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.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,801 lines we hold for Louis Ng Kok Kwang, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 32 of 37.
“Interestingly, the popularity of this view increased to 58% among men aged 18 and 29. This is worrying and I hope that we can change this mindset. We have to. And perhaps, as many Members of this House have echoed the same view, it is time for us to review our maternity leave and paternity leave. We might be reinforcing the mindset that women are in charge of caregiving when women receive a significantly higher amount of leave as compared to men. Madam, while big strides could still be made, I believe we should recognise those who are making concerted efforts to positively change the landscape. In this regard, I wish to highlight the endeavours made by the Young Women's Leadership Connection that has a variety of programmes to support young women leaders to fulfil their aspirations. I also note the efforts by AWARE which has constantly sought to support women from all walks of life. I urge businesses and organisations to connect with them and the Diversity Action Committee to find out how they may assist their women employees. Finally, I am heartened by the initiative by the PAP Women's Wing and I stand in full support of their efforts. Madam, my life has come full circle. I grew up with my sister Lynette and my two female cousins Gail and Grace. I grew up with three girls and playtime usually meant Barbie time. Well, it was either playing with dolls or playing alone and so playing with dolls it was. Ken, the Barbie doll, became my best friend. Fast forward 30 years and playtime now for me is back to playing with dolls with my daughter Ella. I have to stress that she chose playing with dolls, not me. And she is now bringing her dolls to the hospital to introduce them to her sisters.”
“A noteworthy corporate entity is one of Singapore's biggest law firms, WongPartnership, where 43% of the executive committee is made up of women. Ms Rachel Eng, joint Managing Partner of WongPartnership said, "Our firm did not set a target to achieve gender diversity. Yet, by creating a culture that recognises and accepts that our talents, including female talents, may need special support during certain periods of their lives, we were able to create a conducive culture for our talents to thrive." I hope that more corporate entities will create conducive cultures that recognise and accept all talents, regardless of their gender. Besides creating a conducive culture at work, I believe the culture set at home and societal mindset must be reworked, too. It is possible that unequal distribution of care plays a major role in explaining the disparity in representation. According to MOM, over 265,000 women are out of the labour force due to family commitments or responsibilities, versus around 9,000 men. In studying the Age-Sex Specific Resident Labour Force Participation Rate, Singapore does not have the "M" curve of other developed economies, where women leave the workforce when children are young but return in significant numbers later in life. In Singapore, it is just a decline with time. Women face barriers to full and equal participation in public life, including employment. The reason might start at home. Between 2012 and 2013, AWARE conducted a survey among 1,322 respondents as part of the We Can! Campaign, which aims to change societal attitudes that perpetuate violence against women. The survey revealed that 52% of men think women are still expected to be in charge of caregiving and household chores.”
“If the private sector recognises that women are capable enough to take on onerous responsibilities, I believe we should also look out for suitable candidates and nurture them to take on portfolios in the Cabinet. That is not to say the private sector is highly exemplary. According to the same Committee, due to the perceived shortage of qualified women and preferences for qualified directors who are men, progress is hamstrung. The Committee further observed that Singapore lags behind the UK, Australia, Hong Kong and Malaysia in terms of female representation on boards of directors. Surely, Singapore's number of qualified women should be similar to these countries, given our enviable quality of education coupled with high economic activities for all to participate in and prove their worth. On this note, I would like to indicate my support for the 2020 target announced by Minister Grace. Surely, we can and we have, to have to ensure that at least 20% of female directors on boards by 2020. Boardroom representation is not the only issue of concern. A few weeks ago, NUS released a study showing that female executive directors of Singapore Exchange-listed companies earned just 56.1% of what their male counterparts earned. Madam, the figure given is disappointing at best. I sincerely hope that businesses will examine their remuneration policies and structures, and put forward new remuneration frameworks that better reflect the value women bring to the economy. I strongly encourage businesses and not-for-profit entities, both big and small, to be on the look-out for capable women and provide them with opportunities to prove that they are just as good as, if not better than, their male counterparts.”
“Madam, I support the Motion. I am excited and encouraged by the initiative of the PAP Women's Wing to spearhead a project centred upon the empowerment of women to their fullest potential. While inroads and improvements in this area are evident, building awareness and continued engagement must persist in order to enable our women to aspire without real or perceived inhibitions. On organisational leadership, women remain under-represented. According to the United Nations, although women can vote and run for public office in nearly every country, in 2013, they accounted for only 21% of parliamentarians worldwide and serve as Head of State or Head of Government in only 24 countries. In Singapore, as many of us have said, we only have one woman among 20 full Cabinet Ministers and about 20% of Members of Parliament are women. Japan, a mature democracy like Singapore, has a target of women occupying 30% of the Japanese Parliament by 2020 pursuant to their White Paper on Gender Equality 2011. Madam, I am supportive of Singapore setting a similar goal. The figure of 30% is not a figure without any basis. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women had stated that, "Research demonstrates that if women's participation reaches 30% to 35%, there is a real impact on political style and the content of decisions, and political life is revitalised." The General Recommendation essentially emphasises that it is not enough to say there is no formal barrier − active measures should be taken to substantially ensure equal participation. According to the Diversity Action Committee which was established by MSF, it is increasingly common for women to be leaders in the boardroom, in addition to being a mother, wife and daughter.”
