S Iswaran
Singapore
“The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has incorporated the requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 regulation in its Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Air) Regulations 2022. The Regulations are applicable to Singapore-registered ships and all other ships while they are in Singapore waters.”
“The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) plans to progressively roll out the charging infrastructure for electric harbour craft operations in the Port of Singapore from 2025.”
“Since 2018, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has imposed minimum bicycle parking provisions covering different types of developments. The requirements are determined by multiple factors, including the developments’ use, location and gross floor area (GFA).”
“I had addressed similar Parliamentary Questions by Mr Gerald Giam on 29 November 2022 and 10 January 2023, as well as in my Ministerial Statement on 8 May 2023. The Member can refer to these past answers and statement as there has been no material change in the allocation of Certificates of Entitlement.”
“To encourage the uptake of electric cars, the Government has rolled out the Electric Vehicle Early Adoption Incentive and enhanced Vehicular Emissions Scheme. When taken together, it provides up to $45,000 off the Additional Registration Fee of an electric car upon registration.”
“The Land Transport Authority studies all potential changes to the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system carefully, including conducting sensitivity analysis where appropriate.”
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“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his assurance, which is given in earnest. And I think we all accept that all of us in this House are committed to ensuring that the dignity and integrity of Parliamentary proceedings is preserved, notwithstanding how it is conveyed to a larger audience. However, I think it is important to also bear in mind the experience of other countries does not give us a lot of reason to be optimistic, in terms of the tone and nature of debates in Parliament and the impact such streaming or broadcasting will have. Is there a causal relationship? We do not know for sure. But there is reason to have concerns and that is why I articulated what I did. So, what it means is that at the end of the day it is not axiomatic one way or the other, and it depends on all of us as Parliamentarians to maintain the decorum, the dignity and the integrity of our proceedings through vigorous debate, based on facts and focused on the long-term interests of Singaporeans.”
“The Government therefore agrees in principle to the live streaming of Parliamentary proceedings. My Ministry will study the technical and implementation details. Our aim, as always, will be to achieve transparency, accountability and accessibility while preserving the integrity and dignity of Parliamentary proceedings. Mr Speaker, I know that you too are supportive of this move and we will announce details soon. Mr Speaker, Sir, to conclude, at a time that is fraught with anxiety about our future, as we take on unprecedented challenges and seek out novel solutions, and as we draw on our strengths as a people, I look forward to the Fourteenth Parliament of Singapore serving with distinction as the Voice of the People, the Voice of Reason and the Voice of Hope. Sir, I support the Motion. [Applause.]”
“We had others who have articulated this and, in fact, in today's Forum page in The Straits Times, Mr Wong Weng Fai has also made this plaintive call. The former Leader of the House and others have previously explained that we already provide timely and comprehensive access to Parliamentary proceedings. Anyone can watch these proceedings in person from the Strangers’ Gallery. Every speech and exchange in Parliament is recorded and made available online. Clips, categorised by topic and speaker, are uploaded within hours of each sitting. The Hansard is a full written record of Parliamentary proceedings and is available online. These already give us the full benefits of transparency, accountability and accessibility. We have been reluctant to go further for both practical and policy reasons. Demand for such live broadcasts, even of major speeches, is generally low – only 10% of that of free-to-air television news, for example. Parliament is a forum for serious debate on national issues. The debate in Parliament should be vigorous, but the tone should be sober. An element of cut-and-thrust is unavoidable, even necessary because Members want to show Singaporeans that their concerns are being expressed, and questions asked and answered in Parliament. However, it is equally important that Members come to grips with the issues and their complexities and not simply play to the gallery. Live broadcasts risk compromising this. At this point, I am sure Members of the Opposition think this is same line as before. And I want to say that we still hold these reservations. Nevertheless, we also note the global and technological trends which have made online streaming commonplace and seen legislatures live streaming their proceedings in many countries.”
“In this important and ongoing effort to strike a balance balance between staying open and being inclusive, and building a better future for our citizens, I believe Parliament can and should play a significant role in three ways. The first is to be the Voice of the People. The Leader of the Opposition used the Latin term for it, I will stick to English. The aim is this: we must express the hopes, aspirations, concerns and fears of our citizens at highest forum in our country. But, we should not and must not stop there. We must also be the Voice of Reason. To be candid about the challenges we face, honest about the choices and trade-offs, not just about what we want but also what we have to give up to get it. And ultimately, what we believe to be in the long-term interest of our citizens. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, we must be the Voice of Hope. Now more than ever, as we deal with unprecedented challenges and seek solutions, we must work with Singaporeans to draw confidence from what we have built up over the past five-and-a-half decades, the challenges that we have faced and overcome, have deep conviction in our strengths and capabilities, and look to the future with belief. If we do this, then I think we would have made a signal contribution to our nation building efforts, with a deep engagement of our citizens. In that spirit of deep engagement, we have paid close attention to calls to broaden access to Parliamentary proceedings, for example through live broadcasts or streaming online. This is a point that has been made in the past by Mr Pritam Singh, Mr Leon Perera – I think in this Parliamentary session – Mr Faisal Manap.”
“As such, as MCI has stated in our addendum to the President's address, we will ensure that all Singaporeans have a baseline level of affordable digital access and digital skills. We will help Singaporeans acquire the tools and skills necessary to participate meaningfully in our digital economy and society. These include affordable devices, mobile and broadband connectivity, e-payments tools and bank accounts, SingPass and a National Digital Identity to transact securely, We will provide targeted support for our seniors and low-income households. Senior Minister of State Sim Ann has shared extensively about our digital inclusion efforts, including the Seniors Go Digital Programme and the SG Digital Office, a mobilisation of 1,000 Digital Ambassadors and many more volunteers to galvanise a national movement towards digital transformation. In short, we will spare no effort in making sure that no one is left behind in our digital transformation efforts. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have outlined in detail how we seek stay open and be inclusive in the ICT sector, in order to create opportunities for Singaporeans. We do this in every sector, through the work of the Future Economy Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Heng, the National Jobs Council chaired Senior Minister Tharman and, indeed, a slew of other efforts. Over the past few days, we have witnessed intense debates on a range of issues – our policy priorities, whether and what we should change, and specific measures to be considered. We have articulated the policy choices and the aspirations and concerns of Singaporeans.”
