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?”
The complete record
Every one of 386 lines we hold for Png Eng Huat, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 8.
“The electric car-sharing scheme that is being rolled out this year is an excellent programme in terms of scale and scope. The fact that the public can use up to 20% of the 2,000 charging points is a good move to encourage private electric car ownership. Other than the sharing of charging points, does the Ministry have plans to promote private electric car ownership? However, since the Government's approach is to encourage public transport usage rather than private car usage, the key question when it comes to electric vehicles is whether our public buses would make the switch from diesel to electric. LTA announced in August last year that Go-Ahead Singapore was putting an e-bus on a six-month trial. I would like to ask the Minister what is the conclusion from the trial and whether it indicates a go ahead for more e-buses to hit our roads. Safety of Footpath”
“It is made more confusing when motorists have to slow down at such crossings due to the pinch points and the elevated crossing, but they may not have the intention to stop for pedestrians to cross. Furthermore, motorists may show courtesy on one side of the road while, on the other side, they may not. How would the pedestrians know who will stop for them? There is too much second-guessing at courtesy crossings, and that is a recipe for accidents to happen. The term "courtesy crossing" is a misnomer to begin with because there is no change to the way pedestrians are supposed to cross the road. We look left, look right and look left again before we make a judgement call to cross the road. The pedestrians still have to stop for vehicles to pass. So, what is this added courtesy all about? The Silver Zone is a good initiative. The safety concerns for cyclists and pedestrians over the narrow footpaths can be easily addressed. The confusion over the courtesy crossing, however, needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Residents have shared incidents of near-misses at such crossings and I hope LTA will look into resolving this confusion soon. Promoting Electric Vehicles Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong (Non-Constituency Member): Madam, gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles are key contributors to air pollution in cities around the world. Recently, the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources was quoted in a newspaper article stating that Singapore was not on track to meet our 2020 targets for reducing air pollutants. Electric vehicles are seen as a solution to this problem and some are promoting it as a game-changing growth industry, especially if it is coupled with self-driving technology in the near future.”
“Madam, LTA said last December that the Silver Zone initiative will be rolled out to many parts of Singapore by 2023. While there are merits to the Silver Zone initiative, there are also safety concerns and operation as issues that need to be resolved. 1.00 pm First, the implementation of the Silver Zone programme must go hand-in-hand with the widening of the pedestrian footpaths in the area. This is because the roads in the Silver Zone will be narrowed substantially to slow down traffic in the area. This will leave very little room for cyclists to manoeuvre. As some pinch points along Hougang Avenue 5 are designated Silver Zones, there is virtually no room for cyclists and buses to co-exist. Due to safety concerns, cyclists may take to the footpath and this will create another set of problems. The elderly, expectant mothers and young children are all at risk when cyclists are forced to share footpaths that are not designed to be shared in the first place. Without the widening of the pedestrian footpath for Silver Zone, it is an accident waiting to happen, either on the narrow road or on the narrow footpath. Second, the courtesy crossing is probably one of the most misunderstood features of the Silver Zone initiative. Some courtesy crossings are designed to look like zebra crossings without the white stripes and light poles. In fact, when the Silver Zone was done up in Hougang, a few residents told me the contractors forgot to pain the white stripes and left. Who is supposed to show courtesy at such crossing − the pedestrian or the motorist? According to LTA, it is the responsibility of the pedestrian to keep a look-out for on-coming vehicles at such crossings. Madam, here lies the confusion. I have seen motorists stopping for pedestrians to cross, while others did not.”
“The Town Council and HDB could not even cut the shrubs and lay some concrete slab to create a simple footpath at the fringe of the private estate for residents to walk safely as the turf is now sitting on private land as well. Three lamp posts lighting that service road there had their power cut off a couple of times as these lights were tapping electricity from the private estate. The Town Council has to repatch the power supply from one of the nearest HDB blocks in the estate or else residents, especially school students, will have to walk in the dark every morning to the bus stop at Hougang Avenue 7. Sir, in the privatisation of HUDC estates island-wide, were there any planning done to ensure HDB residents will not be inconvenienced in any way with the redrawing of the boundaries caused by the privatisation process? And who is responsible to maintain the HDB car park service road now that it is made to serve both public and private estates after privatisation? Were there any considerations given to replace footpaths for residents due to safety concerns? What should residents do when the road address in their NRIC no longer means what it says? This Government prides itself on planning ahead. I certainly feel that there was not enough planning done or consideration given to the surrounding estates affected by the privatisation of HUDC estates. I urge the Ministry to look into this and address the safety issues as soon as possible. Design of Lift Shaft”
“Sir, the last of the Housing and Urban Development Company (HUDC) estate has been privatised but, for many HDB residents living in the vicinity of the privatised estates, they have to grapple with safety issues and unexpected challenges they never thought existed. HUDC estates are an integral part of the HDB towns. Many common areas, facilities, footpaths and road access are shared by residents living in both estates. More thought has to be put into estate planning post-privatisation or else such issues will surface. Let me highlight some of the problems faced by residents after the privatisation of the HUDC estates in Hougang. For the estate at Hougang Avenue 2, HDB residents living at one block of flats suddenly find themselves cut off from the road that is listed as their legal address in their National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) after the privatisation of the HUDC cluster. There is no way to access Block 712 Hougang Avenue 2 from Hougang Avenue 2. Calling a taxi, ordering a delivery or having friends over for a party requires precise directions to be given. Over at Hougang Avenue 7, a whole new set of issues surfaced after the fencing of the privatised HUDC estate went up. Residents living in the surrounding HDB estate no longer have a safe passage to the main road. The original footpath used by all residents for over three decades is now sitting inside a private estate. Residents are forced to walk on the fringe of the fencing or on the service road to get to Hougang Avenue 7. It gets more challenging for residents on wheelchairs or with baby prams as they have to navigate a narrow zig-zag two-way traffic road. At times, vehicles have to stop to allow these residents to pass safely.”
