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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“Finally, while it will certainly be good news for the eight in 10 households who can walk to their nearest train station within 10 minutes, I hope we do not forget about the remaining 20% of households who may not be near MRT stations. May I ask what the commitments will we make to this remaining 20%? This is especially important as our society ages rapidly and many of our residents become possibly less mobile down the road. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Public Transport Affordability”
“Mdm Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head W of estimates be reduced by $100". Madam, our efficient and affordable public transport system plays a pivotal role for the mobility of Singaporeans and the economy. Many do not realise how important a role our land transport and public transportation plays. With the expected opening of seven Thomson East Coast Line (TEL) stations and a North East Line (NEL) extension to Punggol Coast this year, that will take us to almost 150 stations across six Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) lines across our island. Yet, we are still expecting to add another 100 kilometres to our 258-kilometre long rail network in the next 10 years or so. I would like to ask the Ministry whether they can provide an update on our target of bringing eight in 10 households to within a 10-minute walk from a train station by 2030. And if I may add, what are the spending needs that will be required for this Budget and for the next few Budgets down the road? Mdm Chair, I trust this 80%-target also takes into account the new housing estates that are planned to be completed in the upcoming decade as well. As we add more stations to cater for the newly-developed sites, will we also be rationalising our train system and probably shut down certain stations possibly where footfall may have permanently plunged? Does our 2030 target also envisage the removal or subtraction of train stations? Can the Ministry share the current and future enhancements to our last-mile transport connectivity to homes? For example, the use of autonomous vehicles in the future.”
“Mr Chairman, besides labour, capital and enterprise, land is an important scarce resource for Singapore as a small country. It is difficult to imagine that the land where Marina Bay Sands (MBS) stands today was all sea until the Marina Bay area was reclaimed from 1992 to 2004. Three months ago, it was announced that we will reclaim and create a new "Long Island" off Singapore's eastern coast, expected to be double the size of Marina Bay. But our maritime boundaries and our shipping hub status means there is a limit to how much we can claim further land from the sea. Hence, we have been deliberate about allocating scarce land to our competing land needs, through our Concept Plan and Master Plan. In 2021, it was announced that the review of Singapore's long-term land use plans will also need to cater for uncertainties, such as land buffers, which can be quickly converted for contingency uses. May I ask the Ministry, how does the Government ensure that we have sufficient land for our many competing land needs, such as industrial, housing and recreational needs? How can we optimise our land use and unlock our resource potential? Energy Transition”
“Mr Chairman, our manufacturing sector is a key part of our Singapore Economy 2030 vision. After all, manufacturing accounts for approximately one-fifth of our annual GDP and around 11% to 14% of jobs in the last 10 years. Our strategy is to attract frontier investments into Singapore to create good manufacturing jobs for Singaporeans. Dyson, Hyundai and GlobalFoundries are just some of the big names that have recently opened or announced plans to open advanced manufacturing plants in Singapore. However, in the past decade, companies, such as IBM, Coca Cola and display maker AU Optronics, have closed their multi-million-dollar manufacturing facilities here as well. Being a country with natural resource constraints, our higher land, labour and transport costs make it challenging for global manufacturers. We do not want to draw a manufacturing giant in only to lose them five to 10 years later to cheap countries which have caught up in technology and know-how. Can the Government share more about its plans to enhance the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector, keep them here, and how our local companies can benefit from these plans? Transformation of the Marine Offshore Sector”
“Mr Chairman, coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, MTI and Enterprise Singapore launched the "Our Heartlands 2025" initiative to boost the growth and efficiency of our heartland shops which had demonstrated “incredible resilience and mettle to transform and thrive” during the pandemic. There are a fair number of heartland F&B and retail shops in my constituency of Toa Payoh East, most notably around the Lorong 8 Market and Hawker Centre, and Kim Keat Food Centre. The charm of these open, ground floor establishments cannot be replicated by our shopping malls and complexes, not to mention the convenience that they offer to the seniors living in the neighbourhood. May I ask the Ministry what are the KPIs to be met in 2025 under the initiative and would the Ministry be able to provide an update on the support measures for heartland enterprises under "Our Heartlands 2025"? Strengthen Trade Associations”
“Mr Chairman, the sharp escalation of conflict in recent years, including in Europe and the Middle East, have brought the SAF into focus. The wars being fought today are more complex. A United States (US) general observed that Ukraine's information and media operations took 17,000 Russians off the battlefield without firing a shot. On the other hand, Russian cyber-attacks on government systems and critical infrastructure augmented its ground invasion. It was therefore timely that MINDEF pivoted away from the dichotomous classification of pre-enlistees into "combat fit" and "non-combat fit" groups, to implementing functional assessments two years ago. Pre-enlistees are assessed on their ability to safely perform the running, jumping and load-bearing that are necessary for specific vocational roles. Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How updated at last year's Committee of Supply (COS) that out of the 100 pre-enlistees with orthopaedic conditions who underwent the relevant functional assessments, 75 were deployable to a wider range of operational roles than before. Considering our ageing population and declining fertility rates and the creation of new roles like the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), are there any updates on the implementation of functional assessments for pre-enlistees? Will they extend beyond physical tests to intellectual tests, for example?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have one supplementary question. In relation to some of my residents who have also come forward to me to seek help for job placement and had difficulty getting jobs after six months, I think the Minister mentioned earlier in his replies to Mr Yip that some Singaporeans may have difficulty getting a job beyond six months. Can the Minister share whether MOM has specific data to track what are the main reasons why they had difficulty getting a job beyond six months and what are the challenges, which specific demographics and how we can address them?”
“Mr Chairman, it cannot be gainsaid that philanthropy and volunteerism are key ingredients for building a strong social compact in Singapore. They foster our sense of togetherness, in addition to supplementing Government spending in funding social programmes and initiatives. That is why we have traditionally offered generous tax deductions for cash donations made to Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs) for causes that benefit the local community. The Corporate Volunteer Scheme – previously known as the Business & IPC Partnership Scheme – extended that tax benefit to corporates whose employees volunteer and provide services for IPCs. So, I was quite surprised but also personally grateful, when Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the new Overseas Humanitarian Assistance Tax Deduction Scheme. The 100% tax deduction offered should catalyse increased cash donations to approve overseas emergency humanitarian assistance causes. There are many people elsewhere who are in greater need. Ultimately, regardless of the beneficiary, we can foster a culture of giving. What are the initiatives undertaken by MOF to strengthen our culture of giving and enable more people to contribute to our society? Also, how do we monitor the approved list of overseas emergency humanitarian assistance causes?”
