Gerald Giam Yean Song
Singapore
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. The focus of my supplementary question will be on the film classification guidelines, which currently state that, quote, "Chinese films meant for theatrical release should generally be in Mandarin, in line with the Speak Mandarin Campaign.”
“Mr Speaker, we cannot allow physical infrastructure expansion to blind us to the shifting digital geography of global trade nor should we allow frontier technology to reduce the economic agency of our transport workers.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his replies. I understand the difficulty in getting the exact numbers. But is there an order of magnitude that the Government can provide as to how many such fees were collected and what is the total quantum? Just an order of magnitude, does not have to be an exact number.”
“Sir, I thank Mr Ng Chee Meng for acknowledging my OJT proposal. I am aware of the work of CTCs, but my proposal goes beyond what the CTCs currently provide. First is the depth of the wage support, and second is the structural design of OJT.”
“I thank the Minister for responding to my question just now. I am glad to hear that there will be more precise matching with the help of SWDA's the integrated intelligence function. But can I ask if this function will be provided to all jobseekers who approach SWDA or its agencies, like e2i, to seek for job assistance?”
“Sir, can the Minister elaborate a bit more about how SWDA will enhance the job search assistance programme? Specifically, will career counsellors move beyond basic resume editing and portal referrals to leverage real time vacancy data for proactive matching and advocate for candidates?”
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“That is one of the questions, as well as Question No 67 for Written Answer.”
“Sir, I join the Ministers in thanking the officials, workers and volunteers who helped in the oil spill recovery. I have some supplementary questions for the Minister for Transport. Sir, it took almost 15 hours to complete deploying the containment booms after 400 metric tonnes of oil began spilling into the sea. I note the Minister's earlier reply that booms cannot contain 100% of the oil and he feels the contractors performed to par. But how much oil had already dispersed beyond the collision site by the time the booms were deployed 15 hours after the collision? And could the oil slick have been better contained if the booms were deployed earlier? Sir, many countries, including the US, have regulations which require containment booms to be readily available in the event of an unexpected oil spill. Does Singapore have any such regulations and if not, are there any plans to enact them? And lastly, I do not think the Minister has fully answered my Question No 14 for Oral Answer and Question No 67 for Written Answer, which he said he would cover in the Ministerial Statement.”
“Mr Speaker, I will brief. In response to the Minister's answer to my supplementary question just now, I think we are dealing with a Catch-22 situation here. Most people will agree that an effective Palestinian government that governs the entire territory is still in the works. However, we are waiting for a viable and effective Palestinian state to exist before recognising it. It might never happen under current realities. The Minister said that one key principle guiding our actions is whether it can bring forward the peace process. Therefore, does the Minister agree that Singapore's recognition of Palestine will help, even in some small way, to bring forward the peace process and negotiations, or will it hurt the process?”
“I thank the Minister for his answers. Sir, what would be the thresholds that need to be crossed for Singapore to recognise the State of Palestine? Specifically, would it happen only when a two-state solution is negotiated and concluded? If so, this is no different from Singapore's previous position. Secondly, does the Minister agree that the formal recognition of Palestine's statehood by Singapore and other countries which have close relations with Israel, like Spain, Ireland and Norway, would be a significant statement of unequivocal support for the two-state solution and will give impetus to advancing the moribund peace process? Lastly, would the Minister agree that the recognition of Palestine would allow for negotiations to proceed on a more equal footing between two recognised states, the State of Israel and the State of Palestine, rather than one state negotiating with a non-state entity?”
“Thank you, Sir. Sir, did LTA considered the widespread availability of smartphones when developing the specifications for ERP 2.0 and if so, why was the mobile first approach not taken? Sir, using a smartphone instead of an unwieldy OBU could save a tremendous amount of installation effort, hardware cost and long-term maintenance costs. Is the Minister prepared to order a system redesign of the ERP 2.0 to make it mobile first? And to be clear, I do not mean providing the mobile phone as an as a secondary option, like what the Minister had just said. I am talking about making it a default option. And secondly, I understand that there are no immediate plans to implement distance-based charging, but given that distance-based charging is one of the key reasons for this new system – its implementation seems inevitable. My question is, has the Government considered the significant cost impact that distance-based charging will have on those who drive for a living, including taxi drivers, private hire drivers, and delivery drivers and riders.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for responding to my many queries. Specifically, about the step-in order, I would just like to clarify with the Senior Minister of State whether he thinks that the step-in order of the Cybersecurity Act is on the same scale as the step-in order that is in the Bus Services Industry Act that I mentioned? Because the Bus Services Act has very specific mention of a step-in function that LTA can order. But, I read through Part 4 of the Cybersecurity Act again and I do not see anything that had the same kind of language or the same strength that the Bus Services Industry Act has. Can I get the clarification from the Senior Minister of State on that?”
