Ong Ye Kung
Singapore
“The Ministry of Health (MOH) recently enhanced the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) dental subsidies, which are tiered by income, for common preventive and restorative procedures.”
“Healthier SG GP clinics may also refer their enrolled patients to Active Ageing Centres and Community Health Posts to fulfill their social prescriptions and for subsidised services, such as medication management.”
“Public hospitals, such as the National University Hospital, the Singapore General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital, have deployed robotic-assisted surgical (RAS) systems for minimally invasive soft-tissue surgeries.”
“The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) welcomes drug producers to choose Singapore as part of their first-wave filings. As long as a pharmaceutical product is approved by at least one regulatory agency, such as China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), it would also qualify for the abridged route.”
“A decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate in patients with diabetes can be due to multiple reasons. Doctors will first investigate the underlying cause before determining whether the patient should be referred to a specialist. Some causes are reversible and cause transient reduction in renal function.”
“Information on the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) cannot be made visible on the National Electronic Health Record system as it is protected under the Mental Capacity Act. Such information may only be disclosed by the Public Guardian to specified persons upon satisfactory submission of evidence(s) required under the law.”
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“To build up the electric vehicle (EV) charging network, the Government will issue tenders for the deployment of charging points in public carparks, which will house the bulk of charging points in Singapore. The tender process will have to be fair and transparent, as in the case of all Government procurement exercises. To ensure infrastructure stability and grid reliability, we will ensure that the provision of charging points in any tender is well within the power supply capacity of the area, and the necessary electrical upgrades will be undertaken by the successful tenderer. LTA has launched a Request-for-Information (RFI) to incorporate industry’s views on how best to structure private sector participation in this space.”
“Most of our vehicle measures are designed to control congestion, through regulating the ownership and usage of vehicles. Congestion control is a very important aspect of sustainable development. There are two types of usage charges. The first is for general usage, such as fuel excise duty. The second is for usage of congested roads, which is the purpose of the Electronic Road Pricing. Electric vehicles (EVs), while much less pollutive, should not be exempted from usage charges. Since EVs are not subject to fuel excise duty, the additional flat component (AFC) is levied as an interim measure. It is not punitive, but a way to approximate equal treatment between EVs and non-EVs. In the meantime, we will study different approaches and options for distance-based charging that is fuel-independent.”
“These include contactless container operations, crew change protocols, vaccinations of frontline workers and regular testing. Having said that, we cannot totally eliminate risks, and from time to time, we do discover infections. Most are imported cases from foreign workers coming to work in our port. They are isolated on arrival and most are detected while in isolation and do not pose a high risk of community transmission. There have been suggestions that we should not bear this risk and should instead ban the entry of foreign workers altogether. But we need these workers to keep our port working. That is why we have instead implemented various measures such as isolation, testing and strict safe management measures when they are working in our port, so that we can protect Singapore’s supply lines.”
“As the world’s busiest transhipment port, the Port of Singapore has not been spared from the global disruptions caused by COVID-19. Congestion in upstream ports has caused vessels to arrive off-schedule in Singapore, leading to bunching and causing more peaks and troughs in port operations. If containers miss their onward connections, they have to stay longer in port yards and the port will need to establish new connections, re-plan and execute cargo movements. Turnaround times are inevitably affected. To manage the situation, PSA has opened up more berths and yards for port operations and deployed more port workers. As we are a highly digitalised port, PSA is also able to support owners to track their cargo closely to manage delivery schedules and expedite connections for urgent cargo. Notwithstanding the disruptions, overall global demand remains strong. Container throughput at our port increased in the first quarter of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020. It is however difficult to predict if this trend can be sustained, given various uncertainties before us. The recent Ever Given blockage at the Suez Canal aggravated the disruption to shipping schedules. Fortunately, the situation has been manageable for Singapore. Last month, PSA cleared the backlog of 45 ships which arrived late due to the blockage. We thank our workers and industry partners for working closely together to successfully tackle this challenge. Throughout this period, our port has shown to be resilient. This is due to the capabilities we have built up over many decades. Hence, when crisis struck, we were able to enhance our operating protocols and measures to keep our port open while reducing the risk of virus transmission.”
“An Air Travel Bubble (ATB) is between two safe places that have kept the pandemic under control, so that we can remove the requirement for travellers to undergo quarantine or Stay-Home Notices, and rely on repeated testing for COVID-19 instead. The risk of community transmission within Hong Kong is very low. As of 9 May, its seven-day and 28-day mean local incidence rate is 0.01 and 0.02 per 100,000 population respectively. It is hence safe for travellers from Singapore to travel there and back without vaccination. Notwithstanding this, we urge all travellers, regardless of where they go, to be careful and observe safe management measures and good hygiene standards, and get your vaccinations when it is your turn.”
“This is in fact what we are doing. Both electric vehicles (EV) and EV charging systems (EVCS) are subject to stringent internationally-benchmarked standards, such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Regulations. Singapore's safety standards and precautions for EVCS are stipulated in Technical Reference 25 (TR25), which covers electrical safety as well as other operational safe practices for EVCS. It was drafted with reference to international standards set by organisations like the International Electrotechnical Commission, with additional safeguards added to take into account local conditions. As EV charging technologies are advancing rapidly, LTA is working with various stakeholders to review TR25 comprehensively, including necessary enhancements to safety, technical and operational requirements, while facilitating industry development.”
“There was no previous arrangement where Service 983 was stopping at bus stops along Keat Hong Close. LTA has studied the request carefully and decided not to amend Service 983, as doing so would result in a far larger number of commuters experiencing higher fares and longer travelling times on a daily basis. It will also require larger amounts of subsidies from the Government.”
“The total number of public feedback on illegal parking received was 130,101 in 2018, 121,317 in 2019, and 117,877 in 2020. The total number of enforcement tickets issued was 410,854 in 2018, 389,207 in 2019, and 272,428 in 2020.”
“The statistics requested by the member are detailed in Tables 1 and 2 below.”
