Lim Biow Chuan
Singapore
“Sir, just two short supplementary questions. First, currently, the United Nations define seniors as 65 years whereas we have set ours at 67 years. So, would the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) consider reducing to 65 years for the age eligibility criterion for getting the concessionary rate for the MDW?”
“In light of this, the existing practice of the Ministry, which disallows the repeated renewal of shorter term COEs, should also be eliminated to preserve the maximum flexibility for EV drivers to extend the use of an environmentally friendly car.”
“Sir, in June last year, the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) was launched. Sir, let me express my gratefulness to LTA for the TEL line, as there are three TEL MRT stations within the Mountbatten constituency. The TEL line has facilitated travel for many residents in my constituency.”
“Sir, I receive many queries from Polytechnic and GCE "A" level students wanting to know about their enlistment dates, asking about their Physical Employment Standard (PES) status prior to enlistment for. Sir, I also receive queries about NSmen hoping to study overseas.”
“MFA has said on several occasions that Singapore supports the right of Palestinian people to a homeland of their own. Singapore delivered not one, or two, but a total of six to seven tranches of humanitarian aid for Gaza in January 2025.”
“Even in Parliament, Sir, our Clerks and other staff work such long hours because MPs debate long hours, spend time debating Bills until late in the evening and sometimes until late at night. Sir, I have on many occasions, received emails from Ministers late in the middle of the night.”
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“Sir, just two short supplementary questions. First, currently, the United Nations define seniors as 65 years whereas we have set ours at 67 years. So, would the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) consider reducing to 65 years for the age eligibility criterion for getting the concessionary rate for the MDW? Secondly, my Parliamentary Question is actually trying to address the issue of reducing costs for households. So, perhaps, MOM, will want to consider whether we can reduce this for households during the period when cost of living is quite high? So, reduce the levy for those who have a senior aged 65, rather than 67.”
“In light of this, the existing practice of the Ministry, which disallows the repeated renewal of shorter term COEs, should also be eliminated to preserve the maximum flexibility for EV drivers to extend the use of an environmentally friendly car. The claim that returning short-term COEs into the bidding pool preserves equity between existing and prospective owners of cars, has never made much sense to me, since it applies with equal force to longer-term COEs. But insisting on this practice makes even less sense for vehicles that will otherwise endure even longer than the typical internal combustion engine (ICE) equivalents. In summary, I propose that the Ministry consider revision in the standard COE duration to 16 years, especially after 2030, when the pure ICE COEs will no longer be issued. For those who desire a shorter term for renewals, much like the present five-year COE, and eight-year duration will also coincide with one battery lifecycle.”
“At the inception of the VQS, the 10-year duration was chosen because it will align with the existing limit of the preferential additional registration fee or part rebate. This duration is somewhat arbitrary. Although one could argue that back in 1990, they were also broadly aligned with factors driving vehicle turnover, such as safety, efficiency emissions and maintenance costs. With new electric vehicles (EVs), however, these factors are likely to be dominated by a wholly different consideration. The lifespan of the EV battery. At present, the warranty on EV batteries for most manufacturers is set at eight years, or 160,000 kilometres. This is consistent with the practice of designating battery end of life at 70% of the maximum charge. Since the cost of replacing a battery outside of the warranty is prohibitively expensive; estimated at around a third of the cost of the actual vehicle, many would consider this an opportune time to replace the car altogether. We can thus regard eight years as a reasonable lower bound. But research suggests that retiring the battery so early, severely under-utilises it and, given the environmental cost of battery manufacture, undermines the EVs sustainability proposition. Indeed, with reasonable use, EV batteries could last somewhere between 15 and 20 years before requiring replacement. Industry experts tend to place the equivalent mileage at closer to at least 300 and 20,000 kilometres – double that of the standard warranty distance. And even if the battery were changed only once at eight years, it would make sense to stretch out the new battery another eight. If so, this will afford an equivalent upper bound that amounts to 16 years. There is much uncertainty over the genuine economic and technical lifespan of an EV.”
“Sir, the rising costs of Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) has been a source of great unhappiness for many young couples aspiring to buy a car. This is especially so when the COE prices kept going up and the COE in the Open category hit a high of $152,000 in November last year. The high COE price has also been blamed for the increased costs of living in Singapore. Many Singaporeans feel that the high cost of COE was due to excessive demand from the bidders of PHCs. They feel that many private hire companies buy the cars for hire and then subsequently sell the cars to the hirers for their personal use. To be fair, LTA has taken measures to manage COE prices by injecting 20,000 extra COEs over the next few years. Just last month, LTA has also banned private hire cars from being transferred out of the scheme to become passenger cars or transfer them to individuals within three years of its registration. The question is whether these new measures will help manage the increasing costs of the COE. May I ask the Minister to provide an update on whether a separate COE category will be created for PHCs? Will LTA introduce any other measures to manage COE costs like imposing the equivalent of additional duty for the buyers of more than two cars. Will the introduction of ERP 2.0 allow the injection of more COEs and help reduce COE prices? Alternative COE Durations for Electric Vehicles Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): The existing vehicle quota system of Vehicle Quota System (VQS) maintains COEs that last for 10 years for the first instance and can be renewed for either five- or 10-year periods thereafter.”
