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.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,300 lines we hold for S Iswaran, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 30 of 46.
“Each year, about 1,000 ITE students also gain valuable first-hand experience in the management and operations of large-scale international events by working on the race. This year, for the first time, 2,500 members of the public toured the team garages at the Pit Building as part of the Pit Lane Walk Experience a day ahead of the race without having to buy a ticket. We have, and will continue to introduce changes to increase the buzz and broaden the community involvement around the Singapore's race. We look forward to the support of all Singaporeans, so that the F1 Singapore Grand Prix will continue to be an event that we are proud to host.”
“The Formula One (F1) Singapore Grand Prix continues to be one of the most popular events on the F1 calendar. This is despite increasing competition from other race venues around the world. This year's race attracted more than 260,000 spectators for the three race days, the highest since the inaugural race. The statistics on the economic benefits from this year's race are still being compiled but we expect them to remain steady. The F1 Singapore Grand Prix has generated about $150 million in incremental tourism receipts per race. These tourism receipts are over and above the typical tourism spending on a non-race weekend. Further, more than 200,000 international visitors have come to Singapore for the last five races. Many of these visitors are from non-traditional tourism source markets as the race helped to broaden Singapore’s reach as an international tourism destination. In addition, the F1 Singapore Grand Prix has yielded significant global branding benefits to Singapore. Cumulatively, more than 430 million television viewers worldwide have followed the first five races. Besides the tourism sector, the race also generated direct economic spin-offs for other Singapore businesses, especially the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs account for about 80% of the race promoter Singapore GP (SGP)'s race organisation works annually. Beyond economic benefits, the enthusiastic involvement of Singaporeans from all walks of life in hosting the F1 Singapore Grand Prix also helps to define our race. The race promoter, SGP, has worked with Government agencies and community groups to bring the excitement and broaden the reach of F1 to all Page: 101 segments of our community. There have been school visits, behind-the-scenes tours and educational talks for our youths.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his detailed suggestions. First, on cooperation with NGOs – I think the Member used the term "impartial NGOs". First, in general, there were four prongs in the way we are dealing with this issue, and I want to reiterate them because I think it is noteworthy. It is prevention of the crime; prosecution of the offenders; protection of the victims and partnerships with other countries, embassies and NGOs, the private sector. The Member's suggestion on cooperation with NGOs is, therefore, welcomed. We are open to the idea. We work closely with MSF. Depending on the nature of the proposal and the ideas that are put on the table, I think we can take that discussion forward. Second, I think the two points are inter-related. The Member's question was whether we would contemplate, given the nature of this crime and given it is transnational, transboundary and organised in nature, and consider an Act, like an Organised Crime Act, and whether we would contemplate extra-jurisdictional reach in that regard. We are studying the merits of the possibility of such an Act for organised crime and we will take into account some of the points the Member has made.”
“Comprising 190 member countries, INTERPOL facilitates international police cooperation even where diplomatic relations do not exist between particular countries. It offers law enforcement agencies opportunities to network and to enhance their capabilities through sharing of information, conducting training workshops, and collaborating on tactical operations. With the establishment of the INTERPOL Global Complex Page: 65 for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore, we will have a cutting-edge research and development facility for the identification of crimes and criminals, innovative training, operational support and partnerships, to combat transnational and syndicated crimes, such as human trafficking. Beyond operational and enforcement issues, MSF works with regional counterparts and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), in providing care and protection to TIP victims. For instance, the voluntary welfare organisation running our TIP shelter collaborates with a network of NGOs in various countries to provide assistance and temporary accommodation to TIP victims upon their return to their home country. Singapore remains committed to fight TIP in a comprehensive way and also strategically and effectively. Given the complexity and transnational nature of TIP crimes, continued international and regional partnerships are critical to fighting such crimes.”
“Thank you. Madam, Singapore has been working closely with the international community to fight human trafficking, also known as "Trafficking In Persons" or TIP. In 2010, Singapore formed the Inter-Agency Taskforce on TIP, co-chaired by MHA and MOM, to develop and implement whole-of-Government strategies to combat TIP more effectively. In March 2012, Singapore launched a National Plan of Action that maps our strategies and plans to combat TIP. The TIP Taskforce works closely with overseas law enforcement agencies and embassies of countries that victims may originate from. This close cooperation ensures that reports of trafficking are quickly and thoroughly investigated. Information sharing and upstream enforcement against human traffickers also prevent other innocent victims from being exploited. Singapore participates in various regional and international efforts to combat TIP, including the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) and its Working Group on Trafficking in Persons. At the operational level, Police attend meetings of the ASEAN Heads of Specialist Units (HSUs) on Trafficking. These are useful platforms for enhancing cooperation and sharing of information among the ASEAN countries. Beyond ASEAN, we also work with partners, such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Group of Friends (GoF) United Against Human Trafficking in New York and Geneva, to find better ways to combat TIP. The Member has also asked about INTERPOL. Police have been working with INTERPOL to share information on trafficking, as well as offer assistance to investigate into potential TIP cases.”
“Madam, I appreciate the Member's sentiments but I would like to also use this opportunity to clarify. The Member stated that the deaths and injuries arising from drink-driving incidents have been on the rise. In fact, the data suggests the contrary. The number of fatal and injury drink-driving related accidents has fallen from 179 cases in 2008 to 98 cases in 2012. However, as the Member has rightly pointed out, such incidents do loom large in our consciousness and we are concerned for the lives that are lost or injured. Page: 60 The Member has also argued for a mandatory minimum sentence. Madam, we reserve this approach for the types of offences or situations which are quite exceptional. We have done so, for example, for unlicensed money-lending harassment which causes damages and for certain types of drug-related offences and so on. But, really, we have been using this sparingly because we want to reserve it for where the circumstances and nature and trends of the offences in question warrant such action from the legislative perspective. Having said that, I want to reiterate the point I made at the start. Today, we have a range of offences that are prescribed in the different Acts that are available for the Prosecution to take calibrated action and for the Courts to decide on the appropriate level of punishment to be meted out. The record shows that so far, this system has worked well but we will bear the Member's suggestion in mind if the situation changes and it warrants a review.”
“Sir, at this stage, we do not have a plan for a comprehensive Act for terrorism. As I have enumerated in the course of my Second Reading speech and the response to Members, we have a range of Acts and provisions across different pieces of legislation that enable us to act against terrorism, whether it is pre-emptively or on an ex-post basis. And, indeed, one could argue that whilst this may not be elegant from a legislative point of view, it does give us the flexibility to take calibrated and targeted action, depending on which piece of legislation is most appropriately used in the context of the actions that are required. Having said that, I will not rule this out but it is certainly not on the agenda at this point.”