“LTA aims to convert all public streetlights to LED lights by end 2022. Compared to the conventional high-pressure sodium lights, LED lights are about 25% more energy efficient and require less maintenance, while providing equivalent illumination for road users. As of end February 2021, about 71,000, or 60%, of public streetlights have already been converted to LED lights. To use solar energy to power our streetlights at night requires a battery storage system. This will add significantly to cost and require additional manpower for maintenance, and this will need to be weighed against the benefits.”
“When it comes to road safety, the answer is not a straightforward yes or no, unlike say, extreme sports or stunts. There are all kinds of precautions to keep motorists and their passengers safe – good traffic rules, stringent standards in awarding drivers’ licences, effective traffic management systems, enforcement, and most of all, drivers exercising defensive driving. I know the Member feels strongly about making child seats compulsory in taxis, and if this rule can be implemented without significant costs and inconvenience to passengers and taxi drivers, LTA would certainly have done it. But as we have explained before, the matter is not as straight forward, and we will have to continue to monitor the situation and review the rule periodically.”
“Over the last three years, LTA has received 53 requests from condominiums for covered linkways to transport nodes, of which 15 were approved. When agreeing to such requests, LTA requires the condominium to have an internal sheltered route between the gate and the nearest condominium building, to ensure a sheltered connection the entire way. Otherwise, it would not be an effective use of public funds. As such, this is an important criteria to continue to uphold, and LTA does not plan to do away with the requirement.”
“The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system is a major policy for sustainable development. But its primary objective is to control congestion by limiting the growth of the vehicle population. For regulating vehicles’ emission levels, there are other policy levers. Given this, the COE system is designed with equity as a key principle. This means striking a balance between the needs of existing and prospective owners. If we allow repeated five-year COE renewals for these vehicles, there will be fewer COEs recycled for bidding, hence benefitting existing owners at the expense of prospective ones. Therefore, we allow only a single five-year renewal, provided that at the end of it, the vehicle is de-registered. This measure was introduced on an exceptional basis for vehicles largely for personal use, i.e. cars and motorcycles, typically in Categories A, B and D. This is because there were owners who felt that at the point of expiry of their COEs, their vehicles may not last another full 10 years. The considerations for goods vehicles and buses, which use a Category C COE, are different. These vehicles are typically used by businesses and have a statutory lifespan of 20 years. We decided to accord businesses the flexibility to make their commercial calculations, and to renew their Category C COEs at five-year durations, within the vehicles’ statutory lifespan.”
“As investigations are ongoing, it is premature to conclude how the person intruded onto the track and whether safeguards are adequate. But in the course of investigations, it was discovered that the barbed wire at the top of the high fencing, near where the deceased was found, was compressed. It has since been repaired. There are multiple measures in place to deter entry into track areas throughout our MRT network. Within the stations, we have installed platform screen doors and CCTVs, and have regular security patrols. Outside the stations, high fences with barbed wires or razor mesh at the top are also installed at areas along at-grade tracks, viaducts and tunnel portals to deter intruders. The Public Transport Security Committee, which comprises Government agencies and the public transport operators, will review the current security measures.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, looks like we can make it before 7.00 pm. [Laughter.] On behalf of the Senior Minister and Minister in Charge of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, I beg to move, "That this Parliament, in accordance with section 6A(2)(d) of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act (Chapter 27 of the 2012 Revised Edition), resolves that the maximum amount of grants that the Monetary Authority of Singapore may give under the bilateral agreement (or its subsequent variations) to be made by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Singapore) with the International Monetary Fund to support Somalia's debt relief efforts via the Trust for Special Poverty Reduction and Growth Operations for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries, is 680,000 Special Drawing Rights (approximately 970,000 United States Dollars)." Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That this Parliament, in accordance with section 6A(2)(d) of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act (Chapter 27 of the 2012 Revised Edition), resolves that the maximum amount of grants that the Monetary Authority of Singapore may give under the bilateral agreement (or its subsequent variations) to be made by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Singapore) with the International Monetary Fund to support Somalia's debt relief efforts via the Trust for Special Poverty Reduction and Growth Operations for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries, is 680,000 Special Drawing Rights (approximately 970,000 United States Dollars)." – [Mr Ong Ye Kung] (proc text)]”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, on behalf of Senior Minister and Minister in Charge of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, I beg to move, "That this Parliament, in accordance with section 6A(2)(d) of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act (Chapter 27 of the 2012 Revised Edition), resolves that the maximum amount of grants that the Monetary Authority of Singapore may give under the bilateral agreement (or its subsequent variations) to be made by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Singapore) with the International Monetary Fund to support the Crisis Capacity Development Initiative, is 2,000,000 United States Dollars (approximately 1,400,000 Special Drawing Rights)." Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That this Parliament, in accordance with section 6A(2)(d) of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act (Chapter 27 of the 2012 Revised Edition), resolves that the maximum amount of grants that the Monetary Authority of Singapore may give under the bilateral agreement (or its subsequent variations) to be made by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Singapore) with the International Monetary Fund to support the Crisis Capacity Development Initiative, is 2,000,000 United States Dollars (approximately 1,400,000 Special Drawing Rights)." – [Mr Ong Ye Kung] (proc text)]”
“Likewise, we learn those lessons from others and those are priceless. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim did say we should increase our monetary contribution. In the IMF, it goes by your voting rights and your quota. There is a formula. We go by that formula. But, of course, if you contribute more, the fiscal burden is higher and it has to be funded by tax collections as well. For us, as a small country, our stance is better not to go around to say that we have all these resources, we can give out more money. But instead, we are always struggling for relevance, always fighting to earn a living. And along the way, we learn many lessons and we can share those lessons with the rest of the world. I think this is a better way for Singapore to contribute to the common good and the larger global society. Ms Mariam Jafaar gave a couple of good suggestions on raising awareness and educating the broader public including businesses on the work that we do internationally and how much Singapore can help. I think these are very good suggestions. When MAS put out our press release on these IMF contributions, it was a little bit disappointing because if you look through the threads, there were quite a few criticisms saying, "Why is Singapore giving out money to other countries?" Frankly, within MAS, when we reviewed that, we were a little bit disappointed. So, I am quite glad that today, all the Members that stood up and spoke about this, supported this contribution to the IMF grants. It shows that as a small country, we can also be big-hearted, that we can also play our role. I think we also share our concern for the future of humanity and we will do our part. What Ms Mariam Jafaar suggested is a good idea and we will see what we can do to raise awareness of what we can do internationally.”