“If we really want to monitor with a deterrent view in mind, we need to have operational integration and develop our backstop capabilities. In conclusion, Mr Speaker, while the Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill makes important strides towards enhancing our national cybersecurity posture, our approach must remain adaptable to the realities of digital warfare and capable of decisive action in times of emergencies. Sir, I support the Bill, but I look forward to the Minister's responses to my comments.”
“Having this operational backstop is desirable precisely because cybersecurity attacks have high potential severity and could unfold very quickly. This will require the strengthening of public-private collaboration to ensure the seamless integration of state and commercial resources in fortifying our national cybersecurity infrastructure. In addition, CSA will need to ensure it has the necessary expertise to undertake such responsibilities when called to do so. CSA needs to be adequately staffed and equipped with the requisite skills and technology in order to effectively manage and mitigate cybersecurity threats. Such an arrangement will be in the long-run investment in our own capabilities that is worth making, both in defensive terms but also to enable public-private knowledge diffusion. Next, regarding sections 7(1)(a) and 16(a)(1), how will the Government enforce its extraterritorial judgements on overseas providers of CIIs if the owner is not in Singapore? Can the Commissioner take enforcement action outside of Singapore? If we are not able to enforce the laws overseas, what purpose do these extraterritorial provisions serve? Finally, in section 29(a) on monitoring, relying primarily on examining historical records and conducting ad hoc examinations may not be sufficient to provide the real-time, continuous monitoring needed to keep pace with rapidly evolving cyber threats. More proactive oversight measures potentially including direct access to provider systems may be required for effective supervision. WannaCry, the global ransomware attack in 2017, rapidly spread across computer systems over seven hours, while the 2015 Ukraine power grid hack led to electricity outages lasting up to six hours. These are events that unfolded in less than one day.”
“This explicit authority may be necessary in situations where immediate action must be taken to prevent or mitigate a cybersecurity threat that poses a critical risk. In contrast, the Bus Services Industry Act of 2015 is more explicit in its wording about operational intervention. Section 30 of that Act grants the Land Transport Authority (LTA) the power to make a step-in order in certain circumstances. This order allows LTA to take over the operations of a licensed bus operator or appoint a step-in operator to do so. The Bus Services Industry Act also specifies the powers and functions of the step-in operator, such as having the same powers as the original licensee and requiring the licensee to provide access to premises, assets and employees. The Cybersecurity Act is less specific about what the emergency measures and requirements may entail. Incorporating similar provisions in the Cybersecurity Act could provide a clearer legal framework for CSA to directly intervene and take control of CIIs when necessary to protect national security or the lives of Singaporeans. This would ensure that the Government has the necessary tools to respond swiftly and decisively to imminent cybersecurity threats. In addition, while the CSA's regulatory and enforcement roles are crucial, in instances where national security is at imminent risk, are there any additional protocols for bringing in the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), to manage the cybersecurity defences of CIIs? Does the Minister see it necessary to develop a framework that enables either CSA or DIS to respond rapidly and directly to imminent threats to our CIIs, ensuring that operational control can be swiftly transferred in a crisis?”
“Approximately, 19,000 appointments and operations were cancelled and patients had to be diverted from emergency rooms, which were unable to access critical digital services. The attack highlighted the importance of cybersecurity hygiene as it exploited a known vulnerability in older Windows operating systems that had not been updated with the available patches. Here at home, in 2018, hackers infiltrated SingHealth healthcare system stealing personal data of 1.5 million patients. This included information like names addresses and dates of birth. Additionally, medical records of 160,000 patients, including that of the Prime Minister were also compromised. The sophistication of the attack, the type of data targeted and the resources needed for such a breach suggested that this cyber-attack may have been state-sponsored. Each of these incidents served as a stark reminder of the chaos and danger posed by cyber-attacks. They undermined need for robust cybersecurity measures and the ability to rapidly respond to and manage cybersecurity threats, particularly when critical national infrastructure is at risk. Sir, under this Bill, the CSA is empowered to regulate, monitor and enforce compliance through penalties and directives. I would like to ask the Minister if the Bill grants the CSA or any other national body explicit authority to take over the operations of critical systems if their owners fail to secure them adequately despite directions from the authority. The current provision in section 23 allows the Minister to direct organisations to take measures to counter serious and imminent threats but does not explicitly grant the authority to directly take over operations of critical information infrastructure.”