“Sir, the fact that there were no prosecutions under the Act per se is not a cause for concern. As I stated earlier, and I will explain again, it Page: 76 is because the overwhelming majority of cases in our context have been cases of terrorists who were self-financed. So, the issue of third-party financing does not arise. However, once it is confirmed that there is terrorist activity and the persons are deemed terrorists, the appropriate notifications will be served on the financial institutions and other relevant parties, to ensure that they understand that transacting with these individuals or entities would constitute an offence under TSOFA. Ultimately, the real test is whether we have been able to pre-empt such incidents from occurring in Singapore. So far, the record is good, but we need to continue to be vigilant and not take things for granted. And many of the provisions in this Bill are really intended to strengthen our ability to counter this form of activity. On the UN listing and whether Singapore specifically made an effort to list these two entities, I am not aware of the details of the effort on our part. I will provide clarifications on this issue to the Member later. But substantively, I think the point is that regardless of the list in the Schedule, we are not constrained. As long as an entity or an individual is identified as a terrorist threat, then the appropriate provisions of this Bill, and, indeed, any other related Acts covering the issue of terrorism, will come into force. Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene: Sir, I would like to ask the Second Minister whether the Government has any plans to have a comprehensive anti-terrorism legislation and, if not, why not.”
“The Government works closely also with the community on the rehabilitation of terrorists and to counter the spread and influence of extremist ideology in Singapore. Assoc Prof Eugene Tan asked whether persons who are found guilty of terrorism financing offences will be required to undergo counselling. All terrorism-related cases, including terrorism financing, will be thoroughly investigated. Subjects who are found to be ideologically indoctrinated to support terrorism activities will be encouraged to undergo counselling as part of their rehabilitation. Mr Desmond Lee asked about the levers to block access to and funding of websites that promote radicalisation. The TSOFA makes it an offence to provide funds for terrorist purposes, which would include the funding of extremist websites. Under the Broadcasting Act, MDA is also able to require Internet Service Providers to block access to such sites. Page: 75 Mr Deputy Speaker, I believe I have substantively covered the points that have been raised by various Members in the course of this debate. I want to stress that terrorism continues to pose a significant security threat, both globally and in the region. Singapore has consistently taken a strong stance against terrorism. As a responsible member of the international community, Singapore is committed to supporting international efforts to combat terrorism, including terrorism financing. The proposed amendments will align our regime with the practices of other jurisdictions. They will also bring us into greater compliance with international standards, as well as strengthen Singapore's competitiveness and status as a trusted financial hub. I urge Members of the House to give your support to the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) (Amendment) Bill.”
“Under the General Exemption Order for basic expenses to be made under section 7(1), the definition of "basic expenses" will be clearly specified so that only transactions, such as payment for foodstuff, rent, mortgage, medicine and public utility charges that fulfil this definition, will automatically be exempted. Page: 74 Outside of the General Exemption Order for basic expenses, there may be other legitimate circumstances that warrant an exemption order to be made. It is not feasible to spell these out precisely or comprehensively, given that the nature and type of such transactions or activities may vary and evolve over time. But let me assure the House that our agencies will carefully examine the merits of each case before granting any such exemption. As for the question on revoking of exemptions, an exemption order can be revoked by the Minister. If an exemption order has been breached, then the exemption may not apply and the person exempted will be guilty of the offence for which he is exempted. Mr Hri Kumar and Ms Sylvia Lim asked about the safeguards to ensure that funds will not be channelled towards terrorist activities. Again, I want to assure Members that there are procedural safeguards in place. Our law enforcement agencies will conduct a thorough investigation at the point of application for such an exemption to ensure that the transaction is for a legitimate purpose before any exemption is granted, and these exemptions can and will include conditions and requirements, such as regular reporting. Our agencies will also monitor the exempted transactions or activities to ensure that the property and services are utilised for the declared purposes.”
“We have experience in this and it has generally worked well for us. Other statutes, such as the Misuse of Drugs Act, contain similar provisions to protect informers. Assoc Prof Eugene Tan was also concerned about witnesses providing information which they knew or believed to be false during court proceedings. Although the TSOFA itself does not have a specific provision to criminalise such acts, they can be dealt with under the Penal Code. Under section 193 of the Penal Code, for example, if a person intentionally gives or fabricates false evidence in a judicial proceeding, he is liable to a fine or an imprisonment term of up to seven years, or both. I will now move on to the comments from Members on the new section 10B which criminalises tipping-off that prejudices an investigation under TSOFA. Mr Hri Kumar has raised some questions on the scope of the legal privilege in the new section 10B. As Mr Kumar has pointed out and, as the Minister for Law can attest to, the scope of this privilege was explained when the Evidence Act was amended in 2012. The reasons for limiting the scope of the privilege apply equally to the use of legal privilege as a defence to the offence of tipping-off. Given the gravity of the offence of terrorism financing, we see no justification, in this instance, for a wider defence, especially since we want to safeguard against abuse of legal professional privilege. The Bill also refines the exemption provision in section 7 to support our terrorist rehabilitation efforts. Mr Hri Kumar suggested that section 7(1) should be drafted more narrowly to spell out the precise circumstances in which an exemption may be granted.”
“Besides increasing penalties for terrorism financing offences, the Bill also seeks to strengthen our counter-terrorism financing regime through the inclusion of a new section 10A to protect informers. Assoc Prof Eugene Tan was concerned that section 10A may make it difficult for the accused to mount a defence. Mr Deputy Speaker, we need to strike a balance in the public interest between giving the accused unlimited access to all available information for his defence, and protecting informants so that they will not be afraid to provide much needed intelligence to prevent terrorist attacks. This does not absolve our enforcement agencies from conducting proper investigations and gathering the requisite evidence to prove all the elements of the offence. But the key point here is this balance is an important one and this Bill seeks to strike a balance in the context of what we have experienced in Singapore today. Mr Hri Kumar also spoke on the circumstances that would permit disclosure of the informer's identity and safeguards available. Disclosure is permitted in limited circumstances specified in sub-section (3). Disclosure is allowed in criminal proceedings if the court is satisfied that an informer had wilfully made a material statement which he knew or believed to be false. In other proceedings, disclosure is permitted only if the Court is satisfied that justice cannot be fully done between the parties without the disclosure. Page: 73 This exception is intended as a safeguard against injustice resulting from protecting the identity of informers. In such situations, the Court will assess whether to lift the protection after weighing the interest of protecting the informer's identity. This is an established system.”