“Mr Chairman, in the Ministry’s Occasional Paper on Medium-Term Fiscal Projections dated February 2023, our total revenue is projected to shrink as a percentage of GDP up to FY2030, whereas Government spending is expected to increase from 18% of GDP today to more than 20% of GDP by FY2030. So, our fiscal headroom will get smaller. Where we in this House have committed not to dip into our Reserves set aside for future generations, outside of exceptional circumstances, we must ensure that we spend public resources prudently. But prudence does not mean incurring the lowest possible cost. I am sure most Members would agree with the Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA's) and Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM's) decision to raise the weighting of safety-related criteria in the evaluation of construction tenders from 1 April 2024. Besides after-the-fact audits by the Auditor-General’s Office and scrutiny by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, how does MOF ensure effective and prudent use of public resources? Can technology and artificial intelligence help?”
“How can we better set ourselves up to tackle increasingly complex external forces and growing interdependency of issues as well as the build-up of complex domestic matters. Public Service for Good Movement”
“Mr Chairman, the global environment is becoming increasingly challenging and susceptible to rapid change. As a country, we also have matured and are now in transition. To imagine and chart our future as a nation will require greater engagement and partnership between the Government and Singaporeans. For one, the Government does not have a monopoly on the best ideas. Further, the Government's aim is to serve our citizens and closer engagement is necessary to better gauge citizens' trust and satisfaction in public services and institutions. The recent Forward SG exercise, launched in June 2022 to engage Singaporeans from all walks of life, has laid out a new social compact for Singapore. To move towards this new compact, changes are expected to be made in both Government policies and the way the Government engages and partners Singaporeans in creating and delivering policies and programmes. The formation of the new Singapore Government Partnerships Office (SGPO) is an example of how the Government is reorganising itself to support the new partnership and engagement approach set out under Forward SG. It is a welcome move to strengthen partnerships between the Government, private and people sectors for the national good. The new organisation could become the first stop for people to share ideas or proposals, gather other like-minded individuals and organisations, and access opportunities for citizen-government collaborations. Beyond the formation of the SGPO, may I ask how is the Public Service reorganising itself to better serve citizens and public good amid a changing environment and more frequent volatility?”
“But through the Forward Singapore exercise, we know where Singaporeans want to head. Help involuntarily unemployed jobseekers bounce back stronger, supporting families and seniors, empowering and uplifting those in need, this Budget hews closely to Singaporeans' aspirations to build a more equal society while not compromising on the economic growth that underpins our security. Sir, I support Budget 2024.”
“Besides the issue of soaring rents, foreign expatriates also do not enjoy the substantial healthcare subsidies and utilities support from the Singapore Government. Hence, there is a limit to how much we can tax these higher-income expatriates before they flee to a different country and we lose their tax base, their assets and their expertise. How does our taxation of expatriates compare to other talent hubs, such as London, Frankfurt, New York or Dubai? Finally, Mr Speaker, in boosting our local enterprises, I suspect a number of my colleagues in this Chamber will have more to say about this, but I just have a narrower focus. As part of our $1 billion effort to develop AI computation, talent and industry in the next five years, will there be grants for Singapore companies adopting AI-based solutions or engaging in AI-related research in the near future? What are the concrete next steps following the publication of our National AI Strategy 2.0 in December 2023? We cannot forget that AI goes hand in hand with data. Would we extend our AI-catalysing initiatives to activities that are data-centric, even though they might not be AI-centric? For example, research into large volume data processing or sustainable data collection and processing would be key enablers of our AI objectives. So, what are we doing and what are we planning to do for our data sector? Mr Speaker, Sir, as I have alluded to in many of my previous speeches, we are in a new normal. The circumstances that we see today combine high inflation, high interest rates and possibly for longer, in an increasingly uncertain world featuring frequent shocks. This is not even considering COVID-19, which, today, seems more like a bad dream than a lived two-to-three-year experience.”
“More than two years after we debated the "Low Carbon Society" Motion in this House, I do not think that any carbon measurement standard has achieved ubiquitous or common usage in this part of the world yet. Is there any preliminary indication of support from other countries for the playbook that is currently being developed by the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS), Gold Standard and Verra? To attract businesses and investments, we must also maintain our attractiveness as a liveable city for foreign talent. It would be too parochial to assume that we know everything and have nothing to learn from others. That is why other countries have been taking some big steps to woo foreign talent to their shores. Take the United Kingdom (UK), for example. In May 2022, it launched a High Potential Individual (HPI) visa which allows a young person who graduated from a global top 50 university to go to the UK with their family for two years to just "explore, work, study and invent". Thereafter, the UK government announced a £118 million skills package that includes a new visa scheme for AI researchers to be brought to the UK at the early stages of their career, as well as grants to help AI workers meet the costs of relocating to the UK. How has our Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass fared in attracting top global talent to live and work in Singapore since it was launched in August 2022? How does it compare, given the heated global competition, to woo talent through a mix of easier visa routes, relocation grants and other benefits? It is well-known that we are also one of the most expensive cities in the world for expatriates.”
“On the other hand, our seaport reached an all-time high in arriving ship traffic, recording over three billion annual gross tons in vessel arrivals in 2023. I will be filing related cuts during the COS debates and I look forward to hearing the Transport Minister's plans to preserve and enhance our status as an international aviation and shipping hub. The implementation of Pillar 2 of BEPS 2.0 will also cause some loss of attractiveness as an effective corporate income tax floor is put in place across different jurisdictions. So, which of the financial incentives offered by the EDB and other agencies to draw foreign companies can we continue to offer under the global base erosion rules? The new Refundable Investment Credit, based on the presently available information and announced by the Deputy Prime Minister, will be consistent with the Global Anti-Base Erosion Rules for Qualified Refundable Tax Credits. Companies will be able to receive up to 50% of support of each qualifying expenditure category, including capital expenditure, manpower and training costs, freight and logistics costs. This would help with the relatively higher land, manpower and transport costs in Singapore. As the specific support rates for a project will be commensurate with the economic or decarbonisation outcomes that the project is expected to bring, what will happen if it eventually transpires that the project outcomes were never close to what was expected? Will there be a lookback period where support can be clawed back from those who can pitch and market a project much better than they can implement them? More fundamentally, have we landed on a system of measuring and verifying decarbonisation outcomes?”
