Louis Ng Kok Kwang
Singapore
“It does not matter whether the report was made to the Police or the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau. Can the Senior Parliamentary Secretary clarify whether an individual who reports an offence under the Bill to the Police will be similarly protected by the whistle-blowing protections under section 53?”
“In my Adjournment Motion six years ago, I shared the story of Emma, a single unwed parent who came to see me at my Meet-the-People Sessions, together with her two-month-old daughter. They were both living in a shelter. As I shared previously, when I asked why Emma did not shed a tear, she told me that she no longer had any tears left.”
“It is not just Nee Soon East cleaners who pay kickbacks. This, again, is a widespread problem that we have not done enough to detect and tackle. To tackle this more effectively, we need to treat kickbacks as seriously as corruption. We need our laws to have a more deterrent effect to have any chance of wiping out kickbacks.”
“Sir, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for answering my cut on second-hand smoke. And I am sure he expects me to clarify further. But I think the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that there is no current technology to catch someone smoking at home and, so, because of that we cannot legislate a ban.”
“Madam, for years, I have spoken up repeatedly in this House, calling for the Government to take action to protect the lives of fellow Singaporeans from second-hand smoke. I have spoken up so much that Senior Minister of State Amy Khor once said that she is immune to me already. But on a more serious note, this is a serious issue.”
“We should end the discrimination and allow them to qualify for the PPHS. Mandate Sterilisation of Pet Cats I have spent a good part of my life calling for HDB to allow the keeping of cats in HDB flats. Many have called for this and I am glad the Government has finally changed our policies and allow the keeping of cats in HDB flats.”
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“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. I am just a bit concerned. I am just wondering, if we stepped up enforcement in Orchard Towers, are we really addressing the root of the problem? Are we really tackling this vice issue or are we just going to move them to another place, which means we have an Orchard Towers Part II? And we are just spending our resources just chasing our tail.”
“” Hypothetically, an individual who has been charged but had not, in fact, committed the offence may agree to pay the composition fee and dispose of the matter out of expediency. They may do so believing that there would be no adverse impact if composition amounts to acquittal. Their decision may change if they are now told that the compounded offence remains on the record and may affect sentencing for future offences. Sir, these clarifications notwithstanding, I stand in support of this Bill. I would also like to thank MHA for responding positively to the concerns raised by the animal welfare groups.”
“" Can the Minister confirm that the new section 139AA will not have the effect of changing the existing legal position that compounding an offence, whether under RTA, the Penal Code or other statutes, amounts to an acquittal? Allowing a compounded offence to be taken into consideration for sentencing removes another distinction between an acquittal and a conviction that may be perceived as an erosion of the presumption of innocence. Minister K Shanmugam said in an oral answer to a Parliamentary Question in August 2008, “the presumption of innocence is an important and fundamental principle and is one of the foundations of our Criminal Justice System. The Government is absolutely committed to upholding the presumption of innocence as a core principle in our commitment to the Rule of Law.” Can the Minister clarify what the remaining practical differences are between a composition and a conviction under the RTA? Further, can the Minister clarify if the new section 139AA is intended to be a statement of the general legal principles of composition beyond the RTA? In other words, is it the case that compoundable offences, whether under the RTA or other statutes, can be taken into account for the purpose of sentencing? Finally, when making an offer of composition in the Notice of Traffic Offence, will the Traffic Police inform the individual that compounded offences may nonetheless be taken into consideration for sentencing in future offences? The Judge in the case of re Lim Chor Pee noted that, “There are multiple reasons why a person may wish to compound an offence, whether it be an income tax offence or an offence compoundable under the Penal Code, without any admission of guilt.”
“Is it really safer to require a driver to divert attention away from the road to make this judgement call? Would there be a loophole in that a driver can just say that it was not safe to stop, so he or she did not stop? To provide some guidance for drivers, can the Minister or the Senior Parliamentary Secretary provide more clarification on how a driver can determine if an animal is likely to pose a safety hazard and how it intends to enforce this provision? How will the Traffic Police determine if it was safe for a driver to stop and render assistance? Would it be better to amend the definition of "animal" to include more animals rather than remove the definition altogether? Next, the new section 139AA comes in the wake of the High Court decision in Public Prosecutor vs Koh Thiam Huat. In that case, the Court decided that it may take into account compounded offences under the RTA for the purpose of sentencing as they form part of the offender's bad driving record. The new section 139AA affirms and gives statutory force to this High Court decision. This may raise some concerns because of the prevailing legal principle that compounding an offence amounts to an acquittal in law. This is expressly stated in sections 241 and 242 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) for Penal Code offences. This rule equally applies to non-Penal Code offences as held in the High Court decision of Rajamanikam Ramachandran vs Chan Teck Yuen. In May 2015, during the Second Reading speech for the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill, then Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Wong Kan Seng, explained that the legal effect of composition is that "the alleged offender is taken not to have been convicted of the offence.”
