Grace Fu Hai Yien
Singapore
“The Government takes a multi-pronged approach to address the disamenities from second-hand tobacco smoke. The National Environment Agency (NEA) works with Government agencies, Town Councils and community leaders to promote considerate behaviour and strengthen social norms.”
“The Government recently announced land-use changes in Lim Chu Kang to optimise our scarce land to meet our growing and evolving needs. We are at the initial planning stage and agencies are still working out the detailed development proposals.”
“Public Waste Collectors and Town Councils have trialled the collection and treatment of segregated food waste from households. However, participation rates are poor despite regular engagement and reminders.”
“The quality of incense offerings and the practice of burning incense are not regulated by law. Instead, the National Environment Agency (NEA) works with stakeholders, such as Town Councils, agencies and religious organisations, to encourage responsible burning of joss paper and incense.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) monitors public cleaning contractors through regular physical audits and remote monitoring, complemented by video analytics. NEA also regularly assesses the cleaning quality and outcomes of public cleaning contractors.”
“This question has been addressed in the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s combined answer to Question Nos 15 to 18 on the Order Paper for 7 July 2026. [Please refer to "National Recycling Rates, Plans and Targets", Official Report, 7 July 2026, Vol 96, Issue 32, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
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“15 pm Today, our ActiveSG Sports Centres work with the grassroots organisations to co-create sporting activities for the community. I am glad to hear that Mr Henry Kwek endorses our ActiveSG programmes and I assure him that we will be enhancing the programme at our sporting spaces. We hope to sustain this momentum with our ActiveSG Academies and Clubs. Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Darryl David asked about the status and future plans of the Academies and Clubs. Since 2016, we have launched 10 ActiveSG Academies and Clubs, reaching out to about 25,000 participants. Besides offering affordable and structured programmes for our children, they also bring families, neighbours and sports enthusiasts from all backgrounds together. Take the ActiveSG Football Academy (AFA) Dads, for example. Here they are. This group of fathers, in their 30s to 50s, meets regularly while accompanying their children for classes at the ActiveSG Football Academy at Bedok. They come from different backgrounds – real estate agents, drivers, business owners, civil servants – but their love for football connected them. They formed a team of their own representing the Bedok Sports Centre and started playing together. They are not alone. We now have six teams in Bedok, Woodlands, Clementi, Tampines, Serangoon and Jurong East. At a recent ActiveSG Football Academy end-of-season festival, besides the children, the AFA Dads had their own tournament, too! I am pleased to share that we will roll out more Academies and Clubs in sports, such as aquatics, canoeing, dance fit, gymnastics, martial arts, table tennis, volleyball and youth sports. Another initiative, launched in 2016, is GetActive!, a nationwide sporting event that unites Singaporeans in celebration of our nation’s birthday. For GetActive!”
“The intimate setting provided a safe space for these youths, some of whom may be more reserved to have deeper conversations on their hopes and aspirations. At the end of the session, through the task of putting up a short skit, 18-year-old Asri Aziz and his group discovered that they share a common vision of strengthening community bonds and celebrating multiculturalism. They showed fellow participants how our hawker centres provide a common space for people from all walks of life to share food and create shared experiences. After the event, Asri said, “I realised that there are other youths just like me, who dream for a better Singapore together.” We will continue to try different methods of engagement, such as hackathons and Citizen’s Jury. Youths can also learn ways of crowdsourcing and co-creating ideas with the community. Aside from face-to-face conversations, we are also bringing these conversations online. We will use technology to stay relevant and connected with our youths. We will be developing a digital platform that can facilitate real-time conversations across large online communities and enable participants to build and sustain connections with one another. Dialogue is a good way to bring people together. Inclusive programmes and shared spaces are another. Just as Mr Henry Kwek shared earlier, sport has been a powerful platform for social mixing. Eight in 10 Singaporeans agree that sport has provided an ideal platform for them to socialise with people of a different background. With the launch of ActiveSG in 2014, we saw an expansion of everyday sporting opportunities for all Singaporeans to participate and bond through sport. We now have close to 1.4 million ActiveSG members on board. 1.”
“So, my Ministry will kickstart the Youth Conversations in April this year to bring them together. Through conversation and dialogue, we hope that our youths will be informed on important issues, listen to one another’s views, negotiate differences and find new solutions together and with the Government. How will the Youth Conversations be different from previous consultations? First, we will be sharing more policy thoughts and considerations with our youths. We will listen more to understand our youths' views, concerns and aspirations. We will provide more support for our youths in generating and implementing their ideas. For a start, my Ministry will work with fellow Government agencies to identify areas of interest to our youths. Whether it is about protecting our environment or creating job opportunities in the future economy, we want to address important issues that are on the minds of our youths. We will also invite youths to propose topics that they would like to discuss and be engaged on. Second, we are experimenting with different and novel modes of engagement. Participants can expect the conversations to be more candid and interactive. The conversations should broaden their horizons. This will be a platform where youths meet not just like-minded peers but also make new friends who may come from different backgrounds and hold different beliefs and perspectives. For example, just last month, we brought together 38 youths from different schools and IHLs to participate in Project Hope and Home. In small groups, youths shared candidly about what “hope and home” meant to them and came up with ideas on how to build a better Singapore.”
“For instance, riding on the success of Ask Me Anything (Islam) series, we have brought in more partners, in collaboration with religious organisations, to run the Ask Me Anything (Buddhism) Series, and the Ask Me Anything (Christianity) series. Our partners on the Ask Me Anything series will also produce online content, such as articles and videos related to the conferences, so that information can be shared with those who did not attend the events. By bridging potential tensions and social divides within Singapore, we stand a better chance in combating the threat of terrorism. In line with our national SGSecure movement against terrorism, we established the SGSecure Community Network (SGCN) last year. The network will reach out to, connect with, and build crisis management capabilities in all religious organisations. This network will go beyond the 1,500 member-strong IRCCs to include those that are not members. These efforts will strengthen cohesion, trust and resilience in peacetime so that, collectively, we are able to protect our communities and bounce back in a crisis. Going forward, we will deepen our engagement and build stronger ties with these religious organisations, as well as expand our outreach to the wider religious community. As Ms Rahayu Mahzam and Ms Sun Xueling emphasised, it is important to engage our youths on key policy issues. Our youths are our future. They will be the ones bringing Singapore forward. Our youths are also our present. They have much to give to the here and now. Our surveys show that our youths are proud to be Singaporean and are committed to the country. Many are willing and able to step up, take action and work with one another or with Government on ideas and projects that will take us forward.”