“Sir, the use of PMDs and e-bikes or power assisted bicycles has become very popular in Singapore. Residents who have weak limbs find these devices very useful in enabling them to move around independently. Unfortunately, there are also many irresponsible riders who illegally modify them and use the PMDs or e-bikes to race on the roads and to ride recklessly. This poses a danger to both the rider and to other road users. Some riders may not even know the highway code but they are allowed to race the PMDs on the roads. In mid-February, it was reported that a group of young people were arrested for riding illegally modified or non-compliant PMDs. This is probably the tip of the iceberg as I regularly receive many other complaints about such reckless riders. I also received complaints that some of the PMD users would charge their illegally modified PMDs at the HDB void deck and even bring them onto MRT stations. This poses a fire risk to the other residents in the block and to other commuters who may be on the train. May I ask MOT how will LTA ensure the safety of residents living in the HDB blocks and the safety of commuters using the trains? Will action be taken against retailers who sell illegally modified PMDs or help to modify the PMAs illegally or if they sell the riders non-compliant batteries? These retailers are also complicit in abetting the commission of an offence and I would urge LTA to take action against them and punish them accordingly. Enhancing Safety of Occupational Drivers”
“Sir, in June last year, the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) was launched. Sir, let me express my gratefulness to LTA for the TEL line, as there are three TEL MRT stations within the Mountbatten constituency. The TEL line has facilitated travel for many residents in my constituency. However, even though the TEL line has been operational for the last eight months, the covered linkway under the Walk to Ride Scheme, which links residents to the train station are not yet put up. So, I urge LTA to plan concurrently so that the covered linkways to the train stations are constructed at the same time with the construction of the MRT line. In that way, once the MRT line is operational, residents can have a sheltered walkway to the train station when they are using the new MRT line. Surely, this is more convenient for all the commuters. Sheltered Pedestrian Crossing”
“Sir, I take the public transport regularly, and there are many occasions when I hear commuters speaking loudly on their mobile phones and I also see young people seated on the floor of the MRT carriage. Sometimes, I also read of bus passengers behaving in an inconsiderate manner by putting up their legs on the bus seats. In January 2025, there was a report of two men who were charged for urinating at MRT stations. This kind of poor behaviour can make our public transport journey less comfortable. I notice that there are new stickers on MRT trains that tell commuters to “keep the volume low”, “occupy only one seat” and “no sitting on the floor”. Good reminders. And I appreciate the efforts to remind public transport commuters on the need to be thoughtful and considerate to other commuters. However, do these signs have the force of law? Or are they intended to remind commuters on the need to be considerate to other public transport users? If the signs are meant to be enforced, how does LTA determine what level of volume is too loud to be unacceptable and what if a passenger insist on occupying another seat with his bag? Improving Commuter Experience for All”
“Sir, last year, during MND's COS I spoke on the need to take further action against pigeon feeders. It is a known fact that pigeons carry various bacteria and parasites which can be transmitted to humans through their droppings. Given that the pigeons are a potential health risk to residents, I urge NParks to do more to protect our residents from the possible health risks associated with pigeons. As Chairman of a Town Council, I keep receiving countless feedback about the mess left behind by pigeons. The pigeon faeces make a mess of the residents' clothes; make a mess on the windows, on the void deck; and pigeons would fly or walk into the food centre and attack the food while residents are having their meals. Sir, why should the majority of residents be put at risk and held hostage by a few irresponsible pigeon feeders? Sir, I repeat my call last year: the Government needs to better manage the pest bird situation and take action against pigeon feeders. Why are we so slow to do so even after the Town Council provides video evidence to NParks for enforcement? We can make the living environment better for all our residents if we take action against pigeon feeders promptly.”
“The feedback which I received from many members of the public is that there is lack of transparency in the works being carried out by contractors. Sir, take for example, in my constituency, there is a sidewalk along Cassia Link and it has been cordoned off for many years for road widening works. Yet, for a period of time, no work has been done and the place remains cordoned off. There is no update as to the timeline for completion of the works. For my Mountbatten CC which is being rebuilt, the deadline for the issue of the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) keeps being moved to a later date without any explanation as to the reason for the delay. Surely, it makes more sense that once you start construction work on a site, the contractor should move quickly to carry out the work, complete the works expeditiously and then, the contractor can reinstate the site and move on to the next project. However, this does not seem to be the current situation. After a site is cordoned off, many a times, no work is carried out for a period of time. And the frequent reason given is that the contractor needs to get some permit or approval. Sir, this seems very inefficient to me. The Government launched the refreshed Built Environment Industry Transformation Map in September 2022, three years ago. Can the Government provide an update on the progress of industry transformation and some of its upcoming efforts to further accelerate this transformation? Will there be more support for construction firms so that we can have a pipeline of capable people in the industry? What about our efforts to attract engineers, architects and surveyors into the industry? Showcase Local Design in Public Projects”
“Sir, last year, URA launched various exhibitions and ramped up engagement efforts for the draft Masterplan review. In my constituency, there was a proposal to change the zoning of a plot of land at Amber Road from Reserve site to Residential Zone. Several of my residents have written appeals to object to the rezoning. They are concerned that their views will be obstructed once the new development is built. They also worry that there will be more traffic congestion in the area once the neighbouring land is developed. Sir, I am sympathetic to their views. After all, a property is one of the most expensive assets which a resident will buy in their lifetime. These residents bought the property with the expectation that there will not be increased density in the area and that their views of the sea will not be obstructed. May I ask MND or URA to clarify how will they take into account the public feedback received when drafting or finalising the public feedback? When I filed a Parliamentary Question in January this year, I was told that measures will be introduced to minimise traffic impact. What are these measures and how confident is URA or LTA that these measures to manage will actually work out? Built Environment Sir, the construction industry is seen to be an industry which is dirty and non-appealing. However, Singapore depends on skilled workers and professionals to build their HDB flats, condominiums, factories, office space, bus depots and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations. Without such skilled and competent workers, then the industry suffers as we will see the lowering of standards in the building and construction industry.”
“Sir, in July 2024, there was a report about an online influencer in Malaysia who took her life due to cyberbullying. In the same month last year, a survey done by MDDI found that 74% of Internet users face harmful content, like cyberbullying or sexual content online, but only a quarter report it. Many of us who are on social media have faced all sorts of cyberbullying at one point or another. Sometimes, the bully makes false allegations; sometimes, they deliberately use words intended to humiliate and hurt your feelings; the trolls frequently make insinuations about your character, they use mean and vicious words against you. Frequently, the bully hides behind the cloak of anonymity. This is not acceptable, especially for those younger social media users. Why should anyone using social media be subject to such bullying behaviour? Sir, in an answer to a Parliamentary Question in October 2024, Minister Josephine Teo said that the Government plans to introduce new legislation and measures to provide stronger support and assurance to victims of online harms, such as bullying. Can the Ministry provide an update as to the new legislation? Make it illegal for any social media user to use a false account to register that account. This means that if any user wishes to, say, bully others by making false allegations or using mean or harsh words, they must be held to account for the things they say. I look forward to the day when social media users can be protected from such bullying behaviour. Tackling Online Harms”