“Mr Speaker, the Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill seeks to extend the regulatory reach of the CSA by updating the existing Cybersecurity Act of 2018. This includes the broadening of oversight across newly classified critical information infrastructure and the introduction of stringent compliance and reporting requirements all aimed at addressing the escalating challenges within our digital environment. In this age of digitalisation, cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure can pose a significant threat to our national security and well-being. Examples of cyber-attacks abound around the world. In December 2015, Ukraine experienced a significant cyber-attack targeting its power grid which resulted in widespread electricity outages across several regions. This was one of the first known successful cyber-attacks on a power grid. The attackers, who are sophisticated and well-coordinated, used phishing schemes to install malware on the networks of several regional electricity companies. They were able to gain control of the companies' systems and shut down the substations, cutting off power for approximately 230,000 people for several hours. This incident not only disrupted everyday life, but also exposed the vulnerability of essential infrastructure to cyber threats and the potential for state-sponsored cyber warfare. In May 2017 the UK's National Health Service (NHS) was struck by the WannaCry ransomware, a global cyber-attack that infected over 200,000 computers across 150 countries. The NHS faced significant disruption as the ransomware encrypted data on infected machines, demanding payment to restore access.”
“Thank you, Speaker. I thank the Senior Minister of State. Does LTA have any plans to build more underground walkways, for example, from Tampines West MRT to Tampines Green Gem estate in my ward, so that pedestrians have a safer alternative to crossing busy junctions, like the junction where this horrific accident happened?”
“I thank the Minister for addressing my questions. Just that last question – when is the Government going to take a position on whether to use nuclear energy in our energy mix in the future? Does the Minister agree that it is important to provide some certainty or more certainty to both aspiring scientists and our people with regard to the use of nuclear energy?”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. Can I ask how many scientists are currently at the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative and how many scholarships are awarded each year to help build the pipeline of nuclear scientists and expertise? Beyond technical capabilities, is the Government building up the necessary regulatory policy frameworks that will be needed to oversee potential nuclear energy programmes for both nuclear fission and nuclear fusion? And lastly, is there any timeline in which the Government is going to take a position on this?”
“In addition, the Ministry of Communications and Information and Agency for Science, Technology and Research will officially launch the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety in the first half of this year. The centre will be a platform to bring together our community of research partners, companies and practitioners in Singapore to build capabilities for a safer Internet. Such capabilities may include tools and measures to detect harmful content, such as deepfakes and non-factual claims, inject watermarks or trace the origin of digital content and empower vulnerable groups with resources to verify information they encounter online. So, essentially, we will do our part to enhance our capabilities as the scammers themselves do so. However, as I shared have earlier, it is important for us to continue to engage the ground. I am pleased to share that even at the different Neighbourhood Police Centres, I can see the Police officers engaging the ground – from common layperson to people with knowledge of it – so that the whole society is being protected. Because I think for the scammers, this is an opportunity for them to commit crimes or to steal money from people. But on our part, we have to protect our people. So, we will continue to work hard to engage the whole society.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Can I clarify how many voice-cloning scam reports were actually received by the Police in the past year? Secondly, there are now AI systems that can clone a person's voice after listening to them speak for as little as three seconds. Scammers can use this cloned voice to trick friends and family members of these persons into transferring money to them. I recently checked the ScamAlert telegram channel and website, but do not see any mention of voice-cloning scams. Do the National Crime Prevention Council and other agencies plan to educate Singaporeans about this new scam and how to protect themselves? For example, not assuming that the familiar voice on the other end of the line is the person they know and by establishing a common passcode among family members. Lastly, does the Ministry for Home Affairs scan the horizon for new scam technologies and start to take crime prevention measures before the first police reports start coming in? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. As I have said, the number is small. With regard to the education efforts and scam technologies, yes, we continue to update and also look at how we work with the different stakeholders in the community, including the public. At the same time, we are also developing our capabilities. For example, we are developing technical measures in collaboration with the industry. For example, the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) has been developing detection methods for both video and audio deepfakes using artificial intelligence, including the capability to detect voice-cloning.”
