Saktiandi Supaat
Singapore
“I have two supplementary questions. For my Parliamentary Questions that the Senior Minister of State answered earlier, I thank him for answering them because those are questions that my dialect-speaking seniors in Toa Payoh East and their families have raised to me.”
“As the Review Group has recognised, there is no "silver bullet", a holistic ecosystem-wide approach is required. The implementation of these recommendations appears to have been phased, with announcements across February, July and November 2025.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Three questions. First, given that the Section 301 actions can sometimes be broad-based, how is Singapore engaging with our US counterparts to ensure that our firms are not inadvertently affected by measures aimed at other economies?”
“Many of them do not openly express their difficulties. This is why social and emotional support must go beyond the occasional event. It must be sustained, trusted and easily accessible.”
“Would the Government consider developing a National Master Trades Accreditation framework – a national tiered certification that recognises advanced trade mastery, similar to chartered professionals in other sectors and create a new avenue for career switchers and career transition for segments of our workforce?”
“When the scheme is implemented in 2028, how will the Ministry measure success in terms of participation rates, risk-adjusted returns and improvements in retirement adequacy outcomes for CPF members?”
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“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. I have two supplementary questions. First, with regard to the Global Education Programme, the sub-component of it oversees industrial attachment programmes in the region. Can the Senior Parliamentary Secretary share how many students so far have benefited from it as part of the total amount because it is also related to what the Minister for Trade and Industry mentioned earlier. The industrial attachment programmes help to train not just the workers but our future workers through the students. Second, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that funding resources are adequate at the moment. Are there plans to enhance funding for the Global Education Programme for the ITEs and also the polytechnics, going forward?”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of State for the answer that he has given. I have three supplementary questions. One is in relation to part (c) of my question, whether there are plans to make the BCA Green Mark Scheme compulsory. The second question is with regard to energy efficiency. We have been discussing about single-use plastic bags but, in addition, the usage of energy in an efficient way in buildings is actually a very important factor. Does the Ministry of National Development (MND) have plans to ensure that companies and buildings use, for example, more efficient air-conditioners, and efficient usage of them in terms of setting temperature levels? That is my second supplementary question. My third supplementary question is: can MND share how they incorporate on an ongoing basis, progressively over the years, increasingly advanced sustainability elements and requirements in its assessment criteria? The target is 2030. We are still about 11 years or 12 more years away, including 2019. There are new sustainability measures probably that may emerge over time. Can the Minister of State share with us?”
“I would like to thank the Minister for answering the question. I have got two supplementary questions. One is, have there been any instances so far of Singaporeans being affected in the separate incidents over the past month or so? The second question is, so far, among those registered with the Ministry in Hong Kong, do they include students on scholarships there and in other educational institutions there as well? Because a lot of the local demonstrators emanated from the educational institutions there.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister for answering the question. I have one follow-up question. Essentially, in Toa Payoh where I am at in the constituency, when I go around for block visits, there has been an increasing number of elderly staying alone in their flats, probably in the smaller flats. My follow-up question is: in the sense of HDB services that have been provided to rental flats for some of the elderly and more vulnerable residents staying in rental flats, HDB does provide subsidies, from what I hear. At the moment, for Toa Payoh, our Town Council and some of our Residents' Committees have actually been helping some of these vulnerable and elderly residents staying alone. I was wondering whether the services that have been provided to the rental flat residents can be extended to some of our elderly and vulnerable residents in the flats in the vicinity.”
“I would like to thank the Minister for answering the question just now. I think the Minister highlighted the importance of strengthening the fundamentals in Singapore. I have two supplementary questions. One is related to something more detailed, in particular, the recent US Department of Commerce's proposed export controls on 14 categories of technology. And I think it has some impact on Singapore, in particular, what the Minister mentioned, in terms of investments as well. So, whether the Minister can share with the House whether there would be a potential impact on Singapore, in terms of investments and potential tech-related restrictions that the US imposes on China, and how that affects Singapore companies as well. That is the first question. The second is: the Minister highlighted about the trade and tech diversions and the supply chain changes. In the region, other countries are also putting in efforts to pull in some of these trade diversions into their countries. Can the Minister share EDB's strategies, in terms of reaping some of the benefits, or pulling some of these production networks into Singapore, if any?”
“In prosecuting perpetrators of fake news, we must maintain transparency of the process, allowing the public to understand why it is deemed a falsehood. We must reflect on why many people believed in a particular piece of fake news, and how we can get to the root of the problem. We must also persist to encourage Singaporeans to adopt the correct attitudes and values when gathering information on the Internet. Sir, I support the Bill.”
“But I tried to read the Bill to my understanding the example, illustrations of actions that would be prosecuted under the Anti-fake News Bill in Malaysia, are indicative of outright defamation, quite a different type of falsehood from what POFMA seeks to eradicate. Moreover, the punishments are harsh for perpetrators and abettors, involving astronomical fines and long jail terms. In the case of POFMA, Directions are intended to remedy the impact of falsehoods and not those who deliberately create and spread falsehoods. For example, they may be issued to intermediaries, primarily. The Directions are not even focused on punishment but on remedying the impact and thus the correction is an important element. Both Bills, in Singapore and Malaysia, have different intents and it is unfair to compare them. The main levers in the POFMA Bill are targeted at the intermediaries, through the various Directions that can be made. That is different from Malaysia's Anti-fake News Bill. Education must continue to play an important role, too, to impart critical thinking skills and help Singaporeans to discern whether something is a falsehood. There must be more trusted avenues for Singaporeans to do fact-checking. There are some international websites which do fact-checking and publish corrections of fake news. Unfortunately, there are also hoax websites that impersonate fact-checking websites! Can the Government share how the tools for dealing with online falsehoods today are inadequate? What other efforts are there to complement the legislation in countering online falsehoods? In conclusion, a multi-pronged approach is required to curb and eventually eradicate fake news, especially those that are connected to deep-seated beliefs.”