“The planning and agreement to commit such acts would be an offence of criminal conspiracy under section 120B of the Penal Code. Mr Desmond Lee, Assoc Prof Eugene Tan and Mr Dhinakaran also asked whether the penalty for terrorism financing offences should be set higher than for money laundering offences, given the severity of terrorism acts. I appreciate the sentiment behind the questions and the proposals. The penalties that have been proposed for the terrorism financing offences are in line with those of other jurisdictions. For example, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany, Switzerland and United Kingdom impose a maximum imprisonment term ranging from five to 14 years. The Member mentioned the US legislation, where the maximum imprisonment term is 20 years. So, there is a spectrum Page: 72 and we think 10 years is a reasonable reference point at this stage. The Bill will also raise the maximum fine for terrorism financing offences to the same level as for money laundering offences, that is, $500,000 in the case of individuals and $1 million in the case of entities. This is a significant increase – five-fold for individuals and 10-fold for entities – and it should provide a strong deterrence. I recognise the point that Mr Lee made about corporations and the sum of $1 million may not be significant. But we have to look at it in totality. Once an entity is the subject of such action, the reputational damage and the limitations that will affect its operational capabilities will also have a significant sobering effect. We have made this move to significantly enhance the penalties. We will monitor the effectiveness of these enhanced penalties and we are not averse to the idea of reviewing them if necessary.”
“The Bill defines a terrorist to include any person who commits, attempts to commit, participates in, or facilitates the commission of any terrorist act. It also Page: 71 includes any person set out in the First Schedule of the Bill. So, even if he is not in the Schedule, if he fits the definition, then he is caught by the Bill. Mr Deputy Speaker, our definitions of "terrorist" and "terrorist act" are consistent with the legislation of other jurisdictions, such as Hong Kong. It is also in line with the International Convention on the Suppression of Financing of Terrorism. We have taken reference from international standards and comparable jurisdictions. The provision to specify persons as terrorists in the First Schedule is intended to enable us to meet our international obligations under the UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions, which require financial sanctions to be imposed on individuals and entities designated by the UNSC Committees. This Schedule is currently set out in the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Regulations and will be moved to the TSOFA with the consolidation of the overlapping terrorism financing provisions. This Bill does not change the existing definition of "terrorist" in the Act. Mr Dhinakaran suggested expanding the definition of "terrorist act" in the TSOFA to criminalise the act of planning or conceptualising a terrorist threat. The TSOFA does not criminalise terrorist acts but the financing of terrorism. We have to be clear about the intent of the Act. The commission of terrorist acts is criminalised under other statutes, such as the Terrorism (Suppression of Bombing) Act, Hostage Taking Act and Maritime Offences Act.”
“Ms Foo Mee Har asked whether the legislative framework to counter terrorism financing and money laundering, which is currently found in two different Acts – the TSOFA and CDSA − should be simplified to reduce possible inconsistencies. Sir, the objectives of the TSOFA and the CDSA are somewhat different. The CDSA focuses on depriving criminals of their proceeds from a criminal offence. The TSOFA, on the other hand, can be pre-emptive – it seeks to cut off the resources available to terrorists, so as to prevent the commission of terrorist acts in the first instance. While there may be some similarities, such as in terms of methods used to carry out money laundering and terrorism financing, there is merit in having two different legal regimes which allows us to take a more calibrated and targeted approach, depending on the nature of the offence. MHA is reviewing the CDSA, including the penalties provided within the Act. Where it is necessary to align certain provisions or penalties with the TSOFA, we will do so. Ms Foo commented that it may be difficult for the bank to establish whether the suspicious transaction or funds is for terrorist financing or other criminal activities, and, therefore, whether to make a report under TSOFA or CDSA. In practice, we would require just one report from the institution. The authorities will then follow up with the investigations and assess whether an offence under TSOFA or CDSA has been committed. Assoc Prof Eugene Tan was concerned that the definition of "terrorist" in the Bill was too broad. On the other hand, Ms Sylvia Lim asked if there were concerns that certain terrorist groups were not listed and identified specifically.”
“In 2012, STRO received nearly 18,000 STRs, of which more than 2,000 were filed by non-financial institutions. STRO has also assessed that the quality of these reports has improved over the years. We will continue the outreach efforts to the various sectors to strengthen the STR reporting regime. Mr Desmond Lee and Ms Sylvia Lim asked about the number of investigations and convictions for terrorism financing offences. We have investigated a number of cases, but there has not been any prosecution thus far. This is because most cases involved terrorists who were self-financed and the issue of third-party financing did not arise. Swift action was taken to detain the terrorists. As a matter of course, where there are suspected financing activities, provisions under the Criminal Procedure Code may be used to seize the funds. Once it is confirmed that it involves terrorist activity and the person is deemed a terrorist, section 6 of the TSOFA applies to prohibit dealing in terrorist assets. Notice is then served on institutions and counterparties not to Page: 70 transact with the terrorist which, essentially, freezes his assets. Mr Deputy Speaker, Singapore operates a rigorous regime against terrorism financing and money laundering. The proposed amendments in this Bill, such as the increased penalties and new provisions to protect informers and criminalise tipping-off, will further strengthen our enforcement regime against terrorism financing. I will now move on to specific questions that Members have on TSOFA and the proposed amendments in the Bill.”
“MAS conducts regular on-site inspection and off-site supervision to ensure Page: 69 compliance. Financial institutions which fail to put in place the necessary measures are subject to a range of supervisory actions, including sanctions for serious breaches. Ms Foo made a point about risk-based approach and being more targeted, and we agree with that, because a one-size-fits-all approach does not work when you talk about risk management and transactions monitoring. Instead, MAS supervises the financial institutions, including money changers and remittance agents, to assess that the robustness of their systems is commensurate with the scale and complexity of their operations, and the risk profiles of their customers. So, it is a calibrated approach and it takes into account the risk. MAS also provides supervisory guidance to financial institutions to rectify any weaknesses, including in their processes for STR filing. Regular outreach is conducted, together with industry partners, to raise awareness. The STRO has been engaging various persons and entities that have filed STRs on an ongoing and regular basis to provide feedback on their STRs. So, this is part of the education process that several Members spoke about. Besides financial institutions, STRO also works through business associations and regulatory bodies to broaden the reach to businesses and professions from other sectors, such as real estate agents, lawyers, accountants and jewellers. The appropriate relevant regulatory agencies will continue to review and enhance the regulation of these sectors to mitigate the evolving terrorism financing and money laundering risks. But the outreach is an ongoing effort. These efforts have resulted in more suspicious transaction reports being filed by industry players.”
