Ong Teng Koon
Singapore
“As the old adage says, "A sunken ship watches a thousand boats pass by it, a withered tree sees ten thousand saplings blossom beyond it. (As the old continue to wither away, the new will blossom and lead the way.)" Sir, we will be able to find a new way of polling that will adapt to the new information age.”
“Mr Chairman, the BuildSG Transformation Fund has catalysed many productivity innovation projects last year. In the construction sector, there was a focus on offsite prefabrication to improve productivity.”
“Mr Chairman. I wish to thank the Minister, on behalf of the residents of Blocks 115 and 119 of Marsiling Rise for his kind and compassionate consideration of the situation with the introduction of the Lift Access Grant.”
“But I feel that financial prudence should be about not overspending above a projected cost, a certain limit. It cannot be, but HDB has been telling me this and it is not about putting an arbitrary limit on the costs without taking into account our residents' well-being.”
“Mr Chairman, with the on-going COVID-19 outbreak, we have seen destabilising falsehoods that have hurt our nation. These range from the false closure of Woodlands MRT station; seven countries banning travel to Singapore; to an online falsehood regarding the death of a man in Singapore from COVID-19, when no such death had occurred.”
“Trade associations can also help to mobilise the workers. Our emphasis on lifelong learning will provide a skilled workforce of craftsmen and domain experts. Perhaps what we really need is for the Government to invest in a Mittelstand fund or to start a Mittelstand development bank to catalyse the entire SME ecosystem.”
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“But I feel the most important thing that he might have done for Singaporeans is to keep our taxes low. This allows us to keep money in our pockets and decide how to spend it rather than him deciding how to spend it for us. When I was working in Japan, in an ironic way, I was unhappy. Every month, when I got my paycheck, it was painful because 50% of it would automatically be deducted for taxes. It was the same in the US when I first started working. More than 40% of it went to taxes and paying rent and keeping the lights on, and I had little to show for it. Singapore must not be like that. Mr Speaker, for many years now, we have talked about our ageing population and low total fertility rate (TFR) being existential issues for the survival of Singapore. Today, I would like to focus specifically on young families starting out. First, their costs are going up; and second, their income is getting very volatile. On the cost side, they face intense pressure at this stage of their lives. They have to cope with wedding expenses, paying for the house, planning for kids, trying very hard to afford a car, but on the income side, there seem to be fewer stable jobs as more companies move towards contract and freelance work. Retrenchment is also no longer rare. Many workers in the private sector not only compete against Singaporeans in what we know as meritocracy. They also compete against nationalism as practised in some foreign-owned or foreign-run companies and they are fighting forces beyond their control and they might not be doing well not because they are not trying hard enough. We must put ourselves in the shoes of such workers and not just simply dismiss their concerns. So, in such a situation, to delay or avoid having children would be altogether a very rational response.”
“Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Budget. We frequently hear residents complain about the cost of living. And although official data does not show high inflation, I am sure many of us here in the House have our residents telling us that the cost of living keeps going up but their income cannot keep up. I have met residents who are struggling to cope. And these are young couples who are just trying to start a family, the elderly or needy families and they are squeezed because basic costs, such as food, healthcare and education, keep rising. I feel it is not fair to dismiss their concerns as purely the result of unrealistic expectations because they are certainly not benchmarking themselves to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) survey, which is mostly crafted for expatriates. On the contrary, they visit Johor Bahru and often wonder how come prices in Singapore are so high. I have also met residents who are able to cope but they are unhappy because they are running harder than ever just to stand still. They feel they cannot even achieve what their parents had. They lament, "We are university graduates, but our standard of living does not seem to be better than our non-graduate parents who could afford bigger houses and more luxuries when we were growing up". For them, every generation doing better than the previous generation is not happening. "一代好过一代" is not happening for them, but "一代好过一代" must be the objective of every government. The Minister for Finance has assured us in his Budget speech that he is keeping a close watch on the cost of living, that he is alleviating cost pressures in healthcare and education. He is keeping the Singapore dollar strong to maintain import prices and he is providing support for the needy and the low-income households.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister whether she can clarify how we can take action against retailers who are registered businesses outside of Singapore.”
“I wish to ask the Minister, as a clarification, whether she can give more assurances to small businesses. For example, a resident whom I visited was a furniture reseller. Can there be assurance that MOM is doing what it can to try and level the playing field to protect our businesses? A lot of them feel aggrieved that they have been prejudiced by retailers from Malaysia who cross the Causeway and help to deliver and install furniture in consumers' houses in Singapore.”
“It is important to prevent such incidents, but it is also necessary as well to be prepared to respond to these situations. Such efforts will likely involve various stakeholders. So, I would like to ask the Minister: what roles will the SFA play in an emergency situation, such as this? Mr Speaker, in conclusion, we all know that Singaporeans love to eat. We celebrate eating. This is our national pastime. It forms part of the Singaporean identity. Affordable safe food is, therefore, not a luxury but a public good that everyone should have access to. An agency which helps to make food safer and readily available plays an important role in ensuring that we keep our national identity. Mr Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“What can SFA do in conjunction with MTI to give more support to these local companies? Mr Speaker, my second point is about nutrition. Food security is not just about securing safe food sources. It is also about having access to nutritious and healthy food. How will SFA ensure that Singaporeans have access to nutritious and healthy food? Does SFA have any plans to prevent the entry of unhealthy food into Singapore? Mr Speaker, my third and final point is about food safety. Recent incidents of mass food poisoning have caused concern among Singaporeans. These incidents took place in various locations and settings, affecting Singaporeans from all walks of life, including children. I have a resident in my ward who lost his hearing after eating raw fish. He used to be a high-level executive earning a good living taking care of his family. But now, he has lost his job, he cannot work and his family had to make serious adjustments to their lives. Mr Speaker, we must take food safety with utmost seriousness as it is a matter of life and death. Nevertheless, public trust in Singapore’s food safety remains strong. Our strong track record and robust regulations play a part in this. Yet, we are only as strong as the weakest link. In one of the food poisoning incidents, it was found that food was handled and managed in an unsanitary manner. Something that is so basic and yet not done properly. How would SFA intend to strengthen regulation and oversight of food safety? Oversight and enforcement are likely to be challenges for SFA and related agencies. Dangerous and harmful food products are threats to public health. These threats can disrupt public order. Another example is the 2008 milk scandal in China which led to the stockpiling of milk powder.”