“As the Minister had previously stated, "The question is whether we should now mandatorily require all motorists to stop, should they hit an animal. The primary requirement must be safety. They should stop, if it is safe to do so. If the motorist requires assistance in relation to attending to the animal, he can contact the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)." They can also call Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES). The Bill proposes to remove the definition of "animal" under section 84(6). This creates a catch-all provision in relation to a driver's obligation to stop in the event of an accident involving an animal. This is in line with what the animal welfare groups have called for, but I have some concerns about this amendment and would like to seek some clarification. The effect of the current amendment is that a driver who runs into any animal may have an obligation to stop, regardless of the species of the animal. An animal could be anything from a dog to a lizard. Taken to the extreme, this provision could have ridiculous implications. I agreed that we need to expand the definition of "animal" beyond the current definition. But I also appreciate the difficulty of coming up with a definition to limit the scope of this provision. However, removing the definition altogether seems to be a blunt measure. It simply shifts the burden of making this difficult judgement to the driver. We are asking a driver, driving a fast-moving vehicle, to make an instantaneous judgement on whether the animal is likely to have an owner, or whether the injured or dead animal would pose a safety hazard to other road users.”
“Sir, the key amendments proposed by this Bill make our roads safer by deterring dangerous and risky behaviour on the road through heavier and broader criminal and administrative penalties. I stand in support of the general rationale behind the amendments but would like to seek clarifications on two areas relating to the obligations of drivers in accidents involving animals and the legal effect of compounded offences under the RTA. Sir, for more than six years, I have been campaigning to amend the definition of "animals" in the RTA. The campaign started before I was elected as a Member of Parliament and continued when I became a Member. I have raised this issue in this House in 2016 and the then Senior Minister of State Desmond Lee replied that the definition of "animals" in the RTA will be reviewed. I am delighted that we are now proposing amendments to this. The current definition no longer makes sense. "Animal" means any horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog. Under the RTA, motorists are required to stop and help these animals if they are knocked down. I understand that "The original intent of that legislation was to ensure restitution to their owners should an accident occur". But the days of having horses, cattles, asses, mules, sheep, pigs and goats on our roads are long gone. As such, our legislation needs to be updated to keep up with the times. The unfortunate reality is that we now have other animals on our roads, a lot of them. It is a long list of animals, including cats, civets, pangolins, wild boars, monkeys and snakes. The other unfortunate reality is that these animals are often knocked down. At times, they are not killed, and could recover if help is provided.”
“However, there are common exceptions in freedom of information laws around the world, including national security, public safety, prevention of criminal activities and personal privacy. The freedom of information laws has been implemented to varying degrees of success and effectiveness in these countries. With more than 80 case studies available, there are ample lessons that we can learn from both the successes and the failures. The SC has suggested that the Government should study the experiences of countries with freedom of information legislation and ombudsmen. Can the Minister share whether the Government is looking into this and provide an update? Sir, notwithstanding my clarifications, I stand in support of the Bill.”
“Lastly, Sir, the fight against the spread of falsehood must also be the fight for the spread of truth. The battle against falsehoods demands not only the stick but also the carrot. Having the tools to react promptly to falsehood is important. However, the Government cannot constantly be on the backfoot playing whack-a-mole whenever another falsehood pops up. If we want people to present the truth, we must demonstrate readiness to give the truth and then the data they need. Instead of being reactive, we can be proactive in spreading the truth by helping people who would like to report on the truth, to obtain Government data needed to verify their facts. This is not a new proposal. The SC itself proposed that public institutions should "pre-empt vulnerabilities and put out information in advance, where possible, to inoculate the public." The Government should channel more resources and take greater efforts to engage Singaporeans. It can do so by sharing data and information more frequently and in greater detail. Other countries have done so through the freedom of information laws. More than 80 countries have some form of freedom of information laws. These include those closest to us, such as China, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. While Hong Kong has not legislated on the freedom of information, it has a Code of Access to Information. This is the formal framework for access to information held by government departments. The Code requires civil servants routinely, or on request, to provide information unless there are specific reasons for not doing so. Further, there are procedures for review of complaint if the provisions of the Code have not been properly applied. Our concern may be that excessive openers may compromise national security.”
“Sir, online falsehoods are a global problem. From developing to developed countries, they have seeded distrust, sparked violence and shaped elections. Singapore is right to take a proactive stance against the spread of online falsehoods. As we do so, I hope we can take a measured approach that balances the urgency of combating falsehoods with the costs to society. I would like to thank the Minister for addressing the concerns about how long a Minister will take to consider an appeal and also the speed and cost of subsequent appeals to the High Court. I thank the Minister for providing assurances. As the Minister has already addressed many of my concerns I was going to raise, and as many Members have raised many of the points I was going to raise – that is the luxury of being the last speaker – I just have three quick points for further clarifications. First, in addition to the process of an appeal to the High Court, can the Minister also provide details of how long it would take and how much it might cost when cases go on further appeal to the Court of Appeal? Would we also direct that the appeal be heard within a certain timeframe? I understand that it might be difficult to provide an estimate, but would be grateful for a rough estimate of cost and timeline. Second, the Ministry has said that the Bill does not cover satire or comedy. However, this exclusion is nowhere to be found in the Bill. It is not uncommon for satire or comedy to exaggerate or invent facts by intention. At the same time, online falsehoods have sometimes been perpetuated, for instance, by state actors in the guise of comedy. Can the Minister elaborate on how satire and comedy will be excluded from the law?”