“Madam, I think the Minister of State did not reply to the first two parts of the question. How many people actually complained? How many chickens were culled? Thirdly, is AVA planning to engage the NCs in that area because I think they had some concerns? Fourth, whether any red junglefowls were culled. This time round, I have personally seen those chickens; there are red junglefowls there. Lastly, is AVA planning any further culling operations for chickens in any other areas?”
“Madam, I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. Can I check if there is a timeline for the baseline studies that the Minister of State mentioned and will we actually be doing an EIA or EIS instead? Also, is MND or HDB working with any of the wildlife or nature groups with regard to this study?”
“Thank you, Madam, I am aware that we are doing a lot of public consultations, but I think the question is: whether we can do public consultations when the public already knows what the Budget Statement is going to be. So, at least they can give feedback, meaningful ones which we can use to amend or improve the Budget. Because what we are doing now in a lot of our dialogues is explaining the Budget to people and we are not really getting their feedback on how we can improve it further.”
“Madam, the Government must continue to support the industry in our goal to leapfrog from our current 0.2% to 0.6% towards the 1% to 2% goal for our EE improvement rates. I raise these points to ask for further clarity on how we are providing that support, beyond strengthened requirements for monitoring and reporting, as proposed by this Bill. That said, I applaud this Bill for announcing bold steps in ensuring that Singapore meets its Conference of the Parties (COP21) commitments and I stand in support of the Bill.”
“Furthermore, companies operating on thin margins may avoid proposing improvements to EE, as this often involves high capital costs and adds pressure to their bottom line. Management often approves projects that meet the dual criteria of low investment cost and short pay-back periods, and projects on EE may not meet this mark. I believe the Government has spotted these barriers and is planning to conduct reviews of incentive schemes to support companies in this transition. This includes piloting an EE financing programme and providing investment allowance for EE. Can the Minister provide more details about this and on when we can expect to receive updates on these revised incentive schemes? I understand as well that we have implemented previous energy-related incentives and grant schemes. This includes the Design for Efficiency (DfE) Scheme, Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme (EASe), Grant for Energy-Efficient Technologies (GREET), and the Singapore Certified Energy Manager (SCEM) Training Grant. As an indication of how receptive the industry is towards Government support for EE, can the Minister share information on the take-up rate of the key schemes that I have listed? Was there a slow take-up rate and could slow take-up rates have contributed to low EE improvement rates? I also note that EE grants are being consolidated under the Energy Efficiency Fund (E2F). Does the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) believe that consolidation will lead to better take-up rates? Given that the Bill's enhanced requirements will come into effect from 2018 onwards, will MEWR or NEA make available the E2F so that companies affected will have time to apply for the grants? What measures can be taken to improve the take-up rate of E2F as well?”
“Madam, I am heartened by this Bill as a signal of the Government's firm commitment towards an economic model that considers not just raw growth in numbers, but also growth that is responsible to both society and the environment. This is not the first in our series of bold commitments towards environmental protection, following on from the recent announcement of the carbon tax and, last year, in requiring sustainability reporting from all listed companies. Since the ECA was brought into effect in 2013, it appears that companies have been able to fulfil the Act's requirements to implement certain basic energy management practices. These include appointing at least one certified energy manager and reporting their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Singapore's Climate Action Plan released in July 2016 revealed our intention to encourage the manufacturing sector to achieve EE improvement rates of 1% to 2% a year between 2020 and 2030. Thus, it seems like a natural next step to enhance the Act by requiring industrial facilities to submit a monitoring plan and emissions report in line with international standards. Madam, during the COS debates, Minister Masagos compared Singapore's EE improvement rates to that of other countries like Belgium and the Netherlands. He mentioned that operational and capability constraints and inefficient common industrial equipment could be the reason for lower EE rates in Singapore. I believe that another reason could also be the highly specialised and integrated nature of Singapore's industrial sector, which leaves little room for downtime. Improving EE often requires equipment upgrades, but such upgrades are likely to cause disruptions to operations and come at a cost.”
“NGOs and individuals acting on their own initiative may not be able to pay for enhanced security and traffic control measures. While I am fully supportive of the need for additional security measures, I am concerned about the ability of Singaporeans to hold events if they are going to be charged for being too popular. Is the Ministry considering any form of support to organisers, especially civil society groups, who may not be able to afford enhanced security measures? Like grants available for many programmes, is it possible to set up a grant to assist civil society groups with these costs? Lastly, Madam, can the Minister clarify if public consultations have been done with all relevant stakeholders, including civil society groups, with regard to this Bill? Madam, I am fully supportive of the Bill's goal of strengthening our national security. However, we must involve all stakeholders in this fight. Our unity as a nation is our greatest weapon against security threats.”
“Efforts to promote such conversations should not be penalised, and peaceful and constructive public gatherings are necessary ingredients for critical thinking, for active citizenry and for active participation in the Singapore story. Section 7(2)(h) will also require the Commissioner to be the judge of whether a certain political procession or assembly should be denied a permit because of its political nature. This may not be a matter of public order or security, and it is not clear whether the Commissioner or the Singapore Police Force will have the institutional competence to make such a decision. In order to enforce the law properly, there must be public confidence in the Police Force which can only come if the Police are recognised to be politically neutral. Unfortunately, there is potential for the Police's political neutrality to be compromised when they are required to make political decisions. Again, should an independent body be set up instead to make these decisions? Also, the Commissioner has no obligation to provide any reasons for the rejection of a permit application. Without detailed reasons, decisions by the Commissioner may lead to speculation which does not build public confidence. Can the Commissioner be required to provide organisers with reasons if their applications are rejected? Many civil society groups are also concerned about the financial costs. I note that the Commissioner may direct organisers to implement security measures and traffic control under section 30(2)(f). This will affect events held at the Speakers' Corner. It is important to consider if the affected group has the ability to pay for such security and traffic control measures.”