“Sir, in January this year, I had the privilege of travelling to India as part of President Tharman's State Visit to celebrate our 60 years of diplomatic relations with India. India is one of the first countries who recognised Singapore as an independent country. It is the country with the largest population in the world, and we enjoy excellent relationship with India. Singapore is the second largest investor in India and India is Singapore's 12th largest trade partner. As a small trading nation, it makes sense for Singapore to maintain friendly relations with all the major powers in the world like the US, China, Russia and India. I understand that in September last year, during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the relationship between Singapore and India was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership. May I ask MFA what does this mean for Singapore's economy? How will the citizens of Singapore benefit? Besides our high-level exchanges and economic cooperation, what other areas are we working on to improve the bilateral cooperation. Signapore's Relations with Middle East”
“MFA has said on several occasions that Singapore supports the right of Palestinian people to a homeland of their own. Singapore delivered not one, or two, but a total of six to seven tranches of humanitarian aid for Gaza in January 2025. Singapore has also provided technical assistance to enhance the Palestinian Authority's capacity for administration and reconstruction. Sir, as a small nation, there are indeed limitations as to how we can help other countries. But I believe that we can do our part, to countries that suffered due to war. I understand that under the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP), we have provided technical assistance to many other developing countries to help these countries with human resource development. Has Singapore rendered such technical assistance under the SCP to the Palestinian Authority? What kind of help has Singapore provided, and is it sufficient? Situation in Gaza and Gulf Relations”
“I served my NS many years ago and have always been convinced of the importance of NS and the need for all Singaporeans to understand that only we are responsible for defending our nation. We cannot depend on any other nation to help us deal with an aggressor country. Last week’s incident in the White House is a grim reminder to all nations of the need to be self-sufficient. In recent years, as we observed the wars in other countries and how some nations have rallied to respond in the face of aggressive forces. The nations that have responded best tend to be the ones with higher levels of social resilience. Social resilience is important and is crucial because it helps communities withstand, adapt to and recover from crises that could impact social cohesion. To build social resilience, we have to foster a society that embraces staying together and staying strong even when under stress. Singaporeans must learn to adapt to new challenges and be ready to contribute to developing solutions to tackle them head-on. This requires community networks and support systems to help people share resources and provide support to one another during times of crises. We also need to build public trust in our Government, public services and emergency response systems. I wish to ask MINDEF, beyond preparing for conventional warfare, could MINDEF share more about its efforts in strengthening our society’s resilience in dealing with emergencies or crises? Enabling Total Defence Conversations”
“Sir, I receive many queries from Polytechnic and GCE "A" level students wanting to know about their enlistment dates, asking about their Physical Employment Standard (PES) status prior to enlistment for. Sir, I also receive queries about NSmen hoping to study overseas. They want to be able to plan for their studies or plan whether they can take on a temporary job, pending their NS. Sir, the OneNS web portal and mobile app was rolled-out last year to streamline digital services for NSmen. Since its release, have there been any enhancements made to the OneNS Portal? Will the One NS web portal be able to provide such information to students who are enlisting soon. Can NSmen use the portal to apply for deferment of their NS training? Has there been any survey among NSmen or to assess the effectiveness and usefulness of the portal? I hope that MINDEF recognises that in this digital age, continuous updates are necessary to keep up with user needs and improve user experience.”
“Even in Parliament, Sir, our Clerks and other staff work such long hours because MPs debate long hours, spend time debating Bills until late in the evening and sometimes until late at night. Sir, I have on many occasions, received emails from Ministers late in the middle of the night. Sir, if the entire civil service were to follow the lead of their Ministers, then, sadly, all of us will have a stressful life and we know the reason why many couples feel burnout. So, I urge the Government to please review this culture of working long and stressful hours. When I visit Australia or the European countries, I see many people out there enjoying the weather and parks from 5.00 pm onwards. Will a better lifestyle allow us to consider a bigger family? Sir, I do not have the answer, but I think there is scope to carry out a thorough study if we want our TFR to improve. Sir, in closing, let me thank the Finance Minister for his Budget Statement. I repeat my support for Budget 2025.”
“So, reviewing the foreign worker ratio will enable businesses to keep their labour costs down. I also urge the Government to adjust rental costs for businesses on JTC- and HDB-owned industrial and commercial properties and also to consider reducing rental costs for hawker stalls. I hope that these issues are not sacred cows that cannot be reviewed. Sir, early this year, our local banks have announced increased profits for the year. While I am happy for the banks and happy for the shareholders, I do urge MAS to review whether borrowing costs for businesses can be reduced. Excessive profits for banks may simply mean that some organisations down the chain may be paying a higher price for these financial products. Sir, finally, the Large Families Scheme. I truly appreciate what the Government is intending to do by providing more financial support to couples with more children. Indeed, it will ease some of the concerns of the couples because of better financial support. However, if this scheme is intended to encourage couples to have more children, I think the Government must go back to the drawing board to ask why are many couples not even having children. The Catholic Pope Francis has also urged couples to raise children and build families, and not just keep pets. Sir, is the reluctance of having more children due to a lifestyle preference? Or is it because many couples do not want their children to be stressed due to the education system? Or is it due to work stress that makes it difficult for couples to plan for children? I personally think that Singaporeans lead too stressful a life. We need to reset our definition of what is success in life. Many of us work long hours, with reduced family time.”
“In a recent survey by Blackbox Research's SensingSG, a large number of citizens have expressed concern about rising costs of living and inflation. Whenever I speak to my residents, they, too, complain at the rising costs of consumer products each time they go to the market, supermarket or hawker centre. And this is despite the fact that over the past few years, the Government has been giving CDC Vouchers and outright cash payouts through the Assurance Package to the residents. The payouts from the Assurance Package did not seem to alleviate the concerns of Singaporeans about the increased costs of living. For residents in the middle-income squeeze, they simply have to tighten their belts as they get much lesser help from the Government schemes. In a recent CNA article, former newspaper editor, Mr Han Fook Kwang, said, "The problem is that handouts are at most band aids that do not address the issue itself which is, the rising prices of things that people need. They will hence never be sufficient, especially if prices keep going up." Sir, I think the Government must review this concern, which is valid. How can the Government do its part to manage costs of living? When I speak to businesses, they invariably raised two concerns of running a business: manpower costs and rental. I think it is time to consider whether we should review the need to allow more foreign workers in areas where Singaporeans clearly do not want to work in. So, I urge the Government to consider adjusting the foreign worker ratio for industries like cleaning, shipping, construction and the service line. A cleaning contractor told me that he is forced to look for 60- or 70-year-old Singaporean senior citizens to work as cleaners. This is to allow his company the ratio to employ more foreigners.”