“We are intensifying our efforts, working with the industry and unions to transform sectors, ease business transitions, create opportunities for jobseekers and reskill workers. Indeed, the digital economy is a bright spot, offering more than 18,000 jobs and skills opportunities under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package. Our goal is to have as many skilled Singaporeans as possible to take up these roles. That is why we are scaling up our efforts, both in pre-employment and continuing education. In the last three years, our Autonomous Universities (AUs) trained about 1,000 local ICT graduates annually. This has almost trebled and today, the undergraduates' enrollment collectively, is about 2,800. We also have around 4,500 Polytechnics and ITE graduates annually. The Tech Skills Accelerator or TeSA progamme has successfully placed about 6,600 Singaporeans in tech jobs to date. Looking ahead, IMDA is working to place and train an additional 5,500 Singaporeans in good tech jobs over the next two to three years in functions like digital marketing, software engineering, cybersecurity and data analytics, including 2,500 mid-career professionals aged 40 and above. At the enterprise level, we have enhanced the Productivity Solutions Grant and Enterprise Development Grant, to help our companies, adopt digital solutions and succeed. For SMEs in particular, we have the Start Digital, Go Digital and Grow Digital programmes to help them, as the names suggests, at different stages of growth, from when they are formed to as they scale, and eventually as they venture overseas. We also want to ensure that our digitalisation journey includes every citizen.”
“Then there are the IT services companies, which play an important role in supporting many other sectors such as finance. Here, as Minister Josephine Teo has explained in detail, there is more that we can and will do to reduce concentration and over-reliance on foreign manpower while strengthening the pipeline of jobs for Singaporeans. Some had suggested that we could offshore some of their functions as a solution. I want to echo Minister Ong Ye Kung's caution. This is not straightforward, as often there are linkages across different functions. We should also recognised that with increasing digitalisation, that the scope to work remotely has increased and this, as Minister of State Alvin Tan talked about, earlier this week, can work in our favour or against us. Do they want to locate those services, the people providing them in Singapore, or would they rather do it remotely. And we want them to choose in our favour, when the jobs are the type of jobs that we want Singaporeans to have. So, we need a differentiated approach for this diversity of companies in the infocomm sector. Our challenge is to work with these companies to continue creating career opportunities for Singaporeans, while recognising that we must allow them to have the necessary access to talents that are diverse, especially in emerging areas, in order to strengthen our overall position as a digital tech hub. As with globalisation, the digital transformation of our economy must also be inclusive with opportunities for every worker, regardless of his or her background; and every business, regardless of its size or stage of growth. MCI's vision is for every business to be digitally-empowered, for every worker to be digitally-skilled and every citizen to be digitally-connected.”
“There are the digital giants like Google, Facebook and Amazon, who have anchored their regional headquarters in Singapore. These firms are at the forefront of global digital innovation and are critical to our ecosystem. They hire many Singaporeans, both here and overseas. But, because of the nature and scope of their business, they need a globally diverse talent pool; for example in product development and some of the regional headquarter's functions. Therefore, the proportion of locals may not be as high as the national average, now or even in the steady state. For example, firms like Google and Twitter have APAC engineering teams here. The talent they require include highly skilled product managers and AI scientists, who are globally scarce. In the long term, these companies can help Singapore become an innovation centre and catalyse the growth of our local tech ecosystem. Google has collaborated with us on the programme Skills Ignition SG, which will train up to 3,000 Singaporeans for roles in growth areas like digital marketing and cloud technology. We also have local unicorns like Grab and SEA. They started with and maintained a Singaporean core, but with their rapid international expansion, they too need a strong complement of regional and global talent to be able to compete. At the same time, their increased reach allows Singaporeans in these firms to venture overseas and gain global experience. Our Large Local Enterprises like Singtel start in the sense from the other end of the spectrum, with a high proportion of local because of where they began. As they grow internationally, and branching into new tech areas like cybersecurity and cloud based services, they increasingly are seeking out global talent to complement their Singaporean Core.”
“These agreements are the new frontier in the global economic architecture. To strengthen our hub status in the digital world, Singapore is actively developing an international network of DEAs. Clear and harmonised rules, as well as interoperable standards and systems, will enhance cross border digital trade. With an open digital trade architecture and safeguards, data can flow more freely and securely across borders, between countries. This will help more businesses manage their global platforms and digital services out of Singapore. These DEAs will give a further boost to our infocomm sector. It is one of our most promising growth areas, offering interesting and attractive jobs and careers for Singaporeans. From 2011 to 2018, our infocomm sector registered a 7.1% average annual growth rate in nominal value added to our economy. COVID-19 has given the sector, in an ironic way, a further boost, by accelerating the focus on the cloud, connectivity, collaboration because of remote working, and cybersecurity. An estimated 22,000 jobs were created in the last three years alone with a median gross salary of about $6,000. More broadly, the total employment in the infocomm sector has grown over 11% from 2016 to 2019. Despite this rapid growth, the proportion of locals has held steady at 70%. This is no mean feat, especially when you consider that the fast growth has also resulted in an intense global competition for scarce talent in this sector. We want to further increase opportunities for Singaporeans in the sector. But our talent policy must take into account the variegated landscape of the tech eco-system, with firms of varying sizes and business models, at different stages of growth, with diverse needs and thus, different staff profiles.”
“I was therefore reassured when the Leader of the Opposition recognised in his speech that the presence of foreign workers, and I quote, "gives Singapore a vitality that keeps us economically relevant and also provides jobs and opportunities to our fellow Singaporeans". I think this is an important signal and a good starting point. In contrast, I was troubled when Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leong Mun Wai lamented that we do not have a homegrown CEO for DBS. By all means, let us passionately argue the case to do more for Singaporeans. But, as Parliamentarians, let us also be careful about what our words convey; in this case, the message we send to those who – to paraphrase Mr S Rajaratnam – have chosen out of conviction to become citizens of Singapore. How has our openness brought benefits for Singaporeans? Our portfolio of Free Trade Agreements or FTAs is a good example. As Minister Chan Chun Sing shared earlier this week, our network of FTAs is greater than the sum of its parts; each and every FTA adds to the network effect. Our network of 25 FTAs provides our companies preferential access to economies that together, represent more than 85% of global GDP. They also have rules that protect our companies' investments. This combination of opportunity and stability, among other things has helped attract over 750 foreign companies to establish their regional headquarters in Singapore with nearly 30,000 employees. They also generate demand for local businesses and ancillary legal, financial and other services. We have also helped our SMEs to benefit from this market access; and invested in our people so that they can take on regional and global roles. Digital Economy Agreements or DEAs are another way we are striving to keep Singapore open and connected.”
“It is in the judgements that we have to make, in translating those principles into policies and putting them into practice; when the macro benefits do not necessarily square with the micro experience; when we have to persuade our workers and union leaders to support technological change that may threaten their jobs, but yet is in our long-term interests; when our economic agencies have to convince investors that they can rely on us to be consistent in our policies, including those that pertain to manpower, even as they make long-term commitments to Singapore. Sustaining the dynamic economic and social balance between staying open and being inclusive is challenging in the best of times, what more at a time of economic uncertainty like the present? So, to do so, the foundation must be trust. Our citizens must know that their lives and livelihoods are always our priority, that we have their back. As Prime Minister said on Wednesday, "The Government will always be on the side of Singaporeans. What is the point of creating jobs for foreigners, if it does not benefit Singaporeans?" Equally, our international partners must know that we are not just fair weather friends; that we have the political will to stay the course. Building that trust is the duty of the Government, the Public Service, but, importantly, also of Parliament. It requires principled leadership. What we say, but also what we actively advocate in this House and ultimately what we do, must all be aligned – because they are all keenly watched. We have painstakingly built an open and inclusive economy – that is able to create opportunities for Singaporeans by welcoming competitive enterprises and talent. It is a precious asset that we must not squander.”
