Patrick Tay Teck Guan
Singapore
“Will CPF Board also notify SDS holders with clear anti-scam advisories, whether via SMS or any other means, especially with emerging modus operandi by scammers? This is so that the message reaches them properly and reduces confusion. Mr Speaker, Sir, with these questions, I support the Bill.”
“We are not asking to oppose change but for clarity, contemporaneous communication, equitability and assurance so that impacted workers will not be left behind. In short, a fair and just transition. I hope today's debate helps move us in that right direction. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“I thank the Minister for sharing the response to the Parliamentary Question by the fellow Member of the House. I was wondering, and I think I have brought this up before on previous occasions, whether we can consider stricter penalties against those who do not comply, with this requirement.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have two questions for the Minister for Health. Firstly, the rise in energy and related costs will impact our public healthcare clusters.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the response. I have just one supplementary question for the Ministry of Manpower that in the light of these wage levels of our PMEs, in the course of reviewing some of our existing employment labour laws as well as regulations to factor this in, so that such PMEs are adequately represented,…”
“Stable psychiatric patients often remain at IMH simply because there are no community facilities to receive them. My third question is whether there are plans to develop more custodial care and step-down facilities – sheltered homes, supported living – so that IMH’s beds are reserved for those who need its full clinical expertise?”
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“Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply. I have two supplementary questions. The first supplementary question is whether any of our Ministries, Statutory Boards or any key essential services in the public sector is at a critical manning level, hearing about the attrition earlier. Secondly, what is the baseline work arrangement for the Public Service that is, the Ministries or the Statutory Boards, to ensure that as we move into the endemic state and the new normal, officers continue to have an acceptable level of mental health and wellness?”
“I thank the Minister for his reply and note the sensitivity of some of the information. I have three supplementary questions for the Minister. Firstly, yes, we are aware and we thank MOE for the various mitigation measures to help lighten the stress and mental distress of teachers as well as educators across our educational institutions. The first question is, what are the further concrete steps that MOE can take to reduce further pressures from various stakeholders, non-essential workload and support better work-life harmony, so that teachers and educators can also attend to their loved ones? The second supplementary question is, can I suggest to the Minister that school leaders, especially, set the tone to look after the well-being of teachers, staff and educators in operationalising MOE's policies as well as meeting the schools' expectations? My third supplementary question is, to overcome mental health and well-being issues, can I ask MOE HQ and educational institutions alike to work closely with our teachers as well as with teachers' and education's cluster of unions to better manage this issue on the ground, as we hear it is brewing; and in addition, also partnering the community and building the right societal values, especially as we move and chart the way forward in the next normal?”
“These non-exhaustive lists of examples show us collectively that Singaporeans are agile enough to adapt to various changes and curve balls that the pandemic has thrown at us. As Singapore marches towards the "next normal", I would like to encourage employers to consider how various jobs can be redesigned and re-examined to allow for older workers to continue working. In so doing, companies may consider the relevant skill sets the employees have and their experiences gleaned over the years, to match any needs that the business may have. For instance, if a person was employed in a marketing role, a job redesign could involve not just marketing work to external parties, but possibly internal communications, usage of digital platforms and social media and/or pitching of ideas to senior management. Crucially, older workers may also take on the role of mentoring younger employees. I would like to call on employers not to view older workers as "slow", "backward" or "expensive to hire". Instead, I urge employers to adopt a change in mindset. There is a Chinese saying, “家有一老，如有一宝”. This is loosely translated to mean that having an elder at home can be likened to having a treasure at home. I believe this is also applicable in the work context as well. Older employees have amassed a wealth of experience over the years in their specialised areas of work and it would be our loss if we do not tap on this treasure while still available. There is something about decades of work experience, tenacity, soft skills and accumulated knowledge that cannot be quantified, much less deemed as irrelevant for the purposes of re-employment.”
“Fourth, while the current framework provides flexibility in job negotiations for re-employed employees, we need to safeguard against companies’ exploitations of such flexibilities. Bearing in mind that older workers have performed satisfactorily and been employed in that role over the years, we could require employers to justify in writing, inter alia, any material changes in the re-employment terms of older workers and/or sudden lack of internal vacancies for the said role, when these employees have been employed in that role over the years. This is to avoid a situation whereby companies unilaterally offer significant pay cuts or reduction of employment benefits to the mature worker, under the guise of having re-negotiated the employment terms with the mature worker, while expecting the same standards and deliverables from the mature worker. Further, with the requirement for written justifications on material changes to the employment terms or sudden lack of internal vacancies, the company bears the burden of justifying that such changes are reasonable. The company cannot simply state that the employee rejected its reasonable re-employment offer as a basis for not paying EAP. Fifth, even as we embrace digital transformation, we urge employers to continue training and upgrading older staff to acquire the necessary skills to minimise the digital and tech inequality. Where there are incentives and support schemes, to tap on these support schemes and send older workers for training and skills upgrading. Lastly, through the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen many changes in the work environment. Just to name a few: businesses have pivoted to online platforms, employees have been working from home and international conferences are held online.”
“The findings of the NTUC-SNEF PME Taskforce Report show that mature PMEs are particularly precarious when retrenched during the current downturn due to higher costs of living as they provide for both older and younger dependants; longer time periods taken to find a new job in view of their age and lack of relevant skillsets; and increased propensity to suffer from wage loss on re-entry to employment. PMEs shared that an unemployment income support could provide some breathing space for them to retrain, upgrade their skills and look for suitable employment, while helping to alleviate their anxieties and ensure that those who are unaware of avenues of help do not fall through the cracks. I, therefore, suggest that the Government consider an unemployment income support coupled with active labour market policies for all workers, including mature PMEs, who are involuntarily unemployed, and for the Tripartite Partners to study this carefully in greater detail. Third, the PME Taskforce Report also found that despite being active in their job search and undergoing training, mature PMEs who were retrenched had difficulties in securing a job. To assist mature PMEs, the Government could consider providing a short-term salary support, for example, up to 50% salary funding, capped at S$3,800 per month for six months, for companies who hire mature PMEs who are unemployed, to lower the cost and risk for companies to hire this group of PMEs with relevant skills. If a new company takes on another company’s re-employment obligations, the short-term salary support from the Government would be particularly useful in easing its re-employment obligations with respect to the mature worker transferred.”
“Accordingly, the EAP should not be used as an easy way out to avoid re-employing older workers. Instead, it should only be offered after a thorough review, as a last resort – if the employer cannot find any internal vacancy. To that end, I would like to raise six suggestions for consideration. First, with the increase in median wages and the cost of living in Singapore, it is submitted that the existing one-off payment equivalent to 3.5 months' salary, subject to a minimum of S$5,500 and maximum of S$13,000, needs to be reviewed and increased. If there is a sizeable increase in the minimum and maximum EAP payable, this might serve to deter companies from cursorily reviewing internal vacancies with a view to letting go of older workers. Companies may have a greater incentive to find suitable internal vacancies for older workers to work at and be paid for. If push comes to shove and employers genuinely have no other options but to let go of older workers, at least the increased EAP amount would serve to tide them through a longer period of unemployment. We need to ensure that the EAP sum provided is sufficient. We do not want our older workers to be living from hand to mouth. I, therefore, submit that the Tripartite Partners continue to work at and review the mutually agreed increment in both the minimum and maximum EAP sums, to cater to the increased median wages, changing employment landscape and increased cost of living in Singapore. Second, additional tiers of unemployment income support for Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) who are involuntarily unemployed.”