“Mr Speaker, food security and food safety are important in Singapore, even more so, with recent events. The SFA Bill is a concrete step in achieving that. My speech will touch on three points: food security, food safety and nutrition. My first point: self-sufficiency is important to Singapore. Singapore has diversified our water resources to ensure that we are self-sufficient. Food security is an important next step towards further self-sufficiency. Singapore imports most of our food from our immediate neighbours. We have to import widely and diversely to minimise disruption to our food supplies. Singapore aims to be friendly with our neighbours, but that is not always possible. Our neighbours have recently announced that sales of certain food products to Singapore will be curtailed. This has caused concern among Singaporeans. Will we be able to import substitutes of comparable quality and safety? Can the Minister address these concerns? Food security is also necessary for affordable food costs. If we are unable to secure food sources easily, food prices will certainly rise. In this aspect, SFA is instrumental in ensuring that Singaporeans can enjoy affordable food. Can the Minister elaborate on how the Bill aims to manage such risks? To truly secure our food supply, we must venture overseas and secure it at the source. We have Temasek rice, high-tech fish farms, high-tech vegetable farms, to name a few, all started and operated by local companies. These companies have begun to expand overseas. Where there is an abundance of land, water, labour and, as the Minister mentioned, energy, this will help Singapore to further augment and secure our food supply. Does SFA have any plans to implement farm-to-fork in overseas farms and fisheries where we source our food?”
“I was referring to specific cases where there is an existing flat and the home owner is moving to another flat and HDB has control over both flats. Why do you need a downpayment in such cases?”
“I would like to thank the Minister for the SDS. It is good to know that there is such a scheme to help young home owners. My question is: is the downpayment a form of credit protection? What is the purpose of the downpayment? If it is a form of credit protection to ensure that the flat owner does not renege on his transaction, then would it be right to say that if he already has equity in his existing flat and HDB has control over the process of the sale of his existing flat and the purchase of his new flat? If HDB has control over all these things, would it be correct to say that his equity in his existing flat is sufficient downpayment and sufficient credit protection for the downpayment for his new flat?”
“I wish to ask the Minister what is preventing the HDB from giving more such loans, given that the cost of borrowing of HDB, the rate is much lower than the interest rate that HDB is getting from these loans. And if HDB is worried about the credit risks of these borrowers, can HDB consider over-collateralising the loan by basically giving less loan for every dollar of flat that the applicant is borrowing again?”
“Thirdly, the Bill provides MAS with the necessary regulatory flexibility to respond to changes in the fast-moving payments space. As a result of the activity-based licensing regime, regulations can be tailored to the risks that specific payment activities pose for different business models. In addition, MAS has general powers over all regulated entities, such as powers to conduct inspections and investigations, and emergency powers. Key risk mitigating provisions include interoperability powers which MAS may exercise where necessary to reduce fragmentation of widely-used payment solutions, and the power to impose risk-mitigating measures for ML/TF purposes under the MAS Act (Cap 186). In turn, MAS is able to take a more flexible strategy to target risks as they arise and avoid overregulation that may stifle innovation. Notably, the Bill gives MAS certain powers to make regulations and supplementary provisions to fulfil the Act’s purposes and amend what would be regulated as a payment service under the Act. This accords MAS the flexibility to modify regulatory scope and come up with new laws for novel and more sophisticated product offerings that may emerge in the future. MAS will be able to respond accordingly, such as quickly incorporating new payment activities that ought to be regulated into the regulatory framework. This helps to create a conducive environment for innovation, growth and development, without sacrificing consumer protection and stability in the financial system. With that, Sir, I end my speech in support of the Bill.”
“The Bill comprises two parallel regulatory frameworks: (a) a designation regime that enables MAS to regulate systemically important payment systems for financial stability and efficiency reasons, and (b) a licensing regime that focuses on retail payment services facing consumers and merchants. The latter encompasses a wide range of new payment activities, which include domestic money transfers, merchant acquisition and the purchase and sale of digital payment tokens. These activities ought to be regulated to ensure adequate controls against ML/TF; provide safeguards against insolvency risks resulting in loss of funds owed to consumers or merchants; reduce fragmentation and limitations to interoperability; and minimise technology and cyber risks. There are specific reasons for this. The anonymous nature of digital payment token transactions makes them particularly vulnerable to ML/TF risks. Moneys received from customers by domestic money transfer and merchant acquisition service providers should be segregated and safeguarded from insolvency risks. Different merchant acquisition service providers with a large user base puts interoperability, common standards and accessibility at risk. New payment services that are made possible by technology are just as, if not more, vulnerable to cybersecurity risks. In this respect, the Bill allows MAS to impose risk-mitigating measures and requirements on licensees who conduct the activity that poses the identified risks. Consequently, gaps in the regulatory regime brought by these new payment services can be filled. Consumer protection is reinforced, which further engenders public confidence to use the services and encourages development.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Singapore's growth into the regional financial hub it is today can be said to be the result of its responsiveness in creating a regulatory environment that both encourages innovation and mitigates risks to the stability of the financial system. In this regard, the Payment Services Bill is a significant step in the right direction. Firstly, the Bill integrates payment activities that are currently regulated by different legislations under one Payment Services Act. At present, MAS regulates different types of payment services under the PS(O)A (Cap 222A) and the MCRBA (Cap 187). These regulated services include operating payment systems, stored value facilities, remittance business and money-changing services. The Bill will reorganise these services as account issuance service, e-money issuance service, cross-border money transfer service, and money-changing service under a new activity-based licensing regime. Providers of the seven payment services prescribed in the Bill will be required to hold a licence based on the type of payment service that is provided. The considerable changes to the payment services landscape have brought business models that blur the lines between regulated activities. By combining the PS(O)A and MCRBA, the Bill streamlines these payment services under a single legislative framework. This, in turn, ensures consistent application of laws to various payment activities, which is calibrated at an appropriate level according to the risks the activities pose. A consolidated approach also brings greater clarity to the regulatory regime. Secondly, the Bill strengthens regulatory protection against risks and concerns that arise from previously unregulated payment activities.”
