Mohamed Irshad
Singapore
“The multi-faceted crisis the world is faced with did reveal itself in various ways in the last decades, continuously sending us signals on the urgent necessity to take action and embark on a transformational journey.”
“So, how can we implement safe distancing within bus stations, within MRT stations and also on the bus itself we can have one seat beside each other to be vacant, we can actually Implement some sort of measures even on the MRT trains to have one seat in between each other.”
“Okay. We have a policy of people coming back from overseas to be issued Stay-Home Notice but however, Singaporeans who want to visit their relatives who just came back and visit the houses, how can we discourage them from doing so?”
“Chairman, as I previously mentioned in the House, the Singapore Muslim community is a highly diverse one. In addition to the racial diversity, we have Muslims from all around the world coming to study, work, marry and settle in Singapore.”
“Sir, the recently submitted COFA report appears to have set a direction for tuture asatizah. I also note that the current generation of asatizah have the MUIS Academy which offers a range of courses and training as part of their lifelong learning ethos.”
“If this trend continues, it does not bode well for the financial well-being of lower income households even when income inequality is mitigated. Does MSF have a programme to track the income, expenditures and financial well-being of lower income HDB residents? Tracking such data can help MSF provide better and targeted assistance.”
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“Singapore is very fortunate that our founding generation laid the foundations for a harmonious and peaceful country, with subsequent generations working hard to strengthen the trust, tolerance and mutual respect among the different faiths. Unfortunately, the world we live in today is starkly different and is definitely not a bed of roses. Going back to the second objective which I shared earlier on MRHA, religion and politics must be kept separate. However, it is simply not the case in today’s context where we find numerous nefarious examples of religion being used to advance political causes. Just last month, Prime Minister Lee spoke in New York at the Appeal of Conscience Foundation Annual Awards Dinner where he warned about weaponisation of religion as a growing phenomenon in countries around the world where foreign actors influence and/or interfere in local religious organisations to exploit religious fault lines, cause social upheavals, and create political instability. We are witnessing many of these on our television screens every passing day and we must never allow religion to be weaponised in Singapore, or to be used as a front for other conflicts. Mr Speaker, just recently, I attended a multilateral Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) engagement where I had the opportunity to interact with our ASEAN counterparts. In one of my discussions, it was shared that in the years leading up to the general elections, huge amounts of money from foreign sources were routed through local foundations and religious bodies to fund political campaigns and their agendas. We cannot allow religious bodies to be manipulated in the same fashion, and the need to mitigate foreign influence is a necessary amendment to the Bill.”
“In 2018, a Pastor apologised to Muslim leaders for a guest US preacher’s hurtful statements on Islam. More recently, last month, as quoted by the Minister, a social media influencer apologised for an insensitive remark about two Sikh gentlemen’s headgears at the Formula One Grand Prix and subsequently joined and took part in the community outreach efforts of the Sikh community. In all three incidents above, the apologies rendered and subsequent interactions with the faith leaders and communities concerned were restorative, rehabilitative and, I would say, reconciliatory in nature. CRI was a reality without a name in all three incidents. For those who genuinely, without malice, cross the religious harmony line, CRI offers a fair and balanced means to set right what was made wrong. Can the Minister share how CRI will be administered practically and, more specifically, what sort of activities does the Ministry have in mind in carrying out CRI? Thirdly, on foreign influence, the term "foreign influence" need not connote a negative meaning completely. The IRO in Singapore is a living example of what constructive foreign influence can do for a multi-religious environment like Singapore. In 1949, Maulana Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqui, known as the 20th century’s roving ambassador of Islam, landed on our shores to great acclaim to deliver a message of peace. Representatives of the major religions were catalysed and met again in a series of two further meetings and it culminated in the formation of the body known as the IRO which marked its 70th anniversary just this year.”
“Perhaps, it was fitting that Facebook's founder and Chief Executive, Mark Zuckerburg, had earlier this year said that there was a need for governments and regulators to have "a more active role” on how the social media and Internet are regulated." With the Internet and social media, quicker actions need to be taken to prevent statements which are offensive to religious communities from spreading here in Singapore. Social media is akin to forest fires, where a lit matchstick on a beautiful summer day can cause a massive wildfire. We, Singaporeans, know full well the effects of forest fires. Therefore, I welcome the move for the RO to take immediate effect before the offensive statement starts spreading like wildfire and causing irreversible damage to our social fabric and communal bonds. Mr Speaker, we are also witnessing the rise of many charismatic and fanatic preachers who have built massive followings in the tens of millions online, espousing divisive values and teachings. A single offensive or thoughtless post by such figures can be seen by millions within a few hours, thus creating a tense situation. How can we safeguard Singaporeans from having access to such content on social platforms given the introduction of the extraterritoriality clause in this amendment Bill? The revised process of Issuance of ROs is a step in the right direction. Secondly, on CRI. In keeping with the ethos of MRHA not being a punitive act, the CRI is a welcome addition. We have seen CRI in action on a few notable occasions in Singapore in recent times. In 2017, an Imam of a mosque who had made controversial remarks about Christians and Jews apologised for his actions to a group of faith leaders.”
“Mr Speaker, the Pew Research Centre's ranking of Singapore as the most religiously diverse country in the world is an accolade that we ought to embrace proudly. All the world's great religions have a presence in Singapore – Christians, Buddhists, Taoists, Muslims, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Baha'is, Jews and Zoroastrians. This is a consequence of Singapore from the time of historic Temasek having been a Faith-Hub for leaders and missionaries of all the major religions. However, being a faith-hub also brings its own set of challenges. To deal with these challenges, in 1990, we enacted MRHA. The Act had two main objectives: firstly, to guide followers of different religions to exercise moderation and tolerance towards one another and their beliefs and not to instigate religious enmity or hatred; and, secondly, for religion and politics to be kept separate. After almost 30 years, these two principles remain relevant. The proposed amendments are timely, well-calibrated and much needed in the face of technological disruptions and global threats to uphold peace, security and even sovereignty. Today, I wish to speak on three areas – issuance of ROs, CRI and foreign influence. Firstly, on issuance of ROs. At an international hearing on fake news and disinformation in London on 27 November 2018, a Facebook executive admitted, in response to a question by Senior Minister of State Edwin Tong, that the company "made a mistake" in not removing a post that incited racial and religious hatred and violence in Sri Lanka and caused people to lose their lives.”
“Failure to adopt digital technologies also restricts the ability of our Home Team officers to operate effectively within an ever more constrained operating environment. Mr Speaker, I stand in support this Bill and any broader measures that enhance Singapore’s safety and security.”