“I thank the Minister for his reply to my supplementary question, but I do not think it actually addresses the question I was asking. He is comparing the 4,900 residents with the 18,700 EP and S Pass holders. But the 4,900 consists of all the Singaporean growth, all the resident workforce growth, not just for PMETs. So, if we are to assume that EP and S Pass holders are PMETs, what is the percentage of the 4,900 that goes to Singaporeans? I listened carefully to the Minister's reply and I understand what he is trying to get at. But given the substantial Government expenditure used for job creation in Singapore, including the Economic Development Board's efforts to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs), the extensive tax incentives given to multinational companies (MNCs), if most of these jobs continue to be filled year after year, mostly by foreigners, is the Minister concerned that these Government expenditures appear to be disproportionately benefiting MNCs and foreign workers, in particular, foreign professionals, over Singaporean workers?”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. Can I ask the Minister, what percentage of the 88,400 total employment growth in 2023 were for PMET roles? And of these, what percentage went to Singapore Citizens and, in particular, older Singaporean PMETs?”
“Thank you for your indulgence, Chairman. Just one last set of questions. Do GPCs get confidential briefings by Government Ministries that are not made available to opposition Members? The Minister said that GPCs get information through the Minister. Does that mean that civil servants do not brief the GPCs?”
“I thank the Minister. A second clarification on the point she makes about Select Committees being unproductive and a drag on Government's resources. What about the resources used by Government Parliamentary Committees (GPCs)? How is the time and resources that Ministries spend answering questions and briefing GPCs justified? Even more so, given that they are not Parliament organs, but PAP party organs?”
“I thank the Minister for answering my cut. Sir, is the Minister saying, and I paraphrase, that Select Committees do not lead to better governance and trust? I do not think she has established that causality. I am referring to Select Committees in other countries. I do not think she has established that causality, that they lead to poorer governance and trust. Because is she saying that they cause the people to trust the Government less, because of the Select Committees?”
“For these reasons, I call on Parliament to set up standing Select Committees for each Ministry or group of related Ministries, consisting of MPs from all political parties represented in Parliament. They should be supported by the Parliament Secretariat and meeting minutes should be made available to all committee members. Ministries should endeavour to engage them on a regular basis. Attracting the Very Best to Become MPs”
“Mr Chairman, Parliament currently has seven standing Select Committees. But none of these is specific to individual Ministries. This is quite unlike many other legislatures around the world. The United Kingdom's (UK’s) House of Commons, for example, has Select Committees for every government department, like Defence, Home Affairs and Transport, to name a few. Australia's parliament has House Standing Committees on Health, Aged Care and Sport and on Employment, Education and Training, among others. These Select Committees examine each Ministry's policies, spending and administration. They are empowered to inquire into and report on any matter referred to them by the House or Minister. The committees may call in subject matter experts to give testimony and answer questions from members that can inform their considerations. Select Committees also provide a platform for members of parliament (MPs) to better understand each other's positions and that of the government. The government may share in confidence with committees information that shapes its policy stances. The committees can discuss legislation or major policy changes before they are officially tabled so that there is more room to work out, compromises before each party takes its position publicly. After a thorough scrutiny of legislation and policies, the Select Committees can make recommendations to parliament before Bills and Motions are debated and voted on by all MPs. This process will lead to more informed and constructive debate and better decision making in parliament. The committees thus help to contribute to more effective governance, build political consensus and strengthen national unity.”
“Just to clarify with the Minister of State, can existing individual childminders join the programme or do they have to be employed by a childminding operator?”
“Thank you, Sir. I did file a cut on this. I am very glad to hear that MSF is planning to professionalise and subsidise childminding services. So, my question for Minister of State Sun Xueling is, can I ask how this will affect existing informal childminders? I have residents who look after their neighbours' infants and kids after school and these are usually older women who are not highly educated and may not be prepared to be formally employed by childminding operators. So, they may have difficulties completing formal courses and passing written tests. So, how will these informal childminders and the parents who engage their services, be able to tap on the subsidies that MSF is offering under this programme?”