“We can reduce other taxes that disproportionately burden lower-income groups that are already under stress. However, there is a potential dark side to such a tax. There is increasing concern about a "digital divide". Lower-income groups are going to be disadvantaged because they lack exposure to the digital world. Some digital services may also act as more affordable substitutes for physical services. For example, online learning and education and even online entertainment. The imposition of GST on such imported digital services could reduce their consumption. It could price children from lower-income families out of digital experiences. And such experiences are critical to survive and to thrive in the world of Industry 4.0. Will the Government consider some form of digital GST rebates, particularly for "virtuous" digital services, such as online learning and online education? In conclusion, the move to impose GST on imported services is a step in the right direction. As Singapore prepares itself for the new digital economy, I would like to applaud the Government for having the vision and the courage to undertake this bold initiative. I support the Bill.”
“They may simply decide not to serve a small market like Singapore. This could potentially deprive local companies and consumers of cutting-edge technology. Under the new rules, Overseas Vendors are required to obtain and maintain at least two pieces of non-conflicting evidence of customers' location: Payment Proxy, Residence Proxy and Access Proxy. It is easy to imagine smaller companies saying, "forget it, Singapore customers are just not worth this trouble". The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union (EU) was seen as onerous. There were stories of businesses that simply turned away EU customers when GDPR was introduced. They felt that compliance was just too cumbersome. And that was for a market of 500 million people! One possible consequence is that Singapore-based customers may resort to evasion tactics. They could use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), online credit cards and overseas post office (P O) boxes in order to be able to access these services. This opens them to the risk of penalties. The regime states that non-GST registered customers should not provide incorrect or false information to the Overseas Vendors. According to IRAS, "customer misrepresentation is a serious offence, and offenders may face heavy penalties". What penalties are envisaged, and how will they be enforced? Unlike people bringing in undeclared goods, there will not be any physical evidence to rely on. The final question is a familiar one on the impact of such a tax on some consumers. If we are optimists, we could argue that this broadens the tax base. It makes our tax regime more progressive by generating revenue from overseas companies. This would free up additional resources for beneficial programmes.”
“Their actual revenues may only be a small fraction of the turnover on their site. Will the Ministry review this threshold and adjust it if it is found to create problems? And, if not, will there be a mechanism to review it periodically, and adjust it when expedient? The next question has to do with efficiency of the new tax. How much revenue does the Government expect to raise through this tax? We all know that spending on digital services is growing rapidly. But how much of that would fall under this regime and how much taxes would be generated for our national coffers? More importantly, what is the cost of monitoring and enforcing compliance? The tax regime will be global. Do IRAS and the other relevant authorities have the capabilities and the capacity? Digital service startups are proliferating, with thousands appearing every day. There could be potentially millions of small GST payers all around the globe. Can IRAS cope? How will we inform all the affected companies and marketplaces about their liabilities under our GST regime? How will we monitor that all relevant vendors are complying with this regime? And how will we enforce penalties for non-compliance, given that they have no presence in Singapore? Is there a risk that service providers may thumb their noses at Singapore and they basically say to IRAS "catch me if you can"? A global tax regime of this nature is likely to be complex. Will the revenue raised justify the expenditure on monitoring, collecting and enforcing the tax? A related question is on providers abandoning Singapore. Would active enforcement result in some companies simply deciding not to serve Singapore-based consumers? Small and innovative overseas startups may not be willing to invest in the costs of compliance.”
“Sir, the move to impose GST on imported digital services is a step in the right direction. However, it raises a number of important questions. Digital services are becoming an increasingly central part of our lives. We all use mobile apps multiple times a day. From games to health tracking, to stock market information services, we hardly even notice them anymore. For just mobile apps alone, the market is estimated to be US$77 billion globally in 2017 and poised to grow to US$200 billion in 2020. When you add up all the value of all the digital services, including software, entertainment, online learning and search engines, the total value is mind-boggling. At one level, the imposition of GST on overseas providers is a simple matter of levelling the playing field. Currently, Singapore-based providers are at a disadvantage. This is because they have to charge GST while their overseas counterparts do not have to. This is an issue especially for consumers. They may decide to abandon local providers for foreign ones in pursuit of what they think to be a 7% "discount". For businesses, most businesses can claim back GST. However, many small businesses may not be registered and, hence, behave essentially like consumers. So, the idea, while bold, is fundamentally sound. But the relatively novel nature raises a number of critical questions. First, how do we ensure even and effective implementation of this regime? The threshold for OVR is $1 million of global revenues and $100,000 of Singapore revenues. The $1 million global revenue threshold is very low. The implication is that many small companies will be liable under our regime. In particular, I am concerned about small marketplaces. Marketplaces exist to match buyers and sellers.”
“I thank the Minister for the answer. Mr Speaker, the way that the percentage of CPF that is allowed to finance a flat with less than 60 years of lease, the number of years remaining when a person has turned 55, divided by the number of years remaining in the lease when he just bought a flat. The last time I looked at it, for a person who is 21 years old, to buy a flat of 60 years left, he can only finance 40%-odd of the lease. Would the Minister consider putting in a higher percentage or can the Minister do something to help the "financiability" of older flats?”
