Sharael Taha
Singapore
“L, link regional ecosystems. O, we orchestrate with AI and frontier technologies. And W, we win by creating greater economic value, better jobs and better lives for Singaporeans. For the past 60 years, Singapore mastered the movement of ships. Then we mastered the movement of aircraft. Today, we are mastering the movement of data.”
“This is a test of our social compact, a compact that must now be renewed for a new era where businesses commit to not just profits but to people, where workers commit to not just jobs, but to lifelong growth, and where the Government continues to stand with both, ensuring that no one is left behind.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to thank Minister Tan for sharing the dual fuel nature of our power plants. My supplementary question is how quick is this switching? Can it manage the volatility, especially this unprecedented volatility? And do we need to re-optimise our power plants to manage our energy generation resilience?”
“Thank you, Chairman. Chairman, the Rail Reliability Taskforce has set out clear recommendations – accelerate renewal of ageing core systems, including train signalling and traction power, strengthen backup and resilience measures, improve asset management and spare part planning, deepen workforce capabilities and enhance commuter communic…”
“Thank you, Chairman. I thank the Minister and the political office holders for their comprehensive response. I have a few supplementary questions. I believe the Minister did not get an opportunity to address my cut on the role of NAIC. What precisely is its role?”
“Okay. Mr Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Minister Josephine Teo, Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How, Minister of State Rahayu, Minister of State Jasmin Lau and the Permanent Secretary of MDDI, and the whole MDDI team for the responses and the great work that they do.”
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“L, link regional ecosystems. O, we orchestrate with AI and frontier technologies. And W, we win by creating greater economic value, better jobs and better lives for Singaporeans. For the past 60 years, Singapore mastered the movement of ships. Then we mastered the movement of aircraft. Today, we are mastering the movement of data. The next chapter is even more ambitious. It is to orchestrate the movement of everything else – of people, goods, capital, ideas, technology, opportunity. That is the difference between being a transport hub and becoming the operating system of Asia's economy. If we succeed, Singapore will not simply connect the world. We will help coordinate it. That is the opportunity before us. And that is why I stand in whole-hearted support of this Motion.”
“And no operating system succeeds without great people. I therefore welcome the Ministry's continued investment in developing our transport workforce through initiatives such as OneAviation which was launched by Minister of State Sun Xueling. I am especially pleased that Pasir Ris-Changi will host the OneAviation Career Fair later this month, creating opportunities for more Singaporeans to participate in this exciting future. Because ultimately, our greatest competitive advantage will never be our infrastructure. It will always be our people. Mr Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Singapore's future will no longer depend on having the biggest airport or the busiest port. Our future depends on our ability to lead, connect the region and harness smart technologies to drive the economy. Transport is not just about building roads, MRT lines, ports or airports. It is a national economic strategy. We must take the lead in shaping international standards, strengthening partnerships with our neighbours and harnessing AI to position Singapore as the regional hub for smart transport and logistics coordination. Our goal is not to compete with our neighbours, but to build a stronger and more prosperous ASEAN together. If Singapore was once known as a global transport hub, we must now aim even higher to become the "orchestra of ASEAN transport for the world", that coordinates the movement of goods, capital, technology, ideas and talent across the region. By doing so, we can create more high-value jobs, attract quality investments and secure lasting prosperity for all Singaporeans. (In English): Mr Speaker, allow me to conclude with a simple framework. Singapore's future lies in creating FLOW. F, frame the global rules.”
“Second, make Singapore the world's living laboratory for autonomous logistics through the Singapore Autonomous Logistics Initiative. By integrating AVs, drones, harbour craft and intelligent logistics systems under a common national regulatory framework, Singapore can pioneer regional drone corridors and autonomous freight networks that become the global reference model for future logistics. Third, establish the world's first National Quantum Logistics Programme, combining AI and quantum optimisation to solve logistics challenges beyond the reach of conventional computing, from airline cargo allocation and multimodal routing to fleet deployment, port operations and supply chain resilience. Mr Speaker, the future will not belong to the countries with the biggest ports or airports. It will belong to those with the smartest transport ecosystems. Singapore already has the trust, connectivity and talent. We must now invest more boldly in research, innovation and enterprise so that we do not simply participate in the future of global transport. We help define it. Finally, transport is an economic strategy. We often think of transport as just a sector. I believe we should think of it as an enabler of our economy. Every investment in transport multiplies opportunities across every other sector. It strengthens advanced manufacturing, anchors global supply chains, accelerates the digital economy, attracts investment and creates better jobs. As supply chains become increasingly shaped by AI, data and geopolitical changes, the countries that create the greatest value will not necessarily manufacture everything themselves. They will design, coordinate and optimise how the entire network operates. That should be Singapore's ambition. Not merely to move cargo. But to move value.”
“Intelligence can make us indispensable. Our ambition should not be to compete with our neighbours, but to multiply this region's collective strengths. Singapore can anchor advanced manufacturing, aerospace engineering, R&D, financing and supply chain orchestration, while complementary manufacturing takes place where land, labour and natural resources are more competitive. Take batteries as one example. Indonesia has abundant nickel. Singapore can become the world's trusted hub for battery certification, financing, commodity trading, sustainability assurance and global logistics. Transport can no longer create prosperity simply by moving goods. It creates prosperity by connecting ecosystems. Regional integration gives us scale, but scale alone will not define the future. Our next competitive advantage must be intelligence. Which brings me to my third point, on leading with frontier technology. The industrial age rewarded geography. The digital age rewarded connectivity. The AI age will reward efficient orchestration. Singapore should establish itself as a global centre of excellence for AI-enabled multimodal transport, logistics and industrial optimisation. To realise this vision, I would like to propose three national initiatives. First, build the world's first National AI Logistics Control Tower, a digital brain for Singapore's logistics ecosystem. Rather than optimising individual companies as part of a value chain, it would be using agentic AI and integrating maritime, both high-altitude and low-altitude, and land digital twins to orchestrate cargo seamlessly across ports, airports, drone corridors, roads, warehouses and customs as one intelligent national network.”
“The development of Changi Airport T5 presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity. By integrating T5 with Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and stronger links to the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, the oil and gas industry in Pengerang, the Batam-Bintan-Karimun (BBK) free trade zone and regional tourism destinations, we can create a truly multimodal gateway connecting this region to the world. But the greater opportunity lies beyond just connectivity. Imagine advanced manufacturing systems manufactured in Changi, with its semiconductor chips leaving Pasir Ris, with AI-enabled fleet management and autonomous software developed in the Punggol Digital District, with logistics coordinated from our Tampines Logistics Hub, financing arranged in the central business district and supporting products coming from the Johor Special Economic Zone and BBK free trade zone reaching out to global markets – all operating as one intelligent economic system. That is the ecosystem that we should build. I would like to propose to transform Singapore's eastern corridor into an integrated economic powerhouse linking Changi Airport, Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Changi's aerospace MRO ecosystem, Loyang Industrial Estate, Pasir Ris Semiconductor Park, Tampines Logistics Park, Punggol Digital District, Seletar Aerospace Park through an AI-enabled multimodal network, all connected through our world-class land transport system of expressways and MRT lines, including the new cross-island line, linking goods, capital and our talented workforce. Few countries possess such a dense concentration of aerospace, advanced manufacturing, logistics, digital industries and transport infrastructure within such a compact footprint. Land made Singapore a port. Trust made us a hub.”