“While on the note of income volatility from unexpected unemployment, I would like to resuscitate my proposal again and again to give Singaporeans the option of assessing personal income tax on a current-year, pay-as-you-earn basis. As opposed to a preceding-year basis, this system can help taxpayers better manage their cash flow by matching tax payments with contemporaneous income. Mr Speaker, in my next segment of attracting investments and talent. Our push for greater equality cannot come at the expense of our growth. To help Singaporeans cope with rising costs in a sustainable manner, we must focus on growing their opportunities and wages instead of relying on one-off distributions. So, part two of my speech – therefore – turns to our two-pronged approach to sustain our economic growth: attracting investments and talent to Singapore; and boosting our local enterprises. As a resource-scarce nation, our economic miracle has been built on attracting businesses to build up a base or some part of its operations here, even if it may service foreign markets or conduct substantial operations abroad. These inbound businesses and investments create employment opportunities and also downstream or partnership opportunities for Singaporeans and Singapore companies. So, I am glad to hear the moves to enhance our competitive advantage in the semiconductor and finance industries, but why is there no mention of our entrepot trade and transshipment hub and specific initiatives to defend or stretch our lead? Possibly, it could be discussed in the COS. But I note that Changi Airport's cargo flows dipped 6% compared with 2022, while other airports, like Incheon, are closing the gap to Changi, in terms of passenger flows.”
“While it is true that a consumer might have to meet certain conditions to qualify for the promotional interest rates, that may not be a good reason to deny CPF members higher return on their OAs – especially given the cumulative size and certainty of the funds that the CPF Board is given to invest. The Government can, of course, subsequently apply some negative credit spread or a slight discount to the interest rate – to reflect the lower risk of putting money in the CPF, as compared to bank risk. But my general point is that given the significant change or potential rapid changes in the global interest rate conditions recently and going forward, the longstanding calculation mechanism may be quite stale and no longer fit for current conditions. For those who are unemployed – not by choice – I am supportive in principle of the temporary financial support scheme that Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had announced for the involuntarily unemployed. However, we will need more details to scrutinise if the scheme can be implemented without eroding our work ethic and design ways to mitigate the moral hazard of financing unproductivity. When does the Government expect these details to be announced and when do we expect the scheme to be implemented? Can Deputy Prime Minister and MOF share a bit more on how this scheme will be funded over time? I await more information on this eagerly, as it is truly a big shift in principle by our PAP Government to help our Singaporean workers. I am heartened that this Government will not shy away from slaughtering "sacred cows", if it considers it to be in the interest of Singapore and Singaporeans. There is no shame in walking back if the circumstances so require.”
“I thank Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong for the continued emphasis on the retirement adequacy of Singaporeans – especially after I dedicated almost the whole of my Budget speech last year to the topic as well as my 2022 Budget speech too. Among other things, the Government-supported increase in our seniors' CPF contribution rates, the raising of the ERS and the enhancement of support schemes, like Silver Support and Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS), which will boost the nest eggs of our seniors to retire and age with dignity. In relation to the removal of the Special Account for those above age 55, I understand that such a move will get rid of a "shielding" hack – where wealthier CPF members are able to keep an amount that is more than their ERS in their Special and Retirement Accounts and earn the higher 4% interest on the whole of that amount. May I ask, prior to this year, how many percent of CPF members had balances in their Special plus Retirement Accounts that were more than their ERS? But now that the Special Account will be closed, any excess funds above the ERS will be deposited back into the OA that only earns an interest rate of 2.5%. We note that. Would the Government be willing to reconsider relooking at the OA interest rate mechanism? One suggestion would be to include some of the qualifying full banks, in addition to the three major local banks that are now being referenced. That may potentially shift the needle and is more reflective of funding conditions in Singapore. Another suggestion is to take into consideration the promotional interest rates that are offered by the banks instead of just the board rates.”
“It is scary to think that a criminal syndicate fraudulently made away with almost $40 million in grants between April and October 2017. While the more involved participants have each been sentenced to 13 to 17 years' imprisonment, are we still doing anything today to recover the $21 million that is still lost? I also welcome the revision of the Annual Value (AV) bands of the owner-occupied residential property tax rates. When this property tax was raised in early 2022, it was not foreseeable that market rents would soar to the extent it did. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Rental Index for private residential properties, saw a 35.3% surge from Q1 2022 to Q4 2023. As a result, more of our upper-middle income homeowners saw the AV of their properties and their property tax bill increase. For owner-occupied residential properties, these homeowners would not have directly benefited from the bullish market rents since they are not renting their properties out. They were thus left poorer as a result as they had to pay property tax up to a higher bracket. Would there be more frequent and periodic reviews of our property tax structure, considering the volatility of market rents in Singapore? More fundamentally, is it time to stop pegging property tax for owner-occupied residential properties to AVs which are, in turn, pegged to market rent levels? Second, our quest for socioeconomic equality must obviously include the protection of vulnerable segments. I will just focus on two such groups of vulnerable individuals. First, our seniors, present and future.”
“However, if such assistance will encourage higher-income individuals to use public transport rather than private transport, that will still help us in our sustainable transport objectives. I have a resident at Toa Payoh who needs help in terms of public transport vouchers to go for job interviews and also to work in a location that is far away. There are some middle-income earners who were retrenched and are now looking for work but need temporary assistance in terms of transportation cost. So, I hope that the Government will introduce transport cost assistance in the form of a temporary financial support scheme for those who are retrenched and are now looking for jobs, for example. (In English): We must also support the upper-middle income group, not just the low income. They are also experiencing the same rising costs but may not be getting as much in benefits compared to the lower- and middle-income groups. One of the things in Budget 2024 that is also made available to the upper-middle income group, is the SkillsFuture enhancements. That must be correct, if we want continuous skills upgrading to be a key pillar in our social compact. However, how likely will the upper-middle income group utilise the specific enhancements, in which are targeted at pursuing a diploma, degree or certification after age 40? Do we have data on the utilisation of SkillsFuture credits by income deciles? What do those trends tell us and will we be refining our approach to ensure that upskilling becomes a whole-of-society movement? We must also ensure that schemes like SkillsFuture is not abused. Among other reasons, we do not want to allow those who are not in need to exploit and profit off these programmes, diverting away the help that should have gone to those who need it.”