“I just want to go back to the point of whether MND can increase the manpower for the surveillance team because I think that is the crunch at this point, the bottleneck where we do not have enough officers to do the surveillance to tackle the feeding. My second point is: a lot of us have focused on culling, and culling is actually not the solution. That is the problem: the more you cull, the more pigeons you have. So, I am really hopeful that this pilot that the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has mentioned, we can roll out nationwide so that we can now effectively tackle this problem.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply again. I think one of the concerns is whether we are able to use this technology for all the cargo that is coming in at our port. It is a little bit easier at the airport and the land checkpoints but, at the port, there is difficulty using some of these scanners when the containers are on board the ship. So, is MND looking into this? The point about the manpower is a very real one. I worked with the officers on Saturday or Sunday over the last weekend and they really are constrained in terms of manpower and responding to these cases in Singapore. So, I hope MND can consider increasing their manpower so that we are able to tackle this trade more effectively.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. I think one of the problems may be that the chances of detecting this shipment may be too low. So, the first clarification is: how are we stepping up our detection capabilities at our checkpoints? Beyond the technologies that the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned, are we looking into further technologies? Two, can the Ministry of National Development (MND) work with the local tech companies to develop this kind of new technologies that will help to increase our detection capabilities? Three, and the last clarification is whether we can increase manpower in the enforcement team at NParks that is tackling wildlife crime issues here in Singapore.”
“Can I just confirm that when they file a case, they do get judgment in the Court and, if the employer does not pay and the insurance is unable to pay, then the SB will be used in all cases?”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply. Can I just check, for the 10% where the employers did not pay the unpaid wages, was the SB used? Second, under what criteria is this SB used and under what criteria is MWAF used? And third, whether the Ministry of Manpower has a preference on using either of these two?”
“I just want to make one point. I understand the policy intent. But what all this is driving is that these parents who want to have kids are just going to Johor to do the IVF cycles, and that places a lot of undue stress on them to travel to another country to do something that they want to do which our Government is prohibiting them to do.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. I understand the concerns and risks that she mentioned, but these are concerns and risks that parents should consider and decide whether they want to have a child, and not something that the Government should decide. So, two clarifications. One, whether MOH will review this policy of restricting the number of IVF cycles after age 40 and restricting IVF completely after 45; and two, how long will such a review take?”
“Further, can more examples of permissible and impermissible publication of identity information be provided either in the Minister’s response or through guidelines or informational material from the Ministry? This will be helpful for guiding the conduct of the public who should not have to be hauled to Court before finding out whether their actions constitute an offence or not. Third, regardless of intent, should there be a bright-line prohibition on revealing certain categories of identity information, such as National Registration Identity Card numbers, passport numbers, addresses and phone numbers? These categories of information are very sensitive and anyone who publishes this information must reasonably know of the risk that the information may be abused by the public in ways that might cause the individual harassment, alarm or distress. Notwithstanding that the publisher did not expressly or specifically intend to do so, he or she should be taken to have acted in willful disregard of the risk. The nature of these categories of information mean that they can be misused for nefarious purposes with particularly devastating consequences for the individual. As such, it might be prudent to prohibit publication of these categories of information, regardless of intention. Sir, notwithstanding the above clarifications, I support this Bill which will better protect and offer redress to victims of harassment.”
“This story highlights the dangers of Internet vigilantism and the ambiguities in the definition of doxxing as an offence. Would the initial action of publishing the woman's vehicle plate number on their Facebook page be considered doxxing? First, would a vehicle plate number fall under the definition of "identity information"? The amendments include Illustration (d), which references a situation in which an individual X records a video of Y driving recklessly in a car and posts the video on an online forum. While Illustration (d) goes on to state that no offence is committed because X posted the video with the intent to warn people to drive defensively, it is not clear from the example whether a vehicle plate number alone would constitute "identity information". Second, was there intent to cause harm, alarm or distress in the situation where initially they were simply trying to find out who was driving the car and hit the dog? Could the defence that the conduct was reasonable be raised here? While there was a request for help to identify the driver, it was also expressly stated that the information should be sent to a private number. This story highlights my broader concern about the difficulty in determining whether there was intention to cause harm, alarm or distress by the publication of identity information, or whether the conduct was reasonable. Parliament expressed a preference to leave interpretation of POHA to the Courts, as POHA offences are highly dependent on the factual matrix. The Courts have stated that intention, being a thought process, can only usually be proved by drawing inferences from the surrounding circumstances and the actions of the accused. Can the Minister shed more light on what the Courts should consider in drawing these inferences?”
“Therefore, will the Minister look into immediately attaching a social worker to such cases once a PO or EPO has been issued? A social worker could consistently monitor and assess the case, and identify any worrying irregularities in a harasser's behaviour in advance to prevent ill-fated cases like that of my resident. Currently, when ordering POs or EPOs, the Court can include the condition that the respondent and victim attend counselling or mediation. Will the Minister consider making it a mandatory requirement that the Court consider referring counselling and mediation options for parties, and making such an order where appropriate? Lastly, the Bill introduces a new offence of doxxing which signals the Government's firm commitment towards addressing new and upcoming forms of harassment. This is especially welcomed at a time where online vigilantism is becoming more rampant in our society. However, as mentioned by many in this House, there is some ambiguity as to what constitutes doxxing as defined under the Bill. A 2016 incident illustrates this. Many have shared examples and I will share, of course, one about an animal. In 2016, a story emerged on Facebook of a driver who ran over a dog from a dog shelter and drove off in a hit-and-run. Her vehicle plate number was posted on Facebook with a request for anyone who knew the identity of the driver to text or message a private number. Netizens used the posted plate number to obtain and publish online the woman’s personal particulars. The car owner and her employer were harassed online by angry netizens. It subsequently emerged that the owner had, in fact, not been driving the vehicle at the time and did not run over the dog.”