“I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding work our CAAS officers, whose dedication helps Singapore secure re-election to the 36-member ICAO Council with the highest number of votes ever received by any member state in ICAO history. While we continue to strength institutions, at the same time, Singapore should lead the governance of next-generation transport from low-level airspace management systems (LLAMSs), cross-border drone corridors and autonomous aviation to AI-enabled air traffic management, autonomous vessels and digital maritime standards. For example, Singapore could pioneer an LLAMS, the digital operating system for low-altitude space. Unlike today's conventional air traffic control, an LLAMS would safely integrate drones, autonomous cargo aircraft and future urban air mobility through dynamic routing, digital flight authorisation, geofencing, AI traffic optimisation and real-time conflict management. This would create the regulatory and digital foundation for regional drone corridors, further linking Singapore with the region, and unlocking new opportunities in industrial logistics, offshore energy, maritime inspection and autonomous cross-border services. Trust gives Singapore influence. But influence alone is not enough. To create value, we must build a larger ecosystem. Which brings me to my second point on building the ecosystem. If international leadership gives us influence, regional integration gives us scale. We often view aviation, maritime and land transport as separate sectors. However, our future advantage will not come from having the best airport or the best port in isolation. It will come from orchestrating them as one intelligent regional ecosystem.”
“I will shape the framework through four interconnected ideas: first, strengthen Singapore's international leadership by shaping global standards and leading aviation and maritime governance; second, build an integrated regional transport and manufacturing ecosystem that deepens connectivity and multiplies ASEAN's collective competitiveness; third, harness frontier technologies and AI to transform Singapore from a trusted transport hub into the trusted orchestrator of intelligent, multimodal transport and logistics flows; and finally, treat transport not merely as infrastructure but as a national economic strategy that creates new engines of growth, high-value jobs and long-term prosperity for Singaporeans. First, lead by shaping the rules. Singapore's success has never been built on geography alone. It has been built on trust. Every aircraft departing Changi depends not only on our airport, but on international agreements that allow aircraft to move safely across borders. Every vessel entering our ports depends on trusted institutions, common standards and international cooperation. The recent Singapore-Indonesia Flight Information Region agreement, together with disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, reminds us that diplomacy, trusted partnerships and international law remain strategic assets. As countries invest in bigger infrastructure, Singapore cannot compete on size alone. We must compete by shaping the rules that govern global transport. History shows that countries which write tomorrow's rules rarely struggle to compete under them. We should continue strengthening institutions, such as CAAS, MPA and the Singapore Aviation Academy, not only as regulators, but as global platforms for capability development, thought leadership and international collaboration.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Sir, I declare my interest as I work in the aerospace industry and serve as an Authority Member of CAAS. I rise in support of the Motion tabled by my fellow MOT GPC colleagues. Over the past few months, the GPC has engaged extensively with industry leaders and experts because we believe this is the right time to take a strategic relook of transport in Singapore. While we continue improving our transport system for the daily needs of Singaporeans, we must also recognise transport as a cornerstone of Singapore's long-term economic competitiveness in an increasingly fragmented and uncertain world. This Motion is, therefore, about far more than transport. It is about Singapore's future. Our position as a leading aviation, maritime and logistics hub was never inevitable. It was earned through decades of bold leadership, long-term planning and the discipline to stay ahead of change. But staying ahead is becoming harder. Around us, countries are building bigger airports, deeper ports and larger logistics parks. Infrastructure alone is no longer enough. Singapore must create new sources of competitive advantage. Today, I would like to propose a simple framework: growing trust to gives us influence; through influence, we create integration; integration generates intelligence; and intelligence creates economic value.”
“However, there is also a risk that these definitions may over-capture legitimate business relationships, for example, a venture capital firm investing in multiple media companies or a strategic partnership by multiple firms without the intent to control or a collaborative ecosystem that supports innovation. So, the key question is: how will IMDA distinguish between genuine collaboration and hidden control? To strengthen confidence, it will be helpful to provide clearer guidelines on safe harbour principles or clarify what constitutes effective control in practice and focus on substantive influence rather than technical relationships. Under section 61A, IMDA can act in the public interest, even without a breach. This is forward-looking and necessary. But the concern is straightforward. How do we ensure preemptive action does not become premature action? To address this, we may consider clear evidentiary thresholds, demonstration of credible and eminent risk, and the possibility of review mechanisms to reassess decisions over time. This ensures that the action is based on real risks, not just theoretical concerns. Under section 69A, the Minister may order structural separation. This is one of the most powerful tools in the Bill and it must remain exactly what it was intended to be – a last resort. The Bill already provides that other measures must have failed or are likely to fail. But further clarity will strengthen the confidence. What constitutes failure of prior measures? How do we demonstrate that less intrusive options are insufficient? How do we ensure accountability in such decisions? Because once exercised, structural separation is difficult to reverse.”
“But in digital markets, conditions change very rapidly. Today's dominant player may not remain dominant tomorrow. Second, the assumption that intervention will always lead to better outcomes. But markets respond, businesses adapt. Sometimes, the outcome may differ from what it was intended. Thirdly, the assumption that more intervention necessarily leads to more competition. But over-intervention can sometimes reduce incentives to invest or innovate. Therefore, while the powers in the Bill are necessary, their application must be disciplined, evidence-based and carefully calibrated. Mr Speaker, let me illustrate why pre-emptive powers necessary, especially in Singapore's context. Imagine a digital platform widely used by Singaporeans to access news and content has just gained immense popularity all of a sudden. A small change is made to its recommendation algorithm. Some local publishers, especially the smaller, independent ones, suddenly become less visible. Their viewership drops significantly and within weeks, some may struggle to survive. But the time the harm is clearly visible and proven, it may already be irreversible. In a small market, like Singapore, once it is lost, it is very difficult to be rebuilt. This is why in fast-moving digital markets, waiting for harm to occur is sometimes not an option. But equally, this example highlights why such powers must be exercised with clear thresholds, strong evidence and careful judgement. Mr Speaker, let me now focus on three areas where further clarity will strengthen this Bill. Under sections 59, 60A and 60B, the definitions of control and association are broad. This is important to prevent circumvention.”