“Singaporeans are willing to accept differences in cultural and religious beliefs, views and practices, even though they may not agree with them. Yet, many Singaporeans still feel uncomfortable discussing issues related to race and religion, for fear of causing offence. Such inhibitions can breed ignorance which, in turn, can fuel prejudices and divides in our society. In a global climate of growing intolerance, it is important that we bridge this knowledge gap. And that is why we introduced BRIDGE in March last year, to facilitate and support community-led initiatives that use dialogue to deepen understanding on sensitive issues of race and religion. Since its launch, we have reached out to over 5,000 participants ranging from religious and community leaders to youths and working professionals. One example is "Ask Me Anything", a series of conferences to deepen understanding of specific religions amongst believers of other faiths. The Ask Me Anything (Islam) series run by the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) kicked off with success. Participants asked questions about Islam, which were addressed in small group settings and panel discussions. The conference provided a platform for healthy dialogue, where questions were civilly raised and honestly answered. It proved that we can have honest, healthy and frank discussions on matters of faith. Our focus for the coming year is to ensure that we grow and sustain this culture where Singaporeans engage one another on sensitive topics. To do so, we will scale up projects that have the potential to reach wider audiences and also expand outreach through social media.”
“In his reply to a recent Parliamentary Question (PQ), the Prime Minister shared that Singapore's Gini coefficient has fallen over a 10-year period. IPS studied the diversity of our social networks and whether we were mixing with people different from ourselves. It found that people tend to have networks with people of similar school background and type of housing. This is not unexpected. We connect with people whom we went to school with, and those who move in the same social circles. Importantly, the study also found that respondents were able to name people in occupations ranging from low to medium to high status and prestige. Most Singaporeans also had friends who were of a different race or religion. Many respondents and their neighbours helped one another with house matters. Singaporeans are meeting and making friends with people from different walks of life. Mr Alex Yam and Mr Henry Kwek highlighted the importance of social mixing as our society becomes more diverse. There will be fault lines in any society. What matters is that we do not let that divide us, and we grow the common spaces where we encounter and connect with one another. A key finding of the IPS study was that participation in sports, arts and volunteer activities, in addition to schools and workplaces, promotes social interaction and integration across groups, and these are precisely the areas where MCCY has been working hard at to nurture social cohesion. At MCCY, we will continue to expand the common space for interactions and shared experiences across different social groups, through honest dialogues, shared spaces and inclusive programmes. Let me first explain what we do in the area of racial and religious relations. We are a nation that prides itself on its racial and religious diversity.”
“As part of Our Treasures, we will showcase more museum collections and exhibitions that resonate with our people and encourage a strong museum-going culture. These three themes will be supported by enhanced digital touchpoints, more ground-up heritage projects and expanded outreach to Our Communities. Everyone in the community can play a part in keeping our shared heritage alive and vibrant. I am pleased to announce that we have ratified the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage on 22 February 2018. As a member state, we will work towards listing an element on the UNESCO Representative List. In the coming months, we will continue our conversations with the community to uncover the intangibles that resonate with Singaporeans. Senior Minister of State Sim Ann and Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng will lead some of these engagements. In addition, we will also be making changes to the relevant legislation within the next two years to better support the preservation of both our tangible and intangible heritage, and to safeguard our archaeological history more effectively. We will share more details at the Singapore Heritage Festival next month. Knowing what we have in common is not enough to build a strong society. We also need to have meaningful interactions with one another, especially with those different from us. This is easier said than done. People naturally gravitate towards those who share the same background, convictions or opinions. Mr Faisal Manap, and earlier Ms Jessica Tan and Mr Amrin Amin spoke about the recent Study on Social Capital in Singapore by IPS on concerns of a growing class divide. Contrary to what some may assume, inequality has reduced in Singapore, more so if Government transfers are included.”
“00 pm Mr Kok Heng Leun spoke about the need to take stock of what we have achieved under ACSR and our plans going forward. We have made significant achievements under ACSR in developing an arts and culture landscape which has brought more value to Singapore and Singaporeans. But we do not intend to rest on our laurels and will continue to enhance our efforts through sectoral plans for the performing arts, literary and visual arts. Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng will share more about these plans. Mr Kok Heng Leun and Mr Alex Yam asked how we are safeguarding our heritage to strengthen our identity. I agree with Mr Kok Heng Leun that our history is an important part of what makes us Singaporean and is expressed through our arts, culture and heritage. This year, we will kickstart the first five-year instalment of Our SG Heritage Plan, our first long-term comprehensive national masterplan to safeguard and promote our shared heritage for future generations. Sixty-six million dollars have been set aside to implement this plan. Over the past two years, we have reached out to 34,000 Singaporeans from all walks of life for their views on our heritage plans. We are heartened by the widespread support for the Heritage Plan and its four themes of work: Our Places, Our Cultures, Our Treasures and Our Communities. Under Our Places, we will develop strategies to better preserve our tangible heritage, to ensure we balance heritage considerations in development plans at an early stage. We will also enhance measures to better safeguard Our Cultures, our traditions, rituals, festivals and food that make up our intangible cultural heritage. They are the thread of continuity that connects our present to the past, and that must be safeguarded and extended into the future.”
“Singaporeans' engagement in the arts, heritage and sports has grown. Seventy-eight percent attended at least one arts and culture activity in 2015, and 61% participated in sports regularly in 2016. Both increased from just over 40% in 2011. Volunteerism and philanthropy have also grown. Our volunteerism rate doubled from 18% in 2014 to 35% in 2016, and donations increased by over $200 million, from $2.5 billion in 2013 to $2.7 billion in 2015. Nine in 10 Singaporeans are satisfied with race and religion relations. Well over 90% are proud to be a Singaporean and think of Singapore as their Home. This is the business of MCCY. It is about building a home we are anchored to, cared for and feel proud of. It is about making home a place where we can lead fulfilled lives and pursue our dreams. What we do goes to the heart of the nation, because home is where the heart is. This year, MCCY will focus on partnering Singaporeans in building a home where we share memories, values and aspirations; a home where we respect, understand and trust one another; and a home where we care and look out for one another. Our nation's diversity is growing, whether in terms of nationality, affiliation or belief. This growing diversity can be a source of creativity, vibrancy and innovation. But it can only be a strength if we are united and share a common purpose that is bigger than our differences. Binding a diverse nation means emphasising shared identities we have across colour, creed or class lines, based on our shared heritage, values and aspirations for the future. Through the arts and heritage, we celebrate our diversity by understanding where we come from, appreciating who we are and our place in the world. 1.”
