Png Eng Huat
Singapore
“This question is for the Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad. I just want to seek clarity on whether these two groups of Self-employed Person qualify for the COVID-19 Support Grant or SIRS. Those SEPs who are not on the Workfare radar, who do not contribute to their CPF, but they do file their income tax returns.”
“Some help measures will only come in May or later, but many affected Singaporeans were already struggling to make ends meet since February. I appreciate the Ministry for working at breakneck speed to roll out these measures. I am happy to note that some of these measures are being brought forward to April. Thank you.”
“Our MRT system is also facing an operating cost deficit which will grow with new rail lines that may well redistribute existing passengers rather than grow new ridership. While the fare formula has added the network capacity factor to address rising operating cost deficits, cost management is also important.”
“In the two new BTO precincts in Hougang, the Town Council had to build extra ramps, footpaths and stairs, in addition to the few designated access points, in order to facilitate the safe movement of residents on the ground.”
“This resident is in his early 60s and was running a regional outfit before he was retrenched. What are the chances of him getting either one of the funding options?”
“Sir, would the Ministry be looking into instituting, say, staggered school or working hours, to ease the concerns of parents, students and workers travelling during rush hours even under the current DORSCON level when more infection cases start to surface?”
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“I had seen some PMAs moving precariously close to the edge of some busy footpaths and I was worried they may tip over. The footpaths from the nearest bus stops, train stations, hawker centres, suburban malls, neighbourhood centres and so on, to the nearest Housing and Development Board (HDB) block or private estate need to be widened soon to accommodate these mobility aids. I also urge LTA to do another round of initiatives to mop up those remaining spots with barriers so that PMA users can have a smoother connection on our footpaths. Last, I also hope LTA could initiate a whole-of-Government approach to accommodate PMAs in our society which, in my view, have given our elderly a fresh breath of life in their sunset years. Safer Signalised Junction Sir, I have spoken about making signalised junctions safer in the COS debate in 2013 and again in 2015. Traffic lights are supposed to give all road users a sense of order, safety and security. Our children are taught from young by their parents and in schools to wait for the green-man signal to come on before they can cross the road. When the lights are in your favour, it must surely mean it is safe to cross. But as it turns out, this is not a given, depending on the traffic junctions you are at. This presumption of safety is lost when signalised junctions are programmed with shared green time. Such junctions allow vehicles to turn when there are no pedestrians crossing during the green-man phase. This, according to the Minister, is to ensure smoother traffic flow on our roads. According to the Ministry, there were, on average, about three fatal accidents and 40 injury accidents per year at signalised junctions involving a pedestrian or cyclist and vehicles turning right during the green-man phase.”
“A quick search on the Internet for bike sharing services around the world shows that most existing operations in big cities like New York, Melbourne and Paris all come with docking stations. While I do hope the proposed licensing framework would help to rein in indiscriminate bike parking, I am concerned that geo-dumping would be the next big headache for bike sharing services. Sir, it was reported that there are about 100,000 dockless shared bicycles out there. How many QR code geofencing stations will be required to effectively tackle the indiscriminate parking problem? I hope LTA can share more on this because dockless bike sharing has turned Singapore into one giant bicycle parking lot. Personal Mobility Aid in an Ageing Society Sir, the proliferation of PMDs and Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs) in our estates and footpaths is phenomenal. PMDs allow users, usually with no mobility issues, to zip from one place to another faster. Some owners of PMDs even use them to piggyback their children from schools, bus stops or train stations. PMDs basically save time for the users. PMAs, on the other hand, allow our elderly Singaporeans to get out of their homes to eat, shop or just watch the world go by. It allows them to continue to do the simple activities of community living, without which, they may be confined to their homes. In short, PMAs allow our elderly citizens with mobility issues a better quality of life. I am seeing more PMAs in my estate now. I am happy to see these elderly residents living independent lives. However, moving about in a PMA can be challenging on existing footpaths. PMAs come in all shapes and sizes. All of them are larger than PMDs and they move a lot slower. The footpaths along the roads are certainly not PMA-friendly.”