“Ultimately, it lies in how we choose to respond. In particular, I believe it depends crucially on how we balance two fundamental tenets – staying open and being inclusive. And I would like to give my take on that delicate equilibrium and the role that Parliament must play in maintaining it. Staying open means a willingness to engage with the world, embrace novel ideas and seize new opportunities. And on the face of it, the need and benefits seem self-evident. Indeed, even in the course of this week's debate, across the aisle, we all agree that Singapore must remain open in order to create jobs and opportunities for our citizens. But this is easier said than done. Staying open means greater competition, disruption and constant adaptation to change. The outcomes are uneven. In other words, there are winners and there are losers. Societies around the world have fractured because of this. So, being inclusive is a critical and vital complement to this. Our efforts to embrace openness must be matched by an equal, if not greater effort, to achieve an equitable distribution of the benefits and the access to opportunities, to preserve a sense of fairness. Again, we all agree on this and that we must invest in the skills of our workers, capabilities of our enterprises, have rules of fair play and redistribute benefits. As Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had said, we must redouble our efforts to develop everyone to their fullest potential, to take on new opportunities, flourish in their chosen pursuits. So, where does the rubber hit the road?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. In the course of this week's debate, Members have discussed the geopolitical, technological, economic and social trends that have compelled a point of inflection upon us. These are forces that are beyond our control. Yet, we have to address the dislocations they will cause to our businesses, workers and vulnerable groups. And, also, we must position ourselves to reap longer term opportunities. So, the decisions we make now will have a lasting impact on our economy and our society. This is not new. Last week, as I took my oath in the old Parliament House, I vividly recall the first time I did so in the same Chamber in 1997 as a newly elected Member of Parliament of the Ninth Parliament of Singapore. So, Ms Hany Soh would be perhaps surprised to know that there still are a few in this Chamber who took the oath and that includes, if I am not mistaken, the Prime Minister, Senior Minister Teo and, also, I think, Mr Shanmugam. But what it reminded me of is the major challenges that successive Parliaments have navigated and the tenets that have helped us prevail against adversity, whilst we held steadfastly to what defined us as a nation – whether it was handling a crisis like the Asian Financial Crisis, SARS, the Global Financial Crisis, or making important shifts such as in population policy or the use of our reserves. The stakes were high and we had difficult choices to make. And each time, we were honest with Singaporeans on the choices and trade-offs. We sought to foster understanding of our fundamental challenges and forge a consensus on the way forward. And Parliament was the key forum for this, and this time is no different. So, the question is, what will determine whether this arc of inflection in our history bends in our favour?”
“Madam, the hour is late; I do not want to prolong this. But there are so many things wrong with that. Firstly, about age, I am not that much older than the Member but I will leave that for now. More specifically, calling for an open dialogue, I think is very welcome. We can all do that. But when you start the dialogue, what is your starting position? That is unclear.”
“So, I take it that the Member's position is not that she is advocating — because an amalgation is an effective dissolution of the existing entities. So, assuming she is not recommending that, her proposition is that we should have an on-going dialogue in terms of how we can work closer together. And that in fact is what has been working all along. That is why the self-help groups have evolved the way they have. I am not quite clear what the Member's proposition is, or is there a specific proposal that the Member has.”
“I wanted to ask a clarification of Ms Sylvia Lim. The reason I rise is because I was the first CEO of SINDA. At the time that I was CEO of SINDA, we worked collaboratively with MENDAKI which was helmed by Mr Zainal Abidin Rasheed. We worked with the CDAC which was led by Mr Chan Soo Sen, and also with the Eurasian Association, which was, at that time, led by the Chairman, the father of our Deputy Speaker, Mr Timothy de Souza. I understand where she is coming from about the questions that have been raised. When I was asked to be the CEO, I had the same questions. But I think after involvement and seeing the evolution and not just in individual silos, but I think in the collaborative way in which our self-help groups have operated – be it in the context of educational support, be it in the sharing of expertise, be it in the area of working with the Government on various policy initiatives, I think it is fair to say that our self-help groups have not been ossified. They have evolved. There has been a response to not just the feedback from population, but also from the evolving needs of the different communities and how we can work together. I think the Member is also fully aware of the range of programmes that are now being mounted individually and collectively by these self-help groups, and the number of people that are being helped. With that understanding, with that appreciation of the evolution, the question I have for her is: does she feel that we would be better off without the self-help groups? Is that her assertion?”
“MCI will work with academia and community partners to augment the reach and impact of our public education campaigns that will empower Singaporeans with information and media literacy skills to protect themselves from digital harms. MCI will play its part to strengthen social cohesion and trust in the Government through timely, accessible, and inclusive Government communications. MCI has leveraged a range of traditional and digital media platforms, including mobile messaging applications in our official languages, to reach Singaporeans of different age groups and backgrounds. MCI will further enhance its Whole-of-Government communications strategy by using analytics and technology to tailor content to different segments based on their needs and preferred platforms. MCI will explore new ways to disseminate official information in the vernacular languages. MCI will work with all its stakeholders, including through the Government's engagement platform REACH and industry associations, to understand their concerns and seek suggestions on policy challenges. Together, we will seize new opportunities and forge a thriving digital future for all.”
“The Government adopts a balanced approach towards content regulation, both on the Internet and in other media, to facilitate informed media consumption choices and to expand the common space for diverse views that respect our society's values, while protecting our social harmony. We will continue to refine our content guidelines in consultation with independent advisory panels and stakeholders across the community, to reflect our evolving societal norms and diversity of perspectives. We will also nurture and support local media companies, who play key roles in our news and social media landscape. MCI will keep our cyberspace secure so that Singaporeans can benefit from digitalisation. We will strengthen the cybersecurity of our Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) – systems providing essential services, such as energy, telecommunications and water. The focus will be broadened beyond Information Technology systems to include Operational Technology. The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) will implement the Safer Cyberspace Masterplan to secure Singapore's digital core, safeguard cyber activities, and nurture a cyber-savvy population. CSA will maintain vigilance over the evolving threat landscape, and develop tools to protect Singapore's cyberspace from new and emerging forms of cyber-attacks. Singapore will also work with our international partners to build a resilient and secure international rules-based order in cyberspace. Ultimately, the most important line of defence against digital harms is a well-informed and discerning citizenry. We will deal with evolving digital harms, by drawing on the collective responsibility and capability of the Government, industry, and our citizens.”