“In previous years, the Finance Minister had always given GST Vouchers, U-save rebates, and service and conservancy charges rebates to residents living in HDB flats only. Residents who live in private estates are left out. In July last year, several Members and I had asked the Government why it did not provide Climate Vouchers to private estate residents because energy efficiency should be practised by every resident. I also recall my Budget speech a few years ago, where I had urged the Government to consider ways in which we can allow our retirees and middle-income Singaporeans to share or enjoy the growth of the country and to move together as a nation, regardless of where they stay. Thus, for this year's Budget, I am really pleased that the Finance Minister has heard our pleas and given Climate Vouchers to all households, including those in private properties. I am also glad that the SG60 vouchers, SG60, ActiveSG credit top-ups and SG60 Culture Pass will be given to all Singaporeans, regardless of housing type. Many of my residents who are retired or are in the lower- middle-income will certainly appreciate the Government sharing the growth of the Singapore economy with them. Some of my residents who live in private estates and may be better off, they do not need such vouchers. However, I think it is important that the Government signals that it acknowledges the efforts of all Singaporeans who have worked hard, paid taxes and contributed to the growth of the country. So, my hope is that Budget 2025 will mark a slight shift in the Government's financial policy to recognise the efforts and contributions of all Singaporeans who have built up Singapore, regardless of their house type. Next, Sir, if I can touch on cost of living.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is difficult to quarrel with this year's SG60 Budget Statement. It has been generous and there is something for almost everyone. That is why Prime Minister and the Finance Minister had said that it is a Budget for all Singaporeans. But the Budget Statement is more than an announcement of the goodies dished out to the citizens. It is also a statement setting out the Government's plans to address the current concerns of citizens, to rally Singaporeans together and it is a roadmap to chart the future direction for Singapore. Sir, I support the Budget Statement. I agree with the proposals to help businesses plan for growth, the push to help our citizens upskill themselves and the plans to prepare Singapore for the future which is always changing. And I am grateful that, with a Budget surplus, the Government has decided to share more with its citizens, for example, by providing $3 billion in MediSave top-ups. Sir, the global minimum tax rules, which more than 136 countries have joined to establish a minimum corporate tax of 15%, this has caused uncertainty about our tax revenue. It makes budgeting a lot more uncertain, especially with a new US government with uncertain government policies and quick to impose tariffs. Social expenditure will go up and corporate and tax revenue may be uncertain. So, in an uncertain global economy, I urge Members of this House not to take tax revenue for granted. Sir, allow me to make three comments for the Finance Minister's consideration. The first is equitable treatment for all citizens, regardless of housing type. For the past many years, I had advocated for Budget surpluses to be distributed in a manner that does not consider a citizen's housing type.”
“Sir, I do not think it is just the heartland shops in the Woodlands area that are going to be affected. The RTS will allow many Singaporeans to cross over to JB to do their shopping. As it is, that is already happening almost practically every weekend. So, my question to the Ministry of Trade and Industry is what other plans do we have to help not just the heartlanders, but also the entire retail industry in Singapore. Because this will have a big impact on all retail industries within Singapore, as the goods in Johor are really much cheaper.”
“If I heard correctly, Senior Minister of State Sim Ann has said that the equipment will not record every conversation made by the residents in the household. So, let me urge the Government that it is important to assure residents that the privacy of residents is protected and if there is no such assurance that privacy will be protected, residents are unlikely to allow the noise sensors to be installed. Finally, Sir, I wish to compliment HDB for its efforts to promote positive social behaviour and neighbourliness. The Good Neighbour Guidebook and the Singapore Friendly Neighbourhood Award are both very good initiatives. In 2021, in Mountbatten, I had MSO officers bringing residents together under the "Love Our 'Hood" programme to look for solutions to common neighbourhood issues and they want to encourage ownership of neighbourhood issues. Sir, I want to compliment HDB or the MSO for this very good initiative. I urge the relevant authorities to keep promoting the Singapore Kindness Movement so that more and more Singaporeans will accept that it is a norm, it is a right thing to be kind, to be considerate to others and to care for one another. If it is in our culture to be kind and considerate to one another, then there will be fewer disputes and disputes can be resolved far more easily. Sir, I support the Bill.”
“I believe that, for many disputes, it is a matter of being considerate for your neighbour. Thus, the residents ought to have a discussion with their neighbours to share their concerns in an amicable manner. The golden rule or the rule of reciprocity should apply, "Do unto others what you want them to do unto you". I do urge the Government to consider that not all disputes between neighbours are private disputes. In 2019, it was reported in the media about the "neighbours from hell" in Punggol. They had terrorised other innocent residents for several years. Sir, I would submit that, in such cases, the Police and HDB should not shy away from prosecuting unreasonable residents for being a public nuisance under the Miscellaneous Offences Act. In my view, the Police should have acted against the "resident from hell" who had harassed other neighbours unreasonably. It should not have been dealt with as a private dispute between two neighbours, but a public nuisance caused by one unreasonable person who has affected the public. Sir, I support the Bill and I wish to seek clarifications from the Minister as follows. First, I hear with excitement that the CRU will be set up in Tampines. Like many other Members present, we all have cases that we wish to refer to the CRU for resolution immediately and we would like the CRU to be implemented and be effective as soon as possible. I understand Minister Edwin Tong's and Senior Minister of State Sim Ann's constraints, but I do urge the Government, let us put the CRU to work as quickly as possible because all of us have many cases that we would like to refer to the CRU. Next, Sir, I also wish to ask about the monitoring equipment or the noise sensors that can be installed to monitor the level of noise.”
“But the next day, the hoarder will simply collect these rubbish in a matter of days and start accumulating them back outside his home, inside his home. When I took a peep into the home, it was full of clutter with rubbish. I do not even know how that resident got in or out of the home. Thus, without a treatment order, the hoarding could continue indefinitely, causing grief to all the neighbours on the same floor. In the particular hoarding case in my constituency, the case was resolved by multiple visits by a social worker who eventually persuaded the hoarder to go for treatment for anxiety. Sir, I also welcome the powers given to the Tribunal to deal with unmeritorious or vexatious proceedings. Unfortunately, sometimes, there are cases where an innocent resident faces allegation of causing noise when the noise may originate from elsewhere. His neighbour may visit him multiple times or even scold him or his family. The Police may knock on his doors late at night and he may face hostility from simply one complainant. Sir, in such a case, I would submit that the Tribunal should also have a provision to allow relief to an innocent party who may be dragged to court unnecessarily by another resident who may blame him for the noise without any basis. I have said, in 2015, when the Bill was enacted that this CDR Act is not a silver bullet which will resolve all neighbour disputes – and Minister Edwin Tong says it, too. I would say that, the amendments to this Bill is also not a silver bullet that will solve all neighbour disputes. But I totally understand the Government's stand that they do not wish to legislate social behaviour and that disputes between two neighbours should be considered private disputes.”