“I thank Assoc Prof Jamus Lim for supporting this Motion and for giving us this lecture about how for a small country, it is much better for us to help others and make sure that if the region, in poorer countries do well, so will we. And in fact, I think what he has just described, is 50 over years of foreign policy and one of our key tenets – which is we want our neighbours to all do well, we want our region to do well. That way, there is global cooperation that a small country like us, can also do well. Which is why for so many years, we contribute on various international fora, whatever we can do within our means as a small country. Today, we talked about IMF, but for many years, MFA had the Singapore Cooperation Programme. We do not contribute money per se, but we run so many training programmes and invite government officials, representatives of NGOs and other organisations to come to Singapore. We provide necessary training, they take reference on what we do, we learn from each other. And I think it started in 1992. As of now, we have trained more than 130,000 officials all around the world, at our expense. Today, I am in MOT. I can see that whether it is ICAO or IMO, we have participated in all kinds of capacity building programmes, contributing to the greater common good. We talked about the Paris Agreement, we had launched the Green Plan and had a long debate on the Motion on climate change. And we too, contribute to the Paris Agreement. Our contribution is always commensurate with our size. It is not big. But I think it is important for us to contribute and it is beyond money. Often, it is about our know how. We learn by doing, and whatever we have learned, we share with the world. And sometimes, those are the lessons that are priceless.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for the generosity of time. I hope I do not have to use it. I thank the Members for their support for the three Motions. Let me try to answer some of the questions raised, starting with Mr Liang Eng Hwa who asked the reason for doing this. I think the simplest reason is we are helping the most vulnerable countries in the world. We are talking about countries like Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nepal, Tanzania, Yemen, where the pandemic has really ravaged lives and livelihoods. And so, something like the CCRT will help, through debt relief, free up much-needed resources to tackle the medical, social, economic problems that they are facing. If we take a step back, the reason is really that we live in an interconnected world. And so, it is in Singapore's interest to be part of this international community where we work together, where we cooperate, where there are rules, there are norms, there are best practices that hold every country into account to ensure that we live peacefully together in a global village. So, in such a system there will be benefits, there will be obligations. And on balance for a small city-state like us, the benefits far outweigh the obligations and the costs. In fact, it is existential for us to live in such a global international cooperation system. That is why we want to do this. Is there visibility? Yes, all the funds are subject to the oversight of the IMF Executive Board. Singapore is represented in the Board through the voting group of Southeast Asia. And so, we get an update and from time to time the IMF would publish reports, to update on the progress of all these funds.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, MAS has issued a press release on 31 March 2021 to inform the public of the grants and that it would seek Parliament's approval. Following Parliament's resolution to fix the maximum amount of grants that MAS can allocate to the IMF's CCRT, CCCDI and PRG-HIPC Trust, MAS will publish in the Gazette key information about the grants. Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“The Trust will provide support for the debt relief of Somalia, which is in urgent need of assistance. The majority of IMF member countries, including the ASEAN-4 countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, have already committed to contributing to Somalia's debt relief package. The IMF has requested Singapore to contribute US$0.97 million (or SDR 0.68 million). Singapore already holds funds in the other IMF accounts to cover overdue payments incurred by members which are unable to pay and the contribution will be drawn from these accounts. Singapore's contribution would form approximately 0.3% of the IMF's financing package of US$344 million (or SDR 242 million) for Somalia's debt relief. Why are we making these contributions to the causes of the IMF? In short, we live in an interdependent world and Singapore needs to do its part. Particularly, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for decisive and urgent collective actions to manage global crises. As a highly open economy, Singapore has a strong stake in ensuring that the world contain the pandemic, restore people-to-people connections across the world and support global economic recovery. By contributing to the three funds I have mentioned above, we can play our part as a stakeholder of the international community. The grants to the CCRT and the CCCDI will reduce the size of Singapore's Official Foreign Reserves by a total of US$19.6 million (or SDR 13.7 million). As explained earlier, the grant to the PRG-HIPC Trust will not affect the size of Singapore's Official Foreign Reserves. The proposed grant amounts are also reasonable and commensurate with Singapore's position and role in the global economy.”