“We are building a secure and resilient 5G communications network, which will provide the foundation for innovative applications and services. We will grow indigenous capabilities in technologies that drive value creation. MCI will collaborate with academia, industry, and other partners to strengthen R&D and translation capabilities, particularly in data, AI, cybersecurity, media, and communications technology. MCI aims to enable every Singaporean to thrive in a digital society. We will ensure that all Singaporeans have a baseline level of affordable digital access, especially vulnerable groups such as low-income seniors and families. Singaporeans will be equipped with the digital skills and literacy needed to go online safely and confidently. The SG Digital Office, which brings together Digital Ambassadors, volunteers, as well as corporate and community partners to drive the nationwide digitalisation movement, exemplifies the importance of working with the community to bridge the "digital divide". MCI will build lifelong learning communities. Libraries and archives provide trusted information services and inclusive social spaces that foster lifelong learning and an appreciation of Singapore's history. The National Library Board (NLB) will roll out a five-year Libraries and Archives Plan to prepare Singaporeans for a digital future. Partnerships with volunteers and organisations will create more opportunities for people to learn together, connect with our shared history and culture, and engage with curated content and customised services, both physical and digital. NLB will strengthen access to services for segments of our society, such as working professionals, who require more curated resources for learning and skills development.”
“Companies have been going digital to enhance productivity, build new businesses, and grow internationally. MCI will promote a vibrant ecosystem for digital transformation through international connectivity, progressive regulation, and public-private partnerships. To help companies access growth in Asia and beyond, Singapore is developing an international network of Digital Economy Agreements (DEAs) with like-minded countries, to establish interoperable digital systems and frameworks for data flows and electronic transactions, and ensure an open digital trade architecture. Singapore has signed DEAs with Australia, Chile, and New Zealand; talks are ongoing with the Republic of Korea. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), together with Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and the National Research Foundation (NRF), will build on the National Innovation Challenges to catalyse the development of new products, services, and business models that will better position sectors such as logistics, maritime, and modern services for growth in a digital era. MCI and Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) will continue engaging large global tech companies as investors, industry partners, and policy stakeholders. We will support the growth of local digital champions in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, communications, and digital platform services, assisting them with talent acquisition, market access, and capability building. We will also raise the digital capabilities of our enterprises, equipping them with digital tools to transact seamlessly, access overseas opportunities, and create good jobs. Singapore's innovation ecosystem will be empowered by our investments in world-class infrastructure, as well as research and development (R&D).”
“COVID-19 has reinforced the imperative for businesses and individuals worldwide to be digitally-ready. The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) will maximise Singapore's "digital dividend" by creating new jobs and driving digital innovation, and bridge the "digital divide" by establishing a baseline level of digital access and skills for all. Further, in a digital age where our common spaces are no longer just physical, MCI will protect our online and offline spaces, and build trust in our institutions and cohesion in our society through public communications and engagement. As part of the Government's priority to create jobs for Singaporeans, MCI will accelerate the creation of tech and tech-related jobs in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, and across the economy. We will ramp up placements, traineeships, and skills upgrading under the SGUnited Jobs & Skills Package, as well as the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) and Cybersecurity Development Programmes. The jobs for both fresh graduates and mid-career professionals will be in growth areas like cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, data analytics, software and network engineering, as well as executive roles in business transformation for companies going digital. MCI will step up efforts to digitalise our Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which employ almost 70% of our workforce. We will provide targeted financial assistance through the Digital Resilience Bonus (DRB) for the most affected Retail and Food Services sectors, in addition to broad-based schemes such as Start Digital Packs, the Productivity Solutions Grant, and Grow Digital e-commerce platforms for SMEs to access overseas markets.”
“Selected Government officials have access to Parliamentary livestreams to support their official work duties. Mediacorp and Singapore Press Holdings also have access, to facilitate accurate and timely reporting of parliamentary proceedings.”
“Minister Iswaran will announce more details shortly. Everyone has a part to play. For those of us who have seniors at home, we can encourage them to come on board this digital journey and guide them in picking up digital skills. Businesses and community players can also contribute; many have come forward during this challenging period to support donation efforts that provide digital devices to those in need. Together, we can help our seniors go digital in meaningful and sustainable ways.”
“Service providers can also use digital technology to monitor their wellbeing and convey important messages on COVID-19. Beyond digital access, individuals need to be equipped with relevant digital skills. To address skill gaps, including amongst seniors, there are various ongoing digital upskilling initiatives in the community. For instance, IMDA's Digital Clinics and the Tech Connect service at various Community Centres provide one-to-one support to address seniors' questions over smartphone usage. Various community partners and social service agencies also run Silver Infocomm Junctions to help seniors upskill themselves digitally. With the support of corporate volunteers from companies like Cognizant, Grab, and Microsoft, IMDA and National Library Board (NLB) have also recently launched online learning platforms, such as Virtual Digital Clinics, where seniors can have their digital questions answered remotely during the circuit breaker. We recognise the importance of bringing more seniors on board this digital journey, especially during this COVID-19 situation where digital solutions can help safeguard our seniors' health and improve their quality of lives substantially. For example, seniors can remain digitally connected through video-calls with their friends and family, even as they stay home. We will thus be embarking on a nation-wide "Seniors Go Digital" movement, as mentioned by the Deputy Prime Minister in his Ministerial Statement last week, to inspire seniors to widen their horizons through digital adoption, and equip them with the digital skills to do so. As part of "Seniors Go Digital", we will provide needy seniors who aspire to go digital but lack the financial means to do so, with financial support to have phones.”
“Digital inclusion has always been a Government priority, and is doubly important during this COVID-19 period. This applies to our seniors, although we recognise that we need to continue to engage seniors using multiple channels, including digital and many non-digital means like TV and radio programmes, as well as ground engagements. Even as we continue keeping these non-digital channels available, we must continue forging ahead on our efforts to equip every Singaporean with access to digital devices, as well as the skills to use them. To support low-income households to afford digital devices and Internet connection, Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has been running the Home Access programme since 2014, which provides two years of subsidised broadband and the option for a subsidised smartphone or tablet. More than 16,000 households have benefited since the start of the programme. IMDA also runs the NEU PC Plus Programme, which provides a subsidised PC and free broadband to low-income households with school-going children or with persons with disabilities. Together, these programmes support our residents, including seniors, with digital connectivity. For more vulnerable seniors, the CareLine programme by Changi General Hospital provides 24/7 emergency response, as well as care and social support, such as medication reminders and tele-befriending. Changi General Hospital has partnered with Temasek Foundation and the Agency for Integrated Care to provide mobile phones and mobile plans to needy seniors with little or no family support, so that they can access CareLine. Even as seniors stay home to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections, they will have peace of mind knowing that care is just a call away.”
“IMDA has also supported around 3,000 households with subsidised computers or Internet connectivity, more than five times the demand during this same period last year. As a result, the majority of students have been able to participate in full Home-Based Learning, with participation averaging 96% across the levels. Even with these measures, we recognise that some families have faced challenges in participating in Home-Based Learning during this period, due to either digital access constraints or other difficult circumstances. Looking ahead, MCI and IMDA are considering maintaining some of the enhancements to the schemes we introduced during the Circuit Breaker period. As we enter Phase One and look ahead to Phase Two of reopening, MCI and MOE are working together to review students' experience with digital access. We stand ready to help plug any gaps identified by the schools, which have not been addressed by existing measures.”