“Sir, parents who are engaged in shift work often require childminding support outside of childcare centres' operating hours, which are typically from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm. Many of these parents are from the lower-income groups, for whom shift work is more common. The Forward SG report said that childminding service options will be expanded. Could the Minister share further updates on this programme, including how many families have benefited from it so far? Can MSF look into subsidising wages for childminders in order to attract more to join the scheme? In order to scale up the service to benefit more parents, could MSF take the lead to roll out this programme nationwide? What are the current efforts in promoting this service to parents, and can it be integrated into KidSTART, ComLink and other related programmes for the low-income? Infant Care”
“Thank you, Sir. My clarifications are for Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu. I am glad to hear that the Government does not rule out a generational smoking ban. Can I ask whether the Government is actively moving forward on this plan and what is the timeline it is looking at? For the sake of the health of our future generations, I hope that we can move faster and be an early mover on this and not wait for other countries. Secondly, on healthcare subsidies for PwDs, I note the Senior Parliamentary Secretary said that healthcare subsidies are not based on specific categories of people, but are tiered according to income. 1.00 pm But first, does the Senior Parliamentary Secretary agree that this is not the case for the Pioneer and Merdeka Generation who get additional subsidies regardless of their income status? So, can this be applied as well to PwDs? And second, does healthcare means-testing always take into account the many other expenses that PwDs incur for their daily living, which will lower their ability to pay for healthcare regardless of their family income?”
“Sir, I thank the Senior Minister of State for confirming that the Government does engage social media influencers. I have some supplementary questions. First, will the influencers engaged by the Government be required to declare, openly and clearly, within their posts, which agency is sponsoring their posts? And secondly, will this requirement be extended to social media influencers sponsored by election candidates or their political parties? Specifically, will this fall under the definition of "published by" or "on the candidate's behalf"?”
“Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stated in January 2024 that public health and not potential tobacco tax revenue loss were factors in banning e-cigarettes. I trust this principle will also apply to any Government decision on cohort smoking ban. A generational smoking ban is specifically designed to safeguard the future without imposing restrictions on current smokers. This forward-looking approach ensures that today's adults can make their own choices while laying the groundwork for a healthier legacy for their children and grandchildren. I urge the Government to implement a cohort smoking ban for all individuals in Singapore born on or after 2010. This will give us four years to prepare new smoking regulations before we see our first smoke-free generation for all children aged 14 and under today.”
“Sir, currently Pioneer Generation, Merdeka Generation and Public Assistance cardholders receive special subsidies under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). I would like to propose adding persons with disabilities or special needs as another group of Singaporeans to receive special subsidies under CHAS. They should also receive additional MediSave top-ups and more subsidies for intermediate and long-term care. All this will help persons with disabilities or special needs and their families to defray their medical expenses, which are likely to be larger over their lifetimes. I would also like to suggest that MOH track the number of individuals under CHAS who are persons with disabilities or special needs, so as to better understand the healthcare expenses and needs of this group of Singaporeans. Smoke-free Generation The healthcare costs and lost productivity caused by smoking in Singapore has been estimated to be at least $600 million a year. Singapore has one of the world's toughest anti-smoking laws. Yet, continuing to raise tobacco taxes and extending public smoking bans may start seeing diminishing returns. Stricter rules in public places have ironically driven smokers to light up at home or create informal smoking corners, harming their children's health and sparking neighbour complaints about second-hand smoke. In January 2023, MOH stated that it is reviewing international practices on cohort smoking bans. The United Kingdom (UK) plans to increase the minimum smoking age every year until eventually no person can illegally buy cigarettes. New Zealand initially implemented a cohort smoking ban, but the new Conservative Government revoked it to fund tax cuts.”
“Thank you, Sir. Sir, many footpaths were built before bicycles and PMDs became a popular mode of transport for work and recreation. I understand that the minimum footpath widths have been widened recently from 1.5 metres to 1.8 metres. Can I ask if there are plans to widen all existing footpaths, and if so, what is the timeline for this? Secondly, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary said that more audio announcements are going to be made to remind commuters to be more considerate. I appreciate the objective of this, but I urge the Ministry to not contribute to the din of loud announcements on MRT trains and platforms. So, can visual cues be used instead?”