“Since the onset of the pandemic, the IMF has disbursed over US$500 million in debt relief to CCRT-eligible members. So, the pre-COVID balance has been completely depleted. The disbursements were made possible through the additional contributions by other member countries, which has amounted to US$800 million so far. The IMF has requested for Singapore to contribute US$17.6 million, or SDR 12.3 million, to the CCRT. This represents about 1.2% of the total amount of US$1.4 billion or SDR 1 billion, needed to replenish the CCRT. Singapore's contribution is based on our quota share at the IMF and similar to how other countries' contributions are determined. Second, the COVID-19 Crisis Capacity Development Initiative, or CCCDI. Singapore's grant to the newly launched CCCDI will help to meet the urgent capacity development needs of countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the CCCDI is to help these countries develop effective policies to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic and support economic recovery. This comes in the form of technical advice, practical tools and policy-oriented training to build skills to manage the crisis. IMF has reached out to member countries, including Singapore, to seek funding support for the CCCDI, and suggested that Singapore make a contribution of between US$2 million to US$4 million. MAS proposes that Singapore contribute a one-off grant amount of US$2 million, or SDR 1.4 million, to the CCCDI. It represents 2% of the total amount of US$100 million needed to support the CCCDI. Third, contribution to the trust for Special Poverty Reduction and Growth Operations for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries for Somalia's debt relief, or PRG-HIPC Trust.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. As part of its mandate to ensure the stability of the international monetary system, the IMF provides financial assistance to countries experiencing balance of payments difficulties. To carry out its functions, the IMF relies on resources provided by member countries. Singapore has been contributing to these efforts. Arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the IMF has seen a surge in requests for financial assistance, especially from low-income countries. IMF has, therefore, called on its members to help bolster its financial resources to assist the most vulnerable members in recovering from the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendments to the Bretton Woods Agreements Act, approved by Parliament on 11 July 2016, enables MAS to make grants to the IMF as part of international efforts to assist low-income countries. This is subject to three conditions, as specified under the Act. First, such financial assistance is part of a collective action amongst IMF member countries; second, MAS publicly discloses key information about the financial assistance; and third, Parliament fixes, by resolution, the maximum amount of the grants. I will now explain the context and considerations for the three grants. First, Singapore's grant to the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust, or CCRT. The CCRT was established in 2015 to provide debt relief to the IMF's poorest and most vulnerable members in the event of a natural catastrophe or global health pandemic. The relief on debt service will free up scarce financial resources to continue strengthening the eligible countries' medical care capacities and address the social and economic fallout from the pandemic. The CCRT is in urgent need of replenishment. Its pre-COVID balance was US$200 million.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, on behalf of Senior Minister and Minister in Charge of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, I beg to move, "That this Parliament, in accordance with section 6A(2)(d) of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act (Chapter 27 of the 2012 Revised Edition), resolves that the maximum amount of grants that the Monetary Authority of Singapore may give under a bilateral agreement (or its subsequent variations) to be made by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Singapore) with the International Monetary Fund to support the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust is 17,600,000 United States Dollars (approximately 12,300,000 Special Drawing Rights)." I will be moving a second Motion for a separate grant to the IMF's COVID-19 Crisis Capacity Development Initiative, or CCCDI; and a third Motion for a separate grant to the IMF's Trust for Special Poverty Reduction and Growth Operations for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (PRG-HIPC Trust). Singapore will be providing these three grants as part of multilateral efforts to enhance the capacity of the IMF to assist vulnerable low-income countries, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sir, with your permission, I would like to propose that the substantive debate on all the three Motions takes place now, to allow the substantive arguments to be captured cogently in a single debate. Subsequently, we will still move and take the second and third Motions separately in compliance with Parliamentary procedural requirements.”
“That is the part where we are talking to many partners because it is good to mutually recognise our certificates. In Singapore, we have a very strong certification system run by MOH – verifiable, notarised. And after you mutually recognise the certificates, then you ask yourself, "So what?" Are you therefore – which is a question that Ms Foo Mee Har asked – subject to shorter quarantine, fewer tests? These are things that we have to discuss. I think the first criterion in such discussions would be, how safe is this region? If a place is safe, such as Brunei, New Zealand, Australia, even before there were vaccines, we already opened our borders to them. So, that is the first and foremost criterion. Is the place safe? And if it is moderately safe, then we can consider relaxing restrictions for vaccinated travellers. From time to time, you will see public statements being made, but actually behind the scenes, a lot of work is going on. When there are significant progress and significant things to announce, we will do so and inform the public.”
“Mr Speaker, in short, the recent suspension of SIA flights to Hong Kong does not affect the talks to establish or restore the air traffic bubble that did not get to start. The reason is this. Hong Kong's civil aviation authorities set in place very transparent criteria for airlines. Once they breach the criteria, they get suspended for 14 days. So, they have suspended 23 times before this latest incident, involving SIA. The suspension came about because of technical reasons. One of the criteria was breached, which is that SIA had a transit passenger, not from Singapore, tested negative at pre-departure, but tested positive at post-arrival. So, maybe an old case with intermittent shedding. And at the same time, I believe there were a few passengers who tested negative but carrying certificates from labs that are not ISO-certified. The Hong Kong civil aviation authorities enforce the criteria very strictly. So, it triggered the suspension. Any travel bubble will not carry transit passengers. The travel bubble operates on the basis that the flights travelling within the bubble carries only what we call Origin Destination passengers. So, transit passengers are outside of the bubble. We continue to want to work with Hong Kong to restore this travel bubble. As for how many countries we are speaking to, there are many. But let me explain. I actually do not quite like the term "vaccination passports". It gives you the impression like we carry a passport and we can go anywhere. It does not work like that. I think what happens is every healthcare authority, after vaccination, issues a vaccination certificate that has to be verifiable, tamper-proof. And then, we talk to other regions and authorities to mutually recognise our certificates.”
“Mr Speaker, the question is also on vaccination passport, now posed to the Ministry of Transport (MOT). But let me reiterate some of the points that Senior Minister of State Janil has made. We are exploring with several countries and regions, including Australia, on the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates. The certificates can be physical or digital, and we will need them to be secure, tamper-proof and verifiable. However, vaccinations are only one aspect of pandemic control. Social distancing, contact tracing, quarantine and testing are also very important aspects which countries and regions have used to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus even as vaccines become available. Singapore will continue – together with the Ministry of Health (MOH), MOT and other agencies – to holistically evaluate the COVID-19 situation in various countries and regions, and explore the possibility of restoring air travel when it is safe to do so. And we have been proactively doing so, given the importance of our global connections.”
“In the interest of time, I will answer all three. First, safe riding. I thank Mr Dennis Tan for his very useful suggestions. We will take them in but as he says, culture change is not easy, it takes time. Step by step, we will move in the right direction. I do want to make a clarification in my speech just now. I mentioned some retrenchment figures and reduction in labour force figures. That applies to the aviation sector, but I know your cut was actually on the aerospace sector. I do not have the numbers for aerospace but talking to unions, there has been some retrenchment – not huge numbers, some. And again, very much borne by the foreign workforce. MOT, together with EDB, will try our best to continue to work with the aerospace sector. On public bus fleet, the target is 2040 to be fully clean energy. But we just made a big push towards EVs, so maybe it can be advanced. We never know. Keep an open mind. Finally, on crew change. Thank you for the strong confidence you have shown in our maritime community. I must place on record our thanks to MOH, who worked side by side with us to make this possible. There are many ministries of health in the world who just want total elimination of viruses. But I think we had a good relationship working with MOH. But the decision was not easy. You take a big deep breath and say, "Let's make this step"; put in the safety precautions, work with the industry and all the stakeholders, plus the healthcare professionals and experts. And we managed to make it work. Even so, we always continue to be on guard so that we can maintain Singapore as a safe, as well as an open maritime hub.”