“It certainly has something to do with the design, inferior material used or ineffective quality control on the ground. The comprehensive management system implemented by HDB to oversee its projects is all good but it must translate into acceptable results and quality on the ground consistently. Home Improvement Programme Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Imagine two HDB blocks. One was built in 1986 and has been renovated; the other one was built in 1987, although it is already 30 year old, it is not covered under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP). Yishun South is one such example. Half of the blocks are eligible for HIP while the other half is not, although they are only slightly newer. My residents always tell me, "Sister Wah, I have lived here for 30 years and I am now old; my flat is also getting old, the wall tiles are falling off and the toilet bowl is almost broken. Can you help us?" We can see that HIP is very important and everyone needs it. I would like to ask the Government to set aside funds to allow those 30-year-old flats to be included in HIP. This is because there are many residents who have lived there from the start and would very much like to have a brand new flat, especially a new toilet. Minister, can you help us? (In English): I would like to highlight another issue. Recently, certain residents have given me feedback that they have difficulty in buying 2-room flats. A resident aged 50-plus told me that she has been trying for the first time and still not successful. Last night, I saw a couple who want to downgrade, right-size, and they told me that they tried six times, still cannot get it. So, perhaps, there is a shortage of 2-room flats. Upgrading of Ageing Flats”
“Instead of protecting residents from the rain, a few senior residents had fallen navigating that link as a result. The Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) is another project with diverse designs and quality issues. Some are well-designed while some are not. Some are just plain bewildering. We have lift lobbies that are small to be effective and shelters that are not consistently applied across the estate. Some blocks have them and some do not, for no apparent reasons. Madam, in some of the new lift shafts, we found water on top of the lift cars, at the bottom of the lift pits, in the controller panel and in places you never thought water could get in. Yet, some lift shafts are so well built that the Town Council has very little issue maintaining them. So, where and when do the assurance in quality and control come in? To further compound the issue, the Town Council has to take over a project whenever the HDB says so. Is the Town Council expected to do a thorough check for defects when it has neither control over the design nor oversight on the work progress and workmanship? Is it even proper for HDB to hand over an incomplete project to the Town Council to maintain in the first place? While some of the issues I mentioned are being rectified at this moment, either by the contractors or Town Council, why are these issues not picked up during the regular audits at the different stages of construction, as highlighted by the Minister? A lot of time and effort were wasted trying to chase down contractors to make good the defects and design anomalies. I have residents who asked me how did their BTO flats pass the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) in the first place. Madam, wear and tear does not happen within a year or two upon completion of the projects.”
“Madam, the Senior Minister of State for National Development had said that HDB adopts a comprehensive management system to track construction process of all BTO projects. In an answer to a Parliamentary Question in January 2016, the Senior Minister of State outlined 10 stages of checks and monitoring to ensure BTO projects are properly supervised, building materials and equipment are of acceptable standard, and potential design, safety and maintenance issues are identified. In addition to this, this House was also informed that HDB conducts regular audits at different stages of construction to ensure compliance and quality control. While it may be good to know that HDB takes a no-nonsense approach to ensure the build quality of its projects, the reality on the ground can be a big letdown at times. Some of the designs and quality of BTO flats and upgrading projects I have encountered in Hougang are not acceptable. At Hougang Dewcourt, a mixed development of 4-room flats and studio apartments, the design is not even elderly-friendly. The lift lobby lacks natural lighting in the daytime, which is a safety concern for senior citizens living there. Were these potential design, safety and maintenance issues identified early, as mentioned by the Minister? Does HDB expect the Town Councils to turn on the lights 24 hours a day at such lobbies to address the design concern? The Town Council also found undulating corridors due to poor workmanship, garden areas that do not have adequate sunlight, and designs that do not make sense. One such design is the sheltered linkway connecting Dewcourt to the older parts of the estate. The overhang of the shelter falls so short of the apron drain that when it rains, the water hit the walkway directly and turns it into a flowing river.”
“Madam, just a quick clarification for Minister Ng. Does MOE take the higher school fees and contributions from wealthy alumni into account when providing funding to the schools?”
“When some schools are forced to do more or the same with less, while others are spoilt for choice in terms of what they can offer their students, can we say that this model of funding is in the best interest of every student? Last year, my colleague, Mr Dennis Tan, asked the Minister if the Government takes the higher school fees and contributions from wealthy alumni into account when providing funding to schools. The Minister did not provide a response to that. I hope the Minister can provide an answer to this important question and release details on the funding given to each school to support the notion that every school is a good school. Education Policies”
“Mr Chairman, this is the second year in a row that I am raising the issue of equitable funding for schools. The Minister's replies, when I brought up the issue twice last year, were along the lines that MOE resources schools based on the needs of students, programmes offered by the schools and the enrolment of the schools. In other words, MOE does acknowledge that there exists a distinct disparity in funding between the brand name schools and the other schools. I have highlighted that the per capita funding for schools favours popular schools with high enrolment. Parents can see the disparity for themselves, which manifests in differences in the range of arts, sports and enrichment programmes offered by schools. When this information makes its way through the grapevine, the perception that certain schools offer more and better opportunities for student development will perpetuate. This drives the enrolment numbers for the schools and, consequently, the amount of funding that the Government disburses to them, based on enrolment figures. Even without factoring in the higher fees, greater economies of scale and contributions by well-connected alumni, the brand name schools are already competing in a league of their own. The per capita funding for students may seem fair at the micro level but, at the macro level, there has to be a baseline funding for schools. If per capita funding is the great leveller in developing our students fully and holistically in all schools, why did MOE need to close down seven neighbourhood schools last year? Falling enrolment numbers should not be a reason for these schools to shut their doors then because the Government is still committed to funding them on a per capita basis.”