“Sir, the DG also has the powers to issue a Mediation Direction to compel parties involved in a neighbour dispute to attend mediation. Frequently, many efforts to resolve quarrels between neighbours fail right at the start because one party simply refuse to attend the mediation. It may be because of "face". But if parties are compelled to attend mediation at the Community Mediation Centre, at least there is a 70% chance, or higher, that the dispute may be resolved. If they refuse to attend the mediation, the chances of resolution is zero. At least, with compulsory mediation, each party gets to speak up about their struggles with the noise created or the obstruction or the second-hand smoke. Experienced mediators tell me, that getting parties to speak to each other in a neutral environment helps very much in resolving disputes. I also support the powers given under the Bill to deal with hoarders, which include the powers to make a mandatory treatment order. The effect of hoarding affects many residents. I can still recall a case few years ago, my residents invited me to visit their homes to see how their neighbour's hoarding had caused obstruction to the common area. I went down the stairs and it was cluttered by the hoarder's collection of rubbish. For several years, these residents suffered in silence and were concerned about the obstruction, the risk of fire and the risk of having pest infestation affecting their neighbours. Thus, one hoarder would easily affect the living environment of four to five of their neighbours on the same floor. Sir, for that case, I asked the Town Council to help clear the accumulated rubbish from the home of the hoarder. I did it, again and again.”
“Many MPs in this House have also raised queries about similar issues and they have asked about the effectiveness of the Community Mediation Centre in resolving disputes. MPs like Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Mr Louis Ng and former-MP Ms Lee Bee Wah, spoke frequently about their residents complaint about how second-hand smoke affects their resident's health. The media has also reported various cases about neighbours from hell and how the noise from an inconsiderate resident staying at Punggol Central had driven six families away. There was another reported case about a resident in Pending Road who had to tolerate hammering sound and loud lion dance music in the middle of the night. Thus, I welcome the amendments to this Bill as it would allow the Government more levers to resolve neighbourly disputes which have a negative impact on the community. Sir, I support the setting up of a CRU under clause 14 of the Bill and this is to deal with severe neighbour disputes. In fact, when the Bill was introduced in 2015, I had called on the Government to set up a Neighbourhood Police Centre staffed by Police Officers who specialise in neighbour disputes. At that time, I had said that, "from experience, the presence of the Police is frequently very helpful as citizens respond better when there is Police presence". Thus, having a person in authority and, possibly, a person in uniform, to deal with difficult neighbours would be really helpful in persuading unreasonable neighbours to be more circumspect in their behaviour. This is especially so, if the DG of CRU now has specific powers to issue an abatement order against a suspected individual responsible for any act or omission causing unreasonable interference.”
“Thank you, Speaker. Sir, the Community Disputes Resolution Act was enacted in 2015. At that time, the then-Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Lawrence Wong, said that the Community Disputes Resolution Bill 2015 proposes to introduce a new statutory tort for private disputes between neighbours. He stressed that there is a need to strengthen our approach to managing such disputes. He emphasised individual and community ownership, and how everyone has the responsibility to be a considerate neighbour so that residential living will be more pleasant for all. When problems arise, residents should first seek to resolve the matter amicably with their neighbour, failing which, they should try mediation. Sir, when the Bill was introduced in 2015, I supported the introduction of the new statutory tort. I had voiced my concerns as a Member of Parliament (MP) about the many cases of disputes between residents about noise, about encroachment of space, about littering and so on. But despite the many cries for help from the residents, there is hardly anything that the authorities can do to resolve such disputes. At that time, many MPs hoped that the CDR Act could help parties resolve their differences. Sir, fast forward nine years after the Bill has been passed, it is timely to review the effectiveness of the law. Unfortunately, it seems that the number of complaints that I receive as an MP has not come down. I still see many Meet-the-People Session cases and still receive many emails about the same issues of noise, hoarding, encroachment of common space and then, people whose cigarette smoking affects their neighbours and so on.”
“May I ask the Minister of State whether she has specific statistics rather than just 90%? So, 10% cannot find jobs within six months, but how many is that in absolute terms? Does the Ministry of Manpower have the figures for 2022 and 2021, that is, last three years?”
“Sir, I understand that there was some concern by drivers about the safety of EVs after the fire involving EVs in Seoul in August. Sir, may I ask the Minister of State, in addition to insurance, would there be other safety requirements like the installation of sprinklers or the provision of fire extinguishers near EV charging points, so as to give assurance to other car drivers that their vehicles parked next to an EV charging station would be safe? The other question, if I may ask the Minister of State, is whether the insurance just covers the owners of the car park, primarily the Housing and Development Board (HDB), or would it also cover managers of the car park, like Town Councils?”
“Thank you, Speaker. Sir, I join the Minister to thank LTA staff, SMRT staff, the bus drivers and taxi drivers who have been involved in helping our commuters deal with the unprecedented disruption to the MRT line. Sir, I am surprised that the axle can be dislodged from a bogie if it has been maintained regularly. I am also surprised to hear that there are 12 new cracks found on unreplaced tracks. Sir, I understand an EAP will be putting up its report. May I ask the Minister how long before this EAP puts up the report? Secondly, to prevent future recurrence of such disruption, will LTA conduct a special audit of the maintenance performance standards to check whether the external assessors have been thorough in their work? This is to prevent a recurrence before the EAP puts up its report.”
“Thus, I urge the Government to provide clear guidelines to CSPs so that they know what are the criteria they have to assess in complying with AML and CFT requirements. If a foreigner has to wait for months to start a business or to open a bank account in Singapore, the risk is that we will lose our competitive edge as a business-friendly country. Madam, The Straits Times had previously reported about a nominee director who was a director of 980 companies. Does ACRA check on the directorships held by any person? Would ACRA not want to set a limit as to the number of directorship that a director can hold? I hope the Minister can provide some clarifications on my concerns.”
“Next, may I ask the Minister whether there would be clear guidelines issued to enable CSPs to determine who is considered a fit and proper person to be a nominee director. The criteria must be clear and easy to comply with. Is it the duty of the registered CSP merely to ensure that a nominee director is not disqualified from acting as a director? Or must the CSP check how many directorships is the nominee director holding? Or are there other factors that the CSP must consider. For example, the classic advice in AML/CFP literature is that a CSP has to carry out CDD to assess for country risk and then assess whether the customer is a politically exposed person (PEP). When the customer is a PEP, then the CSP and many financial institutions would have to carry out enhanced CDD. PEP, in this case, would include politicians like us Members, judges, senior civil servants and so on. For financial institutions that choose to take the easy way out, they simply reject a PEP as its customer, because they are concerned whether they will be penalised if they process wrongly someone who is a PEP as their customer. Likewise, the easy way out would be for a CSP to reject any PEP so that they do not have to take unnecessary risks. Madam, without clear guidelines, the concern will be that it will be more difficult for innocent customers, whether local or foreign, to do business in Singapore. A former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) had shared with me that he had many difficulties trying to open a bank account more than 10 years after he had stepped down as an NMP. Personally, I, too, have been rejected by banks when I tried to open a simple deposit account with the bank simply because I am a PEP.”