“Mr Speaker, I rise in support of both Bills. The Retirement and Re-employment (Amendment) Bill seeks to raise the retirement age and re-employment ages in Singapore to 65 years and 70 years respectively by 2030. The first move is to commence from 1 July 2022, increasing the retirement and re-employment ages to 63 and 68 respectively. The Retirement and Re-employment Act came into force in 2012, because of three main factors, namely, a longer life expectancy of the current population, a tightening labour market with a shrinking citizen population and the need for talent management and retention. Today, the abovementioned needs continue to exist and underscore the importance of the Act. Although COVID-19 has challenged the labour market, the Tripartite Partners agree that “the important work to enable older employees to continue working if they are able and willing to do so, must continue.” While I am heartened that the Tripartite Partners remain committed to supporting the re-employment of older workers, I am concerned of more companies not re-employing existing older workers in view of the uneven and uncertain outlook. I know of some companies who have resorted to making payouts under the Employment Assistance Payment, EAP for short, as an easy and cost-efficient way of circumventing their re-employment obligations. Indeed, this situation is in some way exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the life expectancy of individuals increase over the years, together with the mounting pressures on the sandwich generation, it is crucial that we ensure that all older workers who are keen and able to work, can continue to do so, with reasonable adjustments to their re-employment terms.”
“One supplementary question for the Senior Minister of State. On this point on retaliation which the Member brought up, I think it also borders on the issue of workplace harassment. Currently, we have an advisory on managing workplace harassment. I hope the Senior Minister of State, as part of the whole review team, will also look at this topic of workplace harassment to revise and of course update this advisory in light of what is happening in the various workplaces and given the uncertain and uneven outlook.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the sharing. I have one supplementary question. Essentially, the Labour Movement, together with Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), has been engaging more than 10,000 professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) in the past year. One important observation, as the Senior Minister of State rightly pointed out, education is important. But the HR community as well as the employment agents and agency community are two communities which, we feel very strongly, need to be better educated, be given knowledge and awareness of some of these advisories, guidelines, including legislation, particularly, as many of them are from multinational companies and across the globe. So, can I suggest to the Senior Minister of State to pay particular attention to these two groups?”
“These are suggestions we have raised in the past many years and I am glad the Leader of the Opposition has also weighed in on this; and third, strengthening TAFEP to take decisive action against errant employers who pay lip service to the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF). Finally, beyond the above recommendations, it is important for the tripartite partners and our workers, including PMEs, to invest even more in training and skills upgrading. For a start, employers and businesses can partner NTUC and the Labour Movement in this journey. In this age of disruption, digitalisation, transformation and the next normal, the tripartite partners need to stand even more united together to support, enable and ensure our workers stay ready, relevant and resilient: ready with the new skills, relevant to the new jobs and resilient to the new changes. This is so that we can better weather any storms and pivot and transform when curved balls are hurled at us. Mr Speaker, NTUC will continue to champion our workers’ interests to ensure that there must be fairness and zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind at the workplace and a level playing field for our Singaporean PMEs, including mature PMEs. In the same vein, we need to see that they are adequately protected, have access to quality jobs and are equipped with the relevant skills to prepare for the future economy. I, therefore, support the Motion by Minister Lawrence Wong which acknowledges Singaporeans' anxieties and for the Government to take action to manage the population of manpower, ensuring fair treatment of workers by employers and investing in skills upgrading. This will ensure Singaporeans stay employed and employable and their lives and likelihoods are secure and improved.”
“Many union members, workers and PMEs I have spoken to are heartened by the announcements and acknowledged that these are the right steps taken to punish those errant employers and correct discriminative hiring policies and practices. They are positive that this will send a clear message against workplace discrimination and eradicate unfair hiring practices. NTUC will represent the voices of our workers and PMEs, and contribute actively in the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness (TCWF) to look into improving workplace fairness through both legislative and non-legislative options and consider measures to tackle workplace discrimination. Beyond legislation, we will need to continuously raise HR standards, to further enhance our HR practices and capabilities so that practices and processes are more transparent. HR practitioners, especially those in the recruitment functions, play a vital role in ensuring that the companies adhere to the employment legislation and regulations to improve compliance with fair employment practices. They are also the advocates for the recruitment of Singaporeans in positions within their companies. It is, therefore, important we move towards increasing certification and accreditation of HR practitioners, as well as providing shared HR services for SMEs. We will also continue to surface recommendations to strengthen the Singaporean Core and this will include: first, enhancing the EP application review process by considering a range of factors beyond the individual applicant’s education, qualification and salary; second, facilitating skills transfer from foreign specialists to local PMEs through skills transfer programmes.”
“The reason why some of our workers experience discrimination is not due to foreign competition, but due to a small proportion of egregious companies and employers who are out to exploit the system. While we take cognisance that many measures and policies, including the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP), the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF), Triple Weak Scrutiny, tightening of requirements for S Pass and EPs, including the formation of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) and so on, had been put in place over the years to minimise unfair hiring and workplace practices. I am glad to know that we are constantly asking ourselves what more needs to be done to weed out the small proportion of egregious companies out to exploit the system. We need to look at ways to ensure that local PMEs receive fair opportunities and treatment while maintaining competitiveness in the economy. On this note and for these very facts and circumstances, I, therefore, cannot accept the Motion standing in the name of Non-Constituency Member Mr Leong Mun Wai. I am glad that the Government has responded to our advocacy efforts and calls with the setting up of the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day Rally addressed and updated that we will look at fair employment guidelines becoming law and the set-up of a new tribunal to address workplace discrimination by those few black sheep. These are big and bold moves, and I think it is important for us to spend time engaging the tripartite partners and stakeholders before implementation.”
“PMEs are most concerned with the lack of job security amidst this outlook, and their need for more support in employment and training opportunities. This is especially so as the Singapore economy continues to experience ripple effects and challenges of the COVID-19 situation and other factors like technological advances and digitalisation. These challenges seem to impact our mature PMEs aged between 40 and 60 more, as they attributed their age as the key reason for their plight. Mature PMEs have voiced concerns about displacement, disruption and the issue of competition in a globalised and fast-changing economy. Fortunately, anecdotes from PMEs who shared how they have encountered instances of EP holders being employed for jobs that Singaporeans can take on are a minority and confined to certain sectors and companies, and not widespread. In the converse, I also hear of positive sharing of human resource (HR) practitioners and employers taking great pains and significant efforts to convince their overseas headquarters to consider and recruit Singaporeans for positions in the region and in Singapore. I sincerely thank these HR practitioners and enlightened employers for believing in Singaporeans and doing their part to ensure that Singaporeans have a fair chance and shot at job opportunities. In our engagements, our PMEs understand the need for a foreign workforce to complement the local workforce. They do not advocate the closing of borders to foreigners, but they want resolute actions taken against employers who are recalcitrant in their hiring policies, to protect our locals from discrimination. They also hope to pick up the in-demand skills to take on the new jobs.”
