Josephine Teo
Singapore
“The Government's risk-calibrated approach to data security in artificial intelligence (AI) systems was explained in a written reply, given on 9 January 2024, to related questions asked by Dr Tan Wu Meng and Mr Gerald Giam.”
“Access to frontier models is helpful for specific use cases, such as advanced research and cybersecurity. However, these form a small proportion of artificial intelligence (AI) demand. For most industry, Government and research uses, capable models are already available.”
“The Government tracks the development of technical standards for identifying artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content, including watermarking and digital provenance approaches, as part of broader efforts to manage AI-related risks.”
“Upon receiving a valid report of intimate image abuse, the Commissioner of Online Safety is empowered by law to direct Online Service Providers (OSPs) to disable access by Singapore users to the specified harmful online material. This direction may be extended to cover identical copies found on the platform.”
“The Government is committed to keeping children safe online. We have announced plans to extend age assurance requirements to designated social media services, including requiring platforms to keep users under 13 off their services.”
“Under the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025, the Commissioner of Online Safety is empowered to issue directions to platforms to remove specified harmful content, including intimate image abuse.”
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“The Ministry of Communications and Information does not set the editorial policy for news media outlets. As previously shared with Members, Government funding provided to SPH Media is intended to support its talent, technology, and vernacular capabilities. This funding is hence tied to key performance indicators tracking SPH Media's reach and engagement and is not conditional on its editorial decisions. The Government has been consistent in safeguarding Singapore and Singaporeans from foreign interference in our domestic affairs, including through our local media. For instance, the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act prohibits SPH Media from receiving funding from foreign sources for any purpose, without prior approval from the Minister.”
“As mentioned in the Ministry of Communications and Information's (MCI's) reply to a similar Parliamentary Question in January 2021, the full video of each Parliamentary Sitting livestream will remain on MCI's YouTube channel for six months after the end of the Sitting. [Please refer to "Livestream of Parliamentary Proceedings", Official Report, 4 January 2021, Vol 95, Issue 14, Written Answers to Questions section.] The key purpose of livestreaming the Parliamentary proceedings is to allow members of the public to view the Parliamentary proceedings real-time, without the need to be physically present in Parliament. Thereafter, the full records of Parliamentary proceedings are documented through the Hansard and accessible to all online.”
“As the Public Postal Licensee, SingPost is required to deliver letters to every addressable place in Singapore, provide and maintain a network of posting boxes and post offices to serve postal needs and meet the Quality of Service (QoS) standards for letter delivery. These obligations and standards have not changed as a result of SingPost's strategic review of its business. SingPost must continue to provide sufficient postal services through its network of postal touchpoints and postal agents. However, as I explained in previous Parliamentary Questions' responses, IMDA is working with SingPost to review the existing requirements for post offices and posting boxes as it transforms. [Please refer to "Increase in Postal Rates despite Profitability Recorded by SingPost", Official Report, 4 October 2023, Vol 95, Issue 114, Oral Answers to Questions section.] In doing so, we will (i) take into account the adequacy of SingPost's plans for alternative touchpoints and service models, and (ii) ensure that regulatory requirements are relevant in the context of the changing post and parcel landscape. We will share more details in due course.”
“I said that probably at least three times, but I am happy to confirm again.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am not familiar with the case that she cited specifically. But what I was trying to get to is that the treatment of a person who is apprehended and a person who is arrested, from the Police's standpoint, is quite clearly different. When a person has been apprehended, the next course of action is to bring them to a medical facility for treatment. When a person is arrested, that next course of action is to bring them to a lock-up where they may then be investigated further. So, I hope that that clarifies things. If there is a specific question on whether it conflicts with the specific part of the law that Ms He highlighted, with your permission, Sir, may I invite her to file a PQ so that we can deal with it properly. It probably does not impact the way in which the amendments ought to be considered.”
“The intent is for the Police to be able to reasonably call upon members of the public to assist them in preventing individuals with mental health conditions from causing further harm to themselves or others. To Ms He's question on whether the amendments are in compliance with the CRPD, we can confirm that the MHCTA continues to be in compliance after the amendments. Sir, I will move on to other queries about the Bill. Mr Yip asked how the amendment to the Police's obligations for non-arrestable offences apply to neighbour disputes or noise complaints, and whether such cases will be dismissed. The amendment does not affect how the Police respond to such incidents. This is because such incidents, in and of themselves, do not constitute criminal offences. We have explained the Government's view that neighbour disputes and noise complaints should be resolved through a community-based approach, where community partners, Government social or municipal agencies, and grassroots leaders work together to resolve the issues. Communal issues between neighbours are not and should not be matters for the Police to intervene. The Police's resources should focus on the prevention, deterrence, and detection of crime. They will respond to neighbour disputes and noise complaints only where there are law and order concerns. Mr Speaker, I hope I have addressed Members' queries. I thank them once again for their support of the Bill. Sir, I beg to move.”
“As Dr Syed Harun puts it, no meaningful medical treatment is possible without first ensuring the safety of the patient and rescuer. We agree with Mr Yip and Ms He that safeguards are nonetheless important. Let me state categorically that MHA and the Police do not condone officers abusing their powers or acting inappropriately. Police ground response force officers don body-worn cameras which ensure accountability and transparency. Their actions can be audited very easily because it is recorded. If the officers have breached the law and committed criminal offences, the Police will refer the matter to the Attorney-General's Chamber for criminal prosecution. If the officers are guilty of misconduct but it is not a criminal offence, the Police will conduct internal investigations and take disciplinary action as necessary. In serious cases, the officers are dismissed. To Mr Ng's question on resourcing, we do not expect a significant increase in the number of referrals as a result of the amendments because the threshold is still quite high as pointed out previously by Dr Syed Harun. So, it is not a case that you suddenly are going to go out and make apprehensions. So, there is no anticipated increase in resourcing needs. The Police intervene only when the person poses a danger to himself or others around him. The Police do not get involved in cases involving persons with mental health conditions but who do not pose any danger to himself or others. Mr Ng and Mr Choo asked about the requirement for the public to assist a Police officer when he is making an apprehension. Such a provision is not new. The Criminal Procedure Code provides the same duty to assist a Police officer or any other person authorised to make an arrest.”