“Sir, bike sharing is not a new concept, but the advent of mobile technologies has allowed bike sharing companies to go dockless. What is really new about dockless bike sharing is the proliferation of indiscriminate bike parking. These shared bicycles are usually parked haphazardly at void decks, footpaths, lift lobbies, stairways, and I saw two of them parked in the middle of Nicoll Highway yesterday. The amount of fines collected from BSOs for not clearing their illegally parked bicycles and the number of bicycles impounded by LTA, as reported in the news last month, is probably just the tip of the iceberg, due to the lack of resources to monitor the indiscriminate parking and to enforce the fine. Last October, LTA had initiated an agreement with the bike sharing companies to implement geofencing by the end of 2017 to rein in indiscriminate parking by errant riders. I am not sure if geofencing for bike sharing is in operation already but, from the looks of it, I doubt it is. Geofencing will not solve the problem of indiscriminate bike parking. It just confines the problem to a designated area, and the boundary is not even accurate. Geofencing may just turn into geo-dumping over time as the designated area would be flooded with shared bikes, causing severe congestion and safety concerns, especially for elderly residents. Adding a quick response (QR) code to complement geofencing is an improvement, but such codes can be easily copied with a camera and printer, and you will have a list of parking stations to scan on demand to end your trip even if you are not at the designated parking lot. If the authorities are going to such lengths to implement QR code geofencing to ensure bicycles are properly parked within a designated area, why not just implement a docking station?”
“Chairman, with regard to the MPH design that I mentioned, will HDB be coming in to change the existing MPH design, the one at Hougang View Court and Hougang Meadow, where it is quite impossible to hold a decent funeral wake, especially on the last day, due to the passageway and due to the configuration of the MPH?”
“I hope the Ministry will continue to take a light touch approach in its enforcement of parking rules and regulations when these drivers have to resort to desperate measures to park their heavy vehicles so that they can go home early to get enough rest to drive the next day.”
“Heavy Vehicle Parking Sir, the issue concerning heavy vehicle parking was brought up a few times in Parliament. We have a strange situation in Singapore in that we have more lots than there are heavy vehicles. But yet drivers are still facing inadequate parking lots in or near their estates. The demand and supply of heavy vehicle parking lots on the ground generally follow the movement and turnover of drivers living in an estate and this is something hard to predict or control. The then Senior Minister of State for National Development in 2016 had described ways to address the heavy vehicle parking issues. So, I will not repeat them here. The solution highlighted by the Minister then will take time to bear fruit. In the interim, what can the Ministry do to help alleviate the issues faced by heavy vehicle drivers on the ground? In the development plan for Defu Industrial Estate, is there a plan to build a multi-storey heavy vehicle car park as some resident drivers I spoke to continue to face parking problems in the heavy vehicles parked along Tampines Road and Hougang Avenue 7? A driver told me he has to wait a long time for a vacant lot. Each time when he works late, the chances of finding a lot would diminish greatly. He said he had to resort to illegal parking at times although he did so without causing obstruction or danger to other road users. Can the Ministry put up some temporary heavy vehicle parks in Defu Industrial Estate in the interim? There are spots of vacant land there and these temporary heavy vehicle parks require minimal construction works and enforcement as all heavy vehicles have valid parking permits.”
“Even using chemical portable toilets is an issue as these toilets need to be cleaned every day, and there is no way for the service crew to do it in a hygienic manner on the roof top garden beside the exercise area and children's playground. The only place to locate the portable toilets would be under the block where the bereaved family lives. It is highly unusual for a wake at an HDB estate not to have sanitary convenience located onsite for bereaved family and friends who have to guard the wake throughout the night. The design of the MPH also makes the sending off procession on the last day of the funeral very challenging. The passage on the MPH at Hougang Meadow to the waiting hearse can barely accommodate the pall bearers and mourners. They would also have to navigate the narrow passageway, pass the lift lobby at the entrance to the multi-storey car park and then make a U-turn down a deep ramp to a connecting car park and then to the waiting hearse at Level 1. The alternative route to take would be a longer walk along the same narrow walkway cutting through other void decks and surrounding blocks and to a busy stretch of Upper Serangoon Road. The same design issues are also present at Hougang Dew Court, another new estate with studio apartments. But the saving grace is that the MPH is located on the ground floor. I have shared the above concern with URA in the hope that future MPH design for new estates would take into consideration the various requirements of the activities these sheltered pavilions are meant to cater for. As for the existing MPH, I hope HDB can look into correcting the design soonest as the void decks in these estates are too small and not suitable to hold any events like a funeral.”