“I want to assure Mr Saktiandi, I really understand what you are saying. I really understand. In 2019, in fact, I was really happy that fare concession was extended to Polytechnic students, because the then Minister for Education lobbied very hard for it. And the then Minister for Transport was kind enough to also support it. So, I fully understand. But I think going beyond that, it becomes less obvious. But let us keep an open mind. I think the principle is this. I am merely mentioning that over the years, from time to time, there have been fare increases and that same system will continue. And in the second half of the year, PTC will have to convene and have to consider. But whenever there is a fare increase, should there be one, we must always protect the vulnerable groups, like the low-income, the students, the seniors, and fare concession is one way to do so. And I think we keep to that principle and see how we can best ensure that those who find difficulty affording can be protected against fare increases.”
“We can also identify places from low to moderate infection rates, and combine vaccination with tests, even "bubble wrap" travel, and to open up travel corridors. We will do our best to make all these arrangements bilateral so Singaporeans can travel outwards too.”
“If other places reciprocate what we do, we have an Air Travel Bubble (ATB). We have yet to launch an ATB successfully. We were close, but we could not. But we now have an agreed text with Hong Kong and the ATB can be launched when conditions are right. We have not given up the idea. In fact, I think ATBs are going to be important, which I will explain. And that leads to the fourth way, which is a new critical development – and that is vaccinations. As more scientific data become available, we will be able to ascertain the extent to which vaccination reduces the likelihood of someone carrying the virus and passing it to somebody else. And this will enable us to allow vaccinated individuals to travel with fewer restrictions, perhaps even without SHN. It will require a system of certification, like the yellow booklet, which some of us have, that records our vaccinations against Malaria or Yellow Fever. And these discussions are happening bilaterally and also at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). And Singapore, we have been active in all these discussions. Aviation is like the lung of Singapore. So, this lung needs inflating, but our head is under water. But each of these four methods I mentioned earlier are like snorkels, sticking out of the surface of the water. They allow us to take in some oxygen, to keep Changi and to keep SIA going. And each snorkel cannot work in isolation. They must work together. For example, an ATB is a combination of identifying safe places and imposing test requirements. I see ATBs playing a key role in safe opening this year. Because as vaccinations bring down infections across the world, more countries will be prepared to forge ATBs.”
“When WHO scientists from around the world were planning their study visit to Wuhan, they decided to gather in Singapore before they made their way, and they flew through Changi. The World Economic Forum has decided to hold its meeting in Singapore, in August. A few months ago, a group of Vietnamese trainees going to Japan to complete their apprenticeship, decided to come to Singapore first and then up to Japan. It is a longer route, but I think they like to fly SIA. So, the key question is: what are the steps we can take to re-open safely? As I explained to the House before, what kills travel is quarantine and Stay-Home Notices (SHN). Very few people will want to travel abroad if they know they have to go through a lengthy isolation. So, to revive aviation, we need to replace quarantine and SHN with other methods that can also substantially mitigate the risk of transmission. Now, I think there are four ways after all these months of experience. The first is testing, which is key to re-opening borders. Nationally, we can now perform more than 60,000 tests a day. And with tests, we can detect infections early and prevent transmissions. The second is to "bubble wrap" travellers. Ensure that they are kept to a tight itinerary, restricted premises, away from community, do not see anybody in the community. This is how we managed to do maritime crew change and this is how the new Connect@Changi facility works. The third is to recognise that travellers from certain places are safe, because they have successfully controlled the virus. That is why we unilaterally opened our borders to places such as Australia, New Zealand, Brunei and China. And so far, the scheme has not led to any increase in our local transmission. It works.”
“I will say everyone who kept their jobs. That is the impact of the Jobs Support Scheme and the Enhanced Training Support Package. It helped all these companies stay above water, and retain core capabilities so that there is still a future for the sector. And that strategic outcome is either there or not there, either you believe it will work or you do not believe it will work, and you decide to do not do. You cannot quite measure or audit it. Ms Poh Li San asked how MOT plans to revive the aviation hub. Unfortunately, I cannot answer that question with certainty. We may have a plan, but this virus has no plan and it does not observe any rules. It is driven by an instinct to dominate the world. To do so, it is transmitting without symptoms, and it is mutating. So, in terms of prospects, I can only say this: first, this year I do not think it is realistic to expect a V-shape recovery for the aviation sector. Second, it is also possible that the virus becomes endemic, meaning it is something we have to live with, to cope with and to adapt to in the long term, just like the influenza virus. And third, notwithstanding this, with vaccines, and the realisation of governments around the world that they cannot perpetually close up their borders, I believe there will be some re-opening of borders this year, and some recovery this year. So, our mission this year is not so much to force a sharp recovery of the aviation sector, but to adapt to a new normal, to re-open safely, to build up confidence, to test workable concepts and to strengthen the belief that Changi Airport will still be an international air hub post-COVID-19. And we are seeing signs of that happening.”
“So, we are still in crisis mode. Flight movements look better, it is one quarter of pre-COVID-19 levels. But this is, to a large extent, due to a larger number of cargo flights. Changi Airport is now connected to 66 cities around the world, compared to 160 cities pre-COVID-19. We expect connections to expand further in the coming months to about 80 cities. In response to Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Dennis Tan, in a crisis like this, job prospects in the sector are naturally muted and subdued. Based on the Labour Market Survey, up to 3Q 2020, the sector had lost 6,000 jobs. About 500 are retrenchments, and the rest non-renewal of contracts or early retirement. Non-residents shouldered the great majority of the reduction. Hiring of graduates, asked by Mr Dennis Tan, have slowed, though there is still good demand for technicians coming out of our ITE, coming out of our Polytechnics. I then checked with our Universities, who told me that most aerospace graduates still found jobs this year, but likely in non-aviation sectors. So, fortunately, engineers are a very versatile bunch. Mr Dennis Tan asked about help for the aerospace sector. There are three areas of help, and this was covered in the Budget Statement. One is the Jobs Support Scheme. The aerospace sector is now in the top tier, 30% for the next three months, and then 10% for the following three months. They also enjoy the Enhanced Training Support Package which provides stronger support when they send their workers for training. Thousands have gone and it has been very helpful for the aerospace sector. And also, EDB put in a lot of effort to temporarily redeploy talents to other sectors while the sector waits for recovery. Mr Dennis Tan asked what proportion of workers benefited from the COVID-19 related grants?”