“Is IMDA ready for this expanded role? Does it have sufficient data and market visibility to identify risk early? Does it have the economic modelling capability to assess long-term impact? And does it have the institutional strength to make, explain and defend these decisions, which will undoubtedly be legally challenged? More importantly, how will IMDA strike the right balance between competition, innovation and media sustainability? Because in a small market, like Singapore, this balance is delicate. Too much intervention may discourage investment and innovation. Too little intervention may allow dominance to take root. The challenge is not choosing one over the other but balancing all three carefully. Mr Speaker, I am also mindful that with stronger powers come questions, not specifically pertaining to this Bill but particularly around media independence, regulatory overreach and the role of the state. This Bill is definitely not about influencing editorial decisions. It is about addressing market power – who owns, who controls and whether others can compete fairly. The provisions on this Bill deal with ownership structures, access to resources and competitive conduct. They do not deal with editorial content or journalistic decisions. In fact, we should recognise an important point – a more competitive and contestable media landscape can actually strengthen this ecosystem. Because when no single player dominates, there is greater diversity of voices, perspective and viewpoints. The objective here is to ensure that no one can control the market unfairly. Mr Speaker, while the intent is sound, there are also assumptions behind this Bill that we should carefully test. First, the assumption that market power can be clearly identified early.”
“Let me start with a simple principle. When regulatory powers become broader, the guardrails must become clearer. This Bill introduces a significant expansion of IMDA's toolkit, pre-emptive directions, tighter ownership controls and even the ability, as a last resort, to restructure parts of the market. These are not incremental changes. These are structural tools that can shape the market itself. So, we must ask three very practical questions, questions that any business investor or even members of the public would naturally ask. What triggers an intervention? How will decisions be explained clearly and consistently? And will uncertainty create a regulatory overhang that deters investment? Because in Singapore, one of our key strengths is that we are predictable, transparent and rules-based. Investors are not afraid of regulation, but they need to understand the operating boundaries. They need the confidence that decisions are made consistently and not unpredictably. Therefore, I would encourage the Ministry to consider providing clearer guidelines and decision frameworks and ensuring transparent reasoning for major decisions and assurance that these powers are applied in a proportionate and consistent manner. Mr Speaker, the second point is this; we must recognise the scale of the shift that this Bill represents. We are moving from regulating behaviour to shaping market structure itself or potentially shaping market itself. Traditionally, regulators act when something goes wrong, when there is a breach, when there is harm. Under this Bill, IMDA can act before harm occurs or even reshape ownership structures, where necessary. This is a fundamental shift from reactive enforcement to proactive market structure. And with this shift, an important question arises.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. Mr Speaker, this Bill equips IMDA with significant preemptive and structural powers. The question before us is not whether these powers are needed but how we ensure they are exercised with clarity, with consistency and with proportionality. I rise in support of this Bill to strengthen competition, protect consumers and ensure that our media ecosystem remains fair, vibrant and resilient. As chairperson of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Digital Development and Information, allow me to briefly summarise the GPC's approach towards this Bill. Collectively, members of the GPC recognises the need for Singapore's regulatory framework to evolve alongside the growing convergence of digital platforms, telecommunications and media ecosystems. Our speeches will focus on three broad themes. First, I will focus on ensuring that a stronger regulatory and preemptive powers are matched by stronger safeguards, greater proportionality and clearer regulatory frameworks. Second, Member Ms Jessica Tan will focus on strengthening fair competition, protecting consumers and ensuring that SMEs and local creators continue to have fair access to essential digital and media resources. And third, Dr Choo Pei Ling will focus on how market influence today increasingly arises through ecosystem dependencies, platforms and infrastructure, not just ownership alone, and why regulation must therefore become more forward-looking and structurally aware. Taken together, we support empowering IMDA with the tools necessary to act decisively in a rapidly evolving digital landscape while ensuring these powers are exercised transparently, predictably and proportionately. And it is on this principle that I would like to begin my speech.”
“This is a test of our social compact, a compact that must now be renewed for a new era where businesses commit to not just profits but to people, where workers commit to not just jobs, but to lifelong growth, and where the Government continues to stand with both, ensuring that no one is left behind. If we can do this, if we can move forward together with trust, purpose and shared responsibility, this transformation will not divide us. It will make us stronger because when workers, businesses and the Government move together, we do not just adapt to change. We shape it, we benefit from it and we ensure that every Singaporean moves forward together. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion. [Applause.]”
“Through the HashTech programme in Pasir Ris–Changi, we are beginning to introduce our children to AI, robotics and autonomous systems – including through activities such as Robot Wars. This is not merely an activity. It is an effort to build confidence, exposure and future-ready skills from a young age. Regarding skills, the fear of AI should not prevent us from learning how to use it wisely. The concern that AI could diminish any deep understanding of the Malay language and culture, as well as other skills, is understandable – if it is used without understanding the basics and its limitations. Like any other tool, what matters is how we use it. Mastery of and appreciation for the Malay language remains key in understanding its beauty, values, and meaning. However, if used appropriately, AI can also help preserve our heritage. AI can assist in digitalising old Jawi manuscripts, producing batik designs inspired by traditional Malay motifs and facilitating the learning and translation of the Malay language. Even classic Malay films can be preserved for future generations. Technology should not erode our identity. If used wisely, AI can help preserve the language, strengthen culture and carry Malay heritage into the future with confidence. Allow me also to share a pantun. Golden bananas brought to sea, One ripens atop a chest, If AI is used very wisely, Culture is inherited, in the heart it rests. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, at its heart, this is not just an economic transition.”
“It will lift them. My Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, the discussion about AI today is no longer something distant from our lives. In Singapore and around the world, one thing is clear – AI brings hope, but also concern. Within our Malay/Muslim community, these concerns are real. Young people worry about the future of employment and whether opportunities still exist for them. Those in mid-career are anxious about whether their experience and skills remain relevant. And blue-collar workers – including drivers, technicians and general workers – wonder whether their jobs will be replaced by automation. We must acknowledge these concerns. But at the same time, we cannot view AI only as a threat. We must see it as an opportunity – an opportunity to progress together. Allow me to touch on three important points in the AI transformation. First, on building skills to be part of this transformative force. AI will only become a force multiplier if we know how to use it. That is why we must be prepared to continuously upgrade ourselves – to reskill and upskill. This is where it is important for us to make use of the support available – whether through Workforce Singapore (WSG) programmes, NTUC, or community initiatives, such as M3+. At M3+ Pasir Ris–Changi, for example, we run various programmes to help the community enhance their skills and employment opportunities. These include Women-at-Work to help women return to the workforce, as well as the Career Marketplace held in Pasir Ris to open access to career opportunities and employment networks. And these efforts do not stop there.”
“If companies begin to question entry-level roles, then we must also ask, who will train the next generation of our workforce? Our mid-career workers feel this even more deeply. With families and responsibilities, they worry that job transformation may render their experience less relevant. Our blue-collar workers – our technicians, our operators and drivers – are asking hard questions about automation and the future of their jobs. These fears are real. If left unaddressed, they can divide our society. That is why this opportunity for all cannot be left to market forces alone, a point also raised by Member Poh Li San. It requires companies and especially middle managers to give fresh graduates a real chance. It requires businesses to redesign jobs and invest honestly in upskilling and reskilling. It requires all of us to work together so that every Singaporean can find their place in this new economy. Only then can we say that this is not just growth, but opportunity for all. Finally, on jobless growth. In many economies, jobless growth means growth without jobs. But in Singapore, our context is different. We are already near full employment. So, this is not just about creating more jobs. It is about ensuring our people can take on the jobs that are created. Because growth will come and new roles will emerge. But if our workers are not ready, if skills are not kept in pace, we risk a different kind of jobless growth – not a lack of jobs, but a mismatch between jobs and the skills our workforce has. Avoiding this means focusing on capability, not just capacity. Businesses must transform jobs, not eliminate them. Workers must continue learning. The Government must support hope with strong systems and pathways. When we do this well, growth will not leave people behind.”