“Singapore did well at our last Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Mutual Evaluation in 2008. Singapore was rated either Compliant or Largely Compliant for the FATF's Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing. Our results were on par with those of the United States and United Kingdom. The amendments in this Bill will further strengthen our compliance with the FATF standards. Let me now turn to the enforcement regime. Domestically, we have also put in place a robust regime against terrorism financing and money laundering. As various Members − Mr Desmond Lee, Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef and Ms Foo Mee Har − had mentioned, having tough laws alone is not enough. We must be able to detect and enforce against violations, as well as engage key stakeholders in various sectors to raise awareness and strengthen capabilities. Section 39 of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA) requires any person to file a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) if he has reasonable grounds to suspect that any property is linked to criminal conduct, and such suspicion arose in the course of employment or business. This requirement applies to all persons in Singapore, including financial institutions and entities in other sectors. This would also apply to any person working in the Freeport facility in Singapore highlighted by Ms Foo. Mr Arthur Fong and Ms Foo Mee Har spoke on the important role that our financial institutions play in preventing and detecting suspected terrorism financing activities. We fully agree with a mutually reinforcing approach to fight against the scourge. Besides the filing of STRs, financial institutions are also required by MAS to perform ongoing monitoring of their customers.”
“For example, the Suspicious Transactions Reporting Office (STRO) in the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with its Financial Intelligence Unit counterparts in other countries, such as Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, United Kingdom and United States, for the purpose of combating money laundering, terrorism financing and related criminal activities. These MOUs allow Financial Intelligence Units of different countries to share financial intelligence with one another. Regarding Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef's question on the processes to deal with funding from an overseas entity, it is an offence under the TSOFA to deal with funds belonging to terrorist or terrorist entities, regardless of where the funds originate, locally or overseas. If the financial institutions detect funds which they know or have reason to believe may be from terrorists or terrorist entities, they are prohibited from dealing in such funds, and are required to make a report to the law enforcement authorities for investigations to be Page: 68 conducted. Sir, the transnational nature of the terrorism threat makes cooperation across countries all the more important. We are fully committed towards working with the global community in the fight against terrorism financing. While Singapore is not directly involved in the review of Al Qaida sanctions by the United Nations Security Council mentioned by Ms Sylvia Lim, we will, as a member of the UN and a major financial centre, review and refine our regime in line with new developments, including any enhancement of sanction measures by the UN Security Council. Mr Desmond Lee asked how we fared relative to other countries in tackling terrorism financing.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, first, let me thank all the Members who have spoken, for their considered views on the Bill and also for their general support for the Bill and its policy objectives. Members have raised a number of points which fall into three broad areas. The first relates to the importance of international cooperation in combating terrorism financing. The second relates to the need for an effective enforcement regime. Finally, Members have also raised questions on specific provisions in the Bill. I will address these in turn. Ms Foo Mee Har and Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef spoke on the need for countries to work closely together to combat terrorism financing. Specifically, Assoc Prof Fatimah asked about the cooperation mechanisms among countries that are parties to the International Convention on the Suppression of Financing of Terrorism. The Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act (TSOFA) includes provisions that allow the Convention to serve as a basis for mutual legal assistance under our Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act (MACMA) and for extradition under our Extradition Act. We are, therefore, able to make and accommodate requests for mutual legal assistance and extradition involving other convention parties. Our law enforcement agencies work closely with their foreign counterparts to share best practices and exchange information to investigate and disrupt any terrorist plot or terrorist financing activity.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his questions. The post-mortem basically established the facts that the injuries were consistent with the application of C&R techniques but did not correlate them in any particular way to the cause of death. As for objective corroboration, clearly the Police did not just rely on the testimony of eyewitnesses which is why there was a review of, on the one hand, protocols and techniques and processes and training methods; on the other hand, the references to external experts and all other sources of information before arriving at a definitive view on the facts, and the charges Page: 37 that were recommended.”
“Madam, the Member has again cited a range of reports in the media. I want to emphasise that the process we have undertaken is a rigorous and thorough one. It involved the Police conducting a detailed investigation which I have elaborated upon; after 28 months submitting its findings to AGC which decided to take prosecutorial action. Separately, the Prisons service has undertaken its own review. Another separate process was initiated with the Committee of Inquiry. The Coroner acted in his own discretion according to the law. There was no application to adjourn the hearing and the facts have all been presented in totality. The Member should take reference from the fact that we have endeavoured to run a robust investigation to make sure the facts are clear to the decision-making bodies and for appropriate action to be taken.”
“Finally, whether the review of C&R techniques can be shared with other agencies, where appropriate, the Home Team has platforms where our departments share areas which are of common interest.”
“I want to thank the Member for his questions. Madam, let me first re-state findings of the Committee of Inquiry, for the record. The findings were that the C&R method used in the Prisons is safe, effective and appropriate. The application in this instance may have had certain aspects that were wanting but the overall system and process were found to be appropriate, safe and effective. Prisons adopted this system, as I said, from the UK system in 1990, and regularly reviews the system according to our own operating environment and also taking reference from any key developments in other jurisdictions. This is no different. In fact, Prisons reviewed it periodically and adapted one of the techniques in 2005 as a result of some changes in international norms, especially in the UK. So, the C&R technique regime applicable at the time of Dinesh Raman's passing was up-to-date, based on Prisons' active review of the processes. Whether a combination of techniques can lead to an unfortunate outcome, well, this is precisely why I emphasised the point. The purpose of the C&R techniques – the protocols in the regime and the very well-defined roles for individual officers – is precisely to ensure that reasonable force is used in a controlled manner in order to bring a situation under control with minimal injuries to all parties. That is the objective. So, we have to understand the context of the prison environment and what its objective is. As I said, also for the record, we have had no incident since these techniques were adopted since 1990 where the death of a prison inmate, or for that matter, serious injuries were attributed to the use of C&R techniques.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for raising the concern on behalf of his constituent – the mother of the deceased. On the point of communications, I think it would be fair to say that Prisons and MHA officers, in general, endeavour to maintain appropriate communication with the parties involved. In this case, I think they would have been constrained by the fact that the matter was still under investigation. I am not sure what inconsistencies the mother of the deceased referred to but clearly, Prison officers would have been constrained in what they could talk about with her with respect to the incident. However, I can assure the Member that throughout the process and certainly after the outcome of the Court case, there has been regular and appropriate communication with the family of the deceased and their legal representative in order to address their concerns and also to take up the matter of compensation. This takes me to the second point on fair compensation. The matter of compensation will be worked out in accordance with the rules that we have, and it would be a matter that would be settled between the next-of-kin and their legal representative, and the Attorney-General's Chambers and MHA.”