“The ancillary benefit is that this process helps reinforce the connection and communication between the community and police that are often lacking in other Community Policing initiatives once they are formally established. This ongoing communication and feedback also help foster a more inclusive approach to crime prevention and one where the community plays a critical role in its success. The pilot study found that when adequately resourced, the top 10% of the predicted crime locations could accurately interdict and prevent up to 70% of the anticipated incidents for each two-hour interval, equal to six to eight locations for every two-hour interval. It is from this pioneering use of predictive policing technology that the VPD accomplished what police services frequently struggled with, limited resources and the inability to reassign patrol officers from often a busy call-load and dedicated emergency response. This, I believe, is a worthwhile model from which Singapore can learn from and incorporate into SGSecure – a New Generation of Community Policing with Predictive Policing and Community Engagement. Lastly, before I conclude, I would like to seek an update from the hon Second Minister on the “Lamppost-as-a-Platform” project that was announced last year for pilot rollout in 2019 by GovTech. Also, with the formation of the new HTX, will such a Surveillance Programme come under the purview of the new agency? In conclusion, Mr Speaker, I welcome the move to set up a new agency to focus on scientific domains critical to the operations of the Home Team. Without deploying digital technology, the task of fighting crime and protecting citizens becomes almost impossibly tough in a world where citizens and criminals alike are increasingly digitally savvy.”
“The purpose of the evaluation was to determine whether police actions, guided by the forecasting system, would have a measurable impact on property crime, specifically residential break-and-enters. The results of the evaluation indicated residential break-and-enters dropped substantially during the pilot study. Based on the positive crime reduction results and demonstrated ability to operationalise the technology in a police service, the predictive policing initiative was formalised and expanded into other areas of the organisation. One of the most innovative application being the Community Policing Block Watch Programme. Block Watch is all about neighbours helping neighbours. Participants watch out for one another’s homes and report suspicious activities to the police and one another. In practice, the predictive policing outputs are reviewed by the Block Watch Coordinator every morning, identifying the top 10% of the forecasted locations, with the aim to mobilise community resources for the time period that dedicated police resources are not actively deployed to predicted locations. The Block Watch Captains in each estate then electronically distribute a notification to their members, informing them of the increased risk with recommendations that they exercise increased vigilance during those times. The community members are reminded not to directly engage with any suspicious individuals and to call the police emergency line should they witness any criminal or suspicious activities. This has the net effect of mobilising hundreds of citizens every day and providing actionable information to the community.”
“The most advanced crime analytics of the day relied on analysts leveraging on geographic information systems. Regardless, the trends identified were based on what had happened and it did not provide any insight into where crime might shift. The missing component was the ability to forecast where and when crime would occur or, in other terms, a transformation from retrospective to forecasting. Predictive policing bridges those gaps by providing the best place and time for the Police to problem-solve. A driving force behind a shift in paradigms is the potential outcome for law enforcement to increase its effectiveness and efficiency, enhance criminal investigations, and to allow agencies to "work smarter". It is within this political and social climate that predictive policing has emerged as a possibility of enhancing public safety. Predictive policing can become a reality here in Singapore, similar to how predictive maintenance helps to avoid breakdowns of critical infrastructure in a way that is evidence-based, accountable and ethically sound, ultimately aiming to achieve crime reduction success, while functioning with fewer human resources and thereby reducing operating costs. There are several models of Predictive Policing that Singapore can learn from. One such model, the City Pulse project by the Dutch police, was highlighted by Second Minister Josephine Teo in her speech earlier. I would also urge our authorities to study the Vancouver Police Department's (VPD's) Predictive Policing Project that has yielded remarkable results. The VPD undertook a six-month pilot project to evaluate a newly developed machine-learned crime forecasting system that was designed to project predicted crime locations and temporal intervals.”
“How will the new agency work with existing ones, such as GovTech, the Ministry of Communications and Information and other Government agencies, to mitigate such breaches without duplicating existing efforts? In the opening speech at the recent Interpol World 2019, Minister Josephine Teo highlighted three areas of innovation that hold promise – biometrics, data analytics and digital forensics. Indeed, these areas of innovation have the potential to rapidly solve crime. Biometrics facial recognition technology is able to scan through thousands of video footages to identify criminals. Data analytics is able to plough through enormous amounts of data and improve sense-making. Digital forensics has the ability to extract and analyse digital evidence from the latest Internet of Things (IOT) devices, among others. At the heart of the Home Team transformation, "digital" has to be about helping officers serve the public more effectively, enabling them to spend more time problem-solving, providing them the information required to make intelligent decisions faster, more effectively and in greater depth. And I would like to remind that the fundamental role of human instinct, emotional intelligence and pragmatic decision-making in responding to situations must be recognised in designing digital. My second point on predictive policing – declining birth-rates have led to an ageing population that will increase the demand for emergency services while at the same time putting constraints on the manpower available to the Home Team to tackle these challenges. The Home Team needs to continuously innovate and leverage technology to fundamentally change the way it operates in order to deal with these challenges.”
“Mr Speaker, globally, policing has undergone a series of transformational changes, especially the last 10 years heralding in the most technologically advanced and technologically dependent era to date. Without doubt, the next decade holds the potential to surpass these changes at an even faster rate, with futuristic technological innovations becoming a reality. Today, the Home Team faces increasing public expectations and scrutiny, changes in crime profile and increasing non-crime-related demand. They are expected to deliver improved services despite facing tough resource constraints. There is an ever-increasing pressure to deliver more, for less. With the addition of Digital Defence as the sixth pillar of Singapore's Total Defence strategy, the setting up of HTX to drive innovation and develop technologies to enhance the Home Team's capabilities is timely and much needed. In my speech today, I would like to focus on two areas: (a) Evolving Operating Landscape; and (b) Predictive Policing. The operating landscape for the Home Team has vastly evolved over the years, bringing about new challenges and expectations. We are witnessing the nature of crimes evolve with rapid advancement of technology. Cyber-enabled crimes, in particular, are becoming more prevalent and sophisticated. For instance, in 2016, GozNym Malware was used to steal over US$100 million from over 41,000 businesses and financial institutions in the US, Canada, Germany and Poland. False e-commerce transactions, fake loans and Internet love scams are now among the most common scams reported. In Singapore, the threat is real, as seen in the recent hack on the SingHealth database and the leak of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related data.”
“Political speech and even imagery can easily be manipulated at low cost and with professional quality. In order to successfully tackle the problem, I urge the Government to keep an eye out for emerging disruptive technologies, such as deep learning and generative adversarial networks (GANs), which make it possible to manipulate images and videos so well that it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish false from authentic ones. In fact, apps like FakeApp and Lyrebird have made the production of "deepfakes" accessible to anyone. In conclusion, Mr Speaker, it is very difficult to write a Bill like POFMA. It needs to be comprehensive and extremely well considered if we are to protect Singaporeans as well as their rights to freedom of choice in the digital age. I am confident that the Government will place peace, harmony and the safety of Singapore at its heart and do the best as Singaporeans and for Singaporeans and be counted upon to steward these considerable powers in a fair, consistent and thoughtful manner, consistent with our democratic values and our duty to protect Singaporeans from the ill-effects of online falsehoods. Mr Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“Despite our diversity, Singapore has enjoyed peace and religious harmony for over 50 years since Independence. Hence, we cannot take any chances and take the stability and security we enjoy for granted. On technological trends in disseminating online falsehood. In today's world, online falsehoods are weaponised to be used against countries by state and non-state actors. The online information space and the social media are a key battlefield in a new conception of warfare. Now there is no need for war to be declared with the blurring of boundaries between wartime and peacetime. New dynamics brought about by technological advancements is an area of concern for any Governments looking to legislation to combat online falsehood. Justice ministers in three German states have proposed using anti-botnet legislation to crack down on automated social media accounts, or "bots", which spread online falsehoods. Botnets are suspected to have engineered voter sentiments during recent events, such as the UK EU membership referendum and the 2016 US elections. As technology is always ahead of regulations, we should develop the ability to respond swiftly and robustly before they can cause harm to Singaporeans. In an information-rich world, the most effective response to disinformation is literacy. As highlighted by the hon Education Minister, media literacy is essential for end users to be able to spot obvious fakes. In future, AI-powered solutions may help us distinguish high-quality news sources and content from bogus ones, and even spot potential political motivations behind the propagation of certain news. One area of concern I would like to raise in this House is the issue of deepfakes which will increasingly become a problem, as highlighted by the Minister earlier.”