“But equally important are the schemes that support workers through this transition, whether it is programmes such as the SkillsFuture Workforce Development Grant, NTUC CTC Grant, the Union Training Assistance Programme, and Workforce Singapore's Career Conversion Programmes, these initiatives support job redesign, training and even provide wage support while workers undergo upskilling and reskilling. Very often, AI adoption is not a binary choice between technology and workers. It is about re-engineering business processes so that enterprises can do more with a more capable, more skilled and more productive workforce to take on the challenges of the world. These values, unlocked by AI, must be shared – shared so that workers are uplifted, businesses grow stronger and society moves forward together. But ultimately, this is a social compact we must continue to uphold between workers, businesses and government – one anchored on fairness, inclusion and shared progress. Taken together, AI is not just any other technology tool. It is a system-wide transformation. That is why tripartism matters even more in the age of AI. And I am heartened to hear the position of the Labour Movement. Second, on opportunity for all. Mr Speaker, this transition will create economic growth. But it is also a period of real uncertainty. We must acknowledge these challenges. Our fresh graduates are feeling it. Many struggle to secure permanent roles. Multiple internships are becoming the norm. At what point do we ask whether this becomes a substitute for proper employment? As AI reshapes professions from developers to lawyers, how do we ensure there are still meaningful entry points for our young people?”
“That is why I am encouraged by the support the Government is providing to help Singaporeans adopt AI tools, further strengthened by NTUC's initiative to subsidise AI subscription to its members. This is important because AI cannot become a tool only for the privileged few. It must remain accessible to the masses so that every worker has the opportunity to improve productivity, strengthen capabilities and participate meaningfully in Singapore's next phase of growth. At the level of the enterprise, AI enables better decision, sharper operations and greater efficiency. It turns data into insights and insights into action. But to realise this, companies need the right framework. Workers need the right capabilities and the Government must provide the right environment to scale transformation responsibly. At the level of the industry, AI creates entirely new value. It reshapes business model. It transforms competition and unlocks new growth. In a tight labour market, like Singapore, this enterprise and industry transformation must go hand in hand with deep business process re-engineering and meaningful job redesign, as mentioned by a few of the Members here. And speaking from my own experience in the industry, the decision to adopt AI is really just about tax incentives, as characterised by Member Mr Andre Low. The real driver is how we upskill and reskill our workers so that they can take on higher value-added jobs that are increasing in demand and the opportunity cost of not doing so. The tax incentives help companies invest in the necessary AI tools and infrastructure.”
“And our union leaders, like brother Samad from the Union of Power and Gas Employees, brother Fahmi from United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries, brother Poobalan and Goviden from SATS Workers' Union, brother Gabriel from the Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees and many of our union leaders here, stand with the workers, not just for where they are today, but for where they need to be tomorrow. They focus on keeping workers relevant, employable and ready to take on better opportunities as the economy evolves. And that, Mr Deputy Speaker, is something that we should never take for granted. Allow me to frame my position on the motion around three key ideas: transformative power, opportunity for all and jobless growth. First, on the transformative power of AI. The impact of AI can be understood at three levels, the individual, the enterprise and the industry. And at every level, success depends on how well workers, businesses and Government work together. At the level of the individual, AI is a force multiplier. It enhances productivity, augment skills and allows each worker to do more, do better and do faster. Many of us are already experiencing this today through tools, like Open AI, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Claude, Gemini and Canva, but this transformation does not happen by chance. Workers must be prepared to learn, adapt and continuously upgrade themselves, and businesses must invest in training, redesign jobs and empower their workforce to use these tools effectively. And the Government must provide the support structure, strong skills framework, accessible training pathways and broad-based access to technology.”
“And I want to acknowledge our Labour Movement, NTUC Secretary-General, Mr Ng Chee Meng, and Ms Yeo Wan Ling and Members of this House, Mr Mark Lee and Mr Saktiandi Supaat, for putting forth this Motion. Their position is not just right. It is also timely. It is timely because it complements the direction set out by Prime Minister Mr Lawrence Wong in his Budget speech and the May Day Rally, where he spoke about how Singapore must confront the realities of AI and global uncertainty while standing firmly with our workers. And even as technology reshapes our economy, we must not leave our people behind. Our Labour Movement has echoed this with clarity and conviction. That this transition must drive Singapore's next phase of growth, but it must be anchored in fairness and opportunity for all. We must equip both workers and enterprises to seize new opportunities so that progress is not just created but shared. This is the promise we must make to our next generation. Mr Deputy Speaker, having worked across different countries, I have encountered many labour movements, many focus on protecting jobs, protecting specific jobs that exist today. And often to protect the jobs of today, they invariably have to resist change, even when the tide of change is inevitable. But what we have in Singapore is different. From my enterprise experience, our tripartite partnership between the NTUC, Singapore National Employees Federation and the Government is unique, so unique that many of my overseas colleagues are genuinely puzzled by how well it works with real positive outcomes for all, because our unions do not just protect jobs, they protect workers.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I declare my interest as someone working in the aerospace and advanced manufacturing industry, focusing on strategy, digital transformation and AI transformation. Mr Deputy Speaker, I stand here today with a deep sense of gratitude. I grew up in a very ordinary Singaporean home with working class parents, but was given an extraordinary opportunity to build and retrofit advanced factories across the world. From Germany to the United Kingdom, from North America to Asia, I have had the privilege of building and working on industry 4.0 facilities, cutting edge factories equipped with some of the most sophisticated machines ever created, machines that produce components of such precision that they can only be manufactured in a handful of places in the world and facilities that assembled some of the most advanced engineering systems ever built. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, after all these years, one lesson stands above all else. It is not the machine, nor the technology that determines success. It is the people. I have seen factories with the best technology money can buy struggle because of misalignment, because of distrust, because workers, unions, management and government were not moving in the same direction. And I have seen more modest facilities outperform expectations because everyone was aligned to a common purpose. That is why this debate matters, because when we talk about transformation, especially one driven by AI, we are not just talking about technology. We are talking about people, about workers, about livelihoods, about dignity.”
“Is this an opportunity to strengthen our refining competitiveness beyond the relationships with other countries?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to thank Minister Tan for sharing the dual fuel nature of our power plants. My supplementary question is how quick is this switching? Can it manage the volatility, especially this unprecedented volatility? And do we need to re-optimise our power plants to manage our energy generation resilience? My second supplementary question is on our refining capability and the feedstock flexibility. How adaptable are our refineries to alternative crude grades? In a prolonged disruption scenario, do we foresee any erosion of Singapore's competitiveness relative to other refining hubs? And similar to what Member Christopher de Souza mentioned, is this an opportunity to strengthen our refining competitiveness beyond the relationships with other countries, but also in our capability to take other feedstock to diversify the source?”