“Real average wage growth at the overall economy level depends on three factors, namely, labour productivity growth, growth in labour's terms of trade and growth in the labour share of output. Mr Speaker, Sir, NTUC and the Labour Movement, as a symbiotic partner, is fully cognisant that Singapore has to stay open as a business hub and keep pace with the global competition. We agree and support our national operating philosophy to grow the cake so that we have a bigger slice and piece all around. In the same vein, we value and support tripartism, inclusive growth and working together with the Government to ensure we continue to strengthen the Singaporean Core. I have been a strong advocate of strengthening the Singaporean Core and robust policies in this space since 2011, just like many of my fellow Labour Members of Parliament and PAP Members of Parliament in this House. And I am heartened that in my past 10 years of lobbying, many of these measures from advisories, guidelines, policies, programmes, regulations, have been put in place by MOM, with strong support of our tripartite partners and even our economic agencies such as the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Economic Development Board to better protect and support our Singaporean workforce and provide them with a fair and level playing field in the job market. I, therefore, disagree with hon Member Mr Leong Mun Wai's Motion, which suggests no concrete action has been taken. Through the NTUC-SNEF PME taskforce engagements, we have heard ground sentiments on a plethora of issues and challenges faced by Singaporean PMEs, more than 9,000 of them, all Singaporeans, in the past eight months.”
“I am concerned about some of the points and assertions made by hon Member Mr Leong Mun Wai earlier. I wanted to make some comments. First, in relation to work passes, he had suggested that we raise the EP qualifying salaries from the current $4,500 to $10,000, and for S Passes to be raised from $2,500 to $4,500. I am not sure whether Mr Leong is aware of the ground sentiments on this both from employers and workers. My union leaders have shared with me, to handle this raising in a carefully considered manner. Why? Each time the S Pass rates, which apply to foreigners, are raised, Singaporeans who are working alongside these pass holders and doing the same job, may not always get the immediate percentage increases at the same time, which is why it has to be done incrementally and carefully in a considered manner. Second, let me also state that we also have a significant number of S Pass and EP holders in the healthcare and essential services sectors, looking after all of us and fighting alongside us in this pandemic. Many of them are my fellow union members as well. A suggested sharp curb of S Passes and EPs in these sectors as well as in many of these essential services must also be handled with care. Third, Mr Leong attributed the 80,000 PRs given at the height of immigration all to work pass holders. I hope Mr Leong is aware Singaporeans also marry foreigners and apply permanent residency for them. Member Ms Hazel Poa earlier suggested that we should squeeze out more foreigners, create an even tighter labour market, and this will result in median wages going up. I think this may be a too simplistic analysis. Tighter labour market alone, by removing all foreign PMETs, does not necessarily result in higher median wages.”
“Instead of viewing creatives as "difficult" to work with, why not view them as partners embarking on a joint project? Instead of gunning for the lowest price possible, why not consider the years of experience and expertise which justify their fees? Instead of imposing regimental requirements on them with no room for manoeuvring, why not consider flexible arrangements which are mutually beneficial? Mr Speaker, Sir, this House would know the dire situation that our freelancers are in. With the circuit breaker measures that were implemented last year, together with the existing restrictions on social gatherings, the events and performing arts sector, including getai, has almost come to a standstill. Our freelancers have taken a great hit in this pandemic. All we are asking for is that the Government and other service buyers treat our freelancers fairly, to give them an opportunity at earning a decent keep because every worker matters. While the amendments to the Copyright Act will improve the lives of freelancers, it is humbly submitted that more can and should be done for them. Let us continue to work together for a brighter future for our freelancers and a brighter future for Singapore. Sir, clarifications notwithstanding, I stand in support of the Bill. 3.52 pm”
“" In this regard, it is humbly submitted that educating the public on easy and fuss-free methods of compliance with would help Singapore retain its position as an IP hub. A one-stop publishing house dealing with all the IP rights would also be useful. Another aspect of education involves educating the service buyers. As highlighted earlier, some of these onerous clauses are terms "copied-and-pasted" across many contracts and thus regarded as the "norm". As some of the service buyers are not legally trained, they are therefore averse to any amendments. Accordingly, a basic course and guide on contract principles may be useful so that once service buyers are aware of their rights and implications, they would be less resistant towards contract negotiations. And where reasonable, they would be inclined to agree to it, which would expedite matters. Finally, increased outreach efforts to create awareness of the amendments so that creatives and freelancers are aware of their rights. MinLaw and IPOS may consider producing quick reference guides, infographics and a list of FAQs and/or webinars for creators. Developing a set of precedent clauses for the creatives' use in their contracts with service buyers would certainly be helpful too. On NTUC's Labour Movement's end, together with IPOS and Law Society Pro Bono Services (BPSO), we will be conducting a LawWorks legal primer covering this set of copyright amendments in October to educate freelancers on it and address any questions that they may have. And finally, the third E relates to enlightening the service buyers. This is perhaps the most difficult of the three solutions, as it requires a fundamental paradigm shift on the service buyers' part.”
“First, for the public sector to take the lead to roll out these amendments and observe the changes, in other words, to lead by example. While we understand that watertight contracts are needed to safeguard the Government's rights, we would humbly ask that the Government exercise flexibility and compassion towards the freelancers, especially in this COVID-19 season. Where possible, to allow them to retain default ownership over the commissioned works and not have it varied by contract. Perhaps, a licence could be considered, with the scope of the licence to be negotiated between parties. Otherwise, the intended benefits of the amendments may be nullified. Where reasonable, to accede to their requests for less onerous contractual terms. For instance, limiting the number of revisions to be made by the freelancer before the project is deemed as "completed" and/or implementing interim payment milestones to ease their financial constraints. And it is hoped that when the public sector leads by example, the private sector will follow suit too. Educating the public. Second, we need to do more to educate the public. In one of my dialogues with a freelance professional, he explained that in the course of his work, he had to obtain various licences and permits from seven different publishing houses to use and perform a particular performance. He told me that it was an administrative hassle determining who he had to liaise with, especially since each publishing house owned different rights over that single performance. In his words, I quote, "It is not that we do not want to comply, We want to comply, we really do, but we do not know how to! It is too confusing.”