“Deputy Prime Minister Wong's announcement for young ITE graduates to pursue diploma qualifications through the ITE Progression Award and the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme for Singaporeans aged 40 and above, is something that is welcomed. Support for preschool expenses and a one-year Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme Voucher for eligible families who rent a HDB flat in the open market are also significant and welcomed. However, one important aspect of daily expenses that has not received the targeted attention is transportation and health costs. I will focus on the cost of transportation in my speech. The cost of owning and maintaining private vehicles in Singapore is recognised as one of the highest in the world. Even for public transport, fares have risen by 10 cents to 11 cents per trip in September 2023 and similar increases can be expected in the coming years. However, our transportation cost is still quite low compared to other major cities, with the Government providing support to reduce the impact of fare increases on commuters and ensuring that our infrastructure and transport network remain up to date. May I ask whether the Public Transport Voucher (PTV) that was announced in December 2023 would be able to help their recipients offset 100% of the fare increase in 2023? More importantly, may I suggest that the Government consider extending targeted support for public transport, beyond those whose per capita household income (PCHI) is $1,600 or less? Can we further extend PTV as part of our budget transfers, such as CDC vouchers, in the future to help more Singaporeans? Public transport assistance is more likely to benefit the lower and middle income groups, compared to the higher-income groups who generally use less of our buses and trains.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Budget 2024 is a fair and progressive, Forward SG budget and continues the same overarching theme in the Budgets of recent years – to further improve socioeconomic equality but without stunting economic growth. This ambition is easy to state but it is tricky to strike the right balance. There are mutual trade-offs in pursuing equality and growth together. It is also important to ensure that no one slips through the cracks. While I have heard and read some opposing viewpoints, the general feedback from my residents is that the Budget payouts are generous and they can see that the Government is trying to transfer more from the well-to-do in our society to give to the lower- and middle-income segments in Singapore. But the message is clear. To paraphrase Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong from two Budgets ago, "those who have less, get more". However, I am also aware of our budget constraints and, most importantly, we need to be aware of our sustainability issues going forward – especially in terms of our revenues and how we intend to spend going forward. I will speak on three selected areas on our move to enhance equality in our economy and social space, which reinforces each other. First, enhancing transport welfare and supporting the middle and upper-middle group. Second, protection of vulnerable segments. Third, on our two-pronged approach to sustain our economic growth – attracting investments and talent to Singapore; and boosting our local enterprises. Mr Speaker, in Malay please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This year, the Government continues its efforts to make Singapore a more equitable society. Just like the previous years, those who are successful will contribute a little more for the less well-off and less able.”
“As I mentioned, when I go abroad and talk to market participants and clients, our public finances, our Reserves policy, lend credence to us making medium- to long-term policy decisions which add a bit of stability in terms of investors' assessment of us and it leads to probably positive credit rating outlook as well. So, as our spending needs continue to rise, we must make sure that our revenues grow at a comparable pace to maintain a sound and sustainable fiscal system. I am certain that the Government will continue to review and adjust our fiscal strategies to support our shared aspirations in a way that is fair to both present and future generations of Singaporeans. Mr Speaker, I support the amended Motion by Member Mr Liang Eng Hwa.”
“In the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, our Reserves were deployed to provide the Singapore dollar with stability. Today, MAS continues to utilise our OFR to implement its monetary policy through managing the Singapore dollar's appreciation band. That has helped us to fight off imported inflationary pressures. Similarly, in the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, we could dip into $4.9 billion of our Reserves to support schemes to help workers retain jobs and offer liquidity to companies as well as for risk-sharing purposes. These measures worked and we were one of the fastest-growing economies in 2010. So, it is quite clear that our Reserves policy has been helping Singaporeans. And in my Malay speech earlier, our Reserves policy has provided a bedrock for our medium- and long-term policy objectives and also allowed us to reap benefits for all citizens through our Budgets – year in, year out – and for emergency cases. Mr Deputy Speaker, it is my view that the answer to the global cost-of-living issue is not to look at our Reserves and strip it of more eggs each time. It is a finite resource. Instead, each of us needs to make a collective effort to manage our costs and finances and step up to help those who are less well-off. These can be simple steps, such as caring for our own parents by topping up their CPF Retirement Accounts and gaining more financial literacy to plan and adjust our finances effectively. And I am confident that the Government will stand ready to help, whether through one-time assistance schemes or longer-term solutions, such as enhancing retirement schemes and associated investment options. Singapore's fiscal strength is a key competitive advantage for our nation.”
“If we add additional flexibility of short-term discretion to our framework, it affects our fiscal sustainability and the credibility that we have built over time. Today, the Government is already tapping on our Reserves to pay for the needs of Singaporeans. Through the NIRC, 50% of the net investment returns or income on our reserves are used to fund about 20% of our annual Budget. This then goes into things like the Assurance Package, which saw most households receive $500 CDC vouchers and more to spend on food, groceries and other necessities. Without the NIRC, that means that the Government would need to collect 25% more of revenue, most likely through increased taxes. So, it is tempting to suggest increasing the NIRC and use more of our Reserves for Singaporeans today. But every extra dollar used today means one dollar less for the future generation, or even one dollar less for those of us who will be surviving in the future. The world today is more challenging to navigate than 50 years ago. Today, we have less untapped capacity to develop, whereas global competition is getting fiercer. I would not be surprised if our children and grandchildren have to deal with even more challenging conditions 50 years from now. So, as any parent would tell you, the best we can do is to make sure that they are put in the best position to confront and conquer those challenges. Hence, the Government has set the NIRC at 50%, half for the present generation and half for the future generation. The generations that came before us left sufficient reserves for us today. It is not for us to be selfish at the expense of our children and future generations. One exception that we make to the fair 50-50 split is the power to drawdown on Past Reserves to support us in a crisis.”