“This point was reinforced by several Members, and we could not agree more the importance of training. For example, Police officers undergo a mental health awareness course designed by the Agency for Integrated Care which helps the officers identify and respond to persons observed with indications of mental health conditions. Apart from training, officers are also guided by a specific set of internal SOPs, which are regularly updated. To Mr Chua’s questions on amendment and implementation timelines, we will ensure that the amendments and the training provided to police officers will continue to enable them to intervene in a more timely manner while making decisions that underscore respect and empathy for persons with mental health conditions. Mr Choo and Mr Yip alluded to the need for clarity on when the Police may make an apprehension. Ms He also asked about the time frame police would now apply in the assessment for danger. The powers of apprehension under the MHCTA have been in place since 2008. The proposed amendments seek to allow the Police to intervene in a more timely manner, when the danger is there, even though it may not be immediately clear that the danger is imminent or when the person may turn violent. I would like to echo Dr Syed Harun’s point that risk assessment, even for psychiatrists, is not a perfect science. It is not practicable to be too prescriptive. Doing so could bind the Police officers’ hands or prevent them from acting quickly when they should. Situations on the ground can be dynamic, and they need to be given the latitude to make quick decisions in difficult situations. The safety of the public and family members around such a person, and of the person himself, should be a priority.”
“Firstly, prior to attending to the scene, Police may not be in a position to assess that there is a mental health condition involved in the person being attended to. But in any case, even if the Police have some sense that this was so, for this idea to work, we will need to have sufficient numbers of such professionals on 24/7 standby, and for them to be able to respond immediately with the Police to all cases at all parts of our island. Unfortunately, I think this will be very difficult to accomplish. The practical approach is for the Police, after dealing with the danger, to refer such persons to mental health professionals for treatment or, as we discussed earlier, to other community support organisations. Mr Choo, Ms He and Mr Ng asked how the Police assess whether the threat of physical harm is attributable to a mental disorder. The role of the Police is not to assess or diagnose mental health conditions or disorders. They are not best placed to do so. Their role is to deal with the threat of harm and protect public safety. This is why the current MHCTA states that a Police officer’s belief that a person is doing or about to do an act which is dangerous to himself is sufficient basis for the officer to suspect that the danger to that person is attributable to a mental disorder and to apprehend the person. The Police have access to reports of past incidents associated with the person, whether he had sought treatment at IMH then, and other relevant information including medical history from the family members, to aid their assessment. Police officers can also consult mental health professionals at IMH via a dedicated phone line. The Police regularly update their training, conducted by suitably qualified professionals, to ensure that it remains relevant.”
“If not, other relevant personnel may then be brought in to attend to the suicidal person and to provide the necessary support. This may include mental health professionals from the IMH Crisis Response Team. To reiterate, apprehension under MHCTA is not a criminal offence for which the person can be prosecuted. Mr Ng and Mr Chia asked about treatment of individuals who have been apprehended. These individuals will be assessed by the medical practitioners at IMH to determine the likely medical causes for their behaviour. The medical practitioners may recommend further treatment in either inpatient or outpatient settings, or refer the individuals to social service providers to address their social needs where warranted, for example, where there is employment support and financial assistance. Mr Chia asked about collaboration between the Police and the Community Outreach Teams, also known as CREST teams, which are set up by AIC. Where appropriate, the Police will refer persons with mental health conditions to the CREST teams in the region or to AIC, which will refer the cases to other appropriate mental health service providers. Keeping in mind that some of these individuals may well prefer to maintain their privacy and not have whatever action that they have taken be made known so widely so I think Police is also mindful of that and they will have to decide whether it is appropriate for them to make a referral. To Ms He's question on whether the Crisis Response Team may be expanded, Police and IMH are already reviewing this suggestion. Mr Ng, Assoc Prof Razwana, Dr Syed Harun and Mr Chua asked whether Police should be accompanied by mental health professionals or community first responders when responding to cases involving persons with mental health conditions.”
“In the circumstances that warrant Police's intervention, Police are well aware and minded to calibrate their responses, and let medical professionals take over as soon as practicable. That is the overriding priority of the Police if they are called to a scene and they make the assessment that most likely this person would be best served by having medical attention. When an individual has been apprehended under the MHCTA, they will be brought to a medical practitioner for assessment. That is the whole design of section 7 and the rules governing apprehension. As I have explained earlier too, this is not the same as arrest, where the person will be placed in a lock-up. The amendments we are discussing are in fact to better achieve the objective of letting medical professionals manage persons with mental health issues, as my responses to specific queries will also show. Mr Ng and Mr Edward Chia asked about the Police’s procedures for responding to cases of attempted suicide. Such cases involve both persons who have, and persons who do not have mental health conditions. When attending to such cases, the key objective of the Police is to ensure the safety of the person and others around him. If there is risk of imminent harm and a stand-off ensues, such as a distressed person standing on a ledge in a high-rise building, the Police’s Crisis Negotiation Unit, comprising Police officers and psychologists, will be activated. They will try to dissuade him from committing suicide. After the Police have ensured the safety of the various parties, they may apprehend the person under the MHCTA if they assess that the person still poses a danger to himself, or others, and bring him to seek psychiatric treatment.”
“I will now deal with the questions and suggestions on the handling of cases involving persons with mental health conditions. I hear all the Members and your concerns, and it is important to reiterate that this Government is fully committed to advancing mental health. We recognise that persons with mental health conditions are part of our society and we should do our best to help them. Our National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy outlines the whole-of-society approach that we are taking to address this important issue and there are many components of them. Members were concerned about social stigma that mental health patients may face and the appropriate care, which we fully understand and agree with. In fact, we are actively working towards destigmatising mental health conditions, so that people do not hesitate to seek help. Please be assured that Police does not seek to put more burdens on such persons or their families. As I explained at the start of the debate, Police will not get involved unless called to prevent harm from happening. And the idea that section 7 of the MHCTA is being used for mental health management is entirely mistaken, as I have explained earlier and reiterate again. I would also urge Members to help clarify this mischaracterisation and put the minds of the mental health patients themselves and their families at ease, as Dr Wan Rizal has helpfully sought to do through his engagements with the community. In reality, as pointed out so well by Dr Syed Harun, the vast majority of individuals with mental illness would not fulfil the threshold set out in this Bill for apprehension by the Police and, rightly so. In fact, without being told or having been told previously, Police will have no idea who these patients are.”
“Assoc Prof Razwana and Mr Yip asked if we would work with foreign law enforcement agencies to take down scammers operating overseas. The Police have been working with our overseas counterparts, such as the Royal Malaysia Police and INTERPOL, to exchange information and conduct joint operations. This has led to the successful take-down of 19 overseas scam syndicates in 2023. The new SIM card offences will also give the Police more grounds to work with foreign law enforcement agencies to arrest and investigate overseas scammers. In relation to the proposed amendment to section 14D of the MOA, Assoc Prof Razwana asked if the Ministry would consider encouraging entities to undertake simulated phishing exercises using the Cyber Security Agency's (CSA’s) recently published Playbook for the Conduct of Phishing Simulation Exercises. The short answer is yes. As I earlier noted, such exercises are useful tools for organisations to be better prepared against cybersecurity incidents. Assoc Prof Razwana asked what strategies are in place to prevent people from being misled by genuine cybersecurity warnings and advice. To clarify, genuine cybersecurity warnings and advice do not fall within the scope of section 14D as they are not false or fabricated messages. If her concern is that bad actors could take advantage of the proposed exception to section 14D, let me assure her that we have designed the exception carefully. It is not enough for someone to simply claim that they have a legitimate purpose in sending the false message – there is an objective standard that must be met. Furthermore, malicious actors who seek to exploit this exception, for example, by masquerading as public authorities, will be caught under the existing Penal Code offences like cheating by personation.”