“Mr Chairman, the journey to becoming a sporting nation and achieving sporting glory at the highest level surely must start somewhere. Look at the vibrancy of the sporting scene in the schools in the US. They used to send their college teams to compete at the Olympics. Every young athlete there harbours a dream to compete for sporting glory at the highest level, be it local, national or international. However, the dream of becoming the next world champion, especially for a young athlete living in a small country like Singapore, should not rest on the individual and his family alone. The nation must share that dream and it must filter down to the schools to begin with. The fire in the sporting belly of our schools has dimmed. I remember back in the 1970s, competitions among the schools were keen and sporting rivalries were strong, all in good spirit and character building. There was always a lesson to be learnt, in victory or defeat. The New Nation, the predecessor of The New Paper, gave generous coverage to school sports with large photo spreads. You do not see that anymore. And what you do not see often, you do not think much of it over time as well. 7.30 pm Sir, football is one of the most popular sports here and yet some schools do not even play the sport anymore. How can we dream about competing against the great footballing nations at the World Cup Finals when our youths are not even fired up to compete against one another in schools? Sports in schools can build camaraderie, character and a sense of belonging in our youths. I urge the Ministry to look into promoting a vibrant sporting culture in schools because the future of our dream for sporting glory is at stake. Promoting Entrepreneurship in Schools”
“During last year's Budget, changes were made to WIS in order to "provide a more direct and timely reward for work effort and ensure that WIS continues to provide a meaningful level of support for eligible workers." There were four main changes, including a higher qualifying income ceiling, slightly higher payouts, monthly payments instead of quarterly and increased contributions to CPF, MediSave and the Special Account. The Government, however, stopped short of increasing the cash component of WIS from the current 40%. The last time this figure was revised was in 2013. While the four changes made to enhance the scheme were welcome and necessary, would increasing the cash component not provide a far more direct reward for work effort? Increasing the cash component would allow workers to benefit immediately from the fruits of their labour and be a source of motivation to strive harder to improve their quality of life. This way, they could get promoted and improve their earnings, which is a more effective and encouraging way to help low-income workers build up retirement savings.”
“Coming out against their employers will mean losing their jobs and everything, a risk they can ill-afford to take. The master of the modern slave trade knows this fear very well, and they milk these workers to the maximum. Local cleaners are also not spared. I have seen cases of local cleaners working without payslips or contracts. For some, their payslips comprise unexplained or unjustified deductions. Some are given payslips with no CPF contributions stated and they do not know why. Some are not sure about their basic employment benefits, but they dare not confront their employers for fear of losing of their jobs. Some of these local cleaners are elderly and illiterate and their next job may be hard to come by. It is hard to imagine that despite all the education, publicity and threat of prosecution, such practices still persist. Would the Ministry share its results and efforts to effectively tackle such blatant disregard for the law and basic workers' rights? Collectively, the Town Councils in Singapore hire a substantial number of cleaners. I told my General Manager to inform the cleaning contractors in Hougang I do not want such practices to surface in the estate. I am helped by warm-hearted residents who will not stand for any abuse of cleaners in their neighbourhood as well. Mdm Chairman, every Member in this Chamber must not turn a blind eye to modern slavery. The cleanliness of our estate cannot come at the expense of the misery of the cleaners. It is time for us to clean up the cleaning industry for a change. Improving Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: Madam, I would like to repeat a long-held call for an increase in the percentage of the cash component for Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) payouts from the current 40% to 60%.”
“An article on Cable News Network (CNN) caught my attention a few weeks ago. It tells the story about a hotel in a hikers' paradise in West Scotland. The foreign workers there were promised specific jobs with decent salaries. But when they arrived, job scopes were limitless, working hours were endless and pay was meagre. The boss demanded additional payments from these workers to sponsor their visa, threatened to cancel their work permit if they do not cooperate, and warned them about arrest and deportation. The workers were treated like slaves. The owner of the hotel is now serving time for labour trafficking for a group of men from Bangladesh. Modern slavery is happening everywhere, possibly exacerbated by globalisation. You can see modern slaves working in the heart of our estates. These foreign cleaners work late into the night, seven days a week with no rest day and low wages. They even work when they were injured or sick. They have to work non-stop because they are living in bondage. A bondage with exorbitant agency fees and illegal kickbacks that they have to pay. There are about 12,000 cleaning companies engaging about 58,000 cleaners, both local and foreign, as of 31 September 2016. A $3,000 kickback per foreign worker will translate into some serious money even if just 10% of the cleaning workforce were subject to the abuse. The mathematics and the easy money are just too tempting for some people to pass up. Foreign workers are reluctant to come forth with their story for fear of losing their livelihood. Many of them sold their possessions and borrowed heavily to come here to make a living. They have huge debts to pay and, at the same time, hungry mouths to feed back home.”
“Thank you, Madam. Just a quick question to the Minister. The Minister said that water was never subsidised. Is it a Day 1 policy or only starting in 2000?”
“It was also reported that homes account for 45% of water use daily. Using simple ratio, the share of the cost of supplying water to households should be 45% of $1.3 billion or $585 million. This will roughly translate to an average cost of about $40 per month to supply water to each household in 2015. This is well below the average monthly water bill paid by households of 4-room flats and above and, I am sure, for most private housing as well, before the proposed price hike. As highlighted by the Government, water prices have remained unchanged since 2000. What that means is that the margin of supplying water to households could be even higher in 2000 than what I have estimated for 2015. Using the same assumption, it costs about $21 per month to supply water to each household in 2000, since water consumption per household was fairly stable the past decade and water prices have not changed since 2000 and, based on available data, the Government could not have lost money supplying water to households for the past 15 years. Madam, this Government needs to be more transparent with the justification for the 30% hike in water prices. Resident households are already facing price pressure in carpark charges, transportation to food. From the proposed carbon tax, volume-based diesel tax and the 30% hike in water prices, the knock-on effect will be felt by Singaporeans eventually one way or another. No time is a good time to increase prices but if this Government is bent on raising the price of an essential commodity by 30%, it is certainly the right time to open the books to Singaporeans to justify the increase. Madam, I do not support the 30% price hike.”