“Some may be deterred from instituting proceedings for a breach, due to prohibitive legal costs and difficulties navigating the legal system. This problem may be further exacerbated in situations where users of the works are located outside of Singapore, which presents extra-territorial jurisdictional issues. We need to ensure that any legal recourse available is accessible, affordable and expedient in rooting out such unwanted behaviour. Service buyers re-use and/or republish the content/performance of creators on various digital platforms on multiple occasions, despite only paying for a single performance. Creativity is a bedrock of inventions and creators the builders of an innovative society. Prior to the pandemic, freelance performers were paid for each of their "live" performances. However, in today's context where most events are held digitally, service buyers have also resorted to publishing and/or screening these performances and recordings on multiple platforms, on various occasions to different audiences. This would mean that freelancers are only paid once for their recorded performances when they would have been paid multiple times for their performances in a pre-pandemic era. Such practices would stifle innovation and creativity, to the detriment of our society. In this respect, what more can be done to protect the lives and livelihoods of our freelancers? I have a couple of suggestions. And to that end, I would like to suggest some solutions for consideration. These solutions may be summarised using what I call the three "Es". First E, exemplification by the public sector; second E, educating the public, service buyers and freelancers; and the third E, enlightening the service buyers.”
“First, if the Government requires freelancers to make an unlimited number of revisions to the product, they will have less time and energy for other projects. Correspondingly, this would mean less income for them too. Second, payment only upon completion and delivery of the products would mean living within tight financial constraints. This problem is exacerbated by freelancers bearing all upfront costs associated with procurement of all materials and expenses required for the project. Third, I am told that once the IP rights of the materials or contents have been wholly assigned to the Government, upon expiry of the contract, the Government continues to re-use and replicate the same set of materials multiple times over the years, without engaging freelancers for their subsequent services over the years. Instead, Government employees are instructed to use such content or material prepared by the freelancers, for cost-saving purposes. Quite apart from the onerous contractual obligations that freelancers must shoulder, a culture of fear is also perpetuated by various agencies. Freelancers are concerned that these onerous clauses are being replicated across multiple agencies and tenders. As these onerous terms are seen as the "norm" within many of these Government contracts, freelancers face significant resistance each time they attempt negotiations. If they broach this issue, there is a real fear that they will be "blacklisted" for future Government tenders. Second, enforcement issues associated with the amendments. There may be practical difficulties associated with enforcing the right of attribution, especially if multiple parties refuse to attribute the creator.”
“Should the service buyers wish to own the IP rights, they would have to negotiate with the creators for the same, which would typically involve a higher payment in exchange for the assignment of IP rights. While the Bill is no doubt commendable, I would like to highlight the existing challenges that freelancers face in the realm of contract negotiations and IP rights. First, the lack of bargaining power in negotiations with service buyers. The changes will benefit creatives; there is no question about that. However, the reality remains that there exists a power asymmetry between the creators and freelancers as individuals and companies as service buyers. A common gripe amongst creators is that service buyers adopt a "take it or leave it approach". As a result, they are unable to meaningfully negotiate without being seen as difficult, for fear that the work will be awarded to someone who is more compliant. In other situations, service buyers may drive a hard bargain, forcing creators to accept lower fees for their services. The power asymmetry between parties is particularly acute in Government contracts. Feedback from freelancers I met are that Government contracts contain overly onerous clauses, for which the Government is reluctant to compromise on. I will share some of the clauses which freelancers are uncomfortable with, namely, the Government’s right to require freelancers to make an unlimited number of revisions or changes to the product(s); payment by the Government only upon completion and delivery of products and/or services; and complete assignment of all IP rights associated with the products to the Government. Let me explain the practical implications of such clauses.”
“The issue of creator’s rights also came up at that dialogue then, and the freelancers and us in the Labour Movement lobbied for a change in the Copyright Act to better protect creator’s IP. With today's amendments, I would like to express my appreciation to the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) and MinLaw for developing this set of legislative amendments. This is a product of countless consultation sessions over the past years between NTUC, the Government and our freelancers. Like they say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Having achieved some success in this lobbying front, we are spurred and encouraged to do more. We remain deeply committed towards improving the lives and livelihoods of our freelancers and freelance professionals. Moving on to the details of the Bill, I will focus on two key changes. First, granting creators and performers the right to be attributed and identified whenever their works or performances are used in public; and second, granting creators default ownership of certain types of commissioned works. I applaud the amendments, as they augur well for the creators. With a plethora of content easily available and accessible to all, proper attribution of work will ensure creators are duly recognised for their creative work. Apart from spurring creativity within the community, creators would also be in a better position to commercialise their works for future assignments. In addition, by granting creators default ownership of certain types of commissioned works, they would be in a better bargaining position before negotiations begin. This serves to level the playing field, in part, considering that service buyers, such as multinationals and companies, usually have an edge over individual freelancers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill, which seeks to amend the Copyright Act. The amendments will cement and continue to strengthen Singapore’s world-class IP regime. At the same time, it will also provide enhanced protection to creators. The rapid technological advancements accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic have altered the landscape for creatives. Today, almost anyone and everyone can be both a creator and/or a user of copyrighted materials. Accordingly, the amendments are a timely move to cater to this changing sphere. In my work in NTUC and the Labour Movement, I have had the opportunity to interact closely with various associations, freelancers and creatives. In the past years including recently, NTUC has organised face-to-face sessions with them to better understand, empathise and assist with ground issues and concerns. Apart from ground engagement with freelancers, we also hold regular legal primers under our LawWorks collaboration with the Law Society Pro Bono Services Office and have been doing so since eight years ago. These legal talks are aimed at distilling and providing solutions to legal issues faced by freelancers. Just two months ago, we conducted a legal primer titled "Freelancing in the New Normal" which addressed, amongst others, common IP questions they had. Recurrent questions include whether they own the rights to the virtual content produced, how contractual clauses may alter the position and how they may best protect their rights. I recall vividly some seven years ago when NTUC arranged an engagement cum dialogue session between the Professional Photographers Association of Singapore and the Minister for Law at NTUC Centre. The freelance photographers raised PDPA issues and challenges with PDPC, and which were eventually resolved.”
“I have two supplementary questions for the Minister. Firstly, what is the extent of integration between YNC and NUS today, and how would this change with the merger? Second, the Minister mentioned that costs were a relevant consideration but not the main motivation for the merger. Can the Minister elaborate on how the financial sustainability was factored into this consideration and how the New College would be made more financially sustainable?”
