Sam Tan Chin Siong
Singapore
“Sir, the Temporary Relief Fund was set up to provide timely financial assistance to lower- and middle-income Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who lost their jobs or faced significant income loss due to the economic impact of COVID-19.”
“The Workgroups will release their recommendations later this year. (In English): Mr Chairman, in closing, everyone has a part to play in building a caring and inclusive society. Inclusion is not just a vision. It is action.”
“We will continue to deepen our engagement with the EU leadership and also our ties with individual EU member states. We will also continue to engage the UK post-Brexit.”
“It is a very important prerequisite to prepare young children for future employment. There is another workgroup under EMP3 which focuses on the improvement to employment opportunities and prospects. This workgroup is co-chaired by Member Ms Denise Phua and myself.”
“I thank the Member for the questions. We have sufficient places in our Sheltered Workshops. Right now, we have altogether 1,700 places. If there is a need for more capacity, we will certainly increase it.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank the Member for the clarification. The difference between CKS and PDD is that PDD helps persons who have lost the mental capacity to make major decisions like liquidating the assets, bank accounts and all that to provide institutional care or some other major financial needs.”
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“This was also the key point the WP had raised during the AIM saga. In addition, the report also pointed out that there was insufficient disclosure and transparency in the Town Council's management. For example, the relationship between the Secretary, the General Manager and the Managing Agent was not recorded in the minutes of the Town Council's meetings, hence, there are no documents to show that prior to signing the contract with the MA, the Town Council had taken into account the potential conflict of interests and made any provisions to prevent corruption. The Town Council did not, according to the Town Councils Act, record and safeguard documents properly. Hence, they could not produce relevant accounting documents to the independent auditor appointed by the Town Council, resulting in two consecutive years of "Disclaimer of Opinion" by the auditor. If this is a listed company, this kind of financial statement would be considered as seriously flawed and the company directors and the management would have to resign or be sacked. After the report was released, many experts, academia and even former Nominated Members of Parliament have expressed their views. Overall, they believe that the five areas of lapses are very serious and should be addressed. These are all industry experts whose Page: 83 professional views cannot be easily ignored. This incident highlighted that, with regard to the accountability of Town Council managements, the Government should take more proactive actions, strengthen the laws to empower relevant Government agencies and ensure good governance in all Town Councils. When the Town Council is at fault, it should be held accountable, be it run by the ruling party or the opposition. The current Town Councils Act does not allow this.”
“Although, for the short term, these lapses in financial management and oversight will not Page: 82 impact the daily operations, such as cleaning, trash clearing and maintenance, if they are left unsolved, they will accumulate and eventually get out of hand; the consequence can be dire and will affect the residents' interests negatively. Second, AHPETC did not properly manage the conflicts of interests brought about by key TC officers being directors or shareholders of other companies. The report discovered that the Secretary of AHPETC is also the owner of the company that provides EMSU to the Town Council; and the Secretary, General Manager and the two Deputy General Managers are also the directors or shareholders of the Managing Agent appointed by the Town Council. The General Manager and the Secretary had, on behalf of the MA, submitted 84 invoices worth $6.61 million to the Town Council. Among them, 11 invoices worth $1.69 million were verified by the General Manager and nine invoices worth $260,000 were verified by the Deputy General Manager. Payment of all these invoices was subsequently approved by the General Manager. If the one who issues the invoice and the one who verifies and approves the payment are the same person, then it is very hard to say the Town Council is making a clear distinction between personal and public interests. Any professional company or organisation of a decent size would try to avoid, even prevent, the conflict of interests between their staff and the contractor. The public would hope WP to have a mechanism to mitigate and deal with such conflicts, and to prevent nepotism. I am very pleased to hear Ms Lim's promise just now that, going forward, they will correct all the shortcomings. This is a positive development!”
“The AGO report showed that there were five major areas of lapses in AHPETC: first, it did not transfer monies into its Sinking Fund as required by law; second, it had inadequate oversight of related-party transactions; third, it lacks a system to monitor S&CC arrears; fourth, there were lapses in internal controls and procurement; fifth, there were no proper document keeping and safeguards. Minister Khaw just now moved a Motion regarding this report to strengthen the legislative framework and oversight of Town Councils. It is very appropriate. When dealing with the AIM issue, the Government took it seriously and did not evade the questions raised by the WP. Now, the discussion focus is on the WP-run Town Council, the Government will treat it equally and take the same stance and attitude. This is because the incident is not just about the financial management, oversight and efficiency of the WP-run AHPETC, it also serves as an alarm to all other Town Councils, be they run by the ruling party or the opposition. The management of the Town Councils involves large amounts of public money and concerns the people's interests, therefore, it cannot be taken lightly. The report showed that there were five major areas of lapses in the management and administration of AHPETC. Overall, I think two particular points demand special attention. First, how is the quality of the AHPETC management team? If the quality is good, then there should not have been so many lapses in compliance and oversight. This is in stark contrast to the WP claim earlier that their team was very competent, experienced and dedicated!”
“The investigation showed that the AIM service did not harm residents' interest Page: 81 whatsoever; on the contrary, by providing services to 14 Town Councils, it achieved economies of scale and brought benefits to the residents. Minister for National Development Mr Khaw Boon Wan also pointed out that the PAP only had one company, which was AIM, whose purpose was to provide computer management services to 14 PAP Town Councils. Because the WP has taken a firm stand over the AIM issue and shown strong resolve of accountability, people felt that the slogan of building a First-world Parliament was not merely a slogan but a political vision. The wheels of history keep rolling forward and things change all the time. While the memory of the AIM debate is still fresh in our mind, today we are here again discussing the Town Council management issue. However, this time round, it is the WP-run AHPETC that is in the spotlight and the situation is far worse. For the second consecutive year, the independent auditor appointed by the Town Council themselves issued a Disclaimer of Opinion over the Town Council's financial report. It is very rare for an auditor to do that. MND took this matter seriously and openly expressed its concerns. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, at the request of Minister Khaw, instructed the AGO to audit AHPETC's last financial year's accounts. After a year's work, the AGO report was finally released a few days ago.”
“Then WP candidate Ms Lee Li Lian, too, said that she herself also had the expertise and experience in Town Council management, hence, they had the ability to manage the Town Council well. During this period, WP Members of Parliament frequently criticised the Government for lacking accountability and transparency and, at the same time, constantly emphasised how able and dedicated the WP team was. Besides emphasising their own Town Council management ability, WP also targeted Town Councils managed by the PAP. At the Punggol East by-election rally, Ms Lim, as Chairman of the WP-run Town Council, revealed that when setting up the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council after winning the election, they discovered the dealings between PAP Town Councils and the company AIM. Ms Lim questioned that, for PAP-run Town Councils to sell a management system developed with public money to a PAP-linked company, was it in the public interest? She implied that this could create nepotism. Mr Pritam Singh, Deputy Chairman of the WP-run Town Council, also raised a series of questions. He said that for the first time in history, people had found out there were PAP-owned companies and Singaporeans wanted to know how many companies the PAP owned in Singapore and overseas. What do these companies do, who are the directors? WP Members of Parliament sounded very eloquent and righteous over this AIM issue. Maybe this is because when you care deeply, you also criticise strongly? The PAP has explained in Parliament in detail over the questions WP raised. And because of this, the Government has also launched a formal investigation over the AIM transactions.”