“Just last year, in 2018, Sri Lanka witnessed widespread ethnic violence with mosques burnt, people attacked and the government declaring a State of Emergency and temporarily banning social media platforms. It is the result of falsehood. The falsehood insinuated that the Muslim minority were trying to sterilise the Sinhalese majority. More recently, the tragic mosque shooting in Christchurch was socially engineered for virality and maximum reach via livestreaming. The video was viewed just less than 200 times during the live broadcast. No users reported the video during the live broadcast. Including the views during the live broadcast, the video was viewed about 4,000 times in total before being removed from Facebook. However, according to Facebook, in the first 24 hours, it was removed about 1.5 million times, copies of this video of the attack globally. More than 1.2 million of those videos were blocked at upload and were, therefore, prevented from being seen on their services. What I have just outlined above are serious and quick adverse consequences of viral and false information. We would be naïve to assume that Singapore would be immune to this. Therefore, when one considers what is the right decision-making body to move quickly to counteract the effects and spread of false information, speed and effectiveness must be paramount. That is precisely what the SC, with representation from both sides of the House, had accepted. I believe, in circumstances where false information is undermining Singapore's public interest, it is the Executive which should be empowered to act. They can do so swiftly and decisively to protect Singaporeans against such falsehoods. A 2014 analysis by the Pew Research Centre found Singapore to be the world's most religiously diverse nation.”
“I shared that given the destructive force of online falsehood in the digital age, it has the potential to exploit our social fault lines and can undermine our social cohesion. If not countered, it can erode the multiracial and multi-religious fabric of our society and our forefathers who have fought to achieve this and preserve this. There needs to be a clear action plan involving a whole-of-nation effort to combat online falsehoods or fake news. As the hon Minister for Law and Home Affairs had described in his SC public hearing last year, tackling fake news will require a multi-pronged approach which takes into consideration effective legislation and Government policy, as well as efforts by corporations, non-profit organisations, religious organisations, civil society and ordinary citizens. It is important for ordinary citizens to be equipped with the knowledge and tools to discern and deal with fake news. Only when individuals are able to take ownership and understand the consequence of deliberate online falsehoods are we able to safeguard our social well-being and be a more resilient society. Mr Speaker, allow me to share several examples of online falsehoods manifesting in inciting real-world violence. In 2014, Myanmar witnessed two days of violence leaving two dead and dozens injured, with mosques being burnt. It was caused by a falsehood from a Buddhist woman who was paid to make false rape claims against two Muslim brothers. In 2016, 12 Buddhist temples in northern Sumatra of Indonesia were plundered and burnt down by a Muslim mob in 24 hours with billions of rupiah in losses. Again, it was caused by a falsehood that a Chinese woman had complained about noise from a mosque, threw items at it, expelled the prayer leader and disrupted prayers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, after two years in the making, the POFMA Bill is timely, in light of global events and trends we are witnessing today. The tabling of the Bill comes after regulatory moves around the world, such as Germany, France and, more recently, Australia. This Bill is comprehensive, well-considered, globally researched, and above all, publicly consulted and reviewed. The Bill commendably sets out to protect Singaporeans in a highly polarised world against the threat of online falsehood. As highlighted by the hon Minister, globally, we are witnessing countries grappling with the problem of online falsehoods which aims to do many things, including interfering in elections as well as democratic processes, undermining public institutions, exploiting fault lines, sowing discord amongst racial and religious communities and, ultimately, weakening countries through national security threats, both real and imagined. Therefore, it is important that we do not politicise the Bill and make sure that we take an objective stand. The Bill is one that is of immense significance to safeguard Singapore's future, especially in today's world where there is an overload of information on a multitude of platforms that threatens to undermine much of our traditional forms of communication and reliable information sources. Today, I wish to speak on two areas in relation to the proposed Bill: one, safeguarding racial and religious harmony; and two, on technological trends in disseminating online falsehoods. On safeguarding racial and religious harmony. Last year, I presented at the SC on Deliberate Online Falsehoods (DOFs), representing my interfaith non-profit organisation Roses of Peace.”
“In particular, our youths having the right understanding of all races will promote harmony amongst us. Understanding culture correctly will enhance family and social ties, thereby benefiting every household and the country. For us to interact and communicate together with the people of a multiracial society, an understanding of one another’s culture will provide great assurance. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, with that, I thank Minister Shanmugam for moving the Motion and I support the Motion.”
“As the largest employer in Singapore, perhaps the Public Service can take the lead in this. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Singapore's social harmony is not by chance, and it should never be taken for granted. Singapore is the world's most religiously diverse country. Multiculturalism, multi-religiosity and multiracialism are key tenets of our national values. However, to protect the peace and stability that we have, we need everyone to play a role and to play their part. Everyone has a role in calling out hate speech and not being a silent bystander. We have been tireless in our efforts at building this precious social harmony over the past five decades. Although we often claim that we are a work in progress, I hope Singapore will shine as a beacon of hope and serve as a role model to other nations struggling with social integration at the upcoming International Conference on Cohesive Societies. Lastly, we cannot deepen racial and religious understanding without deepening our cultural understanding. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to conclude my speech in Tamil. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In Singapore, we have to understand our culture very well so as to continuously remain as one united society, with racial and religious harmony. For instance, in the past 13 years, for the whole month of April, the Tamil Language Festival takes place. Such language-based festivals not only help us nurture our mother tongue but also help us to understand our own culture better. To enhance racial and religious harmony, such festivals about mother tongue should take place continuously. In addition to understanding one’s own cultural pride and glory, it is also very important for everyone to also understand clearly the culture of other racial and religious groups.”
“In this regard, I would like to call for greater collaboration and partnership between civil society and non-profit organisations with tech companies, such as Facebook, Twitter and Google, to trial innovative community-based solutions. For example, we can develop a Digital Playbook to educate and equip fellow citizens with the knowledge and tools to counter hate speech and fake news. Such a book can detail the strategies that ordinary citizens can adopt to identify and push back on such propaganda. Thirdly, although we have Racial Harmony Day, to place greater emphasis on the importance of religious harmony in Singapore, I would like to recommend the adoption of the World Interfaith Harmony Week in Singapore. This was first proposed at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on 23 September 2010 by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan. Just under a month later, on 20 October 2010, it was unanimously adopted by the UN and, henceforth, the first week of February will be observed as a World Interfaith Harmony Week. This week can be an occasion for us to celebrate the rich diversity of religions that harmoniously co-exist in Singapore and promote a deeper appreciation and tolerance through a series of exhibitions, performances and talks. Singaporeans tend to treat discussions on religion as sensitive and potentially divisive. However, there is an imminent need to do more to bring such conversations to intersect with a wider societal audience. This is especially so in workplaces to foster better appreciation of people’s faiths, beliefs and to encourage employees to be proud of their identity. There is value for organisations to set aside one day in a year, perhaps during the Interfaith Harmony Week, to celebrate diversity in their workplaces.”