“An often-forgotten group will be the VSC officers who are civilian volunteers, who also dedicate their personal time to serve and patrol alongside our SPF officers on the ground. In the last 10 years as a Member of Parliament, I have had the chance to also partner and work with the SPF line units to see to the safety and security of the constituency and our residents. With strong community engagement and partnership, the Police has responded to various incidents from crime cases to handling major accidents and incidents to keep the peace in our towns and estates. They also partner with the grassroots and community to effectively prevent and detect crime. These days, with a more digitalised and virtual operating environment, SPF has also reinvented and innovated to keep pace with new forms of online crimes and scams. To conclude, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks, appreciation, respect and honour to the many members of SPF, past and present, young and not so young, enlisting, entering or have retired or left us, NS or regular or VSC, Uniformed or Non-Uniformed, including the many families, wives, children, parents and loved ones of each of them for their dedicated service, working tirelessly, upholding the law, often putting their lives at risk and at stake to nation building and to keeping Singapore one of the safest countries in the world. The work of SPF will continue, and if I may use my favourite quotation from George Orwell: "People sleep peaceably at night because rough men" – well, and women – "stand ready to do battle on their behalf." Happy SPF 200. [Applause.]”
“I recall those memorable days when he hunted down the criminals, and my team and I had to storm and arrest the criminals. Those were really memorable days. This draws me to then appreciate and thank all the past and present officers who have served in our specialist units within SPF, from officers of the Special Operations Command, such as those in the well-known red-coloured vehicles colloquially known as the "ang chia", including the STAR unit which handles high-risk and highly armed criminals and criminal hostage situations, and the little known but important SPF K-9 unit to provide specialised capabilities for a whole host of tracking, detection and support to prevent and detect crime. Other specialist units to make special mention are the Police Security Command, Police Coast Guard, Protective Security Command, Operations Command Centre, Public Transport Security Command, Airport Police, Traffic Police, Training Command, School of Criminal Investigation and the Gurkha contingent. Oftentimes, their work may go unnoticed but I can assure you these units are highly trained and provide SPF with specialised tactical support and the highest armed response, a plethora of operational capabilities, and operational readiness to stand ready for the unexpected and overcome any unplanned contingencies. During my 30s, after leaving SPF, I was in active service as a NSman in the Police Training Command. I met and interacted with many SPF NSmen during my annual recall for about a decade. I want to, therefore, use this opportunity to thank and appreciate them and their families and employers, as they complement and support SPF especially during major national events, critical operations and deployments.”
“As someone fresh from school, these six years have left a lasting impression on my life, my values and impacted me in more ways than one. I spent four of these six years with the Special Tactics and Rescue or STAR unit, a little known and highly secretive and clandestine unit within the SPF's Special Operations Command. During my service with the STAR unit, I had the honour to work and train with officers in the STAR unit, and almost all the specialist units within SPF. I cannot divulge more of the highly secretive, dangerous and risky training and operations which these units have been involved in, but you can watch subtle snippets of it in archived episodes of Crimewatch. I know many of my fellow officers put our lives at risk undergoing very intense, gruelling training in the operations. In fact, not just putting their lives at risk but also affecting lots of family life and time with family. Two very impressionable ones were when I had to stand my wife up in the midst of a midnight movie, because I had a pager call for an activation. Another time, over a dinner date, I had to walk out in the middle of the dinner; both for important criminal operations. I think the efforts and contributions of our SPF cannot be understated. In fact, in the course of my career in SPF, there were a few officers who left a very lasting impression on me; both whom I reported to and worked with: Mr Lim Soo Gee, then Commander, Special Operations Command, and Director Operations SPF then, Mr Leo Yip, as well as current Commissioner of Police, Hoong Wee Teck, whom we used to, in colloquial terms, "chiong sua" together, when he was then AD Major Crime of the Criminal Investigation Department.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion. In the past five decades, since as a little boy, I have had the honour of seeing, witnessing, working in, serving in and partnering many in the Singapore Police Force. During the first 10 years of my life, my late cousin, who lived with me, served in SPF in Team Policing and in Criminal Investigations. I saw for myself, as a young boy, the dedication and service to the nation of our Police officers. Oftentimes, the work involves long shifts, sudden recalls and chasing criminals until they are apprehended. He rose through the ranks as a Constable to a senior Police officer before he retired from SPF. Through him, I saw how every Police officer, regardless of rank, unit or type of work, plays an important role in ensuring the safety and security of our country. During the second 10 years of my life, my encounter with SPF came in the form of my extra-curricular activity in school in the National Police Cadet Corp (NPCC) for four years from Secondary 1 to Secondary 4. Little known, the NPCC under the auspices of SPF, commemorating their 62nd anniversary this year, has impacted many youths and young people like me. Besides having the opportunity to fire a 0.22 Smith & Wesson Revolver, the NPCC imparted many useful experiences, knowledge and life skills to many young people and youths. I was at their 62nd virtual anniversary celebrations on 7 May this year and want to congratulate the NPCC movement and everyone who has been and is part of this movement for leaving an indelible mark on many who have been through the NPCC journey in Singapore. During the third 10 years of my life, in my 20s, I spent six years of it with the SPF as a full-time Police officer.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am a father of three children, one in Primary school, one in secondary school and one in junior college. And I have also spent considerable time with the staff and students in River Valley High School in my last five years as the Member of Parliament for Boon Lay constituency. My heart really goes out to the affected families as well as the staff and the students. As what the Minister has mentioned earlier, the response by the River Valley High School community in the face of this adversity has been commendable. In the face of this tragic incident, teachers, school leaders, staff, including parents and alumni, deserve our full support and encouragement. I have a few questions for the Minister. Firstly, whether any aspects of the incident management could have been improved upon and should we not have called for a time-out, such as in the SAF or in the workplaces, when such incidents happen. Second, in light of this incident, whether MOE will take cognisance of students who are patients at IMH or even various public sector child guidance clinics, including those seeking psychiatric treatment, for example, at private hospitals and clinics, so that the educators will be sensitised and better prepared to support and prevent trigger events? Thirdly, whether MOE can consider doing regular surveys with students at all levels to assess their stress levels and also the challenges they face growing up and, especially, if they are depressed?”
“(In English): Mdm Deputy Speaker, the Labour Movement has consistently advocated for a stronger Singaporean Core and will continue to champion for our workers' interests to ensure that there must be fairness and zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind. It is ever more critical for us to ensure that Singaporeans are considered and treated fairly, especially in the current economic and employment climate. In the same vein, we will continue to collaborate with our tripartite partners to nurture and develop our workers through training and skills transfer so that they will benefit from better careers and development opportunities in a progressive work environment.”
“We can incorporate a point system, factoring in: one, support from sectoral tripartite expert committee; two, whether the employer has been investing in hiring and developing local workers; and three, diversity of nationalities. The point system will then be used to evaluate and approve the EP application. Finally, we need to ensure that locals have fair access to PME roles and progression opportunities to improve localisation of jobs in high growth sectors. We must ensure concerted, structured, institutionalised and mandatory skills and knowledge transfer from these foreign PMEs to our local PMEs within a stipulated and agreed time frame in the spirit of complementarity. Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Faced with the triple challenges posed by industry transformation, digitalisation and COVID-19, our PMEs are worried about employment and job competition. I urge that we strengthen relevant measures, policies and legislations to build a workforce with a Singaporean Core. First, we should have stronger enforcement and tougher penalties for errant employers and give TAFEP more teeth in investigation, enforcement and meting out penalties against these employers. Second, we can strengthen fair employment through improving HR standards. Third, we should also enhance the EP application process, looking beyond the education qualification and salary of the applicants. Finally, we need to ensure that local PMEs are given fair opportunities and treatment in job search and career development.”
