from an even more impoverished background, had, through merit, made it into the top boys' school for his secondary education, and he wanted his son to do the same. Of course, it did not help that my eldest sister had made it to the elite top girls' school! My father did not openly show his disappointment, though I could feel it. It was my first real lesson in "failure". It inspired me to work hard and I ended up in the elite junior college (JC). The look on my father's face when he saw the metal badge on my shirt made the hard work worthwhile. But Mr Speaker, Sir, much like the findings in the IPS study, it was in this elite school that I first experienced the class divide. My first day at the JC was horrible. The majority of the kids came from the elite secondary schools and many of them were reluctant to mix. Most knew one another because they moved in the same social circles and were family friends. They were driven to school, wore the latest sneakers and carried the trendiest school bags. I went home after that first day of school and told my father that maybe I had made the wrong choice and should have gone to a more mainstream JC. My father said to me, "I did not bring you up to be a quitter. You got there on your own merit and you deserve a place in the school. Just work hard, and the rest will take care of itself." So, I stuck with the school and, over time, I began to fit in. I still did not get invited to the "cool" parties at the country clubs, but I made new friends – people from different races and different social backgrounds. Many of these I made through school sports.”
“Some may refer to this as parenting with heart and backbone, while others may say that it is about building resilience through positive psychology. It is really about learning how to get up when you fall, or to keep your chin up in times of adversity. Many in this House might be familiar with this parenting style. But I wonder if "conscious parenting", as I would like to call it, is all that common in our very busy Singaporean households. As a business executive with no background in psychology or sociology, I can only share with Members my personal encounter with this particular style of upbringing. It might help explain why a person from a minority community, from an impoverished upbringing, with no "connections", and someone who is not a Government scholar, is in this Chamber today. The class divide in the early days were stark. Home, for me, was a 1-room rental flat until I was in Primary 3. We were poor. But my parents kept us focused on the future. Study hard, they said. Do your best in whatever you do. What we lacked materially did not seem too much because we always knew that things would get better if we worked hard enough at it. Education and meritocracy, even in the early days of nationhood, served families like us – people who did not have much – very well. I went to a mainstream primary school and never really felt out of place. Most of the kids were from the same neighbourhood and we had similar backgrounds. I was an average student from an early age. I was far more interested in sports than I was in books. So, I did well enough to get into a good secondary school but not the school that my father wanted me to get into – the elite, top boys' school in Singapore.”
“But what can Singaporeans, what can we do to address the individual factors? I am reminded of the words that we so readily recite every morning in the schools and once a year on 9 August. We each say, hand on heart, that "We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a society based on justice and equality, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation". The emphasis is on "we". We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge to build a society. For as good as our Government may be, a community can achieve progress only if we acknowledge that change will come when we take ownership and make a collective effort to address inequality. And I would like to suggest that we begin where it always starts, at home. Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore has had an amazing transformation since our founding as a nation in 1965. And as the country progressed, so did its people. Social mobility matched economic growth as Singapore and Singaporeans worked hard to build their country and their lives. We have many inspiring stories of Singaporeans who have become shining examples of what it would take to succeed in spite of humble beginnings. Our President, Mdm Halimah Yacob, the former Speaker of this House, is one clear example. Her work ethics, resilience and consistent concern for the less privileged serve as a benchmark for many of us in this House, and an inspiration for every child who dreams of becoming President of Singapore. What has moved many Singaporeans, in particular, is the credit that Mdm President gives to her mother for the person she is today. There has been much written about how parenting styles influence a child's development and social mobility.”
“The Government has intervened to help those who are less well-off in the areas of home ownership, healthcare and education, as well as means-tested assistance schemes for Singaporeans from lower-income households. Programmes, such as Workfare, the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) and self-help groups, such as the Council for the Development of the Singapore Malay/Muslim Community (MENDAKI), the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) and the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) also provide support through a variety of schemes from financial assistance to learning enhancement programmes. But still, many Singaporeans look to the Government to resolve this class divide, a legacy perhaps of a time not so long ago when we looked to the Government's lead to transform mudflats into a metropolis. While there is trust between the Government and its people, there is also concern that, as The Straits Times opinion editor Chua Mui Hoong noted in a recent column, "today's citizens may be expecting too much of their leaders, thinking back to the pioneering generation.' In much of the discussion on inequality and the class division, many experts and Singaporeans have noted that the Government would need to do more to address inequality, which, left unchecked, would pose a serious threat to the country's social cohesion. There was markedly less chatter about what Singaporeans ourselves can do to address this divide. Mr Speaker, Sir, governments around the world strive for income growth and social mobility because these are two key pillars of a thriving, progressive society. High social mobility in any country is influenced by structural as well as individual factors. The Government is already intervening more aggressively in structural and systematic policies.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for the opportunity to speak in this Budget Debate. Mr Speaker, in recent months, and even in this House yesterday and today, there has been a fair bit of debate and discussion on the class divide in Singapore. I am very pleased that this year's Budget Statement by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat aims at narrowing this divide. From supporting needy individuals, seniors and families, to encouraging the spirit of giving among Singaporeans, this Budget goes a long way towards enabling social mobility, which would narrow the class divide. However, Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government alone cannot bridge this gap. In an Institute of Policy Studies’ (IPS') study on Social Capital in Singapore conducted in December last year, it was found that the most acute social divisions in Singapore were now based on class, and not on race or religion. National University of Singapore sociologist Vincent Chua, one of the study's researchers, noted that while Singapore has done “a pretty good job of fostering multiculturialism and mixing between ethnic groups, the next step now is to increase efforts to increase mixing between classes”. Mr Speaker, Sir, in my speech today, I would like to focus on the class divide, and the roles that we, Singaporeans, can play in narrowing this gap. Inequality is not a new phenomenon, nor is it unique to Singapore. However, I would like to suggest that the country today is much better equipped to deal with this division than ever before. As Prime Minister Lee has pointed out just earlier this month, there is a concerted and coordinated effort by the Government to tackle the challenges of income inequality, social mobility and social integration together.”