“Madam, footpath safety is a concern for many of my residents. Accidents often occur along footpaths due to a lack of awareness and courtesy among pedestrians, cyclists and PMD users. Some of my residents have suffered severe injuries as a result. I call on the Ministry to conduct more public safety education for all footpath users. For instance, cyclists should be encouraged to sound their bell when they are some distance away from pedestrians to alert them of their approach and not wait until they are directly behind. Pedestrians should be educated to avoid suddenly changing direction without looking over their shoulders. Cyclists who disregard pedestrian safety should be taken to task. By promoting a culture of mutual respect and responsibility, we can make our footpaths safer and more pleasant for everyone. This is not only a matter of convenience but also of public health and social cohesion. Cycling Paths”
“Thank you, Chairman. Sir, to Minister Desmond Lee, regarding the changes to the staggered downpayment scheme, with the changes, home buyers will still need to make the same total downpayment before key collection, albeit with a smaller 2.5% initial downpayment. So, these enhancements do not actually reduce the price of the flat for young couples. So, has the Minister considered that these changes might actually result in more couples being unable to make the larger ballooned payments before key collection and then they will incur the penalties like losing the initial downpayment and being debarred for the one year before they can reapply for subsidised housing? [Next, Take 19] 3.00 pm To Senior Minister of State Sim Ann, can I confirm that the Senior Minister of State said that the replacement of the lift components I mentioned in my cut, the ARG, the main controller PCB, EBOPs and UPS can be expensed from the Lift Replacement Fund for existing lifts? Can MND publish an exhaustive list of lift components which can be paid for using the Lift Replacement Fund so that it is clear to all Town Councils?”
“These recommendations seek a more efficient balance between addressing current exigencies and future preparations, assuring all residents benefit from dependable lift and escalator facilities.”
“Mr Chairman, the Lift Replacement Fund was introduced during the 2017 amendment to the Town Council's Act. It addresses the substantial deferred costs associated with lift renewals in our ageing estates. This provision ensures minimum disruption due to lift breakdowns for our residents, notably the elderly, young children and those with mobility challenges. Nevertheless, the current apportionment of service and conservancy charges and Government grants, which is 26% to the Sinking Fund, 14% to the Lift Replacement Fund (LRF), may be precipitating a skewed emphasis towards the LRF. Looking at the 17 Town Council's latest annual reports, I noticed that for many of them, their LRF is expanding at a significantly faster pace compared to their Sinking Fund. The stipulated use of the LRF may be unduly restrictive. Currently, expensive lift components like their automatic rescue device, the main controller PCB, the emergency battery-operated power supply and the uninterrupted power supply can only utilise the Routine Fund, despite their considerable capital expense. Hence, I would like to put forth three proposals to MND: first, rebalance the funding distribution between the Sinking Fund and the LRF, slightly increasing the Sinking Fund's proportion and reducing the LRF's proportion; second, broaden the permissible applications of the LRF to encompass all lift components with a lifespan exceeding 10 years; and third, permit Town Councils to transfer funds between the LRF and Sinking Fund to fund necessary cyclical works without compromising the original intent of setting aside adequate reserves for the two funds.”
“Sir, can I ask the Senior Minister of State if the 80% to 85% coverage includes car parks in HDB estates? Some residents in my new estate in Tampines have reported some patchy coverage.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for sharing that the Ministry is starting to test-bed initiatives to professionalise skilled tradesperson for all trades, starting with electricians. Besides electricians, there are many other skilled trades and many of them are having an ageing workforce as well. Can I ask what is the Ministry's timeline to uplift all the trades? And a broader point of clarification is: is the Ministry tackling the problem of an ageing workforce, low wages, heavy reliance on foreign workers and lower interest in skilled trades among our young with sufficient urgency, or is the Ministry confident that we will continue to have a constant stream of young foreign workers to meet the manpower needs of industry?”