“I believe more can be done to educate our youths from a young age on the various religious beliefs, ethnic traditions and cultural practices in Singapore. We have such a rich cultural and social heritage that needs to be appreciated by all. Beyond the common ties that bind us, we should also focus on helping our youths understand the unique elements of each faith traditions in Singapore. At the same time, I urge the Government to equip our students with the necessary skillsets for effective dialogues and discussions on difficult and sensitive topics revolving around race and religion. This will help us be better mediators when occasional conflicts or disputes arise. We should also create more safe spaces in schools and the community where students are free to express their religious identity and for dialogues to take place in a mature and meaningful manner. In this regard, there is value in considering having a youth wing in all IRCCs in Singapore, which can take the lead in spearheading such initiatives. Second, dealing with spread of hate speech in the digital space. With the prevalence of smart phones and rise of extremist views that can disseminate rapidly online, the impact of hate speech is amplified. Before the Christchurch attacks, the gunman published a manifesto on social media highlighting his extremist views. The livestreaming of the attacks further amplified the impact of these attacks. In addition to all the existing efforts, we must all focus on equipping society, especially our youths, with the tools and skills necessary to compete effectively with extreme voices in our new digital ecosystem.”
“While the survey highlighted that the vast majority of respondents affirmed that race or religion was not a barrier to social cohesion, it revealed some interesting findings which should be a cause for reflection and concern for us as a diverse and multi-ethnic society. The survey found that one in four respondents had no qualms about letting religious extremists publish their views online or hold public meetings to talk about them. This number was much higher, close to 50%, amongst younger Singaporeans. Around 15% of respondents also found Muslims at least somewhat threatening. This was higher than any other religious group, with a notable number staying in private housing. The hon Minister has spoken about the rise of Islamophobia over the years on multiple occasions. The recent IPS findings certainly reflect this concerning trend. As a society, it is not good enough to say that 85% of Singaporeans do not espouse such sentiments. Fifteen percent is statistically significant, and is, in fact, roughly the size of our entire Malay/Muslim population in Singapore. Worryingly, I also observed that many netizens online questioned the validity of the findings or simply dismissed it. Just two days ago, Roses of Peace organised a youth forum titled, "Aftermath of Christchurch – Lessons for Singapore." About 120 youths participated in the session and we had a robust discussion on multiculturalism in Singapore. The findings from the latest IPS study was a keen topic of discussion, and many of the youths found the findings troubling. There was a collective sense that, as a country and nation, we can do better. In this regard, I would like to raise some suggestions. First, to provide education of our diverse, multicultural social fabric.”
“However, as the Christchurch incident has reminded us, there is still much work that needs to be done. Underlying tensions, prejudice and stereotypes among different races and religions continue to be a challenge. Through my involvement in Roses of Peace, a ground-up non-profit organisation working on peace-building, we have observed many cases where members of the community have experienced micro-aggressions and discrimination. It is thus important that we face squarely the challenges we have and find ways to proactively address it. As President Halimah Yacob noted after the Christchurch incident, the most important lesson for us is to fight all forms of xenophobia and hatred perpetrated simply on the basis of a person’s religion, colour or creed. Xenophobia and hatred can cut deep divisions among us and allow hatred to spread, and this cannot be prevented easily. As a community, I believe it is important for us to have honest and meaningful conversations, beyond the polite niceties, of what is going on. Such conversations may be unpleasant at some point and to people in general, but this is an opportunity to talk about their own experiences, in what they face in life and to listen to others and understand and come to reach an understanding. By allowing for more honest and meaningful dialogue and interaction, we can address such misinformation as well as common stereotypes, which often serve as the primary driver of prejudice. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, many Members would have read about the IPS report on race and religious relations in Singapore that was released last Thursday, as highlighted by some Members earlier.”
“The innocent bystanders, the innocent child, the innocent people working hard to earn a living to feed their loved ones. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the Minister's speech, he raised an important point and said he would like to hear the Members' opinion as to how best we can protect our country with all the issues the Minister had highlighted. A wise man once said, "Tie the rosary beads too tight and they would surely break and fall with great impact uncontrollably. Tie it too loose, they would also naturally fall apart. So, best is to take the middle way, not too tight and not too loose. There is an old saying tie your camel before it goes astray." About two weeks ago, we all read in shock about the news of a 28-year-old Australian, radicalised by Islamophobic material online, who attacked two mosques in Christchurch, killing 50 and injuring many others. Amidst the grief, despair and anger, the tragic event in Christchurch has created a cause for a deeper reflection of the significant challenges to extremism. Over the last few weeks, many news commentaries and reports have discussed gun laws, the role of social media, white supremacy and anti-Muslim rhetoric. As a multicultural and multi-religious society, we have developments that have an impact on our social cohesion in Singapore. Positive and meaningful social exchanges among different races and religious groups create the foundation for social cohesion. Like a rich tapestry, our Singapore story is alive only because of the fine, interwoven threads of social interactions. Today, at the national, community and ground-up level, we have a number of platforms and initiatives for different communities to come together, build mutual respect and trust and deepen understanding about one another.”
“Assalaamu'alaikum, Peace be Upon you all. What happened in New Zealand recently at the two mosques was tragic and unexpected. On behalf of all Singaporeans, I would like to sincerely offer our condolences to the families that had lost their loved ones. May their souls rest in peace and in eternal happiness. Mr Deputy Speaker, before I begin, I would like to address a Singaporean mother and her family who lost their son in the recent Christchurch terror attack. In Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I offer my condolences to Mdm Noraini Abbas from Singapore, Mr John Milne and their whole family for their family’s great loss, the late Sayyad Milne. May the late Sayyad Milne be granted a place in the highest level of Paradise in eternal happiness. (In English): Mdm Noraini Abbas, we are with you. Singapore is with you and your family, as you mourn the loss of your beloved son, Sayyad Milne. Mr Deputy Speaker, I really do not know where to begin or how to begin after hearing our hon Minister's speech. The various events happening worldwide have been saddening. Generation after generation, the words Hate or Hate speech have been very powerful, that causes one to act irrationally and drastically. It can be anyone unassuming, regardless of his race, colour or religious belief and, to a point of, in Islam we say breaking Siratul Rahim – breaking the bonds between mankind using fear, hate, anger, jealousy, greed and even innocence. This makes me wonder what is that trigger point that the power of hate or hate speech have over man. It can take over a person’s logical power of thinking and reasoning to reach a point of irrational behaviour, to hate and even to kill. Wisdom is gone forever from their hearts when hate takes over their mind. Who suffers?”