“We introduced free entry to museums and cultural institutions and kickstarted ActiveSG for Singaporeans from all walks of life to have greater access to the arts, heritage and sports. The year 2015 was our Golden Jubilee, and SG50 saw many highlights, such as the inscription of the much-loved Singapore Botanic Gardens as our first United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, the opening of the National Gallery and hosting of the 28th SEA Games and 8th ASEAN Para Games. We grew audiences in the arts and heritage through broad-based festivals and programmes, such as the Singapore Night Festival and the Heritage Festival, as well as high-quality platforms, such as the Singapore Art Week. Together with the SHINE Festival for youths, as well as GetActive! Singapore, which includes the Singapore National Games and Inclusive Sports Festival, we united our nation in celebration. In engaging our community and youth, we created new platforms for dialogue and interaction, such as SGfuture and BRIDGE. We also provided support for ground-up initiatives and volunteerism through Our Singapore Fund, Harmony Fund, Youth Corps Singapore, and Company of Good so that more Singaporeans can contribute to our community. We made significant investments in new and refurbished facilities for culture, community, youth and sports. These include the National Gallery Singapore, Indian Heritage Centre, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, National Museum of Singapore, HeartBeat@Bedok and OBS@Coney campus. We set up the Cultural Matching Fund (CMF) and the One Team Singapore Fund (OTSF) to encourage shared ownership in growing our cultural and sports sectors. Our efforts have borne fruit.”
“MCCY was formed just over five years ago at a time when we were starting to see the emergence of new fault lines and a more fractious global environment. Today, global forces continue to pull at the fabric of societies. Globalisation is creating wider opportunity, but also economic dislocation. This has fuelled discontent among those left behind and a rising mood of nativism. The Internet is offering people a broader reach, more choice over what to pay attention to and what to filter out, resulting in online echo chambers that polarise society. We see people retreating into insular communities based on their faith, ethnicity, status or ideology. The key challenge for us, therefore, is how we can strengthen our social fabric and solidarity in the face of these forces, so that we remain resilient in turbulent times. Only a united Singapore can withstand the headwinds we will face in the future. In confronting this challenge, we will be building on strong foundations. Over the last 50 years, we have grown a shared sense of national identity that anchors every Singaporean, so that we can stand fast in the face of change, and stride confidently into the future as a nation. Since the formation of MCCY five years ago, we have been working tirelessly to build the three "Cs" that are the cornerstones of a strong society – a Caring people, a Cohesive Society and a Confident nation. As Dr Lim Wee Kiak noted, through our work in the arts, heritage, sports, volunteerism, youth and community sectors, we have made good progress over the years. We have developed a vibrant cultural, community, sports and youth landscape.”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to thank all the Members who have spoken on the work of MCCY. With your permission, I would like to distribute handouts and display some slides.”
“So, I misunderstood earlier. I thought that Ms Lim has admitted that those were her suspicion and that she would retract it. But that being the case, I must say that we are deeply disappointed. For someone of her experience should accuse the Government for lack of candour, even though the facts had been explained to her clearly, both in the public domain in statements made by MOF as well as here, by the Minister for Finance. I would like to say that her conduct falls well short of the standards of integrity and honourable conduct we expect of all Members, and, regrettably, to say that it reflects the low standards which the Member and her Party have set for themselves with regard to commitment to truthful and honest debate in Parliament. I repeat again – it is expected of us to bring our views forth here. It is expected of us to debate. But if the facts were wrong, and we have said that the facts were wrong, we had not had this plan of floating a balloon, only to retract after public pressure, that is just not existent, it is a figment of her imagination, she continues with this accusation, which is deeply disappointing and deplorable.”
“I would just like a clarification. Does Ms Lim not retract her allegation?”
“In this Chamber, we often make representations and bring forth the views from our constituents, from our stakeholders. This is expected of us. We are MPs; most of us are elected to do so, to be the voice of the people. We are fully expected to do so, there is nothing wrong with it. But we have a responsibility when we bring this matter to this place. Because this Chamber is for serious debate, is for making laws, is where we have serious discussions about the future of Singapore. So, before we bring the opinions, the speculations, the views, the unhappiness, to this Chamber, we need to check the facts. Ms Lim has admitted that she did not do so in the first instance. But having said so, after she has brought the matter here, we have laid down the facts to her. The Finance Minister had plainly said that there was not such an intention. And yet, she continued to insist on that allegation. That is the matter that we are discussing here. And this is the difference between what we say in this Chamber and what economists, analysts say outside this Chamber. We have a duty to fellow Members, we have a duty to fellow Singaporeans that whatever we say here carries responsibility. And this also is the standard that the Prime Minister has said earlier.”