“There will be a higher cost of compliance and this will invariably have to be passed on to the businesses. And many of these businesses may be small companies which have to pay for the higher compliance costs just to run a small family business. Madam, the feedback which I have received from RFAs, eventually to be known as CSPs, is that many huge sums of monies or funds come through the banks, financial institutions or even remittance companies. Surely, these banks, financial institutions or remittance companies are better placed to have stringent AML/CFT measures to stop the flow of illegal funds. The banks and financial institutions make huge profits every year and they should bear a larger share of compliance costs to detect money laundering of illegal funds. Madam, I am not saying that CSPs do not have a role to play in detecting money laundering activities. However, the question is who is in a better position to detect money laundering activities and which entity should bear the greater part of the compliance costs. Here, I would submit that banks and financial institutions are in a better position to be the gatekeeper against money laundering, rather than CSPs, because the funds flow through the banks and financial institutions. Thus, there should not be a need to impose such huge penalties on CSPs who may have been careless or negligently failed to carry out their CDD. So, may I urge the Minister to consider the culpability of the CSP when imposing criminal liabilities on CSPs. In this case, the question would be whether the CSP had directly facilitated the illegal flow of funds into Singapore.”
“Madam, in principle, I support the need for tightening the regulations to ensure that all entities offering specific accounting and corporate secretariat services are properly registered under the CSP Act and I support the principle that they must comply with AML/CFT requirements. So, I believe that all parties must do their part to ensure that we deter dishonest entities from carrying out illegal activities and then laundering the illegally obtained funds through our financial system. However, Madam, I do have a few concerns. Many RFAs, now to be known as CSPs, provide critical services to many small companies and businesses to ensure that these businesses and companies do comply with the Companies Act and ACRA regulations. These CSPs are already required to attend AML/CFT courses and to pass the mandatory test every two years. To impose too many requirements and to impose such high penalties of up to $100,000 fines, seem to be an excessive reaction to the current action against money launderers. As it is, within the last three years, ACRA has cancelled the registrations of 17 RFAs and 17 RQIs, based on The Straits Times report today. They are cancelled for breaching the ACRA regulations. So, Madam, there are already penalties imposed for breach of such regulations. Many RFAs typically provide company secretariat services and do not deal with huge flow of funds or monies into the companies. This is unlike the banks or financial institutions, remittance companies or dealers of precious metals. So, to impose onerous requirements on the CSPs to carry out stringent customer due diligence for every company that they incorporate or service and even CDD on existing clients that they know, seems to be an overkill to me.”
“Sir, this Bill seeks to do a few things. First, to require companies and other entities that carry on a business in Singapore of providing any corporate service to be registered as a registered CSP. This is so, even if they do not file transactions on behalf of their customers with ACRA. This will cover companies that provide registration of shell companies in overseas jurisdictions. It also means that the term RFA will no longer be used and will be replaced by the term "corporate service provider" or CSP. Second, to require companies and other business entities that carry on a business in Singapore of carrying out any "designated activity" in relation to the provision of any accounting service to be registered as CSPs. Designated activity is also defined in clause 2 of the draft Bill and would include buying and selling of real estate, managing of client money or assets. The Act imposes criminal liability on registered CSPs and their senior management with hefty fines of up to $100,000 for each breach. The third objective of the Bill is to disallow a registered CSP from arranging for a person to act as a nominee director of a company, unless the CSP is satisfied that the person is fit and proper. In determining whether the person is fit and proper, the registered CSP must take reasonable steps to satisfy himself that the person, who is a nominee director, is not disqualified from acting as a director of a company under any written law, and consider other factors prescribed in subsidiary legislation. Finally, the Act seeks to require CSPs to comply with requirements to detect and prevent money laundering and terrorism financing.”
“Sir, I wish to declare my interest in speaking on this Bill as a practising lawyer. I am also a Registered Qualified Individual (RQI) and my company is a Registered Filing Agent (RFA) under the ACRA Act. Under the ACRA (Filing Agents and Qualified Individuals) Regulations, a qualified individual means either an advocate and solicitor, a public accountant registered under the Accountants Act, a member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants and so on. Essentially, a QI must be properly qualified and be a fit and proper person before he can be a QI. And every RFA must act by or through a registered QI. The RFA must also attend a mandatory anti-money laundering course (MAML) or a Countering of the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) course and pass a proficiency test once in every two years. An RFA also needs to have a documented Internal Policy, Procedures and Control (IPPC) and an AML policy. As an RFA, I have to attend the AML course and I have taken the proficiency test. What does an RFA do? An RFA helps businesses navigate the huge amount of rules and regulations relating to the operation of the company. According to ACRA, there are almost 600,000 businesses registered in Singapore. Thus, RFAs are needed to help these businesses keep their statutory records and registration. RFAs also help to incorporate companies, draft directors and shareholders' resolutions, help file the company's annual returns and so on. If a company wishes to increase its capital or pay dividends to its shareholders, to take a bank loan or to buy or sell property, they will need to ask an RFA to assist in the required paperwork and update their ACRA records. If the company has given a security over its assets, the RFA will help to register a charge on the company.”
“Sir, it is important for workers to have the right to ask for flexibility in their work arrangements. However, would MOM agree that this should be left to employers and employees to negotiate and settle? If the worker is valued by the company, surely, the company would accede to that request. Why is there this need to have guidelines to make it mandatory for companies to consider such requests from employees? The feedback I have is that many companies have told me that this is making it more onerous for a large company with many staff and for their HR team to have to deal with so many requests, especially for the staff that they feel that are on the borderline, that they may not want to keep. So, are we pushing the companies to say, "Let us get rid of the less performing staff?" At the end of the day, my concern is whether this will make Singapore a less attractive place for companies to come to invest in, if they feel that the manpower policies are too onerous on the companies.”
“I perused the Hansard in respect of the 2018 debate on extension of this law and having read about our six safeguards listed by the Minister for Home Affairs, I am sufficiently convinced that we do have a robust process, to ensure that any decision made by the Minister to detain a person without trial, is carefully scrutinised and assessed. In particular, I am of the view that having the consent of the public prosecutor before the making of a detention order is an important requirement. The Public Prosecutor, who is also the Attorney-General, enjoys security of tenure under the Constitution, and the public prosecutor is free to disagree with the Police, or even a Minister, and still enjoys the security of tenure. The next safeguard is having sitting Judges of the Supreme Court of Singapore chair the advisory committee, and that is another key factor that persuaded me, that any person detained under this law, where the sufficient safeguards to ensure that there is a strong basis for the detention order. We are having the best judicial minds, reviewing the Minister's basis for the detention or supervision order, and challenging the decision of the Police in requesting for such detention or supervision order. And these orders will be reviewed annually, by different advisory committees, which will be chaired by different Supreme Court Judges. And the final safeguard that I am satisfied with is the fact that Parliament has to review the necessity of this law every five years, due to the expiry date or the sunset clause of this law. Sir, I await to hear the justifications to be given by the Minister for Home Affairs for the extension of this law for the 15th occasion.”