“Mdm Speaker, may I have your permission to speak in Mandarin? (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In the last year or so, there was much discussion over the issue of AHPETC's financial situation and management efficiency, something that the people and media are concerned about. Now, questions and doubts over Page: 80 this issue are being cleared with the release of the AGO report. The operation of the Town Councils is about people's livelihood. Hence, MND must raise this issue in Parliament. I sincerely hope that, in this august chamber, we can find out where the problem lies and improve the Town Council's management and efficiency and clear people's doubts. First, please allow me to explain the sequence of events so that we have a complete picture. During the 2011 election, the Workers' Party's slogan was to build a First-World Parliament. WP emphasised then that the benefit of a First-world Parliament was for the public to better scrutinise the policies, strengthen accountability and transparency of the Government. This slogan received support from the people of Aljunied GRC. After the election, WP promised that they would do their best to manage the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. In 2012, during the Hougang by-election, Ms Sylvia Lim, a Member of Aljunied GRC, emphasised that WP had a dedicated and experienced management team and that WP did a good job in managing Hougang Town Council before. Hence, they had the confidence to run Aljunied-Hougang Town Council well. During the 2013 Punggol East by-election, Mr Chen Show Mao, also a Member of Aljunied GRC, said WP would manage the Town Council in a proper and responsible manner.”
“Mr Ong asked about how much has been spent on the Heritage Grant scheme. In less than a year since the inception of this scheme in August 2013, $1.4 million has been spent to support 46 community-initiated and ground-up heritage projects. As to what types of projects, I will brief Mr Ong offline, because I need to give some time for my Minister to respond to the next question.”
“In order to improve the efficiency of this programme, we will consult traditional arts practitioners. By then, I hope that Mr Baey and all those who are passionate about traditional arts will also give their feedback and suggestions. Last of all, I would like to emphasise that the Government is always committed to supporting our traditional arts. We hope that through our long-term support and cultivation, traditional arts will be able to bloom and flourish.”
“Mdm Chair, I will respond to Mr Baey Yam Keng's other question. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I thank Mr Baey for his question. Like Mr Baey, we are also very concerned about the development and future of traditional arts in Singapore. Traditional arts are an important part of our heritage. Therefore, the National Arts Council (NAC) will continue to support their development. Please allow me to take this opportunity to explain what traditional arts constitute and their current situation. As most traditional arts are currently practised by interested amateurs, NAC's support and training will strengthen the management of the traditional arts groups and help them to become more professional. We hope this will strengthen the organisational structure of the arts groups so that they can put up better performances and attract more audiences. This is a long and arduous process which cannot be achieved overnight. In terms of financial support, in the past five years, the Government has increased its funding under the National Traditional Arts Plan from $1.1 million in FY 2010 to over $5 million today. The increase was about five times and it was in line with the funding needs of the traditional arts. We estimate that from 2010 to end of 2014, the Government's total funding support for traditional arts would reach close to $17 million. In the past two years, under the main and seed funding programmes, our support for traditional arts has increased by more than 80%, from $1.07 million in 2011 to $1.97 million in 2013. Page: 26 Mr Baey also asked if the National Traditional Arts Plan would be extended. Indeed, we will extend the programme after its expiration.”
“I think they deserve our appreciation. I have shared with Members MCCY's inclusive approach of using the arts and the sports to engage the under-privileged in our society. We do so because we envision Singapore as a caring and an inclusive society, a home where all of us can live more meaningfully and purposefully through the arts and sports. With this, thank you.”
“We hope to forge many more partnerships like the one at Hua Mei and so NAC is setting aside an additional $1.5 million under ArtReach for VWOs which are interested to work with artists to develop programmes for wellness, intervention or rehabilitation. NAC will match interested artists with VWOs and we will be working with the Community Development Councils to ensure that artist-led projects are coordinated and have maximum impact in the community. Mr Chairman, I will now share an example from sports. As Members will recall, we established the SportCares Foundation under Vision 2030. Before I go on, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Seah Kian Peng for his personal effort in supporting SportCares. In fact, I am pleased to note the strong support from the community and from corporates. We started fundraising last year with a $1 million Government matching grant, and we now have a total of $2.2 million that will reach out to and serve 4,000 children and youths across 43 sports programmes and projects. SportCares' flagship programme, the Saturday Night Lights (SNL) football programme, has produced encouraging results. It is helping more than 300 youths to develop good values and also a sense of purpose in life. This model of sport and life coaching has been replicated in other sports, such as the CareRunners programme. And we will roll it out to additional sports activities, Page: 184 such as dragonboating, canoeing and kayaking, in the coming months. Mr Chairman, ArtReach and SportCares initiatives can make a positive difference because of strong support from the community itself – they include Singaporeans, artists and sportspeople who give of their time and effort, passion and skills, to reach out to the underserved and the vulnerable.”
“So, as we prepare for the ASEAN Para Games next year, I hope all Singaporeans can rally together in support of our disabled athletes and the disabled community in Singapore. Mr Chairman, I will now cover our broader efforts to reach out to the community. Mr Arthur Fong spoke at length about bringing the arts and Page: 183 heritage closer to the wider community. There are already many such initiatives, such as People's Association's PAssionArts for the community, NAC's Silver Arts Festival for our pioneers and seniors, and NHB's Heritage Grant Scheme for ground-up community efforts. MCCY has been increasing accessibility to the wider community, because we believe that the arts and sports have the potential to uplift our society – including the underserved and the vulnerable. I wholeheartedly agree with Mr Baey Yam Keng and also Mr Seah Kian Peng that the arts and sports have a transformative power that can touch lives, give hope and help heal. I will first speak about what we are doing through the arts. I am happy to share with Mr Baey Yam Keng that NAC has been working with the social service sector to support quality arts programmes in special education (SPED) schools and also in VWOs. A good example is the Hua Mei Elder-centred Programme of Integrated Comprehensive Care, which offers a range of arts programmes as part of its integrated services. One of their regular participants, Mdm Maligah, shows great talent and keenness in pottery. When she is engaged in it, she is so focused that she forgets about her chronic pains. In a way, the creative arts serve a dual purpose, as therapy and as an avenue for Mdm Maligah to express herself and also her artistic talents.”