“They are not entitled to make unsubstantiated allegations without taking steps to check the facts or knowingly maintain the allegations they have been shown to have no factual basis. Unlike her colleague Non-Constituency MP Leon Perera, who both withdrew and apologised to this House for making misleading statements in a recent case, Ms Lim has refused to apologise. By so refusing, her conduct falls short of the standard of integrity and honour expected of all Members. I must, therefore, put the hon Member on notice and the rest of the House, too, that if she repeats such dishonourable conduct and abuse Parliamentary Privilege, I would refer the matter to the Committee of Privileges.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Ms Sylvia Lim for admitting that she had made a suspicion, although she has said that she has not accused the Government of dishonesty. But let me put the facts here. She made the accusation, she made the statement in the House. At that time, she did not have the facts with her. The Minister for Finance put the facts squarely before the House, inviting her to question as a witness. She did not make any attempt to do that. So, here you are, Minister for Finance, together with the Prime Minister with Deputy Prime Minister, putting their statements, explaining to the House their plans all along, they had been thinking about it, in the long run, planning for tax increases for the next decade. And you have an MP coming here to make statements that basically accuse them of doing otherwise. Ms Lim is saying that the Government is saying one thing in public but planning secretly to do another. So, I am disappointed that she has failed to apologise to the House for making these false allegations. The allegations have, indeed, harmed and tarnished the reputations of other Members, namely, the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat, because she has put questions, she has not withdrawn the allegations, she has not apologised. I think the privilege that Parliamentarians enjoy come with responsibility, that whatever we say here, if you do not have the facts, you should check them, and having checked so, you should consider whether the remarks have, indeed, hurt the integrity of the Members. And I put to the House that, indeed, they have. So, I would just like to remind Members of the House that they may not abuse this privilege to misrepresent facts or mislead Parliament.”
“If you are an outgoing individual with time to spare, you can volunteer as a befriender to visit him monthly and check out how he is doing. If you cannot volunteer regularly, you can still help with ad hoc tasks, such as buying groceries or changing a light bulb. You can be alerted to these tasks through a tasking app if you live or work nearby. If you are volunteering as part of your company's CSR, you can be on the "Meals-on-Wheels" roster and help deliver meals to him. Or if you happen to be his neighbour, you can just drop by his home once in a while, to say "Hi" and to see if he needs any help. Sir, my colleagues in MOH, MSF and MCCY are working together so that our social and healthcare agencies provide better coordinated services in partnership with the SSOs on the ground. Just as importantly, we seek to enable fellow Singaporeans to step forward as caring citizens and good neighbours to bridge that last mile of care that only family, friends and community can provide. At the end of the day, SG Cares is about the kind of society we wish to live in. We believe that a strong society is one that leaves no one behind and one that focuses on helping the vulnerable amongst us. A strong society is one where the civic spirit is strong and where citizens contribute to causes they believe in. MCCY has been working to mobilise volunteers through the arts, heritage, youth and sport through initiatives, such as Team Nila, SportCares, HeritageCares and the Youth Corps. Through SG Cares, we seek to build a civic culture of care, consideration and contribution where all Singaporeans can work together for a better Singapore.”
“It receives referrals from grassroots networks and the SSO on seniors who require support, links up with partner organisations, refers residents to service providers, and mobilises community organisations and support. Partners, such as St Luke's ElderCare, provides rehabilitation programmes; Touch Community Services ensures regular home visits and provides services, such as counselling and transitional care from the hospital; and Thye Hua Kwan offers recreational activities and courses to keep the senior engaged and connected with the community. Loving Heart also engages volunteers from partner schools nearby to help in the Centre's activities. The SG Cares movement has helped to bring these stakeholders together to map out the needs, roles, resources and areas where we need more volunteers. By combining our efforts and resources, we have a better picture of the needs in each community and how the various partners can work together to provide more seamless and citizen-centric support. Say, for example, a senior who has difficulty walking and living on his own is discharged from the hospital. Understanding that the senior will require home medical and nursing care, a Medical Social Worker at the hospital refers him to the AIC, which gets him connected with the CNS. A CNS coordinator will link up with the SSO and various SSOs in his neighbourhood to provide coordinated assistance and support services to the senior. However, the CNS, SSO and other SSOs cannot address all his needs on their own. This is where we, as neighbours and volunteers, can step up and play our part. Everyone can contribute. You do not need money, special skills or a lot of time. You just need a good heart.”
“Technology has made it easy and convenient for us to provide quick help, collaborate and form community. We will study how to harness the power of technology for social good and provide a one-stop avenue that Dr Lily Neo spoke about, where Singaporeans, especially those with the desire to help but do not know where or how to start, can easily find volunteering opportunities. The recently launched SG Cares app is a good start. It is a free mobile app that enables everyone to be plugged into the community of volunteers and opportunities. We will continue to enhance the application to provide a good user experience and build a social network where volunteers can share experiences, learn from one another and serve the community together. With technology, we can reach out to show we care, at the touch of our fingertips. Dr Lim Wee Kiak spoke about the good work that many are doing on the ground. We are fortunate to have many helping hands in the community. But, as Minister Heng Swee Keat aptly puts it, "our many helping hands need to work hand-in-hand." Under SG Cares, one role for the Government is to facilitate better coordination among the various helping hands NVPC, NCSS, social and healthcare organisations, corporates and the community so that we can mobilise volunteers to meet needs on the ground. To do this, we have set up pilots in Bedok and Jurong East to bring partners together to co-develop coordination models that can be replicated in other towns. In Jurong East, various stakeholders work together to serve the seniors in different ways. They are supported by a network of SSOs with a central coordinator, in this case, Loving Heart Multi Service Centre.”
“With a good understanding of the needs on the ground as well as their network of community partners, the CDCs can help to connect corporates to local CSR opportunities. Ms Tin Pei Ling also reminded us of the need to organise volunteer opportunities better so that busy Singaporeans can just "plug and play", making it convenient to do good. Community needs can be made bite-sized and flexible, so that more Singaporeans can get involved whatever their skills, interests and commitments in their current life stage. 1.15 pm We are seeing an increasing trend of micro-volunteerism in Singapore – volunteerism broken into discrete tasks with flexible commitments, allowing on-the-go Singaporeans to slot doing good into their busy schedules. We are studying the landscape and will work with partners to explore new ways to organise tasks that will enable neighbours to help one another and take care of their neighbourhood. This will enable more Singaporeans to be involved and feel a greater sense of ownership for the community they live in. Additionally, the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) has been working with SSOs to restructure roles, ensuring that they are both suitable for volunteers and meet the needs of the community. NCSS is also helping SSOs build up capabilities to manage their volunteers well and deploy them meaningfully so that they feel that they are not "just another volunteer" but someone who is making a difference to the community. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked about the use of technology to support people in nurturing a caring civic culture. Today, about 50% of Singaporeans are already familiar with online giving, and 25% actively support charitable social media campaigns.”