“Yet, if such content is made accessible on a regular basis, this potentially leads to a drip-feed of falsehoods and diminution of public confidence over time. I am assured to know that Minister Shanmugam had clarified that there would be a "clear oversight mechanism" in place to prevent possible abuse of power by the Singapore Government. I agree that swift action is necessary to prevent seeds of discord from growing into something more threatening. In doing so, reasons and evidence should also be released to the public upon issuance of the takedown or correction order. This would not only assure Singaporeans that the Government only targets false statements with evidence, but it will also give more strength to the correction. Corrections must be carefully crafted and they must be detailed, with the purpose of refuting each and every false claim. The Minister has said that this will be done, and it will be prescribed through law. I am glad that the Minister acknowledges the importance of transparency. However, the timeliness of publishing the correction is also important, and I urge the Minister to consider this factor as well and, if possible, tighten the time needed. This Bill should not be deemed as an end-all and be-all to shut down fake news. Regular reviews should be done to assess what type of content is prone to being turned into fake news content, and what are the reasons, and what can we do about it. I also note that some netizens have been comparing POFMA to the Anti-fake News Bill by our Malaysian counterparts. I am not legally trained.”
“Many violent conflicts around the world have occurred as a result of the spread of such drip-feed falsehoods, which feed on people's fears to instil mistrust and hate on a gradual but regular basis. In 2018, a terrible lynching happened in Mexico because of some rumours of child abduction when, in fact, no children were kidnapped. The incident made waves globally and many major news outlets cited it in their commentaries about the dangers of fake news. Yet, in 2019, child abduction rumours are causing violent attacks on the Roma people in France. In other countries, religious institutions are destroyed, innocent people injured, even killed in protests, while outcomes of political elections and major referendums are manipulated through falsehoods. These have far-reaching impacts on countries, as well as their citizens. We need effective tools to deal with drip-feed falsehoods and we need them right now. It will be too late if we wait until the harm reaches a severe level to take action. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, my question then is how will the Minister for Home Affairs or Minister for Law react to seemingly inconsequential lies and misrepresentations, especially when the perpetrators use the drip technique to slowly feed poison into the minds of readers, for example, a personal account about how the Police have mishandled a case, which may or may not contain some personal bias, or a photo edited in a way that misrepresents local authority figures, or a post about an ethnic stereotype, perhaps made in jest? Ethnic memes are popular in the west, and I have no doubt that some Singaporeans use them in a tongue-and-cheek manner with no real intention of promoting hate.”
“The effect is comparable to the rain water dripping from a rooftop onto a walkway. Eventually the tiny droplets will create a cavity on the cement floor. Social media giant Facebook recognises this problem and took steps to reduce the impact in the lead-up to the French election, for instance. They targeted fake accounts, worked with newsrooms to debunk false claims, and ran full-page ads in the French newspapers to guide readers on how to spot fake news. According to the head of research at First Draft News, a non-profit coalition working to address misinformation online, which Facebook is also a member of, there was plenty of material sowing seeds of confusion and distrust. These come in the form of manipulated videos, photos and other misleading content. It is more insidious, compared to a major hoax. They are relentless in their attacks as they persisted in their line of thinking. So, it is crucial to note the intentions behind the creation of such content. Not all exist with pure intentions of providing entertainment or an alternative voice. Often, content creators seek to increase traffic and readership on their platforms which translates to financial profits. They resort to sensationalising and manipulating news with intentions of generating so-called original content which they hope would go viral. These stories tend to spark strong emotional responses like anger. A common misconception is that drip-feed falsehoods do not have immediate impact on national security and so should not be investigated under the Bill. But if left unaddressed and allowed to manifest into something more threatening, that can lead to severe consequences.”
“(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Fake news has adverse consequences around the world. Often, it is an act of mischief that causes disruption, discord and panic. Sometimes, it can generate serious consequences, such as interference in national elections in India and Thailand, and causing clashes between the people and the police as in Greece. In the UK, the fake news aims to make people question the safety of using vaccine to prevent diseases. And we in Singapore also have our fair share of people who spread fake news. However, it is not surprising that there are those who are concerned about the POFMA Bill being tabled. Yesterday, Minister Shanmugam gave a detailed statement, and that corrections or takedowns should only be made if it is a factual falsehood and undermines public interest. And the Minister's decision can be challenged in Court and changed. In addition, the appeal process is also made easy and affordable. But having regulations in place is important to address falsehoods arising from cognitive biases. Such falsehoods, built up over time via a drip-feed effect, can become something that is hard to overcome. We have to nip the problem in the bud before it becomes a full-blown crisis. Falsehoods do not have to take the form of elaborate hoaxes that are detrimental to the public interest. In fact, elaborate hoaxes are more easily recognised and debunking it is not difficult, because it can be easily traced. On the other hand, drip-feed falsehoods are dangerous because they do not have an immediate effect and are harder to detect. If it is a constant drip-feed of falsehoods, it is, in fact, more damaging in the long run. It is like a whispering campaign to poison minds.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I seek your approval to speak in Malay first, please.”
“This is a crucial matter that we have to pay attention to. I look forward to the strengthening of our laws to rein in those who spread hate speech via Internet platforms and social media. I would like to thank Minister Shanmugam once again for the debate and his decisive actions taken recently as well as the clear point-by-point explanation to explain how Singapore deals with hate speech and why it needs to be unique to our context. I hope Singapore will continue to walk the tightrope with good balance to preserve the peace and harmony that we enjoy. This is a never-ending goal that our leaders, religious groups, all Singaporeans must continuously strive for. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the current measures to curb hate speech, but I think more can be done to support it for future generations.”