“Sir, I have always been proud of the fact that Singapore is ranked one of the safest places in Asia to visit. According to the Global Peace Index, the safest Asian country to visit is Singapore, followed by Japan and Malaysia. It was reported that this countries have low levels of violence, crime and conflict, and high levels of stability and security. The country that tops the list of safest countries in the world, not just in Asia. So, the country that tops the list of safest countries in the world in 2024, is Iceland, followed by Denmark, Austria and New Zealand. So, my question to the Minister of State is whether these countries also have similar legislation that allows them to detain criminals without trial? How did they maintain their record of being safe countries to visit? And how did they deal with the criminal activities that Singapore is so concerned with? Sir, I submit that is incumbent of the Government to explain to Parliament, what is the rationale for keeping this law, so that Members can make a considered decision, whether to extend the same for another five years, and that is the purpose of the sunset clause. If the Minister is able to make out a compelling case, then I will be happy to support the extension. To me, and I reiterate, that this is all about striking the right balance between having the right to due process versus the need to maintain law and order in Singapore. Sir, allow me to also state for the record that I am quite satisfied that there are sufficient safeguards to ensure that there is no abuse of power by the Police.”
“On 5 July 2021, the Minister said in a reply to another PQ, that notwithstanding that the secret society situation remains under control, the participation of youths in secret societies remain a concern. That is why we invest significant resources to educate and engage youths, to deter them from joining secret societies. For illegal loan shark activities, in an October 2020 reply to a PQ, Minister Shanmugam said that between April and August 2020, there were 1,587 cases of unlicensed moneylending and unlicensed moneylending-related harassment reported. And this was a 40% decrease, from the 2,642 cases reported during the same period in 2019. Next, for drug related offences, in a 2022 Committee of Supply debate, the Minister informed this House that in the 1990s, the Central Narcotics Bureau arrested about 6,000 abusers per year. Now, they arrest about 3,000 to 3,500 per year. Furthermore, the death penalty is a key part of our system and approach to deal with drug traffickers. Thus the question is, if the secret society situation in Singapore is under control, if the cases involving unlicensed moneylending has come down by 40%, if the number of drugs abusers have also come down drastically since the 1990s, is there still justification for this law to be extended? Sir, I listened carefully to the cases of secret society attacks by Minister of State, Mr Faishal Ibrahim. However, in every criminal case, there will always be a risk of retribution, whether by secret society members or by simple criminals. The question is, how can we balance the interests of an individual, to the right of due process, versus the right of members of public, to a peaceful and safe living environment in Singapore?”
“Sir, as a practising lawyer, I am reluctant to deviate from this legal principle that every accused person is entitled to confront his accuser, and to defend himself in a fair and public trial. It is an important principle, as it prevents the abuse of process by an incompetent or corrupt Government. However, I accept that the argument that this law is needed in unique circumstances, where witnesses are unwilling to testify because of the fear of harm to themselves or to their loved ones. Indeed, when this Bill was up for renewal in 2009, I had supported the renewal of the Bill and at that session, I had given an account of a criminal case that I did in 1990, when I was asked to interview a secret society member who was charged in Court for murder. However, 15 years later, the question before Members of this House is whether the current state of criminal activities in Singapore would still warrant renewal of the Act, after almost 70 years since the Act was first introduced. Is this law still relevant to Singapore, in this day and age? Is it still necessary in maintaining law and order? For most Members of this House, we have limited knowledge of the state of criminal activities, save for what was reported in the media or by the Police. For example, in February 2021, Minister for Home Affairs Mr Shanmugam, in reply to a PQ, said that the secret society situation in Singapore is under control. Minister further said that an average of 112 rioting and serious hurt cases have been linked to secret societies in Singapore each year, for the past five years, and cases involving the use of weapons, such as parangs and knuckle dusters have declined over that same period. He said there was one case involving weapons last year, down from 12 in 2016.”
“Sir, allow me to declare my interest as a practising lawyer who sometimes practices criminal law, and I have previously represented a detainee who was detained under this law and I appeared before an Advisory Committee. Sir, the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act was enacted on 21 October 1955. It is a unique sunset clause, which states that the law continues in force for period of five years. This means that the law will lapse at the end of five years, unless it is renewed by Parliament at today's Second Reading. The Act has been extended 14 times, the last being in 2018. The arguments for retaining this Bill in our statutes have been put forth and debated on many, many occasions in this House. The essence of this law is that allows the Minister to detain a person who has been associated with activities of a criminal nature, without having to charge that person or bring him to trial, if the Minister is satisfied that the detention is an interest of public safety, peace and good order. The Minister also has similar powers to order a person to be subject to a supervision of the Police. And in this Act, activities of a criminal nature means any activity specified in the fourth schedule. In previous debates, the Minister for Home Affairs had listed the situations when the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act was applied, firstly, against gang-related criminal activities; second, against drug traffickers; third, against unlicensed money lenders; and fourth, against members of syndicates, for example, global match-fixing syndicates. A more comprehensive list of the activities of a criminal nature are listed in the fourth schedule of the Act.”