“Sir, carving out a separate regime in the form of the new PHC for those who seek help under POHA implicitly recognises that victims of harassment face unique vulnerabilities. I am aware that changes have been made by the Singapore Police Force to investigative processes and Court procedures in order to create a safer space for victims of sexual crimes. Can the Minister confirm if such changes apply also to victims of harassment? Do Victim Care Officers, who are specially trained in victim care management, also handle victims of harassment? Next, I am heartened that the amendments in this Bill seek to provide quicker relief for victims of harassment by making certain breaches of POs and EPOs arrestable offences. Physically restraining the harasser addresses the immediate threat posed by their harassing behaviour. However, because the harasser will not be detained indefinitely, the victim remains at risk of their harassing behaviour after the harasser is released. One of my residents had a PPO against her husband. They were going through a divorce and their relationship was tensed. The PPO was issued in July 2016. In August, she was repeatedly stabbed by her husband in front of her youngest daughter. She later died of her wounds. Her husband was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment but any punishment meted out can never heal the loss of a mother for their two daughters or undo the trauma suffered by the youngest. The PPO was insufficient to prevent her husband’s attack. While the PPO operates in a separate regime under the Women’s Charter, harassment victims who obtain a PO or EPO under POHA might find themselves in similar threatening situations with the harasser.”
“Sir, POHA has protected and provided redress for harassment victims. This Bill will amplify these positive effects by making it easier for victims to seek redress and recourse for harassment-related behaviours and by targeting new social trends, such as doxxing and increasing incidences of fake news. That being said, I would like to make some recommendations to better support victims by improving responses of enforcement personnel and by increasing the use of counselling and mediation. I would also like to seek clarifications on the scope of the new offence of doxxing. Sir, sensitivity and tact are needed when assisting victims of harassment to avoid secondary victimisation by law enforcement. In the online talk show series "Under the Carpet", Debra Tang highlighted the need to train first responders on the handling of harassment, assault and violence cases. From her interviews on the show, she noted that, "Too often, victims are made to feel ashamed, foolish or disbelieved. Many go away wishing they had never made a complaint or reached out for help. And, if it should happen again, they will never speak up." It also emerged through the show that there have been instances where victims felt that they were not taken seriously because they may not have exhibited behaviours that law enforcement deem "typical" of assault victims. The legislative amendments to strengthen protections under POHA will not amount to much without an environment where victims feel safe to speak up. Training our law enforcement officers to better manage these cases with tact and empathy is crucial in creating such an environment.”
“Can I just ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether we can consider providing some subsidies for HSS? I understand the cost is quite high. In a similar way that we provide subsidies for the foreign worker levy, can we consider such subsidies also for HSS?”
“This means that it is possible for a child between 13 and 16 years old who is in a marriage to give spousal consent to sex even though it would otherwise be considered as rape. Sir, the age of the child should be the only factor here and not whether she is married to the man. One other positive aspect I would like to highlight is the raising of the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility (MACR) from seven to 10, where children below this threshold are considered incapable of crime. While this is a step in the right direction, would the Government consider further raising this minimum age to 12, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)? Paragraph 32 of the CRC recommends that states increase the MARC to the age of 12. Some have argued that logical thinking and problem-solving skills only develop between 11 to 15 years old. Some also suggest that intellectual abilities reach adult levels at only 17 years old. Children with underdeveloped logical thinking, problem solving and intellectual abilities are more likely to exhibit risky and potentially criminal behaviour. While this change puts us on par with the laws in England and Hong Kong, Sir, I believe that Singapore could benefit from setting a positive precedent for other countries by meeting the internationally acceptable standard or level of 12 years old. Sir, notwithstanding my above clarifications, I stand in support of this Bill.”
“Third, will the Ministry consider making it mandatory for frontline Police officers to undergo psychological first-aid training? This will ensure that the process is not as distressing for people who attempt suicide. Finally, will the Ministry look into expanding the functions under the existing MyResponder app by SCDF for responding to attempted suicide cases? The MyResponder app works by notifying Community First Responders, who are members of the public trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation or automated external defibrillator procedures, of nearby fire and medical cases. The app could similarly notify trained social workers or counsellors who are available and in close proximity to the scene of attempted suicide cases so that they can assist the Police with negotiation efforts. Next, the Bill repeals the marital immunity for rape, something which I and many Members of this House have spoken up on and which had been strongly supported by members of the public and representatives from the religious, legal and social sectors during the public consultation process. Rape is wrong in any context. Can the Minister confirm if marital immunity for rape is completely removed? Currently, section 376A penalises acts of sexual penetration against minors under the age of 16 but does not apply where there is spousal consent. Similarly, section 375(1) provides that penile-vaginal penetration of a girl under the age of 14 is rape but does not apply when there is spousal consent. The position is the same under the new section 375(1A) for oral or anal penetration. Section 376A(5) states that it is not an offence for a man to penetrate his wife if his wife is 13 years old and above.”