“Hindu volunteers could put together a performance to entertain elderly beneficiaries of a Buddhist temple. This is in line with the national goal of encouraging Singaporeans to be more involved in volunteer work. Religious institutions, with their large network of beneficiaries and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), are good places to start, if they open themselves to accepting volunteers of any religion. We cannot restrict hate speech beyond the shores of Singapore. But we can denormalise it at home by making it not cool, by speaking out against it. As long as it is something that seeks to glorify hate speech, it must not be allowed in Singapore. This is not because Singaporeans are immature and easily swayed by hate speech. No. It is about sending a very clear message and taking a firm stand against something that threatens our social fabric. Can we do more to help others understand why certain acts or words are so offensive, that it is not a matter of being small-minded or intolerant? I wonder if we can tap on local celebrities and influencers or even more to help engage the youths and spread the message? Can we also work with our corporate partners and labour unions to educate our employers and employees to reduce efforts to perpetuate stereotypes or build whistleblowing policy on discrimination and actions that stereotype certain segments? On a final note, the Internet has become a toxic waste dump for hate and malice, and any news story can pretty much be manipulated to divide people, not to mention perpetuate stereotypes, too. The Internet promotes a sheep-mentality that turns people into raging mobs without obtaining a full understanding of the situation. In Singapore, children as young as eight years old have access to the Internet.”
“As such, I would like to suggest that young parents be exposed to programmes that will promote opportunities for them to mingle with people from all races and religion, and to experience their culture. We have done all these. Maybe these can be done even more at the grassroots level through sports and interest groups, for example, as mentioned by Minister Grace Fu earlier. In Toa Payoh East-Novena (TEN), we have a cycling enthusiasts group made up of young professionals of various races and sports which could be a good example to form bonds. We are trying to encourage more young parents to join these activities. Through these programmes it is hoped that they will develop positive perceptions about their fellow Singaporeans, regardless of race, and hope they would guide their own children with love, not discrimination or hate. If, from stereotyping, distrust, mischief and misguidance among some people build up, then with the prevalence of hate speech and hate messages, the cracks can turn into chasms. And once this happens, what is not normal becomes the norm. I note that with the help of the IRCCs, some religious organisations of different faiths have collaborated to implement volunteer programmes, such as the blood donation drive by Masjid Khalid and Heart of God Church. I hope that such collaborations will be encouraged, as charity is an excellent platform to put volunteers and beneficiaries on the same page. I would thus suggest that to create more opportunities for interaction, we can look into, say, a Buddhist volunteer who usually volunteers for the temple's charity programmes could work with Muslim volunteers at a mosque to distribute food to the needy or perform ushering duties, for example.”
“This absolutely necessitates the conversations we are having here. It is not uncommon to find discriminatory comments often based on negative stereotypes left on discussion platforms on social media. These comments are not malicious to be prosecuted under our legal framework, but they demonstrate a lack of understanding and unfair generalisation towards specific races or religions. Because we have the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act and the relevant Penal Code sections, these comments are already largely self-censored, so imagine what hateful words would transpire if we did not have the Act in place. However, to minimise discrimination and pursue social harmony, we must go beyond restricting hate speech. The Government should expand efforts to encourage racial harmony beyond school to the workplace, as well as working with the community. Maybe more can be done to encourage even more Singaporeans of various races and religion to have friends from other races and, most importantly, for sharing more stories of bonds and trust among the races more prevalently, in order to build up the trust premium among the different races and religion. The risk of perpetuating of stereotypes is another issue that we should address as it can be the fuel or ingredient for hate speech and ideology. If we perpetuate stereotypes, parents, for example, can pass on this mistrust and the stereotypes to their children, and the cycle carries on generation after generation. The mistrust and stereotyping will remain entrenched, never going away, unless we nip the problem in the bud and change these mindsets and perceptions.”
“Second, how we, as a nation, can take efforts at all levels to reduce the risk of perpetuating stereotypes of segments by race or religion which can be used as fuel or seeds for hate and offensive speech. Mr Deputy Speaker, it is troubling to note from the IPS study that was recently released which said that although more than 97% of respondents said religious leaders should not incite violence or hatred against other religions, 26.8% of respondents were open to religious extremists posting their views on social media. Why do our young have such views? Many of them, according to the IPS study, are aged 18 to 25 who indicated they would allow such views to be espoused as long as these do not instigate harm on others. Did we miss a step in our outreach to our young to educate them on the dangers of exposure to such hate posts? My earlier story with regard to my resident highlighted the dangers, the deadly dangers, of hate speech. And it kills. So, I hope we would initiate an inter-Ministry approach, involving MHA, MCCY, the Ministry of Education and MCI to look into this. I read about a school in Brazil where students are taught how to identify fake news. Maybe we can apply a similar approach in our schools and tertiary institutions and use such skills to identify hate or offensive speech so that it does not get normalised easily here. Next, the threat of terrorism from all races and religions is a practical reason for all Singaporeans to take Islamophobia, for example, and all forms of racial and religious discrimination seriously. We would be looking at Singapore through rose-tinted glasses if we truly believe there is no racial discrimination in Singapore, or that it is so insignificant that we do not have to worry.”
“Can we have a council of sorts, akin to the Presidential Council on Minority and Religious Rights, to advise the deciding Minister on matters relating to hate and offensive speech so that the neutrality element remains guarded? It could help alleviate issues of conflict of interest if, in the future, the deciding Minister is of a particular religion or race impacted by the offensive or hate speech or ideology, in particular for future Governments. In addition, hate speech and offensive speech apply to various segments, races and religions on either side of the spectrum, for example, the rise in Islamophobia globally and the risks it poses to the Muslim community. I am sure MHA has looked into this and, while the financial cost burden may be there, I feel it is necessary to reiterate that additional resources must be added to our security intelligence departments to look at terrorist threats from both sides of the spectrum as well as rising Islamophobia, so that, internally, we have a balanced view of the threats that may hit any Singaporean, regardless of race, language or religion and take pre-emptive action if needed. But on top of all these, what more can we do? We must never be complacent and should embrace ideas that help to mitigate the dangers of normalisation of hate speech. We are well-connected to the world. We have a high number of citizens who have Internet access and are avid consumers of foreign news and social media content. I would like to elaborate briefly on two points. One is how we can build resilience in our future generation to identify offensive and hate speech and reject such efforts.”