“But through organised CSR activities that are scheduled around our work commitments, we can continue to do our part. One example is the partnership between the Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) and NTUC Health. NTUC Health is a social enterprise that provides health and eldercare services. POSB, as we know, is a bank with a network of branches. By adopting flexible volunteer hours and matching employees to an NTUC Health nursing home close to the POSB branches they work at, this partnership saw POSB employees conducting bi-weekly activities, such as morning exercise therapy and breakfast with residents, at NTUC Health nursing homes. This has brought joy to the residents and helped POSB employees grow a sense of pride in their company and a sense of compassion for our frail elderly. We will continue to help companies in their CSR journey, through the Company of Good, a programme by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) to help companies give more strategically, sustainably and meaningfully. Since its inception, close to 1,000 companies have come on board. As part of this programme, we will grow corporate leaders for giving under the Company of Good Fellowship. In this five-month programme, corporate giving advocates across companies come together to share good practices and develop proposals for more impactful corporate giving. One participating corporate is Fullerton Hotel. Putting its proposal into action, it launched the Fullerton Academy last month. The Academy mobilises hotel staff and partners as volunteers to provide training for youths from REACH Community Services in areas, such as culinary, etiquette and creative arts, that will help prepare them for future employment. We will also work through the Community Development Councils (CDCs).”
“As Ms Tin Pei Ling shared, there are many passionate Singaporeans volunteering, whether through formal or informal ways. Yet, there are also many others who are willing but do not know where, who or how to help. Some may not know what the available volunteering opportunities are or where the needs are in their local community. Some may only have little time to give because of work and family commitments. Others could be too shy to approach neighbours who seem to need help. These are some of the barriers that stop us from reaching out to help and do our part. Through SG Cares, we hope to break down these barriers. We want to create a society where everyone both gives and receives the care and support they need. We want Singaporeans to enjoy a culture of neighbourliness and rekindle the 'kampung spirit' within our communities. My colleagues and I believe this is possible if we all do our part to help our neighbours, nurture our youths and serve our seniors, so that no one is left behind. As part of the SG Cares movement, my Ministry will work through corporates and the community while leveraging technology to make it easier and more meaningful for a person to volunteer. We will focus our efforts on encouraging corporate Singapore to step forward and do its part. As Dr Lim Wee Kiak pointed out, corporates must be key players in the field of volunteerism. Many of us spend significant hours at work and want to work with a company that does good for society. Corporates have the ability to organise and mobilise their employees for social good through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Once we leave school and enter the workforce, we volunteer a lot less often because there are other competing priorities.”
“Many Singaporeans agree that Singapore is a caring and cohesive society but there is still much more that we can do to be a caring people. MCCY will work with community and corporate partners, along with MSF and MOH, to support SG Cares. In line with Dr Lily Neo's suggestion, we want to foster a culture of consideration and contribution, where every citizen is ready to step forward, engage in service to others, and contribute to build a better home for all Singaporeans. Our PG embodies this spirit of giving. When Singapore was finding its feet as a young nation, they made sacrifices to build a better future for all. They exemplified the kampung spirit so vital to nation-building. Today, many are still doing their part to help fellow Singaporeans. Take 73-year-old Mdm Jumiah Yunos, for example. Recognising that seniors tend to stay at home most of the time, Mdm Jumiah started giving qigong lessons in 2013 to promote healthy living in her neighbourhood. She takes what she has learnt from her qigong master and teaches a group of up to 50 residents in easy-to-follow qigong exercises. With her nursing experience, she also shares tips for healthy living with them. Mdm Jumiah’s qigong lessons have encouraged neighbours to bond and stay active together. This is so useful for the elderly as it is right in their neighbourhood, and it is an ideal way for seniors to keep active in their retirement age. We want this giving spirit to be passed on to each succeeding generation. To support MSF's efforts to enhance social service delivery on the ground through its SSOs and MOH's expansion of CNS and repositioned SGO, we now need more volunteers than ever to address our growing social and healthcare needs.”
“Mr Chairman, with your permission, I will display some slides.”
“Besides LIP, MSO has also worked with our partner agencies to develop escalation mechanisms so that conflicting demands or constraints among the agencies do not result in undue delays in the planning, development and maintenance of connectivity-related infrastructure. This will help to bridge the gap and support our agencies in meeting local infrastructure needs of residents more responsively. To conclude, municipal service delivery has made significant progress. Leveraging the combined efforts of Government agencies, Town Councils and residents, MSO has worked to reduce overlaps and duplications, plug gaps in the municipal landscape and deliver better living experiences for our residents. MSO will continue to facilitate collaboration, build capabilities and harness technology, so as to enable the delivery of cost-effective and quality municipal services for residents and a better living environment for all.”
“However, MSO wants to move even more upstream, by improving processes at the planning and design stage. Good planning and design make our municipal infrastructure cheaper to upkeep in the long run. For a start, MSO and NEA are working with infrastructure agencies, in consultation with the Town Councils, to establish design specifications and guidelines that will facilitate cleaning operations, including automated cleaning operations. The guidelines on the design of new public infrastructure will make them easier to clean and support mechanisation efforts by cleaning contractors. Beyond cleaning, MSO is also looking at how to improve processes to facilitate timely and efficient responses to local infrastructure requests. While there are well-established funding schemes, such as LTA’s Walk2Ride Scheme, and MND's Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP), funding gaps for small-scale infrastructure at the local level do exist from time to time. MSO has thus piloted a small funding scheme to plug this gap. Some 140 infrastructure requests were received for the pilot. These are small-scale but nevertheless important requests that make a positive difference to residents’ daily living, such as having handrails up a footbridge crossing Geylang River, and lightings along a footpath near Punggol Point Light Rail Transit (LRT) station. With the success of the pilot, MSO will be launching the Local Infrastructure Projects (LIP) scheme for small-scale local infrastructure on state land in 2018. For a start, the LIP scheme will have an initial budget of $3.6 million for the next two years.”