“After all, it would take great determination to wait a year to queue up at two terminals to read content. The other facet of the Internet is the diversity of views, which can be published online without any filters or approvals. Compared to the old days of publishing, there is likely to be a lot more controversial content – content of low quality or accuracy, or downright threats to our national security. The furore around Fake News in Singapore and around the world is a testimony to the pervasiveness of this phenomenon. What will NLB do about websites with objectionable content, for example, content which could pose a threat to national security? While it seems that the NLB should archive these for the sake of posterity, what safeguards will be put in place to restrict access? Mr Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“So, a line will need to be drawn. The question is whether annual is the right line. Conversely, having collected such a comprehensive catalogue of materials, how will NLB use and make accessible the electronic publications and archived websites so that more people can benefit from valuable content about our country? We have to be conscious of the need to balance the public interest with that of the copyright holders and ensure that access to the material is controlled. The Copyright Act is being amended to enable the content to be archived without violating copyright. It is, of course, critical to protect the rights of content creators but, at the same time, it is in the national interest to allow access to the treasure trove of archived documents. The current proposal is to restrict access to two terminals at NLB. This is similar to the offering in other countries, such as the UK, where there is one user per legal deposit library, and New Zealand, which allows only three users at a time. But does this achieve the right balance between the need for access and the protection of copyright? How did the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) determine the number and location of access terminals? For example, should researchers at universities be allowed to access the materials with some safeguards? Also, how would users who are unable to travel physically to the NLB site access the data? Should some level of online access be allowed, but carefully tracked to avoid abuse? In fact, one may argue that the speed with which content is created means that the value of "old" news decays faster online than it does in the print world. In that case, perhaps the balance of the Act should be settled in favour of the user rather than the copyright holders.”
“Mr Speaker, it is timely that the NLB Act is being amended. The proliferation of digital media means that more and more content is being generated by a more diverse range of sources. Anyone can create a blog, write a post or self-publish an e-book online. This has several implications for NLB's archival functions. First, focusing on traditional sources is not enough. Second, taking an annual snapshot might not be enough, given the speed at which content is created and then replaced. Therefore, the move to expand the definition of "library materials" to include electronic materials and any online material made available on a Singapore website is an important one. This updates the intent of the Act fit for our modern circumstance. Similarly, the move from a scheme based on voluntary deposit of content to one where NLB has the right to make copies of library materials is a sensible reflection of the current media environment. However, how does NLB define the scope of online material which may be web-harvested? Will it be clear to the content creators whether each particular piece of content would qualify to be web-harvested? Do they have the right to reject web-harvesting? And if web-harvesting applies only to "Singaporean websites", would this create an incentive to post content on overseas sites, with the deliberate intent to avoid archiving? The ephemeral nature of the Internet means that old content may disappear forever. This archive may be the only place that future researchers will be able to access such content. Is an annual archiving exercise sufficient? Websites are updated daily, sometimes even more than once a day. How much could be lost between each archiving exercise? But unless NLB is Google, it would be impossible to archive the entire Internet constantly.”
“Such a move will help to develop a deep, liquid and transparent infrastructure market for SGX. In conclusion, I believe that if we can strike a good balance between Government intervention and private sector participation, by having clear guidelines and a robust regulatory framework and the life of commercial rights to be respected and more flexible financing arrangements, we can build a better Singapore for current and future generations of Singaporeans. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion. 3.35 pm”
“As reliability and security are paramount for such projects, given the scale and national importance, the Government has to provide direction and ensure that the Ministries coordinate across all levels in a whole-of-Government approach. The second suggestion is to develop a regulatory framework for public and private cooperation. Where private stakeholders are involved, a framework must be created to ensure proper compensation to the stakeholders that finance and build each piece of infrastructure. While it is tempting to regulate by saying no to everything, this will not lead to the desired outcome. There must be some spread of risk-taking because, if you take no risk, you will reap no reward and our nation will be the poorer for it. The final suggestion will be on alternative ways to finance infrastructure projects. Only the Government has the financial clout to finance major infrastructural investments that we need. Infrastructure costs are long term in nature while financing is short term. If clear rules are in place that allows for private ownership, then Government will not have to carry the entire burden of implementation. This transfers the risk from taxpayers to private companies. We can go even further than just borrowing to finance investment as has been announced in the 2018 Budget. Another way to finance infrastructure is through infrastructure trusts. This has the benefit of democratising ownership by allowing the man in the street to have a stake in infrastructure. This is similar to the use of REIT to allow more people to benefit from real estate ownership. There are currently, lots of appetite both domestically and internationally, to finance long-term, stable assets.”
“It is important to have a regulatory framework to allow these private or public tunnels to be accessed and utilised by all. At the same time, it ensures that utilities owners are properly compensated. This is in the larger national interest of reducing congestion and improving productivity. Mr Speaker, please let me now make three suggestions on how we can make the infrastructure enhancements possible. The first is to have a balance between public intervention and market solutions. We are moving into a much more challenging world and the Government needs to establish the right ground rules. There must be the appropriate balance between Government intervention where it is needed and allowing the private sector to find the best solutions. Should the yellow pages rule that the Government should not provide services that are already provided by private enterprises in the yellow pages continue to be our guiding principle? On more micro initiatives, where the right solution might not be clear and where the private sector can find the best solution, the Government should exercise greater caution before getting involved. An example is the many subsidies that we are offering to SMEs to adopt technologies. Some vendors are pre-approved and that is great for them because they can be vetted for quality but, at the same time, their competitors are shut out, even if they develop a superior product. This can quickly become an accusation of favoritism where insiders make lots of money and outsiders are left to wither on the vine. In contrast, while many of the infrastructure developments that I have just discussed, there are strong economic arguments for Government intervention as the private sector may not be willing to undertake the level of investment needed.”
“The world is moving towards the adoption of EV and such a move would be in line with our commitment to COP21. Singapore is well-placed to take the lead in the adoption of EVs, but despite its small size that is perfect for EVs, adoption has been slow because of the lack of reliable access to charging. It is a chicken-and-egg problem, if there are no charging points, car owners will not adopt EVs. Private enterprises can play a role here. BlueSG is a co-funded programme by the Government to provide 1,000 EVs and 2,000 charging points by the year 2020. However, only 20% of these charging points will be open to the public. One way is to open up more of these charging points to the public eventually but, without the HDB and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) carpark access, a pervasive network of public EV charging points will not be possible. The Government needs to support and encourage more public-private cooperation in this space. My third suggestion is related to one of the common complaints that we hear from residents that there is frequent congestion on roads due to what they perceive to be uncoordinated roadworks by different utilities. To them, we seem to be constantly digging up and patching up the same stretches of roads over and over again. While there are, of course, legitimate reasons for this, can the coordination between utilities be optimised through the implementation of more common services, tunnels, such as the one that we have in the Marina Bay area? Or would it be possible to leverage other tunnels, such as the deep tunnel sewerage system or the underground transmission cable tunnel? Such a scheme can reduce traffic congestion, reduce risk of damage to utilities and allow for easier access for maintenance and repairs.”