“Mr Chairman, in 2017, a Study on Social Capital conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS)-National University of Singapore and supported by MCCY found that diversity in social networks among Singaporeans strengthens social capital, trust, national identity and national pride. Raising diversity in social ties is a collective effort. We have to encourage Singaporeans to take up opportunities to interact and make friends with people outside of their usual circles centred on a common race, language, religion, educational and housing background. Government agencies and community leaders can also do more to create the structures and programmes that encourage such mixing. Could the Minister share what efforts are being taken by the Ministry to facilitate improved mixing, especially among people with different school backgrounds, and between those living in private and public housing? Also, how can we incorporate such efforts as part of MCCY's outreach to youths to build a resilient and harmonious society? Harmony –Beyond Words”
“Mr Chairman, I have three clarifications for the Minister. Firstly, M3 is MUIS, MENDAKI and MESRA. In my interactions with people, they have mentioned that it is very Malay-centric. I welcome the move that the Minister mentioned that M3 wants to partner with all organisations, including Indian/Muslim organisations and so on. But how can we have people from the other groups – Chinese/Muslims as well as Indian/Muslims – feel welcomed to be also part of this initiative? Secondly, is there a timeline for the Singapore Islamic College (SIC)? When can we expect it to be up and ready? Thirdly, recently, I was involved in a talk with the South mosque cluster and during that interaction with the asatizah, they did mention that, previously in MUIS, there was to be a function that looks into Youth Development. Now, I understand that there is an Asatizah Youth Network. But can we bring that youth functionality back so that we can have a youth focus in every single mosque that we have in Singapore?”
“Mr Chairman, allow me to extend the warmest wishes of Rajab Shahrullah Mubarak to my Muslim colleagues here. And "Happy Women's Day" to all the female Members in the House. Mr Chairman, last year, Minister Masagos Zulkifli announced the formation of M3, which includes MUIS, MESRA and MENDAKI. The spirit of M3 is one of working together. In this regard, it is important that our Malay/Muslim and Indian/Muslim community organisations are involved, as well as with other communities. In so doing, we fully tap on the assets in our community. The M3 institutions have extensive ground networks and community-based programmes which other communities could participate in and also partner. Could the Minister share more about how M3 agencies could work with other community groups towards a common social cause? Support for Overseas Students A significant of our returning religious graduates take on jobs in the religious sector in Singapore and form the core of our asatizah fraternity. It is important to engage them early, even while they are studying abroad, so that they are confident of their skillsets and future opportunities upon their return. Could the Minister provide an update on MUIS' support for our overseas students? Mr Chairman, since I have a bit more time, I would like to thank all the civil servants and all the officers who have been working behind the scenes to ensure that these COS proceedings have been going smoothly. Thank you. University Islamic Education and Asatizahs”
“Mr Chairman, may I take both cuts together?”
“Mr Chairman, during the 2017 National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee cited Diabetes as a health crisis for Malays and Indians. He pointed out that the main common causes of death like stroke, heart attack and kidney failure can be traced back to diabetes. Can the Minister share what efforts are undertaken to customise health promotional messages to the Malay and Indian communities? Could the Minister also provide an update on the war on diabetes? War on Diabetes”
“Mr Chairman, from 1 April 2019, Singaporeans who purchase new IP riders will no longer be able to purchase "full-rider" policies and must be prepared for co-payment of at least 5% of the medical bill. MOH explained that this change is aimed at "full rider policies which encourage a 'buffer syndrome'" which leads to over-consumption, over-servicing and over-charging of healthcare services, which could, in turn, lead to higher fees and premiums over time. I support this but it looks like most of the abuses comes from patients in private hospitals. The Straits Times reported that the average total in-patient bill in the private sector has increased by 9% each year over the last 10 years, from 2007 to 2017. This is almost double the 4.9% increase for bills in the public sector's A Class wards. From the numbers, it looks like there is a lower risk of overspending in the public hospitals. The less financially savvy patients rely heavily on the hospital and their doctors to determine the course and cost of treatment. This risk is further mitigated by the implementation of cost benchmarks in public hospitals. In that light, will the Ministry consider having co-payment on IP riders only for private hospitals and have zero or lower co-payment for claims relating to public hospitals? Affordability”
“Speakers included Minister Desmond Lee, Senior Minister of State Maliki Osman, and the Executive Director of Promoting Alternatives to Violence (PAVE), Sudha Nair. I understand PAVE was the organisation that worked directly with the families in the interim housing project. In November, a book entitled "How Working Together Matters" and edited by Prof David Chan was published. This book seemed to suggest that the system is not in itself the problem and that individuals themselves can be deciders of their own fates. In fact, in his book, Prof David Chan seems to warn against reading without discernment, "Therefore, be careful and calm when you do all kinds of survey studies, when you read articles in social media or in the mainstream media poll reports, and even scientific surveys or ethnographic interviews. Sometimes, the data, findings, interpretations and conclusions are not as reliable or rigorous as they claim or appear to be." We have in the course of one year two books with two different positions, with many resounding expressions of support on both sides, and not much of a response from the Government, at least thus far, on a topic that is critical and important to us as a nation and society now and in the years ahead. Would like to ask the Minister what his views are on this matter and how we should interpret the differences in views and, more crucially, what it all means in terms of what we should actually do and how we should move forward as individuals in a collective society? Supporting Singaporeans Facing Challenges”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, in the past year, we have seen much debate on the topic of inequality, sparked in large part by the publication of Teo You Yenn's book "This is What Inequality Looks Like". The book and subsequent commentaries suggest that the system today is a major contributor to why poor families cannot break out of poverty. There seems to be widespread acknowledgement and acceptance that social inequality, including but not limited to income inequality, is a serious issue that we need to address as a society. But there does not seem to be agreement on the root cause and what policies, or actions, will actually maximise the chances to reducing income inequality. And overall, there seems to be a dearth of robust discussion on this. Many views are advocated without strong basis or justification. The book itself is a compelling read and has helped raise awareness of the poor in Singapore. It also advocates universal welfare as a solution to the problem but did not discuss the tradeoffs and alternative approaches. The Government, too, does not seem to have directly responded to much of the discussion or the positions proposed. Much of the ensuing debate, save a few thoughtful pieces, has seemed to have consisted of different views being presented but without much substantiation. For instance, some forum letters in the Straits Times said that, indeed, the problem must be the system and prevailing policies. Others have said that the problem must be the low-earning individual or family itself. Two opposing views that cannot be reconciled in the absence of constructive dialogue and discussion. In July 2018, there was a symposium on the interim housing project for low-income families.”