“Imagine if mosques could work more closely with agencies, such as Health Promotion Board and the Ministry of Health, as well as partners in the financial sector to provide comprehensive health, financial and social support – everything in a place that they trust and are familiar with. In Pasir Ris-Changi, Masjid Al-Istighfar together with M3 held a talk on Lasting Power of Attorney, conducted health screenings, as well as fitness activities, such as Yallah Run and Move with Mufti to support the well-being of our seniors. My question is: How can mosques work more closely with these agencies to provide religious support as well as comprehensive assistance to congregants? Supporting Malay/Muslim Businesses (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Chairman, the economy is evolving rapidly and we cannot simply be observers. With the establishment of the National AI Council, national AI Mission and AI Champions programme, many new opportunities are opening up. The question is: are Malay/Muslim businesses ready to step forward into this new world? Job Transitions for Malay/Muslim Youths”
“(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.](In Malay): Mr Chairman, our young people are the hope for our community's future. The MENDAKI Tuition Programme has greatly helped our students succeed in their studies. However, our children's future cannot depend on tuition alone. The key question is: are we really preparing our young people for tomorrow's job market? Today, the world is changing very rapidly. New industries, such as technology, AI, engineering and the digital economy are expanding. We want to see more of our young people dare to dream, be confident in their abilities and pursue future industries, such as aerospace, AI and cybersecurity. The Government and community organisations need to have closer partnerships – not only in academic support, but also career exposure, mentorship guidance and real job opportunities. At M3@Pasir Ris-Changi, we ran programmes, such as Learning Journey, RobotWars and Hackathons to expose our young people to the skills needed in new industries. However, these efforts need to be expanded further. With the establishment of Professional Networks across over 10 industries, how can we leverage these networks to increase awareness about new skills, career pathways and job opportunities, especially for our young people? How can these networks also partner schools, MENDAKI Tuition, M3 programmes and youth organisations, so that more young people get early exposure to future industries? Ecosystem of Support for Malay/Muslim Seniors (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] By 2030, Singapore will become an ageing society. Many seniors visit the mosque daily – not just to pray, but to also seek peace, support and companionship. Mosques play a key role in the lives of our community.”
“Thank you, Chairman. Chairman, the Rail Reliability Taskforce has set out clear recommendations – accelerate renewal of ageing core systems, including train signalling and traction power, strengthen backup and resilience measures, improve asset management and spare part planning, deepen workforce capabilities and enhance commuter communications during disruptions. The key question now is in execution. Who is accountable for each milestone? What are the firm timelines? How will we balance necessary service closures against commuter inconvenience? What concrete contingency plans will minimise hardship and what guaranteed service levels such as standby buses, response time and fair consideration will commuters be assured of? How are we strengthening supply chain resilience for critical rail components? Beyond hardware, how are we building engineering depth, sharpening recovery protocols and ensuring real-time commuter information is accurate, timely and actionable?”
“The national AI mission can be the force multiplier, enabling cross border smart factories, optimising multimodal flows, embedding trade finance, and strengthening regional medical and bio manufacturing supply chains. The strategic question is how we elevate this infrastructure expansion into a coordinated AI-enabled economic engine that generates high value jobs, anchors capital and secures competitiveness for many decades in the East and Northeast districts in Singapore. And critically, how can MOT work hand in hand with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Finance, and our regional counterparts to orchestrate, not just merely coordinate this ecosystem transformation at national scale? Manpower for Aviation and Maritime As Singapore strengthens its position as a global logistics hub, I will seek clarification on three areas. First, with expanding air and sea connectivity, are we keeping pace with manpower needs in aviation and maritime, and building a strong local pipeline for higher value roles? And also, what progress have the One Aviation Manpower Programme and Maritime Cluster Fund made in attracting and developing talent? Ultimately, growth must translate into good jobs, stronger skills and real opportunities for Singaporeans. Women in Aviation”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. Mr Chairman, if we take a step back and imagine and examine the scale of what is being built at T5, including the Changi East Urban District, this is not merely an airport expansion. This is economic architecture, with T5 adding capacity of 15 million passengers annually, and the Changi East Industrial Zone expanding cargo from three to 5.4 million tonnes annually, complemented by Airport Logistics Park 2, Tampines Logistics Park, Changi South, Pasir Ris, Wafer Fab Park, Seletar Aerospace Park, the maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) operations in Changi and in Loyang, and enhanced connectivity via the Loyang Viaduct. Singapore is assembling one of the world's most integrated aviation aerospace semiconductor logistics platforms. But infrastructure alone does not create the advantage, ecosystems do. The Changi East Urban District must evolve into a next generation aerotropolis, integrating advanced MRO, sustainable aviation fuels, digital aviation services and AI-driven logistics command centres linked with Changi Business Park and Loyang Industrial Estate, this becomes a seamless innovation to production to export corridor. Connectivity must also extend beyond air to the Tanah Merah ferry terminal and integration with the Johor Singapore Special Economic Zone and Batam-Bintan-Karimun Free Trade Zone. Singapore can anchor high value functions, capital, intellectual property (IP), AI, finance and advanced manufacturing orchestration, while Johor and the Riau Islands can provide industrial scale and energy depth under the Sijori framework.”
“— MDDI must juggle many things at once, drive innovation, safeguard trust, develop the deep and broad-based skill sets, protect the vulnerable and secure national competitiveness. That is no small task, and I would like to thank our team in MDDI for doing all of that. And with that, Mr Chairman, I seek leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $2,993,365,900 for Head Q ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $119,025,200 for Head Q ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“— energy, data flows and supply chain. Yet, amid this ambiguity is where ambiguity and velocity —”
“Okay. Mr Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Minister Josephine Teo, Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How, Minister of State Rahayu, Minister of State Jasmin Lau and the Permanent Secretary of MDDI, and the whole MDDI team for the responses and the great work that they do. I would also like to thank our GPC and fellow Members for submitting 25 cuts and with more than three hours of debate, leaving no stone unturned; and I am quite sure quite a few of us would like to ask a few more supplementary questions. AI features prominently in this Budget. AI is not a conventional policy domain. It evolves not over decades but over months, if not weeks. Frontier models double in capacity within short cycles, agentic systems are emerging with autonomous decision-making capacity, and geopolitical contentions affect —”
“I was hoping to ask another supplementary question, but I will take your guidance, Mr Chairman.”