“Hence, against the current global background, the Government also implemented various measures to provide targeted assistance to the lower-income group, providing offsets and subsidies to help ease the burden of households and the implementation of policy initiatives on a staggered basis, as well as progressively increase wages for low-wage workers. Therefore, in addition to that, the Government has also extended significant support to manage cost of living in the form of support packages, starting with the Household Support Package and the CDC vouchers, as well as increasing social equality by extending as much opportunities as possible. And in terms of taxes, our country imposes a relatively low tax burden on workers. Hence, Singapore's personal income tax rate is among the lowest in the world. It is also a relatively progressive system where only about 40% of the workforce pays any income tax at all. In addition, the Singapore currency is also stable and provides Singaporeans with a strong purchasing power. So, as several Members had mentioned earlier, the stability of the Singapore currency does not happen on its own; it happens because of our good policy on Reserves and our Budget policy that is solid, sound and based on strong principles, thus providing opportunities for Singaporean workers, our people, to get good jobs, and also to support past and future budgets. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, one thing that I think this whole House can agree on is that the ongoing cost of living pressures, which form a key issue, is something that we must continue to manage today. But what we need to be careful about is how we go about addressing the issue. That is my concern.”
“While Singapore's fiscal regime has grown to meet the changing needs of the economy and continues to support economic growth, Singapore has also experienced increasing challenges including recession, external factors and concerns of income inequality particularly in the decades after the Asian Financial Crisis decades. For the Singapore Government, ensuring that the fruits of economic growth are shared has always been on its agenda. In fact, one key fiscal strategy of MOF or the Government is to ensure a progressive tax and transfer system, with low-income households receiving more benefits than taxes paid and ensuring a fair balance between the needs of the current and future generations. Singapore's policy on Reserves has enabled the Government to provide more support by investing in many areas, especially in education, home ownership, healthcare and social infrastructure, to ensure that economic growth provides comprehensive benefits to the people. In essence, Singaporeans were given opportunities throughout the years to improve their lives and participate in economic growth. In terms of spending, there is an emphasis on investments in the long term also, especially on Singaporeans, in order to give them the opportunity to participate in economic growth. This approach supports the Government's spending policy in two key areas where it has made the biggest improvement to the livelihood of Singaporeans — namely, education and public housing. There are many examples of how Singapore's policy on Reserves and the Government's management of the Budget have resulted in a lot of meaningful spending, in terms of social spending and in terms of the main subsidy that is given not as a cash transfer, but as a benefit in the form of goods.”
“We may think that we have a lot of money now, but we do not know what economic and social as well as other challenges they face in 50 years or 100 years' time. Before I proceed in the Malay section, Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to highlight a few points in terms of my concerns about the Singapore dollar discussion that was made earlier by some of the Members. On the Singapore dollar front, I highlight latest data from BIS Triennial 2022 which shows that Singapore dollar foreign exchange (forex) turnover is about US$182 billion, in terms of daily average turnover, 2% of total market value. And this is about $6.6 trillion from the BIS survey in terms of global forex turnover. The daily global average of April 2022 of the BIS Triennial survey highlights that the Singapore dollar forex turnover of $182 billion in US dollar terms is actually quite substantial, on a daily basis. Some Members had highlighted the rough estimates of about $1.2 trillion value in Reserves. That actual amount is quite minute – if the forex markets move in within six to seven days against the Singapore dollar, it could wipe out slightly more than $1 trillion in terms of dollar amounts, very rapidly. So, I just wanted to highlight that. I think there was further discussion and I had a bit of concern. Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to speak in Malay now. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our policy on Reserves allows us to redistribute taxes to create a positive impact on the Malay community and the rest of society in Singapore.”
“Limits to short-term discretion should be untouched, in my view, and I think some of the discussions that were made earlier by other Members here, come close to short-term discretionary changes. Fortunately, fiscal policy has been oriented at medium-term objectives because of the important constitutional context in which policy-makers operate. The constitutional safeguards that have been put in place since the early 1990s to protect Singapore's past Reserves also limit the room for short-term discretion. And I think it is very important to ensure that those safeguards remain unchanged or if any changes are to be made, they need to be considered very closely. Members have discussed these earlier, but the key elements include no drawing on past reserves; 50% NIR spending rule; the fair market value principle; and the two-key mechanism. My view is, they create strong incentives for the Government to err on the side of caution, to accumulate surpluses in good years during its term of office as a buffer against lean years when it may have to run Budget deficits. Rather than assessing over the one year cycle and having to look at it from a demand management perspective, it is very important to see a multi-year cycle approach. I continue to support this approach to reduce the risk of discretion creeping in going forward. But at the same time, we must understand also, if there are any extra suggestions on revenue or changes to these safeguards, I think associated trade-offs of any new suggested revenue options are key, as the economy and challenges evolve and change over time. The associated inter-generational trade-off is also key. The next generation is not here to argue their case and ask why we are spending their money now.”
“In fact, Singapore's public spending has evolved to meet our medium- to long-term objectives. Government spending stands now at around 18% of GDP. MOF in its Occasional Paper states it expects to it increase to around 19% to 20% of GDP in the FY2026 to 2030 period and possibly exceed 20% of GDP by FY2030. A key driver for this increase is the Government health expenditure. This is due to our ageing population, rising utilisation of healthcare and medical inflation. I just want to highlight that we also enjoy additional non-tax revenues through the NIRC. The NIRC has averaged around 3.5% of GDP and we expect it to remain at about the same share of GDP over the coming years. Therefore, the total revenue is now about 18.5% of GDP. This would not have been sufficient to cover the increase in Government spending expected over the coming years. That is why the tax changes announced in Budget 2022, including the GST increase, were necessary to close the funding gap. Notwithstanding the emphasis on medium-term growth, the MOF has been sensitive to cyclical considerations in recent decades. When Singapore experienced slower economic growth and higher volatility in the late 1990s, early 2000s and the Global Financial Crisis, the Government pursued more accommodative fiscal policies, increased transfers to households and provided various relief measures to businesses. The point here is about medium-term considerations and why Reserves accumulation has contributed to a much more comfortable situation for Singapore to focus on that medium- to long-term focus. The second point that I just want to highlight is about the ever-increasing risk of short-term discretion.”