“I hope that it will become a standard practice for civil society to be included in committees spearheading legislative review rather than just at the consultation stage. Next, the Bill takes the progressive step of abolishing the offence of attempted suicide. This recognises that suicide attempts stem from deep-seated issues and a punitive approach may not be appropriate or sufficient in addressing them. Beyond legislative reform, we can go further in addressing the needs of those who attempt suicide by ensuring that the authorities have the skills and resources to respond appropriately when these cases arise. Police officers are deployed when an attempted suicide case is reported. Police officers are trained in responding to emergency situations but may not have sufficient training in handling the complex socio-emotional issues often associated with attempted suicide cases. There is considerable value in having trained professionals who can be at the scene to do any assessment on mental health or provide psychological interventions where necessary. Similar trials have been conducted in the UK. I have four recommendations to make here. First, will the Ministry look into improving the quality of response to attempted suicide by setting up a "specialist team with psychological first-aid training" that can be deployed when attempted suicide is reported? Second, given that it may take time to train a specialist team, will the Minister consider deploying social workers, together with Police officers, when responding to attempted suicide cases? This would help ensure that there are experts on the scene who will be able to handle all aspects of the situation better.”
“Sir, I stand in support of the sweeping changes introduced by this Bill to ensure that our criminal laws and regime are well-placed to tackle new crime trends and are aligned with societal norms of our times. I would like to start by commending the Government's decision to provide for a longer three-month period between the First and Second readings of the Bill. This allows both Parliamentarians and the public to better understand and seek clarifications on such a crucial and comprehensive Bill. I hope that this practice would be similarly adopted for other Bills which are equally important and extensive. I would also like to commend the progressive reforms this Bill introduces. Another applaudable aspect of this Bill is the PCRC's extensive efforts to obtain public input in this review. More than 700 stakeholders participated in the engagement sessions and more than 60 individuals and organisations provided written feedback. The Committee included leading practitioners and thought leaders from academia and the private and public sectors. To further strengthen this commendable effort at engaging the public, would the Government also consider including civil society groups on future review committees for any legislation? Civil society voices could have been especially value-adding and beneficial to the review process, given that many of these groups provide direct services and have expertise in the different issue areas subjected to review. In fact, these groups may have more experience dealing with certain groups of victims that avoid the authorities or are less inclined to report crimes and can provide valuable insights on these blindspots.”
“I would like to ask the Minister whether we could use some technology to prevent future accidents which means that we can put in some sensors so when the gun barrel detects an obstruction, it would just automatically stop.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister for the reply. I do understand that we do include capital income once every five years in terms of our calculation for our Gini coefficient. If we can do it once every five years, why not do it every year? I also understand that, for example, all the other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries do include capital income. So, why does Singapore not include this?”
“I have a clarification for Senior Minister of State Amy Khor. I think she mentioned that the Public Service does do some procurement which are very environmentally sustainable. But could I ask whether we can specifically include this into the procurement principles, not just based on fairness, transparency and value-for-money, but put it in writing that it should also be based on environmental sustainability? The second clarification is on whether we can provide incentives or subsidies to the hawkers so that they will not use disposables for dine-ins. I know we are not using it in our new hawker centres and new stalls in old hawker centres. But can we just move it to all hawker centres and maybe provide some incentives to nudge the behavioural change?”
“But I would like to warn against neglecting what may be seen as downstream issues. The 3Rs are not simply linked to individual ways of life that could be easily changed. Ways of life are bound up with social norms, cultural beliefs and urban systems. Change must come about through collective action. On recycling, our domestic recycling rate has been stuck at 21%. The blue bins at each block of flats have hit a green ceiling. Public education is still relevant. Single-use plastics remain a major problem. A survey by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) found that we use at least 1.76 billion plastic items a year, of which less than 20% is recycled. SEC also reported that seven in 10 people do not know what plastics to recycle. We need to double-down on green education. On reducing, we have to tackle head-on the rise of new patterns of retail and consumption. The rise of home delivery and online shopping means packaging waste will only get higher. On this front, MEWR will have to work closely with online retailers to minimise packaging and may well have to legislate or impose a packaging tax to compel reduction. On reusing, many countries are now promoting the reusing of waste for building and construction. Is MEWR working with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) on this front to promote the reusing of waste by our construction companies for their projects? Targeting Zero Medication Waste”
“Since 2019 has been designated as the year towards Zero Waste in Singapore, will the Minister consider extending the ban on the use of disposables for dining in to all hawker centres? If not, will the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) consider providing incentives or subsidies for hawkers who choose not to use disposables for dining in? I do understand that disposables are used, as it is more convenient and may be cheaper. As such, providing such incentives might encourage hawkers to make this change. A Green Public Service Sir, last month, Temasek Chief Executive Officer Mdm Ho Ching urged businesses to fulfil their obligation to ensure a liveable and sustainable planet for all. It is a call to action that I fully support. It is also a call to action that the Public Service, the biggest employer in Singapore, should support. Public agencies currently follow the procurement principles of fairness, transparency and value-for-money. Can environmental sustainability also be included in these principles? Even with a healthy economy, there will be no future if we do not have a healthy environment. In the words of Mdm Ho Ching, "There is, as you know, no Plan B for us, because there is no Planet B." Rebooting the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong (Non-Constituency Member): Chairman, it is great to hear that the Zero Waste Master Plan will be launched towards the end of this year and will specifically target the problem area of food waste, e-waste and packaging waste. I believe the focus will be on upstream solutions. The Minister for Finance has exhorted Singaporeans as individuals to change our way of life and practise the 3Rs – to Reduce consumption, Recycle and Reuse.”