“We must further develop our local workforce's capabilities and protect our locals from being unfairly discriminated against. Our local PMEs are unhappy when many of the roles which they can undertake and do are instead taken up by foreign PMEs. It is important to recognise the role that foreign manpower plays, which is to complement and enhance the capabilities of the local workforce and not to replace it. I would like to put forth some proposals. First, we can enhance fair hiring practices through: one, improving our HR standards and practices to ensure that companies are equipped with adequate knowledge of employment legislation and regulations to improve compliance with fair employment practices; and two, strengthening enforcement and imposing stiffer penalties for errant companies with discriminatory hiring practices. Besides reviewing and publishing the "triple weak" watchlist which MOM and Tripartite Alliance Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) maintain, I submit that MOM should review the existing legal and policy framework and give TAFEP more teeth and bite through legislating expanded powers of investigation, enforcement and punishment against companies, employers and even individuals who discriminate in an employment context. This will then send a clear message against workplace discrimination and eradicate unfair hiring practices, whether it is with respect to age, gender, marital status, nationality, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation and so on. Second, we can level the playing field for local PMEs by enhancing the EP application review process to move beyond looking at the individual applicant's educational qualification and salary.”
“In our recent survey of 1,000 mature PMEs aged 40 and above, about one in two of them said that the tightening of the employment pass quota in sectors which have weak hiring practices of Singaporeans will help to protect their jobs. While the Government had implemented several changes to the foreign manpower policies over the past years, many PMEs feel that the policy tweaks are insufficient to curb unfair competition as there are still companies that continue to engage in unacceptable practices. Some PMEs view the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) job advertisement requirement as mere window dressing as employers may already have a foreign candidate in mind when they post their job advertisements. In addition, many PMEs opined that there is currently no proper framework for the transfer of knowledge for roles which employers claim in which there are skill shortages. One of the PMEs shared with me on how he had received a job offer from an IT company with unfair terms and conditions, such as having to pay for damages, including incremental cost of finding replacement and other associated costs like advertisement and consultant fees in the event of his resignation. He believed that this is an underhand tactic by the company to eventually inform the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) that they had offered the job to Singaporeans but none accepted it so that they are able to hire an Employment Pass (EP) holder. I am heartened that in my past 10 years of lobbying and advocating for a stronger Singaporean Core that many measures have been put in place to support and protect our Singaporean PMEs and provide them with a fair and level playing field in the job market. That said, more needs to be done to strengthen the Singaporean Core.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, in the last Parliament session, I had shared my views and suggestions on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and the impact to our Singaporean professionals, managers and executives (PMEs). The Labour Movement acknowledges the need for FTAs in this age of globalisation but we too recognise the need to support our local workforce's aspirations and to address their concerns and anxieties. The economic disruption brought about by COVID-19 has amplified the fears and anxieties of Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs), particularly on the increased competition for jobs and employment. Mature PMEs are especially impacted and vulnerable in this recession. We will therefore need to take further steps to strengthen the Singaporean Core by levelling the playing field for our Singaporean PMEs and ensuring fairness whether in terms of hiring opportunities and practices in the course of employment or when the employment relationship is terminated. Co-chairing the NTUC PME task force, we have engaged more than 9,000 the last six months. I can feel the fears and anxieties of our local PMEs, especially over job security. Besides ground sentiments on intense competition from the influx of foreign PMEs, I have a compendium of anecdotes of unfair employment practices by employers who favour hiring foreigners and discriminate against our locals. Just last Thursday, one mature PME who used to be from the financial sector and is now with one of our institutes of higher learning (IHLs) wrote to me an email to share how he witnessed first-hand discriminatory practices at the workplace, resulting in a fellow mature local PME being displaced.”
“Pay close watch to economic competition and competitors, keep pace with the changing demographic profile and the future of work, and stay in touch with the pulse and heartbeat of Singaporeans, their stresses, aspirations, interests and well-being because every worker matters.”
“I have previously submitted in this House on revealing or publishing the "triple weak" watchlist which MOM and TAFEP maintain, so that the potential reputational loss would serve as a deterrence. We should not allow the few black sheep to weaken our entire working structure. I further submit that MOM should consider giving TAFEP even more teeth and bite through expanded powers of investigation, enforcement and to even mete out punishment. Second, we can level the playing field for local PMEs by enhancing the EP application review process to move beyond looking at the individual applicant's educational qualifications and salary, and pay close watch to sectors with a particular imbalance. Finally, we need to ensure that locals have fair access to PME roles and progression opportunities to improve localisation of jobs in high growth sectors. As I have lobbied before in this House, it is imperative that we ensure concerted, structured, institutionalised and mandatory skills and knowledge transfer from these foreign PMEs to our local PMEs within a stipulated and agreed timeframe, as employers bring in foreign PMEs to fill skills or knowledge gaps in their current workforce. This will help to develop a pipeline of local talent. At the same time, we will also need to build our leadership bench strength to ensure that Singaporeans can benefit and take up leadership roles in multinational corporations that we bring into Singapore. To sum up, to say that we have found the silver bullet or antidote will not be an easy one as it is a treadmill journey. We need to constantly watch our step, keep pace and stay in touch with the pulse.”
“We even set up the Employment Claims Tribunal, Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) as well as the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM), and issued many tripartite advisories, standards and guidelines to strengthen the Singaporean Core. I am heartened that in these past 10 years of lobbying and advocating for a stronger Singaporean Core, many of these measures have been put in place, as shared by Minister Tan See Leng earlier, with the support of our tripartite partners and other economic agencies, such as MAS and EDB, to better support and protect our Singaporean workforce and provide them with a fair and level playing field in the job market. In fact, less than a year ago, in the midst of the pandemic and worsening of the economy, the Labour Movement lobbied, and the tripartite partners created and updated the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment with key principles on fair retrenchment which provides added safeguards to preserve our Singaporean Core in our companies during retrenchment exercises. That said, more needs to be done to strengthen the Singaporean Core, further develop our local workforce's capabilities and protect our locals from being unfairly discriminated. It is important to recognise the role that foreign manpower plays, which is to complement and enhance the capabilities of the local workforce and not to replace or displace it. In this vein, I would like to put forth some proposals to the Minister that aim to address fairness and localisation of PME jobs. First, we can enhance fair hiring practices through strengthening enforcement and imposing stiffer penalties for errant companies with discriminatory hiring practices.”