“To the suggestion that maybe we should also extend this to adults taking courses, I would prefer to be very careful about it because, after all, all of us are going to be lifelong learners. Third, we need to try to reduce excess capacity. The majority of our bus services are trunk services. Majority. And they provide connection for commuters between towns. So, it has never been a pure hub-and-spoke system, as mentioned by Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Gan Thiam Poh. And this will not change. There will always be a core set of trunk services for buses. 1.00 pm But we should also try our best to reduce excess capacity in the system. This is especially when new train lines come up, and ridership for bus services that run in parallel plunge, and then chalk up tens of millions of operating subsidies per service per year. So, we need to progressively adjust these bus services to better keep subsidies in check. I used to be a union leader for the transport workers' union, and bus drivers on these services would always lament that 很心痛，载空气, they say in Chinese. In English, it means when there are no passengers, it is a bit of a heartache, because they are just ferrying air. Fourth, COVID-19 has also opened up an opportunity for us to make the system more efficient, by making the morning and evening peaks less pronounced. Mr Gan Thiam Poh mentioned that. And to achieve this, we will need the co-operation of employers, to stagger working hours, allow working from home even after COVID-19 passes. Finally, let me talk about aviation. When COVID-19 struck, passenger volume at Changi fell to 0.5% of pre-COVID-19 levels. Almost a year later, the good news is Changi is now carrying five times that. The bad news is, that works out to only 2.5% of pre-COVID 19 volume.”
“If the operator enjoys high profits, the Government will cream off. If the operator suffers big losses, the Government cushions it. So, this is NRFF Version Two, implemented in 2016 to the North-South, East-West, Circle and North East Lines. For the most recent Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), we took on another approach. That is NRFF Version Three. For the initial period when ridership is still not stable, the Government collects all the fare revenue, bears all revenue risks and grants the operator a fee to run the line. So, it is a bit like a contracting model. After ridership stabilises, we revert to NRFF Version Two. Recognising that the NRFF has evolved over the years, we will review the arrangement for the Downtown Line, given that it is still on NRFF Version One. This will be done with a view to ensure that the operator will run the line reliably, with high productivity and that the line is sustainable. There are other things we need to do to keep our public transport system sustainable for the long run. First, operators must train their workers well and find new ways to be cost-efficient. This includes keeping train services reliable and not trying to penny-pinch on maintenance cost, thinking that this will translate to savings and productivity. It does not. We learnt this lesson the hard way. Second, like before, we will need to adjust fares from time to time. This is needed as costs do go up, including the wages of public transport workers who look forward to earning more. The Public Transport Council (PTC) makes a careful decision on fares every year. Whenever there needs to be a fare adjustment, we will help lower income households through Public Transport Vouchers. We also have fare concessions to large groups, such seniors and also young students.”
“Train fares so far are not enough to cover these operating costs. So, the Government has been spending about $1 billion a year to subsidise rail operations. The situation is the same for buses – Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat gave an update to the House recently. So, operating subsidy amounts to another $1 billion of taxpayers' funds every year. The Government needs to continue to subsidise the operations of MRT and buses. I think we cannot run away from that. But the bill to taxpayers cannot keep ballooning. If it does, we would leave our future generations a growing financial burden. So, how do we square the circle? Financing and subsidy policies – they matter. For buses, we have settled on a bus contracting model that leverages competition to enhance the efficiency of operations. For MRT, we fully transited to the New Rail Financing Framework (NRFF) – mentioned by Mr Ang Wei Neng – a few years ago. Under the first version of NRFF, the Government takes over from the transport operator the ownership and replacement of operating assets – trains and signalling systems. The Government then charges the transport operator a fee for using these assets. So, it is like renting, on the part of the operator. Under NRFF Version One, which was implemented for the Downtown Line (DTL), the operator pays a fixed fee, like a rental. The public transport operator of the DTL still bears significant commercial risk. If ridership is healthy and fare revenue far exceeds operating cost, they get to enjoy a good part of the profit. But if the reverse is true, they suffer losses. This was not ideal because, as a public utility, public transport should be a more stable business. So, we adjusted the NRFF to reduce commercial volatility.”
“As suggested by Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Gan Thiam Poh, we will use technology wherever we can – big data to optimise routing and scheduling, sensors to carry out preventive maintenance effectively, kaizen projects to improve productivity and apps to help commuters plan for their trips. As for the men and women on the street, we will bring buses and trains as close as possible to their final destinations and also their origins, with pedestrian pathways and covered linkways wherever it makes sense. For short trips, you will notice commuters are increasingly either walking or cycling. That is why we are expanding the cycling network and repurposing roads wherever possible. LTA has identified 60 projects to convert suitable roads into footpaths, cycling paths or bus lanes. Each project, we reckon, will have their pluses and minuses. So, for every project, we will work closely with the community and proceed only when we assess that, on balance, it benefits commuters and benefits the community. I do not expect all 60 projects to proceed but we will learn from each experiment. Senior Minister of State Amy Khor and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng will elaborate. The other aspect of sustainability is financial. Several Members have shared their concerns on this and I appreciate Mr Saktiandi for especially highlighting this aspect of sustainability. Train lines are expensive to build. Take for example, the Thomson-East Coast Line – that costs more than $25 billion to build. That said, capital expenditure is one-time. What worries us more is whether we can afford the operating costs year after year on a long-term basis. This includes manpower, energy, maintenance and renewal of operating assets like trains and signalling systems.”
“Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat will speak more about this. Let me move to land transport, where our long-term challenge is sustainability. There are two aspects of sustainability. The first is environmental. We spoke a lot about it yesterday. I spoke about Electric Vehicles (EVs) but EVs are, at most, a second-best solution. The cleanest and most sustainable way to move is still by mass public transport – buses and trains. In response to Mr Gan Thiam Poh, we want to raise mass public transport modal share during peak hours, from 64% now to 75% by 2030. Over the last 10 years, it has increased almost by 10%. Mr Gerald Giam switched transport modes. So, he helped – a little bit. But every commuter counts. Members have asked about the plans for our public transport system. COVID-19 has delayed our plans. But notwithstanding this, over this decade, we will spend more than $60 billion to expand and renew our rail network and we will open new stations or lines almost every year. Let me do a rundown. Between now and 2025, we will progressively open the rest of the Thomson-East Coast Line. By 2026, we will "close the loop" for the Circle Line between Harbourfront and Marina Bay. By 2029, the Jurong Region Line will be completed. In the 2030s, the Cross-Island Line will open progressively. With all these projects, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network will grow from about 230 km today to 360 km in the early 2030s. In that process, in response to Mr Melvin Yong, many jobs will be created. By then, our network density will be comparable to London and New York City.”
“So, shipping lines urged Singapore, as a major transshipment port, to do something. But to allow crew change in Singapore will expose ourselves to the risk of COVID-19 infections. If we wanted to be absolutely safe, we would have said "no", as many countries had. But that would have turned our backs against the international maritime community. They would have lost faith in us and it would have damaged our standing as a maritime hub. Therefore, together with the industry and unions, we devised rigorous protocols to do crew change safely – repeated testing, quarantine, bubble wrap travel between the vessel and the hotel and the airport, and vice versa. It worked. Today, more than 100,000 crew changes have taken place. Our practice has been held up as an example at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Shipping lines saluted Singapore. It was not without cost. As at end February 2021, we had eight imported cases due to crew change for ocean-going ships – very sorry to the Minister for Health – but none led to community infections. Was it worth it? I acknowledge that opinions differ. For some, they feel that it is more important to eliminate the virus from Singapore altogether. But I think we did the right thing. For a city state like Singapore, the fight against COVID-19 is not about eliminating all risks by isolating ourselves. It is about how to keep our connectivity open, supplies flowing, protecting jobs and our economy while keeping Singapore safe. This is the real challenge of COVID-19 – not all-or-nothing, black-or-white, but the ability to navigate safely in a grey zone. This will not be our last test. The Arctic route, the possibility of a Kra Canal and competition from neighbouring ports will continue to challenge our maritime relevance.”
“Mr Chairman, MOT looks after three connections of Singapore – sea, land and air. In Chinese, we call it "海陆空". The seaport and airport, as I have described before, are like the lungs of the country. They draw in oxygen from the global eco-system, vitalising the rest of the Singapore economy. Land transport is like the arteries and vessels, providing mobility for each of us as we work, live and play across the island. Today, my colleagues and I will update the House on key long-term challenges and developments of our three connections. First, maritime. The fortunes of a port city rise and fall. Singapore suffered over three centuries of oblivion from the start of the 15th century. So, our status as a global transshipment hub today is not a right of birth but an earned and constant struggle for relevance. Fortunately, our maritime sector has been resilient throughout COVID-19. In 2020, last year, container throughput was only 1% lower than 2019, the previous year. So, we are cautiously optimistic that we will have a good year in 2021. But we had to make difficult decisions to get here. One critical decision was crew change. Every day, more than 250 ships call at Singapore to deliver and transship cargo, for bunkering and repairs. While they are here, many ships want to change their crew who have been out at sea for several months. When the pandemic hit, crew change came to a halt because of border restrictions. Seafarers on the vessels cannot disembark and new crew cannot fly in to board the vessels. The shipping community faced a looming humanitarian crisis – hundreds of thousands of seafarers were stuck, stranded on board their work vessels, sometimes for more than a year. That was last year.”
“Since 2015, the Public Transport Council (PTC) has mandated a standardised metered fare structure for taxis which requires operators to publish their booking charges, metered charges per unit distance and surcharges. As for ride-hail trips, under the new point-to-point regulatory framework implemented in October 2020, operators are required to make the trip fare clear to commuters at the point of booking. Operators are also required to publish the quantum of any additional charges that may be levied on top of the trip fare.”
“Thank you. I missed out answering that question. I think we do not rule out any technology. From now to 2030, you can still see more technologies, including battery swapping. But I would say this. From the current trend, it has become quite clear. EV-charging has taken off. The electric train has left the station. So, if you look at whether it is US, Europe, China, they are all going quite big now on electricity charging. Tesla is probably, I believe, the fastest selling EV in the world now and you cannot swap a Tesla battery. It is the entire plate and chassis of the car. So, I think it is something that we can ride on and start to develop the infrastructure. And if you follow my speech just now, we are not going big guns and build a huge infrastructure that can bear the risks of being stranded should technology move. So, if we use existing spare capacity, install last-mile installation charges, I do not think we are at great risk of any stranded technology risk. So, I think it is a no-regrets move based on current trajectory, based on current technological advancement, based on the fact that, in a few years' time, we are going to see parity between EVs that are based on charging, and ICE vehicles.”
“Sorry, Chairman, I just want to add one point. If people start to charge their vehicles at night when we all sleep, it is actually quite welcomed. It is at night that the usage is generally lower. In the day time, there are lots of economic activities. So, if some of these economic activities move to the night, you are charging, actually it smoothens out the generation capacity. It is to be welcomed.”