“Once the new offences come into force and the second-hand sale of local SIM cards becomes illegal, we will consider issuing directions under the Online Criminal Harms Act to the platforms to require them to restrict access to accounts involved. Mr Choo suggested simplifying and standardising the process for a person to authorise another person to register for SIM cards on his behalf. To clarify, IMDA only allows persons to register for SIM cards under their own names, using their own particulars. To ensure this, retailers are required to check the identity of the subscriber during the registration process. Mobile service providers may be in breach of their regulatory obligations, should their appointed retailers fail to conduct such checks. If a person wishes to register SIM cards for his family members, he can do so using his own particulars. Mr Yip suggested creating an avenue to allow retailers to report suspicious activity conveniently and anonymously. Such avenues already exist. Retailers can file a Police report, which can be done online conveniently using Singpass. They can also submit information through the I-Witness online portal, which can be done anonymously. Assoc Prof Razwana asked about training and other resources given to Home Team officers, including Anti-Scam Command officers, to recognise, investigate and prosecute scams. To clarify, the key difficulty we face today is with prosecuting scammers, and the people who help them, including SIM card mules. Today’s amendments will help our police officers successfully take to task the SIM card mules that they arrest. Assoc Prof Razwana also asked how we could work with the telcos to prevent scams. These have been shared earlier in my opening speech, so I suggest not to belabour the point.”
“While fines might be a mere slap on the wrists for large retailers, the possibility of an imprisonment term of up to three years should act as a sufficiently strong deterrent. Assoc Prof Razwana and Mr Louis Chua asked about the legislative provisions to hold key officers and senior management liable for offences committed by entities. Under the new sections 40A and 40B in the MOA, key officers and senior management who were involved in committing the offence can be held liable. These include officers who were involved in making the executive decision to commit the offence, as well as those who failed to take reasonable steps to prevent an offence that they knew was going to be committed. Members also gave suggestions on preventing the abuse of local SIM cards. Mr Louis Chua asked if mobile service providers might also be liable if they are appointed to retailers, conduct fraudulent registrations. Under the new laws, mobile service providers will be liable for an offence, if they were directly involved conducting or facilitating the fraudulent registrations. In addition, we can also take regulatory action against mobile service providers, if we find that they fail to ensure their appointed retailers comply with IMDA's requirements on SIM card registrations. Mr Desmond Choo asked how we are working with online platforms, such as Telegram. The Police have been working with online platforms to take down accounts involved in scams and other crimes. However, under today's laws, it is not a crime to go online to buy and sell local SIM cards second-hand. This means that there are actually no legal grounds to request the platforms to take down accounts involved in such sales of SIM cards.”
“We will also work with mobile service providers to educate retailers about the new offences and emphasise the penalties that they will face should they be convicted of fraudulent registration. For the offences of receiving, supplying or possessing SIM cards, Mr Desmond Choo asked how we decided on the threshold of 11 or more SIM cards. Sir, there is no magic formula. The Police have observed cases of scammers possessing as few as 15 to 20 local SIM cards to send tens of thousands of scam SMSes. Setting a low threshold is therefore important for deterrence from hoarding local SIM cards. However, we have also tried to ensure that most law-abiding people are not affected. Based on a 2022 poll of all mobile service providers, only about 2,000 subscribers, or less than 0.1% of all subscribers, used their own particulars to register for more than 10 postpaid SIM cards with a single mobile service provider. A typical person is therefore very unlikely to be holding on to more than 10 SIM cards which are registered in his own name and should not even be in possession of cards not registered in his own name. In other words, this amendment is not a concern for legitimate subscribers, even if they have more than 10 cards, as they will not be involved in crime. Mr Desmond Choo suggested imposing minimum fines and imprisonment terms, as well as pegging fines for retailers to a proportion of their annual revenue. We assess that the proposed penalties are adequate for now. We do not intend to impose a minimum penalty, so as to give the Courts more flexibility to decide on the appropriate punishment based on the severity of the case.”
“In addition, if the individual had pretended to be the elderly person and had used his particulars to sign up for a SIM card without his permission, the individual could also be liable for an offence of cheating by personation under section 416 of the Penal Code. Mr Yip Hon Weng and Mr Louis Chua asked if there are plans to educate the elderly population about the misuse of their particulars for SIM card registrations. Mr Louis Ng shared his concern about the proliferation of laws which are too complicated to understand. Sir, we are one of the few jurisdictions that have been able to pass new laws to act against scammers. It is something that a lot of my colleagues in law enforcement wish they could do in their systems. But it has been very difficult for them. It would indeed be better and we agree with Mr Louis Ng, if we could streamline these laws. But at this point in time, this is not a luxury we can afford when scam tactics are still evolving so quickly and Police resources are so stretched. This is a trade-off Parliament must consider, whether to prioritise the streamlining of laws or quickly putting in place levers to act against the scammers. If we asked victims, their answer would be clear. I believe we should, in Parliament, similarly accept this trade-off for now. In any case, to allow members of the public to familiarise themselves with the new offences, we intend for the offences to come into force approximately six months after the Bill is passed. During these six months, we will step up public education efforts to raise awareness of the new offences, red flags that the public ought to be wary about and measures they can adopt to prevent the misuse of their SIM cards and particulars.”