“Our approach to digital inclusion strikes a balance between providing help and using public funds prudently, in a manner that is fit for purpose. Hence the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) Home Access and NEU PC Plus focus on enabling access to digital devices and connectivity. This is done by providing one device to a qualifying household, which can be shared among household members, rather than providing one device to every individual in the household. This approach applies to students as well. IMDA's NEU PC Plus scheme complements MOE's existing provisions through the schools for students to access computing services. However, the Government is also prepared to be flexible, especially when needs change. The COVID-19 pandemic and the adoption of system-wide Full Home-Based Learning for the Circuit Breaker period translated into a greater need for digital devices among families with school-going children. MOE and IMDA's support schemes have therefore been modified and enhanced to broaden the criteria and to speed up delivery. For instance, students were given the option of borrowing devices through their schools. IMDA also began subsidising a second computer for large families with three or more children. In addition, to extend more help to needy households, IMDA adjusted the criteria for the iNSPIRE fund, which helps families with the co-payment component, to include all students under MOE's FAS Programme. IMDA and MOE have also streamlined and expedited the NEU PC Plus application process for students on MOE's Financial Assistance Scheme. The enhancements have helped many students and families. Since the start of the circuit breaker, school have loaned out more than 20,000 computing devices and 1,600 Internet-enabling devices to students.”
“It means workers who are prepared to pick up new skills and adjust to new jobs and circumstances, no matter what their background; it means seniors showing us the way that age is not a barrier to learning and making the digital transition; and it means hawkers who have the gumption to "try lah", as one hawker representative vividly put it to me, because of the conviction that this is a good thing. I know that some will be anxious about these changes and what it means for them. To them I say, on behalf of the Government, we will leave no one behind and will walk this digital journey with you. So, let us come together, seize this opportunity fully and secure a bright digital future for each and every Singaporean.”
“We have and will continue to enhance these programmes to meet the changing needs arising from COVID-19 and the Circuit Breaker measures. Digitalisation and digital inclusion are the twin engines that will take us to our digital future. COVID-19 has catalysed a heightened interest and need among individuals, families, workers and enterprises to be equipped with digital access and to acquire the requisite skills. It has given us the impetus to invest in a decisive, all-out push towards a digital future. A few days back, I announced the formation of the SG Digital Office, under IMDA, to drive a national movement for digital transformation in our economy and our communities. We will mobilise 1,000 Digital Ambassadors for this effort, to reach 18,000 hawkers and 100,000 seniors, so that they can all Go Digital. This effort will mark a quantum shift in our digitalisation effort in the community and greatly benefit the lives and livelihoods of our people. Mr Deputy Speaker, I have outlined in some detail our initiatives to create jobs and opportunities in this challenging economic environment, and to make a decisive push towards digitalisation in our economy and digital inclusion in our society. The SG Digital Office, our Digital Ambassadors who will be embedded in the community, TeSA, the Digital Resilience Bonus, the Hawkers-go-Digital and Seniors-go-Digital programmes – all of these and many others are a measure of the scale and scope of our ambition for this national digitalisation movement and the resources we are committing to it. However, to succeed in this effort, we need the "X" factor. And that "X" factor is our people, our mindset, and our willingness to learn and adapt to the "new normal", as some have described it.”
“We will therefore strengthen digital literacy and access among our seniors with the Seniors Go Digital Programme. The programme will help all our seniors build digital capabilities through virtual classes, one-on-one coaching at community places, once the Circuit Breaker measures allow for them, and that includes in libraries and community centres, small group learning with their friends and other hands-on learning opportunities. IMDA is also working with our telcos to offer better mobile data plans for our seniors. We will also provide financial assistance to seniors who cannot afford devices and data plans. These were important points raised by several Members. I understand the point made by Ms Sylvia Lim about keeping low cost non-digital options open for seniors and others who might need it. Indeed, that is the experience we have had and the effort we have made. For example, in the SafeEntry app, you can use your phone but you can also use the physical Identity Card (IC). In general, the idea is to encourage the adoption of digital solutions but to keep open the option of using non-digital solutions because we know that there will be some who still prefer them or are uncomfortable with the digital part. The same applies for cybersecurity; it is something that we will continue to emphasise in our training programmes with seniors and how we can instil greater cybersecurity awareness amongst them. These new initiatives will complement our current digital inclusion programmes such as NEU PC Plus and Home Access to ensure digital access and connectivity for low-income households, including those with school-going children, and persons with disabilities.”
“I would like to assure Ms Tin Pei Ling in particular that we will be extending the Digital Resilience Bonus to F&B and retail enterprises in the first instance, but based on our experience, we will then ssess how we can expand this to other sectors subsequently and this is a discussion that we will continue to have with MOF. But let me now move to digital inclusion. Digitalisation is not an end in itself; it is a means to better lives and livelihoods. That is why digital inclusion has always been at the heart of the Government’s digitalisation effort. Our digital push must reach all segments of our economy and society, like our hawkers and senior citizens, so that they too can benefit and participate. Hawkers Go Digital will boost e-payment adoption among stallholders from hawker centres, wet markets, coffee shops and industrial canteens. Apart from the obvious public health benefits, this initiative is also a good launch point for stallholders’ digital transformation journeys. In this multi-agency effort by IMDA, Enterprise Singapore, NEA, JTC and HDB, we will reach out to and help over 18,000 stallholders adopt e-payment solutions by the middle of next year. Hawkers who sign up for the unified e-payment solution and fulfil the minimum transaction requirements will receive a bonus of up to $300 per month over five months. Among our seniors, it is gratifying to note that digital adoption has been increasing, with smartphone usage more than doubling over the past five years. But we can and want to do more. Digital literacy will enable our seniors to lead more engaged, informed and fulfilling lives. For seniors who are employed, digital skills will enhance their skills and productivity.”
“We are augmenting this with sector-level digital solutions for F&B and Retail – two sectors that have many enterprises, that collectively employ many workers, and that have been significantly affected by COVID-19. We will introduce the Digital Resilience Bonus to encourage these businesses to adopt digital solutions like online ordering, e-invoicing, inventory management and e-payments to operate in the post COVID new normal. IMDA will give more details but let me use the example of Foreword Coffee Roasters, which serves specialty coffee and hires workers with special needs, to illustrate how this will help our F&B businesses. Foreword Coffee uses the baseline PayNow Corporate and PEPPOL e-invoicing accounts for transactions. The company also adopted a solution to create its online shopfront. Its new website was launched at the start of the circuit breaker and orders increased tenfold within one month. This digital initiative will allow them to receive a payout of $2,500 under the Digital Resilience Bonus. To advance its digitalisation journey, Foreword Coffee’s owner Mr Lim Wei Jie adopted a digital ordering solution and he also plans to deploy HR, payroll and accounting solutions in the coming months. That will entitle the company to an additional $2,500 under the Digital Resilience Bonus Scheme. Businesses that already have basic digital capabilities will receive an additional $5,000 should they decide to adopt advanced digital solutions like data mining and data analytics.”