“I hope HDB would seriously look into redesigning the clothes drying rack offered by HIP. The current one impedes repair and repainting work using gondolas and is an eyesore to see so many metal structures sticking out of a single HDB block. Would HDB be open to tap on the polytechnics and universities to redesign the clothes drying rack for a change? Designing Common Space Sir, the HDB void deck despite, its namesake, is anything but void in the memories of many Singaporeans. Unfortunately, these open spaces we knew and grew up with are shrinking in many new estates. In its place are rooftop gardens and multi-purpose halls (MPH) about the size of two 5-room HDB flats. Some of the MPHs, unfortunately, were not designed with much thought and consideration for the very activities they were meant to cater for. At a recent briefing conducted by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), I shared with the team some of the observations and actual feedback from the ground on the MPH in Hougang Meadow, a relatively new estate with studio apartments. Let me share a few anomalies about the design of the MPH. First, the MPH in Hougang Meadow is built on top of a car park. To do an event at the MPH, the only way to load and unload equipment and stuff for the event is via a narrow passageway connecting the sheltered compound to the multi-storey car park beside it. Next, because of the proximity of the MPH to the nearby blocks, residents living on the lower floor can see the casket clearly from their windows whenever a funeral is held there. In one wake that I attended, the bereaved family shared that there is no place around the MPH for the contractor to place portable toilets. For a start there are no manhole discharge points.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, many residents living in older estates welcome the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) for good reasons. The spalling concrete and water seepage problems I have seen in some of the older flats in Hougang are serious. In the past, HIP would replace the main waste and soil discharge pipes in the toilets for all units as water seepage usually starts from the joint failure between floors. However, the last two HIPs I came across in Hougang would not touch these pipes unless they leaked. A number of residents I spoke to would like to change the pipes in the toilets and for good reason as their flats are more than 35 years old and the pipes, though not leaking, are due for a change. I hope HDB can allow residents an option to replace those pipes as part of the essential improvement work. Next, many residents also wanted to do more for their ageing flats since HIP is going to disrupt their living environment for the next 10 days. The types of additional work some of these residents asked for are common home improvement works for things like changing the windows, changing the water piping for the entire flat or upgrading the earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB), to name a few. I am not asking the Government to subsidise this work but to provide an option to residents under the framework of HIP to change these common items in their flats at the same time. The cost of such improvement work can benefit from economies of scale sourcing if they are included in the HIP tender. While residents can make arrangements on the side with subcontractors, some subcontractors may not want to do such improvement works for the fear of breaking any contractual terms under HIP. Finally, I have spoken about this before.”
“Chairman, I have just got a question for the Minister. Water conservation affects all. The objective affects all. And the low pressure that is experienced by households affects only certain households on certain levels of an HDB block. So, for PUB to cite water conservation objective as a reason for not setting a minimum water pressure, to these affected households, it is a bit unfair because everyone else in the block is enjoying good water pressure. So, would the Minister be doing something about this or would be reviewing this? 3.00 pm”
“These numbers do say a lot that most Singaporeans do play their part to conserve water. I urge PUB to review its decision and set a minimum pressure for the supply of water to individual HDB flats, for it is not right to expect selected residential units to be the poster boy for water conservation only. Water Tariff Rate Outcomes”
“Sir, low water pressure is one of the issues I encountered in my estate visits. One resident shared that her family members have to take turns to shower despite having two bathrooms in the flat. She said that when one bathroom is occupied, the other is unusable due to low water pressure. I filed a PQ in 2015 asking PUB to consider setting a minimum pressure for the supply of water to individual HDB flats. The Minister then replied that PUB is reviewing the issue. Last November, it was reported that PUB had finished with the review and concluded that it was not useful to stipulate a minimum pressure requirement across all residential units. It went on to say that setting a minimum pressure, I quote, "may result in fixtures not being able to achieve its water conservation objectives." Sir, the low water pressure problem only affects units on selected floors with gravity feed water supply. Is the authority saying that we are only depending on these residents who happen to live on those floors to help achieve its water conservation objectives? The rest of the floors are enjoying adequate water pressure. Furthermore, setting a minimum water pressure does not mean people will waste water. There is a water valve outside each flat unit which the owner can adjust to control the water pressure to suit the needs of the household. Last Saturday, on Singapore World Water Day, one of the pledges to save water is to take shorter showers. When water pressure is low, you end up taking a longer shower. In an answer to my PQ in 2017, the national average water consumption for households for that year was 11% lower than a decade ago and about 60% of households consume less water than the national average.”
“So, it makes no sense to require a voter to go to a particular line and to use a particular ballot box at the polling station. It is also about time to replace the antiquated voting booth which was in use for many elections. The existing booth allows four voters to vote simultaneously but, because of its A-frame design, it does not offer much privacy. It is also not very user-friendly for persons with disabilities. With the proliferation of personal mobility aids of all shapes and sizes, the booth is certainly due for an overhaul. In conclusion, would PMO confirm whether section 42 subsection (2A)(b) will be repealed with the introduction of e-registration? Revising Prevention of Corruption Act”
“Mr Chairman, an e-registration plan for future election was unveiled last May. The Elections Department (ELD) said it will pilot a system that will scan the barcode on a voter's identity card to shorten the waiting time for voters at polling stations. As I understood from the news, the electronic system is only for registration. Voting will still be conducted using paper ballots with a pen. Under section 42 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, which describes the manner of voting, subsection (2A)(b) states that "the number, name and description of the voter, as stated in the copy of the register of electors, shall be called out". With the proposed e-registration, the need to call out the voter's particulars would no longer be necessary. This archaic practice of calling out the voter's particulars, directed at the polling agents, makes sense only if the integrity of the registers of electors is in doubt. After contesting in three elections, I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the registers of electors to require a line-by-line checking by my polling agent on polling day. The call-out can also be heard clearly in some polling stations due to the acoustics. Anyone with a mobile phone can secretly record the particulars of the voters as the names and National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers are enunciated slowly. Some People's Action Party (PAP) polling agents would echo the particulars in an even louder voice, which is neither necessary nor provided for under the Elections Act. Next, a new process to let registered voters to go to any counter in the polling station to get a ballot paper and to cast the vote into any available ballot box was also proposed last May. I welcome this change. The votes in the ballot boxes will be mixed in the counting stations.”