“Madam, these amendments have the important function of strengthening our security framework to protect the public against terror threats and I stand in full support of them. However, I would like to seek some clarifications that will hopefully address the concerns of civil society groups, in particular, their concern that this Bill might have the unintended consequence of making it more difficult for civil society groups to responsibly and legitimately exercise their freedom of expression. The new section 6A requires organisers to give special notice to the Commissioner if they expect more than the prescribed number of participants. The Minister had covered this earlier, but how will organisers determine that it is for free and non-ticketed events? It is very possible for an event to attract a greater turnout than expected. I personally experienced this when the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) held events at the Speakers' Corner when, at times, the turnout was twice of what we expected and catered for. How will the Commissioner respond and how will security measures be implemented to ensure security in such a case? Also, and more importantly, is there a possible loophole that organisers might simply report a lower number of the expected turnout? Next, the new section 7(3)(f) defines an assembly or procession "directed towards a political end" as one that influences or seeks to influence public opinion on a matter of "public controversy". With society evolving, topics that were once deemed contentious or taboo have, with time, become necessary conversations. Who decides when a matter becomes a matter of public controversy? Will it be an independent panel set up to make these decisions?”
“However, could a perpetrator truly and accurately know that one of the relevant sections was contravened at the time of the offence? What is the burden of proof required under this section? Further, can the Minister clarify why a safe conviction could not be achieved when the prosecution does not need to prove that a relevant section was contravened when section 8A(1) is premised on the contravention of these sections? Next, I am concerned that there is a growing digital divide that is leaving our Pioneer Generation behind. I have many elderly residents who do not know how to use a computer properly. Hence, I am concerned that our elderly are vulnerable to cybercrime. Anecdotes of the elderly falling victim to scams are plenty. In this regard, can there be a collaboration with the Pioneer Generation Office with regard to IT resilience for our Pioneer Generation? Further, may I also suggest coordinated grassroots campaigns in relation to cybersecurity be launched? Under these campaigns, grassroots leaders (GRLs) can reach out to the elderly on topics, such as how to spot phishing emails or messages and how to protect themselves against cybercrime. Madam, I stand in support of this Bill. I believe that as we continue to push towards being a smart and connected nation, we should also not leave behind anyone and ensure that all of us are protected against cybercrimes.”
“Madam, I stand in support of the Bill. We live in an increasingly connected world, but the Internet has also created a multitude of opportunities for criminals to thrive. Quite a few Members of this House have recently had their Facebook identities stolen and used to send phishing messages. I am sure that came as a rude shock, but at least my colleagues had the capacity to deal with the matter quickly. I fear, however, that many Singaporeans do not. The Bill amends CMCA in three ways. First, it recognises that sophisticated software, in the hands of wrong persons, can be as dangerous as giving them physical weapons. Second, it criminalises acts of cybersecurity that originate physically outside our borders but passed through or target computers within. Third, it criminalises the use of personal data that have been obtained through hacks. All three changes are necessary steps to build a society that is more resilient to cybercrime. Madam, clause 3 of the Bill introduces the new section 8A which provides increased powers to the authorities. While this could be a needed move in light of the increased cyberattacks and misuse of information, I am concerned with the drafting of section 8A(6) that fellow Member Mr Dennis Tan had raised previously. By way of background, section 8A(1) penalises people who use personal information that arises from the contravention of certain sections of the Act. The new section 8A(6) removes the need for the prosecution to prove that any of those sections of the Act was contravened in order to prove that an offence was committed under section 8A(1). The prosecution is only required to prove that the perpetrator knows or has reason to believe that the relevant sections were contravened.”
“I just want to ask why exactly are we diverting the feedback towards CASE, which is a non-Government organisation, instead of MTI taking the feedback and investigating; and, secondly, whether MTI feels that CASE has sufficient manpower and resources to take up the additional caseload now.”
“Madam, I just want to ask the Minister, he mentioned that they are going to include other vulnerable victims in the review as well. Could I check whether they will be including the mentally disabled as well?”
“How will the Ministry determine if the by-laws are "inconsistent?" Who will determine this and is there an appeal process? Can the Minister provide more clarifications about the model by-laws and whether a draft will be released to the Town Councils for our input and feedback soon? I have no doubt that by-laws set by the Minister or Ministry would be done in the best interests of the residents. However, we need to have sight of what the model by-laws would be and knowledge of whether consultations and the frequency under which these would take place. Finally, I note that this Bill does not address the issue of the handing and taking over of sinking funds when there is a change in the management of Town Councils. As Members of this House are aware, different Town Councils may adopt different calculation methods of how much sinking fund is to be transferred, whether it be by number of blocks in precincts or by the unused balance sinking fund. May I take this chance to request that the Ministry study this matter and amend or pass the relevant laws to resolve this matter, thereby providing clarity to the relevant parties, moving forward? Madam, notwithstanding the comments above, I stand in support of the Bill.”