“When the game was over, I went up to Jason, struggling to find some words of encouragement to talk to him. But much to my surprise, Jason was all smiles and what he told me next was something that I will never forget. He said, "It was a good game, I scored a few points from him. Next time, I want to score a few more!" These words lifted the spirits of Team Singapore. Jason's never-say-die attitude helped his teammates turn the corner and our table tennis team won four medals, which is a very good result for the team's first international outing! Apart from Jason, there are many other fine role models amongst the Team Singapore disabled athletes – for example, Nurul for boccia, Laurentia for equestrian and Pin Xiu for swimming. Their next target is the 8th ASEAN Para Games which will be held in Singapore in December 2015. I look forward to seeing them in action and I strongly believe that many of them will inspire us once again with their extraordinary deeds. Mr Chairman, Mr Arthur Fong asked what we can expect for the Para Games in 2015. The Para Games will be special as this is the first time that we are hosting them. We will work with the Singapore National Paralympic Council (SNPC) and Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) to ensure the Games' success. We are looking beyond the event itself. The Games are an excellent opportunity to build a community that supports and is inspired by our disabled athletes. Through the Games, we hope Singapore could better appreciate and value people with disabilities and to support every individual to reach his or her full potential, regardless of bodily condition.”
“We are also progressively upgrading our older SSC facilities to make them disabled-friendly too. We hope to be able to see the less able-bodied making full use of the Sports Hub and SSC's facilities. We will certainly consider Miss Low's suggestion to feature our disabled athletes more prominently at the official opening of the Sports Hub. 8.00 pm Mr Chairman, I had the chance to meet with our disabled athletes at the recent ASEAN Para Games in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. They are, indeed, extraordinary. Watching them in action, one could see their grit, determination and tremendous courage. They made Singapore proud when they came home with 27 medals from the Games. But beyond winning medals, their positive attitude and fighting spirit were an inspiration to us all. I remember vividly a conversation with our table tennis athlete, Mr Jason Chee. For those who know Jason, he was the navy man who was involved in a horrific accident that had caused him to lose both his legs, an arm and two fingers of the remaining arm. After the accident, he could no longer swim or dive as what a navy man does. Despite such adversity, Jason never gives up. Page: 182 He retains a positive outlook. He has picked up other skills, trains very hard and is now part of our Team Singapore table tennis team. At the ASEAN Para Games in Myanmar, I watched Jason's match against an opponent from Vietnam. While both athletes were on wheelchairs, Jason's opponent has two arms with 10 fingers intact. And our Jason has one arm and three fingers. The game was one-sided, with Jason managing to win only a few points in each match. Watching from the sidelines, all the Singapore supporters could not help but feel downcast.”
“We provide grants to the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) to help the Council and their athletes with coaching, overseas competitions, sports medicine and sports science. Last year, we awarded the Sports Excellence (SpEx) Scholarship to seven disabled athletes, including equestrian, bowling and boccia athletes. Page: 181 The Acting Minister earlier spoke about the SpEx Career Scheme. SSC is exploring job placements for our able-bodied as well as disabled athletes in companies which have signed up for the scheme. SSC is also actively looking for more companies to join the scheme to give our disabled athletes more career options. I encourage more employers to come forward to be part of this effort. We will continue to work with the SDSC to see how we can better support our disabled athletes, and at the same time provide more opportunities for the disabled community to enjoy sports. We are also embarking on research and capability development for disability sports. The Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) has started exploring research into sports, such as boccia, so that our sports scientists can provide specialised support to our disabled athletes, to customise their sports equipment and raise their performance standards. Miss Penny Low also asked about infrastructure for disability sports. The Sports Hub and all new SSC facilities are intended to be used by Singaporeans, including the able-bodied and the disabled. As such, the public access facilities at the Sports Hub, and new SSC facilities will meet the Building and Construction Authority's guidelines for accessibility. They will have amenities like parking, ramps, lifts and walkways that cater to the needs of the disabled and those who are having mobility issues.”
“Besides funding and support from the Government and schools, the community also play an important role in supporting traditional arts. With the support from the people, traditional arts will have a fixed audience base and will be able to get sponsorship from businesses. With the support from the business, arts groups will be equipped to stage excellent shows. The Nan Hwa Amateur Musical and Drama Association celebrated their 50th Anniversary last year. They staged the Teochew opera – the Dream of Xiaozhuang, sponsored by the Super Group. The first performance drew 1,000 audience. If the Government, businesses and the audience can work hand-in-hand to support traditional arts, I believe traditional arts will have a bright future. Therefore, sincerely, I hope that these efforts would deepen Singaporeans' understanding of traditional arts, cultivating a sense of identity and pride. This would ensure that our traditional arts can continue to play an important role of our cultural building block. (In English): Mr Chairman, I will now speak on another area that is close to my heart – that is, how we are better supporting our disabled athletes, a point that was mentioned by Miss Penny Low. Miss Penny Low spoke very passionately about our disabled athletes and I share the passion which is contagious. I am happy to inform Members of this House that the Government is committed to supporting our disabled athletes. Vision 2030 speaks about Sports Without Boundaries – and, indeed, we want all Singaporeans, including the disabled community, to be able to experience the benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle. We also want our disabled athletes to know that they can aspire to sporting excellence. We have been supporting our disabled athletes in many ways.”
“After it had received the seed funding, it has grown tremendously. Last year, they received a major funding from NAC to stage the inaugural International Chinese Chamber Music Festival at the Esplanade. The Festival featured performances by famous chamber music groups from Beijing, Taiwan and Macau. It provided opportunities for networking and for people to appreciate Chinese Chamber music. Since the launch of the National Traditional Arts Plan, we saw the number of audience watching traditional arts grow gradually year on year. However, we are more concerned with whether younger generations are interested in traditional arts. The NAC has done a study in 2011 and found that 49% of traditional dance audience are aged between 25 and 29. It is truly encouraging to see the audience are getting younger. How do we cultivate the younger generation to understand and appreciate traditional arts is a key concern. Through helping schools organise traditional arts programme, we have increased students' exposure to traditional arts form. These school programmes include bringing arts groups to perform during assembly, organising learning journeys to traditional arts studios and helping students put up traditional arts performances. Page: 180 NAC will continue to deepen its collaboration with its stakeholders. This year, we will have close collaboration with many traditional arts groups to stage a series of shows and performances. These include Malay dance, music programme Muara, Chinese dance and Indian dance. In addition, we will periodically tap on existing cultural festivals and activities to promote traditional arts, such as the Singapore Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival.”