“Sewers, spare electricity cable ducts, highways, overhead lines and rail networks are being explored for the right of way to lay cables. This creative approach to new networks is also being seen at a government level. For example, in the UK, the wastewater pipe network of Thames Water is being used to deploy fibre optic cables, instantly creating new, cost-effective and diverse connections in key business areas. The argument for an alternative fibre network is strong and getting stronger. By leveraging existing infrastructure to reduce implementation costs and optimise asset use, the costs may not remain prohibitive. I believe there is also room for private operators to play a bigger role, so that the Government would not have to shoulder the entire cost of implementation. But what is needed are clear rules to allow for the usage of existing infrastructure. I urge the relevant Ministries to take a deeper look at the issue. We should also look at infrastructure from a sustainability perspective and, hence, we return to a topic that I have addressed before – electric vehicles (EVs). What seemed like toys for rich geeks just a few years ago are now seen as the future of mobility. My second suggestion is to provide more charging points for EVs. Many countries are already laying plans to phase out combustion engines altogether. The UK and France have announced that sales of gasoline and diesel vehicles will no longer be allowed in their countries by 2040. The Indian government has indicated its intention to only allow EVs to be sold in India by 2030. China has raised the bar yet again for automakers when it announced late last month its proposal to implement aggressive new quotas for the production of new Energy Vehicles.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to declare that I work in the utilities industry and I rise in support of the Motion. Technology is changing and our people’s needs are evolving, creating demand for new infrastructure. Expectations are always rising and, despite all that we have achieved, there is always more to do. We need to rethink how we build, what we build and how we pay for it. To meet the challenges ahead, I wish to make three suggestions on ways to improve the infrastructure needs of our country. My first suggestion is to improve the data infrastructure. Data is the backbone of our Smart Nation initiative. At present, there is only one fibre infrastructure backbone in Singapore. This makes sense from the point of view of affordability, but it creates a single point of failure. For example, consumers will remember how the fire in Singtel’s Bukit Panjang Exchange building in 2013 affected consumers from multiple operators in the northern and western parts of Singapore. While some people joke that denying people WiFi is a violation of their human rights, it is no laughing matter as such disruptions have serious consequences for both individuals and businesses. Former Minister Assoc Prof Yaacob Ibrahim identified redundancy as one of the four core components of a resilient network, the others being diversity, resistance and recovery. The traditional argument against building another totally separate network is the prohibitive cost. While the costs of not having back-up are constantly rising, the costs of building such a network are coming down as technology advances. Connectivity providers in the UK are exploring creative solutions to traditional network laying.”
“However, when I speak to residents, not many of them seem to be familiar with the app, and a good proportion have not even heard of it. According to the Google Playstore, there have only been around 50,000 downloads in Singapore. Given the potential benefits, could MSO give us an update on the uptake of the OneService App and are there any plans to further drive downloads and usage by residents? I would also like to ask the Minister, beyond merely reporting of incidents around the neighbourhood, are there any plans to better utilise the platform to reach out to our residents? Does MSO have any plans to leverage elements of Smart Nation and the Internet of Things (IoT), such as sensors on lifts or street lights, to identify issues even before residents encounter them? Efficiency in Service Delivery”
“Mr Chairman, the Municipal Services Office (MSO) has been set up for more than three years now. At the time of the launch, many Singaporeans were happy to see that the Government was taking concrete steps to ensure that all municipal issues would be dealt with holistically. In our digital age, users are accustomed to near-instant acknowledgement of messages and timely follow-up of any issues raised. Consumers are no longer passive users. They expect to engage with providers and give them their feedback, positive or negative, in order to improve the overall product or service. To keep pace with expectations, the launch of MSO was a timely and necessary step to improve coordination amongst Government agencies and ensure that issues are resolved expeditiously. Since the launch, MSO has not been in the public eye much and the general population may not know how it has performed. Beyond its current scope, does MSO have any plans to expand or to streamline its services? Could the Minister also give us an update on how MSO has improved municipal service delivery and the management of complex municipal feedback submitted by its residents? MSO – Solution for Residents Chairman, the OneService app is the centrepiece of MSO's engagement with residents, serving as the one-stop shop for residents to report, track and receive information on any issues in their area. It makes it simple for residents to report any issues in their neighbourhood with just a few clicks. Just take a picture, fill in a few details, submit, press and voila, there you go! This is an important step to create engagement with our residents, as we need everyone to take responsibility for the quality in their own environment.”
“Chairman, knowledge convergence has been a key trend in the media for a number of years. The blurring of the line between content creation and content distribution has profoundly changed the challenge that regulators face. 6.45 pm In the "good old days", film and television (TV) students made content; broadcasters and cinemas distributed them; and the average man on the street consumed the content. Nowadays, everybody is both a consumer and the producer of content, using platforms like Facebook, Instagram or YouTube to share the content they create with the entire world. It is in some ways amazing that these open platforms give each individual so much power to communicate with the world. Anybody, even a young child, can go viral if they create good content. However, this openness creates its own challenges, since the platforms do not own the content that they carry. If objectionable content is found on YouTube or Facebook, it is not always easy to assign responsibility and have it removed. We have continued advances in AI, and additional complication arises in the form of bots. They are programs which masquerade as real humans, adding to the noise on the Internet. These can have serious consequences, as the recent revelations about the impact of Russian bots on the US elections show. As technology continues to advance, we can only imagine that such threats will continue to grow. It was, therefore, a forward-looking move to merge the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and the Media Development Authority (MDA) to better position the joint entity to deal with the fast-changing environment. I would like to ask the Minister what does MCI see as the main regulatory challenges in the converged infocomm and media environment and how will IMDA address them.”