“Digital and tech roles are in demand, within the ICT sector, but also across the rest of the economy as all sectors seek digital solutions. In the first quarter of this year, the ICT sector expanded by 3.5% with 1,100 new jobs. But we have to keep it real. Even in the ICT sector, jobs will be harder to come by now compared to pre-COVID times. In the current economic climate, ICT enterprises, like others, will be more restrained in their hiring decisions. That is why we are stepping up our partnership with the private sector. The TechSkills Accelerator initiative or TeSA will be enhanced in two important ways to help Singaporeans seize job opportunities in the ICT sector. First, we will scale up the Company-Led Training programme. In other words, we will partner leading tech and non-tech companies to place and train 3,000 Singaporeans in good tech jobs over the next two to three years – in functions like digital marketing, software engineering, cybersecurity and data analytics. Secondly, the TeSA Mid-Career Advance programme will run in parallel and create an additional 2,500 place and train opportunities for mid-career professionals aged 40 and above. Our goal is to help fresh graduates and mid-career professionals alike to secure these jobs, advance their skills and start a fulfilling career in one of the more promising sectors in our economy today. We adopt a similar broad-based approach to help enterprises at different stages in their digital journey. The SMEs Go Digital programme has Start Digital for new SMEs and Grow Digital for those expanding overseas using e-commerce platforms.”
“In this uncertain environment, the overriding economic imperative is to create opportunities and jobs for our people. That is the concern of Singaporeans. That is the focus of the Fortitude Budget. And that is the mission of the National Jobs Council established by Deputy Prime Minister Heng and chaired by Senior Minister Tharman. We are doubling down in our effort to identify jobs across the economy – be they permanent jobs, temporary jobs, part-time jobs, or traineeships. We will spare no effort to prepare and place our people in these roles – be they fresh graduates, from Universities, Polytechnics and ITEs, or mature workers in our economy. And, we will work closely with the Labour Movement and employers in this difficult but critical effort. One sector that holds promise is ICT, because COVID-19 has brought home the importance of digitalisation to our economy and digital inclusion to our society. Whether for individuals or families, businesses or industries, it is patently clear that digitalisation is no longer an optional extra. It is a critical necessity, if we are to survive this crisis and emerge stronger in a post COVID world. We will therefore seize this moment to make a decisive push towards a digital future, with three key thrusts: digital opportunities for workers; digital inclusion for all; and a concerted push for a digital future. In this year's COS debate, I noted that the promise of digitalisation is tempered by the uncertainty of change. Change and disruption have descended upon us now in dramatic fashion in the guise of COVID-19. The silver lining is that this crisis has crystallised the need and opportunity for digitalisation. Consequently, the ICT sector remains one of the bright spots in our economy amidst the economic uncertainty.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. In the course of today's debate, several Members have spoken on the work of my Ministry, and our strategies to build a digital economy, and a digitally inclusive society which is also a key thrust in Deputy Prime Minister's Fortitude Budget. I would like to thank Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Ms Sylvia Lim, Ms Jessica Tan, Mr Douglas Foo, Mr Patrick Tay, Mr Melvin Yong, Mdm Lee Bee Wah, Mr Christopher de Souza, Mr Muhd Faisal Manap and Ms Tin Pei Ling for their thoughtful comments and valuable ideas on this important national effort. COVID-19 poses an unprecedented challenge – to our health, our society and our economy. It has turned the world upside down, and we have seen competing narratives on how different societies, cultures and political systems have dealt, for better or worse, with the challenges posed by the virus. Now, as we emerge from the various measures to curb the spread of the virus, we will have to face the stark reality of its economic impact. So far, we been somewhat cushioned by the major fiscal measures announced by the Government – amounting to nearly $100 billion and 20% of our GDP. As Deputy Prime Minister Heng has said in his Budget speech, the Government has the responsibility to make the best use of our resources, to keep people safe, save jobs, transform businesses and, most of all, emerge stronger. But let us be clear. The global economic outlook is bleak and Singapore will not be spared. Based on the latest data, MTI expects our economy to contract by 4% to 7% this year, and there remain significant downside risks. We have tough challenges ahead. But they are not insurmountable. And we are taking decisive steps to deal with them.”
“Thank you. I want to conclude by highlighting again, as Deputy Prime Minister has highlighted, we want to build on these momentum, including the various initiatives for seniors, to reach out to all segments. So, the efforts with seniors, the efforts with hawkers, the efforts with low-income households, they are all a measure of our aspiration to ensure universality in the approach we take towards digital inclusion. But, it is a challenging task as I am sure Members like Prof Lim who has been involved in some of these community efforts know, as you go further down, it becomes harder and harder to implement. Sir, I want to conclude by affirming that digital inclusion anchored by digital access and digital literacy remains a foremost priority of the Government's efforts and borne of a pressing need COVID-19 has catalysed a heightened interest among individuals, families, workers and enterprises to be equipped with digital access and to acquire digital skills. We welcome this and we will do our utmost to ensure that every Singaporean is digitally ready and we will work with community and corporate partners and canvas widely for ideas as has been suggested by both Members. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that every Singaporean regardless of age income or background is well prepared to lead a fulfilling life in our shared digital future.”
“We have also seen commendable initiative spawned by self-organised groups and community organisations. As Ms Ong noted, the group Engineering Good has been collecting and refurbishing 1,800 old laptops for those who cannot afford one of their own and I also know that they have been working with partners like Progress NEST and A Good Space, whom Ms Ong is associated with and I think we will continue to encourage such collaborations amongst the community organisations and between the public and private sectors.”
“The situation, I believe and I beg to differ with the Member, is not as bleak as Nominated Member of Parliament Anthea Ong paints it out to be. I think we have made progress, but at the same time we must have the humility to acknowledge that there is more that we can do. And that brings me to the impact of the COVID-19. It has led to a surge in the interest and demand to go digital. We welcome this rejuvenated interest and will do our best to support it. During the period of Home-based Learning (HBL), for example, Members have already heard how MOE loaned out more than 20,000 computing devices and 1,600 Internet-enabling devices. The question has been asked, "Why only one device per household in the NEU PC programme?" But we are talking about an environment pre COVID-19. I think that Members would agree that the last two months has changed the world. So, what was sufficient in a pre COVID-19 era for example – one computer per household at a time when there was no home-based learning, there was no work-from-home or telecommuting requirements – changes dramatically when you are in a COVID-19 type situation with circuit breaker measures. So, I think we must have some perspective in evaluating how fit-for-purpose the programmes were and of course, then understand that if the situation has changed, we need to adapt and introduce the measures that are necessary. In terms of the NEU PC Plus programme, for example, what IMDA did was then to adapt the programme so that families with three or more school-going children could apply for a second subsidised PC and more than 3,000 computers were given out in this period despite the supply chain restrictions that we had to deal with. So, I think it has been an important effort.”