“Madam, I declare my interest as the Chairman of Nee Soon Town Council. Madam, this Bill helps to improve the governance of Town Councils and I stand in support of it. I am encouraged by the new section 19(4) curbing substantial trading or financial activities. This new addition reinforces the spirit of the Act: that Town Councils should not lose sight of its core objectives, which is to manage the living conditions of residents and not take on ancillary activities which may not necessarily contribute directly to the interests of residents. Having said that, can the Minister clarify what exactly is meant by "substantial trading or financial activities?" Will the Ministry be publishing clearer guidelines with regard to this? Next, with regard to the interaction between Town Councils and Statutory Boards, which many members have highlighted, according to section 21A, Town Councils must comply with any directions from Statutory Boards, so long as the directions belong to the broad categories listed in the section, and failure to comply would result in criminal conviction. While this section ensures that Statutory Boards may carry out their work efficiently, it does not appear to provide any firm platform for Town Councils to raise their concerns or reject a direction from a Statutory Board on reasonable grounds. In this regard, can the Minister clarify if there are such guarantees in place for Town Councils to raise their concerns about directions from Statutory Boards? Next, I note that the Minister may pass model by-laws, and Town Councils can amend the model by-laws and pass its own by-laws. However, by-laws made by the Town Councils must not be "inconsistent" with the model by-laws. The Bill further states that model by-laws could be made at any point in time.”
“This is a success story showing what we can achieve when the Public Service functions as one. I would like to commend the AML/CFT Steering Committee that has the difficult task of coordinating the work of over 20 Government agencies. The effectiveness of the whole-of-Government approach we have taken when it comes to money laundering and terrorism financing is a model for interagency cooperation in all other aspects of the Public Service. Madam, I stand in support of the Bill.”
“Speed and secrecy are of the essence where monies can be easily moved with the push of a few buttons. The legitimate concerns of confidentiality for those who use trusts to arrange their personal financial affairs may be addressed by limiting access to the registry to competent authorities. Next, another area I would like to highlight is the lack of criminal sanctions for trustees who fail to discharge their duty of care under the Trustees Act. In contrast, it is an offence for directors or officers of a company to breach their duties to use reasonable diligence under the Companies Act. Has the Minister considered whether equivalent criminal sanctions may be appropriate under the Trustees Act? Next, while FATF has largely commended steps taken by Singapore to address anti-money laundering and terrorism financing, it also noted other areas of weaknesses. For example, there are no strong sanctions when accountants fail to comply with money laundering and terrorism financing obligations. Precious stone and metal dealers are still not yet subject to the full range of money laundering and terrorism financing requirements. Are there plans to bring our legislative framework in line with the FTAF's recommendations in other aspects? Will the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Steering Committee of the Ministry consider setting out a national strategy to ensure a coherent and coordinated approach across the board? The 1MDB saga shook our private banking system last year. We sent a strong message against using our financial system for illegal purposes by closing down BSI Bank and Falcon Bank, prosecuting senior officers and levying heavy fines on other banks.”
“As an international financial and trade hub, our doors are wide open, putting Singapore at risk of becoming part of the global transfer of illicit funds. This was all the more evident when the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) saga unfolded in 2016, implicating our private banks. Last year also saw the Indonesian amnesty on overseas funds which revealed that $72.4 billion was sitting in private bank accounts on our shores. As such, I welcome these amendments to the Trustees Act, bringing Singapore closer to international standards on measures to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and tax evasion. I wholeheartedly support our nation taking up a more a constructive role to tackle key problems faced by the international community. Section 84A(2)(g) provides that we may impose a fine of up to $1,000 for non-compliance with regulations. However, for individuals engaged in these illicit activities, such as money laundering and tax evasion, this would have little deterrent effect, in view of the broader financial gains they stand to reap. Will the Minister consider reviewing this? To ensure that investigators will have ready access to the necessary information, has the Ministry considered the viability of setting up a central registry of all trusts that have connections to Singapore? Currently, ACRA maintains basic ownership information of companies and LLPs. An equivalent body could be set up to record legal and beneficial ownership information for trusts. This has been done in France and South Africa. This will speed up investigations by our local agencies and our responses to requests for information from foreign authorities. The authorities will also be able to avoid alerting suspected individuals when carrying out their investigations.”
“I would like to ask how we have determined five years to be the optimal period of retention. And I note again that the retention of books and papers after a company has been struck off, we are similarly increasing that period to five years. Madam, these comments notwithstanding, this Bill assures businesses operating in Singapore that the Government will do all it can to protect their interests, and I stand in support of it. 1.43 pm”
“Moving forward, I would like to ask if the Ministry would be conducting a thorough review to identify and subsequently remove similar non-essential costs when incorporating businesses. For example, will ACRA be doing another round of review to streamline regulatory fee structure? Considering that the last review was done more than two years ago, it would be timely to conduct another one soon. This will go a long way in supporting entrepreneurs and startups, as they can then allocate resources to essential needs. Secondly, we are extending the period for which the liquidator of an LLP that is wound up must keep the books and papers of the LLP from a minimum of two years to a minimum of five years. This will improve transparency and enhance confidence in our regulatory environment, as creditors, accountants and other stakeholders will have a longer period of access to key business documents. I also applaud the removal of the option for LLPs to destroy records early if they are wound up by partners or creditors. This prevents the destruction of potential evidence of fraudulent business practices. However, a longer period of retention will result in higher costs of storage for businesses. The cost will have to be borne by the owners of the businesses and it is important to ensure that it is kept within reasonable limits. The higher costs could also mean that when company assets are rounded up, creditors end up with less, which might be unfair to them. In this regard, is the Ministry exploring more cost-effective means of technology to ensure the retention of key documents of the wound-up LLPs? In addition, as I raised earlier in the Companies (Amendment) Bill, why is the retention period increased to five years?”