“Going forward, MSO will also incorporate data collected from relevant elements of our Smart Nation infrastructure, such as sensors, to further enhance our analysis of problem areas and move upstream to better anticipate the needs of our residents. MSO has also introduced the OS Portal, which aggregates municipal information for residents. This includes information from diverse sources which are of interest to residents, such as block washing schedules, e-waste recycling points and HDB's Welcome Parties. Our goal is to transform the OS channels into a one-stop community platform that can meet residents' diverse municipal needs. In the coming year, besides providing feedback and accessing information, residents will also be able to use the OS channels to perform transactions, participate in community events and give their feedback and comments on local improvement programmes to help co-create their living environment. In the long term, we hope to make the OS channels a one-stop platform to address their municipal needs comprehensively. Through the use of digital technology, MSO aims to bring about greater convenience to our residents and also to make it easier for residents to engage with Government agencies and Town Councils and actively participate in shaping their living environment. As MSO works with our partners to improve the effectiveness of our solutions and platforms, we also work with Government agencies to improve productivity and cost efficiency. This is especially important in the manpower-lean environment today. Mr Baey Yam Keng asked if there is scope for greater integration in the area of cleaning between the work of Government agencies and Town Councils in order to achieve greater efficiency. That is a good suggestion, which MSO will study.”
“Moving forward, MSO will continue to engage our residents and stakeholders to identify more of such grey areas where we can improve coordination and support the agencies and Town Councils in their efforts to serve residents better. As we improve processes, we also need to ensure that our platforms and solutions continue to meet residents’ evolving needs. Mr Ong had asked about the take-up of the OneService (OS) platforms to date and plans to use the platform to better reach out to our residents. In 2017 alone, the number of registered users and cases submitted grew by 43% and 100% respectively, reaching 114,000 registered users and 153,000 cases submitted. This is the result of MSO constantly improving the OS platforms to better serve the needs of our residents. We introduced the OS App in 2015. Back then, it had six reporting categories and allowed residents to report municipal issues to Government agencies. Today, this has expanded to eleven categories, covering not just municipal issues under the purview of Government agencies, but also those of Town Councils and even private entities. For example, the Facilities in HDB Estates and Shared Bicycles categories introduced last year allow members of the public to report municipal issues in HDB estates to the Town Councils, and indiscriminately parked Shared Bicycles to bike operators. This makes it more convenient for residents to report on issues they encounter and also enable Government agencies and Town Councils to collect data more systematically to guide future planning and operations through studying trends and analysing hotspots.”
“The area was earmarked for future public housing development and, hence, the staircase had to be planned with future developments in mind. NParks dealt with the presence of high-tension cables underground by using lightweight precast slabs to minimise deep excavation works. A ramp was also thoughtfully added at the side of the staircase for cyclists to access the Park Connector. There are many of such examples, which illustrate how our agencies are working well together and addressing residents’ needs holistically. While we see more of such efforts, there remain municipal issues falling in grey areas where MSO can play a role to help. As Mr Ong Teng Koon had rightly pointed out, MSO focuses heavily on improving interagency processes which are not apparent to the public. Pigeon-related nuisance is one such example. Town Councils oversee the cleaning of common areas, AVA takes enforcement action against pigeon feeders, while NEA takes enforcement action in instances where high-rise littering is involved. Residents' Committees (RCs) of the People's Association (PA) are often roped in to counsel the feeders. These agencies work together in order for pigeon-related issues to be resolved holistically. To support their efforts, MSO has helped to formulate end-to-end workflows to clarify roles and responsibilities and tighten coordination in their handling of such pigeon-related nuisance. Similar processes have also been developed by MSO for other complex issues, including animal hoarding, involving AVA, HDB, NEA, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and social welfare agencies; and the management of outdoor display areas, involving Town Councils and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to thank Members Mr Ong Teng Koon and Mr Baey Yam Keng for their interest in MSO's work. Every day, Government agencies and Town Councils receive some 3,000 feedback on municipal issues from residents. Most of them are straightforward and dealt with quickly. A good number require multiple agencies to work together to resolve them. These issues could range from the provision and maintenance of local infrastructure, such as footpaths and railings across different land boundaries, to complex problems, such as hoarding of items in HDB flats. MSO was formed three years ago to improve coordination for these cross-cutting issues. To Mr Ong Teng Koon's query, I am pleased to report that good progress had been made by the Government agencies, Town Councils and MSO in improving municipal service delivery. It now takes 11 working days to resolve 90% of complex feedback involving multiple parties, a marked improvement from the 16 working days in end 2015. The various initiatives undertaken by MSO to improve coordination, such as appointing lead agencies to settle municipal issues regardless of land ownership, have borne fruit. These initiatives have resulted in the public’s needs being addressed more effectively and more promptly. It has also engendered a culture change. Our agencies are working better together. They are adopting a more collaborative and resident-centric approach in handling interagency issues. There is a shift in mindsets in serving the public. One such example was how NParks and HDB worked together on a request for a staircase connecting Clementi Avenue 6 and Ulu Pandan Park Connector. It seemed like a simple request, but there were complications.”
“And when clear factual replies have been given, an hon Member of Parliament should either refute them with further facts or acknowledge them and withdraw their allegations, especially if the allegations had insinuated lack of candour or wrongdoing on the part of the Government. With the clarifications that have been given to the Member by Ministers both in this House and elsewhere, Ms Lim cannot contend that her "suspicion" remains reasonable and honestly-held. Her allegations have been refuted. The facts she has cited have been shown to be inaccurate and she has not raised any further facts to substantiate her suspicion. In her intervention in Parliament on 1 March, Ms Lim said "there is such thing as Parliamentary privilege". However, Parliamentary privilege does not entitle Members of Parliament to knowingly maintain allegations that have been shown to have no factual basis. Mr Speaker, Sir, I am speaking to put these facts on the record. Now that Ms Lim has been apprised of the facts, I request that she withdraw her allegation that the Government had floated test balloons on the need to raise revenues within this term and had intended to raise the GST immediately, and apologise to this House, before the end of this Sitting of Parliament on Thursday, 8 March 2018. Mr Speaker, I note that the hon Member Ms Sylvia Lim is not in this House. I will extend a copy of my Statement to her. Thank you.”