“What is the relevance and purpose of keeping an engine capacity-based road tax which has no relation to road usage, on top of the volume-based fuel duty which, in my opinion, is the actual and fairer road tax? Last, the quantum of the water price hike is perhaps the most puzzling measure in the Budget. Can the authority share how much losses it has made supplying water to Singaporeans since 2000 to warrant such a hefty increase? Minister Masagos has stated in his reply to my Parliamentary Question that the current national average water consumption has dropped about 11% as compared to 10 years ago. The number of households that consume more water than the national average today remains stable in the past decade at 40%. If we look at the per capita usage, water consumption in Singapore is about 5% to 70% lower than that of London, Melbourne, Tokyo, Hong Kong and New York. What do all these numbers say? They basically say Singaporeans understand the scarcity of water and we have been doing our part to conserve this precious element all this while. The Minister also acknowledged that and he cautioned Singaporeans not to be complacent and to save more water wherever possible. Singaporeans have done that before and I am quietly confident Singaporeans will do just that going forward. It was reported in the news that the cost of developing and operating Singapore's water supply system has more than doubled from $500 million in 2000 to $1.3 billion in 2015. The Public Utilities Board (PUB) said this cost included water treatment, reservoir operation, NEWater production, desalination, used water collection and treatment, and the maintenance of water pipelines. So, in short, it is the entire cost of supplying water to the masses.”
“Next, most of the measures introduced under the objective to sustain a quality environment for the future will impact Singaporeans and the aggregate of their impact will add to the cost of living. The carbon tax, although scheduled to start in 2019, will hit households with an increase in electricity prices when the time comes. The volume-based diesel tax will impact the earnings of commercial vehicles when the rebate runs out in three years' time. Madam, it is logical to harmonise the tax structure for all motor fuels, including diesel, to be based on how much it is used. Since the Government has taken the approach to incentivise users to reduce consumption and manufacturers to develop more energy-efficient vehicles, the special tax on diesel cars and taxis should be scrapped completely upon the implementation of the volume-based diesel tax. Likewise, now that the tax structure for all motor fuels is harmonised, the road tax for vehicles should also be scrapped in favour of the more equitable volume-based usage tax, which was already in place for the longest time. Road usage is tied to the consumption of fuel. The more road you travel, the more fuel you burn and the more tax you will pay, be it petrol duty or diesel tax. So, why are motorists being slapped with a road tax that is based on the engine capacity of the vehicles? What has engine capacity got to do with road usage? The current road tax regime is beyond a misnomer to begin with. Let us compare two cars of the same engine capacity. If one owner uses his vehicle seven days a week while the other utilises his vehicle three times a week, why are both drivers paying the same road tax when one is obviously contributing more to road congestion and pollution?”
“" So, the touchscreen system was not broken but it was not much of a use. A decade on, and the use of the touchscreen technology in hawker centres has not caught on. It was more of a novelty than an enterprising productivity tool, as highlighted by the Minister. Madam, there is a lesson to be learnt in what the lady at the dessert shop asked me that day, "What do I want?" What does the Government want from the targeted sectors under the SMEs Go Digital Programme? Technology can cut both ways. It can be a productivity tool or a glorified novelty. This Government should not waste public fund on the latter. The fact of the matter is, for some sectors, going digital may not be the sole solution to improving productivity. Beyond automation and going digital, the cleaning sector, for example, needs a redesign in the way refuse and waste are being collected. The design of old HDB estates needs a serious relook because it takes too long to clear the many bin chutes for just one block of flats. Going digital alone is not going to help the cleaning sector. It also needs the whole-of-Government (WoG) approach to educate or incentivise the public to generate less waste, because no amount of productivity improvements is going to help if we keep on generating waste at the current rate. It is important to embrace the digital economy, but going digital alone is not going to resolve the productivity issue. The digital economy needs "brick and mortar" support. It may need the Government to relook into all the compliance processes and to remove them if necessary. Getting SMEs to go digital is only one part of the equation. It needs a collective effort for the digital economy to function and flourish.”
“Does the Government want every SME to go digital? And is it even necessary to do so? One of the measures introduced in 2010, the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) scheme, has impacted the food services sector positively. The tablet computer has replaced the hardcopy menu in many restaurants. Customers no longer need to wait to be served to place their orders. The use of technology in this instance is motivated and meaningful. In 2006, then Second Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, highlighted an example of a local businessman who had embraced infocomm to improve his business. He shared that the dessert stall owner has invested in the touchscreen system to allow customers to place their dining in or take-out orders at the Peoples' Park Complex Food Centre. He cited that the use of technology had brought the owner new business and improved productivity in tracking the stock of the dessert sold and the amount of ingredients left. I visited the dessert shop at the old food centre to see for myself why the shop was worthy of a mention by the Minister at the Opening of 10th InfoComm Commerce Conference in 2006. The dessert shop was manned by two persons: a lady at the counter and a gentleman to prepare the dessert right behind her. Both of them could easily take orders from customers, as the shop was very small. For those who have been to Peoples' Park Complex, you will know what I mean. I proceeded to order via the touchscreen and waited. The lady looked at me in anticipation. I looked back at her and tried to hint with my eyes that I have just ordered my dessert at the touchscreen system. There was a queue forming and she snapped suddenly and said, "Ai see mi", which means "What do you want?”