“Chairman, on most objective measures, we are living in the best of times in history. With declining poverty and hunger and falling rates of death due to disease and war, yet countries are also faced with growing threats to their economies and their ways of life. These threats can take many forms. The most obvious and high profile are, of course, terrorist attacks, such as 9-11 or the London bombings. But just as dangerous to the long-term health of the nation are most subtle forms of threats, such as the ramping up of social and societal tensions through propaganda and fake news. We have seen that even mature western democracies are not immune to this form of cyber-psycho terrorism with foreign activists leveraging social media to provoke both sides on issues that divide society, such as racism, inequality or gun rights. These threats are not easy to define or detect and even more difficult to fight. I would like to ask the Minister: how is MINDEF working with all the relevant agencies to ensure that we continue to enhance our social cohesion and psychological resilience? Social Defence”
“Mr Chairman, technology is evolving at an accelerating pace and has the potential to make our lives better in ways that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. We can now effortlessly try how much physical activities we do, where we go and whom we interact with. The data that we capture can be mined to provide insights into almost every aspect of human life. This technology can be used to improve the effectiveness and safety of NS training or, at the same time, helping individual serviceman to develop useful skills. For example, advances in virtual reality and related fields enable us to create new types of training. Individual troops can practise critical skills in a safe environment and commanders can try out different strategies to see which one will work best. The potential to apply technology to NS is limited only by our imagination and our willingness to take the lead. We can improve training outcomes whilst reducing risks to our servicemen. I would like to ask the Minister how SAF is leveraging technology to enhance the NS experience. Community is Key in Total Defence”
“Mr Chairman, despite our best efforts, our attempts to increase the birth rate have a limited impact so far. This has serious implications for our economy and also our security. As we look to the future, manpower challenges will mean that each individual that serves NS becomes increasingly precious, both during service and after. During service, each individual will now have a bigger role to play as the total number of servicemen and women decline due to smaller cohorts. After service, we need to ensure that all Singaporeans are equipped to thrive in the new world of work. We will struggle as a nation if all our males are two years behind their counterparts in the acquisition of skills they need in order to survive in the workplace of the future. I would like to ask the Minister how is MINDEF embracing new technologies to maximise the potential of each NSman, both during and after service. Vocational Interest”
“Mr Chairman, Singaporeans are going overseas to live, study and work in increasing numbers. Many of them have become prominent leaders in their chosen fields. Despite spending many years abroad, there is a large number of such Singaporeans who continue to maintain ties with families and friends here. They remain spiritually rooted in Singapore and are proud to be Singaporeans and not just because they missed the local hawker food. In many ways, they are also the face of Singapore to those with whom they interact in their new countries. They are also often called upon to explain and, sometimes, to defend Singapore's policies and actions. Given their unique position of being Singaporeans immersed in another society and culture, is there a role for overseas Singaporeans to advocate for Singapore, presenting our point of view to the rest of the world? If we believe that this can be a significant source of soft power for Singapore, I would like to ask the Minister what can we do to help them in their role. Consular Support”
“Our education system has served us well, but can it equip the young for the new challenges? If you believe that things are changing more quickly, then what is needed is not specific knowledge, but imagination and the ability to learn. How do we inculcate the values needed for the future, such as curiosity, imagination, critical thinking and persistence? Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, we, may disagree on how many people will be displaced or how quickly. But the advent of AI is inevitable and there will be consequences. We cannot be complacent and assume that new jobs will automatically be created. In many cases, AI will supplement and augment our capabilities. There will be many cases where humans will struggle to compete. We need to ensure that the displaced have meaningful roles that will allow them to retain their dignity. I feel truly that we need to tackle this problem head on and decide as a nation on how to respond. I do not have the answers, but we need to have a serious conversation and not just repeat comforting platitudes. It is imperative that we do this from a position of strength. So, now is the time to talk about AI. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Budget. 5.15 pm”
“According to a 2016 study by McKinsey, 30% of gig economy workers were in the gig economy out of necessity; they had no choice and they were not happy about it. They are individuals who are trapped in an endless hamster wheel with no hope of advancement. This then becomes very fertile ground for radicalisation. We can, therefore, expect to see a displaced underclass who will struggle to make ends meet. This Government has had the foresight to put in place SkillsFuture and emphasise training and reskilling. We are leading the world in this area. But we need to recognise that a large segment of the population will struggle to learn and apply these new skills. Out of our 2.2 million labour force, around 700,000 workers are over 50 years old or have less than Secondary school education. Many of them will struggle to learn. And when you factor in their families and dependants, the number of people affected gets really, really big. What do we do for them? This raises vital questions around the whole approach to social spending. Short-term cushioning may not be enough, since we cannot trampoline them back into economic health. Any support would need to be sustained as well. Current trend is towards a broad spread of small subsidies. Is this still the right prioritisation going forward? Do we need to consider alternative revenue sources, such as a wealth tax? As technology advances, wages will likely fall as a share of GDP. Then, it becomes only right that the owners of land and capital pay a greater share of the burden. What steps are we taking to prepare for this, in terms of fiscal policy and of preparing the ground and the rhetoric for this possibility? And what are we doing to prepare the next generation for this new reality?”