“Sir, the number of women aged 40 to 59 in the labour force has risen by 97,000 from 2012 to 2022. Many in this group of workers will be undergoing perimenopause, which can present various physical and emotional challenges that may impact their well-being and work performance. Awareness of the health-related impact of perimenopause on women's well-being does not seem be widespread in Singapore. The Straits Times, in a piece titled, "Is Singapore ready for menopause wave from a super ageing society?", interviewed women who quit their jobs or suffered through the pain at work. This loss of productivity may ultimately be costly to businesses and the economy, not to mention the human toll it takes on female workers. Based on a National University Hospital (NUH) study and extrapolating for the current mid-life working population, as many as 388,800 women may be bearing the ill-effects of perimenopause at work It is important for employers to recognise and accommodate these changes and foster a supportive work environment that addresses the unique needs of these women. It is notable that the United Kingdom (UK) and Australian Parliaments have convened Member of Parliament-led consultations to raise awareness nationally. In Singapore, we can start with incentives for women who turn 45 to seek pre-emptive check-ups and for those who need physiotherapy for their joint and muscle pain to either subsidise the treatment or give them time-off for it. If women are forced to cut short their working life during their menopause transition, their health and finances may worsen and our economy will lose out on their valuable contributions. This scenario is entirely preventable. Support for Caregivers”
“Sir, for avoidance of doubt, I declare that I am the director and shareholder of a company that provides technology solutions to training providers. Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for Skilled Tradesmen”
“Sir, there are approximately 186,000 craftsmen and trades workers in Singapore. Their median salary is $2,700 and their median age is 56 years. Over 70% are foreigners. The low wages, ageing workforce and heavy reliance on foreign labour in this crucial sector is concerning. I acknowledge the efforts by MOM, industry associations, unions and institutes of higher learning (IHLs) to professionalise these trades. However, attracting young Singaporeans remains a pressing challenge. To overcome this, we need to first boost societal respect for the skilled tradesperson, or "tradies", as they are affectionately called in Australia. Schools and trades associations can create greater public awareness about what tradies do. They are not all dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs. For example, licensed plumbers often do more supervision and inspections of plumbing works than the dirty work themselves. Young people who prefer working with their hands should be encouraged to consider skilled trades instead of forcing themselves to study an academic subject they have little interest in. Second, we need to lower the barriers for entry for Singaporeans to become licensed tradespersons. All courses and mentorship programmes leading to licensing should be more subsidised under SkillsFuture, even for workers under 40. And more places should be set aside for Singaporeans. Third, to raise incomes of skilled tradespersons, agencies must rigorously enforce regulations against unlicensed individuals performing tasks that are legally reserved for licensed tradespersons. This will uphold the required quality and safety standards and prevent licensed tradesperson's earnings from being unjustly undercut by unlicensed competitors.”
“Thank you, Sir. I have questions for Minister Maliki and Minister Chan. First, to Minister Chan. I would like to state that I support the discussion of sensitive national and international student issues in classrooms, and I would like to honour the teachers who took on this challenge to discuss this topic with their students. My question is, were there instances where the CCE lesson on the Israel-Hamas war was delivered lecture-style to several classes at the same time? If so, would MOE consider ensuring that CCE lessons on sensitive and controversial subjects are conducted in small classes, so there is more opportunity for discussion and dialogue not just between teachers and students, but also between students facilitated by the teacher? I appreciate the examples shared by Minister about the junior colleges, but can this be standardised across all the schools? Second, to Minister Maliki, I understand that MOE spends more money per student on SPED schools than in mainstream schools, but I am sure Minister Maliki appreciates that parents of students with special needs often have also higher medical expenses and intervention programme costs. So, in the interest of equity and inclusivity, can MOE move towards making all public school fees the same for both SPED and mainstream schools? I appreciate that in this Budget, it has been lowered to $90. But the gulf between $13 and $90 is still quite significant.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his reply. Just one supplementary question. Does the Senior Parliamentary Secretary agree that this response from the Government, in this case, will instil some fear in residents against sharing their worries with people who are genuinely trying to assist them and seeking to assist them?”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply. I assume he is answering the question that I filed for tomorrow as well. Sir, given that Singapore is such an attractive destination for marquee events, why is there even a need to give taxpayer-funded grants to attract them? And secondly, did the Government negotiate to make Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour the only blank space in Southeast Asia and did it realise that this may be perceived by some of our neighbours as being mean?”