“PMEs I spoke to acknowledge the need for FTAs and foreign manpower in this age of globalisation, global competition and economic survival and success, but we must recognise the need to support our local workforce's aspirations and to address their concerns and anxieties. One Singaporean PME who is an Asia Pacific Sales Director, as well as many other PMEs in those sectors with a higher proportion of foreign PMEs, such as the financial, ICT and professional services sectors, shared with me that we should not allow the import of non-specialised and non-highly skilled foreign manpower to compete against Singaporeans for well-paying jobs which many Singaporeans can do. I think this principle of complementarity and not direct competition is an important concept which we need to continue to embrace and strengthen. In other words, we will need to strike a balance between being open and having a level playing field for our locals with fair opportunities and fair treatment. This balance is not easy to achieve and is going to be an evolving process. Together with fellow Labour and PAP Members of Parliaments, I have been speaking and lobbying on this important area in and outside of this House the past decade to ensure fairness, equity and levelling the playing field, especially for our Singaporean PMEs. Since 2011, I have been pushing for stronger enforcement against employers who discriminate against or unfairly treat Singaporean PMEs, a foreign PME dependency ratio, labour market testing which subsequently came in the form of the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF), the National Jobs Bank as well as many other policy measures, from Employment Pass qualifying salaries to regular tightening of the FCF and the prosecution of companies who are recalcitrant.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank both Ministers for their Statements and wish to provide my comments, clarifications and suggestions on this sensitive and important topic which concerns Singaporean workers, especially our Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs). I co-chair the NTUC-SNEF PME Taskforce set up by NTUC last year to look into the concerns of PMEs and to flesh out a set of recommendations later this year in relation to employment and employability of PMEs in Singapore. In the past six months, we have surveyed and engaged, through more than 15 focus group sessions, about 8,000 PMEs to better understand their concerns, fears and anxieties and ideate proposals to overcome them. We have heard ground sentiments on a plethora of issues and challenges faced by Singaporean PMEs. At the top of their mind is job security amidst this COVID-19 pandemic. One concern, amongst others, which was surfaced is the intense competition from the influx of foreign manpower and anecdotes of unfair employment practices by employers who favour hiring foreigners and discriminate against our locals. Some PMEs shared with us their personal experiences of foreign hiring managers bringing in co-workers of the same nationality while others have shared about disguised discriminatory practices at work where they felt ostracised when their foreign colleagues, who form a majority of the team, communicate in their native language at work and through the unfair allocation of off-days given to their foreign colleagues during public holidays by their supervisors of the same nationality. While it is clear only a minority engages in such unacceptable practices, the concerns are legitimate and we should not ignore them.”
“I am concerned for those who do not make their LPAs before losing mental capacity and their families and loved ones must now apply for deputyship with the Courts, which is a costly, time-consuming and cumbersome process, which quite a number of Members of this House have probably highlighted. Would MSF be making any further changes to simplify the existing procedure, which would save time, costs and energy for all of us? I note that there is a simplified application process for restricted use of monies of S$60,000 and below for certain categories of applications. Further, the amendments propose to allow the Public Guardian, in case of suspected fraud, to disclose to a donor that his prospective donee is already a donee to multiple donors. Does this disclosure obligation apply across the board? Or would there be certain exemptions, for instance, where the appointed donee is either a next-of-kin, close relative, or friend of the multiple donors? Also, if the authorities suspect that fraud has been perpetrated, what will happen to all LPAs registered after the amendments have been passed? Sir, clarifications and concerns notwithstanding, I stand in support of this Bill. 6.25 pm”
“For a start, perhaps a special campaign can be embarked on to get all our union leaders to do up an LPA at a subsidised rate so that they can lead the way to encourage the workers and fellow members as they interact and engage them at the workplaces and the various shop floors. Second is extending support at the local level and the needy. Over in my Pioneer constituency, my community volunteer team and I had also organised and conducted a Facebook live webinar in October last year on "Wills, Estate Planning and Lasting Power of Attorney" to educate our residents on this very important topic. We collaborated with Invictus Legacy centre to extend a very economical and affordable package to all Pioneer residents when they do up both an LPA and a simple Will, to the end of this year. This was well-received by my residents and many of them shared that this was a useful and practical. As of earlier this year, I know more than 300 residents have done up their LPAs in response to this special package and service for our residents. I recalled also doing a similar drive during my last term in Boon Lay constituency where we also extended a special package, but this time to the many needy and low-income residents there staying in rental flats. With this, I submit and suggest that OPG can work with the community and come up with a similar support scheme to assist low-income and needy residents to do up their LPAs. Besides waiver of the registration fee, which is a good move, support can come in the form of waiving or even subsidising the certificate issuer charges. There can also be proper benchmarks as now, there is a spectrum of charges imposed by Certificate Issuers depending on whether it is done through a lawyer, doctor or psychiatrist. Third is deputyship.”
“Even as the majority of Singapore rides the rapid waves of change in the digital sphere and we are moving forward in this space, I wish to highlight three concerns which I hope to see addressed we embark on this set of amendments. First, expanding outreach and communications. My wife and I did our LPA earlier this year and I must say the process is not a simple one. You need to read the fine print and there are quite a number of signatures and quite a number of documents and forms to go through. My first concern is with the seniors amongst us and whether the electronic process will be a boon or a bane to them as there are many who may not be electronically savvy and comfortable with the e-processes and may result in us losing out this group which are precisely the ones who need to make their LPAs most urgently, in case they lose their mental faculties with the passing of time and age. The question we need to address is how the electronic process will help or encourage seniors to do up the LPA? Will the system be multilingual as well and void of legalese? I understand that the Office of Public Guardian has plans to work with the People's Association, the Infocomm Media Development Authority and other organisations to train and assist elderly persons. This is a step in the right direction to evangelise the importance of the LPA. In addition, the Office of Public Guardian can also partner with NTUC and the Labour Movement as well as our union leaders to enhance the outreach to workers and union members.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill, which seeks to enable the digitalisation of the Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs), filing of deputyship reports, as well as enhance the protection of donors and persons who lack mental capacity. The LPA is a legal instrument which allows a person, the "donor", to voluntarily appoint one or more persons, the "donee", to make decisions and act on his behalf when he loses mental capacity one day. There are three key steps under the existing process. First, the donor must choose someone he or she trusts to make decisions and decide on the decision powers to accord to the donee. If there is more than one donee, the donor must also decide whether the donees are to act jointly, or jointly and severally. Second, the donor must attend before a Certificate Issuer, that is, a doctor, lawyer or psychiatrist, with the LPA, who will then sign and certify that the donor has mental capacity to make an LPA. This is a crucial safeguard in ensuring that the donor is aware of the legal implications and has not been under duress or undue pressure in the creation of the LPA. Third, the donor must submit the LPA and all relevant documents to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) by post. The OPG will then verify the documents and proceed to register the LPA if there are no valid objections. We are living in an era where almost anything and everything is digitalised. It also means things are done even faster, smarter, easier and safer, especially with a low touch economy. Accordingly, the proposed amendments which seek to establish an electronic transaction system for persons to create an LPA or carry out their transactions with the Office of Public Guardian digitally, is a timely and laudable move.”