“For example, since 2006, IMDA's NEU PC Plus programme, which Members have all referred to, has helped over 46,000 low-income households, with school-going children or persons with disabilities, for them to obtain computers and broadband access. And I want to assure Ms Ong that the computers in this scheme refers to computers as in PCs and desktops and not tablets. A further 16,500 households have benefited from IMDA's Home Access programme since 2014 which provides subsidised Internet access, with an option to bundle in an Internet-enabled device. Both these are run in partnership with self-help groups and also with Social Service Agencies. Digital readiness is also not just about hardware and connectivity, but it is also about the literacy and the skills to derive the full benefit. And that is why we have, for example, initiatives like the Silver Infocomm Initiative (SII), which was launched as far back as in 2007. It provides a range of programmes for seniors at different levels of digital skills. These programmes are also provided in vernacular languages to meet the needs of our seniors. Our companies have been important partners in these initiatives, with over 70 partnering IMDA, with 6,000 volunteers in our outreach efforts. And for persons with disabilities, the NEU PC Plus programme provides support for computer and broadband access. I can elaborate further but because of the time constraint, I just want to emphasise that the persons with disabilities remain an important part of our overall effort towards digital inclusion. So, we have a range of programmes aimed at youths, aimed at seniors, aimed at people with disabilities, aimed at low-income households, and these programmes are run in partnership with the private sector, with the community organisations.”
“So, I want to begin by first putting into perspective the current state of Singapore's digital readiness. Where are we today in our digital inclusion journey? IMDA's Annual Infocomm Usage Survey in 2019 found that 89% of all households own computers; and among households with school-going children, 98% own computers. If we exclude tablets from the definition, we find that 61% of households with school-going children own computers. So, that drops significantly. Interestingly, within this group, it is noteworthy that more than 80% of HDB 1- to 3-room households with school-going children have access to computers. In other words, it is gratifying that the efforts are reaching this lower income group. IMDA's survey also indicates that broadband penetration among households stood at 98% in 2019; and it is nearly universal for households with school-going children. Our 3G and 4G mobile broadband subscription rate stands at 100% of the total mobile market, compared with an international average of 75%; and our total broadband which is fixed and mobile subscribers, stand at 807 per 1,000 of population, compared to an international average of 369 per 1,000. Another group that we pay close attention to is our seniors. Smart phone usage among adults below 60 was 99.6% in 2019; for seniors aged 60 and above, it had increased to 75% from 36% in 2016. These figures, I believe, affirm that we have made valuable progress in our digital inclusion journey. One key contributory factor has been the range of initiatives that have been launched in close collaboration between our public, private and people sectors.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank Ms Anthea Ong and Prof Lim Sun Sun for emphasising the importance of a digitally inclusive society and for sharing their thoughts on how we can bridge the digital divide. Let me start by making it absolutely clear that digital inclusion has been at the heart of the Government's national digitalisation effort, and, indeed, of every discussion we have had in this House on that subject. Our Digital Readiness Blueprint, which was launched in 2018, envisions a nation with universal digital access where every Singaporean – young or old, disabled or able, rich or poor – is empowered with access and skills to thrive in the digital future. While our digitalisation message has been consistent and universal, the adoption of digital technologies has been uneven, across our economy and across our society. COVID-19 has brought that same message across more starkly, highlighting to all the value and even the urgency of digital solutions at a time when we have all had to learn and work from home, and interact and transact online. We now have the opportunity to give digitalisation a renewed impetus and push and the Nominated Members of Parliament have already observed that the Deputy Prime Minister has been somewhat prescient in his Fortitude Budget speech by making digital inclusion one of the key thrusts of the Fortitude Budget. But I think I want to make one point before I go further, which is, I appreciate the spirit in which some of the ideas have been put forward, but in our efforts to highlight gaps and in our desire to do better, we must be careful not to forget the progress that has been made, largely because of the hard work done by various Government officials in partnership with community partners and corporate partners.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Member for his question. I think he makes a very important point about the importance of having resilient inforcomm infrastructure. I think that importance is accentuated in circumstances like the present, when many are telecommuting and many students are going through home-based learning and so on. On the specific incidents that the Member has highlighted with respect to Starhub, based on the information that is available from Starhub as of now, the two recent disruptions to its fibre broadband service were caused by network equipment failure and also a domain name server issue, respectively. It was not, based on the information we have as of now, due to network traffic or network capacity issues. Having said that IMDA is investigating into the matter and once its investigation comes to a close, we will draw the appropriate conclusions and take the necessary steps. I would add, to address the Members' broader concerns, from a regulatory perspective, IMDA's approach has been to (a) design the regulations so that our telcos are incentivised to plan, design an infocomm infrastructure that is robust and resilient. Second, to build in to this infrastructure, back-ups, diversity and and resilience through this, so that if there is a need, and this leads to the third point, they are able to recover swiftly. So, these are the key design parameters when we think about the infocomm infrastructure and the regulatory intent of IMDA. Having said that, where an operator has been found to have fallen short, either because of negligence or because they did not comply with specific requirements, then IMDA will take appropriate action including imposing penalties as provided for under the legislation.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since the start of the circuit breaker, our telecom operators have seen an increase in their network traffic, particularly for fixed broadband and daytime usage due to telecommuting and home-based learning. On the whole, the volume of traffic remains well within each operator's network capacity, with a buffer of at least 30%. Some users may have experienced a longer wait when accessing certain websites or buffering when viewing online content. One reason for this is the usage patterns in the home rather than a network capacity constraint per se. To help users optimise their home Internet experience, IMDA has provided tips on its website and social media platforms on how users can share and manage their bandwidth consumption, such as closing unused mobile apps which are running in the background. Notwithstanding the current healthy capacity headroom in their networks, my Ministry and IMDA are working with our telecom operators to further increase their buffers. This is to ensure that we are prepared for a possible rise in future demand, and also to help ensure that individuals, households and businesses will continue to have strong and reliable Internet connectivity. Our experience in recent months has underscored the importance of investing to build up a robust and resilient infocomm infrastructure. My Ministry and IMDA will continue to ensure that our telecom infrastructure keeps pace with demand and meets our connectivity needs, especially as digitalisation accelerates in our economy and society.”