“Would the Ministry consider making a similar exception to allow this group of old-school plumbers to continue to ply their trade without the compulsory LP licence, after PUB has made the necessary assessment of their competency? Can PUB issue these plumbers with a non-renewable provisional licence of three years, for example, so that these seniors can have ample time to make other plans and wind down their trade over time? We are an ageing society. We are witnessing the passing of a generation of tradesmen and craftsmen from an era gone by. The good old hawker, the Yellow Top taxi driver, the old-school plumber, to name a few, would probably ply their trade one last time in this decade or so. No one is more disrupted than these senior tradesmen and craftsmen as we embrace the digital economy. Could we not give these Pioneer workers a longer runway to adapt, change and to wind down their trade? There is a Motion in the Order Paper today calling for this House to recognise our seniors as a gift to our society. It calls on the Government to continue to strengthen support for our seniors to age with dignity and to spearhead community efforts to create a society where they can thrive. Mr Speaker, allowing some of our seniors to continue their old trade in their sunset years, even for a fixed period of time, would send a clear message that this Government does support our seniors to age with dignity.”
“Mr Speaker, the above prerequisite to obtain a LP licence would be too onerous for freelance plumbers and those old-school plumbers who fashioned their trade based on good old fashion hard work, honesty and work experience gained over the years. Some of these seasoned plumbers are non-English speaking and may only converse in their native mother tongues or dialects, but they are armed with a wealth of knowledge and experience honed from the school of hard knocks. For some of them, plumbing may be the only tools of the trade they know, and their livelihood would come to an end in two months’ time, if they are unable to qualify for an LP licence. While I support the Bill, I wish to seek the indulgence of the Minister to look into making some provisions for these plumbers so that they can carry on working until such time when they decide to call it a day. Some of their work involves only replacing old pipes, nothing complicated and nothing to design. Can PUB offer the prerequisite courses and assessment for the new LP licence in a language other than English? Can the assessment test be administered in dialects? Can PUB make an exception to waive the prerequisite courses and assessment for plumbers who can prove they have the necessary work experience and have been working in the industry long before even some of us in this Chamber were born? Mr Speaker, this group of old-timers in the plumbing trade is shrinking over time, just like our pensioners. When the compulsory MediShield Life was introduced, pensioners were worried they would be worse off but it turned out that their entitled medical benefits under their respective pension schemes remain unchanged. MediShield Life coverage, although compulsory, does not kick in for some pensioners.”
“The Public Utilities (Amendment) Bill is a step in the right direction and consumers can expect to benefit from having peace of mind knowing that public health standards are maintained and their interests are better protected. The importance of a plumbing system in a modern and densely populated city like ours cannot be understated. A badly designed or maintained water reticulation or sanitary system is a recipe for disaster. A case in point was the contamination of the water supply system in a mixed development in Bukit Timah in August 2000, where over a hundred people were sickened by contaminated water in the incident. While legislation and licensing can help raise the competency of the plumbing industry, experience does matter when it comes to giving consumers peace of mind. In the water contamination case cited earlier, the plumber appointed by the management corporation was licensed but he could neither anticipate the potential risk of the badly designed water supply system nor prevent the contamination from happening. Under clause 21 of the proposed amendments in this Bill, those who are licensed under the existing LWSP scheme and who also hold the SPS registration certificate, will automatically qualify for the new LP scheme. The rest of the practising plumbers would have until 30 September 2018 to bring their necessary qualifications up to par to qualify for the new LP licence. That will entail attending sanitary and water service plumbing courses conducted by PUB, as well as to pass an assessment test. The courses and assessment are on top of attaining a baseline BCA Builder Certificate course in Plumbing and Pipe-Fitting or equivalent.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just a supplementary question. Some SSS recipients who are also Social Services Office (SSO) recipients shared with me that their financial aid from SSO was reduced by a corresponding monthly amount equal to their SSS payout. So, I would just like to ask the Second Minister, do the officers of SSS and SSO work together to determine the final quantum of financial aid paid out to these selected recipients?”