“So, the right comparison is, compared to paying for diesel and petrol, it is actually a lot more attractive and competitive.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. There was a study done. If let us say, by 2040, the entire vehicle population runs on electricity, and needs to be charged, this is what we call an energy reset. So, instead of every vehicle having a little combustion engine and generating power, you now feed them with electricity and then you generate the power centrally somewhere else. The increase in generation demand is estimated to be about 600 to 1,200 megawatts-peak. That is equivalent to one to two generating units. And one to two generating units are equivalent to 8% to 16% of the current generation power. So, that is what we meant by an energy reset if we move the entire vehicle population to electricity. But it is a much more efficient way of generating power and will reduce carbon emissions. How would that affect electricity prices? We really cannot tell. I do not have a crystal ball. But this is a functioning market. If there is a demand, you will attract plantings, you will attract investments. So long as there are plantings of new generation units, you fundamentally do not change the supply and demand conditions in the market. Of course, there is downstream impact that Mr Leong Mun Wai asked, which is the grid infrastructure. I mentioned just now that so long as we do not insist on fast charging, the upgrade of the infrastructure is towards the last mile, which is not huge. If we can live with slower and overnight charging, it is not a huge investment. And all these services are already happening in Singapore. You do find these charging stations around in Singapore. They buy from the grid, pay grid charges and then add to their installation cost plus their margin, they are able to sell electricity at 39 cents to 50 cents per kilowatt hour.”
“The private sector can provide a solution. There are already a number of EV charging players, such as SP Mobility, Greenlots and Charge+, some of which are prepared to undertake all the upfront installation costs, in return for a period where they can collect charging revenue. So, the right tender specifications and commercial model can get this going. Today, several of such projects already exist. They price charging at about 39 to 50 cents per kilowatt-hour. And this covers cost of electricity, the grid charges, installation cost plus their margins. What does this translate into – 39 to 50 cents per kilowatt-hour translates to about seven to nine cents per km travelled, which I think is competitive and attractive. Mdm Chairman, I have just outlined the key steps we will take to drive EV adoption. In many countries, inter-city driving is common and that causes a lot of anxiety amongst EV users because they are afraid of battery depletion – in middle of a highway, you run out of battery, you are in trouble. But with our urban environment, Singapore is quite ideal as a test-bed for the rapid adoption of EVs. We can be at the forefront of this technology, to advance this significant thrust of the Green Plan.”
“As Mr Lim Biow Chuan and Mr Xie Yao Quan suggested, we plan to make it mandatory for carparks in HDB towns, private residences like condominiums and commercial buildings to cater sufficient electrical capacity to support EV charging and ensure that a minimum number of charging points is installed. But we can only do this for new developments or developments undergoing major changes. As for existing carparks, if they are in public housing estates, public sector agencies, such as HDB or URA, will drive the installation. We will implement this in phased packages, well-spread across the island and we will take a town-centric approach. We aim to have at least seven "EV-Ready Towns" by 2025, where every HDB carpark will be fitted with charging points. They are, in alphabetical order: Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Choa Chu Kang, Jurong West, Punggol, Queenstown and Sembawang. I should really add Tengah. So, there will be eight. By the 2030s, we will strive to make every HDB town an EV-Ready Town. For non-landed private residences, such as condominiums, in fact, mainly condominiums, we will introduce an EV Common Charger Grant to catalyse implementation. This is part of the $30 million allocation announced in the Budget, to kickstart the build-up of EV charging infrastructure. The condominiums will be able to apply for the grant to defray part of the cost of installing a charger, subject to a quantum cap per charger. This will be made available to the first 2,000 chargers installed from July 2021. LTA will release more details. But there is another practical problem which Mr Lim Biow Chuan has mentioned. To install charging points in condominiums, the management corporations (MCSTs) will need to convene general meetings and seek approval, which may not be forthcoming even with the grant.”
“For this mindset shift to happen, we will need to make chargers available and accessible. 1.00 pm The average electric car, now, it has a range of 300-500 km, typically and it is increasing. That should require a typical user to fully charge about once every five days. Not every day. But once every five days. So, charging points will need to be shared, with different drivers charging on different days and at different times, especially in public car parks. That way, we will be able to minimise electrical infrastructure upgrades. We can tap on the spare electrical capacity in all our public carparks and install charging points as quickly as possible. And where the infrastructure supports it or where we decide to selectively upgrade the infrastructure, fast chargers can then be installed. And today, we can already find fast chargers in certain petrol kiosks, shopping malls, industrial and commercial premises. As for fleet operators, P2P operators, for example, and in response to Mr Xie Yao Quan, about 60% of our taxis are already petrol hybrids. Our car fleet operators are committed to 100% cleaner energy fleets by 2040. But unlike typical car users, fleet operators will need fast charging in order to support their business operators. Mr Ang Wei Neng mentioned charging farms. It is not far-fetched. These are issues that Government and fleet operators will need to sit down, discuss and try to work out. But let me say this: fleet operators will need to be prepared to invest in building up the infrastructure to support their operations. They can amortise the investment over many vehicles over many years of operations. Cost of electricity will very likely still work out much cheaper than petrol or diesel now. How do we go about installing charging points? Where do we start?”
“This comprises 40,000 in public carparks and 20,000 in private premises. If we assume one-third of cars are EVs by 2030, this translates into a EV to charging point ratio of about 5:1. And this ratio is better than many public estimates of the optimum ratio, which ranges from 10:1 to 5:1. But we are aiming for 5:1 by 2030. The key to unlocking more charging facilities is to not insist on high-powered, or "fast" charging. Because that would require a major upgrading of almost all the power substations and the grid infrastructure all over Singapore, as envisaged and raised by many Members. It would be costly, time-consuming, stall the development and expansion of charging infrastructure, and severely impede the adoption of EVs. I understand why Members like Mr Ang Wei Neng want charging to be faster. Given a choice, I think we all want charging to be faster. But the cost will be immense. And I think for most drivers, the deterrent to switch to EVs for now is the sheer lack of charging points. We can move much faster in making charging points available if we accept that for most users, instead of high-powered "fast" charging, "slow" or "overnight" charging is actually alright. In US, Europe and Japan, EV users predominantly use slow charging, with fast charging, and they define it as 22 kilowatt and above, estimated to account for 10%-20% of charging demand. So, this requires drivers to change our habits. Drivers are used to a very quick visit to the petrol kiosks, pump, buy a drink and go. And so a mindset shift is required. After all, we are used to patiently charging all our electronic devices whether they are smart phones, smart watches or laptops, while we sleep, or while we are in office doing work. It will be the same for EVs.”