“At present, when the Police receives a complaint, they will note the offending phone number and take appropriate actions, such as follow-up investigations. Since May 2018, the Police has been working with the telcos to terminate phone numbers associated with illegal online betting activities. While the Police does not track the global number of complaints for online betting messages specifically, about 1,300 phone numbers have been terminated to date. These were identified through complaints by members of the public or through investigations carried out by the Police. Mobile subscribers should block online betting messages they receive using the spam filtering functions on their phones or third party applications. In addition, they can report such messages to SPF's I-Witness platform, the Police@sg mobile app or via email. My Ministry and IMDA will also continue to work with MHA and the Police to counter SMSes promoting illicit activities including online betting.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her questions. First, on the numbers and whether there is a clear trend, I would say that some of the actions that we took at the early stages of this crisis have had a salutary effect in injecting further restraint in the propensity to share such information or to purvey such false information. Having said that, I think they are also episodic; and we see sometimes, for want of a better word, a cluster pop-up because there is a new source of information and then others build on it. So, I would say in general, it has a leavening effect, a salutary effect in bringing the propensity down, but we still see some instances popping up from time to time. Secondly, are we well-equipped to deal with this? On the part of the Government, we are not going out on the basis of trying to identify who are the purveyors on an ex ante basis. What we do do is, when the false information is brought to our attention then we take quick action. And the action that we take we have a range of responses, from clarifications to correction orders under the POFMA legislation, to even more serious actions that we can take, under POFMA, under the Miscellaneous Offences Act and even the Penal Code. So, we have a range of tools at our disposal and depending on the circumstances of each case and the outcome of investigations, the Public Prosecutor will decide if more serious action is to be taken. So, on the whole, I think we have a comprehensive toolkit to deal with this but ultimately, I want to emphasise again the important role that all of us play because, ultimately, such falsehoods will find no traction if we do not give them any traction. 3.00 pm”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since late January 2020, Government agencies have clarified and debunked about 40 instances of speculation, rumours, scams and outright falsehoods pertaining to COVID-19. Amidst this crisis, our agencies have spared no effort to swiftly put out the facts, to dispel confusion and calm anxieties fomented by such falsehoods. The clarifications have been conveyed through the media, on Government websites, social media and the Gov.sg channel on WhatsApp and Telegram. Our primary focus is on ensuring that Singaporeans receive reliable and accurate information in a timely manner. We have also used the powers under POFMA – the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act – to require purveyors of falsehoods to place factual corrections alongside false claims. These actions have been against Singaporeans, here or abroad, as well as some foreign parties and websites. We will not hesitate to use the full force of the law against those who deliberately or maliciously purvey falsehoods. As was elaborated earlier, recently, an individual was charged in Court under the Miscellaneous Offences Act for claiming on Facebook that he had Government “intel” about tighter measures coming up. Purveyors of falsehoods must be held accountable, but we all have a role to play in stemming the spread of false information, especially as some may have carelessly shared misinformation. It is of utmost importance, especially at a time of crisis like this, that each and every one of us does the right thing by checking that the messages we receive come from reliable sources and make the effort to verify a claim or piece of information before sharing it.”
“So, in some of the instances that the Member has cited, for example, when there was a information passing around about Prime Minister's impending address to the nation and all kinds of rumours associated with it, we did push out something through the gov.sg WhatsApp. For Members' information, today, we push out on a daily basis, something of the order of magnitude of over 900,000 messages each time and that is in the four languages – English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. The last point I want to make in response to the Member's comment that, whilst we can consider things like microsites and so on, as a kind of inventory of some of these clarifications that we put out, the crux of the matter really is in being able to counter such misinformation quickly. And I think we can do that in two ways. The first is, of course, on the part of the Government in terms of how we are able to put out the information, the correct information through all the channels available to us and we will continue to work at it and improve on it. The second is – I think this is largely the most important point – what Singaporeans can do ourselves and I think it has been salutary to see how Singaporeans now – often I get a lot of these messages and I am sure Members do too – the first instinct is ask: is this correct or is this fake? And I think that instinct is the right one, not to immediately press forward and pass it on to all our chat groups. But, to first verify, understand, before we share. I think if we do that, that will be the strongest defence against misinformation.”
“Mr Speaker, I think the Member has made an important point about the need to address misinformation swiftly and decisively. Let me just say that first, our emphasis has been on ensuring that information is put out accurately by authoritative sources. So, for a start, the Multi-Ministry Task Force co-chairs together with, usually the Director for Medical Services as well as other Ministers as appropriate and other officials as appropriate, have been conducting regular press conferences. And this has been an important part of our effort to ensure that there is regular communication and also regular representation – faces associated with the communications – so that Singaporeans have a point of focus and a point of assurance in this entire effort. Secondly, there have been regular background briefings that are being conducted by the Director for Medical Services and various other officials from time to time. This occurs as I have said, in the background, but it is a very important part of ensuring that the media understand the context of the decisions that are being made and the rationale, so that, when they report and convey those decisions, they can contextualise these correctly. Thirdly, the Member has raised specifically the point on misinformation, we have had to deal with it through a variety of measures. Of course, in the most extreme circumstances, we have had to use some of the powers available to us under the newly enacted POFMA legislation. I think Members will be aware of that. We have also tried to use other channels to push out information proactively but also sometimes reactively.”
“As AI technology is still nascent, MCI does not have immediate plans to introduce new laws to regulate AI. However, MCI has launched several initiatives to ensure the safe and ethical use of AI, and to promote consumer trust and innovation. These include: (a) A Model AI Governance Framework ("Model Framework") which translates ethical AI principles into practical steps to guide organisations' responsible adoption of AI; (b) An Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of AI and Data, which provides guidance to manage legal, ethical and sustainability risks; and (c) A Research Programme on the Governance of AI and Data Use, which examines ethical and legal issues arising from the development and use of AI. The Personal Data Protection Commission ("PDPC") also works with sectoral regulators such as MAS on sector-specific guidance (i.e. MAS' Fairness, Ethics, Accountability and Transparency ("FEAT") principles)1 that is in line with PDPC's Model Framework. Organisations are also required to comply with relevant laws and regulations when deploying AI technology such as those pertaining to safety, data protection and fair competition. MCI and PDPC will continue to monitor global developments, and ensure that our regulatory approach safeguards individuals' interests and preserves public confidence in AI, while enabling data-driven innovation to thrive in the Digital Economy.”
“Mr Chairman, without wanting to prolong that discussion on POFMA, let me just say that, I think, essentially this is one of the reasons why we were very keen to move on the gov.sg WhatsApp service. Because, firstly, if it succeeded in terms of its reach to a large base of the population, it meant that they had a reliable source of information on COVID-19 through a channel that they are already quite accustomed to using. Secondly, if you were to receive such information reliably through WhatsApp, in this case, then there is also the ability for individuals who might encounter other sorts of information through other chat groups that they belong to, individuals can then forward this to basically provide the countervailing point of view. So, we think that that is a good start. In terms of the actual mechanisms for dealing with platforms like WhatsApp because they have end-to-end encryption and so they pose a different kind of challenge in terms of the POFMA regulation compared to some of the other platforms. As we said during the POFMA debate, we are taking an approach which takes into account the variations across different platforms and that includes WhatsApp and Facebook whom we are engaging in an on-going discussion.”