“Going forward, Singapore is unlikely to experience the high economic growth and large fiscal surpluses of the 1990s. Instead, we face multiple challenges that will shrink our fiscal space. It is all the more important to ensure that our public finances remain sustainable to support our future progress. I would like to share, Mr Deputy Speaker, my thoughts on a few things about Singapore’s fiscal policy and reserves policy approach, which I feel should stay responsible and sustainable, given our unique context both economically and constitutionally. First, our medium-term orientation, medium- to long-term focus in fiscal policy and public financing. Fiscal policy in Singapore is characterised by a strong emphasis on medium- and long-term objectives and has put us in good stead. It has evolved over time. In particular, our Reserves accumulation, which has helped us to tide through difficult times. I highlighted earlier that I work in the financial sector in a financial institution. When I meet market participants or clients in the markets in various countries in the region, the main focus for them as investors who are probably pension funds and longer-term investors, is the ability for a country to think objectively over a medium to longer term. And so, Singapore's ability to focus and have a medium-term orientation going forward is a very strong key thrust for policy in Singapore. I think our Reserves accumulation has allowed us to move in that direction. The ability to accumulate Reserves in a comfortable manner, in a more consistent and sustained manner where we can project with more certainty; it has allowed investors to assess us with a medium- to longer-term focus, in terms of public financing and fiscal policy.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the amendments proposed by Member Mr Liang Eng Hwa. Before I proceed, I would like to declare that I am an employee of a financial institution in Singapore Singapore’s prudent fiscal and Reserves policies have contributed to the progress we have seen since Independence and has created the conditions for macroeconomic stability, supported economic growth and promoted social equity. Sound and prudent fiscal policies have enabled us to build up fiscal Reserves that act as our national crisis fund and in normal times, provide a steady stream of non-tax revenue to complement our tax revenue. What the Singapore Government has gained from years of fiscal rectitude is confidence and credibility as well as the flexibility and financial resources to deal with crises, such as the one experienced in 2008/2009, and respond to longer-term challenges. As Singapore grapples with the challenges of globalisation, an ageing population and income inequality, the Government’s fiscal resources as well as its capacity for constant adaptation will be critical assets. A quote by Krishna Srinivasan and Lamin Leigh, International Monetary Fund Director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department, and Singapore and Malaysia Mission Chief in IMF's Asia and Pacific Department, respectively, noted in the IMF's Country Focus in August 2022 that "should further risks materialise beyond what is currently envisaged, Singapore can deploy its ample fiscal buffers to cushion the economic impact." Why I mention that quote is to highlight the importance of Singapore's fiscal buffers, Reserves and its prudent Budget policies that has actually put us in good stead.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Senior of Minister of State. It is good to know that the chassis numbers are zero literally. But can I clarify again? Because I read that the falsification reports affect 64 models across a few different brands – Daihatsu, Toyota, Mazda and Subaru, based on a drive.com article on 22 December. The question is, if it does come in, as there are risks of parallel importers bringing in these vehicles in the future, how can Singaporean motorists or even commercial or non-commercial drivers know how far back it goes? If these vehicles come in, what safety issues are in question? The question is safety issues. The article mentioned the airbag issues. Is that a concern for drivers in Singapore, because what if these vehicles come in or sneak in, one, two, three, four or five; I am not sure how many.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of State for the detailed statistics that she shared. I have two supplementary questions, Mr Speaker. One is, most of us understand that the CDC vouchers have been positively received by Singaporeans. Can the Minister of State give us the update on the CDC vouchers, in particularly, the Minister of State mentioned just now the claim rate has improved. But is it as high or better than last year? What are the drivers, and can it be even higher? The second supplementary question is, since the option for households to donate their CDC vouchers has started, has there been more charities wanting to get on board the list of recipients? Can the Minister of State please provide an update on this?”
“First of all, I would like to thank the Minister for coming out with the announcement not to sunset the CBT system for adult commuters. I think a lot of my residents have indicated the need to thank you for that. I have two supplementary questions. The first is the variegated approach in other countries – he mentioned Hong Kong and the UK on the CBT and ABT systems. Can the Minister share how in their variegated systems or approach had been implemented – is it to offer options from the start, or were they considering something similar as to what Singapore did, in terms of cost-saving? Second, is, in terms of technology of the ABT system, to show fare or card balance, the Minister mentioned that there is no technology at the moment. Will it be possible in the future, at the very start, at the minimal, to allow commuters on the SimplyGo platform to at least tap at the interchanges first –systems where you can actually tap and just see the balance for SimplyGo at one place in the interchange after they get off the bus?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister of State for her reply. It is good to hear that there are 1,000 tech talents involved. But can I ask the Minister of State two supplementary questions? First, can the Minister of State elaborate further on the type of sectors that the 250 companies come from? My second supplementary question is, can the Minister of State also give us an update on the Nongsa Digital Town she mentioned? How is this digital bridge helping Singapore-based companies access the growth of Indonesia's digital economy?”
“Mr Speaker, the Government has taken active wide-ranging steps to cushion the impacts of inflationary pressures on ordinary Singaporeans and has helped reduce their vulnerability to price increases through various measures, through monetary policies, fiscal assistance and also at the grassroots and through discretionary measures that can be undertaken on top of ComCare and welfare assistance. Ultimately, the global inflationary environment and pressing needs from Singapore society, such as an ageing population, mean that there are multiple fiscal demands that the Singapore Government needs to meet. As a society, we will all need to take on a fair share of these cost pressures where the Government will ensure that it is affordable for the average Singaporean while taking special targeted measures to provide more assistance for the lower-income groups who have heavier financial burdens. Mr Speaker, Sir, it is my view that this approach is more prudent than deferring these real demands to future years, which would simply be kicking the can down the road where we do not know if the same or new inflationary pressures would be around. There is no guarantee that we may already have shifted into a new normal of higher prices. In this vein, there may not come a better time to implement some of these policies. Mr Speaker, I support the amended Motion.”
“In general, I am reassured in terms of public transport, that the Government has kept public transport fares affordable. Public transport is already heavily subsidised. The Government is actually spending quite extensively with the additional subsidies to lower the proportion of household income spent on public transport, which has fallen as well. Before I go into my last segment and conclude, I just want to reiterate some feedback from residents, highlighting thanks in terms of efforts from MOT and LTA in providing those transport vouchers to residents. Many of the residents have come forward to seek help in terms of transport vouchers. I think that sort of additional help on that front has helped, especially with the recent changes in the monthly passes as well. Another example I want to highlight before I end is the additional U-Save rebates announced last month that will serve to cushion the impact of increases in carbon tax and water price. Mr Speaker, Sir, the carbon tax itself is something that the WP has also agreed on in this House, that there is a need for Singapore to implement for the sake of our planet and also for our country. Over the next two years, the additional U-Save rebates will, on average, fully offset the increase in utility bills for 1- to 2-room HDB flats, about 80% for 3- to 4-room HDB flats, and about 65% for larger flats. This is another way that the Government is making sure that the cost of living pressures on the lower-income households are moderated even when we need to make the hard decisions of implementing such policies at this juncture.”