“The purpose of the Committee of Inquiry was to audit the Prison system and its processes to ensure that adequate steps have been taken, or to identify what additional steps need to be taken in order to prevent a recurrence of such an incident. That is the substance of the Report. We have already explained what the recommendations were, and as I said in my reply, those actions have been taken up by the Prisons service. Whether the deceased had any record of incidents in Prison, I do not propose to go into details but it would suffice to say that there were recorded incidents prior to this where the deceased was involved in various forms of violation of Prison rules, and in one case, particularly serious. On disciplinary proceedings with respect to the other officers, as I have said in my reply, MHA has initiated disciplinary action against all the officers involved pursuant to the outcome in the Court. That process is now running its course.”
“Thank you, Madam. Madam, the Member has posed a series of questions. I will endeavour to respond directly where appropriate. First, I thought I should address the issue of the Coroner's inquiry, since the Member has raised it. The Member is a lawyer so he would be familiar that the Coroner's Act mandates that the Coroner holds an inquiry for all deaths occurring in official custody and they are held in open Court. Where a Coroner's inquiry is discontinued under the Coroner's Act, this would generally be the result of a criminal proceeding having been concluded. In such an instance, the cause of Page: 33 death would have been made known to the Court in the course of the proceedings. At a pre-inquiry review held on 23 July 2013, the State Coroner noted that the cause and circumstances connected to the death of Dinesh Raman had already been established in the criminal Court and that DSP Lim had pleaded guilty. The State Coroner decided that there was no need for him to continue with the Coroner's inquiry. There was no application by any party to discontinue the Coroner's inquiry. The counsel for Dinesh Raman's next-of-kin was present at the pre-inquiry session and did not object to the discontinuance of the inquiry. I would add that it was also not unprecedented or uncommon for a Coroner's inquiry to be discontinued at the State Coroner's discretion after an accused person had pleaded guilty. There are cases that attest to that. Madam, the Member has asked a series of other questions. On whether the Committee of Inquiry's Report would be released, I need to specify very clearly that the purpose of the Committee of Inquiry as appointed by the Minister of Home Affairs was not to establish criminal guilt or liability.”
“Nevertheless, we expect prison officers to perform their duties with integrity and professionalism. It is important that the Prison Service has a team of disciplined and well trained officers who obey the law and manage inmates conscientiously according to rules and procedures. We take a serious view of any professional misconduct, procedural lapses, neglect or excess of duty by prison commanders and officers, and will take firm action against them according to the law and Civil Service disciplinary processes. This is important in order to maintain public confidence in the institutions and also in the people who continue to serve in them. With the conclusion of the Court case, MHA has initiated disciplinary action against the superintendent, supervisors and other officers involved in the incident.”
“All our prison officers are trained in C&R techniques. In addition, officers directly managing inmates are required to undergo C&R recertification biennially. In response to the COI recommendations, the Prison Service has reviewed its C&R doctrines, instruction manuals and training materials to place greater emphasis on the risk of positional asphyxiation and preventive measures. The Prison Service has also reviewed its recertification requirement to ensure that all supervising officers are covered, including the superintendents of prisons even though they may not need to directly apply C&R techniques themselves. In addition, the Prison Service has introduced new protocols, such as applying C&R techniques on violent inmates in a standing position where possible, to reduce the risk of positional asphyxia. These new protocols have been adapted from other jurisdictions, such as the UK Prison System and the Hong Kong Correctional Services. Following the conviction of the senior prison officer on 19 July 2013, MHA has been in touch with the family of Dinesh Raman and their lawyer to discuss the family's concerns, as well as the matter of compensation. AGC has informed the family and its lawyer in writing that the Government accepts liability and will compensate the family. As discussions are ongoing, I am not able to provide details. Page: 31 In closing, the COI has found that the Prison Service's overall system and processes for managing violent inmates are appropriate, safe and effective. The COI made recommendations to improve specific aspects of the C&R techniques, which have since been acted upon. MHA recognises that maintaining order and discipline for the safety and security of inmates and prison officers, is a difficult and challenging task.”
“To achieve this, our Prison officers are trained in C&R techniques, which involve using both defensive and control methods, to subdue a violent inmate swiftly, safely and decisively. Our Prison Service adopted these team-based C&R techniques from the UK C&R Training Centre in June 1990. They have been adapted to our local prison environment and are in line with international best practices in the UK, US and Hong Kong. C&R techniques follow a fixed procedure that involves teams of prison officers, each with a specific role or task. The procedure enables prison officers to use reasonable force in a controlled manner to restrain and manage violent inmates and to gain quick control over the incident with minimal injuries to all. Page: 30 Over the last four years, our prison officers have had to use C&R techniques 331 times to deal with a range of violent incidents. Prior to the case of Dinesh Raman, no prison inmate had ever died or suffered serious injuries as a result of C&R techniques. The COI assessed that the C&R techniques are safe, useful and appropriate for managing violent inmates, as long as safety precautions are observed. The COI did not find any malice in the actions of the prison officers involved in restraining Dinesh Raman. However, the COI identified specific areas of improvements, given the way the C&R techniques had been used in this incident. For example, the officers involved did not maintain constant communication with Dinesh Raman as required by the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), in order to monitor his overall condition. The COI also found that officers should have been more conscious of the risk that the C&R technique might cause positional asphyxia and of how to prevent this from happening.”