“Can the Minister share more details about this, whether it can be brought forward and also whether this can include the recycling of mobile phones and, in particular, the mineral coltan? Reducing Packaging Waste A few months ago, I delivered an Adjournment Motion, calling for us to move Towards a Plastic-Lite Singapore. In that speech, I shared that a recent study found 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic, weighing a total of 80,000 tonnes, currently floating in a stretch of ocean between California and Hawaii. If we do not do anything about it, there will be more plastics than fish in our ocean by 2050. Part of the problem is packaging waste, and this clearly needs to be addressed. 5.00 pm I am glad that we will mandate that businesses report on the type and amount of packaging, including plastics, they put on the market and their plans for reduction. It is even better news that this has been brought forward from 2021 to 2020, next year. Can Minister share more details about this, whether there will be mandatory reduction targets set and whether there will be any measures to ensure that businesses have significant plans for reduction? Reducing Disposables at Hawker Centres One of the places where a lot of disposables are used is at our hawker centres. A lot of people take away their food and disposables are used since it is still rare that people bring their own containers. We need to tackle this issue, but what we should tackle first is the use of disposables for dining in. For new hawker centres, we have already disallowed the use of disposables for dining in. This has clearly resulted in a significant drop in the amount of waste generated.”
“Sir, the Zero Waste Master Plan will be a huge step forward in the environmental protection movement in Singapore. It signals the Government’s strong commitment towards protecting our environment and ensuring that we have sustainable practices. I hope that the main emphasis of the Master Plan is on reducing our consumption rather than on recycling what we have used. We need to focus on the root of the problem and address our throwaway culture. If we do not reduce our consumption and instead focus mainly on recycling, our efforts will be futile. Equally important is public ownership of the Master Plan. People need to have a stake in it. And we can achieve this by ensuring that people’s views and ideas, from the green groups as well as the general public, are heard. Can the Minister share if the Master Plan is already completed? If not, will there be plans to consult the public, and when will they take place? Extend E-waste Producer Responsibility Sir, I spoke about my love for gorillas during the Films (Amendment) Bill and little did I know that I have been unknowingly contributing to their demise. Quite simply, because I use a mobile phone and a laptop. As recently as last month, a media report highlighted that "The critically endangered Grauer’s gorilla has lost 77% of its population in the last 20 years, partly due to the mining of minerals used to make cellphones." The mineral extracted and used is coltan. The report also stressed that, "Participating in cellphone recycling programmes helps reduce the demand for mining in gorilla habitat". I have spoken up about the recycling of e-waste for several years and I am glad that we are making progress and will be introducing the Extended Producer Responsibility approach to managing e-waste by 2021.”
“I have just one follow-up question for Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sun Xueling. Could I check how long does it usually take HDB to process the application for the single unweds, say, for rental housing?”
“Chairman, Minister Desmond Lee mentioned last night that we are reviewing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) framework in Singapore. I think that was already mentioned in June 2017, if I am not wrong. I am just wondering whether there is a timeframe for this review and when do we expect to complete it. For Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sun Xueling, I thank her for mentioning that we are going to review pet ownership in Singapore. But could I just ask very specifically whether MND is reviewing the possibility of microchipping and licensing pet cats in Singapore so that we can deter pet cat abandonment? Second, with regard to the single unweds, I am very thankful that the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has said that HDB will accept the application for HDB flats at the HDB counters. But I do understand this is still subject to a case-by-case review. So, I am hoping that moving forward, maybe we can just specify some criteria where applications will be accepted and where they will be rejected, so that there will be some certainty to the single unweds rather than just saying that we will exercise flexibility. 12.30 pm”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I was just wondering whether we can extend this to the cleaning sector because I think the cleaning sector, like the construction sector, is quite cyclical as well. A lot of the contracts are for two years. So, a lot of these cleaners who come to Singapore to work and gain their experience sometimes go back within the two years. It will benefit both the cleaners and the companies to hire the skilled workers in Singapore. The second question I would like to ask is whether we can then incentivise the hiring of the existing workers who are in Singapore. This directory will be more effective if we can incentivise, in a sense, maybe provide a reduced foreign worker levy if they hire workers already in Singapore.”
“I thank the Minister for the reply. So, is it a confirmation that we are looking into providing more night-time childcare services in certain areas? Because I see on the ground that some of the parents who have to work the night shift, they leave their children at home, in fear of their safety, and then they go and work, especially for a lot of the single parents. So, I am just wondering whether we can help provide the night-time childcare in cases like these.”