“Sir, the current approach to ensure affordability for Singaporeans amid these price increases is more prudent as they also minimise the cost pressures on Singaporeans who are most feeling the pinch in terms of cost of living through measures, such as providing targeted assistance to lower-income groups, providing offsets and subsidies to help ease the burden on households and staggering the implementation of policy initiatives as well as increasing wages progressively for low-wage workers. All these are already mentioned by Members as well as Acting Minister Chee earlier. One example I just want to highlight again, as what the Acting Minister has mentioned, is the recent announcement by the Public Transport Council to allow a 7% fare increase in 2023. This is one example reiterating again what the Acting Minister mentioned, one instance where the Government has calibrated the impact of cost of living pressures. The Acting Minister for Transport has also explained the recent decisions and the Government's core consideration that fares remain affordable while the public transport system remains financially sustainable. That is quite important and he has shared this with the House last month as well. I will not belabour these points. But what is key are actually the 10% reduction in the cost of monthly concession passes, implementation of a new discounted monthly pass for Workfare Transport Concession cardholders and the $50 Public Transport Vouchers for lower-income households. These further measures accompanying the fare increases demonstrate the Government's approach to targeted help in ameliorating cost of living pressures for the lower-income group.”
“I am wanting to highlight that the CDC Vouchers are not means-tested. It is the Government spending about $600 million, I think, if I am not mistaken – up to about $600 million so far and is not means-tested. So, on top of that, we have these discretionary measures that, I think, all the advisers and MPs can undertake in their respective constituencies. Against this global backdrop, Mr Speaker, the Government is also implementing tough decisions for longer-term economic policies and fiscal measures. Acting Minister Chee has highlighted extensively the impact of the increases in the GST and how they matter for Singapore – carbon tax and water prices, COE quotas, for example, with specific objectives. The main thing is it helps to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability and reduces burdening future generations of Singaporeans. These are necessary to achieve other policy objectives beyond just keeping inflationary pressures for Singaporeans' day-to-day lives in check. It is essential that Singapore continues to address our medium- to long-term challenges head on even as we face inflationary challenges now. That is the Singaporean way, and I think Acting Minister Chee mentioned it, that has ensured Singapore’s survival, gelling a very long-term strategic perspective even as we face short-term challenges but with the welfare of Singaporeans taken care of and negative impact mitigated, especially for the more vulnerable groups. These policies will invariably lead to price increases in the short term, but ensure fiscal sustainability and environmental sustainability measures are needed now and I think we need to address them now before things get worse in the medium to long term.”
“I just want to share the experience at Toa Payoh East, at the local level, for example, I launched the Cost of Living Assistance Programme, called CLAP, sometime in the third quarter of 2022, a ground-up initiative working together with hawkers and donors and grassroots to assist lower- to lower-middle income households – we wanted to capture the lower-middle income households – in Toa Payoh East with their daily expenses. Ground-up initiatives with the merchants and grassroots supported initiatives to assist residents who are affected by high cost of living especially groceries and essentials. I just want to highlight, it is a tripartite involvement – merchants, residents and Toa Payoh East Citizens’ Consultative Committees (CCC) – to help residents as much as possible and also to make sure that the hawkers actually do have business. This initiative also hopes to bring back some business opportunities to the heartland shops and convenience for residents. So, they get about $100 worth of CLAP vouchers, which can be used to offset their purchase for meals and essentials items at the participating hawkers and heartland merchants. The aim is to target low- to middle- income residents, as I mentioned. I think we expect to help up to about 500 families from last September in 2022 when we first launched up to end of this year. So far, we have given out close to about 200 and has benefited merchants and hawkers at Lorong 7 and Lorong 8 Toa Payoh. The purpose I am sharing this is to highlight that there are discretionary measures that advisers and MPs can do on top of the ComCare and welfare assistance that are available that the Government has provided to alleviate cost pressures which includes CDC Vouchers, GST rebates and transport vouchers.”
“Hence, I am waiting whether they will look at ways to improve this system. (In English): Sir, some of the inflationary pressures that Singaporeans are facing are worldwide – I mentioned this in my Malay segment – due to the Russia-Ukraine war and bad harvests related to climate change, for example, driving up energy and food prices. I think many are not aware – I mentioned in my Malay segment about how MAS policy has helped to mitigate imported inflation. According to a study by NUS, Singapore’s food prices are also much less volatile than global food prices. This in part is due again to our exchange rate policy accordingly and is helping us in terms of purchasing power in the world market, thereby, providing a greater buffer towards global food price shocks. As cited by the NUS study, our various policies such as increased local production, diversification of food sources and stockpiling are all working to help insulate Singaporeans from externally driven cost of living pressures, albeit the cost of living pressures continued to be there because of global factors. Mr Speaker, the Government has also rolled out a suite of policies to keep day-to-day costs down, such as HDB’s requirement for all coffee shops leased from HDB to offer budget meal options to diners by 2026. The issuance of CDC Vouchers to households is of special mention – I mentioned it in my Malay segment as well – these are complemented at the local level by individual constituencies’ grassroots efforts. I think Acting Minister Chee highlighted that in his speech as well as other Members as well.”