“Thank you, Sir. Just a quick question. Currently, they are replacing the meter outside the houses. In Hougang, I saw them changing from a big one to a very small one. Are those smart meters? So, are they contestable-ready?”
“There was a third supplementary question on clawing back illegal payouts and thus, whether the Government would order a forensic audit since this is one of the biggest corruption scandals in corporate Singapore?”
“The corruption is done outside Singapore. Can the Senior Minister of State clarify whether the email trail leads back to senior staff in Singapore, as in whether approval or directions were given by senior staff from Singapore?”
“Sir, three supplementary questions for the Senior Minister of State. She mentioned whether any KOM staff will be prosecuted depends on whether they benefited from this scam. One, would the Senior Minister of State clarify whether bonuses and salary increases given to senior staff, past and present, for meeting profit and revenue targets are deemed as personal benefits? Second, the Senior Minister of State also mentioned that the corruption is done outside Singapore. Can the Senior Minister of State clarify whether the email trail leads back to senior staff in Singapore? In the investigation of the scam, did the email trail lead back to Singapore, which means were senior staff in Singapore actually orchestrating or sanctioning all these from Singapore? Third, would the Senior Minister of State not agree with me that the money earned by KOM through illegal and corrupt means are highly improper, and would the Senior Minister of State not agree that the dividends paid out by KOM who knew very well that its earnings were derived from bribing people and the political party in power would also be deemed illegal, and would then need to be clawed back from members of senior staff, board of directors past and present, and the only way to ascertain the amount is through a forensic audit? Would the Government be ordering one?”
“The differentiated “payout benchmark” is something new and, as stated in the new subsection 8CA, there are different amounts of payout benchmark for different classes of members based on the life expectancy. I seek more information on how the Board is going to classify these annuitants based on life expectancy. Finally, behind every policy change lies a number. Just like the speaker before me, every amendment proposed must surely be motivated by some trending statistics, demands from account holders, or changing social norms. Specifically, can the Minister share what CPF has found in its big data analytics to derive at the proposed changes found in this amendment Bill? Is the number of elderly Singaporeans with retirement adequacy issues rising despite having children with healthy CPF accounts? Are there many requests from Singaporeans who want to do CPF top-ups for their loved ones? Is CPF encouraging members to borrow from their future retirement needs to pay for the current needs of their loved ones today? Is there any projection done on the retirement adequacy of these members when they grow old if they were to top up the CPF accounts of their loved ones today? Beyond providing options to the CPF system, I hope the Ministry can help CPF members make informed choices towards planning for their own retirement adequacy.”
“If they can meet the BRS, which is half of the FRS Sum, these members can withdraw their remaining CPF savings in cash when they attained the age of 55. They can then use the cash to do a top-up of the CPF accounts of their loved ones under the Retirement Sum Topping-Up Scheme. By doing so, some of these members may get to enjoy additional tax relief of up to $7,000 per calendar year, which they would not enjoy if they were to subscribe to the proposed amendment, which is to do a top-up via CPF transfer. Members who qualify to make CPF transfer to their loved ones under the proposed amendment would most likely come from the same group who qualify to make lump-sum withdrawal from their CPF accounts in cash after setting aside their BRS and property pledge upon attaining the age of 55. Would the Ministry highlight this tax relief option to the members so that they can make an informed choice, that is, they could be better off withdrawing the excess amount standing in their CPF accounts first, then follow up with a cash top-up to the CPF accounts of their loved ones later, so as to enjoy some tax relief in the process? Although there is a personal income tax relief cap from Year of Assessment (YA) 2018, the incentive for cash top-up of CPF accounts remains more attractive than direct CPF transfers. Would the latest amendment to section 18 become a white elephant since qualified members are better off doing the cash top-up option? Second, I welcome the proposed amendment to section 15 to allow members who are or will be receiving a pension, annuity or other benefit approved by the Board, the flexibility to make a withdrawal from their RA subject to the payout benchmark specified by the Minister.”
“Mr Speaker, each time the CPF Act is tweaked, lives will be impacted, one way or another. For many Singaporeans, their dreams and plans for retirement, flat ownership, or even going on a once-in-a-lifetime haj could hinge on the policy directions set by some of these amendments. As our social security system adapts to changing times, the facts and impact of each amendment to the Act must be made known to the affected members in a simple and easy to understand manner. This is important because, compared to the CPF of yesteryears, the scheme we have today has evolved over time to allow members options to choose the types of retirement plans or top-up schemes to support their loved ones, to name a few. Thus, CPF members today need to make informed choices. For this purpose, I have some brief clarifications to seek from the Minister on some of the key features of this CPF amendment Bill. First, I have some questions pertaining to the proposed amendment made to section 18 of the CPF Act. This amendment is to give the Board the flexibility to determine the amount of money standing to a member’s credit in CPF that can be transferred to the RA and SA of a relevant individual. Although this feature of the 2017 CPF amendment Bill is touted as a change to strengthen family support by allowing more CPF members to make CPF transfers to their parents and grandparents, the proposed changes to section 18 of the CPF Act seem to only bring in line the changes made previously and, that is, to allow members to transfer less to their RA if they have sufficient property charge. Sir, as it stands today, even without the proposed changes to section 18, CPF members with sufficient property pledge or charge do not need to set aside the FRS in their CPF anymore.”