“Grassroots clubs and community centres should use this campaign to reach out to the elderly, too. Businesses should also play their part in bolstering their cybersecurity defence. Too often, CEOs are happy to invest in IT systems only when it adds to their bottom line. Few realise, until it is too late, that IT security will actually protect this bottom line. According to a commentary on channelnewsasia.com last December, the cost of security failure because of cybercrime is projected to grow to over US$2 trillion globally in 2018. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government can also do more. Last month, in its review of the Auditor-General’s (AG's) Report for financial year (FY) 2016/2017, PAC cited recurring weaknesses in IT controls as a major weakness. Some of the lapses pointed out by PAC included: user accounts not being properly removed when required, and staff given access to accounts and data that they should not have access to. What is alarming is that these weaknesses and lapses were pointed out in the past by the AG, and they were still recurring. Though the Ministries concerned have made arrangements to ensure that such lapses do not happen again, this is yet another timely reminder that cybersecurity should not be taken lightly. All we need is just one lapse to bring down the entire system. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me conclude my speech by reaffirming my strong support for the Bill. We cannot take our security for granted and, in today’s digital world, cybersecurity is as important, if not more important, than military security, as the enemy is invisible and can strike anytime and anywhere.”
“In a recent newsletter, cyber technology company Apvera put Singapore at the top of the list of countries from which cyberattacks could be launched. Just to clarify, this does not mean that Singaporeans are becoming hackers, but rather, we have become the No 1 potential launchpad for cybersecurity attacks because of our location, digitalisation, IT savviness as a people, and the increasing number of cloud-based and virtual servers. Beyond the provisions of this Bill, Mr Speaker, public education has to be enhanced and ramped up. Last year, CSA commissioned a survey to find out about Singaporean attitudes to cybersecurity and cyber hygiene. Here are some findings. One in three respondents did not manage their passwords securely. They store them on our computers and they write them down. They also use the same passwords for multiple accounts, for work and personal accounts. One in three respondents did not enable their two-factor authentication. Despite widespread use of cloud storage, mobile and other storage devices, almost half the respondents did not conduct virus scans on their devices and files. More than six in 10 respondents connected to open, non-password protected wi-fi networks in public places. Practices, such as these, pose a substantial risk to the security of their personal information and, ultimately, the cyber communities they are part of. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to commend CSA for launching the "Live Savvy with Cybersecurity" campaign last year, where people from all walks of life learned about cybersecurity threats and cybersecurity hygiene. I would strongly encourage the Government to make these roadshows and campaigns a part of school curriculums right from the first time children use computers in schools.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I speak in support of this Bill. Singapore has had its fair share of cybersecurity breaches these past few years. We have heard in this House about the attacks on MINDEF, as well as our two major universities, NUS and NTU. While any cyberattack is of concern, to me, what is most worrying is that the attacks, the likes of those on the Singapore universities last year, were, as the authorities have depicted, carefully orchestrated and specifically targeted. It was not the work of casual hackers. Mr Speaker, Sir, so far, Singapore has been spared from, at least from what we know publicly, serious breaches that could undermine trust and confidence in our financial systems and national security. But for how long? "We were just lucky", said Mr David Koh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CSA, to explain why Singapore escaped the brunt of global malware attacks like the WannaCry ransomware attack. According to Mr Koh, had these attackers targeted Singapore specifically, the consequences could have been quite disastrous. This is why this Bill is so important. In a world where nation-state actors are becoming bolder in their cross-border activities, we must ensure that our national security, including cyber defence, can withstand these cyberattacks by enemies we cannot see. Cyber defence has to be a whole-of-country approach. It is not just the Government’s responsibility. It is the responsibility of every single person in this community, from the home owner to the business leader. Singapore is one of Asia’s major technology hubs. We are very highly connected and, as a result, very vulnerable to cybercrime. Our Smart Nation aspirations will bring many benefits but also many vulnerabilities if we are not vigilant and prepared.”