“But clearly, there is value to avoid such options and we should not accept them being passed off as legitimate economic activities, when, in fact, they are used to cause harms. As for errant retailers, there is no specific offence under today's laws for fraudulent registration. While the Police may use other laws to prosecute such retailers, such as offences under the Penal Code or Computer Misuse Act, circumstances of each case may not allow us to proceed. As a result, under today's regime, most errant retailers simply lose their contract with the mobile service provider, effectively getting away scot-free with the profits they had made from the fraudulent registrations. Mr Yip Hon Weng and Mr Louis Chua raised concerns about people who exploit elderly persons to obtain SIM cards. In the example given by Mr Yip, where an elderly person's particulars are misused by family members or caregivers to register for SIM cards. The elderly person would not be liable for an offence, if we find that he had no reasonable grounds to believe that his particulars would be used to register for SIM cards. The Police recognise that there are indeed situations where the elderly might have been tricked into sharing their particulars. The Police will investigate such cases comprehensively and consider any credible evidence that the elderly person was unaware about how his particulars would be used. The Attorney-General's Chambers will also carefully consider each case on its own facts and circumstances and will only pursue prosecution if there is public interest to do so. On the other hand, the individual who had misused the elderly person's particulars could be liable for an offence of supplying or selling the SIM cards registered in another person's particulars.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Members for their support of the Bill. They raised many relevant questions which I will try my best to respond to. First, those on the new SIM card offences. Mr Louis Ng asked why MHA is introducing new offences, instead of relying on existing laws. The limitation of the current law is that for irresponsible subscribers and middlemen who deal in local SIM cards, we would need to prove that they had intended to abet an offence. But proving intent is incredibly difficult and often impossible. Take the example I mentioned in my opening speech, where a middleman purchased over 1,000 prepaid SIM cards that were fraudulently registered and sent them to persons in Malaysia who used them for scams. When he was questioned, he claimed that he merely dealt with the SIM cards and did not know that the receiving parties were scammers or that they would use the SIM cards to commit scams. It might indeed be that he did not know, because he did not care to know who bought the SIM cards from him and what they would do with it. It is equally difficult to prove criminal conspiracy. The new laws address this gap. With the new offences, we will deem irresponsible subscribers and middlemen liable for an offence, without needing to prove criminal intent or knowledge, in certain scenarios. These include, among others, registering for a SIM card and selling it for gain; possessing a large number of unregistered SIM cards for no legitimate reason; and buying or selling SIM cards registered in another person's particulars. There is no good reason for such acts, because there are legitimate ways to buy and sell SIM cards.”
“Facial images as a form of biometric data can be considered personal data when associated with other information about an individual. When private sector organisations in Singapore collect and use such data, including for identification through Facial Recognition Technologies (FRT), they must comply with the Personal Data Protection Act. In Singapore, a key use of facial biometric data and FRTs is for security purposes. In 2022, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and the Security Association Singapore jointly published a Guide on the Responsible Use of Biometric Data in Security Applications, to guide organisations on the key considerations and safeguards for using biometric data responsibly and ethically. The Infocomm Media Development Authority and PDPC's Model AI Governance Framework (2020) also provides general guidance in addressing key ethical and governance issues when deploying artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, which can be relevant for FRTs.”
“I am pleased to update Members that public consultations on the amendments were completed in January. We plan to introduce the amendment Bill in Parliament next month and will share more details then.”
“I am pleased to update Members that public consultations on the amendments were completed in January. We plan to introduce the amendment Bill in Parliament next week and will share more details then. [Please refer to "Committee of Supply – Head Q (Ministry of Communications and Information)", Official Report, 1 March 2024, Vol 95, Issue 128, Budget section.] [(proc text) Written statement by Mrs Josephine Teo circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5): (proc text)] I wish to make the following factual correction to my speech given during the Sitting of 1 March 2024. My statement should read as follows:”
“Mr Chairman, I fully agree with Ms Soh. It is true. In management speak, we like to say what gets measured gets done. So, there is a certain interest in ensuring that there are KPIs. But within MCI, we ourselves are fully cognisant that it does not fully reflect what we need our public service media entities to achieve. The standing that they enjoy in the world is not entirely measurable. The identity that they help to foster among Singaporeans, the unity, you also cannot quite put a number to it. It is not so easy to apply a metric. We are very cognisant of the fact that the set of indicators that we use today is probably going to be very inadequate. So, we are constantly in discussion with our public service media entities on whether there are better ways to reflect their progress. So, Ms Soh's points are very well taken.”
“We will have to find more ways of putting information out that is reasonable. I would, however, add, Mr Chairman, that we can continue to look at things like reach, readership, engagement. But if we come back to the fundamentals of why we are supporting public service media, it goes back to the question of whether Singaporeans have media sources that they can trust. It is trust that is the most important. I think in that regard, at least the Reuters Institute, which Mr Singh himself mentioned, does have an annual report that is quite useful. It looks at, amongst media organisations, the most trusted brands in Singapore. Mr Singh cited the findings of 2021, where he said that The Straits Times, which is one of the titles belonging to SPH Media Trust, came in at 77%, I believe. I think, if I could just say how useful that report is in helping us to shape our own thinking. The latest report that has already been made available is of 2023. If you look at the 2023 report, you will find that within Singapore, amongst the top five most trusted brands, all are public service media entities from Singapore, homegrown. If you look at the top 10, then eight of them are our own public service media entities. If we were to remove our own public service media entities, what we are really left with will be CNN, which is a US company. We are left with the BBC, which is a UK company. Then we are left with Yahoo News. If you then use that as a lens of thinking about why and how we should continue to resource our own public service media, I think in some sense that beats all the indicators that we can put in place. I am not saying that those KPIs are not important. I think they have to be continuously evaluated together with other kinds of validation which Mr Singh himself highlighted.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank Mr Singh for his suggestion. I think it is not entirely up to MCI to decide how these things are reported in the Budget Book because there is a certain convention that the Government follows. I do not recall exactly, but my impression is that say, you take public transport subsidies, for example. I do not believe it is reflected in the Budget Book as line items that it goes to SMRT; it goes to SBS Transit; it goes to another bus operator. It does not quite work like that. Certainly, I think if you consider the funding for preschool services, I do not recall that it also goes down to entity level. It is just we provide for a cluster of activities. We do not necessarily reflect in the Budget Book exactly what sums go to which entities. I could be wrong, but it is certainly something that we will look at. But it is not entirely up to MCI how to show these things in the Budget Book. The same goes for KPIs. In the Budget Book, we report on the KPIs that the Ministry is required to meet. The Ministry interacts with many other stakeholders. For example, for MCI, we are responsible for IMDA. IMDA has got interactions with telecoms companies (telcos). We may not provide funding to them, but we license them. They are also very critical service providers in Singapore. They also have KPIs to be met in order to continue to hold their licence. It does not mean that we lock, stock and barrel, transport the KPIs into the Budget Book. It is quite a different way of representing the scope of our responsibilities. I thank the Member for raising these as possibilities. I think his broader point is that the public would benefit from more information about how these entities, the public service media entities are doing. I think these are very reasonable questions.”