“Madam, the geopolitical uncertainty and shifts in policy impacting the international economy, balance of power around the region and free trade may not have fully sunk in yet for the man in the street. But in time to come, it will become a worrying concern in the minds of all Singaporeans, young and old. What the future holds for our jobs, careers and cost of living upon retirement are questions that will creep up eventually. Budget 2017 is a reflection of the uncertain times we are living in today. Although this Budget attempts to address some of the concerns and outlines measures for our economy and society to weather the uncertainties, there is just no certainty in dealing with uncertainties. Some measures may work and some may not. Some measures are judgement calls, calculated at best, clutching at straws at worst, all in the hope that some of them will bear fruits for the economy. Some of the previous Budget measures have gone on to become permanent features of the fiscal policy. Some were given a makeover, hoping that the result will work better this time. But at the heart of all these measures, we must remain focused on what we want to achieve at the end. This year's Budget introduces the SMEs Go Digital programme. The main push is to get SMEs on to the digital bandwagon to improve productivity. The target sectors are retail, food services, wholesale trades, logistics, cleaning and security. What does the Government hope to see at the end of this initiative? We have seen this initiative introduced in the past under different packaging. What did the Government learn from the results of the past initiative? Why are the targeted SMEs not embracing the digital revolution, despite the many opportunities to do so in the past?”
“I just have one supplementary question. Since there is already 90% coverage, for the remaining 10%, will the Ministry be working with the banks to ensure this 10% will be taken care of as well?”
“Mdm Speaker, a supplementary question for the Senior Minister of State. A lot of the public housing rules and regulations apply to EC, such as the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) and even the resale levy. Would the Ministry consider assisting these residents to address all these defects, some of which are actually design flaws, in the official capacity as the housing authority? Because some of these residents would have done their homework − they would have gone to BCA, they would have gone to a lot of places. They felt that because the EC is part of the housing options offered by HDB, HDB is the authority to help them. Not to help them resolve it, but at least help them to initiate a meeting to set the framework on how these developers can help them. I have personally experienced, that in Hougang and it helps when HDB is involved; but that does not involve ECs, it involves a new BTO.”
“Is this not an experiment gone wrong? Is the Elected Presidency the best platform to safeguard the Reserves or merely a veiled attempt by the PAP to safeguard its control over all levels of government at the same time? Only a national referendum can provide the answer. My wife showed me a message yesterday. It was a simple question. It says, "Why are we asked to elect a President when the Government has decided who we should vote?" This rhetorical question came from a young student. Madam, I do not support the Bill.”
“The system has inherent flaws and the Commission has picked it up as well. And this reality will continue as long as the Elected President is expected to perform his custodial function and symbolic role at the same time. Madam, the Constitutional Commission went beyond the terms of reference to suggest the unbundling of the custodial and symbolic roles of the President to facilitate a return to the appointed Presidency. One can only surmise that the Commission is acutely aware that an Elected President will always be conflicted in some ways going down this road. The WP does not see the need to have an Elected President. We call upon this Government to do away with the Elected Presidency and revert to an appointed President. The WP recognises the importance to safeguard past Reserves and proposes to have a Senate body elected by the people solely for the custodial function as intended for the Elected President, as explained by my Parliamentary colleagues earlier. The wide-ranging amendments in this Bill, such as the tightening of the qualifying criteria for Elected Presidency, the expanded role of the CPA and on the reserved election for minorities, to name a few, bear the hallmarks of an experiment gone awry for the Government. Madam, how many walkover Presidential Elections do we want to have before we acknowledge that the system is not working? How many reluctant candidates does this Government intend to field, just to give the electorate a semblance of contest, before we may end up with a reluctant President? And if this Government wants to narrow down the field to a sole candidate, where is the legitimacy to real power? Race has never been an issue for the highest office of our land until the Elected Presidency came along. This is a fact.”
“The nation was so divided that President Tony Tan was elected on a mandate of 35.2% of the valid votes, beating Dr Tan Cheng Bock by a margin of 0.35%. This a razor-thin margin unheard of even in the history of our Parliamentary election. When a constituency came that close to changing hand in a parliamentary election, it will usually disappear from the electoral map. But you cannot make Singapore disappear. So, the next thing, I guess, for this Government is to raise the bar and make some candidates disappear. I understand the Minister has said that the changes are not targeted at any individual, but I am sure the Minister would agree that the changes will narrow down the pool of eligible presidential candidates going forward. While the amendment in this Bill will raise the bar for other candidates, it will continue to ensure an endless supply of candidates from the ruling elite, a source of candidacy where voters had made their disapproval known, not once but twice, in as many Presidential elections. Custodial powers aside, did the two contested Presidential elections entrench the notion that the Elected President is supposed to be a unifying symbol of the nation after all? It certainly did not feel that way. From the result of the election, it was easy to see that the people of Singapore value something more intangible than whether a presidential candidate is a CEO of a $500-million company or an ex-Minister. They value political independence and for good reason, because this democracy is overrun by one party for the longest time. I agree that the Elected Presidency did not change the symbolic role of the President, but it is highly politicised as a result of the dual roles the President is expected to play.”
“Most of the appointed Presidents that graced the office of the Head of State from 1965 to 1991 were apolitical and were not conflicted in any way to represent the citizens of Singapore regardless of race, language, religion and political affiliation. Most important of all, they had proven to be enduring symbols of unity. When the Elected Presidency came into existence, the issue of a candidate's political affiliation becomes even more acute, as the President is supposed to act as a check on the Government on specific matters. The late Mr Ong Teng Cheong became the first Elected President of Singapore in 1993. Mr Ong was the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the People's Action Party prior to participating in the election. Mr Ong ran against a very reluctant candidate, the late Mr Chua Kim Yeow, who did not put up any poster, distribute any pamphlets or hold a single rally. In short, the late Mr Chua did not do any campaigning for votes. He gave only two 10-minute television broadcasts. It was reported that he did not even want to give an interview but relented eventually. The result of the first Presidential Election was totally unexpected. Mr Chua got a very respectable 41.31% of the total votes cast. For a reluctant candidate to do so well against an eminent opponent from the Ruling Party with absolutely no campaigning at all is a shocker to say the least. The Presidential Election of 2011 provided the affirmation on the type of candidates Singaporeans would prefer to check on the Government. The leading candidate, coincidentally the Chairman of the People's Action Party and Deputy Prime Minister at one time, came within a hair's breadth away from losing the Presidential Election in the four-way contest.”