“From an employment perspective, while I am confident that the Network will make the jobs of our postmen as well as last mile delivery personnel less strenuous due to failed and repeated deliveries, it will also bring about a fresh set of challenges for our postmen and delivery personnel, such as adapting to technological advancements like enhanced tracking, electronic signatures and so on, and picking up new skill sets to multi-task and multi-skill. I am also particularly concerned about the wages, the welfare and work prospects of these postal and delivery personnel, in particular, the overall attractiveness of this sector which continues to play a crucial role as we navigate the pandemic, thrive in the next normal of a low touch economy and grapple with an ageing population. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage employers to take a keen interest in the upskilling and retraining of workers and to transform and strengthen the image and professionalism of this industry as well as for our workers to continue to stay able, agile and adaptable, even as Singapore forges ahead with digital transformation. On NTUC's end, we are committed to working with companies, through the development of Company Training Committees, to ensure that our postmen and last mile delivery workers are adequately trained to perform their delivery roles once the Network is established. I submit that regulators and employers of these postal and last mile delivery workers to raise their wages, welfare, and work prospects as they are essential workers in the next normal of a low touch digitalised economy. Sir, clarifications notwithstanding, I stand in support of this Bill.”
“Additionally, in cases of pilfering, be it by delivery personnel, pranksters and/or others who have access to the parcel boxes, who shall be liable for such losses and what recourse do the rightful owners have? Further, we also note that certain prescribed classes of parcels will be prohibited from being placed in the Network for safety reasons. While there are powers conferred upon the Network Operator, the Police and IMDA to search, open and seize such parcels, however, how shall this be monitored and/or enforced practically, given that most of the parcels are usually packaged before being delivered? We need to ensure the safety of our postmen, last mile delivery personnel and residents who deliver and collect such parcels. Second, convenience and/or public policy matters. Next, the Network is presently to be established at HDB estates and/or public areas. While residents living in HDB estates will no doubt stand to benefit from this initiative, are there plans to extend the same to those living in private estates and condominiums? Some private estates and condominiums are within proximity to HDB Housing estates and some may be keen to have these parcel boxes in their own precincts. Additionally, how will MCI and IMDA provide the necessary support to residents, in particular, senior citizens to facilitate such transition and especially when the packages may be heavy and the intent for home delivery is to minimise the challenges of carrying the heavy load? Third, employment issues arising from the development of the Network.”
“It is against this backdrop that I applaud this Bill which seeks to expand the scope of IMDA's exclusive privilege to include the installation and ownership of the Public Parcel Locker Network, hereinafter referred to as the "Network". There will also be powers for IMDA to appoint an operator for the installation, operation and maintenance of the Network. I understand that the Network will be implemented in certain areas, namely, HDB estates, bus interchanges, train stations and/or Community Clubs managed by the People's Association. With the Network, postmen and delivery persons will deposit the parcels directly at the Network, for residents' collection at their convenience. The Network will cater to the growing demand of e-commerce purchases, while simultaneously alleviating the problem of failed doorstep deliveries. While the Bill is no doubt commendable, I have some queries for the Minister, which may be broadly categorised into the following areas. One, security issues associated with the Network; two, convenience and/or public policy matters; and three, employment issues arising from the development of the Network. First, security issues. From a security perspective, how would the Network be implemented? Would the Minister be able to share some of the technological safeguards in place to ensure that the parcel is not tampered with, given that multiple service providers have access to the same parcel box? Perhaps we could consider the installation of additional CCTVs? These are security issues which are less prevalent in the context of traditional letter boxes, where postmen simply slot letters into the letter boxes and only residents who have the keys to their letter boxes can collect the said letters.”
“On the day of expected shipment, even though the parcel was tagged and traced as delivered and I received a notification on the delivery, we eventually did not receive the item from SingPost. We contacted the seller and he said he checked and SingPost said they had delivered. I then had to contact SingPost to inform them that we did not receive the item and that it was for urgent use. The investigation took more than three days and we had to go ahead to make a repurchase due to the urgency. On the fourth day, we were told by SingPost that their postman had mailed the product to the wrong address. There was little recourse for me, as the seller who had paid SingPost to carry out the delivery was supposed to be the correct party to file a complaint and/or claim with SingPost, even though I had already paid the seller for the product. Legally, I needed to file a claim with the seller who in turn needed to counterclaim with SingPost for the negligent act. The multiple parties and various payments involved in this transaction made the recovery of that product or any ensuing claims a cumbersome exercise. I did not pursue the matter and I just had to settle with two sets of the same product. I believe I am not the only one faced with such a problem. Some online companies or platforms do a better job by not releasing funds to the seller until the buyer receives the item. Such is the nature and challenge for e-commerce and online purchases. A serious situation of "caveat emptor". Perhaps the postal authority should re-look at such scenarios and establish better mechanisms for dispute resolution or mandate the way transactions are carried out so that buyers are not left with little or time-consuming recourse as many of these items may be of small or lower value purchases.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill, which amends the Postal Services Act. The amendments are a timely response to the evolving postal landscape due to the growth in e-commerce deliveries and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the circuit breaker period last year, there was a sharp decline in face-to-face social interactions. As a result, many had resorted to purchasing parcels and gifts online to be couriered to friends and/or extended family as a means of keeping in touch with them. We also witnessed an increase in purchases made through e-commerce platforms, for work-from-home equipment such as monitors, desks, chairs and so on, and also essential items and groceries for household needs and use. If not for the instrumental role that the postmen and last mile delivery personnel played then and continue to play today, we would not have been able to receive our purchases and/or parcels from our friends and loved ones in a timely fashion. However, as circuit breaker measures were lifted, and people started commuting more, there was a corresponding increase in failed doorstep deliveries. This has practical implications for the logistics services' providers as repeated deliveries have to be made, which is a drain on both time and resources. For recipients of the parcels, they would be inconvenienced if they needed the items urgently. On my end, I also faced an issue for such deliveries. Just last month, my family had purchased a product from an online seller which cost less than $50. It was for an urgent use and we even paid for a special delivery package by SingPost for the item to be delivered to my home.”
“I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for the update on the ITMs. I just have two supplementary questions. Firstly, in particular, the ITMs, I think two key focuses are on jobs growth as well as strengthening the Singaporean Core. I hope, as MTI and the respective sectoral ITMs flesh out their updates and do their revisions, to share where the jobs growth opportunities are as we overcome and emerge stronger together post-COVID-19. The second supplementary question I have is with respect to the ITMs. I think different ITMs have varying successes. I hope to see more best sharing of good practices and the successes and the key success factors as well. But I also want to urge MTI as we look at the 23 ITMs and as we prepare for the next bound, to continue the good work of the sectoral tripartite committees because I felt, being personally involved in some of them, they are very useful in overcoming the sectoral challenges. So, I urge that, as we prepare for the next bound, to continue the good work of these sectoral tripartite committees.”
“Perhaps consider them as in a position where we need better protection for them and in more deterrent sentences.”