“The Police's investigations included a thorough study of the C&R doctrine, training, protocols and techniques used in prison; it entailed meeting external experts, both domestic and international, to seek professional views and an assessment on the C&R techniques deployed; and it involved interviews with 130 witnesses comprising 72 prison inmates, 23 prison officers, eight prison medical staff, seven police officers, two CISCO officers and Dinesh Raman's next-of-kin. In total, the Police conducted 144 interviews. Police investigators also went to the United Kingdom to consult a C&R expert from the National Tactical Response Group, under the UK Ministry of Justice. In comparison, the recent Shane Todd case, which took 13 months for the State Coroner to reach a verdict, involved 60 witnesses. That case did not involve criminal charges. Another example is the Yishun Triple Murder case of 19 September 2008, which concluded with a conviction four years later on 20 November 2012 and that involved 68 witnesses. Madam, the prison environment is complex and the risk of security incidents is real and present. Strict discipline and control is essential to maintain a safe and secure environment, for both inmates and prison officers. While the number of violent incidents in our prisons is low when compared with other jurisdictions, they do happen. Last year, there were 61 assaults by inmates, 40 of which were against other inmates and 21 against prison officers. We have zero tolerance for any violence or abuse that could adversely affect order and discipline in our prisons because it is the foundation for the effective rehabilitation of inmates.”
“The Police completed its preliminary investigations and referred its findings to the Coroner, who convened a Mention session on 4 November 2010. The Coroner's Mention formally commences a public inquiry into the circumstances of a death. On 17 August 2012, the Police submitted its consolidated findings to AGC. On 4 February 2013, after reviewing the findings and further clarification with the Police, AGC decided to take prosecutorial action. On 1 March 2013, the Police informed Minister for Home Affairs that the investigations had been completed. After being briefed by the Police on its findings, the Minister decided to appoint a Committee of Inquiry (COI) to conduct an independent audit of Prisons' broader systems, processes and protocols for bringing violent inmates under control. On 4 June 2013, Minister for Home Affairs accepted the findings and recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry and directed Prison Service to implement them immediately. All the recommendations have since been implemented, or are in the process of being completed. The charge against a Senior Prisons Officer, who was the direct supervising officer of the incident, was heard in court on 19 July 2013. DSP Lim Kwo Yin pleaded guilty to the charge of Causing Death by a Negligent Act and was fined $10,000. Page: 29 Madam, it took 28 months from the commencement of Police investigations to the Attorney General's decision to prosecute. This was due to the complexity of the case. Let me elaborate.”
“Madam, all three questions concern the unfortunate death of a prison inmate, Dinesh Raman s/o Chinnaiah, who passed away on 27 September 2010 after he was restrained and relocated to a cell, following his unprovoked attack on a prison officer. Madam, every case of death in prisons is taken seriously. Apart from the Singapore Prison Service's own investigations, the Police conducts independent criminal investigations to establish the circumstances and cause of death; determine whether any criminal offences have been committed; and identify the persons responsible for the incident. The Police's investigation findings and recommendations are then submitted to the Attorney-General's Page: 28 Chambers (AGC) to consider whether prosecutorial action is to be taken. In addition to the Police's criminal investigations, my Ministry will thoroughly review the incident, especially the actions of all parties involved, and the appropriateness of protocols and processes adopted by the Singapore Prison Service (Prison Service). Our aim is to ensure the safety and security of inmates and prison officers, and to maintain the integrity of our prison system of strict discipline and order. Madam, let me first set out the timeline of events to put the incident and the actions that followed, in perspective. Prison Service reported Dinesh Raman's death to my Ministry on 27 September 2010, the same day of the incident. Police commenced criminal investigations immediately. Separately, the Prison Service reviewed their processes and procedures for the use of Control and Restraint (C&R) techniques. The prison officers directly involved in the incident were redeployed from operational to staff duties, pending the outcome of investigations.”
“This is also why as part of our efforts in productivity and enhancing the value-add from the tourism sector, STB is working with the whole range of stakeholders to see how we can, not just professionalise but also enlarge the job scope so that we are able to create greater value out of this service industry.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his questions. On the first point about the problem of illegal tour guiding persisting, from STB's perspective, the enforcement activities continue. As I elaborated earlier, they have stepped up the activities. Inevitably, there will be some instances which persist. The other element in this is the regulatory review. We need to ensure that STB has the full range of powers in order to be able to take action on the Page: 33 spot on the ground when some of these activities are detected. This is one of the areas we are working on and that might account for, in some instances, some delay after enforcement to be able to bring the perpetrators to book. On the second point of ring-fencing the profession, statistically today, of the over 2,000 registered tourist guides in Singapore, less than 5% are foreigners. They serve very specific niche purposes, including in some instances, guiding in foreign languages – Russian, Korean and so on. They serve a useful and important purpose. More importantly, the overwhelming majority of our registered tour guides are Singaporeans and locals who understand our context best, and therefore they enjoy a significant comparative advantage in this sector. At this stage of our assessment, there is no need for such ring-fencing as the Member has suggested. However, we will continue to track this matter and see if there is any need for further intervention in that regard. Thirdly, on professionalism in the sector, this is an on-going effort.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for her question, but I thought I have made it quite clear in my response earlier. Our stance is that campaigning activities are disallowed and we are quite categorical about it.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his questions. Madam, at any point in time, there is a whole range of things that are being circulated on the Internet. The Police cannot realistically be expected to respond to every one of these possible events. So, the SOP is usually to respond to specific reports which have a basis in fact in terms of activity on the ground. So, that comes to the second question the Member has posed in terms of the response of the Police. First, the Police uniformed officers were on the ground within 15 minutes or so of receiving the report; second, there were also plainclothes officers deployed to the site. Why did they allow the event to continue to the end? Well, the answer is because they made a tactical assessment on the ground that they wanted to observe, identify who were the main participants or players, and then to take action against them subsequently, which was what happened, rather than make an intervention. So, I think the assessment of the officers on the ground was that this was the best course of action and we accepted that.”
“Since 2012, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the Singapore Hotels Association (SHA), the National Productivity and Continuing Education Council (NPCEC) and other agencies have been working together to improve manpower quality, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction in the hotels industry. Initiatives, like the Job Flexibility for Productivity (JFP) multi-skilling programme, have equipped hotel workers to do more diverse jobs, and improved their career prospects. From an initial pool of eight participating hotels, we now have 20 hotels on the JFP programme. We expect more hotels and tourism stakeholders to come onboard with the expansion of JFP to cover the entire services sector from 1 July 2013. STB is building on this progress by investing up to $265 million of its Tourism Development Fund in programmes that help companies and workers across various tourism sectors with skills upgrading, technology adoption and business process enhancements. STB and its industry partners remain committed to raising productivity over the medium and long term. STB has been actively monitoring the haze situation and is in close contact with industry stakeholders. The adverse business impact was felt most keenly by stakeholders with outdoor operations, but STB has assessed that the episode has not significantly dented the overall tourism sector so far. Nevertheless, the medium and longer term impact on our tourism industry would depend on the duration and severity of the haze going forward. STB will continue to work with stakeholders on the ground to ensure that the industry is ready with business contingency plans should the haze situation persist or worsen.”