“Indeed, we have many policies and laws in place to root out behaviours and factors that threaten social harmony, such as the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act and Penal Code sections 298, 298A, 267C and 505, and also the Sedition Act. We are lauded as the model of social harmony. But let me state upfront that we should not allow offensive and hate speech to be normalised in Singapore. That is within our control. What happens in other countries is beyond our control. In his Statement, the Minister posed a few questions to the House. I wish to state my views early on in my speech. I fully agree with the Minister and the facts and studies he shared that addressing hate speech targeting ethnic, religious communities via logic and reasoning is likely to be ineffective. Normalising it and allowing it to proliferate are dangerous. I also agree with the Minister that restrictions on offensive speech, even when it is strictly speaking not hate speech, needs to be applied judiciously and I still think Singapore's current approach in dealing with offensive speech via the assessment of words and the material and its likely impact on the targeted community is a middle-ground approach to take, relative to a blanket ban on all offensive speech and material. I believe the Government has been impartial, fair and just in applying decisions thus far. But I think we can improve on making sure the neutrality of the Government in such decisions remains strong and unwavering. The Minister has highlighted clearly that Government neutrality is key, and the perception of it even more. How can we ensure that neutrality remains so when future decisions are made?”
“She shared that Tariq was a gentle, caring and devout young man, a talented soccer player who coached a junior team and had immense potential with a bright future ahead of him. He was trying to help others during the incident at the mosque and was shot. On the day Madam Zawiah heard the shocking news, she was panic-stricken. Her only thought was to check whether she had enough savings to purchase a flight ticket to New Zealand to be with her eldest son’s family and, despite not being fluent in English, she flew there alone. Some of our non-Muslim and Chinese business community members and volunteers in Toa Payoh East-Novena banded together to help her in any way possible, including assisting her with the costs of the urgent flight. The late Tariq was one of many innocent lives lost among the 50 who died in Christchurch. But I feel reassured and optimistic that, even in Toa Payoh East-Novena, our community is aware of the deadly effects of hate speech on one of our own and have offered help. So, here in the comforts of Singapore, we, too, are not immune if hate speech on different groups or segments of the community proliferate globally. We have family members, Singaporeans of different religions and races travelling widely and living abroad for work as well. Here in Singapore, the social media and our openness allow us to be exposed to a myriad of information. What is important is that we exercise caution and adopt a firm stand against hate speech directed at any group or segments of society in Singapore. (In English): My resident's story and the loss of her eldest grandchild is just one example. But I hope it should raise awareness about how hate speech could have adverse consequences for anyone when we least expect it.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will start in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This is, indeed, an opportune time to discuss the issue of preserving racial and religious harmony in Singapore. As a Malay/Muslim and a minority in Singapore, I hope that my sharing can help to further contribute to and strengthen the harmony that we enjoy in Singapore. Hate speech or offensive speech occurring elsewhere will have a significant impact on us in Singapore. Hate ideology which led to vile irresponsible action hit close to home in my ward recently. The recent attack on two mosques in Christchurch, the event may seem distant but, indeed, I was shocked when I found out it was not that distant after all. It has impacted a Malay/Muslim resident in my constituency and her family. I visited her recently at her rental flat to offer my condolences and show of support to her family. She had just returned from New Zealand and shared stories, with her eyes full of tears and on the verge of crying, about her late eldest grandson, the late Tariq Rashid Omar, who was one of the victims in the New Zealand terror attack. Madam Zawiah Bte Mohd Tahir, 69 years old, is a Merdeka Generation lady with four children. Her eldest son, Rashid, a Singaporean, and his New Zealander wife had four children, and one of them was the late Tariq. Upon entering her flat, she immediately showed photographs of her son and Tariq playing football when he was a young boy. Madam Zawiah fondly recalled that Tariq used to collect “batu-batu” or stones when he was young, just like what Mdm Zawiah used to do at that age. She mentioned that this could be why she was not surprised when she learned that Tariq wanted to become a geologist and had graduated in geology in New Zealand.”
“Sir, in spite of being a small country, we have Singaporean artists who are talented and also passionate in the arts. Their works have unique Singaporean flavours that one will not find anywhere else. The foreign exposure would help them to grow even more, so that they can become even better artists on their terms and realise their dreams. To my understanding, NAC plans "to take Singapore’s art beyond our shores" as part of its plans to position Singapore globally. What plans does NAC have to achieve these goals? What has MCCY been doing to promote our cultural assets and talents overseas? What are some of the key international initiatives that have been implemented over the years to help our local artists develop in terms of exposure and talent? Leaders to Lead in Volunteerism”
“Sir, over the years, as Singapore grew more affluent and basic needs are filled, more people have been able to set aside some time and even money to volunteer and do good for the community. The SG Cares movement was launched with the goal of creating a community that is caring and inclusive to all within, and one of the things it does is to match volunteers with causes. I would like to ask what has SG Cares achieved since its launch, and what is MCCY doing to move beyond what we have currently achieved? I also note that SG Cares Community Network pilots were launched in Bedok and Jurong East to bring stakeholders and volunteers together, and coordinate efforts to meet the community’s needs. Can MCCY update on the progress of these pilots? Will they be extended to more neighbourhoods? Internationalisation Efforts”
“Chairman, I have got a follow-up clarification to either the Minister or Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad. With regard to the satellite centres, those mentioned in my cut, would there be plans to expand even further in terms of satellite centres in Singapore because the satellite centres that have been introduced are quite useful for the community and what are the timeline and plans for the satellite centres in the future?”
“Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our asatizahs are integral figures in guiding and shaping the beliefs of the Muslim community and, thus far, they have done well in their work. Asatizahs can and should use their influence to reach out and contribute towards other communities’ needs. Outside of the traditional religious institutions, there are areas where their experience and knowledge will come in useful, such as counselling, rehabilitation of ex-offenders and other forms of social work. However, professional skills and qualifications are requirements in social work. Hence, asatizahs who are thinking of exploring other opportunities to serve the community will also need to work towards achieving the relevant professional skillsets for such roles. How will MUIS support asatizahs in these endeavours? What other professional development award schemes can asatizahs tap on or use to develop their capabilities?”
“Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In January this year, I was heartened to note that a joint office for M³, consisting of MENDAKI, MUIS and MESRA, was launched in Wisma Geylang Serai. This would enable collaborations among the three organisations to be better coordinated, thus improving support from Government organisations, while streamlining the process for beneficiaries to seek assistance and resources. Even before they came together under this joint office, the three organisations already began their first collaboration in September last year, where they rolled out an enhanced version of MENDAKI's Tiga M Programme, which helps participants improve their Mathematics skills and creativity as well as strengthen family bonds. It is a promising programme which not only seeks to educate children but also parents who want to help their children improve important skills. Will M3 expand its programmes so that even more can benefit beyond the projected 350 families? What new projects and developments can we expect from M3? Additionally, MENDAKI has some satellite centres around Singapore, including in some of the neighbourhood estates and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College campuses. These have enabled MENDAKI to conduct outreach in the heartlands and enabling more timely and accessible assistance. I would like to ask for an update on the programmes and plans at these satellite centres. As residential areas continue to evolve, can we also look forward to more satellite centres?”
“I would like to seek two clarifications. This first one is to Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sun Xueling. I am glad to know about Home ownership Support Team. She mentioned it repeatedly, today and before this as well. But she mentioned about income stability just now, in terms of criteria. Most of the applicants need to have 12 months of continuous employment. In most cases where I have seen residents come to me is when they have difficulty in meeting that 12-month continuous employment, particularly because they are working part-time, or they are in between jobs, or they are either gig workers or temporary workers. So, in such situations, can HDB, on top of giving the usual answer where they will be flexible in such circumstances, whether they can review such cases for the Home ownership Support Team cases in the future? Second clarification is to Minister Lawrence Wong. It is very apt that the Minister highlighted about the rising seawater levels as an important issue, going forward. Can the Minister share with us whether there is a timeline when the Government will actually share with the public or Parliament the impact of the seawater level rising on housing in general, in Singapore in general and also in terms of budget expenditure, maybe in the future? It would be useful because it is a particularly important concern for Singapore in the long run.”
“Sir, last year in Parliament, I expressed my concerns for minority ethnic group sellers, who are only able to sell their flats back to other minority ethnic groups under the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP). Failure to sell the flat is a genuine concern faced by some minority buyers, and for the elderly, this is of even greater concern when they need the money for their living expenses or illness, if they are not open to other options, such as renting and the lease buyback scheme. Already, the age of a flat in a mature estate could pose a challenge in selling the flat. And now, coupled with the limitations of the EIP, the difficulty of selling is doubled. I have seen a number of residents above 65 years old having difficulty selling their bigger flats and to monetise them because of the EIP. To facilitate the sale of flats by seniors in older mature estates and, in the case of those not able to sell due to EIP, can HDB help facilitate by providing a grant or subsidy to same ethnicity buyers to consider buying the flats but only for seniors selling? This will help ensure there is no horizontal dimension of inequality setting in. I would also like to ask for an update on the uptake of the various schemes for the elderly to monetise their flats. What are the challenges for the elderly in using these schemes? How will the Government help to better facilitate such schemes? Turning Old Schools into Retirement Homes”
“Many have to wake up early and stop work till very late. Hence, they take the risk of parking along the service road near their homes and ended up receiving summonses regularly. On behalf of my residents, I would like to plead with MND to increase the number of parking spaces for heavy vehicles to match the demand. I have made such requests many times in Parliament. Next is the plight of divorcees. Although divorcees with care and control of children can now buy subsidised flats without the three-year restriction, when the ex-spouse is not cooperative, it becomes difficult to sell their matrimonial homes. So, they do not have money to buy their next flat. I hope more can be done to facilitate the post-divorce sale of flat process. Next, may I know how many 2-room flats has HDB built and how many singles are still waiting to buy 2-room flats? Will MND consider allowing singles to buy 3-room flats so that they can accommodate their elderly parents? Finally, I would like to know how does HDB determine the Temporary Occupation Licence fee that they charge for essential services like automated teller machines and AXS machines? I have been asking for an AXS machine to be installed at Block 507 where there are coffee shops and other shops. I was told that HDB is charging $200 per month. Hence, the operating cost of an AXS machine is $500 to $600 per month. This makes service providers procrastinate. Can HDB waive the fee so that the service providers are more willing to provide such essential services? I hope MND can address all the above for our endearing homes. The more we do, the more enduring our homes are. Void Decks and Shared Spaces”
“May I know how soon they can have their HIP? Their flats would require repair in many areas. Despite the conditions of these flats, many residents are waiting and hoping. They want to save on renovation cost because many are elderly, retired or semi-retired. In private estates, many residents look forward to the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP). Can we have EUP in more estates? Like HDB estates, amenities around the private estates, too, deteriorate with the years, and they too should be subject to renewal. We can serve the private estates better by introducing more community facilities, like playing fields, courts, carparks and so on, and create opportunities for the neighbours to come together to facilitate community togetherness. I would like to request for our large-scale town-wide funding to be extended to private estates, too. Designated Smoking Points (DSPs) are increasingly popular among my residents. We have been relying on private funds to build the DSPs. Can we tap into the Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC) funding for maintenance and addition of new DSPs? With CIPC funding, more DSPs can be rolled out to other parts of Singapore, too. Perhaps, HDB should be bold enough to pilot smoke-free new BTO blocks. Buyers are informed upfront that there is no smoking allowed in the block, including their own homes. I would like to volunteer to take up this pilot in Nee Soon South. I have residents who have been asking to sell their flats before the five-year minimum occupation period (MOP) is up as they cannot stand the smoke from their neighbours. Next, my residents who use heavy vehicles for work often face a long wait for heavy vehicle parking in Yishun Town. Many new residents who shifted into new BTOs are having difficulty in buying season parking.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the release of each BTO estate brings about better upgrades and facilities than the last one, reflecting the needs of the different demographics over the years. From the early days of no-frills living to the addition of playgrounds and fitness amenities, to green-living aesthetics, HDB flats have come a long way. Yet, this creates a significant difference between the mature estates and newer estates, and there are some concerns that mature estates will not catch up with the newer estates in terms of technology and liveability. Imagine living in a non-smart technology enabled estate and then visiting a grandchild's new estate and finding it too foreign to navigate. The state and appearance of one's living environment projects a certain standard of living, so we do not want to create a situation whereby residents living in different neighbourhood estates have a different quality of life. Moreover, estates should be upgraded regularly to maintain safety and inject freshness in the neighbourhood. What is the Ministry doing to ensure HDB estates and flats remain liveable and vibrant even as they age? Can the Ministry share how the timeline is decided for the implementation of upgrading projects in the older mature estates, so that they can catch up with the newer estates? Will rental flats benefit from these upgrades as well? Endearing Homes – Can We Do More? Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Sir, I was pleased to learn from last year’s National Day Rally that flats built between 1987 and 1997 will also be included in the Home Improvement Programme (HIP). Half of Khatib homes were built in 1986 and the HIP has been completed or are near completion. The other half of Khatib homes were built in 1987 where residents are still waiting for their HIP.”