“Mr Chairman, the SingHealth cyberattack was the largest breach in Singapore to date. On 15 January 2019, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) fined SingHealth S$250,000 and fined the Integrated Health Information Systems Pte Ltd (IHiS) S$750,000. These punitive fines underscore the large scale of the breach and the sensitive and confidential nature of the patients' data that was lost and it is a signal to other organisations to take the necessary steps to safeguard personal data. However, there does not appear to be any remedy or compensation available to the actual victims of the data breach. There is no obvious recourse for the ones who had their personal data stolen. In addition to fines, can we provide a way for victims of data breaches to claim compensation for the loss of personal data? In December 2017, Uber delayed in reporting that personal information of 380,000 users in Singapore had been compromised in a breach the year before. After the breach had occurred and before Uber's admission of the said breach, it was reported that victims of the data breach were preyed upon by the hackers who used the stolen personal data to cause even more harm to the victims. It is unclear how many of those victims suffered further losses as a result of the actions of the hackers. Is it possible to have a tribunal to allow the victims to seek compensation for any losses they might have suffered as a result of the data breach? Personal Data Protection Regime”
“The Minister mentioned about the Singaporean identity and to have our own Singapore identity. I would like to quote Minister Indranee Rajah, who mentioned last year that, "What it means to be Singaporeans is of particular pertinence as a country heads into its next phase of development." As such, would it be of merit to have sort of a national conversation on what it means to be Singaporean, similar to the style of Our Singapore Conversation? And the second thing I would like to ask is, especially our Muslim youths, who are easily influenced by external influences, extremist thinking, very black-and-white sort of preachings from outside Singapore, would it be of interest to reform the Singapore Muslim identity campaign that was launched sometime ago by Dr Yaacob Ibrahim? Would it be of interest to bring it back again, to sort of protect our youths and to educate them, to inoculate them against these influences from outside?”
“Mr Chairman, after campaigning on a rhetoric of anti-globalisation, the US President Donald Trump had announced his decision to withdraw the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). On 8 March 2018, Singapore, together with 11 other countries, signed a version of TPP that did not include the involvement of the US. CPTPP was signed by Singapore and 11 other countries. I understand that CPTPP has come into force on 30 December 2018. One of most important strategic objectives of TPP for Singapore was that it would have entrenched the US engagement in the region. Without the US' participation in CPTPP, what are the benefits for Singapore to stay in CPTPP? Fake News and Citizenry Outreach Efforts We are confronted with several geopolitical security concerns today. In the age of the digital revolution that we live in today, fake news and cybersecurity breaches are increasingly prevalent and have the potential to erode the trust between the Government and society that has been carefully built up over the years. Sometimes, these have even become a tool of foreign policy. Reports suggest that a range of state and non-state actors are engaging in disinformation operations here, and these operators have used online news articles and social media platforms to influence Singaporeans and legitimise other states' international actions. How does MFA intend to combat fake news and educate our citizens properly about our foreign policy, in particular, our younger generation?”
“Although the impact is expected to be minimal in the short term, any subsequent increase in the carbon tax rate may have a more significant impact on end consumers. Can the hon Minister share more on the cost and effects of the carbon tax in the long run? In conclusion, Mr Deputy Speaker, we often forget that Singapore is an artificial construct. It is a result of human effort and imagination. As we mark the Bicentennial year, we have to reflect on what has made Singapore succeed in the past and, more critically, what would be important for its continued survival and success in the years to come. A national Budget is a strategic plan to allocate resources across competing needs – be it defence, economic, human, social or environmental. Some of these needs are current, others involve investing for and securing the future. Minister Heng Swee Keat has struck a fine balance in addressing these varying demands, with an eye on maintaining fiscal prudence. I believe this year's Budget seeks to shape the country's competitiveness and continuing relevance on the world stage in times of increasing uncertainty. Mr Deputy Speaker, with encouragement and optimism, I support the Budget.”
“First, increasing the WIS qualifying income cap to $2,640 to help our workers, which is 60% of our median wage; second, to lower the qualifying age to 30 to include younger Singaporeans who are trying to settle down but are struggling to get by; third, to increase the cash to CPF ratio to 50:50 or even 60:40. I hope the Government considers this proposal and perhaps the inevitable GST hike can help to offset the spending. Having said that, the Bicentennial Budget has clearly signalled its commitment to build a caring and inclusive Singapore. As a youth, I welcome the announcement of MGP that is set to benefit about half a million Singaporeans covering their healthcare subsidies for life. I am sure it will go a long way in alleviating the burden of healthcare cost for our elders and young adults who are taking care of their parents. I request the hon Minister to consider extending the package to all Singapore Citizens between the ages of 60 to 69 this year, irrespective of them having obtained citizenship by 1996. At the end of the day, they are Singaporeans and they have contributed to our nation over the years. The other slew of measures aimed at helping Singaporeans is also much appreciated. Tackling climate change. As part of the Government's commitment to address climate change and reduce emissions, and in line with Budget 2017 and Budget 2018 announcements, the Carbon Pricing Act (CPA) and its accompanying Regulations came into operation on 1 January 2019. While the carbon tax will not apply directly to households, the implementation of such a tax on industries will see a cascading effect on end consumers.”
“SMU-X has been lauded by global accreditation body Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) as an "innovation that inspires". I strongly urge the hon Minister to look into expanding such programmes across all IHLs to prepare our youths for the future workforce. Another area I would like to highlight in my speech is the WIS programme, which is a key pillar of our social security system to mitigate inequality in the working years. Mr Deputy Speaker, Budget 2019 sets out to increase the qualifying income cap for the WIS programme from the current $2,000 to $2,300 per month. It is said that low-wage workers receive annual WIS payouts of up to $4,000. Based on Annex D-1 in the Budget Statement, if Members look at the 35-44 age group, the maximum annual WIS payout for employees is only $1,700 and $1,133 for self-employed persons. Furthermore, these individuals receive just 40% in cash, with the remaining 60% going to their CPF. If you work out the monthly cash component, it is a mere $56.70 and $37.80 for employees and the self-employed respectively. Let us take a case of a Singaporean turning 35 years of age and he is earning $2,300. After CPF contribution, he takes home $1,840 and, even with the additional WIS top-up, it will only add up to $1,896.70 monthly. Mr Deputy Speaker, given the rising cost of living, the financial burden on such an individual would be very high, especially if he/she has young children or elderly parents to support. Increasingly, I am seeing more young people entering the gig economy just to make ends meet, often taking on two or three jobs and scraping by monthly. Singapore's median wage recently rose to $4,400. I would like to put forth three suggestions for the Minister to consider.”
“Global institutions like DesignThinkers Academy are also setting roots in Singapore to develop a fresh pool of design thinkers to cope with the increased demand for design thinking professionals in these dynamic and trying times. The basic building blocks of a vibrant economy are strong, competitive companies that maximise value creation. Design thinking is not just a niche brand. It is critical that all our companies, especially SMEs, adopt this innovation strategy. The question is: how do we make sure design thinking and innovation become mainstream for all our companies? I would like to suggest for the Minister to explore incentivising and incorporating design thinking as a core measure of success as we provide support to our companies across all programmes and platforms. Transforming Learning. I am heartened by this year's Budget focus on investing in our people, including young Singaporeans, to provide them with opportunities to gain working experience abroad. Our youths are ready to venture abroad and to gain valuable work experience and contribute back to our economy. The move to combine the current local and overseas internship programmes into a single Global Ready Talent Programme for students who are currently in IHLs is a step in the right direction. However, the Global Ready Talent Programme alone is not enough. We have to also transform our IHLs to prepare our youths to be ready for the future. One such programme that does that is SMU-X. Pioneered at Singapore Management University (SMU) in 2015, the SMU-X is an experiential learning framework where students tackle real-world challenges by taking on projects from corporate, non-profit and Government sector organisations both locally and internationally.”