“Mdm Chair, a few years ago, many pedestrians shared their concerns with me regarding the dangers they faced due to reckless cyclists on the shared footpaths. The situation has improved greatly with more enforcement by LTA officers. Many cyclists have also improved their behaviour to become more gracious when they see pedestrians on the shared footpaths. However, lately, I have started to receive complaints about the use of PMAs by able-bodied persons who use these PMAs as a means of transport. They ride the heavy PMAs into shopping malls and at places where there are also pedestrians. And some ride the PMAs at a faster speed. This represents a hazard or danger to other users of the same space. Would LTA consider having clearer regulations regarding the use of PMAs before the situation deteriorates and then we would face the same problem that we had with PMDs. Other than regulations, may I urge LTA to do more to promote gracious behaviour among all commuters, including pedestrians, PMA users, cyclists, motorists and PMD users. There should be mutual respect for one another and we should not always take the attitude that we have the right of way all the time. PMAs”
“I also received complaints about vehicles that do not slow down at zebra crossings, even though the zebra crossings are raised crossing. I have also seen motorcycles cutting across pedestrian footpaths, just to save on parking charges. I receive many complains too, that there are drivers who do not use their signal indicators, thus, causing near accidents, because the rear driver does not know that the front driver intends to make a turn. Madam, I submit that LTA can do more to make our roads safer. Thus, I welcome the introduction of "Friendly Street", announced by LTA last December, because this signals to the public that road safety is important for all residents. But I wish to find out more whether the introduction of Friendly Street, has it actually resulted in safer roads for road users? Would LTA do more to educate pedestrians to be more mindful of the need for road safety? After all, road safety should be the concern of all road users and not just motorists. Pedestrians who walk onto the zebra crossing without keeping a look out for cars, or pedestrians who watch videos or are obsessed with their mobile devices are taking unnecessary risks with their lives and this should not be the case. Road Safety Features”
“Mdm Chair, two years ago, I urged MOT to look into making more charging points easily available. I asked that we look into having faster EV chargers. So, I am glad that within my constituency and many other parts of Singapore, there are more and more EV points being installed. Indeed, this is good a good sign as many car owners are conscious of the need to be green and sustainable, and hence, more residents are buying EVs. May I ask MOT how many cars sold or imported into Singapore during the last two years are EVs or hybrid vehicles? Are we able to predict the sufficiency of EV charging points within the constituency? Madam, any car buyer aiming to buy an EV should be able to know whether there are sufficient EV charging points in his estate before he commits to the purchase. May I also ask whether there will be any regulations regarding the use of such EV charging points? What if an EV owner parks his car at a charging point for several days because he is away on holiday? He will be depriving other EVs owners use of the EV charging point. Would the MOT be able to introduce chargers that can charge the EV within a shorter period of time, instead of the current four to five hours? And this would be essential, especially for high mileage drivers like taxi drivers or PHC drivers. 3.45 pm Road Safety Madam, the recent release of statistics about the 131 fatal road accidents in 2023, compared to 104 cases in 2022, is a stark reminder to all of us that we cannot take road safety for granted. I receive frequent complaints from residents that cars drive at high speed in residential areas, where there may be seniors or young children using the roads.”
“As Chairman of a Town Council, I spend quite a bit of time dealing with complaints about pigeon feeders. Residents complain about the feeding of pigeons and how the pigeon faeces makes a mess of their clothes, windows; how pigeons would fly or walk into the food centre and attack the food while residents are having their meals. We spend an inordinate amount of time dealing with the mess caused by pigeons due to the actions of a few inconsiderate pigeon feeders. The law on feeding of pigeons is clear. It is illegal, and pigeon faeces are a health hazard. All these issues could be mitigated if we have greater enforcement against pigeon feeders, and this was also reflected in a Straits Times article on 11 December last year. Some of the residents who could tell me exactly which of their neighbour is throwing rice or bread onto the grass patch and to feed the pigeons regularly. But yet, when we pass the information to NParks, the usual answer is that they are unable to get evidence of the pigeon feeder. Sir, I am pleading with the Government authorities – let us get tough on the pigeon feeders. Fine them, jail them or even send them for mental health treatment if they are found to have compulsive behaviour and cannot stop feeding pigeons. Let us make the living environment better for all our residents instead of being held hostage by a few irresponsible pigeon feeders.”
“Sir, I have several blocks of flats in my constituency which are about 55 to 60 years old. This will be at the Old Airport, Jalan Dua and Jalan Batu area. Sir, I get frequent request for assistance regarding the spalling concrete in the ceilings. Some residents complain that they had carried out repairs to the spalling concrete on several occasions, but the defects recur again and again. There are also occasions when the slabs of concrete peel off from the ceiling and fall onto the ground. You can even see the steel reinforce bars on the ceiling. Sir, this is alarming and can be unsafe for the residents. I had previously invited HDB to consider some of these flats for SERS, but unfortunately, it was turned down. Considering the age and conditions of these flats, may I appeal to HDB to prioritise older flats for Home Improvement Programme (HIP) too so that a more comprehensive upgrading works can be done for these flats? In this case, may I volunteer to MND for my block of flats to be prioritised for this HIP too? Then, the residents can then have some assurance that the living environment of their flats will continue to be safe and secure, and that their estate will remain vibrant. Lift Replacement Fund”
“So, there should be one specifically for ITE students. We should give the students every opportunity to pursue their dreams and the opportunity to graduate with a recognised polytechnic diploma. Plan for MOE Kindergartens”
“Sir, I speak to many ITE students when they receive their Edusave awards. For many of them, they aspire towards graduation with a Higher Nitec certificate and then pursuing a diploma from the polytechnic. However, not all of them will be able to get into a polytechnic and, for some, they may not be able to be admitted into a course of their interest in polytechnic. For some students, they are asked to consider a course in engineering when they are already struggling with Mathematics. So, it is a mismatch of the student's interest. As a result, their only option is to go for the ITE Work-Study diploma. Sir, I am concerned as to whether an 18-year-old student freshly graduated from ITE would be able to cope with study and work at the same time. Some of our ITE students are late bloomers. They need more encouragement to help them find a suitable field to excel in and they should not be compelled to start work and concurrently study when they are ill-prepared. May I ask the Minister, for the past three years, how many ITE graduates have completed and graduated with the Work‐Study Diploma (WSDip)? And of those who have graduated with the WSDip, how many went on to university? Is the WSDip widely accepted by employers within their specific industry? How many companies are participating in the work-study programme? How are these employers equipped to deal with ITE students who are first-timers in the workforce and still have to take classes and study for their diploma at the same time? Can the polytechnics consider expanding their classes to specially curate courses for ITE graduates which are more technical-based, rather than academic-based? Here, I am talking about having separate polytechnic classes, vis-à-vis the usual polytechnic diplomas that are issued.”
“Sir, every time I receive a complaint about disputes between neighbours, I feel a great sense of frustration. Usually, it would be a complaint about noise, like the dragging of furniture, or loud footsteps on the floor. Sometimes, it is about screaming children or quarrelling neighbours. On some occasions, abusive words would be used. It is extremely frustrating because there are no real solutions at this moment. We do not know whether the complainant is sensitive to noise or whether there are really such noises heard by the complainant late at night. If there are such loud or irritating noises, it would be unbearable to try to sleep with such noise. 7.15 pm Sir, I raised this issue last year and in 2021. I had urged the Government to do more to address such neighbourly disputes because if the disputes are not dealt with quickly, then there would be anger and possibly violence against the other neighbour. May I ask the Minister whether we can do more to compel parties to attend mediation, whether we can ask Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal (CDRT) to take a more active role to resolve disputes expeditiously. Community Disputes Resolution”