“Chairman, my clarification question is with regard to my ITE cuts and I am glad that the Minister mentioned in his speech that all ITE students are not disadvantaged. In relation to my cut, it is with regard to the resources at ITE in general, whether there will be more focus on providing enhanced resources to ITE, particularly for SEN students, like what some of the other Members have mentioned as well. The second question I have is in relation to my second cut on the ITE question which is about the Joint Admissions process for polytechnics and JCs. Currently, for ITE students, they apply for the JPAE after all the GCE "O" level students have actually applied. In my cut, I actually highlighted whether there will be any tweaks to the process to ensure that ITE students are not disadvantaged in the sense that they only come in after the remaining seats have already been occupied by GCE "O" level students. So, may I get the clarification from Minister, please?”
“Sir, some residents have lived in rental flats for years, sometimes, for more than a decade. I know that some young residents have lived in a rental flat since they were a baby, grew up in the flat and until they get to secondary school, they still do not have a place to call home. It is quite concerning that some of these families appear to be stuck in a perpetual cycle of poverty, so much so that they cannot afford a home under the Fresh Start Housing Scheme, which is specifically designed to help families living in public rental flat. My heart also goes out to the elderly sick, who seem destined to spend their twilight years in a rental flat. What are the reasons for these households to fail to break out of their current circumstances? I note that one of the requirements to qualify for the Fresh Start Housing Scheme is to not accumulate three or more months of rental arrears in the preceding 12 months that they have occupied the rental flat. Is keeping up with rent a challenge faced by long-time occupants of rental flats? What more is the Ministry doing to support rental households towards home ownership? Home Ownership”
“Second, I suggest the AUs offer greater flexibility for students to take courses across the different AUs, to make better use of our national experts and increase the breadth of course offerings. This is very important for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses, because the right expertise may only be found in a few professors in Singapore. This will also help make education more stackable and flexible. What can we do to ensure "Every AU is a Good AU"? Work-learn Pathways”
“On a per undergraduate basis, this ranges from about $28,000 at SUSS to more than $400,000 at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). These differences mean the more well-resourced AUs are able to spend more on faculty, teaching and research, even if they get the same Ministry tuition grants. While this estimate includes non-student spending, annual expenditure per undergraduate ranges from about $38,000 at SIT to about $100,000 at NUS and SUTD. Sir, does this affect graduate outcomes? Consider Accountancy, which all AUs except SUTD offer. The Graduate Employment Survey shows median gross earnings were similar across AUs at about $3,000 a month. However, Accountancy graduates of the more established AUs earn much more at the high end. The 75th percentile ranged from $3,000 for SUSS to about $4,000 for NUS. We cannot conclude from differences in earnings that the more established AUs provide greater advantages, because AUs differ in how they select students. Nonetheless, we should understand why the more resourced AUs are associated with higher earnings. Sir, I am not asking to take from the rich and give to the poor. But greater cooperation and resource-sharing could improve efficiency and equality of opportunity. First, I suggest greater sharing of library resources across AUs. Because knowledge is now so specialised, there is a ‘long tail’ of books, journals and databases needed for teaching and research. It is wasteful for all AUs to stock the same materials and the less-resourced AUs will not stock them at all. We should study establishing a common tertiary electronic library and seamless interlibrary loan system. This can follow the model of the University of California (UC), which operates one library system across 10 UC campuses.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, over the years, we have done well to upgrade the standards of graduates from our ITEs. Today, they are taking their place of pride in our workforce, and a good number are even making their presence in our other IHLs. The success is, in many ways, due to the way we brand the ITE and, of course, the level of competence of the graduates. The question I would like to raise is the opening of applications for ITE graduates. Currently they apply to the polytechnics after the GCE "O" level students have applied. ITE applicants can apply after the Joint Admissions Exercise for polytechnic and JC applicants. Under the Joint Polytechnic Admissions Exercise (JPAE), the ITE graduates are seen as, or at least that is the public perception, that they are given admission only after any remaining vacancies. We need to address this and tweak the system so that ITE graduates are not only treated as equals but also seen to be treated as equals under the admissions exercise. Can MOE clarify on the JPAE and consider tweaking the process? Every Autonomous University is a Good Autonomous University Assoc Prof Walter Theseira (Nominated Member): Chairman, I declare my interest as a faculty member at an autonomous university (AU). Sir, our six AUs compete to offer high quality education and research to Singapore and the world. Because higher education is now accessible to all, we must ensure that every AU is a good AU. There are significant differences among AUs in prestige and resources. AU endowments range from about $400 million for the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to about $4 billion dollars for the National University of Singapore (NUS).”
“The same understanding and support from lecturers and administrators were lacking. It seems that SEN support has improved in primary and secondary schools, but there is a big jump when graduates go on to tertiary educational institutes. Unfortunately, the young man withdrew from the polytechnic because of the escalation of an incident. The Ministry should look into increasing the capabilities and authority of SEN support officers at polytechnics. The SEN Support Office should be tasked to train and advise specific lecturers and staff members when there is an individual student with SEN enrolled in the department, so that support can be customised. The SEN Support Office should also be consulted when there are incidents involving students with SEN.”