“For a small state like Singapore, survival and success are two sides of the same coin. As Minister Heng Swee Keat said, "Singapore is vulnerable to the fluctuations in our region and the world." Therefore, we cannot take our peace, prosperity and stability for granted as security threats are evolving and becoming more complex. I commend the move to incorporate Digital Defence as the sixth pillar of Total Defence and to establish the Home Team Science and Technology Agency. Cybersecurity has become as essential as physical security, if not more. I also commend the move to invest about 30% of our total expenditure to support defence, security and diplomacy efforts as it is paramount to safeguard the sovereignty of Singapore and the well-being of Singaporeans. Secondly, nurturing innovation through Design Thinking. Innovation is becoming a driving force in our economy and globally. In order to realise the vision of becoming the Global-Asia node of technology, innovation and enterprise, we have to continually reinvent ourselves to stay ahead of the curve. Singapore is ranked 5th in the world by the Global Innovation Index 2018 but we can do more, and we need to do more. Speaking at a Ministerial forum at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) last year, Prime Minister Lee said that good design thinking was a key reason for Singapore's successful journey from Third World to First, and it will be critical in the country's future transformation for it to remain an outstanding city in the world. He further explained that design is a core element of Singapore's nation-building. Increasingly, organisations in Singapore are seeing the value of design thinking and are starting to adopt it as part of their operational strategy.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, in last year's Budget Statement, Minister Heng Swee Keat mentioned three major shifts in global trends, namely, the shift in global economic weight towards Asia, rapid technological advancements, and changing demographic patterns. In this year's Budget, he added a fourth trend – the decline in support for globalisation and rising geopolitical uncertainty. Put together, the world we live in today is much more volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) for short. Adapting to a VUCA world, VUCA is a term developed by the US Army War College at the end of the Cold War, but it has been most recently adopted by the millennial generation as a description of the unstable world that we are inheriting. The young are not unaware of the challenges that face us today and in the future. In this VUCA world, we think about how much the nationalist and anti-globalisation trends will affect our economy in Singapore and, in particular, our jobs. We worry about whether we can afford the increasing cost of living and supporting our elders and providing for our children. While we are familiar with technology, we also see how technological progress can overtake us in some of our jobs. And with technology, we also see how countries have taken to cyber warfare, where attacks can come silently and unpredictably. But we young Singaporeans also know that it is in our Singaporean DNA to adapt, overcome and excel. I am confident that we can strengthen our Singapore DNA to weather this VUCA world and prepare ourselves for the future. That is why it is heartening to see this year's Budget address these challenges head on. Allow me to focus on a few themes from this year's Budget. Safeguarding Singapore.”
“It is, therefore, important for our nation to respect the seniors in our midst and enlist their continuing participation in nation-building. By bringing the young and the seniors together, we can learn from each other and bridge the generational gap through intergenerational bonding by working on common projects like racial and religious harmony, amongst others. My generation is made up of digital natives and we can help our seniors to overcome their phobia of the digital world. We can create more opportunities for seniors to navigate the complex world of digital technology. With our fluid intelligence and their crystallised intelligence and wisdom, we can work hand-in-glove to innovate practice systems and to enhance the quality of life and to make our lives together safer and more secure. Therefore, if we can bridge the generational gap today, we can promote the art of living well and leaving well. Mr Speaker, allow me to briefly speak on the Support for Caregivers Motion. I would like to propose that the relevant Ministry look into establishing a national database of caregivers which allows for systematic tracking of the number of caregivers there are in Singapore. The functions of this platform could include disseminating information relating to caregivers, for example, on caregiver training, subsidies and grants available for caregivers, and letting caregivers view and make healthcare appointments for their care recipients. Mr Speaker, with that, I reiterate my support for both Motions.”
“When I spoke to several of the seniors and asked how they came to know about our initiative, most of them said they came to know about us through Facebook and some of them said from friends. Surprised, I turned to the youths and asked them how they came to know about our initiative and they said from Instagram! And if I may add, the seniors were more sporting than our youngsters. So, as an organisation, we decided to take in not just youth volunteers but also those who are youthful. From my observations, encouraging senior volunteerism will not just promote the values of reciprocity, but also build a caring and inclusive society. We should also look at using social media platforms, such as Facebook and WhatsApp groups, to engage and organise volunteering opportunities for them. On harnessing wisdom, as mentioned earlier, 12 years from now, in 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be 65 or older. That is almost a million people. And we should pay greater attention to harnessing the collective wisdom of our seniors and promote intergenerational bonding. In this regard, Dr William Wan, who is the General Secretary of the Singapore Kindness Movement, has written a book – and very timely, in fact – titled "Through the Valley: The Art of Living and Leaving Well". It covers a compendious array of relevant issues related to active ageing. In our nation, there are many ordinary seniors like him who have crystallised intelligence that come with age and experience. We, as a nation, must learn to leverage them for they have still much to offer and contribute. Young people have fluid intelligence which must be complemented by crystallised wisdom which comes only from having been there and having done that.”
“The study found people across Europe were currently viewed as "old" when they hit 65. However, the researchers predict that by 2050 when people reach their 60s, they will be considered "middle-aged". Also, previous research by the team showed that the traditional definitions put many people in the category of "old" who have characteristics of a much younger people. For the study, the researchers compared the proportion of the population that was categorised as "old" using the conventional measure that assumes that people become "old" at age 65, and the proportion based on their new measure of age, which incorporates changes in life expectancy. The results show that, as expected, a faster increase in life expectancy leads to faster population ageing when people are categorised as "old" at age 65, regardless of time or place. But surprisingly, they lead to slower population ageing when the new measures of ages are used. We have to ask ourselves if such a study is necessary in Singapore as well to redefine what ageing means. I would like to argue that 70 is the new 60! On volunteerism, having worked most parts of their lives, I have come across many seniors who want to give back to the community. They actively seek out volunteering opportunities that are aligned to their interests and areas of expertise. Allow me to share a story from my experience in my non-profit organisation, Roses of Peace. Three years ago, we had a significant number of seniors signing up to join as volunteers for our annual distribution of Roses with greetings of peace to promote inter-religious harmony in Singapore. As organisers, we were caught by surprise as we were not expecting seniors to join a youth-focused initiative.”
“Mr Speaker, allow me to start with some references, and I would like to express my support for both Motions. According to the United Nations' report entitled World Population Ageing 2013, "Population ageing is taking place in nearly all the countries of the world. Ageing results from decreasing mortality, and, more importantly, declining fertility." The World Health Organization's concept of active ageing refers to the process of optimising opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. In Singapore, it is said that by 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be seniors, compared to one in eight in 2015. However, ageing need not cause worry or gloom. If we plan ahead, ageing can be a positive experience for all. Allow me to highlight three areas of focus for today's Motion on Ageing with Purpose: (a) redefining ageing; (b) senior volunteerism; and (c) harnessing wisdom. Redefining ageing. Sixty is the new 40. Allow me to cite a groundbreaking research published in the journal PLOS ONE in 2013. Dr Sergei Scherbov, from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria, led a project with New York's Stony Brook University looking at how life expectancy has increased over the years. He said: "What we think of as old has changed. Age can be measured as time already lived or it can be adjusted taking into account time left to live. What we think of as old has changed over time, and it will need to continue changing in the future as people live longer, healthier lives. Someone who is 60 years old today, he argues, is middle-aged. However, 200 years ago, a 60-year-old person would be considered a very old person." Traditional measures of age simply categorise people as "old" at a specific age, often 65.”