“Mr Chairman, given the increasing demand for AI skills in the workforce, it is crucial to help our students develop not just good foundations and fundamental skills but also become proficient in using common AI tools. For example, all students need to be taught how to correctly input prompts into GenAI tools like ChatGPT to get their desired output. They also need to be taught how to check for hallucinations, avoid plagiarism and adhere to ethical and legal boundaries so that they can use these technologies safely and responsibly. I emphasise that this needs to be taught to all students, starting at the primary and early secondary levels and not just those who sign up for AI student outreach programmes or in individual schools on an ad hoc basis. More well-resourced families often enrol their children in AI enrichment classes to enhance their digital skills, while lower-income families have less access to them, creating a digital divide across socio-economic groups. Unequal access to AI education could exacerbate existing inequalities, leaving some ill-prepared for an AI-driven world. This is why we need to bridge this gap by making dedicated AI education a fundamental component of the national curriculum. We must also invest in more professional development for teachers to equip them with the skills to incorporate AI into the classrooms. Lastly, while AI tools are important, impassionate machines cannot replace an inspirational and empathetic teacher. Therefore, AI tools should always augment, not replace teachers. By doing so, we can combine technology and traditional learning to build a holistic and comprehensive educational experience for each student.”
“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. Can I ask a few supplementary questions? First, are the commuters charged the maximum fare twice, if they use the same device linked to the same SimplyGo account for tapping in and tapping out? Secondly, I understand the difficulties in doing the immediate reconciliation, but can this reconciliation be done in the backend so that even if they are charged twice, they can be refunded automatically without having to apply for the refund? Thirdly, from what I observed, I hear the Minister say that there are posters put up and I do notice those posters, but I notice that they are mostly only in English. Can they also be published in different languages so that all commuters are aware of this issue?”
“Second question is whether it is a requirement – if someone becomes a member of a foreign legislature, whether they must declare it themselves?”
“I thank the Minister for responding to my cut. I just have some clarifications for him. Firstly, each time MHA designates or intends to designate an individual as a PSP, will there always be a public announcement? If not, is the Minister able to share if there are other individuals designated as PSPs, that have not been publicly announced? Secondly, is there a requirement for every Singaporean who becomes a member of a foreign legislature or foreign political organisation to declare it to MHA at each instance?”
“Mdm Chair, recently Mr Philip Chan, a Singaporean businessman and former People's Association grassroots leader, was designated by MHA as a politically significant person (PSP) under the Foreign Interference Countermeasures Act, or FICA. MHA said that Mr Chan had shown susceptibility to be influenced by foreign actors and willingness to advance their interests. 4.15 pm I understand that there are other Singapore residents who are publicly known to be associated with foreign political organisations, but have not been designated as PSPs. Therefore, I would like to request for more details of the Ministry's criteria for designating PSPs. How does the Ministry assess the risk of foreign interference and the public interest in applying FICA's measures to PSPs? What are the factors that distinguish Mr Chan from other persons who engage in similar activities but who are not designated as PSPs? Madam, I understand the Ministry might be reluctant to be too transparent about the criteria to prevent people from circumventing FICA's provisions, however, MHA should provide better guidance to the public on where the out of bound markers are, so they can avoid becoming unwitting agents of foreign influence and interference. Long-Term Visit Pass”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for responding to my cut. The Senior Minister of State said that NS is a duty to country and is not employment. However, does the Senior Minister of State agree that the two are not mutually exclusive? For example, SAF regulars, they are both employees and they are also serving their national duty. But that does not detract in any way their sense of national duty. I want to emphasise that I do support NS, but I feel that NS pay should better reflect the realities of the opportunity costs that NSmen have to incur.”
“Mr Chairman, NS is an obligation that every male Singaporean or second-generation Permanent Resident (PR) must fulfil. However, it is undeniably an opportunity cost that is disproportionately levied upon one segment of society. Due to NS, Singaporean men begin their careers two years behind their female peers, first-generation PRs, new citizens and foreigners. NS poses a significant challenge for aspiring professional athletes, disrupting their training and competition during their peak performance years, and hindering their world-class aspirations. The current philosophy of giving NSFs an "allowance for basic upkeep" needs to be reviewed in view of the significant increase in cost of living and NSFs' opportunity costs. As a first step, the terminology should be changed from "NS allowance" to "NS salary", and it should attract CPF contributions. The median NS salary should be at least the Local Qualifying Salary of $1,600 a month. This still would not be a market salary, but it will go some way to compensate NSFs for the opportunity cost of two years of service and help them contribute a little to their household income. I must emphasise that this does not in any way diminish the ethos of NS – just because we pay our NSFs fairly does not mean their service is any less of a national duty. SkillsFuture@NS”