“Madam, this Bill, viewed together with the Companies (Amendment) Bill, displays our Government's efforts to make continual improvements to our business regulatory landscape and I stand in support of it. The Bill allows our businesses to continue operating with minimal costs while adhering to statutory requirements and ensures that our regulatory regime keeps up with the times. I note that a public consultation on the proposed changes for companies and LLPs was held via the feedback unit Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry @ Home (REACH) as the Senior Minister of State just mentioned. A detailed summary of feedback received was also published online, and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and ACRA even went as far as to publish the corresponding responses to each category of feedback. This high level of stakeholder engagement is a welcome initiative and I would like to commend this effort. I am also heartened by the fact that many of the proposals from the public were taken into serious consideration, resulting in some amendments to the Bill. As I mentioned in my Budget speech, I believe there is merit in greater engagement with stakeholders before the proposal of each Bill. We should always listen to feedback, spot gaps and co-develop solutions with the community. Madam, I would like to seek a few clarifications with regard to this Bill. Firstly, I have spoken to members of the business community and many have welcomed the removal of the common seal. This is a positive step to reduce auxiliary costs of doing business in Singapore. Today, we are able to use cheaper alternative methods, such as electronic signatures sent with official emails, to ensure the authenticity of documents.”
“This option will enhance the attractiveness of our regulatory regime for companies planning to register a new entity in Singapore. Will the Ministry consider this? Madam, I stand in full support of this Bill which would serve well to assist Singapore's drive to become an international hub for debt restructuring.”
“This move allows Singapore to remain competitive, facilitate the relocation of companies to Singapore, and keep pace with other jurisdictions that have embraced this re-domiciliation mechanism. However, can the Minister clarify if re-domiciled companies could represent to counterparties and the public that they are Singapore-incorporated companies upon issuance of the Notice of Transfer, or could they make only such representations after ACRA is satisfied with the submission of documents evidencing de-registration in its prior place of incorporation? I also note that we will introduce how a financial year is to be calculated. This is a required addition in view of the fact that lodging of a company's annual returns is to be done within a prescribed period after the end of its financial year, instead of the AGM under this Bill. The proposed section 198(2) provides that the first financial year must be no longer than 18 months, unless ACRA approves on the application of the company. Can the Minister clarify under what conditions will a company's application be approved? On the retention of books and papers after a company has been struck off, may I clarify why the period is five years when a person may, within six years, after the name of the company has been struck off, apply to the Court to restore the struck off company to the Register? Lastly, on foreign entities hoping to register in Singapore. While I note that the Ministry is retaining the 60-day period for newly-registered companies to prepare all share or debenture certificates, there should also be an option for an extra 30 days − in cases where companies have more elaborate tools of debt which require in-depth legal support in their countries of origin.”
“Madam, I rise in support of this Bill which, I trust, will solidify Singapore's drive to be a regional debt restructuring and corporate rehabilitation hub in Asia. Similar to how Singapore adopted the Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration due to globalisation and commercial realities, the need to adopt the Model Law on cross-border insolvency arose out of similar circumstances. Just as how Singapore made it easy for anyone in the world to start a business in Singapore, it is imperative to make it easier to restructure businesses in Singapore. In this regard, a harmonisation of relevant rules and a universalist approach to insolvency should be employed. Madam, I note that adoption of the Model Law is not a full-scale one. Article 25 was amended by substituting "shall cooperate" to the maximum extent possible with foreign courts or foreign representatives to "may cooperate" instead. Can the Minister clarify why this amendment was made? Also, in relation to cross-border insolvency is the abolishment of the ring-fencing mechanism, which has been criticised by practitioners local and abroad as contrary to internationally-accepted standards of a fair and equitable cross-border insolvency regime. In this regard, the abolishment should assist in Singapore's ambition to become a debt restructuring hub. Local creditors should also not be overly worried that this amendment gives them no protection. In this regard, I note that a long list of financial institutions could still receive some protection. Further, some creditors may rely on Articles 6, 21 and 22 of the Model Law to ensure that their interests are protected under certain circumstances. Next, I support the amendment to allow foreign companies to transfer their registration of incorporation to Singapore.”
“Madam, just some clarifications or concerns on the ground. One, whether the Minister feels this stabilises the property market, especially the high-end market which has been quite sluggish. Two, the real problem really seems to be an oversupply of private properties, whether the Ministry will also address this. Third, while we pass this Bill with such haste, will this not actually just result in a huge transaction in the next few hours?”