“" Madam, it is important to let the people know that when they are voting for a President with custodial powers, they are not voting for a standalone person but the vehicle mechanism comprising the CPA, which may render the Elected President powerless in the process. The Elected Presidency, together with the proposed amendment tabled today, has the propensity to turn our democracy into a dysfunctional one in the future. For example, if there were to be a change in government by a simple majority, the incoming administration would not be able to make changes to the key appointments in the Public Service or tap on the Reserves to save jobs without the concurrence of the President whose candidacy was most likely derived from the automatic track, as history had shown, and the all-powerful CPA whose members were all appointed by the previous administration. A veto by the President and the concurrence by the CPA are enough to stop any Supply Bill or key appointment dead in its track, even though the incoming administration has the mandate of the people to run the country. Similarly, if an outsider President were to take office and decide to stop the incumbent administration from introducing populist measures to buy voters' support or to appoint its own people to the Public Service to move its own agenda, the CPA can send the veto back to the Government to trigger an override by the Parliament. In both scenarios, the power of the CPA and the resultant political unrest cannot be understated. It is irresponsible of us to kick this can down the road, too. Madam, as far as I can remember, the appointed Presidency has served Singapore very well.”
“If this President were to serve two terms or 12 years, he can only appoint up to a maximum of three members. This is the absolute influence the President is going to get in the eight-member CPA even if he serves for life. The circle of influence in the CPA is very important. Whenever the President decides to disagree with the Government on certain matters, the CPA has the power to turn the Elected Presidency into a lame duck institution over time if it chooses to disagree with the President each time he uses his veto powers. Check and balance under a political framework must be legitimised and mandated by the people. We cannot have a popularly elected President and then subject his influence and power to be checked by an appointed body at the same time. Such a system will polarise the society and politicise the CPA over time. We do not need to look into the future to see this happening. We already have Government-appointed grassroots advisers in Aljunied and Hougang to check and co-share the influence and powers of Elected MPs. Estate upgrading projects funded by HDB can stall unless the appointed grassroots advisers support the initiative. The political divide in our estate is telling and not healthy. If I may quote what the Prime Minister said yesterday about giving a non-elected President custodial powers, "Who are they to say no. We are elected, you are not. We represent the people's will, please approve what we propose". The CPA, like grassroots advisers, is not elected but wield considerable influence and power. In fact, the CPA was described to be on equal footing with the President in the analogy by Mr Goh Chok Tong in 1990. He said, "The six members of the CPA are like appointed Senators while the President is like an elected Senator.”
“The CPA, although only an appointed body, is bestowed with considerable powers to challenge and delay the decision of the President. This Bill also imposes a general duty on the President to consult the CPA before exercising his discretion in respect of all fiscal matters touching on the Reserves and all matters relating to key Public Service appointments. Without the support of the CPA, the President can hardly veto anything. The CPA, with its expanded role and size, now functions like an Upper House to ensure the President does not act contrary to the will of the Cabinet, since the President has limited say in the composition of the Council. The introduction of staggered term appointments by dividing the members of CPA into three divisions has little to do in ensuring continuity of the Council. Rather, it has the effect of ensuring stability in the decision-making process, as the composition of the all-powerful CPA cannot be altered by the President in one term. A founding father of the USA adopted staggered terms in the Senate for a number of reasons. And one of them is that the majority party in the Senate may change every two years, thus bringing fresh ideas and policies over time. However, the same effect will not happen for the CPA as all the eight members are not elected but appointed under specific conditions. The Prime Minister and President can appoint three members to the CPA each, evenly spread over three staggered terms, the remaining two of the tie-breaker appointments will come from the Chief Justice and Chairman of the Public Service Commission respectively. Singapore will elect its fourth President in 2017. The President will not be able to appoint his first member to the CPA until 2020.”
“Madam, as stated by my fellow MPs of WP, we agree with the Constitutional Commission and the Government that this Parliament should be the centre of power in our democracy. The Constitutional Commission observed that in the two-key mechanism, Singapore can ill afford an impasse on matters touching on the use of national Reserves or where appointment to key Public Service positions are concerned. The Commission concluded that it is critical that the Government retains the ability to function effectively in this area. We also agree that the Reserves need to be safeguarded and the body safeguarding the use of the Reserves has to be given a mandate by the people to say no to the Government. The office of the Elected Presidency, instituted in1991, as described by the Law Minister in 2011, sounds imprisoned by the Cabinet. The Minister said in his speech in 2011, "that the President must follow the advice of the Cabinet in the discharge of his duties, and he cannot act or speak publicly on issues of the day except as advised by the Cabinet". In other words, the Elected President cannot play Jailhouse Rock when the Government prefers Beethoven. And to remind the President that he does not have absolute veto powers, the Government established an appointed body, the CPA, to check on him. So, why is this Government telling the people they need to elect a President in order to give him specific powers to say no to the Government when he can never act alone in exercising his veto powers? The Presidential veto does not carry any weight without the support of the CPA. With the passing of this amendment Bill, the Elected President will have to share power with an enlarged CPA in the discharge of his custodial and key appointment roles.”
“Thank you, Madam. I thank the Minister of State. Just a quick question: can the Ministry share whether the trend of non-payment of MediShield Life premiums is actually going up or down?”
“The reason why I filed this question is because the Minister mentioned earlier that this a special scheme. So, if everything is the same, what is so special about the scheme then?”
“Madam, just a couple of supplementary questions. Are GRLs given priority in balloting for a flat, that is, are they given a higher queue number to select a flat of their choice? Two, are they allowed to buy direct from HDB more than twice? And the last question is: are they also allowed to take a loan from HDB more than twice?”