“Strengthening Environmental Impact Assessment Processes Sir, Singapore has lost 90% of our original forest cover and we really need to protect what is left. Urgently. Recently, there has been much concern about the environmental impact of the Cross Island Line and the Mandai developments. There will be similar developments in the future, and many have argued for mandating Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). Earlier this month, I asked the Minister if EIAs will be made mandatory for construction works near national parks or nature reserves. The Minister replied that the Ministry will require developers to conduct further studies and implement more mitigating measures "if the potential environmental impact of a project is assessed to be significant." Can the Minister clarify how and who will assess the potential environmental impact of a project and how do we ascertain that further studies are required? Can we also mandate that EIA consultants file their final reports to the authorities rather than the developers so as to ensure their independence? For construction works in or near sensitive security areas, can the Ministry make EIAs public after removing sensitive data related to national security? Municipal Services Office (MSO) Improvements”
“Sir, in the context of recent discussions on the disamenities that come from irresponsible feeding, I would like to touch on a related topic: cat abandonment. Cat abandonment is one of the reasons for an increase in the stray cat population. It is a heartless act. It also causes problems as cat feeders struggle with the sudden increase in numbers and residents also suffer disamenities. In one recent case, 11 cats were abandoned overnight. We have strong legislation against pet abandonment. It is easy to enforce these laws with dogs as dogs are microchipped and licensed and we can trace the owner. But there is difficulty with cats as there is currently no licensing or microchipping requirement. We have fined a person previously for abandoning her cat. She left the pet carrier there with her details. But how many owners will abandon their cat and leave traces of their details? In other cases, it is not so straightforward. Can I ask the Ministry to look into plans to strengthen measures to deter cat abandonment, for instance, by microchipping and licensing pet cats? Trap-neuter-release-manage Programme Sir, the launch of the Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage programme for dogs in 2018 signalled a fundamental shift in the way we manage the stray dog population in Singapore. Can the Minister provide an update on the progress of the programme? Has there been strong public support and what kinds of concerns have been raised and how have we addressed them? Can the Minister also share whether we will be adopting a similar approach for wild animals where we focus on science-based approaches that tackle the root of the problem and address both residents' concerns and animal welfare concerns?”
“What are the possibilities and limitations to introducing the development of affordable privately-run assisted living facilities here in Singapore? Meeting the Needs of the Elderly”
“For a start, can the Minister consider providing rental housing to single unwed parents under 35 years old with a monthly household income below a certain amount and who lack family support? Can we accept their applications at the HDB counters like any other HDB flat application? Let us not tell the applicant that they do not technically qualify, that it is subject to a case-by-case review, and that they should see their Member of Parliament to submit an appeal. Diversifying Elderly Housing Options Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong (Non-Constituency Member): Chairman, I asked the Minister last year about retirement village models that could be transplanted here to give our seniors diverse options for retirement housing. For public housing, Kampung Admiralty, with its active ageing hub and placement of amenities within walking distance, I would like to ask the Minister about the possibility of retrofitting our public housing estates to approximate the Kampung Admiralty model. For private housing, the Minister said that the Ministry is reviewing development control guidelines to provide more clarity on retirement housing developments. I would like to ask for an update on this review. Future seniors who have different financial abilities need aspirations about active ageing. In the Lien Foundation and NTUC Income study, our future seniors prefer retirement villages to nursing homes by a large majority. There is a need to diversify elderly housing options. Assisted living facilities have become popular elsewhere. These facilities allow seniors to enjoy their independence and maintain an active lifestyle while staff help with chores and monitor their health.”
“Sir, parting ways with someone you used to love or perhaps still love may not be an easy process. When a child is involved, it could get even harder. Going through a divorce is an emotionally draining period and our policies might make it more acrimonious, especially for the lower-income. Couples know that if they get shared care and control of their child, they will have to fight each other for subsidised public housing. If one party gets sole care and control, then he or she is guaranteed subsidised public housing. Is it in the best interest of the child for their parents to have a more acrimonious divorce? If shared care and control is a Court judgment, should not our housing policies make it possible to enforce the judgment to protect the best interests of the child? Will the Minister consider waiving the mutual consent requirement when shared care and control is awarded by the Court, especially in cases where parties are only able to afford subsidised public housing? Ensuring Single-unweds Find Housing Sir, single unwed parents under 35 years old need our help. Unlike those above 35, who qualify for public housing under the Singles Scheme, those under 35 can only qualify on a case-by-case basis. With a median household income of only $600 in 2017, lacking the cash component of the Baby Bonus, and often lacking family support, single unwed parents really need our help. I am grateful that HDB has approved several housing appeals I have made for them. But this case-by-case basis approach adds unnecessary stress to an already stressed parent. A safe and stable home is a fundamental need for every child, and our housing policy should be child-centric.”
“Just a quick clarification for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. I thank him for saying that we will be providing more support for non-working mothers. Could I just clarify that the non-working mothers will now be able to get the full basic subsidy of $300 as well as the additional subsidies? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the question. As I mentioned earlier, there are two circumstances which I highlighted: the non-working mothers who are looking for work and non-working mothers who are looking after younger children. Nevertheless, I would like to assure Mr Louis Ng that we would do our best to help every mother here. We want to see how we can facilitate caregiving and, at the same time, support them financially. So, if there are issues or things that matter that the non-working mothers are not clear about or would want to get support for, I would like to urge the families to approach any of the operators or ECDA where they can apply for special approval, and we will look at these circumstances on a case-by-case basis. So, our intention is to help them, support them so that we can give the best start for our children.”