“In fact, last year, I attended the Singapore Kwangtung Hui Kuan's Dialect Nursery Rhymes book and CD launch, one of the many projects supported by MCCY. To my pleasant surprise, the dialect rhymes in the CD were actually recited and sung by school students in five different dialects. It was most heartening to see such an interest among our young. So, this is the Nursery Book and there is a CD inside. I bought 10 copies at the launch and I have been giving this book to friends and relatives who are interested in traditional arts. I am very happy to present this copy to Mr Baey for being so passionate about promoting the traditional arts. By the way, I still Page: 179 have two extra copies left. So, Members who are keen can come and see me after this, on a first-come-first-served basis. Mr Chairman, now allow me to give my speech in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Traditional arts is not just an important part of developing Singapore's culture. It promotes understanding between different communities and is a channel for us to appreciate one another. Hence, MCCY will continue to support, develop and promote traditional arts. Owing to work and personal interest, I often attend arts performances. In the past, the most frequent feedback I received was that the Government did not give enough grant for traditional arts groups. Based on the feedback, the National Arts Council (NAC) launched the National Traditional Arts Plan. Under this programme, many established and emerging traditional arts groups received funding. Among them was Di Yi Music Company, an arts group consisting of 20 musicians. They play traditional Chinese music as well as cross-genre modern music using traditional Chinese instruments to promote Chinese Chamber music.”
“And this is, indeed, happening on the ground. I am very heartened to also learn that the Chinese Opera Institute has recently set up a research and development fund which is open to our opera troupes, and they have raised nearly $500,000. With MCCY's Cultural Matching Fund, they could come close to their fundraising target of $1 million. To support our traditional arts, NAC launched a five-year National Traditional Arts plan in 2011. The plan aims to improve the quality of productions, increase the audience base and also the accessibility of traditional arts, as well as to identify the next generation of practitioners. For example, under the plan, the NAC supports traditional arts programmes in schools and NAC also works closely with industry partners to leverage on cultural festivals to profile the traditional arts. Indeed, as Mr Baey has pointed out, not all groups are aware of the available support, so NAC has started to proactively reaching out to the arts groups. One example is the traditional arts consultancy programme where NAC pairs promising traditional arts groups with the consultants to upgrade their management skills and also to plan for their future. To date, four traditional arts groups have benefited from this programme and NAC plans to continue this programme in the Financial Year 2014. Another example is the Malay music where NAC brought together various Malay music groups and practitioners to form a Malay Music Development Committee. Through this Committee, NAC has launched training programmes that build skills among the Malay music practitioners. Since its implementation, we have seen a growing interest in the traditional arts, especially among young Singaporeans.”
“Mr Chairman, the Acting Minister has earlier outlined what we want Singapore to be: a City of the Arts, a sporting nation and, most fundamentally, our home. To fulfil these objectives, MCCY has adopted an inclusive approach to the arts and sports. Mr Baey Yam Keng, Miss Penny Low, Mr Arthur Fong and Mr Seah Kian Peng spoke about the need for the Government to engage all segments of society. I fully agree with them. Please allow me to share how we are supporting the specific sectors that Members of this House have asked about – they are our traditional arts groups and also our disabled athletes. Thereafter, I will cover more broadly our efforts to reach out to the wider community. Mr Chairman, with your permission I would like to display some slides on the screens. [Slides were shown to hon Members.] Thank you. Mr Baey Yam Keng asked how the Government supports, preserves and promotes our traditional arts, citing the example of Sin Sai Hong, a Hokkien street opera troupe that is closing down. I am heartened by Mr Baey's initiative to link Sin Sai Hong up with the National Museum of Singapore on the possibility of donating their costumes, props and other opera items to the Museum. The Museum welcomes donations of heritage value that can be preserved for all Singaporeans to enjoy, and I understand that the curators are now in the Page: 178 process of engaging Sin Sai Hong. As someone who appreciates the traditional arts, the loss of Sin Sai Hong really saddens me. I remember watching Sin Sai Hong's performances when I was young. But I would like to take this opportunity to assure Mr Baey that this does not mean the demise of the art form. To preserve the art form, apart from the Government's effort, opera lovers must also come together to support our opera troupes.”
“Mr Chairman, I used quite a bit of extra time just now, so I will just give a very short answer. The second question first – whether MFA will impose fees for consular services. The short answer is no, we have no plan to do so. With regard to the Member's first question about the SCP for ASEAN, today, we have trained about 55,000 officials from ASEAN and this constitutes 57% of our total SCP trainees. In that sense, it is almost close to 60% of the SCP.”
“It is, therefore, important that Singaporeans understand what our consular officers can or cannot do. While MFA strives to assist, Singaporeans also have to take some responsibility for their own safety when they travel. For instance, proper pre-trip preparations and taking sensible precautions while abroad can help to minimise problems during their travels. Page: 148 Ms Irene Ng mentioned the need to have well-trained and dedicated Foreign Service Officers. I fully agree with her. For a small country with no natural resources like Singapore, we really have to maximise human resources, which are our only asset. People are, indeed, key to diplomacy and there can be no substitute for people. We are, therefore, also intensifying our efforts to train and professionalise our consular officers in MFA headquarters as well and at Overseas Missions. Mr Chairman, foreign policy starts with the people and ends with the people. We need good people to craft out sound foreign policy and we also need good people to implement them on the ground. My Ministry will continue to pay close attention to HR development to ensure that we will continue to have a good team to secure and defend the regional and international interests of Singapore through sound diplomacy.”
“If there is a need, we will deploy Consular Response Teams (CRTs) to help Singaporeans in crisis areas following natural and man-made disasters. For example, a CRT was deployed to Egypt during the period of unrest in August 2013 to assist affected Singaporeans, especially our students studying in Cairo. In recent years, MFA has also been using technology to enhance our ability to monitor and respond to crises and step up our ability to communicate with Singaporeans. We started a dedicated Consular Twitter account in 2011 and launched the MFA@SG mobile application in 2012. These two technical tools help to expand and extend our reach and improve our dissemination of information in a timely and efficient manner. As a matter of fact, the MFA@SG app now ranks among the top three Government mobile applications in terms of subscribed users. We also continue to encourage Singaporeans travelling overseas to make use of our "eRegister" system so that we can contact them in the event of an emergency. Singaporeans can also subscribe to receive MFA's travel notices electronically, which provide useful consular information for their overseas trips. While our officers will continue to do their best to be creative, flexible and empathetic in assisting Singaporeans, there are also limitations to what we can do. So, we have to act in accordance with international conventions and cannot ignore local laws and regulations or interfere with the judicial processes of other countries. It is inevitable that Singaporeans may have to put up with some inconveniences and frustrations when travelling abroad. Nevertheless, MFA cannot compel a foreign country or government agency or commercial entity to satisfy the demands of Singaporeans.”