“Sports event management and media company World Sport Group (WSG) had earlier submitted a commercial bid to the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for Singapore to host the WTA Championships from 2014 to 2018. The WTA announced on 8 May 2013 that it had selected Singapore as the host city. The WTA Championships is a major international tennis event, second only to the Grand Slams in stature and global branding. It attracts more than 40 million viewers across 167 countries. There is potential to augment the sporting event with an integrated lifestyle festival with considerable tourism and international branding potential for Singapore. STB estimates that the event could generate incremental tourism receipts of about S$15 million each year. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) assess that there will be significant spill-over benefits from hosting the event. The WTA Championships will provide good opportunities for local tennis development and community engagement. Singaporeans will be able to enjoy world class women's tennis and associated activities. Our athletes and the local tennis fraternity will benefit from training, coaching and interaction with the WTA athletes, coaches and officials. Our companies also stand to gain through complementary business and lifestyle activities, as well as opportunities to build their brands globally. The Government will support a portion of the approved costs, commensurate with the broader economic benefits that can be derived from this event. STB and SSC will work with all stakeholders to make the WTA Championships an international sporting event that Singaporeans are happy and proud to host.”
“Madam, I understand the Member's point and I thank him for bringing this up. Fundamentally, in order to bring peace of mind to a particular neighbourhood or group of residents, the key source of the problem is the actual harassment. That is where our Police resources are targeted − to detect and deter this kind of activity. Having said that, we have already introduced measures and legislation to render the failure to update the address on the identity card a punishable offence. If Members are aware of such cases, the cases should be reported to Police so that follow-up action can be taken.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his suggestion. I want to emphasise that we fully agree with his idea and proposal. Indeed, when we look at the efforts that have been taken and the measures overall, there are three limbs present. Enforcement, as the Member has rightly pointed out, is a downstream deterrence and is an after-the-fact activity. At the same time, we want to work with the community. Community partnership and education efforts are key in limiting the problem upstream. This is where we can work very closely with the Police and the community groups to heighten the awareness of the dangers of this scourge and what can be done to lessen one's vulnerability to it. So, I would encourage the Member − in fact, all Members – where they have ideas and their community leaders want to engage the Police in this, to take it up with the Police. Indeed, this is why we have established the community policing arm, to deepen that partnership.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for her suggestions and I think we all share her concerns for the safety and well-being of all road users. On the traffic signals, this is a matter under the LTA and there is a Committee chaired under MOT's leadership on pedestrian and cyclist safety. This is something they are looking at. We will certainly convey the Member's suggestions to them. Secondly, on road safety campaign, we have an on-going effort in terms of ensuring road safety awareness for all road users – motorists through the Basic Theory and other forms of training for their driving, as well as for pedestrians, whether it is children through the Road Safety Park and other road safety efforts, or the elderly through the Road Safety Ambassadors programme. We are continuing this effort – the Traffic Police, in particular – in order to not just work on enforcement, but also on engagement and education. These are important pillars, as the Member has highlighted. We will continue in this regard. Page: 40 I want to assure the House and Members that education and engagement will continue to be important parts of the effort to promote road safety in Singapore. On enhanced penalties, the numbers as they suggest do not indicate an increasing trend. The trends, if any, have been falling. We have already introduced a range of measures recently to promote greater road safety but we will closely monitor this and are prepared to take action, if necessary.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for her supplementary question. The question really pertains to how we look at the issue of inflation and we have to look at it in totality. Whilst we can talk about long-term and short-term movements, it is the aggregate that impacts the overall CPI number and any other measures of price inflation. Having said that, the Member used the term "structural" several times. By that, she means that there could be a wage cost price spiral, and I think that is the thrust of her question. I want to emphasise that it is not axiomatic that just because wages increase that prices must go up, and inflation must be a consequence, because the key elements here are whether those wage increases are underpinned by productivity and other enhancements in the economy. That is why in our measures, we are not just talking about support for wage increases by companies, which is an important part of the transition process, but also a key part of the strategy is to work on productivity at the national level, at the sectoral level and at the company level. So, we have to look at the real economic outcomes as well as the impact on prices through wage increases in order to draw a conclusion over a longer term. It would be too early to conclude that wage increases per se, as a result of our tighter labour market, will lead to longer term inflationary trends.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for her supplementary questions. The first, on installation of solar panels on HDB block rooftops and so on, in fact, we have a variety of schemes in place to encourage the exploration of the use of solar energy in the context of different environments, whether in terms of buildings or residential flats. HDB is experimenting with some of these, and working with the appropriate private vendors. And some of our developers are doing so. We have a range of schemes in place already, guided by a variety of Government agencies and initiatives. The second point the Member raised is an important one. I want to emphasise to the House that, ultimately, it is important and incumbent upon us that we keep our energy options open. The fact of the matter is that whilst we are moving on liquefied natural gas as a way to diversify our energy sources, that gives us some diversification but it does not give us diversification in terms of fuel types because we are still predominantly reliant on natural gas. We should not rule out options. Clean coal is one possibility. We have not gone about this in a large-scale way. But this is a smaller scale plant dealing with the needs in a particularly localised area. In this context, for steam. We think we should try these ideas out, subject to our environmental requirements and concerns, and making sure that our overall strategy remains one that is balanced.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his questions. The number in terms of the Clean Energy Programme or the clean technology that he sought is that $1.82 billion has been achieved versus the target of $1.7 billion. In terms of employment, we are also on track to achieve the targets that we have talked about. On the Member's point on feed-in tariffs (FITs) and, in general, consumption subsidies, I am not sure how the analogy with high-speed infrastructure compares. But let me put it this way. First, on the Germans' experience, I think he used this phrase "a leader in the space". Actually, what the experience in Germany shows is that when they had FITs, yes, the adoption of solar technology in usage was widespread, but it did not succeed in bringing down the cost of solar panels in Germany, and neither did it enhance the productivity and the technology of German companies. What they ended up doing was that many of the panels that were brought in were coming from China, and so on. That is one of the reasons why they had a rethink on how they have to do this. Because when you have a certain amount of funds there, you have to ask yourself, where it is best deployed to achieve your clean energy objective. I am not sure why the Member doubts the value of upstream investments, because that, in fact, will yield the most durable outcomes. If you invest correctly in the technology upfront, and you are able to bring it closer, if not too great parity, then it would naturally become a technology that would be adopted by industry and consumers alike, because the economic logic would Page: 118 be something quite compelling.”