“The Prime Minister spoke again of the likelihood of a tax increase last November and had expressly referred to the Finance Minister's earlier statements. Indeed, in the previous term of Government, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman had said during the 2014 Budget Statement and in the 2015 Budget Statement that while the Government had taken steps to ensure that it had sufficient revenue to meet spending needs till the end of this decade, I quote, "we will run into structural deficits if we did not raise revenues in the next decade." As the Minister for Finance told Ms Lim in this House last Thursday, what Deputy Prime Minister Tharman said in 2014 and 2015 remains true today. The Government has enough money till the end of this decade but, beyond that, it would have to raise taxes to meet rising expenditure needs, especially in healthcare. The Government never floated test balloons on this matter. It has been deliberate and consistent in all its statements since August 2013. When presented with the facts, Ms Lim said that her allegations were based on "suspicion", not fact. She admitted that she was not certain of the facts herself but would check on them later. But she did not withdraw her allegations. The next day, on 2 March, the Minister for Finance issued a statement setting out the facts again and asking Ms Lim, now that she had had an opportunity to check the records, if she would withdraw her allegation, as an hon Member of Parliament should, and apologise to the House. Ms Lim has not answered. As the Minister for Finance said in this statement, Members of Parliament are entitled to raise suspicions in Parliament, if they honestly believe them – but honest belief requires factual basis.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on 1 March, Ms Sylvia Lim questioned in this House the Government's motives in announcing the increase in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) some three to seven years before the increase is implemented. She said, and I quote, "We do note that in the run-up to the Budget discussion, there were some test balloons being floated out about the fact that the Government needs to raise revenue. And immediately the public seized on the fact that Deputy Prime Minister Tharman and, perhaps, other leaders had earlier said that the Government has enough money for the decade. So, the public pointed out, 'Hey, you know, is this a contradiction?' And I rather suspect, myself, that the Government is stuck with that announcement. Otherwise, if the announcement had not been made, perhaps, we would be debating a GST hike today." Ms Sylvia Lim was suggesting that the Government would have raised the GST immediately if not for the adverse public reaction when it "floated" the suggestion late last year and if it had not been "stuck" with the previous statement that it had enough money for the decade. Ms Lim was, in fact, accusing the Government of being untruthful when it said that it had planned ahead and that its proposal to raise the GST between 2021 and 2025 was the result of such planning. Both the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Law had responded to Ms Lim to explain that there was no basis for her allegations. The first mention of the need for the tax increase was in the Prime Minister's National Day Rally in 2013, more than four years ago. The Minister for Finance reiterated this in his 2017 Budget Statement and again at a constituency function a few months later.”
“Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That, notwithstanding Standing Order No 91, a Statement by the Leader of the House, and the response to the Statement, be taken before the resumption of the Committee of Supply to consider the Estimates for FY2018/2019." [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That notwithstanding Standing Order No 91, a Statement by the Leader of the House, and the response to the Statement, be taken before the resumption of the Committee of Supply to consider the Estimates for FY2018/2019." (proc text)]”
“Mr Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to make a Statement before the resumption of the Committee of Supply to consider the Estimates for FY2018/2019?”
“Mr Chairman, may I seek your consent to move that progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again tomorrow?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, may I seek your consent to move that the debate be now adjourned.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, may I seek your consent to move that the debate be now adjourned.”
“Mr Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move, "That the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 48(8) to remove the time limit in respect of Minister K Shanmugam's speech".”
“Over the years, we have introduced initiatives to enhance social mixing on various fronts. One strategy is to create more opportunities for positive interactions among Singaporeans, regardless of socio-economic background, age or ability. An example is the Secondary 3 Ministry of Education (MOE)-Outward Bound School (OBS) programme launched in 2017 that has so far brought together 6,000 youths from diverse backgrounds for a 5-day camp where they forge new friendships through challenging experiences. We will progressively expand this programme to include the entire Secondary 3 cohort when the new OBS@Coney campus is ready. Through the arts and sports, our programmes provide opportunities to bridge and integrate communities. Programmes and activities at the ActiveSG Sports Centres, as well as sports initiatives, such as Team Nila, SportCares and ActiveSG programmes, bring people of different backgrounds and abilities together. Furthermore, SG Cares is forging partnerships across corporates, schools, public agencies, non-profits, community partners and ground-up movements to encourage and support Singaporeans' effort to do good and better help those in need. Through this movement, we are fostering a more caring and cohesive society. The Government is doing its part to partner Singaporeans to bridge social divides but, ultimately, a strong cohesive community cannot be commanded by the Government. Social trust requires the commitment and effort from each and every one of us to build an inclusive and cohesive society.”
“The Minister for Social and Family Development has addressed at length related questions on income inequality, social mobility and social integration. His written reply pointed out the steps taken by the Government in reducing economic disparity and emphasised the importance of social integration, so that we progress together as a people. On this front, we have been doing well. The recent study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) on Social Capital in Singapore, supported by my Ministry, asked respondents to name different kinds of people who make up their social network. The results are encouraging and show a good deal of social mixing. The study found a fair amount of racial and religious diversity in people's social networks. It noted that respondents and their neighbours helped one another with house matters, while workplace ties were an important source of social companionship, inter-ethnic contact, and inter-nationality ties. Although respondents tended to have social networks that were relatively less diverse in terms of educational status and type of housing, the study also found that respondents were able to name people in occupations ranging from low to medium to high status and prestige. As this study is the first of its kind in Singapore, it can be built upon to track the trend over time. The IPS study noted that participation in sports, arts and volunteer activities, in addition to schools and workplaces, promotes social interaction and integration across groups. These are areas where the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) has been working hard at to nurture social cohesion by facilitating shared experiences and strengthening bonds within and across communities. Social harmony is not something we can leave to chance.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That Parliament do now adjourn." [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Power Imbalance in Contracts Involving Small Businesses 6.44 pm”
“Deputy Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that Question Time at this day's Sitting be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 22(1) so as to enable Questions for Oral Answer to be taken till 3.00 pm today.”