“Thank you, Chairman. I thank the Minister and the political office holders for their comprehensive response. I have a few supplementary questions. I believe the Minister did not get an opportunity to address my cut on the role of NAIC. What precisely is its role? Will it have execution authority or oversee cross-Ministry implementation or remain advisory? And how will the NAIC integrate economic strategy under MTI with digital governance under MDDI to ensure a coordinated delivery? Also, on NAIS 2.0, what progress has been made and what did we learn from implementing NAIS 2.0 that will shape our current plans? My last supplementary question is on trust and regulatory credibility. Minister Josephine Teo shared that Singapore is known for our trust and regulatory credibility. How can we operationalise this trust? Will we consider establishing a formal trusted AI certification regime for high-risk AI systems deployed in finance, healthcare and aviation? Maybe that could be our differentiator and competitive advantage.”
“Are we investing sufficiently in threat intelligence fusion, real-time monitoring and cross sector incident response? And on CII, regulations must keep pace with evolving threats. How will the Government enhance cybersecurity requirements for CII operators? Beyond compliance, what tools, shared platforms and AI-driven detection capabilities are being provided to help operators defend against sophisticated attacks? Equally important, how are we strengthening the security posture, not just of CII owners, but also of their vendors and cybersecurity service providers, given supply chain vulnerabilities? Finally, cybersecurity is ultimately about people. How are we expanding and deepening our cybersecurity workforce to defend against today's threats? Are we accelerating specialist training, midcareer conversion and advanced AI security integration skills? As AI becomes both a threat factor and a defence tool, how are we supporting organisations to adopt AI-driven cybersecurity solutions responsibly and effectively? In a world of escalating digital conflict, resilience is not optional. Trust in our digital economy depends on our ability to defend it. We must ensure that as Singapore digitises at scale, our cybersecurity posture strengthens at equal speed. Cyber Defence”
“Are our systems inclusive by design? Second, as our society ages, how can digital and AI solutions better support seniors while easing the burden on sandwiched generation families? Third, how do we ensure children from lower-income families gain access not just to devices but to AI skills and also opportunities? Finally, how do we strengthen trust in our digital space and better protect Singaporeans from scams and online harms? Technology must not widen divides. It must uplift, protect and empower every Singaporean. Strengthening Our Cybersecurity Posture Cyber threats are no longer isolated incidents. They are persistent, adaptive and increasingly AI enabled. As AI systems become more autonomous, we must confront a new class of risks – AI agents that can plan, probe and act independently. How is MDDI addressing threats where malicious actors deploy AI to automate reconnaissance, craft sophisticated phishing campaigns or exploit vulnerabilities at scale? 3.30 pm Singapore has experienced breaches before. The 2018 SingHealth cyberattack compromised the data of 1.5 million patients. More recently, it was reported that 255 firms linked to Singapore's critical infrastructures were allegedly targeted and ransomware incidents have disrupted healthcare clusters and third party vendors. Last year, a cyber incident affecting a critical information infrastructure (CII) operator reminded us that our CIIs, from energy to transport, remain a prime target. Advanced persistent threats (APTs) are patient, well-resourced and may be state linked. They are not looking for disruption alone but strategic leverage. How then are we strengthening our national cybersecurity posture to defend again APTs?”
“What progress have we made in developing deep AI expertise through programmes, such as TeSA and in strengthening AI literacy across the broader workforce? How can AI widen opportunity for seniors, our fresh graduates and women returning to work? Can we create structured pathways for seniors to use AI tools meaningfully? And with entry level roles disrupted, how are we redesigning jobs and apprenticeship programmes so graduates gain both technical and business context skills? Finally, as agentic AI systems become more autonomous, how do we ensure ethical and safe deployment? There are clear areas where AI is ethically beneficial – assisting doctors in diagnostics, for example, or detecting financial fraud or optimising energy consumption or supporting seniors with daily living. But there are also boundaries that must not be crossed, such as autonomous lethal decision-making in defence, manipulative behavioural targeting, opaque credit scoring that entrenches biasness or AI agents making employment decisions without accountability. The challenge is compounded when agentic systems operate with limited transparency, evolving goals or emergent behaviours that even developers may not fully predict. Who ultimately bears responsibility when harm occurs? The developer, the one who deploys it or the operator? What governance framework, audit requirements or red teaming standards and explainability thresholds will be mandated to ensure trust keeps pace with capability? Digital for Good Mr Chairman, as we advance in AI and digital transformation, how do we ensure technology is truly a force for good? First, how has the Government strengthened digital delivery of essential services, particularly for persons with special needs such as the visual impaired?”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. If Singapore is to harness AI as a strategic advantage, three enablers must move together – deep and broad workforce capabilities, widespread enterprise adoption, including SMEs and strong ethical governance. The Government has introduced multiple grants, including Chief Technology Officer (CTO)-as-a-Service. What measurable progress have we made in accelerating AI transformation? Where are the gaps? [Deputy Speaker (Mr Xie Yao Quan) in the Chair] Unlocking AI's value requires more than just tools. It requires re-engineering business processes and redefining operating models. How are we helping enterprises integrate AI into core workflows and build AI-ready teams and deliver tangible productivity gains? For SMEs, three constraints persist: cost of talent, lack of validated use cases and integration complexity. If AI adoption concentrates among only the large enterprises, productivity and wage gaps will widen for the SMEs. We must move from advisory support to shared capability infrastructure. Hence, I propose three enhancements. First, evolve our CTO-as-a-Service into AI capabilities as a service, where pooled AI engineers deployed across SME clusters can deploy solutions for hands-on implementation. Second, develop shared industry platforms to co-create plug-and-play AI models for common functionalities, such as quality control and logistics optimisation, to help reduce experimentation costs, especially for SMEs. Third, introduce outcome-linked co-funding tied to measurable productivity, export growth or energy efficiency outcomes. AI infrastructure should be treated like shared physical resources, enabling our SMEs to compete by agility and not by size. Beyond enterprises, workforce development is also critical.”
“Will the council build on and strengthen it, rather than duplicate or dilute existing efforts? How will interagency friction be resolved when priorities compete? Finally, how will the council stay connected to industry realities? Will the industry leaders support it and be part of the council? Will SMEs have a meaningful voice at the table? Thus, I am supportive of a concerted effort to focus resource on our national AI Missions and have champions of AI to accelerate AI deployment. However, I would like to seek clarification from the Ministry. How did the Government determine the four key sectors for the national AI Missions? What criteria were used? What defines the success for these missions? It must go beyond pilots to measurable, real economic and societal outcomes. As we move at pace, when will we consider expanding into additional missions? I hope they are in months. Finally, how do we define and measure success for our AI champions in terms of capability, adoption, global competitiveness and real impact on jobs and productivity? On my last point. For us to be relevant in a global AI supply chain, we must prepare for compute infrastructure. What is our plan to develop more compute capability? In light of the geopolitical tensions, we cannot rely solely on compute demand being supported predominantly from overseas. How much of sovereign AI compute capacity do we have? How do we be less dependent on others for compute capacity? Also, what is our clean or renewable energy strategy to support our AI-scaled data centres? [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“India has announced ambitions to attract up to US$200 billion in AI and data centre investments while the Middle East and the European Union (EU) are securing sovereign compute capacity. Chips, data centres and energy are now strategic infrastructure. Third, industrial scale. AI is embedded in manufacturing, logistics, defence and energy systems. This is about industrial competitiveness and national capability. As capability accelerates, responsibility must keep pace. Safety alignment evaluation and red teaming are essential. Trust will determine who can scale. Singapore cannot compete on population or compute scales, but we can compete on precision, trust, regulatory credibility and deep sectoral integration. This is not just about technology. This is about jobs and national competitiveness. What is Singapore's unique value proposition in the global AI landscape? How do we compete against the population scale, computing scale and industrial scale of AI giants, like the US, China and India? How do we leverage on our high-trust governance, regulatory credibility and deep sectoral concentration? Hence, I welcome the announcement of our National AI Council. For it to succeed, clarity of mandate and the ability to execute are critical. What precisely is its role? Will it have execution authority, oversee cross-Ministry implementation, or remain advisory? In a fast-moving AI race, structure must lead to decisive action. How will the council integrate economic strategy under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) with digital governance under MDDI to ensure coordinated delivery? The National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2.0 (NAIS 2.0) was launched in 2023. What progress has been made?”