“Mr Chairman, with your permission, please allow me to conclude my remarks in Mandarin, returning to the topic of AI which I started with. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] AI will continue to permeate various regions and sectors worldwide including Singapore's society and economy. We must seize the opportunities to help our people and businesses prepare. To this end, I have announced several initiatives today. First of all, we will launch a new programme to attract the world's top AI creators to come to the Lion City and collaborate with local experts and scholars to establish cutting-edge technologies in our country. In order to strengthen our country's AI workforce, we aim to increase the number of professionals in this field to 15,000 over the next five years. The Government will also invest $200 million to cultivate local talents, providing them with scholarships and opportunities for overseas internships. However, while digital technology brings opportunities, it also brings risks. Therefore, we will introduce new guidelines governing use of personal data in AI systems. The Government is also exploring a new law to enhance the security of our country's digital infrastructure and services, ensuring that people can use digital technology with greater peace of mind. I have always been advocating for "digital first, but not digital only". The Government will continue to provide non-digital options for citizens who are not yet ready to go online. However, the momentum of AI development will not slow down. The Singapore Government will uphold our forward-looking governance philosophy, and adopt a people-centric approach in implementation of the said programmes.”
“While it has maintained its overall reach and achieved a modest increase in its digital subscriptions, it did not meet all its KPIs on digital reach, youth reach, vernacular reach and average time spent on its websites and apps. Accordingly, it did not receive the full funding that was committed. More importantly, these results show that the efforts made thus far are just the beginning. SPH Media will need to do more to maintain its relevance in this challenging media environment and will need continued support as it strives to get onto firmer footing. Mr Chairman, I hope Members agree that in an information landscape where truths have to compete with falsehoods, public service media is a critical pillar in our society's infrastructure of fact. On matters deserving public attention, such as critical global events, community news in the vernacular; or indeed, Parliamentary proceedings, profit-driven platforms may have no interest except to sensationalise or add their own spin. We also need public service media to tell Singapore's stories and project Singapore's voice. We cannot expect media organisations elsewhere to do so for us. At stake is our ability as a people to have a shared understanding of issues of the day, to know where our national interests lie and what we must do to ensure our continued success. Sustained investment in our public service media entities is therefore, not a nice to-do; rather, it is a have-to-do if we are to uphold quality journalism that supports the public good. I therefore seek Members' support to sustain public investment in public service media entities to preserve our infrastructure of fact and maintain the high trust that our public has in public service media today.”
“To ensure public accountability and fiscal prudence, SPH Media Trust is structured to comprise members representing different segments of society – from commercial entities like DBS, UOB and OCBC; to local institutes of higher learning like the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University and Singapore University of Technology and Design. But ultimately, SPH Media is accountable to Singaporeans. The news industry is a people-centric business and SPH Media has a crucial public service media role. Therefore, KPIs are set to track reach and engagement across all communities, including specific targets for the vernacular outlets, youth and digital reach. MCI also requires SPH Media to report regularly on their performance in these areas and comply with relevant audits to ensure oversight of how funds are spent, as well as ownership and accountability of public service media outcomes. So far, the funding disbursed has been put to good use. SPH Media has been strengthening its digital systems to improve its outreach, in line with what other global publications have done. The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, for example, have pivoted from print to digital-first models, adopting multimedia formats to increase their readership. Likewise, SPH Media recently adopted a new digital content management system to support its online coverage and launch mobile apps across its English and vernacular news titles. It has also made extensive efforts to improve retention and quality of its newsrooms through training, scholarships and fellowships with overseas institutions, such as the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. However, there is still considerable catch-up for SPH Media.”
“These problems are not unique to SPH Media. Even an established media company like The Washington Post lost US$100 million last year and had to cut 10% of its headcount, despite extensive efforts to transform. Digital-only platforms are not spared either. The Pulitzer Prize-winning BuzzFeed News shut down last April, despite hiring top journalists and opening bureaus around the world. According to The New York Times, one out of four newspapers that existed in 2005 no longer does. Prior to restructuring into a company limited by guarantee, SPH posted its first ever loss. Left to market forces and commercial stresses, it would likely have gone the way of The Washington Post and BuzzFeed. This is particularly so with its vernacular titles, which have naturally smaller audiences and which members like Mr Sharael Taha and Ms Tin are rightly concerned about. The Government decided to step in to give SPH Media a fighting chance in this new media landscape. Thus far, around $320 million has been disbursed to SPH Media across financial years (FYs) 2022 and 2023. Anticipating a more challenging environment, as outlined earlier, we have budgeted to provide SPH Media with around $260 million in funding for FY2024. This is reflected in MCI's Budget Book, as part of MCI's overall grant disbursement provided to other organisations. As I shared previously in the House, funding for SPH Media is targeted at three main areas: talent, technology and vernacular capabilities. They reflect the importance the Government has placed on quality journalism, digital transformation and upholding multiculturalism.”
“Later this year, NLB will roll out new programmes and learning packages to educate Singaporeans about the risks that AI-generated misinformation can pose to society. We also recognise the need to grow new capabilities. We previously announced that MCI and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research will launch the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety (CATOS). Among other things, CATOS will develop tools and measures to detect harmful content, including deepfakes. In a fragmented media landscape awash with AI-generated content, audiences are finding it very difficult to separate truths from falsehoods. We therefore also need trusted news media to inform and engage our people, to keep us all on the same page. This is a critical pillar. Mr Pritam Singh asked about Government funding to SPH Media. As a public service media entity, SPH Media plays a crucial role in: informing Singaporeans of issues of national importance; reflecting Singapore's values and way of life; reporting international events with a Singapore eye; and projecting Singapore's perspectives to the rest of the world. SPH Media is also an institution and repository of our shared memories. Last year, Lianhe Zaobao celebrated its 100th Anniversary whilst The Straits Times is approaching 180 years of publication. Both Berita Harian and Tamil Murasu are also well-established, catering to the needs of our Malay and Tamil language communities. However, SPH Media is facing its biggest challenge yet. The entire media industry has been severely disrupted by digitalisation and social media. Readership is declining as audiences have a multitude of choices. Traditional sources of revenue are also falling dramatically, with advertising shifting to social media and other online platforms.”
“Mastercard was one of the participating businesses which piloted a solution to share information on financial crime across international borders while complying with prevailing regulations. Mastercard is now studying the implementation of this in a commercial setting. I now turn to the third and final theme in my speech: safeguarding our infrastructure of fact to uphold social cohesion. This infrastructure has several pillars. Internationally, we have witnessed how deepfake technology has been misused to spread falsehood and manipulate public opinion on gun violence in the US; the Israel-Hamas conflict and even undermine election integrity. Their realism makes them a particularly dangerous weapon, as pointed out by Mr Christopher de Souza, Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Eric Chua. We take a strong stance against malicious AI-generated content. Targeted legislation to deal with them swiftly is thus one pillar in this infrastructure. This includes the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, which enables us to issue corrections and label AI-generated misinformation with the correct facts. We can also consider disabling directions if the content poses serious harm to public interest. Another pillar is public education initiatives to equip Singaporeans to be discerning consumers and producers of information. Our libraries play a key role in this effort. Last year, NLB introduced resources and workshops on GenAI as part of its S.U.R.E programme to educate Singaporeans about the benefits and perils of AI, as well as impart skills to verify and fact-check online content that may be AI-generated. These efforts have reached over 66,000 people.”