“Madam, as of 31 December 2012, there were 11,736 foreign spouses of Singapore Citizens who were on Long-Term Visit Passes (LTVPs), including the Long-Term Visit Pass-Plus (LTVP+). Thirty percent had stayed in Singapore for less than one year, 19% had stayed for one to two years, 14% had stayed for two to three years and 37% had stayed for more than three years. Madam, there are increasingly more marriages between Singaporeans and foreigners. Our aim is to help these couples remain together in Singapore. The foreign spouse of a Singapore Citizen is typically granted a LTVP in the first instance. ICA will then require some time to assess that the marriage is stable before it considers the foreign spouse for longer-term immigration facilities. Page: 12 The factors considered include the length of the marriage, whether the couple have children from the marriage, and the ability of the Singaporean sponsor to support the family. Where the foreign spouse does not yet qualify for Permanent Residence, we have introduced the LTVP+, an enhancement over the LTVP. The LTVP+ holder is eligible for a range of benefits, including hospitalisation benefits at a level similar to Permanent Residents, and LTVP+ holder is also facilitated in his or her job search as he or she only requires a Letter of Consent from MOM without the need to apply for a Work Pass. Applications for LTVP+ are considered holistically and there may be a number of reasons, such as the employment status of the Singaporean spouse, as to why the application may be unsuccessful. In such cases, the foreign spouse would be on an LTVP in the interim period, until he or she is eligible for an LTVP+. 12.10 pm”
“Thank you, Madam. I want to thank the Member for his expansive clarification. To me, it says that he understands the gravity of the situation, and he is trying to explain a quite different point of view. I want to first assure him that this Government has not in any way lost its resolve to make tough decisions. In fact, if you look at our track record, we do it and we do not shirk away from it. Why are we being more cautious this time? We are not talking about one diesel tank. We are talking about millions of jobs, and hundreds of thousands of companies. I think it warrants caution and a certain level of measure in the way we do things. You stated that your GDP projections are not extreme. Indeed, I agree with you. In fact, your GDP projections are not the issue. That is arithmetic. What is extreme is your proposal as a policy on foreign manpower addition to this economy for this decade. That is what is extreme. That is what is going to cause the kind of issues I talked about, and that is what is going to cause the wrong signals to go out and potentially cause irreparable damage to our reputation, and our ability to then turn on the tap in the next decade, as the Workers' Party thinks we can. That is the crux of the issue. I agree with the Member that we are not just accountable to companies. We are also accountable to Singaporeans. I agree with that. In fact, that is what the whole purpose of this whole endeavour is about. Because if we arrive at some point in the future with a low population number but bereft of opportunities, I think we would equally be asked, "Why didn't you do something about it when you could?"”
“We want to be able to tell Xue Ni and other Singaporeans like her, and we want to be able to look them in the eye and say, "Yes, the world is your oyster, but Singapore, too, will have exciting opportunities for you to realise your dreams, and that we are doing everything we can to make it happen." And we want to reassure her parents and many other parents like hers that, indeed, we will create the opportunities for their children so that they will have reason and purpose and continue to be able to make Singapore their home. We can look forward to a good quality of life. Our economy will be dynamic and abuzz with activity. Singapore will continue to be an energetic and exciting node in our region, just like other leading cities. Ours will be a very liveable city that we can call home, where we work, live and play. That is the vision that the Singapore Government is asking Singaporeans to support: a global and competitive economy, so that Singaporeans with different aspirations can have diverse and exciting opportunities to realise their dreams, to create their own futures, and to live in a vibrant and liveable city that we call "home". Madam, I support the motion, and let us work together to make it happen.”
“For businesses, it is important they recognise the importance of developing a Singapore core, and build up the capabilities of Singaporean workers. One SME I visited recently is Manufacturing Integration Technology (MIT), a home-grown company in the semiconductor industry. It has shown that it is possible to build up, over time, a highly capable workforce made up of more Page: 71 than 80% locals in the manufacturing sector by seizing new growth opportunities and harnessing technology and innovation. We must persevere and invest in productivity. I believe Singaporeans also have good reasons to be excited. We have a promising future. And I would say certainly our children are also looking forward to that future with great expectation and excitement. Recently, at a dialogue with residents in Jurong Central, I met a young Secondary school student, Khoo Xue Ni, a 15-year-old Secondary 4 student at Hua Yi Secondary School. She stays in a 4-room flat in Jurong West with her parents and two younger sisters. And she asked me whether Singapore will continue to remain competitive and vibrant. They were rather mature questions for her age but she was very compelling. She said she worries about the future. But even as she does that, because she sees the other countries are catching up, she also hopes that there will be exciting jobs for young Singaporeans like her. She wants to be a forensic pathologist but, clearly, her choices are evolving. Her simple question, and the aspirations that she has, brought home to me most vividly what this is all about.”
“At a recent dialogue, senior executives from Applied Materials, which is the world's largest semiconductor equipment company, shared with me that just over the last four years, the wage difference between their Singapore manufacturing operations and other advanced locations, including Austin, Texas, has narrowed significantly because of wage increases here. In the past, when making investment decisions, companies asked, "Why not Singapore?" We had a certain mind share. As our circumstances are changing, we are now beginning to ask, "Why Singapore?" If we are not careful and make abrupt or precipitous policy moves, companies will soon say "Not Singapore." And if too many companies start saying "Not Singapore", we will not be able to deliver the opportunities that Singaporeans want and we will lose them to greener pastures. Having said that, Mdm Speaker, I am confident that our economic agencies can work together and convince many, many companies to say, "Yes Singapore", provided we remain adaptable to the global economy, remain open, and to remain united in our purpose and spirit. In this, everyone needs to play a part. We have a bright future to look forward to. It may be lower growth compared to the past, but it is quality growth that can generate a myriad of good opportunities for Singaporeans. There will be exciting new industries and jobs. To achieve that, we need our economy to have a solid core of Singaporeans with a judicious complement of talent from abroad, as envisaged in the White Paper. And I would urge all parties to rise above differences on specifics to look at the big picture and play their part. I have outlined what the Government is doing and the commitment to do more.”