“Lastly, there is a need for the small group of influencers out there who take pride in offering alternative views and commentary on political and social happenings in Singapore to be more factual, accurate and constructive. Their opinions may not necessarily be fake, but their views and opinions can be very damaging to our social and cultural fabric. To me, opinion pieces that can undermine sensitive issues or negotiations can be even more damaging than fake news from foreign sources. These influencers are Singaporeans, many of whom are very familiar with the out-of-bounds (OB) markers as they may be experts or former media professionals. Many of these influencers may contribute commentaries to foreign online publications that are written to deliberately elicit a strong reaction. The community should be wary of these influencers, and learn to seek other credible sources of information before making a judgement. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in closing, I would like to commend the Ministry of Law for this initiative to convene a Select Committee. Fake news is a very serious phenomenon, and, if left unchecked, will have disastrous consequences for our social fabric. 3.42 pm”
“While we all know that our very own Prime Minister Lee is one of the biggest social media influencers in Singapore because of the sheer number of followers across his social media channels, there are others who also have a wider reach. For us to combat fake news with immediacy and magnitude, it is critical that we engage as many credible influencers as possible. The other approach which the Committee could focus on is education. I was pleased to read this week that tertiary institutions in Singapore are taking up the fight against fake news. Three polytechnics and universities in Singapore have recently introduced and modified courses to include emphasis on fake news. Students will be taught to do credibility checks on sources, cross-referencing and the use of authoritative sources. While that is a great start, I feel that the education has to start at a much earlier stage − at preschool. If you go to any restaurant or hawker centre in Singapore today, toddlers watching content on iPads and mobile phones are the norm. Most kids learn to use iPads and mobile phones even before they learn how to speak. Sadly, when my son was growing up, these devices were not available. In this digital age, parents and teachers need to teach kids about the difference between what is "fake" and what is "true". It is akin to teaching our children not to talk to strangers. To be able to tell the difference between what is fake and what is true has to be ingrained in kids from young. This is not something that can be solved by legislation. This needs a whole-of-Singapore approach – everyone from parents to grandparents to teachers need to get involved.”
“One of the areas that the Government and the community have to work on is creating multiple credible platforms to push out accurate information, corrections and rebuttals. The Singapore Government has 16 Ministries and 61 Statutory Boards − and I am not even including Government-linked companies here. Each Ministry and Statutory Board has its own website and social media channels. In confronting fake news that is viral and in danger of triggering a nationwide panic, there must be an immediate response across all channels to ensure that the accurate information drowns out the fake news. Mainstream news media outlets can help lead this charge by enhancing their credibility. At a Digital Media Conference in November last year, The Straits Times Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the Singapore Press Holdings' English, Malay and Tamil Media Group, Mr Warren Fernandez, said, "Societies have to find a way to make sure that good content gets out there because if you don’t do anything about it, bad content will drive out good content". I agree completely with this point, and feel strongly that newsrooms of today can do a lot more. One could make the argument that most Singaporeans get their news in real time from platforms like Facebook because even the mainstream news media today get their news and videos from Facebook. But I believe that this can change with more robust and credible news gathering and reporting. Mr Deputy Speaker, in situations of critical importance, beyond Government platforms and mainstream news media, we should also consider immediately marshalling social media influencers here in Singapore to help us get the word out as fast as possible.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I speak in support of this Motion by the Ministry of Law to appoint a Select Committee to examine and report on deliberate online falsehoods. As stated in the Green paper and reinforced by the Ministers today, online falsehoods, or '"fake news", as it is more commonly known, can have very serious and debilitating consequences for societies. We have seen how polarising the effects can be in countries like the United States (US) and France in recent years. We have also had our own share of fake news occurrences in Singapore. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, on Saturday, 23 September last year, I received a WhatsApp message from a retired civil servant who had received it from a senior civil servant, and it contained a link to a breaking news story that alleged that the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan had collapsed at a UN Summit in New York. Within minutes, the story went viral. I reached out quickly to a trusted contact in MCI who immediately assured me that the story was, indeed, fake. However, what astonished me was how quickly this piece of "fake news" spread and the alarm it caused. I can only imagine the distress caused to those who know the Minister. This incident, and many others like it, tell us that online falsehoods or fake news is a phenomenon that is not going to go away. Indeed, it is going to be more prevalent as the world becomes digital and reliant on social media and online platforms for news. So, how do we combat this phenomenon, knowing that it is something that we cannot control? I would like to suggest three possible approaches that perhaps could be further explored by the Committee. Firstly, speed and magnitude of response.”
“Disruption and the digital revolution have shown that conventional approaches can quickly become obstacles to growth. So, while we must uphold corporate governance at all times, we should also be nimble enough to work fast and smart and be free of red tape. Billion-dollar businesses are now being hatched, as we speak, in dormitory rooms and teenage bedrooms. In staying true to the spirit of good governance, we must also be fast enough to ride these waves of innovation in areas that are unchartered. I am hopeful that the provisions of this Bill, as well as greater attention to the quality of leadership and transparency in accountability in our Statutory Boards, will augur well for corporate governance in our public sector.”