“Unfortunately, her passport had been submitted to the local Chinese authorities for the processing of visa and this, unfortunately, had also coincided with the three-day national holiday period for Mid-Autumn festival in China. Upon receiving the news, our Mission in Beijing quickly contacted the Beijing authorities and got the relevant officers to return to the office so that the student could retrieve her passport and rush back to Singapore that very night. The President of NUS wrote a letter to thank our Beijing Mission for the expeditious assistance extended to the student. Mr Alex Yam asked whether MFA has sufficient resources to meet increasing demands for consular support. I would like to thank Mr Yam for his concern. MFA is constantly improving our work processes to better meet public needs for consular services. In addition to our 49 Overseas Missions, we maintain a network of 30 Honorary Consuls-General (HCGs) in countries where we do not have diplomatic presence. These Honorary Consuls General are prominent members of their countries and they help Singapore by providing consular coverage in locations where we do not have resident Missions. Where we do not even have representations of the HCG, there is an agreement among ASEAN countries to help one another's nationals when there is an emergency. We can also request assistance from friendly countries like the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand. We also place an emphasis on emergency Page: 147 preparedness and regularly review our contingency plans to deal with potential flashpoints where Singaporeans could be affected. MFA also participated in inter-Ministry and interagency emergency preparedness exercises as a coordinated approach among multiple Government agencies is often required when handling crises.”
“With greater affluence and connectivity, Singaporeans are travelling much more than before for work, leisure and education. Singaporeans made 6.9 million trips in 2013, that is, last year, compared to 3.6 million a decade ago. This excludes land trips to Malaysia which reach almost 20 million trips last Page: 146 year. Our consular workload has correspondingly grown in both volume and complexity with more than 3,000 consular cases handled last year. Concurrently, Singaporeans' expectations of our consular services have also risen over time. MFA treats all requests for consular assistance seriously and remains committed to providing efficient and responsive consular assistance to Singaporeans in distress abroad. While some cases have been challenging to handle, our officers have been able to assist to meet these challenges and we are heartened and encouraged by Singaporeans expressing their appreciation for MFA's assistance. For example, when the Australian police alerted our Canberra Mission that a young Singaporean child had passed away in Tasmania while on holiday there, our mission helped advise the family on various aspects of the repatriation procedure. Our Canberra Mission also took the initiative to contact KK Hospital for the deceased's medical records so as to speed up the process. The family returned to Singapore safely and subsequently they wrote a letter to all those agencies involved, including our Mission and the Tasmanian authorities, to express their gratitude for the assistance. In another case, a Singaporean NUS student was in Beijing on an internship programme when she received news that her father had suffered a heart attack in Singapore.”
“As a small state, building a wide constituency of friends is especially useful for Singapore. The SCP helps our neighbours and also benefits Singapore. A good part of the SCP is aimed at strengthening ASEAN. An ASEAN that is economically integrated, prosperous and neutral can better attract investments, create jobs, manage regional challenges and be a platform through which to engage larger powers. The SCP has been very, very well received by Singapore's friends and partners and it complements other forms of assistance extended by other agencies or civil societies and international organisations, such as the Singapore International Foundation. We will need to continue investing in the SCP to broaden our network of friends and also to deepen friendships. But Singapore has limited resources and cannot compete with the larger donor countries in terms of the quantum of their assistance that we give out. Some major donors, like Japan and the US, dispense more than US$10 billion in aid per year. We do not have that kind of deep pockets but we can still do what is within our means – effectively targeting and meaningfully. We will be focusing our efforts on maximising the values of our contributions by providing smarter assistance by concentrating our efforts in areas where we can make a positive impact to the recipient countries. We can also customise our programmes to meet the developmental needs of our friends. And we can also develop new programmes to meet emerging development needs and challenges. We can also do so by leveraging more on our network of partnerships with aid agencies, International Organisations and other developed countries to provide joint technical assistance to other countries. Mr Chairman, I shall now move on to consular assistance to Singaporeans.”
“Thank you. Mr Chairman, I would like to now respond to questions on Singapore's technical assistance programmes and consular assistance to Singaporeans. Mr Gerald Giam asked about the role of international development in our foreign policy and whether we are considering expanding the scale of this programme. Singapore's technical assistance programme is part of Singapore's effort for international development to build a constituency of friends and supporters at the United Nations as well as important international fora. 6.30 pm Singapore currently extends technical assistance to other developing countries mainly through the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP). We do this because this is a right thing to do. Singapore had benefited from foreign assistance when we first became independent. Now that we have reached a certain level of development, we wanted to give something back as a responsible member of the international community. We understood from our own experience that technical assistance is equally effective if not more than giving just financial aid in creating the right conditions for growth. So, under the SCP, we trained government officers from other countries to equip them with skills and knowledge to make a real impact in changing their people's lives for the better. We share Singapore's Page: 145 development experiences, our experiences, successes, as well as mistakes we have made along the way in the areas where we are strong in, such as public administration, urban planning and economic development. Helping other countries is also not just the only right thing to do. It also helps to build a strong network of friends for Singapore who can help us defend our interests at the United Nations and other international organisations.”
“Mr Chairman, before I begin, I would like to seek your mercy and approval to give me extra time; otherwise, I would not be able to finish my speech.”
“Therefore, we set up this harmony fund to encourage more ground-up initiatives by individuals, particularly the young people, and we encourage them to make full use of this fund to do more activities in their own way to promote racial and religious harmony, so that this racial and religious harmony will not be something that is top-down or done through the organisations but is done at the individual level. For the applications of the fund, they can either collaborate with existing organisations, to open up new chapters, to apply for the funds and then to organise the activities; or they can apply directly to MCCY. The Ministry's officials will assess all the individual applications based on their merits.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for raising two very important questions. The Member has correctly pointed out that there are already existing initiatives out there in the community to promote racial and religious harmony. In fact, if I recall it correctly, the Member himself chairs this organisation called OneSingapore.sg which is an active champion in promoting racial and religious harmony. There are also other organisations, such as the 87 IRCCs which are organising a lot of activities on the ground. So, the question we ask ourselves is, "Is this enough? Are we happy with the current level of activities on the ground to promote racial and religious harmony?" On our part, we thought that the promotion of racial and religious harmony is something that has to be ongoing, something has to be taken part in, not just by some institutions, but also by individuals. Page: 106 3.15 pm While MCCY will continue to support the One People SG, IRCCs and other religious racial organisations to meet their objectives, we also want to open up more opportunities to individuals, particularly the young people who may not want to associate themselves with all these existing institutions and initiatives, but on their own, within their own community, within their own social circles, would want to do something to promote racial and religious harmony. That kind of ideas, that kind of initiatives have to be supported.”
“[Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Madam, I would like to thank Mr Baey Yam Keng for his views and suggestions. On Dance Ensemble Singapore's concern, I can understand why they felt that way. I agree that traditional arts should not remain stagnant as we know all things, be it arts and culture, have to keep up with the changing times. But I think one important principle is how to preserve the tradition when we are keeping up with changing times. Otherwise, with the erosion of time, the traditional arts will lose their original heritage, spirit and essence, and we would lose an important part of the culture. As such, when the National Arts Council evaluated the applications put up by various arts groups, they had adopted a flexible and holistic view in their evaluation of the grant applications of arts groups. We will continue to encourage NAC to adopt this flexible and holistic approach in their evaluation. As for the performance and passing on of traditional arts, MCCY will continue to provide the same amount of support. If Dance Ensemble Singapore would invite me to their performance, as long as my schedule allows, I would show my support by attending the performance. This would help me understand how they have incorporated new forms of presentation in traditional Chinese dance, and how a performance art infused with our local flavour is presented.”