“These could include providing guidance to digital infrastructure and service providers on best practices for security and resilience. While the Government does our best to ensure that digital infrastructure and services are secure and resilient, enterprises and consumers also need to play their part. For example, enterprises must have robust business continuity and incident recovery plans. Smaller enterprises can refer to resources like the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore's (CSA's) Cyber Essentials programme; larger enterprises should adopt CSA's Cyber Trust mark. Consumers should also be prepared to use alternatives if a digital service disruption occurs. This creates a strong incentive to service providers to buck up. 5.30 pm Mr Xie asked about the risks associated with quantum computing – especially in our data and communications networks. Last June, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the launch of the National Quantum Safe Network Plus (NQSN+). Singtel and SPTel, together with another local company, SpeQtral, have since been appointed to build Singapore's first quantum safe network – the first of its kind in Southeast Asia as well. The network is expected to be ready by end 2024. We are also building capabilities to develop solutions that enable safe and trusted data sharing – something that Ms Mariam Jaafar talked about. In July 2022, we launched the Privacy Enhancing Technology Sandbox Initiative to support businesses in piloting technological solutions that allow them to safely extract value from data whilst protecting personal data and commercially sensitive data.”
“[Please refer to "Clarification by Minister for Communications and Information", Official Report, 1 March 2024, Vol 95, Issue 128, Correction By Written Statement section.] While enhancing our cybersecurity posture is important, it is not enough. Past outages in Singapore and elsewhere have shown that disruptions can occur due to non-cyber reasons. These include misconfigurations in cloud architecture or the outage of data centres due to fires, water leakages and cooling system failures. The task force is, therefore, also studying the introduction of a new Digital Infrastructure Act (DIA), to address broader security and resilience concerns of key digital infrastructure and services, beyond cybersecurity. The DIA will focus on digital infrastructure that can cause significant impact on the economy and society if disrupted. For example, large cloud service providers and data centres are crucial to the functioning of a wide array of digital services that enterprises and consumers use daily. These operators may, therefore, need to meet higher security and resilience standards, to reduce the likelihood of systemic disruptions. The task force is conducting further studies to properly scope the DIA and develop its proposals. The challenges are complex and include the cross-border nature of digital infrastructure operators, like cloud service providers. We will also need to balance trade-offs between mitigating risks and increasing compliance costs. We will continue to consult industry players and relevant stakeholders, and ensure coherence in requirements between the DIA and the Cybersecurity Act. Second, the task force is exploring non-regulatory measures that will complement our laws and regulations.”
“These largely concern the digital infrastructure and services that power our digital economy and enable citizens to meet their day-to-day needs. In 2023, Singapore faced disruptions in online Government services, banking and payment services, and when accessing the websites of public healthcare institutions. But we were not alone. Many countries are grappling with similar issues as they become more digitalised. For example, a data centre outage in France caused widespread disruption to government and other services. A cloud service outage in the US caused many websites to be inaccessible, including those of news outlets and airlines. To manage the impact of such disruptions, the EU, Germany and Australia have already introduced regulations to enhance the security and resilience of digital infrastructure, such as cloud services and data centres. While we cannot fully eliminate disruptions, we will do more to minimise their occurrence. An inter-agency task force led by MCI has been reviewing the evolving landscape and developing mitigating measures. We are looking at two key moves. First, we will enhance our regulatory levers. The upcoming amendments to the Cybersecurity Act will raise the cybersecurity of foundational digital infrastructure and other systems as well as entities, beyond the Critical Information Infrastructure it covers today. The expanded coverage will include data centres, cloud services and key entities that may hold sensitive data or perform important public functions. I am pleased to update Members that public consultations on the amendments were completed in January. We plan to introduce the amendment Bill in Parliament next week and will share more details then.”
“We will, therefore, have to feel our way forward and be willing to adjust our approaches. Where the Government is concerned, we are mindful that the delivery of public services through digital means should be carefully designed to cater to different population segments, including seniors. Two days ago, Minister Chan Chun Sing also reiterated the Government's commitment to ensure that our services remain accessible to all. For example, citizens who require support for Government services can head to any ServiceSG Centre, which can help with close to 600 services and schemes from over 25 agencies. IMDA's Digital Ambassadors also stand ready at multiple community touchpoints to provide guidance to seniors. As the digital landscape evolves, our libraries will also continue efforts to promote reading and lifelong learning. This includes NLB's mobile library service, or MOLLY, which Ms Hany Soh touched on. I thank Ms Soh, for her support and appreciation of the outreach that MOLLY has helped the NLB to achieve. Since its launch in 2008, MOLLY has served over 500 institutions, received around 1.4 million visits and facilitated about 2.7 million loans. It is obviously very proud of these achievements and will certainly continue to reach out to as many as possible. I should also add that it is not only MOLLY that brings the library to our citizens, there are other ways in which the library makes its presence felt. For example, there are pop-ups stations in busy shopping malls and other locations with high foot fall, and you will find some representation of the library in them. I will now address two other dimensions of digital trust that Ms Tin, Ms Jessica Tan, Mr de Souza and Mr Xie asked about: security and resilience.”
“Following extensive consultations with stakeholders, PDPC has finalised its Advisory Guidelines on the use of Personal Data in AI Recommendation and Decision Systems and will publish this today. PDPC will next consider giving guidance on the use of personal data to train generative AI (GenAI) systems. Mr de Souza asked how MCI will continue to place Singapore at the forefront of AI governance. Indeed, Singapore has been recognised as an active and credible contributor to AI Governance. Last year, we launched the AI Verify Foundation, to harness the expertise of the global open-source community to promote responsible use of AI. This builds on the roll out of AI Verify, a testing framework and software toolkit, in 2022. Today, the Foundation counts organisations, such as IBM, Google, Deloitte, DBS and SIA as members. At the World Economic Forum in January this year, we announced a Proposed Model AI Governance Framework for Generative AI (MGF-GenAI), and sought views from our partners. This framework builds on the earlier Model AI Governance Framework and reflects emerging principles, concerns and technological developments in GenAI. More recently, Singapore led the development of the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, which was endorsed at the fourth ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting held here last month. I will now move on to the second theme of my speech: upholding trust in the digital domain. Both Ms Hany Soh and Mr Eric Chua asked how we maintain the human touch, amidst increasing digitalisation. Sir, coincidentally, I spoke about this yesterday at the Ministry of Home Affairs' COS debate. The reality is that there is no silver bullet. Digitalisation is taking place across multiple settings and changes our interactions with each other in so many ways.”