“Sir, during our Motion on Education for Our Future, the Speaker asked who is the best teacher and where is the best school. We, parents, are the best teachers for our children, and our home is the best school. And the most important time for us to be teachers and for our homes to be a school is during our child’s formative years. As such, our policies should not penalise parents who are not working so that they can be there for their child. Why do we provide less subsidies to families with non-working mothers and more subsidies to families with working mothers? The Government previously said that non-working mothers need less childcare but we need to remember that the fees for half-day childcare is not half of the fees for full-day childcare. I am not asking for families with non-working mothers to have more subsidies. I am asking for it to be fair, for all childcare subsidies to be dependent on the household income and not whether the mother is working or not. Diversity in Early Childhood Education”
“Sir, co-curricular activities (CCAs) are an integral part of our students' holistic education and play an important role in reducing social stratification. As MOE has stated, "CCAs also promote friendships among students from diverse backgrounds as they learn, play and grow together." Students can choose the CCA of their choice, but I understand that for "Physical Sports" and "Visual and Performing Arts Group" CCAs, places are often limited and given to those who do well in those areas and can represent the school. My concern here is that this again might lead to social stratification if only students who do well in certain areas can pursue those CCAs. A student who loves basketball and wants to pursue this interest should be allowed to, rather than be told that he or she is not good enough and should choose another interest to pursue. Can Minister share what plans the Ministry has to ensure that places for CCAs are available to all students and not just those who represent the school in competitions?”
“Sir, in my Budget speech, I shared my concerns about streaming and how it might lead to social stratification. I spoke about the immobility in our education system where a student who enters the Normal (Technical) Stream has little chance of leaving this stream. I spoke about how streaming can discourage some students. How is MOE addressing the concerns of social stratification due to streaming? Will MOE consider abolishing streaming in secondary schools and focus solely on SBB, which is what we are doing in the primary schools?”
“6 million in 2019 to meet the basic needs of the Rohingya refugees and the communities hosting them. It is worrying that they have only managed to raise 2% of this amount so far, as one million refugees need this for their survival. I appreciate that Singapore is one of the countries that make voluntary contributions to UNHCR annually. I am glad that in 2016, as a responsible global citizen, we have increased our contributions to UNHCR from US$50,000 to US$60,000. On top of this general donation, can we also consider donating to the UNHCR programme for Rohingya refugees specifically? Our contribution is comparable to those made by other ASEAN countries, but I sincerely hope we can contribute more to help the Rohingya refugees who so desperately need our help. Relations with Other Southeast Asia Countries”
“Sir, I have shared about my experiences visiting the Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar several times. I will always remember what I saw, the painful stories I heard and the people, especially the children, I met. To be honest, the image of the child with a bullet wound in her arm is still very much in my mind. My biggest fear now is that these people will be forgotten. Over a million of them now live in the refugee camps in Bangladesh. The attention on this issue is diluting as people move on to more recent crises and funding gets diverted away. 1.30 pm But as the Minister stated, "As long as the refugees remain in the camps, and have no jobs and means of livelihood, they will have no future prospects". I also agree with the Minister that "we cannot expect quick fixes". But we need to remember that in 1991, 28 years ago, 250,000 had already fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar. This is not a crisis that began last year or a few years ago. I do understand that this is an issue that we cannot solve on our own. However, we can help. Can the Minister and MFA share what plans MFA has in 2019 to support both Myanmar and Bangladesh in finding a long-term solution? Sir, I hope that all of us in this increasingly fragmented world remember that there is no "us" or "them". There is only us, one human family, connected in ways we sometimes forget. Contributing to UNHCR Rohingya Fund Sir, the Minister has said that he does not foresee a sudden cessation of support from the UN and non-governmental organisations for the refugees in Bangladesh. He stated that he does not foresee that contingency occurring, at least not in the foreseeable future. I really hope so. At the same time, I know that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) needs $307.”
“I think Minister Chan Chun Sing has responded to my cut in saying that almost all public agencies have now a single structure scheme in terms of career progressions for a public servant. Could I just ask what percentage do not have this single structure scheme and what are we doing to close this gap? 4.30 pm Secondly, I think in response to my cut as well, the Minister said that leaders should respond to that feedback provided. But my cut really was about how are we going to ensure that they do and whether we can have internal QSMs to take that role instead, to take that feedback given, it is actually looked into and the loop is closed? For Minister Josephine Teo, I am very thankful that the Minister has announced that 450 employers are now offering unpaid leave and I think you mentioned 70 public agencies. Could I ask whether the entire Public Service can offer this unpaid leave for parents with multiple or preterm babies so that we can walk the talk and we can take the lead on this issue? Lastly, with regard to childcare leave, could I ask the Minister to consider again whether we can allow people to use their current sick leave entitlements, not just when they are sick, but again when their children are sick and, to avoid people from misusing this, they have to provide the child's MC as proof when they take this kind of sick leave?”
“It is an experience that I hope no parent has to go through and I hope that, through my sharing, our policies will change and they are changing. It was announced last year that we will introduce a Tripartite Standard to encourage employers to provide four weeks of unpaid leave for parents of multiples or preterm babies. Can the Minister provide an update on how many employers are providing this leave? I understand that MOE is providing this. Can the Minister confirm if the entire Public Service is now providing this unpaid leave?”