“Just one supplementary question. Would the Minister consider reviewing the 75% support level? Because the awareness of NRP is already achieved through 100% direct mailing to the houses. We also have two exhibitions, the Public Consultation and Consensus Gathering. We also have house visits. Furthermore, the NRP plan would have undergone multiple reviews even by the Housing and Development Board and then also taken into consideration the wish list from the Town Councils, residents, Members of Parliament, the Residents' Committees. So, that plan itself is almost like optimised for that precinct. So, would the Ministry consider reviewing that 75% requirement, even 50%? Because when we do house visits, a lot of residents asked us why they still need to vote when they do not need to pay for this external thing. They also said that they were also not consulted. For example, they do not need to vote whether they want the silver zone or—”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just one last clarification. Although the AGO or audit is not forensic, so, technically, you cannot detect fraud. But in the aftermath of the report, when it was released, MOH, in its statement, said that, "Based on the AGO report, there was no indication of fraud or corrupt practices", which the AGO report did not say. Then the statement went on to say that "that warrants no further investigation required". Would the Senior Minister of State comment on it because I think no one should take the AGO report as an endorsement that there is no fraud. The AGO only highlights lapses. Like what the Senior Minister of State said, it is selective audit. As such, the AGO report, when it came out, the language they used is quite similar to what was also used previously. We have encountered it before. It is not forensic. So, no Ministry should take for granted that, because it is not mentioned that there is no fraud, and if there is no fraud, it does not warrant any further investigations.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State. I have a question because, in the AGO Report, there is also, for example, language used, such as "there is no assurance that the Ministry exercised financial prudence" and also “there is a risk of fraud”. Can any entity whose lapses are highlighted in the AGO report come to the conclusion that there is no fraud because the AGO report is not forensic in nature? That is my question.”
“Just two quick questions, to ask the Minister. Are there actual incidents of foreigners interfering in our electoral system or our electoral process in the past? The second question is, will the Ministry be working with social media organisations, like Facebook and Google, to help fight fake news?”
“I just want to seek a clarification. This session was called by the Prime Minister for us to question the allegations and seek clarification. So, when I bring up the allegations, I expect some clarification. But then, the thing is, it seems that I am not supposed to bring it up because these are issues that are not substantiated. But these allegations are made by the siblings. So, even when I mentioned that there is a document with Mdm Ho Ching's name listed there as a contact person of Prime Minister's Office, it is an allegation with a documented proof. I am not getting any answers but I am accused of throwing wild allegations at nothing.”
“Sorry, Madam. There were 18 cases registered for investigation for the Public Sector. Four were sent to Court but then the rest, they said that they administered warning and given departmental actions. So, I just want to know what are the grounds for recommending such action, in lieu of prosecution, since they are already registered for investigation.”
“Madam, there was one more part of the question that was not answered and I have one extra supplementary question. In the original question, I asked what is the breakdown of the number of cases alerted by internal and external sources respectively. And my supplementary question is, out of the 18 cases involving public employees registered for investigations, four were prosecuted in Court. The rest were given warning or departmental actions. So, what are the grounds for recommending such action in lieu of prosecution for these cases from the Public Sector?”
“Mdm Speaker, a supplementary question. Since it has introduced the tiered ARF, would the Ministry consider introducing a separate category for motorcycles, so as to address demand, especially to make motorcycle ownership for the lower end models more affordable?”
“A quick clarification. Does it mean that the votes gathered in straw polls are not counted? They have to do another poll, the actual poll?”
“Mdm Speaker, just a couple of questions for the Minister. I understand that it includes the upgrading of existing substations. Would the Ministry consider, for example, letting the other part of the HIP proceed, the part where it involves very common kind of spalling concrete repair, replacement of pipes and casements? Those are very common because I think a lot of residents are waiting for that. Whereas the electrical works, these are actually outside the house, so they are quite distinct. I would also like to say that the residents of Blocks 309 to 328 in Hougang Avenue 5 have been waiting like 730 days since the announcement of the HIP. Another question is: what is the purpose of the straw poll if HDB can proceed straight to the actual poll? Are the votes gathered during the straw poll counted towards the actual poll?”