“The CPF Review Panel has made the right recommendation to allow members the flexibility to withdraw up to 20% of their Retirement Account savings, but it has fallen short by restricting the option to exercise this flexibility only when members attain their PEA. There should be an option for members to exercise such withdrawal after age 55 and prior to reaching PEA. Madam, at age 55, members will have their CPF savings locked up in their Retirement Accounts. For members who have set their minds on withdrawing 20% of their Retirement Account savings, what difference does it make to have them withdraw a portion of their CPF savings at age 60, 65, or whatever the PEA may be in the future? These members are already mentally prepared for a lower monthly retirement income to begin with, and the illustrative table provided by the CPF Review Report will give them a good gauge of the trade-off involved. What these members will stand to lose, however, is the compounded interest on the portion of the retirement savings they wish to take out before attaining PEA, and that may not amount to anything significant, depending on the amount withdrawn. Life is unpredictable. We can be walking today and bedridden the next. So, using some of our own CPF savings to perform the Haj or fulfil our bucket list of visiting our ancestral village while we are still able to walk is certainly not a luxury but a treat well deserved and a reward well-earned after age 55. The official Retirement Age does not equate actual retirement age. Likewise, the re-employment age does not guarantee employment. These uncertainties must be reflected in the option to allow members to make partial lump-sum withdrawal of their Retirement Account savings after age 55. Madam, I support the Bill. 4.43 pm”
“There is not much detail specified in the new section 18D of the Bill, but, as it stands, such a move will affect the retirement adequacy of members, now that their Ordinary and Special accounts can also be used to top up the MediSave Accounts of their loved ones. I seek clarifications on the new section 18D of the Bill. Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill. But before I end my speech, I wish to ask the Minister to look into enhancing the lump-sum withdrawal option of Retirement Account savings at the PEA in subsequent reviews of the CPF Act. The CPF Review Panel, in its report in early 2015, said it recognises that many members may have short-term cash flow needs in retirement, and came up with the flexibility to allow members to withdraw up to 20% of their Retirement Account savings, but only at PEA. The decision to delay such withdrawal till PEA was premised on a belief that members would be clearer at that point in time to understand the trade-off between a lump-sum withdrawal of one's retirement savings and lower monthly payouts. The illustrative table provided in the same CPF Review Report shows that members who opt for a 20% lump-sum withdrawal at PEA will stand to receive $10 to $100 lesser in monthly payouts depending on the amount standing in their Retirement Accounts. For members with about $80,000 in their Retirement Accounts, it is just a toss between receiving $680 a month or $580 a month with Page: 53 a lump-sum withdrawal of about $20,000. Madam, upon reaching age 55, members do not need another decade to think about this trade-off, especially when financial emergencies can come knocking at any time. And such lump-sum withdrawal by members may not relate to financial emergencies as well.”
“Mdm Speaker, CPF has to evolve to stay relevant with the times. Members are living longer, medical expenses are rising and housing commitments and inflation are factors that may impact our retirement plans in more ways than one. The latest amendments to the CPF Act are another work in progress to ensure retirement adequacy for members in a changing world. I hope the CPF Review Panel will continue to make enhancements to the compulsory savings scheme to keep up with the times, the aspirations of our younger workers and the retirement needs of our ageing society. Madam, I have one clarification to seek in this amendment Bill. The new section 18D of the CPF Act is a short addition to the legislation but it carries a significant implication. The new section 18D allows the transfer of a member's monies standing in his Ordinary Account or Special Account to the MediSave Account of a related person. The CPF Act, in its current form, already allows members to use their MediSave Account to make payments for medical expenses incurred by other relevant individuals subject to terms and conditions imposed by CPF Board. That being the case, what is the main purpose of introducing section 18D of the Bill to allow the topping up of a member's MediSave Account using the Ordinary or Special Account of related members? Is it to address a concern that the financial adequacy of MediSave Accounts would deteriorate over time, if the same accounts are repeatedly being used to pay for the medical expenses of related persons? Would members, who are unable to tap on their MediSave Account to help their loved ones for whatever reason, be asked to use their Ordinary or Special Account instead, via a transfer made permissible under the new section?”
“Mdm Speaker, just a supplementary question. For those who qualify for Silver Support, the criteria, are they subject to review annually or are they set for life?”
“An example of such contents will be the "live" broadcast of the Olympics. Under sections 5 and 6 of the Bill, the authority has to facilitate "the provision of an adequate range of media services that serves the interests of the general public" and has the power to "collaborate with other organisations, in or outside Singapore, for the purpose of promoting information and communications services and media services". Singaporeans almost missed out watching history being made "live" from Rio de Janeiro last Saturday, when Joseph Schooling won the first-ever Olympic gold medal for the country, had the impasse in the broadcast rights for the Rio Olympics not been resolved at the very last minute. The reality is that Singapore has a small domestic market. The decision to have "live" broadcast of events like the Olympics cannot be solely based on commercial consideration. This Government has continued to support Formula One year after year. Can it not do something for events that happen only once in every four years, and of which Singaporean athletes are participating, and winning as well? I urge IMDA to look into facilitating more PPPs in bringing services and contents that may not attract viable commercial interests but may bring immeasurable benefits to the nation as a whole. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Although section 12(1) of the Bill does not preclude the Minister from appointing suitable candidates from the information, communications and media industry to be members of the authority, I am of the opinion that such appointments should be seriously considered. This is important because the authority must possess the depth to understand the opportunities lurking in the converged infocomm media sector, and to enact laws and regulations not just to accommodate the evolving sector, but to accelerate the development of the sector as well. IMDA has regulatory and promotional functions. How the authority intends to carry out both functions in a converged infocomm media sector, where change is the new normal, will depend on the members it appoints. The Infocomm Media 2025 plan states that it wishes to "nurture an infocomm media ecosystem that encourages risk-taking and continuous experimentation". Perhaps, IMDA should also take some risk and experiment with the composition of its members, so that the voices of practitioners in sectors like publishing, video and film production and online news media, are not just heard but represented in the regulatory decision-making process. Next, in terms of support for local content creators and to promote Singapore as a place to create content, I would like to seek clarification on whether the funding model for these initiatives Page: 118 would be different under the merged and enlarged entity as opposed to when MDA was a separate agency. Last, I urge IMDA to look into enabling more public-private partnerships (PPPs) so as to encourage and ensure contents with little or no viable commercial values, but of immense public interest, are made available for the benefits of the masses.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Digital Age has certainly arrived. The convergence of infocomm and media sectors in the digital realm has transformed the way we live, interact, learn, teach, travel, shop and more. When I first dabbled in digital technology more than a quarter century ago, I would have not imagined that the painfully slow 14.4-kilobit dial-up modem that I had could transform the Internet to be so pervasive years later, and that the clunky cellular phone in my hand could stream "live" video and do so much more now. The author of the article, "The Dawning of the Digital Age", wrote, "We are no longer on the cusp of it. We have all – to a greater or lesser degree – become Digital Citizens, which means we are both witnessing and participating in seismic change which permeates every aspect of our daily lives from work to play, education to commerce." If we look around us today, we are certainly experiencing a seismic change in the way we live our lives with the advent of the digital age. Information, media, and services are readily available anytime, anywhere and on demand. The formation of the IMDA, as stated in its press release, is to recognise the importance of the digital economy and seize new opportunities. The authority will regulate a converged infocomm media sector and safeguard the interests of consumers as well. The digital world moves at an unprecedented speed. Indeed, we must seize new opportunities lest we be left behind. But we must also regulate the digital economy with a light touch so that innovations and creativity can thrive and grow in a fast moving and ever-changing environment. I wish to seek some clarifications and make some suggestions on the Bill.”