“The Government is providing funds to help firms internationalise and build capabilities to operate overseas. We should do the same for our Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs). We should support our local IPCs which internationalise, fly the Singapore flag proudly overseas and lend a helping hand to our neighbours. Let us be seen to not just venture into other countries to compete, to take, but to also give and to help. Can the Minister share if there are plans to provide this help and, in particular, to remove the 80 is to 20 Fund Raising Rule for local IPCs which have projects overseas? We should let the public rather than the Government decide on how donations are spent. Strengthen Social Fabric and Build Identity”
“MOH has just completed a public consultation on a suite of potential tobacco control measures. Can the Minister provide details of the outcome of these public consultations, in particular, increasing the minimum legal age for the purchase, possession and use of tobacco in Singapore from 18 to 21 years old? In addition, are there further plans to increase our support for those who want to quit smoking? As a former smoker, I know how difficult it is to quit and how quitting made me a Grouchy Smurf for quite a while. The decision to quit is easy; the ability to follow through is very difficult. And if we can provide more support, I am sure we will see a higher success rate. Will the Ministry, for example, expand and enhance the very successful "I Quit" campaign? I am proud to say that since 12 October 2013, I have remained smoke-free and I am a very happy Papa Smurf now. Tobacco and Smoking Controls”
“We have a strong focus on urging Singaporeans to start a family and trying to assist those who are not ready to start a family yet. This is important but we should also provide more help for those who want to start a family but are facing difficulties conceiving. It has been four years since the Government enhanced the co-funding of ART treatments, and it should be time for us to review this. We currently only provide the co-funding for treatments done at public hospitals. The success rate at private hospitals or clinics may be higher. As such, I hope we can extend the co-funding for the last fresh cycle to be done at private hospitals and clinics. This will help couples who have tried repeatedly at public hospitals and have not been able to have a successful pregnancy. This will also help alleviate the large demand for ART treatments at our public hospitals. Innovative Anti-diabetes Strategies”
“ElderShield is meant to be a Severe Disability Insurance scheme. However, payouts are only for 72 months, and I understand that a quarter of claimants outlive this and still need care. Would the Ministry consider making payouts for life? In addition, premiums are also higher for women than it is for men. Insurance is supposed to pool risks across different life expectancies. As such, will the Ministry make the premiums equal for men and women? In-vitro Fertilisation Subsidies”
“We are not only going to minimise the incidence of not attending school, but we want to develop the child fully and holistically, so that even the needy among us have the opportunity to develop to the fullest.”
“I share Mr Kok Heng Leun's sentiments about how the wording and how our policies are very important. The Parliamentary Secretary rightly pointed out that working mothers usually need full-day childcare and stay-at-home mothers usually need the half-day childcare. Can we just base the level of subsidy on that, on whether one is full-day or half-day? This is so that we do not make it seem like we are penalising stay-at-home mothers, especially at a time when we are urging parents to spend more time with their children. A second clarification is about KiFAS. I raised it, that the requirement is just for one day of attendance a month. Can we understand why we have set the requirement so low − for only one day of attendance a month? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: With regard to the two different categories of childcare highlighted by Mr Louis Ng, I personally feel that we should not go into that danger zone of monetising personal relationships. The Government has been helping so much, to support families to take care of their children. The calibration needs to be very carefully done. If we are not careful, we enter a danger zone where our future generations will start to monetise all aspects of personal relationships. This is something we are watching. We want to make sure that it is affordable and we want to support family and child development but we do not want to go that line of monetising personal relationships, and go into the deep end. Secondly, about KiFAS, as I mentioned earlier, we have KidSTART. This is an area where we want to identify as many kids as possible in the future. We are doing a pilot now.”
“Thank you, Madam. Some children are being looked after by their extended families when their parent or parents are in prison. These children are often neglected and have poor school attendance. The Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS), which provides assistance to some of these families, currently requires, a minimum school attendance of one day a month. Considering that one day a month is generally insufficient for the child to develop well in school, would the Ministry consider increasing the minimum number of days of school attendance to at least one week a month instead? What other measures are being taken to ensure that these children receive adequate schooling? Subsidies for Stay-at-home Mothers Our current policy appears to penalise stay-at-home mothers since they receive less subsidies for infant care and childcare as compared to working mothers. It does seem odd to provide more financial subsidies for working mothers who have an income and provide less financial subsidies for stay-at-home mothers who do not have an income. The quantum of subsidies for full-time or part-time care should be based solely on family income or per capita income instead. Can we level the playing field and not penalise parents who choose to spend more time with their children and sacrifice their careers? Childcare Grant”
“Just two clarifications. Looking at the handout for the Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES) that will replace the Carbon Emissions-Based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS), it looks like we are reducing the rebate from $30,000 to $20,000 and also reducing the surcharge from the current $30,000 to $20,000. Can the Minister clarify this because it looks like we are taking a step back? Second, can the Minister clarify if the Government will look into procuring only sustainable palm oil?”