“This exemption has also been extended to appeals for donations-in-kind for foreign causes. We are revising our Regulations to keep up with the needs of the charity sector. We intend to exempt small-scale and private fundraising appeals from certain requirements. We will review the administrative requirements on fundraising, including for foreign causes, an issue that was raised by Mr Ng. This framework of scoping the regulatory requirements through the regulations allow us to be nimble and responsive to the needs of the sector and the public.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, please allow me to thank Members who have spoken on this Bill for their broad support and comments. Let me now address some of the comments raised. Members have raised several points on the scope of the regulation of fundraising appeals. Mr Louis Ng and Mr Dennis Tan have made certain enquiries about the scope of fundraising appeals. The amendments that we have proposed in this Bill, Mr Deputy Speaker, serve to clarify the definition, not extend its scope. All fundraising appeals, whether online or offline, whether for local or foreign purposes, have been and continue to be subject to the Act. The Act also imposes obligations on persons and organisations raising funds or receiving the funds raised. A person raising funds via an online fundraising platform for a needy family will contravene the law if the funds raised are not applied to the said cause. A charity that is in the service of providing nursing care for the elderly has an obligation under the law to ensure that any unsolicited donation it receives is applied to the said object. Therefore, the examples that Mr Louis Ng and also the point raised by Mr Dennis Tan about small-scale private fundraising activities and unsolicited donations are therefore bound by the Act. However, we are mindful not to stifle giving while safeguarding public interest. We recognise that fundraising appeals come in a wide range of scale and complexity, from bake sales to nationwide campaigns. As explained in my earlier speech, we regulate fundraising activities through the Charities (Fundraising Appeals for Local and Foreign Charitable Purposes) Regulations 2012 in a risk-adjusted approach. In practice, we have exempted all appeals for local causes from the requirement to apply for permits.”
“Sir, in the review of the Act, we have affirmed that the charity sector is an integral part of the Government's "Many Helping Hands" approach. Charities play an important role in our society by meeting the needs of underserved communities, providing essential services and championing causes close to our hearts. They are instrumental in building a caring and cohesive society. It is only with strong public support that the sector can thrive and continue to benefit our community. Reputation is key to the sector, and one bad apple can erode public trust and confidence in the whole sector. The amendments that we are making to the Act, are therefore part of our efforts in ensuring a charity sector that continues to enjoy the trust and support of the community. We are committed to striking the right balance in maintaining a sound and effective regulatory regime that ensures trust and yet, facilitates the good work carried out by the sector. The enhanced powers of the Commissioner that are proposed by the Bill will not affect the vast majority of charities and fundraisers. These powers will only be used as a last resort or when there is an urgency to act for the protection of charities and donors. Checks and balances are also in place to ensure that these regulatory powers are exercised fairly. As we enhance our legislation, we will continue to build capacity to strengthen governance across the sector. This will be through the continued partnership between the Government, charities, stakeholders and the community. Together, we will achieve our vision of a well-governed and thriving charity sector with strong public support. Sir, I move the Bill. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“Next, the Bill seeks to enable more timely intervention by the Commissioner. Section 39B of the current Act allows the Commissioner to prohibit or restrict a fundraising appeal in certain circumstances, such as when the appeal is found to be improperly administered. However, such prohibition and restriction orders can only be issued after the completion of investigations. As investigations may take some time, the donating public may be exposed to questionable fundraising activities in the interim. The proposed amendments to section 39B will allow the Commissioner to order the suspension of a fundraising appeal for a period not exceeding two years, pending the completion of an investigation. This can be done if the Commissioner has reason to suspect, for example, that the appeal is not being properly conducted. The Bill also proposes to make it an offence if the suspension order is contravened. The suspension order is akin to a Stop Work Order while investigations are ongoing, and can be followed up with a prohibition or restriction order if irregularities are indeed found. Lastly, in relation to the Commissioner's powers to call for documents and information, the Bill proposes to amend section 41A of the Act to clarify that the Commissioner can require a person to provide information and documents that are not only already in the possession or under the control of the person, but which come into the possession or under the control of the person at a future point in time, within a period not exceeding two years after the order is made. This would facilitate the Commissioner's work, such as when conducting ongoing monitoring of a charity under investigation, as there will not be a need to raise a new order each time new documents or information become available.”
“Currently, contravention of some of the IPC regulations result in a penalty that is lighter than that incurred by non-IPC charities. The Bill proposes to amend section 40C of the Act to allow consistency, across both IPC and non-IPC charities, in the penalty for contravention of regulations, other than for wrongful issuance of tax deduction receipts. For that, the existing financial penalty will be retained. The Bill also proposes amendments to align the penalties for serious offences under the Act. For example, the penalties for a person acting whilst disqualified and for supplying false or misleading information to the Commissioner have been increased to meet the current levels of penalties prescribed for other offences of similar severity, such as for falsely holding out as a registered charity or IPC. Next, on enhancing regulatory powers of the Commissioner to safeguard public trust and confidence. Allow me to move on to the next set of amendments that seek to enhance the regulatory powers of the Commissioner. At present, after an inquiry against a charity has been instituted and that the Commissioner is satisfied that there is a need to protect the charity, he may, with the consent of the Attorney-General, suspend a person from the exercise of his office or employment with the charity. However, the suspension is for a maximum of 12 months and this has proven to be insufficient in some cases. For example, in complex cases where investigations into financial transactions over an extended period of time are required, the inquiry may take more than a year to complete. The Bill therefore seeks to protect the charities by allowing the Commissioner, with the consent of the Attorney-General, to extend the suspension beyond 12 months, up to 24 months.”
“In relation to the online giving space, I would like to share with the House that we are co-developing with the major crowdfunding platforms in Singapore an industry Code of Practice. The Code will set out recommended practices for fundraising platforms, so that they can be trusted intermediaries for donors and beneficiaries in fundraising for charitable, benevolent and philanthropic purposes. Sir, most of our charities today file their annual reports and financial statements electronically with the Commissioner via the Charity Portal. These submissions are published online for public access. The proposed amendments to section 48 will formalise this current practice by allowing regulations to be made to mandate the electronic filing of annual submissions and applications. This is part of our efforts to enhance transparency by making information on more charities available online. As we make this change, we will support the charities in electronic filing. Charities can tap on our voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs)-Charities Capability Fund to purchase computers. We are also working with partners to set up shared services to support smaller charities. Charities will have at least two years' notice before the mandatory electronic filing takes place. The Bill also introduces and amends various provisions to promote compliance with our regulatory requirements and ensure consistency in the penalties prescribed. Section 18 of the Act is proposed to be amended to make it an offence if a charity, without reasonable cause, fails to preserve accounting records, financial statements and annual reports for five years. The Bill also clarifies that there does not have to be a persistent default before an offence is committed under section 18.”