“In conclusion, Mr Speaker, history has showcased Singapore’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances and overcome new challenges. With the rapid progression of food and agriculture technologies, and an increasing global demand for food, this is an opportunity for Singapore to emerge as a forerunner in sustainable urban food solutions while fully meeting local needs. Singapore’s agriculture sector has evolved over time through efforts to optimise, adapt and strengthen food security. But the potential remains for us to do more, particularly in coming times. By expanding this sector, we not only enhance our food security, but we also develop a new growth industry that can create jobs for Singaporeans. Our water scarcity pushed us to develop the water treatment and management industry, transforming a threat into an opportunity and to develop strategic advantage. Similarly, with food, we should aspire to create a Singapore Food Story, to establish Singapore as a recognised centre for food in the region, and even in the world. With optimism and encouragement, Mr Speaker, I support this Bill.”
“Moreover, these farming models are designed to be moveable and, therefore, can be easily adapted to various spaces. Such setups could help to supplement local food production. In addition, these setups also provide much-needed spaces for startups to explore innovations in the agrotechnology sector. Moving forward, we can also look up to Japan as an example for how urban farming can be expanded and integrated into the life of our city. Sometimes, creativity and flexibility go a long way in maximising the potential of underused spaces. In relation to the Bill, I would like to seek clarification on section 5J regarding the role of SFA. Given SFA's role as the main regulator on all matters relating to food, from farm to fork, how does it concurrently intend to play a role in promoting and developing the food industry, and would there be an overlap with Enterprise Singapore? SFA can serve as a good example of how both regulatory and industry promotion functions sit within a single agency, allowing not just more pro-enterprise outcomes, but greater agility in serving the needs of the industry. On the topic of food industry development, I note that the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) recently announced that halal food products from Singapore are now recognised by international standards. This represents an important opportunity for Singapore to capitalise on the growing global halal market by increasing international usage of its recognised standards of halal food accreditation. Thus, I would like to ask if SFA plans to work with MUIS and relevant economic agencies to ride on this growing demand for halal products and services globally and to capture the market for Singapore.”
“However, from my interactions with the agro-industry players, there are still challenges that they face in adopting such technologies. While they are appreciative of schemes, such as APF, that enable them to undertake innovation or technological improvements, securing loan financing from banks was still cited as an issue. Despite being in the high-growth agrotech business, they were still deemed to be in the farming business. Perhaps the Ministry can look into formulating a mechanism to differentiate the various farm types in Singapore. Besides agrotech farms, we should be more creative in the use of our limited space by collaborating with urban planners and communities to integrate urban agriculture into the lives of Singaporeans. Allow me to cite the example of a sustainable urban farming model – the Citizen Farm. The farm was piloted in the housing estate of Queenstown in 2016. A dilapidated, abandoned former prison along Jalan Penjara was transformed into a closed-loop urban farming system that integrated natural systems with modern technology. Beyond its use of technology and innovation, the farm had its foundations in a social enterprise model, with the aim of connecting communities through farm spaces. Smaller startup technologies and innovations were also encouraged in the farms. These included indoor microgreen harvesting, mushroom farming and an indoor fish farm, amongst others. In this way, the dilapidated, abandoned former prison was transformed into a thriving urban farming model. The development of the Citizen Farm not only showcased the viability of small-scale urban farming setups in Singapore, but also highlighted the potential to convert underused, marginal land for interim purposes.”
“It is also a testimony to the efficacy of our sound policies, tools and governance structures that have securitised food resources over the years. However, we must not rest on our laurels and take for granted the access to affordable and nutritious food that we enjoy now. Our reliance on global food supplies to meet the needs of our people makes us susceptible to global price volatility. The global food crisis of 2008 highlighted our vulnerability in being import-dependent. As a price taker, we are directly affected by the global food trends resulting in a 7.8% increase in prices of imported food between December 2007 and December 2008. The need to ensure access to affordable and safe food has emerged as a key policy agenda for many nations, as socioeconomic, climatic, demographic and political conditions shift over time. As such, I would like to seek the Minister’s clarifications on the measures that will be undertaken to mitigate the volatility in future food prices due to supply disruptions. Also, what are the requirements that will be introduced for importers of key food items to mitigate the impact of supply disruptions? Future initiatives could also include public campaigns to educate the masses on measures, such as increasing the public’s resilience to food supply disruptions, either by encouraging stockpiling of food in homes or by shaping consumers’ willingness to switch to substitutes in times of shortages. On food sustainability, today, less than 1% of Singapore’s land is used for agriculture. Modern agrotechnology is opening up new opportunities for small countries like Singapore, making it possible to produce significant amounts of food without delegating huge amounts of land and labour.”
“Mr Speaker, I support the SFA Bill as it will streamline food-related functions that are currently under AVA, NEA and HSA into a single body to better deliver services to Singaporeans in an effective and efficient manner. The creation of SFA is a timely natural evolution of existing governance mechanisms to safeguard Singapore’s food security in an era of global food uncertainty. Today, I wish to speak on three areas: food safety, food security and food sustainability. On food safety, Singapore have developed a world-class food safety system that is comprehensive and robust in responding to real-world shocks. Last year, in Australia, widespread panic was sparked when needles were found in strawberries. In 2013, horse meat was discovered in products falsely advertised as beef in the UK. To tackle such challenges, can I seek clarity if the Ministry has explored deploying emerging technologies, such as blockchain? For instance, through an immutable, distributed ledger system, the authorities can keep track of suppliers and food items as they move down the supply chain. This would allow the authorities to quickly trace the origins of contaminated food items to their sources and hold the right parties accountable for any lapses, mitigating the impact of contaminated or sabotaged food. With the rise of e-commerce, many Singaporeans are purchasing food-related products from overseas sources and having it directly shipped to them. Can the Minister clarify how such food products that are bought online are checked for food safety? In 2018, Singapore was ranked No 1 in the Global Food Security Index formulated by the Economist Intelligence Unit. This is a commendable feat for a country that imports about 90% of its food.”
“Through such programmes, I hope more former drug offenders will come forward to help and perhaps mentor and even serve as a role model to those struggling with drug addiction to overcome and reintegrate back into the society. In light of the daunting journey that a former drug offender faces after he leaves prison, I commend the pro-rehabilitation changes proposed in this Bill. I think we have a good regime in Singapore that balances deterrence and strict enforcement against drugs while providing as many opportunities as possible to drug offenders to turn around their lives. In conclusion, Mr Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of this Bill and the wider efforts to ensure a drug-free Singapore.”