“Sir, as an inclusive society, we want to give our SEN children and youths, regardless of abilities, every opportunity to help them maximise their potential. What this requires is for us to look at all our educational institutions, including ITEs, polytechnics and universities, particularly the ITEs, to see how we can get this group of students to integrate into the curriculum and develop themselves along the way. The teachers would need to understand the learning disabilities of the students and how they are to be taught differently, or these students may need some additional tools to enhance their learning environment. The point is not everyone learns in the same way. I would like to ask the Minister how we are preparing ourselves to provide this group with the educational needs they require, particularly in the ITEs? Are our educational institutions, such as ITEs, sufficiently prepared, not only from the infrastructure point, but equally important with the IHL and ITE teachers who are trained to engage these students? How many teachers do we have who are trained to cope with the learning needs of these ITE students? How are our IHLs being prepared to take in these students, and do we ensure that internship for SEN students in the ITEs, for example, are sufficiently appropriate, so that they would not be disadvantaged when they go out into the market to seek opportunities? Special Tertiary Educational Needs Care Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong (Non-Constituency Member): Chairman, last year, I met a resident whose son has SEN. The young man had strong support from counsellors and teachers in his primary and secondary schools and did well to graduate to a polytechnic. However, the transition to the polytechnic was too drastic.”
“Even if the consumer has seen it, psychologically, their mind has already committed to the self-perceived good deal. Coupled this with a very persuasive salesperson when one shops in person, and that is a guaranteed transaction. Most people do not realise they have made a poor purchase decision until perhaps months later when they find themselves grappling with the payments. So, does MTI have plans to regulate the types of marketing done by credit sales companies or even hire purchase ones to entice buyers? Are credit sales agreements regulated? One episode on Talking Point last year showed how individuals who do not have credit cards are given credit from certain retailers to purchase goods. I find it worrying that some merchants would persuade customers into parting with their money with no care about whether they will have problems paying it off later. One major furniture company even cited that no minimum income is required for its instalment plans. On the surface, it seems like they are doing a good deed to help those who are short on money to purchase the furniture and then pay later. But what happens later if the customers cannot afford the instalments? Has any check been done to find out how many customers purchasing goods and services under credit sales plans had to forfeit their deposits? What will MTI do to ensure that the businesses and financial institution companies do not over-extend credit to consumers without checking their credit worthiness? Electricity Retailers”
“Sir, a credit sales agreement is a useful system for someone who needs an important big-ticket item to own it first and pay the money over regular instalments. One example is the Courts' Flexi plan. This can be immensely helpful to the low-income. However, it can also be damaging if interest rates are high and if the said person is not financially-savvy. Through interactions with my residents, I have been made aware of cases where some of them were baited by low upfront costs and misleading advertisements. This led to them running into arrears because they eventually find themselves unable to cope with the instalment plan. I even had one resident asking if he could use his Central Provident Fund (CPF) to service the hire purchase fees for some items purchased from a furniture store. His situation must have been quite desperate. Marketing campaigns and advertisements are bold with their plans and claims these days. It is not uncommon to see advertisements boasting "$0 upfront" payments, especially for expensive gadgets like smart phones. Some instalment plans offer vouchers and goods-in-kind, very attractive freebies, to entice customers. Some offer payment plans spread out over 24 to 48 months, so the monthly instalment cost seems low. But it all adds up substantially. When you do the mathematics, it is much more expensive than paying for the price in full. Those who are less financially savvy are less likely to keep proper financial records. They may overestimate their ability to pay off the instalment plans. Although credit sales advertisements are often accompanied by disclaimers about the conditions of each instalment plan, these are usually in small print.”
“Mr Chairman, the ASEAN region has been growing in affluence. Governments have been more willing to invest in recent years, and many are eyeing the sectors in which Singapore is leading in the region. Many of our neighbours are also doing a good job catching up with us. Batam, for example, has increased in investments to develop local shipping and manufacturing sectors. In Malaysia, they have been building up their ports and getting into the oil tanking business in a big way. Many of the oil companies are also taking up the storage tanks to store their oil cargoes. So, too, in medicine. Penang and Kuala Lumpur, besides Bangkok in Thailand, offer competitive prices for those seeking medical treatment. The strong Singapore dollar has also been a factor in encouraging medical tourism to other locations in ASEAN. Healthy economic growth in the region is to be celebrated, but this means that we will have to do more to stay competitive and relevant. Our strategic location has given us an edge in the region, but we must take more proactive measures to enhance our global connectivity and continue to position ourselves as a key node in the global flows, especially within the ASEAN region. This will apply not only to physical connectivity like our airport and air routes but also non-physical modes. Can MTI provide updates on the Ministry's efforts to enhance our modes of connectivity in the region? Singapore as a Key Node in Global Flows”
“What more can MHA and the prisons service do to ensure the prisoners have the necessary fallback option if the homes they return to are not viable? Can more be done in terms of resources by MHA and other national agencies to ensure inmates have a hotline or safe lodging for them with a comfortable environment and embedded job search agency services for these groups of people before they stabilise their lives? Can MHA and relevant agencies also work with the private sector real estate agencies and/or property agents to ensure the supply of adequate matching of rental housing is available for inmates about to be released or have been released but found out they have emergency housing issues? Public Safety – Fire”
“Mr Chairman, our prison takes a rehabilitative approach towards ex-offenders and, as such, there are a number of programmes to rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders so that they may become responsible citizens upon completion of their sentence. But for rehabilitation to be successful, they must first have a safe place to stabilise their lives, or they could risk falling back to crime. 4.45 pm One of my residents started sleeping at the void deck of his flat for months shortly after his release from prison. He had a tiff with his family. He had no one to turn to and was completely lost. He came to my Meet-the-People Session for food rations and help. I believe his case is not unique. I recently raised a question in Parliament about inmates who do not have a place to stay after their release. I was informed that those who are homeless would be referred to the Family Resource Centre at the Singapore Prison Service, as well as interim housing options, such as halfway houses and shelter homes. I am concerned for those who thought they had a home to return to, but only to find that their family was not willing to accept them. They did not want to go back to get a referral, or they found the process to be troublesome. Then there are also those who do not like the interim housing options because of the restrictions. Some of my residents told me they prefer staying with friends who would have them, or in public places until they have found a stable job. Nevertheless, many job applications would require the applicant to give their home address, so this poses another stumbling block for this group. Can the Ministry and other relevant agencies establish a hotline and safe lodging coupled with job agency services to help these people get back on their feet?”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to ask a clarification from Minister Indranee Rajah. With regard to the Government's expenditure on infrastructure projects and also IT spending, I firmly believe that Government spending plays a big role in terms of giving direction in terms of technological change in the long run and also it is an explicit concern for policymakers. So, my question is about balancing the value-for-money and cost-savings that the Minister mentioned and the outcomes. The Minister mentioned about the outcomes and my clarification is whether the issue of employability of workers in the long run is part of the outcomes as well, rather than in terms of what the Minister mentioned just now, of public sector concerns in terms of outcomes as another option or parameter. But in terms of outcomes, what is the Minister's definition of outcomes? Does it involve in the long run the impact on work, workers or jobs lost or gained? So, it is a clarification on that point.”