“Ms Jessica Tan and I will examine how we are strengthening our cybersecurity posture amidst increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled threats. Sixth, building a high-trust digital society. Ms Tin Pei Ling and Ms Jessica Tan will raise cuts on trust, safety and protection from scams, deepfakes and online harms. These cuts reflect our GPC that has been deliberate, aligned and persistent in championing the work together with the Ministry to secure Singapore's digital future. Mr Chairman, allow me to begin on my first cut on strengthening Singapore's AI value proposition to the world and remaining relevant to the global market. Mr Chairman, the global AI race has accelerated dramatically. At the recent Global AI Summit, it was clear we have entered an era of frontier and foundational models powered by massive compute and multimodal capabilities. Generative AI (GenAI) is no longer experimental. It is embedded in enterprises, public services and national systems. The shift towards agentic AI and AI-native enterprises signals structural transformation. This transformation is unfolding at three levels. First, population scale. In China, AI is integrated across platforms serving hundreds of millions. In the United States (US), AI co-pilots are embedded in productivity tools used today globally. In India, AI is woven into telecommunications and digital services at a national scale. AI is now part of daily workflows. Second, compute scale. The race is not just about compute dominance. Next generation chips are being ordered at unprecedented volumes. Hyperscalers are investing billions in data centres.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. Mr Chairman, I move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head Q of the Estimates be reduced by $100". Mr Chairman, artificial intelligence (AI) features prominently in this Budget and this House has long recognised its importance. From a National AI Strategy in 2019 to a National AI Strategy 2.0 (NAIS 2.0) in 2023, we have moved from experimentation to scaling. The MDDI Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) has consistently championed across six key themes. Our cuts today reflect coordinated scrutiny. First, strengthening Singapore's AI value proposition. My cuts would seek clarity on our global competitive edge and the role of the National AI Council while Dr Choo Pei Ling and Ms Jessica Tan will press on delivering measurable outcomes, not just technical activity. Second, building deep and broad digital capabilities. Mr Henry Kwek, Dr Choo Pei Ling, Ms Cassandra Lee and I will deliver cuts on how we are scaling AI skills across our workforce and enabling multinational enterprises (MNEs) and also small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to adopt AI meaningfully. Third, ensuring ethical digital governance. Mr Christopher de Souza, Ms Jessica Tan, Ms Tin Pei Ling and I will be delivering cuts on the regulatory safeguards and accountability frameworks to ensure ethical and responsible growth, particularly as we move towards more autonomous, agentic AI systems. Fourth, inclusive growth and uplifting vulnerable groups through technology. Ms Cassandra Lee and myself will deliver cuts on creating opportunities for fresh graduates, youth, seniors and lower-income groups so technology expands opportunity. Fifth, investing in infrastructure and cybersecurity.”
“We may need a clearer pathway linking community innovators, GovTech, IMDA, healthcare institutions and social service agencies. Finally, trust. As digital adoption deepens, cybersecurity and scam prevention must keep pace. A high-trust digital society requires strong safeguards and responsible governance. Mr Speaker, the challenges before us are complex. We face geopolitical uncertainty, technological disruption and social change all at once. Singapore has never thrived by standing still. Budget 2026 sets direction. Our task is disciplined execution. We must sharpen competitiveness, ensure growth remains inclusive and harness technology for good. AI must strengthen industries, uplift SMEs, empower seniors, open doors for graduates and protect the vulnerable, among many others. Above all, our strategy must translate into better lives and good jobs that are higher value, skills-based, fairly paid and future resilient. If we align ambition with action and innovation with trust, we will not merely respond to disruption. We will shape it and secure a resilient, united and forward-looking Singapore for generations to come. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget. 6.32 pm”
“This is something that I have spoken on in my earlier speeches. I look forward to hearing more on encouraging seniors and fresh graduate employment in the COS debates. If we get this right, we strengthen mobility across generations. On my last point, digital for good. As we advance technologically, we must invest in technology for social good with equal urgency. Technology must not only increase productivity. It must improve lives. First, we must ensure children from lower-income families are not left behind. Access to devices alone is not enough. We must expand AI literacy, exposure to automation and robotics, and industry mentorship. In Pasir Ris-Changi, our M3 organisation runs RoboWars and hackathons to expose students, including those from lower-income families, to digital skills. We should scale such efforts nationally so that every child has a fair start in this digital economy. Second, on seniors and caregivers. AI-enabled fall detection, smart home sensors, remote health monitoring and telemedicine can allow seniors to age safely at home. Predictive analytics can identify health risks earlier. When designed well, these tools ease the burden on sandwiched-generation families juggling work and caregiving. Third, on people with disabilities and caregivers. Remote work tools, assistive AIs and job sharing can expand meaningful employment. Fourth, on people with special needs. Recently, I trialed a project with visually impaired residents to test a wayfinding solution using indoor positioning and AI image recognition to navigate complex indoor spaces. The innovation exists. But how do we connect such projects to agencies, funding and testbeds and scale them with less friction?”
“The Senior Employment Credit and CPF Transition Offset support retention. The Job Redesign Grant helps firms redesign roles. But for our seniors looking for jobs, the lived realities remain challenging for them to seek employment aligned to their experience. We must accelerate structured job redesign using AI and automation to reduce physical strain and enhance productivity. But more importantly, we must expand structured pathways for seniors into roles, such as trainers, mentors, safety supervisors and quality leads, where experience is a strategic advantage. This will widen meaningful employment opportunities for senior PMETs who, today, still struggle to find roles aligned with their expertise. In an ageing society, enabling seniors to remain productive, respected and fairly paid is not just manpower policy. It is central to inclusive growth. I look forward to hearing more on how we can further strengthen senior employment at the COS debates. Second, on fresh graduates. While headline statistics remain stable, many graduates share a different lived experience. Entry-level tasks, such as market research, coding and reporting, are increasingly automated. Fellow PAP MPs Mr Henry Kwek and Ms Denise Phua shared this as the "broken ladder" scenario. At a recent Chinese New Year conversation in Pasir Ris, some of the residents were managers, told me that they can now complete such tasks with AI tools themselves, reducing the need to hire and train fresh graduates. The GRIT programme supports about 800 participants. What are the outcomes and how can we scale it up faster? We must also strengthen our internships to be more structured and industry-embedded so that students graduate business-ready, not just AI-literate.”