“A very good example is the NLB's MakeIT programme, which allows participants to try their hand at 3D modelling and printing, robotics and coding. I spoke about it at COS previously. The public sector itself provides both formal and informal learning experiences to build AI capabilities. For example, we have introduced tools like Pair, our secure version of ChatGPT, to help public officers in tasks, such as writing, brainstorming, research and coding. Today, around 35,000 public officers use Pair in their work to improve their productivity. Sir, I should add that the most important strategy for sustaining high employment and minimising unemployment is continued job creation. This means ensuring that businesses continue to grow, including through the use of technologies like AI. By doing so, we need not react passively to job displacement by AI, but proactively use AI to reinstate better jobs for our people. This is why we will also invest in promoting AI adoption among enterprises, a topic which Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How will deal with later. Let me now turn to the topic of AI governance. While we welcome opportunities that come with AI advancements, we must also guard against the risks of misuse. For example, AI can intensify existing threats, such as cyber-attacks, scams, or misinformation and disinformation. Guardrails are, therefore, necessary. Mr Christopher de Souza, Mr Xie Yao Quan and Mr Mark Lee asked what we are doing to promote safe and responsible uses of AI and how we will protect personal data that may be used to train AI models. MCI recognises their concerns. At COS last year, I outlined our plan to clarify how the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) applies to AI systems.”
“As Members know, the People's Action Party (PAP) Government has a consistent record of investing in upskilling and reskilling workers, often ahead of demand and in partnership with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). We will continue to do so. Let me provide an update on the Jobs Transformation Maps (JTMs) and how they support workers impacted by AI, which Mr Sharael Taha asked about. There are now 16 JTMs that identify job roles affected by various technologies, of which 13 specifically outline the impact of AI. These JTMs cover at least 1.4 million workers in hundreds of job roles. While we cannot fully predict the scope and scale of AI disruptions, these JTMs provide useful signposts for employers, unions and workers, so they can plan for job redesign or training interventions. Consequently, many of the NTUC's company training committees refer to them. Agencies responsible for sector development can also identify suitable training interventions. For example, the IMDA appointed five training partners under the Information and Communications JTM in September last year. They now offer over 180 AI-related courses. As of December, they have trained about 1,000 people to be confident AI users. There will be thousands more in the next three years. This year's Budget has also provided a generous top-up to SkillsFuture Credits and the Level-Up Programme for mid-career Singaporeans looking to reskill through full-time diploma programmes. IMDA will work with SkillsFuture Singapore to ensure that there are suitable offerings to help more of our people gain AI-proficiency and stay relevant in the workforce. And, as suggested by Mr Gerald Giam, we already go beyond training programmes to promote hands-on learning.”
“AI, a startup which provides an AI-powered platform for businesses to create marketing content in seconds. Today, Mr Wong continues to enjoy networking opportunities with fellow scholars and mentors younger talent. We will support more young Singaporeans with similar aspirations as Mr Wong. As an initial step, we will invest over $20 million in the next three years to enhance AI practitioner training for students. This will cover AI-related SG Digital scholarships and overseas internships in AI roles. Beyond students, we will also support recent graduates and mid-career workers who wish to become AI practitioners. IMDA plans to scale up the TechSkills Accelerator, or TeSA. It will provide funding support to employers with relevant career openings to induct and equip locals through upskilling opportunities and industry-relevant training. In parallel to efforts to grow the creator and practitioner communities in Singapore, we will equip the broader workforce to be confident AI users. This may be the best way to forestall AI-induced job displacement which many Members, including Mr Yip Hon Weng, have expressed concerns about. As with previous waves of technology proliferation, workers worry about being replaced. With AI, it is not just rank and file workers, but professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) who feel at risk, that AI tools and agents can take over the tasks that they currently perform. These include knowledge-based tasks, like research, coding and writing. Many thoughtful observers have, however, pointed out that it is not so much AI displacing the workers, but AI-proficient workers displacing AI-deficient workers.”
“Take Dr Koh Pang Wei for example – an award-winning AI researcher who is currently based at the University of Washington. Dr Koh is highly sought after because he focuses on building AI models that can work with imperfect data, which is a common problem in real-world applications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Koh developed novel methods to estimate the movements of people from raw data. This led to models that helped governments understand the spread of the COVID-19 virus and inform reopening policies around the world. Dr Koh is a born and bred Singaporean. As much as we would like him to come home, we also recognise the value of the networks that he is plugged into because of his current appointment. In fact, there are other researchers like him from diverse nationalities who would like to work more with us. We welcome them and will soon launch a new AI Visiting Professorship for world-class AI researchers to collaborate with Singapore. We will also partner AI Singapore and our universities to launch a new AI Accelerated Masters Programme to grow our pipeline of Singaporean AI researchers. At the same time, we will triple the pool of AI practitioners here to 15,000 over the next five years. Practitioners include data scientists and machine learning engineers and who develop and translate the use of AI in organisations across the economy. 5.15 pm Take the example of SG Digital Scholar Mr Joshua Wong. The SG Digital scholarship gave Mr Wong the opportunity to study computer science in Cambridge University, gain exposure to AI research and build networks with some of the best global talent in AI. This helped him to fulfil his dreams to be an entrepreneur. In 2020, he co-founded Hypotenuse.”
“MCI agrees with Ms Mariam Jaafar that our AI ambitions should not be driven by hype. While we have invested to build Sea-Lion as a means to grow our capabilities and test the hypothesis that that there is value in training large language models (LLMs) on Southeast Asian languages, we have avoided headlong competition with builders of big frontier models which cost much more. Like Ms Mariam Jaafar, we believe that Singapore's interests are better served through the deployment of use cases, based on the most suitable foundation models that can be developed anywhere in the world. Among other goals, NAIS 2.0 aims to create new peaks of excellence in leading economic sectors and areas aligned with our Smart Nation priorities. Earlier today, Minister Gan Kim Yong announced plans to partner 100 companies to set up AI Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and spur AI development in key sectors, like manufacturing. Later, Senior Minister of State Dr Janil Puthucheary will also update Members on plans to boost the infrastructure that powers AI activities. I will focus on talent development and governance. In the world of AI, we can think broadly of three communities: AI creators, who generate cutting-edge AI research, design frontier systems and drive novel use cases; AI practitioners, who have the skillsets to implement and deploy AI systems, models and algorithms in organisations; and AI users, who are equipped to use AI-powered solutions and services, increase productivity to take up better jobs. Every city with some AI ambition wants these creators, practitioners and users – as many as they can get. The competition is extremely intense, as alluded to by Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Sharael Taha.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank all Members for their cuts. A decade ago, we launched the Smart Nation initiative, with the vision for Singapore to be a nation where people live meaningful and fulfilled lives enabled by technology, offering exciting opportunities for all. There is no doubt that technology has become a big part of Singaporeans' daily lives. Overall, 84% say that digital technologies have made their lives easier and more than half are prepared to try new technologies. In January, Parliament debated extensively on a Motion on digital inclusion and safety. For the Committee of Supply (COS) therefore, MCI will cover three other important aspects of Smart Nation development. First, leveraging technology to uplift our collective potential. Second, upholding trust in the digital domain. Third, safeguarding our infrastructure of fact. During the Budget and Committee of Supply debates thus far, no fewer than 15 Members of Parliament have mentioned AI developments in their speeches. Overall, they supported the more than $1 billion committed over the next five years to catalyse AI activities in Singapore. As Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong pointed out, AI is a general-purpose technology that will find many applications, some of which we cannot yet imagine. But it is not the only type of technology Singapore has invested in. For example, we have also built capabilities in quantum technology. Nonetheless, given the current strong interest in AI, I will expand on the Government's plans to strengthen the AI ecosystem in Singapore and guard against its risks. Last December, we launched our refreshed National AI Strategy (NAIS 2.0), as one of the key planks of our Smart Nation effort. It builds on investments made under our first National AI Strategy that was launched in 2019.”