“In the US, the federal government played a key role in the development of iPhone and many other technological breakthroughs like global positioning systems (GPS), multi-touch screens, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and so on. I know research can be a bottomless pit and, at the end of the day, it may end up in the bin because the outcomes are not what were expected. Research is about exploring the unknown. May I ask the Minister, when our Government supports any funding for R&D, what are the factors that are taken into consideration viz-a-viz financing, licensing and regulating the project? Enhance Policies and Processes to Support Businesses”
“Mr Chairman, we all know how rigid most corporations are when they spend money, especially on big ticket items. I know MOF, too, has its process in place where they would ask Government Ministries to justify their spending. The process may be robust in seeking justification from Ministries seeking budget allocations, but how much deeper is the process so as to ensure that Government fund is well-spent, especially on big ticket items, such as on information technology (IT), and on various research and development (R&D) projects? [Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair] This is especially in the case of IT projects where the innovations are making such rapid progress that even as we put an order for one equipment, a newer and improved version is in the making. And by the time we install the equipment, it would before long be outdated. So, may I ask how does the evaluation process address this issue? Secondly, how do we ensure that the projects benefit the country, businesses or the citizens? How do we know that the funds are spent effectively and efficiently? It is not uncommon, especially in IT, to find compatibility of equipment or programmes becomes an issue at some point if there is no proper planning. 5.00 pm Next, what is the impact on our workforce? If I may borrow the thoughts of the late economist Sir Anthony Atkinson, he pointed out that the direction of technological change should be an explicit concern of policymakers. It should encourage innovation in a form that increases the employability of workers. Next, I would like to touch on Government support for research projects.”
“But more can be done to create these private set-ups and help these types of companies grow to create a better and more diverse support network in a family-friendly environment. Family-friendly Workplace”
“Couples these days have many valid concerns when planning to embark on parenthood. In truth, some personal sacrifices are necessary. But the broader society, encompassing community groups, employers and families, can do more to compromise and embrace a family-friendly Singapore. There are couples who are perfectly happy juggling four children. These are the ones with good support from the community, their extended families and their workplace. They probably made some personal sacrifices to prioritise their family as well. Others are stressed out just with one. Today's grandparents are not like those of the 1960s and 1970s. Today's grandparents plan their retirement and go on frequent holidays, and I do not fault them. They deserve the break. So, how do we balance between the needs of the grandparents and their young children who are setting up families? What is being done to help instil a family-friendly culture in Singapore which is supportive of marriage and parenthood? We need a mindset shift in our approach to address the issues in this environment. Many a time, my wife and I, who are both working and have three kids, will face emergency calls from the school or kids falling ill, among other things, requiring one or both of us to attend to a child. One example of how we can further improve a family culture environment is to see if we can offer some comprehensive back-up care in corporates or private and public agencies with a national software matching platform to help employees find last-minute childcare or eldercare when the usual arrangements breakdown. In the United Kingdom (UK), there are such companies doing it, such as My FamilyCare.”
“The matter of taxes is also something to contemplate while on the topic of intergenerational equity. As an ageing population that is gearing towards automation, the amount of income taxes collected is expected to decrease along with the number of people in the workforce. What happens if the taxable population remains low? Do we keep increasing the taxes? That is a huge burden for future generations to bear, especially if they are not doing so well. So, it is important that we examine whether these additional taxes will enhance or deteriorate the progressivity of the overall tax framework, especially for the lowest income households. Some sort of wealth-based tax may be more pertinent, and we could have different tiers of taxes. For example, impose a 10% tax on purchase of goods in the luxury tier or fine dining at a restaurant, and a much lower tax like 3% on basic necessities like rice. So, increase tax rebates for social causes, and instead of paying taxes, the wealthy may choose to donate to causes they care about. To sum up, Mr Deputy Speaker, Budget 2019 manages the tough and delicate balancing act of being sufficiently counter-cyclical, appropriately strategic and unwaveringly committed to tackling structural challenges posed by ageing and economic transformation. Looking forward, we should continue focusing on increasing social mobility and measured tax solutions to resolve the inequality problem. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Budget.”
“I applaud this approach as I have expressed my suggestions on this in my previous Budget response last year, to ensure intergenerational equity. It is important to make sure that intergenerational burden is allocated properly to the generation benefiting from the large infrastructure projects. However, when planning a long-term project, be it infrastructure or social, it is important to follow individual lifetimes. The future is unpredictable, and there may be significant inequality between generations. Just because the real incomes are rising over time does not necessarily mean that those born later enjoy higher lifetime incomes. Inflation, increased costs of living and so on could have a major impact on livelihoods. In fact, researchers from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), along with economists from Stanford University, Harvard University and the University of California at Berkeley, presented financial reports and comparisons indicating that millennials are doing worse off than their parents. In the UK and the US, there is growing observation of millennials living with their parents because they cannot afford their own homes. This appears to be a trend in developed economies. Thankfully, we do not have such issues here in Singapore. Governments have the tendency to apply a social discount rate to long-term projects. Part of it reflects the expectation that future generations will be better off, and so a lower valuation is attached to the better off when measuring inequality at a point in time. So, as the economic situation in various developed economies has reflected, this is a dangerous mindset we have to steer clear of. We risk increasing income inequality for the future generations otherwise.”