“I will send the speech later and it will be in the Hansard. In reply to his question, I am not into cult worshipping. So, that answers the Member's question.”
“Actually, I would like Dr Tan to answer first. Which part of my speech says that I want the house to be demolished in a haste?”
“The Member said that I wanted the house to be demolished in a haste. So, which part of my speech did I say that?”
“May I just seek a quick clarification from Dr Tan Wu Meng?”
“When I sought the advice of someone from the charity sector about mundane disclosure, this person said, when in doubt, more disclosure is better than less. So, err on the safe side. Could the Prime Minister explain why the public disclosure of his relationship with the AG is not necessary? Singaporeans also found out the same morning that the wife of the Prime Minister was alleged to have exerted her influence on the Government and Civil Service in a pervasive manner and "well beyond her job purview." Neither the Prime Minister nor his wife has come out to refute the allegation in no uncertain terms.”
“A reported poll on 23 December 2015 indicated that 77% of the people said they would want to see Mr Lee Kuan Yew's wish for the house to be carried out, although I am of the opinion that such a poll is not even necessary, as this is a completely private matter for the immediate family members to sort out. Even if the balance of the fate of the house is tending towards preservation in the name of public interest, and the Prime Minister recuses himself in this matter, the buck still stops with him. Surely, the Prime Minister is not a lame-duck commander-in-chief in this matter. He has the power to have the final say, take the whole matter off the Government's hand and resolve it privately or in Court, as he should. The surviving members of the Lee family should not outsource this decision to the Government or any secret committee. Madam, what is more troubling about this private saga is found in the statement released by Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee Wei Ling in the wee hours of 14 June 2017. The statement contains disturbing revelations and undisclosed facts and allegations of abuse of powers. As highlighted by Ms Sylvia Lim, Singaporeans woke up in the morning to find out that our newly-appointed AG, Mr Lucien Wong, was also the personal lawyer of the Prime Minister previously. The fact that the Prime Minister and our current AG had a commercial relationship was never publicly disclosed until now. How long has Mr Lucien Wong been the personal lawyer for the Prime Minister? While such a relationship may not allude to anything, a personal and commercial relation between the Prime Minister and the appointed AG should be publicly disclosed in the name of transparency.”
“While that is not a far-fetched statement since it is the birthplace of the only ruling political party in Singapore since 1965, what other roles did the house play in our march from Third World to First? What official and history-making decisions and declarations affecting Singapore were made in the basement of this house, other than it had always been the private abode of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mdm Kwa Geok Choo? Did the Cabinet of the day hold its first post-1965 meeting at Oxley Road? Did the Cabinet meet regularly at the house rather than at the old Parliament House or Istana? One thing is very clear to me − a political party was founded in the basement dining room of 38 Oxley Road, not modern Singapore. Modern Singapore was thrust into existence, not by its own free will, on 9 August 1965, under circumstances that are well documented in our history books, and 38 Oxley Road hardly gets a memorable mention anywhere. As the Prime Minister has said earlier, this is just an old house. Thirty-eight Oxley Road probably holds so much intimate and private memories for Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mdm Kwa Geok Choo that none of us in this Chamber, maybe with the exception of the Prime Minister, should even attempt to try to understand or question why they would want their house to be demolished immediately after they are gone. From the accounts given by the Prime Minister today, the fate of the house is really a family matter and it should not be outsourced to the Government to decide. I wish to put on record that I do not support the effort or intention of the Government to gazette 38 Oxley Road for whatever reasons.”
“Madam, I am not here today to debate on how the last will of Mr Lee Kuan Yew was made or who drafted it. I am not even bothered why the current owner of 38 Oxley Road would want it demolished as soon as possible. These are really none of my business. These are private matters for the Prime Minister to settle with his siblings and they do not concern the state. I was not a bit affected by this issue until when other Ministers started to weigh in on the matters. The whole episode then took a cringing turn, and allegations of abuse of power began to flow in. That is when the real embarrassment starts. Why are Ministers taking sides in a private dispute on a house that is still legally in the hands of a private individual? In recent statements made by Ministers on social media, the fate of 38 Oxley Road seems to hinge on whether the house should be demolished completely according to the will of Mr Lee Kuan Yew or preserved, in whole or in part, as a political heritage. One can easily infer from the tone set by these Ministers that the Government is tending towards the latter option, and that, sadly, will drag the Government into the picture to decide on the fate of 38 Oxley Road, in the guise of public interest. Madam, if this Government had not had the slightest interest to take sides and form a secret committee to explore other options for the house in the first place, none of these would have happened. Some Ministers seemed to allude to the sanctity of the house from a historical context and that it deserves preservation. Some Ministers had commented that many important meetings and critical decisions on the future of Singapore took place at 38 Oxley Road.”