“This is the key to building strong and sustainable wage growth. The same applies to businesses within our community. We should not just become passive consumers of technology. We must see how AI can help businesses grow. For example, using chatbots for customer service, data analytics to understand sales patterns, automation for inventory management and more targeted digital marketing. Last week in Pasir Ris, for the first time we held a large Ramadan Bazaar. I noticed several stalls were already using signboards generated by AI. This shows that our small businesses have already begun taking the first steps. We should encourage the use of AI like this, not just for design but also for stock management, online promotion and business expansion, and many other areas. We must view AI not as a threat, but as an opportunity. If we are bold enough to change and are prepared to upskill, our community will not only remain relevant but can play a leading role in the new economy. (In English): Mr Speaker, in English and to my second point on inclusive growth. A recent MOF report on income growth, inequality and social mobility shows meaningful progress. Our post-tax-and-transfer Gini coefficient has fallen from about 0.47 in the mid-2000s to around 0.37 today. Real incomes at the 20th percentile have grown faster than the median, supported by Workfare and the Progressive Wage Model and OECD studies indicate relatively strong intergenerational mobility. These are significant achievements. But as disruption accelerates, the risk is not just income inequality. It is opportunity inequality. Let me highlight two groups of workers who are facing greater risk. For senior workers, the re-employment age will rise to 70 by 2030.”
“These validated solutions reduce blind experimentation and lower development costs. By crowd-sharing capabilities and lowering adoption costs, we can create a faster "IKEA moment" – a term Minister Josephine Teo used to describe the point when enterprises move beyond experimentation to fully integrating technology into their operations. Third, introduce outcome-linked co-funding tied to measurable productivity, cost savings, export growth or energy efficiency, something that was shared by many Members of Parliament yesterday. If we treat AI infrastructure like physical infrastructure, shared and accessible, SMEs can compete by agility, not size. Our workers can compete by working smarter. AI must be a multiplier for the many, not a privilege for the few. Mr Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, I would like to touch on our community specifically and the need for us to view the issue of skills upgrading and reskilling in this era of AI more seriously. Industries are changing rapidly. AI is not a specialised skill that is only relevant to engineers or programmers. AI cuts across all sectors; from manufacturing, logistics, finance and education to small and medium enterprises. The question is not whether we work in the technology sector or not. The question is how AI will change the way we work. If we are not prepared, we will be left behind. But if we are prepared, AI can become a tool that empowers us. We need to encourage more of our workers, whether young or mid-career, to upgrade their digital skills and understand the basics of AI usage. Not everyone needs to become an AI expert. But everyone needs to know how to use AI to increase their productivity and job value.”
“0 and orchestrate our ecosystem across Ministries, AI missions, Centres of Excellence, talent development, investment, deployment, removing friction across Ministries and deployment across Government and industry? My fellow PAP MPs and I in the MDDI GPC will elaborate further at the COS. National ambition must translate into scalable enterprise capability and better jobs on the ground. Let me now turn to SMEs – something which fellow GPC MP Ms Jessica Tan and others have also touched on. We already have digital grants, pre-approved AI tools and Chief Technology Officer (CTO)-as-a-Service. These are important foundations. But SME owners tell me candidly, "I know AI is important, but I am managing cashflow. I cannot afford a data scientist. I am not sure my data is ready. I cannot experiment without clear returns." Behind each SME owner is a workforce wondering how AI will affect their roles. Most SMEs face three constraints: the cost of talent, the lack of validated use cases and integration challenges. If AI adoption is concentrated among large enterprises, the productivity and wage gap will widen. We must move from advisory support to shared capability infrastructure. I welcome Minister of State Jasmin Lau's emphasis on lower-risk, structured experimentation and shifting funding towards implementation and workflow redesign. I would like to propose three further refinements. First, evolve CTO-as-a-service towards AI-Capability-as-a-Service with pooled AI engineers deployed across SME clusters for hands-on implementation. Second, organise pooled resources by industry to co-develop plug-and-play AI modules with industry leaders for generic processes, such as quality control, logistics optimisation and predictive maintenance.”
“This is no longer about chatbots. It is about industrial competitiveness and national capability. As capability accelerates, responsibility must keep pace. AI safety, alignment, model evaluation and red teaming are central to credible deployment. Trust will determine who can scale. Advantage will not come from models alone, but from diffusion. The winners will be able to align compute, capability, governance, talent and industry integration into one coherent strategy. Singapore cannot compete on population scale. We cannot outspend superpowers on compute scale. But we can compete on precision, on trust, on regulatory credibility and deep sectoral integration. And this is not just about technology. It is about jobs. If we anchor AI in sectors where we are strong, such as mentioned, as advanced manufacturing, aerospace, logistics, financial services and healthcare, and scale to more sectors with measurable outcomes, we create higher value roles, more resilient careers and stronger wage growth. But if we move too slowly, routine work will be automated elsewhere, and higher value functions may migrate, and our workers will be left behind. The world is moving at scale and our responses must be fast, deliberate, workforce-centred and outcome-driven. To achieve this, we must address key questions. How do we build both deep AI specialists and broad AI literacy? How do we redesign jobs so AI augments rather than replaces? How do we drive real end-to-end business value with AI? What is our strategy on compute capacity, compute sovereignty and resilience? How do we power AI growth with sustainable energy? How will the National AI Council evolve NAIS 2.”
“If we get this right, we will not only remain competitive and relevant in a global market, we will also remain united as a society. On competitiveness. When I speak to workers, business owners, young graduates and mid-career professionals, I hear both excitement and anxiety. Excitement because AI holds immense promises. Anxiety because many are unsure where they stand in this race. That anxiety is real. In just the past six months, we see how the global AI race has accelerated at pace. At the Global AI Summit, it was evident that we are entering the era of frontier and foundation models powered by massive compute scaling and multimodal capabilities. Generative AI is no longer experimental. It is embedded in enterprises, in public services and national infrastructure. The shift towards Agentic AI and AI-native enterprises signals structural transformation. This is happening at three levels. First, population scale. In China, AI is embedded across platforms serving hundreds of millions. In the US, AI copilots are integrated into productivity tools used globally. In India, AI is woven into telecom and digital services at the national scale. AI is now part of daily workflows. Second, compute scale. The race is about compute dominance. Next-generation chips are being ordered in unprecedented volumes. Hyperscalers are investing billions in AI data centres. India has announced ambitions to attract up to US$200 billion in AI and data centre investments. Sovereign funds in the Middle East are investing heavily. The European Union is securing its own compute capacity. Chips, data centres and energy are now strategic infrastructure. Third, on scale. AI is embedded in manufacturing lines, in logistics networks, in defence systems and in energy grids.”