“The most recent event was held in December 2012 which featured a flash mob along Orchard Road, bringing the spirit of the event to even more Singaporeans. MCCY will establish a $5 million Harmony Fund to support such ground-up initiatives. We want to encourage the blossoming of such activities across the island, so that all Singaporeans will have an opportunity to gain a greater understanding as well as an appreciation of our racial and religious diversity. Non-profit organisations will be able to apply for co-funding from the Harmony Fund to undertake worthy projects. These could be projects that raise awareness of the importance of racial and religious tolerance; promote knowledge and appreciation of different cultural practices; encourage interaction between different racial or religious groups; or reduce negative stereotypes or misconceptions about other communities. With this new fund, we hope that more groups will come forward and share new and creative ideas to make Singapore a strong, vibrant and, if I may say, a more colourful society. To conclude, MCCY recognises that we are a nation made up of different people, and all with our own passions and our stories. Our efforts to create a sense of community will respect and celebrate the diversity of our experiences. Page: 67 MCCY will continue to support Singaporeans in sharing their passions, stories, traditions and perspectives, to create strong communities that enrich one another and, at the same time, a nation united not only by our common bonds, but also through an appreciation of our differences.”
“IRCCs are set up to promote dialogue and also to foster friendships across faiths and ethnicities. Since December 2010, IRCCs have held a series of four IRCC@Heartlands events to increase understanding of our religious, ethnic and community groups in an interactive way. The most recent event was held in December last year and it involved seven religious organisations, and featured scaled-down replicas of their places of worship. Participants were also able to learn about the history and practices of the Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Taoist faiths at once, all under one roof. This will greatly enrich their understanding of multicultural Singapore. More of such creative methods of outreach are, indeed, needed and Page: 66 we intend to do more. A genuine attempt to understand our fellow Singaporeans from other races and religions must also come from each one of us, and not just from Government policies and programmes alone. MCCY will, therefore, focus on encouraging more ground-up initiatives where Singaporeans of different backgrounds can come together and co-create more opportunities for us to celebrate our diversity. Since 2009, a group of passionate youngsters of different races has been organising an annual event called Rafusicul. It is an acronym for Racial, Fusion and Culture. So, they call themselves Rafusicul – it sounds quite cool. 1.30 pm To promote racial harmony amongst their peers, these youth brought young Singaporeans together through music and dance. These are the common languages shared by people of all races, particularly amongst the young people. Rafusicul has grown in popularity.”
“Page: 65 I believe the motivation for these individuals and groups extends beyond the passion for their respective art forms; it also comes from an adherence to the cultural traditions which are embodied within their practice. We will continue to support the development of traditional arts, not only as a source of a greater vibrancy and inspiration for the arts scene, but also as conduits for our rich cultural heritage to be passed from one generation to the next, and shared from one community to another. (In English): Now, I would like to switch back to Channel 5. Madam, while an appreciation for our diversity can bring us together, insensitivity towards our differences can also drive us apart. Mr Zainudin Nordin cautioned us against a further erosion of the sense of community which we have built painstakingly since independence, and I share his concern wholeheartedly. Our sense of community has changed, with the Internet and the mobile phones replacing face-to-face interaction. Mr Desmond Lee also reminded that it is all too easy for a single impulsive post on Facebook, or a single insensitive blog entry to undo what we have achieved in building a harmonious society. Mr Desmond Lee also reminded this House that while we work hard to integrate new members into our society, we must not neglect to bridge potential racial and religious fault lines. Madam, I fully agree with Members that Singapore cannot remain as a society that shows tolerance only on the surface, and should instead work towards building genuine understanding and respect across our racial and religious communities. MCCY will continue to make this our priority on this journey. Members would also be familiar with our work in the Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs).”
“The Government will also continue to support traditional arts practitioners with a passion for educating the next generation. Take, for example, Ms Lim Mei Lian, who received an NAC Arts Scholarship to pursue an undergraduate degree in Peking Opera at China's National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts. Before, I did not know there is such a Bachelor's degree. Unlike most scholarship recipients, Mei Lian is a traditional arts veteran. She co-founded the Tian Yuan Peking Opera Society more than 20 years ago and she has been teaching Peking Opera at Dunman High School since 1996. Her passion for cultivating a new generation of performers has motivated her to improve her teaching methods and, with her training, she hopes to make Peking Opera more relevant to today's audience. In other words, she hopes, through learning Peking Opera, she can localise and present Peking Opera in a modernised style to the young generation, who can then learn to appreciate this ancient traditional Chinese art in a new perspective. We look forward to her further contributions when she returns from Beijing. Finally, the contributions of private sector champions should not go unnoticed. Since 1987, the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA), Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) and the People's Association (PA) have organised the River Hongbao to celebrate the Chinese New Year, and the event has integrated many elements of Chinese traditional arts. This year, the event included a Harmony Night which brought together not just the Chinese traditional arts groups, but also Malay and Indian traditional arts groups to highlight the diversity of Singapore culture.”
“The event brought together local and regional Malay dance groups to present demonstrations, performances and seminars in both traditional and contemporary Malay dance. Held over three days at various venues in the Esplanade, the event attracted over 10,000 people, gaining more fans for the Malay dance. Madam, our support for traditional arts and heritage recognises these links to our past as living things, which evolve and strengthen as the different cultures within our shores share their practices. They add colour to the Singapore story, and can form part of the cultural ballast which Ms Janice Koh spoke so passionately about during last week's Budget debate. Equally important, our shared appreciation for traditional arts can form bridges across our diverse communities. Madam, talking about diversity, now I would like to switch from Channel 5 to Channel 8 and carry on my speech in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Government's effort to support the traditional arts will only have an impact through the good work Page: 64 of artists, enthusiasts and supporters. For example, Resonance, a Sheng Ensemble founded under Thomson CC‘s Youth Club is one such group. Formed in 2011, the ensemble is made up of mostly young musicians below 30 years old, many of whom are continuing their practice from schooling days. NAC supported the ensemble's first concert last December. Besides showcasing their talent, the group also used the concert as a platform to deepen audience awareness of the sheng. Such efforts to develop new audiences are invaluable to the continued viability of traditional art forms. I hope more traditional arts practitioners can tap on the traditional arts fund provided by the Government and further promote traditional arts.”