“Madam, I just want to ask the Member as this is the first time I am hearing that the data transfer and all these were having a lot of problems, that some of them are in PDF. We actually engaged the same contractor that did the transfer from Potong Pasir Town Council to the PAP Town Council. It is the same contractor and there is no issue raised. Actually, along the way, we keep asking the contractor any major issues, but there were no issues raised. So, this is the first time that I am hearing this. So, maybe the Member can explain what are these issues with the data transfer?”
“Development of VWO Capability − Access to Grants”
“Sir, in a newspaper article in June 2015, it was reported that the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) was looking into ways to help smaller VWOs with weak or no fund-raising capabilities. It was stated that NCSS intends to help these VWOs strengthen their organisations and develop alternative resources to support their functions. The same report cited that in 2012, less than 1% of the total funds raised went to small charities with annual receipts of less than $250,000 while large charities with annual receipts of above $10 million took the lion's share of 85%. Hougang has been blessed with the presence of these small charities. I am sure these outfits are doing good work in other parts of Singapore as well. These smaller VWOs are able to complement and contribute to the collective effort of big charities and the Ministry to help needy Singaporeans in filling the gaps and providing very targeted assistance at times. They are able to reach out to the needy at a personal level and with great speed. Thus, I wish to seek an update from the Ministry on the reported effort to help these smaller charities serve the community. What are the possible alternative ways to help them raise the much-needed funds effectively? It was reported that grassroots organisations raised about $7 million from community trade fairs in the last financial year. The GROs were also given $206 million to spend the same year. Would the Ministry consider allowing smaller VWOs to raise funds through trade fairs instead, as these charities do not have many opportunities to raise meaningful donations effectively? Giving the trade fair quotas to these VWOs will also help bring awareness to their presence in the community and the good work they have done to serve the needy residents there.”
“Thank you, Madam. This is a question for the Senior Minister of State. With regard to the Pneumatic Waste Conveyance System (PWCS), will it be rolled out to existing HDB estates as well, the older estates, the ones with a lot of bin chutes?”
“If NTUC Foodfare requires economies of scale, then what about the new operators?”
“I urge the Ministry not to let up in its effort to imbue the public with social responsibility for the good of the country. Fair Rentals for Hawkers Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: Madam, it has been three years since the social enterprise model for managing hawker centres was piloted. Recently, in December 2016, NEA announced that it was moving forward with the next phase with two components. The first component is the call for social enterprises to tender for the management of two new hawker centres at Yishun and Jurong West. The second component is the appointment of NTUC Foodfare to manage what NEA calls a "pilot group" of two new hawker centres in Woodlands and Pasir Ris, and five existing hawker centres in Toa Payoh, Old Airport Road, Whampoa and Chong Pang. NEA believes this would offer NTUC Foodfare economies of scale and greater flexibility to experiment with new ideas and operational processes. I have several questions. Concerning the "pilot group", given the geographical spread of the hawker centres, how are economies of scale achieved? Why is there a need, in the first place, for economies of scale? Is the operator under cost pressures and what are these? Have rental rates at the Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre gone up in the last three years? Similarly, have the prices of the food there gone up in the last three years? For the two new hawker centres in the group, will there be a mix of subsidised and non-subsidised stallholders paying market rentals? The same question applies to the two new hawker centres being tendered out for social enterprise management. Also, would NTUC Foodfare be excluded, in the interest of allowing for a diversity of operators, to experiment with new ideas and operational processes and to develop expertise?”
“Madam, when the tray return initiative was launched in 2012, it was briefly touted as a success in the early days, but with a caveat − the high return rates came only when volunteers were around to encourage patrons to return trays. Back then, NEA acknowledged that the tray return initiative had still some way to go before the practice takes root. It has been more than four years since the return tray initiative was launched. I am not sure if my experience and observation at hawker centres is an outlier, but the practice has not taken root and the initiative does not seem to be achieving its objective. Tables at hawker centres and food outlets continue to be cluttered with leftover food, dishes and trays, regardless of peak or off-peak hours. I seek an update from the Minister on the progress of the roll-out of the return tray facilities in all hawker centres and the effort NEA intends to take to make this initiative work. Without a sustained effort to promote this facility, which costs an average of $11,000 per hawker centre, it will not be money well spent. Next, I wish to seek an update from NEA on its anti-littering campaigns. The 2010 campaign "Do The Right Thing. Let's Bin It!" was rather a mouthful and forgettable as the message was not sustained as well. Littering remains a problem in our city state despite the many years of effort to educate the public on the anti-social behaviour. As a first-world country, we are certainly not living like one in the area of cleanliness. Madam, the success of the tray return initiative and anti-littering campaign is an important part of the equation in our effort to keep bird nuisance and rodent infestation at bay.”