“The Ministry of Communications and Information is not aware of definitive research findings regarding the social and psychological impacts of metaverse and virtual reality technologies. Our consistent approach has been to work with partners to develop and update public education initiatives to equip Singaporeans to use technology in a safe, healthy and balanced manner. For example: (a) The National Library Board's Read to be SURE initiative provides resources on the benefits and risks of technology, including the metaverse. (b) Digital for Life (DfL) Festival in 2023 provided opportunities for parents and children to learn about emerging technologies and also how to protect themselves against potential online harms. (c) Recently, the Infocomm Media Development Authority also launched bite-sized resources on the DfL portal to support parents in guiding their children's online interactions. Where appropriate regulatory actions can be taken, we have implemented them in a timely manner. For example, we have introduced a Code of Practice for Social Media Services. Later this year, we will also introduce a Code of Practice for App Distribution Services to ensure age-appropriate access.”
“Mobile network operators (MNOs) are required to provide at least 99% nationwide coverage in outdoor areas, including those inside road and MRT tunnels; and at least 85% coverage within buildings. In fact, it is rare for such mandatory quality-of-service standards for mobile-network coverage and Singapore is one of only a few countries to require it. Based on audits conducted regularly, all MNOs have complied with the standards. In new HDB towns, MNOs and HDB work closely together to facilitate mobile-network coverage for new flats as soon as practicable, after construction is completed.”
“Gaming addiction, also known as gaming disorder or Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), is a medical diagnosis associated with behaviors serious enough to result in significant impairment in one's personal and social lives. MCI does not have data on gaming addiction, which requires medical diagnosis. Parents who suspect that that their child may have IGD should seek help from their family doctors and public healthcare institutions, such as the National Addiction Management Service (NAMS), for their child to be assessed on the severity of their condition and determine suitable interventions. Alternatively, they may approach community partners, such as TOUCH Community Services, which runs counselling and intervention programmes for youths who may be exposed to excessive gaming and device use.”
“The Ministry of Communications and Information's (MCI's) focus is on encouraging healthy gaming habits amongst youths and ensuring age-appropriate access to online games. To these ends, we have worked with partners from the people, private and public (3P) sectors to support parents in guiding their children to navigate the online world safely and responsibly. In schools, MOE's Cyber Wellness education programme equips students with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves, support their peers and seek help when faced with issues of excessive internet use and gaming. The National Library Board's (NLB's) Source, Understand, Research and Evaluate (S.U.R.E) programme also provides useful resources and tips on positive online habits and responsible online gaming for parents and youth. The Digital for Life (DfL) portal now provides bite-sized resources including tips on healthy online gaming habits. MCI, MOE and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) are also working on a Parents' Toolbox to equip parents with practical strategies to support children's well-being and their digital journey. The Toolbox will be launched in phases from 2024. Beyond these public education initiatives, MCI and IMDA are working to strengthen our regulatory levers to address concerns over harmful content on mobile apps, including gaming apps, with the introduction of a new Code of Practice for App Distribution Services (ADSs). The new Code will require designated ADSs, which may include Google Play and Apple App Store, to put in place systems and processes to mitigate users' exposure to harmful apps.”
“Since the launch of facial verification on Singpass, the Government Technology Agency has not detected breaches. Our agencies continuously monitor, test and work on improvements. It is best we maintain operational security over the technical details.”
“Singapore will continue to monitor these developments and review our governance frameworks and regulations to ensure that they remain fit-for-purpose. We will continue to be consultative in our approach and welcome views of all stakeholders, including our tripartite partners.”
“Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Ms See had deferred a related question on artificial intelligence (AI) governance, scheduled for the Sitting on or after 1 March 2024. The hon Member may thus wish to withdraw or amend the Parliamentary Question. As outlined in the refreshed National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS 2.0), Singapore is fostering a trusted environment for AI so that our businesses and people can develop and use AI confidently. We have been consultative in our approaches, including when we released the 2019 Model AI Governance Framework and the open sourcing of our testing framework and software toolkit, AI Verify, in 2023. We welcome all stakeholders, including consumer groups and our tripartite partners, workers and employers, to provide input to our AI governance initiatives. Most recently, the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics was endorsed at the Fourth ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting in Singapore last week, following consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including ASEAN Dialogue Partners, that is, China, Japan and the US, Development Partners like the International Telecommunication Union and industry players across ASEAN. We also announced the proposed "Model AI Governance Framework for Generative AI" at the World Economic Forum in January to seek views internationally. The draft Framework is currently open for public feedback until 15 March 2024. As we have explained in past Sittings, AI is an evolving and fast-changing technology. Both its uses and users are also constantly growing and evolving. While there is broad consensus on the importance of trustworthy and responsible AI globally, governance approaches are still nascent.”
“The SPF is also working with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency to develop and enhance technologies to detect AI-generated audio and videos and respond to the malicious use of deepfake technology. To complement the Government's efforts to build a safe and inclusive digital society, we have rolled out public education programmes on digital media and information literacy, cybersecurity and scams. For example, the National Library Board's signature S.U.R.E. (Source. Understand. Research. Evaluate.) campaign, the CSA's national cybersecurity campaign "Unseen Enemy"; and the SPF/National Crime Prevention Council's "I can ACT against scams". The Scam Public Education Office was also set up in 2023 to drive anti-scam public education efforts and expand outreach. The Government will closely monitor and continue to adjust our strategies and tools to keep pace with the rapidly evolving technological landscape.”