“Through this programme, the groups have improved their administration, strategic planning and Page: 63 organisational development capabilities, which will help them to become more professional and self-sustaining. We will continue to support traditional arts groups to establish themselves and also to create a strong and sustainable impact on the cultural landscape. Second, we will also continue to support the passing on of traditional art forms from one generation to the next, so that Singapore can continue to draw on the traditional art forms in maintaining our links with the past. Two of our valuable platforms are the National Indian Music Competition and the National Chinese Music Competition. Aspiring towards success in these competitions has helped to motivate young talents like 17-year-old guzheng player Nicholas Quek to strive for greater excellence in their craft. Nicholas won second place in the Youth Category of the competition in 2010. He continued to develop his talent and strengthen his interest in the instrument. Finally, he was able to achieve the first place last year. And along the way, he also took part in the Tong Yan Cup International Zheng Art Week in Harbin, China, where he also managed a first-place finish in his category. Young practitioners like Nicholas will help the traditional arts engage and also inspire new generations of Singaporeans and continue to flourish in the future. Finally, we also continue to support the creation of a traditional arts programme and activities to engage a wider Singaporean audience. For example, last July, NAC supported "Muara – Pesta Tari Melayu" by the Malay Dance Committee.”
“This openness to diversity should also underpin our approach to the traditional arts. I fully agree with Mr David Ong that embracing diversity should be our hallmark as Singaporeans. Singapore is, indeed, fortunate to be a cosmopolitan port city, sitting between the East and the West. Our forefathers had brought their rich cultural traditions with them in the past, and we can continue to benefit from the vibrancy that new immigrants and visitors bring to our shores today. I fully agree with Mr Baey Yam Keng that we should do more to attract new audiences and supporters for the traditional arts. Traditional arts will remain vital to MCCY efforts to promote mutual understanding and appreciation across different communities, and we will continue to support the efforts to help traditional art forms to take root and also to flourish. Madam, NAC had launched the $23 million National Traditional Arts Plan in 2010. This has strengthened our efforts to create a more vibrant traditional arts scene that reflects the diversity of the Singapore society, and also to encourage greater interest among local audiences. NAC supported a total of 60 traditional arts groups last year. And going forward, we will continue to invest significantly towards key strategies to support the traditional arts and the arts schools. Let me elaborate. First, the National Traditional Arts Plan will continue to support organisational development for traditional arts groups. A new initiative in this area is the Traditional Arts Organisation Consultancy Programme. It was held for the first time between August 2012 and January this year. A number of Traditional Arts Seed Grant recipients have participated in this programme, and the feedback given by them has been very positive.”
“These exhibitions tell the stories of moments which have brought us together as a people, and also to remind us of the strength of the Singaporean spirit. Our programmes will continue to promote awareness of these defining moments of Singapore's history which have played a very strong role in shaping our identity. Besides these stories that have touched us all, we have also amassed some deeply personal stories that are worth sharing. We therefore agree with Members' suggestions to go beyond national-level efforts. Our efforts to foster pride in the distinct heritage of different communities will also help to maintain bonds held together by unique experiences. 1.15 pm Take Mdm Moslimah as an example. She is a former resident of Kampong Kaji near the Sultan Mosque, which is Kampong Glam today. They may not live together along Bussorah Street anymore, but Mdm Moslimah and her neighbours still shared fond memories of the gotong royong and close community bonds of their Kampong Kaji days. Page: 62 When NHB was creating the Kampong Glam heritage trail last year, these old neighbours came together to share their stories − a place close to her heart which also has a place in our shared history, and the trail is a reminder of the community bonds that she shared with her neighbours. And the memories of Mdm Moslimah and her former neighbours, as well as those of the former and current residents of Kampong Glam area are all captured in a very nice handy guide book called the Kampong Glam Heritage Trail. By encouraging Singaporeans to come forward with their own stories, our approach to heritage celebrates not only those things that are common to us, but also those things which make us and each community very unique.”
“Perhaps at next year's Chingay Parade, some of you will be able to perform. More importantly, their newfound passion for the ukulele brought the neighbours together closer. And regular practice sessions have also become a common place to meet with the new friends. We will continue to support such opportunities for Singaporeans to bond over a love for the arts. Page: 61 Mdm Chair, now let me proceed to highlight how MCCY's efforts in the heritage sector can help to promote greater understanding across communities, and bring Singaporeans closer over their shared values and stories. In MCCY, we all agree when Mr Sitoh Yih Pin said that heritage is not distant or detached. Heritage actually lives within us. Our memories make up a big part of our heritage and identity. Therefore, our memories are created from diverse experiences, and these experiences can be shared through stories. Mr Alex Yam asked about what MCCY would be doing to preserve the parts of our heritage that extend beyond the physical. Helping Singaporeans to tell and share stories will play a big part in the MCCY's role to help preserve our heritage and also to build our national identity, something that has been so passionately talked about by Members of this House. NHB will be launching a new travelling exhibition to honour and also to remind us of the brave healthcare workers who stood on the frontlines during the SARS outbreak, and how Singapore stood behind them as they worked to overcome this crisis. NHB is working with Tan Tock Seng Hospital and MOH and the exhibition will be launched next week. The new exhibition is part of NHB's "Resilience Through Heritage" series of exhibitions.”
“Madam, allow me to first elaborate on our efforts in the arts sector. Our community engagement efforts will continue to provide opportunities for people to come together and share a common passion. Mr Arthur Fong spoke about the arts and the culture interest groups and Community Arts and Cultural Clubs (CACC) which have been set up across the island. These groups are made up of community enthusiasts and the volunteers, with support from the Community Engagement Masterplan. They have helped their fellow Singaporeans to see the arts as a part of a community life, and also as something that they can really enjoy everywhere and every day. I thank the Member for his suggestion regarding our funding of such groups, and we will continue to refine our support to the community. Mr Arthur Fong also mentioned the ukulele interest group network during his speech. And other Members may have also seen this group in action, during last month's Chingay procession or parade. These groups' achievements deserve special mention. Since last September, over 1,800 Singaporeans between the ages of four and 92 years have picked up ukulele from Mr Low Cher Yong and other community champions. For Members who are unfamiliar, the ukulele is similar to a guitar, but is smaller in size and also, it is friendlier to beginners. Cher Yong, a community volunteer and musician, thought that it is an instrument that could bring music into the lives of people with no musical background. Being part of this growing ukulele community motivated participants to master six songs within just a few lessons, going from novices to Chingay performers in a few short months. So, Members of this House, if you are keen to learn ukelele, I would be most happy to introduce you to Cher Yong.”
“Mdm Chair, Acting Minister spoke about the importance of building connections between people, as a way to create greater social bonds and cohesion. He also spoke passionately about the challenges that we will continue to face in establishing a strong national identity. In a diverse society like Singapore, social bonds and national identity emerge both out of experiences we have in common, and experiences that are unique to each of us. Strong social bonds and a sense of identity will help create social capital and Acting Minister painted a picture of this as Singaporeans being able to help, trust and rely on one another. Let me also add by saying that it is also a sense of community, and a natural affinity for our fellow Singaporeans. Having tightly-knitted communities not only gives each one of us the emotional support that we need, but also gives us the confidence to bring new Singaporeans into our midst. Mr Baey Yam Keng and Mr David Ong have asked about how MCCY will strengthen national identity and build social capital through our efforts across various sectors. Mdm Chair, MCCY's programmes aim to encourage bonding within the communities and also a richer appreciation of the diversity across all the communities. Page: 60 With your permission, Mdm Chair, may I display some images on the LED screens?”