“The effectiveness of a strong SGD currency policy, for instance, as result of MAS tightening monetary policy five times in a row, including in two off-cycle moves last year, has enabled MAS to contain imported cost pressures, and some economists such as OCBC’s chief economist is of the view that this will be sustained for several quarters ahead. While inflation is still elevated, MAS' five successive monetary policy tightening moves since October 2021 have tempered the momentum of price increases. The effects of MAS' monetary policy tightening are still working through the economy and should dampen inflation even further. I am also concerned and have asked many questions alongside other Members in the House about the increase in transport costs including high COE for motorcycles and cars. The Government recognises that some Singaporeans and the Malay-Muslim community rely on motorcycles for their livelihood, and there is a higher proportion of lower-income individuals among motorcycle owners than car owners. This is one of the reasons why the ARS Additional Registration Charges, road tax and Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) for motorcycles are lower than other types of vehicles. To protect against speculative bidding behaviour for Category D COEs, MOT introduced several measures in the last two years. These are very much welcomed. It includes raising the bid deposit for Category D Temporary COEs, or TCOEs, to $1,500; and reducing the validity period of COEs to one month. The price of Category D COEs has dropped from over $13,000 in November 2022 and remains at around $11,000 in the recent bidding exercise. The Government has said it will continue to study ways to improve the COE system for Category D, including new ideas.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the amendments proposed by Member Mr Liang Eng Hwa, as they reflect the existing global drivers and efforts so far as well as trade-offs. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I am concerned about the rising cost of living that our people are experiencing. Therefore, the issue of cost of living has been a core priority in this House this year, and I, as well as other Members, have previously raised it, together with the impact of high interest rates. It is evidently front-and-centre in the Government's policy making efforts with the announcement of the $1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package last month, building on the Assurance Package, and other measures announced at Budget 2023. Singaporeans will be receiving at least $400 in cash and CDC vouchers, with lower income Singaporeans receiving up to $800 cash in December 2023. There will also be rebates to manage Service & Conservancy Charges (S&CC) and U-Save rebates. Some of the inflationary pressures that Singaporeans are facing are also happening worldwide, due to the Russia-Ukraine war and bad harvests related to climate change, for example, driving up energy and food prices. Not to mention the risks of supply chain disruptions, higher interest rates in a longer environment and the possibility of an escalation of the situation in the Middle East. Aside from specific government support through fiscal assistance, which have been very helpful to our people, many Singaporeans may not know that our government and financial agencies actually play a big part in shielding their wallets from some of these economic spillovers.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for his answer. I would just like to seek clarification and also his views. In terms of relationships between countries, for example, between Thailand and the neighbouring countries within ASEAN, has this sort of deliberation been discussed and, in terms of ASEAN transport-to-transport ministries, whether such deliberations have actually emerged and discussions started on this issue? Second, with regard to the worst-case scenario, if this does go ahead in the southern part of Thailand and into the Andaman Sea and the rail-and-road like what the Minister mentioned, the ramifications on Singapore's hub status as a seaport does get affected. In the worst-case scenario, will it be a total 100%, the feel from the MOT perspective, and what is the impact as well? I think the Minister mentioned just now, but what would be the worst-case scenario?”
“I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State two supplementary questions. First, the Senior Minister of State shared briefly about the median income growth outlook over the next year. Can he share a bit of it in the near term, for example, over the next five years, for example? Second, given concerns of higher inflation over a longer time, if it does happen, can the Senior Minister of State share a bit more about the strategies for middle-income, lower middle-income and slightly upper middle-income workers? My question mentioned vulnerable groups of Singaporeans. And lower middle- and middle-income Singaporeans will eventually become vulnerable groups if they lose their job or fall sick. So, can the Senior Minister of State share a bit more on that, please?”
“But most importantly, I urge all efforts to ensure that all innocent civilians, especially the children, must be protected. I am confident that Singaporeans will continue to be resilient and harmonious in the face of these issues and band together to help those in need, as we weather any global geo-political and economic storms ahead. Sir, I support the Motion. [Applause.]”
“Economists have sounded concerns that an escalation in the fighting between Israel and Hamas could possibly tip the world into recession in a worst-case scenario. Though it is still early to raise concern about global output effects, there are key risks for global energy and key commodity prices. Similar to the Russia-Ukraine war, major conflict in the Middle East could have far-reaching price effects across a range of commodity prices. All these will lead to negative externalities and impact on prices here in Singapore in no time, even though it is so far away from us at the moment. So, it is in our interest too to ensure this conflict is not prolonged, not just importantly to save innocent lives, but also to protect the welfare of Singaporeans going forward. Mr Speaker, Sir, we must lend our support to the Palestinian people, who are caught between great powers and the dangerous means used by both sides in the conflict. They do not deserve to live in tragedy, generation after generation. I urge the Singaporean Government to step up our efforts to do more on the diplomatic front to help realise political solutions to the ongoing conflict. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Singapore Cabinet and the Government for taking a principled stand on this issue and for supporting the resolution on the "Protection of Civilians and Upholding Legal and Humanitarian Obligations" at the Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly on 27 October. It bodes well for Singapore and it is not an easy decision but I would like to say thank you. We should also provide aid where we can, via the right channels, and I hope the authorities can help guide on these next steps.”
“So, I hope the Government can update the House on what further measures, such as in the realm of diplomacy, that Singapore is taking to expedite the protection of innocent civilian lives and the provision of humanitarian assistance. How has the Government ensured that the $300,000 it has donated in aid so far will be going to the right local organisations instead of fuelling the ongoing conflict? Mr Speaker, per the Motion, I also reiterate Singapore's long-standing commitment to a negotiated two-state solution consistent with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. I refer to the Arab Barometer survey of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza in early October this year, where the majority of Gazans surveyed also favoured a two-state solution. A former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Salam Fayyad, has suggested in an article published in the Foreign Affairs magazine on 27 October, that the way ahead for peace would include formal Israeli recognition of the Palestinians' right to a sovereign state on Israeli-occupied territory. Most crucially, he has suggested for these to be underpinned by an ironclad mutual commitment to non-violence. I hope the Singapore Government can share its further plans to support the international community's efforts to broker a just and lasting peace between the parties involved. Before I end, I would like to speak a bit on the economic ramifications for Singapore. The impact of a protracted conflict in Gaza, and if it spreads or worsens, will have economic and financial ramifications globally. As it stands now, the Israel-Hamas conflict adds another layer of complexity to the geopolitics of the world and existing economic headwinds. Singapore will not be immune.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, beyond this conflict, we should be worried about how different segments of the community receive their news and how they are able to differentiate between the facts and subjective views. This is important as false information has dire consequences for the unity of our country and how we function as a nation. Mr Speaker, many of my residents in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, including non-Malay/Muslim residents, have appealed to me, similar to other Parliamentary colleagues in our community dialogues and emails, that this heart-rending conflict must stop as soon as possible. As such, for a start, I support the Motion's limb (b), which calls for an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities. While the politics of the region are extremely fraught and complex, Singapore must continue to urge all parties involved to prioritise and protect human life and seek political concessions at the bargaining table rather than through warfare. All parties must abide by international law. I am glad that the Singapore Government has voted to support the resolution on the "Protection of Civilians and Upholding Legal and Humanitarian Obligations" at the Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly on 27 October while also condemning unequivocally the acts of terror and abhorrent deeds that parties in the conflict have done and which cannot be justified by any rationale whatsoever. As a society, we must embrace the principles behind which Singapore supported the resolution, most importantly, that all innocent civilian lives on both sides of the conflict must be protected.”