“15 pm Management of E-waste Assoc Prof Randolph Tan (Nominated Member): Mdm Chairman, there is an urgent need for a national plan for managing e-waste. As the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources has explained in his responses to some Parliamentary Questions over the last few months, 60,000 tonnes of e-waste are generated annually in Singapore. This is not a small amount for our size. According to a 2013 article published in the journal, Waste Management, 500 million computers became obsolete in the United States between 1997 and 2007. China generated 1.11 million tonnes of e-waste annually. While I should point out that precise comparisons are difficult because of differences in definitions and time period considered, we should not delay making strong moves to address what will certainly turn out to be a growing problem for our environment. Because we have limited space and disposal options, any accumulation over time will be more difficult for us to manage later. Also, the scale of the e-waste challenge in Asia is unclear but, by all accounts, growing, adding to the concern. The lack of a visible nature of e-waste at present appears to suggest that the problem is obscure. As e-waste accumulates, without a comprehensive management scheme, the problem, including the requirements for specialised methods of dealing with toxic materials, will grow. A national management plan should include the capability for tracking e-waste production and address improper disposal. Waste Collection”
“Thank you, Madam. Can NEA provide an update on the effectiveness of the designated smoking areas and points in Orchard Road and Nee Soon South? What are the Government's further plans to protect the general public from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke? Will it be moving towards only allowing smoking at designated areas, instead of having a list of prohibited areas? Will the Ministry consider expanding the ban on smoking outside designated areas to other busy streets, such as the Central Business District and the Civic District, as done in other cities like Tokyo and Kyoto? Safe Removal of Harmful Refrigerant Gas Singapore is currently the second largest producer of e-waste per person in Asia. I am encouraged by NEA's intention to implement a regulated national system to collect and recycle e-waste and would like to ask the Minister for an update about this. In the meantime, we still face the problem of appliances, such as fridges and air-conditioners which contain refrigerant gas, such as HCFCs, a gas which is extremely harmful to the environment and to human health. It seems that, currently, there are insufficient facilities and industry incentives for proper disposal of these appliances and many are not properly discarded. In the US, the venting of HCFCs is illegal. And Hong Kong and Australia have also set guidelines. I understand that NEA will phase out the import of these fridges with HCFCs by 2030. But what is our interim solution? What facilities are currently available in Singapore for the venting of HCFCs, and has the Ministry set any industry guidelines? Would the Ministry consider setting up a national facility for the proper removal of HCFCs from appliances before they are incinerated? 3.”
“Thank you, Madam. One way you we can fight climate change is by promoting the use of hybrid cars or cars with lower emission. This can also contribute to cleaner air. Can the Ministry look into providing more incentives for buying vehicles with cleaner emissions, as well as introducing tighter emission standards for new vehicles. Ultimately, we need to make sure that hybrid cars cost cheaper, at least slightly than high emission cars, so that more people will buy them. Procurement of Sustainable Palm Oil My next cut. The haze pollution in 2016 was much less severe than in 2015. Did the Ministry's effort in naming the companies who may have contributed to the haze help? I am sure the Government's decision to buy only green label paper helps significantly as well. As such, will the Government now look into procuring only sustainable palm oil, considering that it has announced support for the roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil recently? Lastly, what are the Ministry's expectations for the haze situation in 2017? Promoting a Haze-free ASEAN A haze-free ASEAN is only possible if all ASEAN states work together to resolve this longstanding problem. What is the progress of the Ministry's effort on the regional front to achieve a haze-free ASEAN? Specifically, how will Singapore be working with Indonesia and assist in the effort to prevent and clamp down on forest fires? What role can businesses and the general public play in contributing to this vision?”
“Madam, just a clarification for the Senior Minister of State. I appreciate that the agencies are working together but can we have a roundtable so that the agencies can work together with the other stakeholders and experts − the NGOs and the scientific community − for oil spills?”
“The recent oil spills severely affected native diversity and fish farms in the vicinity. MPA launched investigations into the cause of collision and various agencies conducted beach clean-ups. However, the SOP for clean-ups varies from agency to agency. Would the Ministry consider organising a roundtable to engage stakeholders and agencies, such as MPA, NEA, NParks and AVA, as well as other stakeholders and experts, to come up with a comprehensive oil spill response plan which can apply to future mishaps? Would the Ministry hold responsible parties accountable for the impact and ensure that compensation is made to those affected, for example, the fish farms?”
“Sir, firstly, can the Minister confirm whether exceptions have been made for the ASSIST programme where the divorcees can start their application when they get the Interim Judgement of divorce? Second, similarly, will HDB specifically consider whether a single unwed parent can form a family nucleus with his or her child? Has this been done before? Third, for the short-term rental, I raised this during the debate on the Bill, when will we see the draft guidelines, when will it be available to the public for public consultation? Fourth, on the Love Cats programme, I understand that a review is going on, but this has already been done for two years. Is there a timeframe where we will finally make a decision? Fifth, will AVA be considering the Wildlife Save a Dog programme? Previously, it was a no. Are they considering now and keeping it open? Lastly, will we be increasing the number of wildlife inspectors? I do not think the Minister has addressed that point.”
“However, AVA continues to face substantial challenges in investigations, including the lack of eyewitnesses and direct evidence, as well as an increase in online crimes. As such, would AVA consider engaging animal welfare groups to complement its efforts, just as NEA engages and empowers citizens for anti-littering efforts?”
“To strengthen enforcement at our checkpoints, several non-government organisations (NGOs) have suggested the establishment of a sniffer dog programme, used effectively by many countries. Sniffer dogs are highly efficient at detecting contraband and also serve a deterrent function. In South Korea, a dog named Simba detected major finds almost every month, totaling 142 separate animal parts and some "live" animals. In Hong Kong, sniffer dogs can detect ivory concealed in packages in just under five seconds. From 2008 to 2015, the dogs assisted in over 40 cases of smuggled animals or products and can identify 15 endangered species. In Thailand, the training and maintenance of the entire sniffer dog unit functions on merely S$58,000 annually. AVA stated that the sniffer dog programme was "less cost-effective than other measures". Can AVA clarify what the other measures are and whether they are already in place? Would AVA reconsider the decision to implement a wildlife sniffer dog programme in Singapore? Increasing the Number of Inspectors There are currently only three inspectors at the wildlife section at AVA. While other AVA, ICA and customs officers assist in detecting wildlife crime, it is clearly insufficient to have only three inspectors solely dedicated towards tackling wildlife crime in Singapore, considering as well that this is a 24/7 job. Can the Ministry increase resources and manpower for this section, considering again that Singapore continues to remain in the spotlight with regard to wildlife crime. Engaging Animal Welfare Groups to Help with Enforcement Sir, from 2011 to 2015, the number of feedback AVA received on animal cruelty and welfare rose from 410 to 840 cases.”