“Mdm Chair, I thank the Member for the clarifications. The Foreign Service Officers are paid within the overall framework of the civil service, so although their pay scale may be slightly different, but it is still within the framework. From the number of the turnover that we have seen in the Ministry, it suggests that the morale is still high, people are still fairly happy and, therefore, we are quite happy to see the situation. However, as the civil service has done, we will also be periodically reviewing all the terms and conditions to make sure that the Foreign Service Officers will remain a happy lot.”
“In conclusion, Mdm Chairperson, as Minister Shanmugam mentioned, MFA will face increasing demands and challenges, not only because of external uncertainties, but also from rising expectations of Singaporeans. We will continue to work hard to tackle these challenges so as to uphold Singapore's and MFA's credibility and good standing, both in the international arena and also amongst Singaporeans.”
“Another case involved a Singaporean living in Indonesia and he requested MFA to ship to him a desktop computer that he had ordered online from the US. Another Singaporean had also sought MFA's assistance to persuade his foreign girlfriend to expedite her divorce proceedings with her husband so that he could marry her. Such requests divert our limited resources from handling cases of Singaporeans in genuine distress. We are continuing to train and professionalise our Consular Officers at headquarters and at our Overseas Missions. We are also constantly reviewing our work processes to better meet the public needs for effective consular services. Our 47 Overseas Missions are supported by another 29 Honorary Consuls-General offices which provide consular coverage in countries where Singapore does not have resident missions. Where we do not have representation, there is also an agreement among ASEAN countries to help each other's nationals when there is an emergency. We can also request assistance from friendly countries like the UK, Australia and New Zealand to render consular services to Singaporeans in places where we do not have a presence while these countries Page: 33 have a presence. Finally, we are also leveraging on new technology to improve the quality of our consular services. We launched a mobile application called MFA@SG in August 2012 to allow the public to eRegister and access useful consular information on their smartphones. So, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage Singaporeans to eRegister with MFA when they travel overseas. This will allow MFA to provide timely information to them should there be emergencies in the countries that they travel to.”
“Mdm Chairperson, Mr Sitoh Yih Pin and Mr Alex Yam asked about what MFA deems as reasonable or unreasonable requests by Singaporeans for consular assistance. I would like to take this opportunity to assure Mr Alex Yam that our consular officers have long passed through the stage of "Cinderalla", although they may not have been transformed into princesses. Nonetheless, Page: 32 they live quite happily ever after, so long as they do not receive too many of those weird or unreasonable consular requests. Madam, there is an increasing challenge of meeting the rising demands for prompt and effective consular services. From 2001 to 2012, overseas travel by Singaporeans increased by 67% from 3.8 million to 6.4 million annually. In 2012 alone, MFA handled almost 4,000 cases of consular requests for assistance. MFA treats all the requests for consular assistance seriously and we will continue to do all we can to assist Singaporeans in distress. But there are also clear limits to which and to what we can do. We need to act in accordance with international conventions, for example, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. We also need to respect local laws and the judicial processes in other countries. Mdm Chairperson, most of the consular requests are reasonable and have been rendered the necessary and appropriate assistance. But like what was mentioned by Mr Sitoh Yih Pin just now, he quoted the BBC's report on weird consular requests and I would also want to report to this House that, in Singapore, we, too, face a fair share of such unreasonable and weird requests. Just let me cite a few examples. We had a request for assistance from a Singaporean to seek a refund after he had procured illegal sexual services.”
“Mdm Chairperson, Mr Teo Ser Luck and Ms Irene Ng asked about the rationale behind Singapore's assistance to other countries and how this has benefited Singapore. Mdm Chair, Singapore extends technical assistance to other countries, mainly through the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP). This is the right thing to do because we want to give back something to the international community for the assistance that we had received in the early days of our independence. However, we do not extend financial aid or fund infrastructure projects as we find that giving technical assistance is actually the most effective and the prudent way for us to help others. Through the SCP, we train officials from many other countries in areas where Singapore is strong, such as public administration, economic development, port management, civil aviation and water management, and the list goes on. Helping our neighbours and friends through the SCP can, in return, benefit Singapore, too. A good part of the SCP is aimed at strengthening ASEAN. It is in our interest that our region is well governed and attractive to international investment. So, Singapore also benefits when other countries are well equipped to deal with transnational challenges, such as financial crises, terrorism and pandemics. The SCP also helps Singapore build friendships. The SCP is very well received and well regarded by our friends and partners and, since the establishment of the SCP in 1992, we have trained more than 80,000 officials from over 170 countries. So, for a small country like Singapore, it is important to have this international network of friends who help us defend our interests at the United Nations and also other international organisations.”
“I thank the Member for raising these clarifications. The PSB funding is primarily given to MediaCorp. It has also been set aside to groom and develop the industry. And in this PSB Review Panel that I chair, we also look at one other area where we would like to have this PSB-content and programmes to reach out to greater audiences through new platforms. The Member's suggestions would be taken in by the review panel. We will take his suggestions and see whether it is feasible to incorporate it into our review and the recommendations. Anyway, I thank the Member for his suggestions.”
“Sir, I thank Mr Cheng for his interest in "The Little Nonya". After its successful run, it has grown so big that it has become a matured Nonya rather than a little Nonya! Sir, nobody actually would know the fate of a production when it is still on the drawing block. But without PSB funding, "Little Nonya" would never get to see the light of the day. So I think it is important for the Government to give the necessary support and encouragement to the industry, to dare to try out new things, so that when they make an attempt and it becomes a successful production, they will be encouraged to try even more. That is what creativity and innovation is all about. Mr Calvin Cheng also talked about whether the Government should take back the PSB grant to this "Little Nonya" since it is so successful commercially. Our Finance Minister has just delivered a very generous Budget this year. But in the spirit of generosity, we should actually give more encouragement to our industry. If they have made it a box office success, we will take this as an encouragement. If they do not succeed, we will take it as the support. So I think either way, the industry will be convinced that the Government is putting that money where the mouth is, to give them the support, so that they will be able to continue with their creative creations and, at the same time, to realise their dream. That will be an overall plus for the Singapore industry's development.”
“I am heartened to see such display of community spiritedness by our voluntary and community organisations in helping to foster cyber wellness among our people, and I encourage more organisations to come forward. If we all continue to work together, I am confident that, over time, we will succeed in building a strong culture of cyber wellness among our people. Mr Chairman, let me conclude by assuring the House that MICA remains committed to fostering a society where our people are well-engaged through quality and diverse public service broadcast programmes and local films, and are responsible and discerning in their use of traditional and new media.”