“We will experience a permanent secular shift in the economy, which will change what jobs are available and what skills are in demand. History has shown that technological progress has always led to new jobs and an overall improvement in our lives in the long run. But all of us are going to be there in the long run. And in the meantime, the transitional pain is going to be very, very real. Consider an area, such as manufacturing. According to research by The Boston Consulting Group, jobs will be lost in roles such as machine operator, production planner, while new roles will be created, such as data scientist and robot coordinator. But therein lies the challenge. Many of those displaced will struggle to take on the new emerging roles. For others, a series of part-time or freelance gigs will become their permanent reality. Let us take a specific example. We have around 75,000 taxi and private hire drivers in Singapore. The recently-emerged private hire car industry has served as a refuge for those who have been displaced from other lines of work. This has allowed them to continue to earn an income. This has helped mitigate the pressure of job losses from sectors that have been struggling, such as marine and offshore. However, we are not far from the day when all cars will be able to drive themselves. The move towards Autonomous Vehicles (AV) will have a profound impact on the labour force it will displace. What happens to the drivers then? Is there another industry that can absorb so many jobseekers who may not have any specific marketable skills? The gig economy – freelance or part-time work – can help cushion the impact, but it is not a long-term solution for many.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to speak in support of the Budget. It is vital that we are discussing this Budget from a position of strength, with a large surplus. We are unique among developed economies. Prudent policies have enabled us to continue to accrue surpluses even as the economy and population mature. This gives us vital breathing room to manoeuvre as future challenges loom. This is especially critical as one mega-trend is likely to fundamentally change our world. In the words of Mr Masayoshi Son of Softbank: AI is coming, and it is coming Big Time! And it will combine with robotics and automation to change how we work. AI will change our world. While technology is always creating new jobs and destroying old ones, there is reason to believe that the current phase of development is different. AI is developing at an accelerating pace. With machine learning, computers can teach themselves faster than humans can teach them. DeepBlue, which beat the chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov in 1996, was rule-based and human programmers taught it how to win at chess. In contrast, AlphaGo beat the world champion at Go after teaching itself the game. AlphaGo Zero taught itself how to beat AlphaGo in 40 days without using a single data from a single human game. It is clear that the impact of technology on the economy and the labour market will be broader, deeper and more rapid than previous technological advances. Broad – because it will affect many sectors simultaneously. Deep – because it will affect many different job functions within each industry. And Rapid – because the rate of adoption of software or cloud solutions is not hindered by the need for physical rollout. What will result is not just traditional structural or cyclical unemployment.”
“Some clarifications for the Minister. Could I have the response on property transactions undertaken by the Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)? Will he also look into the ABSD implications of such transactions?”
“Singaporeans may also remember that in 2005-2007, there was a bout of food price inflation due to volatility in the world markets, which led to some of our economy rice hawkers to raise the price of an additional bowl of rice by 10 cents to 50 cents. These instances are important reminders of our unique vulnerabilities on this front. While many of the fundamental causes of price volatility are external and ultimately beyond our control, I would nevertheless like to ask the Government what strategy the country is pursuing to ensure that our food supply remains stable and our prices remain reasonable for the average man on the street. Where possible, what efforts are ongoing to boost the local sources of agricultural and food products? Is there a clear roadmap ahead to develop our local farming supply? How does the Government plan to overcome the inherent land constraints that we face? And on the external front, are we actively seeking to diversify our sources of food imports in order to improve the resilience of our overall food supply chains? Food supply and Food Security”
“Sir, the issue of water security − how to price it to better manage our water usage − has rightly been front and centre of this year's Budget Debate. Today, I would like to draw attention to the closely related issue of food security. There are many similarities here with the water security issue. Like water, agricultural and food products are an essential resource, for which it is imperative that we find stable sources of supply. Given our land scarcity, we are dependent on imports for basic and essential staples, such as rice, wheat, vegetables and meat. As in the case of water, the fact that our supermarket shelves are constantly stocked may have dulled us to the reality of our intrinsic vulnerability on this front. Across the world, the issue of managing food and agricultural resources will only grow in importance. This is because the world's population is growing, living standards are improving and households in developing countries are moving up the income ladder. The demand for food products that are typically consumed by households in that income strata will only increase − milk, cheese, meat and fish. Furthermore, the threat of climate change has also added a new dimension to uncertainty. Extreme weather events can cause disruptions in agricultural output, lead to spikes and volatility in prices of key agricultural commodities. Over the past few years, we have seen on occasions news reports of mass fish deaths in our Singapore waters and kelongs, which our marine biologists have described as an indirect consequence of warmer temperatures that cause marine plankton to swell and compete for oxygen with our local fish population.”
“Can MSO provide some specific examples of initiatives that have taken place in tandem with the Town Councils to the benefit of residents? Last but not least, MSO has sought to leverage the prevalence of information and communications technology (ICT), such as cellphones, among Singaporeans. Can an update be provided on how effective the OneService App has been since its rollout and what plans there are to further improve upon this OneService App in the context of the Smart Nation Initiative?”
“Sir, Singaporeans place a lot of importance on having efficient public services to see to the upkeep and maintenance of their living environment and neighbourhood amenities. We take great pride in the fact that our municipal services function well and are generally up to the task of meeting the high standards that we Singaporeans set for ourselves. MSO was set up two years ago precisely to improve upon such service delivery. With the myriad of Government agencies that participate in providing municipal services, it is not surprising that members of the public could easily get confused about which three-letter acronym to call when they are in trouble. Within my own constituency, I am grateful to MSO for facilitating residents' feedback and organising joint action by different agencies. There was this case where MSO was involving the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), the National Environment Agency (NEA), HDB and Town Council to resolve a resident's complaint about a group of 50 bird enthusiasts who were using the linkhouse in front of a resident's flat to train parrots. And the second case involved a resident playing saxophone in a public park in the evenings which affected the peace of the surrounding flats. Unfortunately, this fell outside the purview of Town Council, HDB, NEA and the Police. So, fortunately, MSO was there to coordinate. At this juncture, I would like to ask MSO to provide an update on the overall progress that it has made, especially over the past year. How successful have efforts been in bringing together different agency stakeholders to the same table to coordinate and improve upon municipal service delivery? I understand from last year's COS that all 16 Town Councils have given their agreement to work with MSO.”
“What if we load the stakes and say that the case involves the murder of a prominent religious leader, which has the potential to stoke religious tension? Would there be pressure to stop media outlets and social media sites carrying reports supporting the defence team's arguments, even though they may ultimately prove to be correct? How does the Ministry intend to approach working with content distributors to protect Singapore's racial and religious harmony from the scourge of fake news? A totally draconian approach is unlikely to work. It would also harm our image as an open society and a great place to live and work, and contradict our long-standing light touch regulatory regime. Yet, we also cannot do nothing. As the furore over alleged fake news in the United States (US) shows, even a mature democracy can be rocked by such threats. For a young country like Singapore, the risk of fake news exploiting racial and religious sentiment is real. The situation is challenging but I look forward to hearing from the Ministry on this. This is a hot topic that governments around the world are starting to grapple with, and it is an exciting opportunity for Singapore to lead the world in creating a sound yet resilient regulatory regime.”