“Thank you, Sir. Consumers play their part in the anti-haze efforts if they consciously buy from companies which only source sustainable haze-free palm oil in their products. However, palm oil is often labelled as vegetable oil in Singapore, which means that consumers are kept in the dark about whether the products they buy contain palm oil. To inform consumers on what they are consuming, the European Union have changed their food labelling regulations to ensure that the types of vegetable oil used in food products were explicitly stated on the labels. Will AVA consider taking similar steps to improve transparency in our food labels? Expansion of the Love Cats Programme Next, the Love Cats pilot programme, managed by the Cat Welfare Society and conducted in Chong Pang between 2012 and 2016, achieved far-reaching effects to help the Town Council, AVA and relevant agencies better tackle cat-related disputes in the community. In support of this pilot, MND provided a two-year grant. However, funding has since stopped, though the pilot continued with a robust mediation and resident engagement model, with much success in resolving neighbourly issues related to cats. Will the Ministry consider supporting and extending the funding of this pilot to more estates in Singapore? Introducing a Sniffer Dog Programme Next, Singapore is frequently under the spotlight as a hub for illegal wildlife trade, but Singapore detected only 10 cases of illegal wildlife trade in the last three years at our border checkpoints, which suggests that wildlife trade continues to pass through our borders without our knowledge.”
“Disruptive innovation is here to stay. As the Prime Minister mentioned, old models are not working, new models are coming in thick and fast and we are having to adjust and keep up because of technology and globalisation. And the disruption will happen over and over again, relentlessly. Rather than ban short-term rentals, we should regulate it by perhaps introducing a licensed and a tiered quota system. For example, a person is allowed to rent out the property for 50 nights a year for a start. If there are legitimate complaints received, then the licence can be revoked or the number of nights decreased. A review can be made each year and, if URA is satisfied, the number of nights can be increased or, if they are not satisfied, they can be decreased. The property owner is thus incentivised to ensure that no disamenities are caused. Can we also implement a compulsory deposit for the guests, which I understand is currently not the industry norm, and the deposit should be forfeited if legitimate complaints are received. In this case, the ball is in the court of the guests to ensure that no disamenities were caused to avoid forfeiting the deposit. I urge the Ministry to consider this proposal and ensure that we embrace and regulate rather than ban this disruptive innovation. Home Owners on Overseas Work Postings”
“A single unwed parent who is under 35 years old is currently unable to purchase an HDB flat or enjoy the housing grants under the family scheme. It is difficult enough being a single parent and we should help rather than penalise them. So, similar to what Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin has just mentioned, can the Ministry consider allowing a single unwed parent and his or her child to form a family nucleus when applying for an HDB flat? If we cannot consider helping the parent, then, surely, we should consider helping the child. Helping Divorcees with a New Home Next, it cannot be easy to go through a divorce, especially when children are involved. I am sure the biggest worry for any parent is whether they can provide their children with a roof over their heads. We do have the ASSIST programme, but I hope we can allow them to start the housing application upon getting the interim judgment of divorce since it is uncommon for the proceedings to not continue. This will help ensure that the children are not left homeless after the divorce is finalised, and ease the transition into the next chapter of their lives. Housing for Divorcees”
“Teachers I have spoken to report the number of cases where students do not attend school for a long period of time without valid reasons. There have been cases of parents or guardians brought to Court for neglecting to send their children to school, but it is understood that incarcerating the parent or guardian may put the child in further jeopardy. How then would the Ministry ensure that the Compulsory Education Act will be an effective deterrent for neglectful parents? How will the Ministry ensure that children are sent to school? Later Start School Times Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: Sir, a number of studies on the sleep patterns of our teenage students indicate that they are not getting enough sleep. They are getting around five to six hours of the recommended eight hours of sleep. One recent study by the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School linked sleep deficiency with lowered cognitive performances, deterioration of sustained attention, working memory and alertness. Longer-term issues include high blood pressure, obesity, behavioural problems and impaired growth. One of the recommendations from the study was to start school later. Currently, most of our schools start at 7.30 am, which means that students would wake up before sunrise, resulting in a disruption to their circadian rhythms. If we can start schools an hour later at 8.30 am, students will no longer need to wake up before sunrise and this could help improve their sleep cycles, thus leading to better health and learning outcomes. Additionally, most schools today function as full-day schools, making it feasible to implement a later start time. After-school Care Service”
“Salary disputes between domestic workers and their employers often arise because there is no record to prove whether payments were made correctly. While local employment agencies are only allowed to collect a maximum of two months' salary as placement fees, domestic workers often have salary deductions that exceed this limit. These excessive deductions are often characterised as loan repayments for agency fees incurred in the worker's home country. But the lack of any records makes it difficult to determine if these deductions are legitimate. Electronic payments would help authorities to determine if workers are paid correctly and punctually and begin to throw some light on this problem of excessive salary deductions. The Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) has announced its intentions to push for electronic payment by General Interbank Recurring Order (GIRO) or bank transfer for domestic employees, which has also been welcomed by the Association for Employment Agencies. Can the Ministry share if there any plans to work with these two organisations in the implementation of such a scheme?”