“Madam, just one supplementary question. Did the report also make similar recommendation that you all should replace the body as well? Did the report also recommend that? Or is it just Kawasaki's decision to replace it on goodwill?”
“Just one quick question then. The other one I will reserve for the next set of questions. For those trains that are awaiting to be sent back to China and they are in service now, are there any cracks found on the body because the cracks originated from the car body bolster? Are there any cracks found on the body now or developing?”
“Mdm Speaker, I just got a few questions for the Minister.”
“Mdm Speaker, I understand that the foreign scholarships make up only a small percentage. I just want to reiterate that even though it is small, this group of people tarnish the whole intention of this foreign scholarship scheme. The Parliamentary Secretary has said that MOE will take all efforts to recover the cost. Can the Parliamentary Secretary share what are the efforts that MOE has taken so far?”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. But there are no numbers given, like how many foreign students there are, apart from the 1% that defaulted and the 4% that are unknown. So, can the Parliamentary Secretary give a comprehensive reply in terms of the numbers? How much money has been recovered? How much scholarship monies were written off even though the Parliamentary Secretary had said that MOE does not write off such monies easily? I have a supplementary question. How much effort is MOE going to take to recover those monies? How far will MOE go to take these errant scholars to task? I understand it is only 1%, but, as what the Parliamentary Secretary had said, these scholars have tarnished the image and intention of the whole system. I also agree that there are scholars who are contributing and have become citizens, and these errant scholars have also tarnished the names of these scholars. So, can the Parliamentary Secretary elaborate on this?”
“Sir, the potential for autonomous vehicles to play a key role in our public transport service is exciting. In a press release by LTA last October, autonomous vehicles are touted to radically transform our land transportation, especially in two key areas of constraint − land and manpower. 7.30 pm The Committee on Autonomous Road Transport (CARTS) in Singapore was reported to be looking into some key roles for autonomous vehicles to complement our transport system in the hope of reducing road congestion during peak hours and manpower requirements. While I am not sure how autonomous vehicles can help Singapore ease its constraint on land use, the technology can certainly ease the manpower crunch in the public transport arena. I do see the potential for autonomous vehicle to complement our public transport system, especially in the area of feeder bus service where the route is short and fixed and standard fare applies. I do see the potential for autonomous feeder bus service to take over from one-man-operated (OMO) bus service at night when the traffic is light and to stay operational longer as well. Sir, I wish to ask the Ministry to share more on the roadmap for the autonomous bus service to play a key role in our public transport system. In the same vein, transport by CARTS, there was no mention of allowing private autonomous vehicles on our road. May I ask the Minister if private autonomous vehicles are also in the same roadmap to introduce self-driving vehicles on our road? Electric Buses”
“Chairman, Sir, I just want to clarify the issue I brought up about the LUP design in Hougang, that I have met HDB. Some of the issues have been resolved and some have not because some of them, like the lift-landing breach, HDB said it meets statutory requirements. Like I said in my cut, because of the proximity to the resident's house and the dry riser, nothing else can be done. I would like to ask the Minister what else we can do to rectify all these design anomalies.”
“Taken as a whole, the lift landing bridge at Block 314 does not comply with the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s (SCDF) requirements as the entrance does not have the 1.2-metre clear width. I thank the HDB team for trimming the cement base and reorientating the landing valve of the dry riser to widen the width of the lift landing entrance at Block 314, but the fact remains that such measures were needed goes to show that some LUP designs need to go beyond just meeting statutory requirements. In the case of Block 314, the new lift landing bridge meets the requirements, but it is located right next to a dry riser and a resident's flat. Affected residents can no longer leave their gates open or leave their shoes outside their doorway as that will also cause obstruction at the entrance of the lift landing. These residents do not even have any space left to put a simple shoe rack anymore. The Town Council has no issue to enforce its bylaw to ensure that these passageways are not being obstructed indiscriminately but we are looking at a situation where the design of the landing bridge is being forced upon the residents to such a point where anything left outside their units will cause obstruction, no matter what. LUP is a comprehensive $5.5 billion programme. Is there any room for HDB to make good the bad designs as residents have to live with the consequences, day in and day out? And it does not help that LUP designs for similar flats in an estate can vary depending on the contractor who is doing the job. I must stress that I am not talking about defects but design anomalies.”