“There is very little that a government can do to compel them to act, short of banning their services within the country. However, the loss of access would create a huge uproar. Given the vast amount of content that is uploaded to these sites, it would be unreasonable to expect them to police them constantly. A more pertinent question is whether they are obligated to remove "objectionable" content once it is flagged to them. Again, this is a difficult task, for what is objectionable to one may not be to another. It sometimes seems that there are people on the Internet whose sole purpose is to get outraged by one thing or another. So, we cannot just pander to the lowest common denominator. Germany has floated the idea of fining Facebook €500,000 for every single piece of "fake news" that it fails to take down. Or even if this law gets passed, this is not without challenges. What qualifies as "fake" news? The term originated to describe sites that manufactured stories out of thin air to drive clicks and profits. The term is now being used rather loosely, even by senior officials, to describe news and opinions that do not comply to their liking. I think we can all agree that completely fabricated stories with no basis in reality should be clamped down with all the tools that we have. However, the world is a messy place and facts may not be easy to agree upon. Take one example − the prosecution and defence lawyers in a murder case will use the facts to spin completely different narratives. In effect, only one of those two narratives is real and the other is, by definition, "fake". Would news outlets presenting and supporting the case for the defence be denounced as fake news by the prosecution and vice versa?”
“Madam, technological convergence has been a key trend in media for a number of years, along with the continued growth of the Internet and Internet users. This poses a number of challenges for the regulation of content. For me, there are two components to this new challenge: firstly, that content creation is now global and, secondly, that most content is distributed via huge and powerful global platforms. The distribution of content has become easier and anybody can create content and have it go viral. In "the good old days", content was stored in physical media, and copying and distributing it took much effort. This made it easy to identify perpetrators. The current situation is complicated by the fact that content is now global. Content providers do not need any sort of physical presence in Singapore to serve content to Singaporeans. They do not even need to have a formal website per se, as their content can be spread virally through Facebook or other social media. 4.30 pm Unlike local content producers, who have to comply with our laws, Singapore will often have limited leverage over overseas producers, even if they are creating content that might harm religious or racial harmony in Singapore. How does the Ministry intend to create some form of parity between local and overseas content producers? What about foreign content creators using Singapore as a base to create and distribute content that may be sensitive to our neighbours? The next challenge is that most consumers will discover that the content they receive will come through either Facebook or Google, or might be even sent through WhatsApp, which is also a subsidiary of Facebook. The very size and scope of these platforms give them significant power in discussions with any individual government.”
“In the long run, experts believe that the solution will lie towards a move to a more individual-centric insurance system, instead of a company-centric one. An interim solution would be to encourage the portability of company medical insurance benefits. I am heartened to see that we are already moving in that direction. The Ministry is offering companies higher tax deductions to employers who pay into their employees' portable medical insurance benefits. But at the moment, these are voluntary and seem to focus on the very basic insurance. I believe we can do more. In order to ensure that there is no additional cost to the employer, I would like to propose that the Ministry provide an option for the employee to continue to keep his existing benefits with his existing company under his own expense. So, there is a set of benefits. If the employee were to buy himself under an individual policy, he pays $1,000. If the company buys it under the company group insurance policy, and with risk-pooling, the cost might be $800. So, as long as the employee is employed by the company, the company pays for him. But once he leaves his job, he should be given the option of paying $1,000 at his own expense to continue with his existing benefits. The company is not disadvantaged in any way. The insurance provider continues to provide the insurance without any lapse, and there is no need for new underwriting because the employee would have been under continuous coverage. I hope that the Ministry can consider this proposal. I would be grateful if the Ministry can share if it has any plans, as part of a broader move towards a future-ready benefits system.”
“Madam, judging by the number of Members who have spoken on the topic, the gig economy and a much more fluid workforce seem to be key areas of concern. This also reflects the discussions I have had on the ground. It is not just the much talked about millennial generation seeking a better work-life balance, there are many trends and larger forces at work pushing our economy in that direction. And we, as a House, need to ensure that our workers are adequately prepared for this eventuality to thrive in this new economy. One particular area of concern is the portability of medical insurance benefits. Currently, the plans are company-centric. You are covered by the policy as long as you work for the company. From my own experience, once you stop working for the company, you are not covered anymore, even though you might want to pay up for it, and paying more in premium terms. In the old days, when people tended to stay in one job for many years, this might not be such a big deal. But if you accept that people are going to be moving around in the new gig economy or entering into alternative work arrangements which fall short of full-time employment, then this limitation becomes a matter of concern. It means, for example, that if you develop a condition in your current job, it will be considered a pre-existing condition. When you sign up for an insurance policy in your new job, chances are that you might not be able to get it. You cannot get it at all because of your pre-existing condition; so, you cease to be covered. The crucial point is that for many reasons, people change employment, moving from one job to another, becoming self-employed, retiring or being laid off. All these scenarios will cause the worker to give up his current employer-paid insurance scheme.”
“Madam, Singapore is uniquely positioned to ride the digital wave, given our small size and the high technological sophistication of our population. We are in many ways a perfect place to test-bed new ideas and pilot and refine new ways of doing things. It is exciting to see projects, such as the testing of autonomous vehicles in various parts of the country. Such technologies could potentially revolutionise transport and urban planning globally. I am encouraged that the Government has created an Office to pursue our Smart Nation ambitions. I would like to ask the Minister what specific initiatives the Smart Nation Programme Office will be pursuing in the next 12 months to enable Singapore to establish itself as a world leader in this field. Other leading global cities, such as Copenhagen and Barcelona, are also competing to become THE digital city. Given that there are significant potential economic spinoffs from winning the race for talent and ideas, how do we differentiate Singapore from these other competitors? Update on Smart Nation”
“As The Straits Times recently argued, we need a future-ready social safety net for the future economy. Berkeley Prof Laura Tyson has described such a system as portable, attached to the individual worker instead of the employer, universal and prorated. Heading in this direction will hopefully also dispel some of the cognitive dissonance that we currently perceive on the ground. Madam, I support the Budget.”