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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“Chairman, in the Budget, $100 million has been set aside to support NTUC to scale up the Company Training Committees (CTCs) and introduce new grants to support company transformation plans. What is the resource to support this and how will NTUC work with CTC to render the transformation support? Medical Leave for Contract Workers”
“Chairman, I thank Minister Josephine Teo, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State Tan Kiat How and Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam for their replies. AI is an area with great transformative potential, fundamentally changing how our economy and society function, including jobs. What are the Government's plans to enable businesses and individuals to tap on the opportunities brought about by AI? And as AI deployment becomes more pervasive, how will the Government ensure responsible deployment of AI without stifling innovation?”
“Chairman, in the last two years, we see the accelerated adoption of digital practices in our society. Businesses and individuals have transformed quickly to adopt digital solutions. PayNow mobile users grew to 3.07 million people in 2021, 4.4 million people use Singpass, 118,000 people have been trained under TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) and 74% of firms have adopted at least one digital solution in 2020. However, there are still some Singaporeans and businesses that have not been able to adopt digital solutions. How is MCI supporting Singaporeans who are less digitally savvy and have not embraced digital and benefit from its use in their daily lives? In particular, the seniors and Hawkers Go Digital programme have been running for the past two years. However, there are still seniors and hawkers who are apprehensive about going digital. What more can we do to bring them onboard? For our youths, how do we ensure that the gap between the digital "haves" and the digital "have-nots" do not widen? What more can we do to support our less privileged youths? How can we ensure all youths have access to digital devices, connectivity and the required skillsets so that they are better prepared for the digital economy? Challenges Facing Digital-native Generations”
“Mr Chairman, for Singapore to pioneer the model for a globally competitive digital metropolis, the digital space must be economically vibrant, socially stable and digitally secure for all. Larger businesses tend to have the resources to protect their interests in this digital space. How will MCI ensure that the interests of consumers and small businesses continue to be protected in this digital age?”
“I thank Minister Gan, Minister Tan and Minister of State Low. I am heartened to hear about the plans for the ITM Refresh and Manufacturing 2030. It is exciting to hear how we are pioneering using additive manufacturing to repair state-of-the-art jet engine components. Minister Gan mentioned that the ITM Refresh will consider workplace transformation and upskilling and retraining workers. I would like to ask if the ITM Refresh can also include the specific requirement to look at job redesign so that we can make a conscious and concerted effort to design jobs that are appealing to mature workers, retiring workers, workers with disability or returning-to-work individuals so that they can contribute and participate in the refreshed economy. The reason for me asking this is that industries are already finding it hard to find the manpower to grow. We must use the opportunity from the ITM Refresh to realise the latent potential from this group of individuals and we create not just jobs, but inclusive jobs for all. And we retain the experience as we grow our industries.”
“Mr Chairman, how will the Committee Against Profiteering be implemented and how will it address concerns of businesses perceived to be profiteering from the GST increase? How can the committee identify the singular cause of price increase and hence, identify businesses profiteering from GST in light of increasing costs of supplies, rental, labour, energy, in addition to the stepped increases in GST? How can we ensure the committee is effective in protecting our residents?”
“Mr Chairman, the Ministry previously mentioned that the Industry Transformation Map would be refreshed by this year. What is the progress of the ITM refresh? Given that in this year's Budget, a lot of additional resource is provided to bring about transformation of businesses, how do we ensure companies develop in line with the refreshed ITMs? Will the ITM refresh consider workplace transformation and, specifically, address the upskilling, retraining and hiring of mature workers and other vulnerable workers for an inclusive transformation of the industries? Will the ITM refresh set clear direction on how to enhance our sustainability efforts, such as the use of sustainable aviation fuels, electric propulsion or hybrid propulsion, in the aerospace ITM refresh.”
“Chairman, beyond our relationship with the US and China, it is also important that Singapore continues to strengthen its global network of friends. In light of the tension between the US and China, what more can we do to strengthen this network and enhance these partnerships with other key partners? Singapore's Relations with the US”
“(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our social and healthcare needs will increase while the resources required to support it will be increasingly limited. What are the alternative options being considered other than GST that can generate the same revenue to finance the recurrent costs of healthcare and social services? GST on Water Conservation Tax”
“Chairman, Smart Nation requires transformation towards a digital Government, digital economy, digital society and living in a smart city. A Smart Nation must be more than technology for its own sake. Given that it is in its fifth year, how has Smart Nation changed people's lives in Singapore in a real and tangible way and what more can we expect from Smart Nation? How can we use Smart Nation initiatives to showcase Singapore's capability to the world? Government Tele-services”
“However, several areas can be improved: The first is how the "Committee Against Profiteering" can prevent businesses from profiteering from the GST hike. Second, in light of future challenges, how do we remain relevant in the global economy and drive sector-specific industry transformation via the Industry Transformation Maps? Third, we must continue our journey towards inclusive growth by providing assistance for platform workers, providing job opportunities for senior citizens who still wish to work and special needs workers and, and also address workplace discrimination through TAFEP legislation. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, this is a balanced Budget. it provides support to workers, businesses and households in tackling the immediate challenges brought about by the pandemic while positioning ourselves to be future ready, by continuing our journey towards transforming our businesses, developing new capabilities and investing in our people. I am heartened that we continue to invest in our people and strengthen our social compact. We have always committed ourselves towards inclusive growth and we will continue to do so. Notwithstanding the clarifications above, I rise in support of the Budget.”
“How is our education system preparing our students for employment in a skills-based economy? For students in our ITEs and Polytechnics, can MOE consider apprenticeship schemes where students can work with experienced staff from industry partners, learning job-specific skills and gaining applied competency? Mr Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In the future, Singapore will face an ageing population, with one in four Singaporeans above the age of 65 by 2030. We also believe that we need to continue to help senior citizens and less fortunate families in our society. This means that our healthcare and social needs will increase, while the resources required to support the increase will be limited. I am heartened that this Budget shows that we remain committed to inclusive economic growth. The KidSTART and UPLIFT programmes will be expanded further to help more underprivileged students. The Progressive Wage Model will be extended to other industries and wage increases for low-wage workers will be co-funded under the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme. The Workfare Income Supplement scheme will also be enhanced. The qualifying monthly income cap for the scheme has been raised, the age eligibility has been extended and the payout increased especially for persons with disabilities. These programmes, among others, aim to ensure a fair and inclusive Singapore. This Budget is a balanced budget, which provides support to workers, businesses and households to tackle the challenges due to the pandemic, and at the same time, it also prepares us for a more challenging future by transforming our businesses, developing new capabilities and investing in our people.”
“The qualifying monthly income cap for this scheme has been raised, age eligibility has been extended and the payouts increased especially for people with disabilities. While Companies transform to drive real productivity growth, how do we encourage low-wage workers to continuously upskill and upgrade? Can we consider a yearly workfare income supplement "bonus" or tiered supplement scheme if the worker utilise his SkillsFuture credit or attend training and courses yearly to upgrade himself or herself? Disadvantaged platform workers also need assistance to meet their housing and retirement needs as well as with getting an adequate amount of baseline coverage for work injuries. Will MOM be able to provide an update on discussions at the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers? Inclusive growth should create opportunities for seniors, workers with special needs and those with caregiving responsibilities. With the increasing prevalence of Flexible Work Arrangements including work hours, how will MOM encourage employers to sustain these arrangements? Can we create second careers for our seniors who are still able and willing to work but do not want to work full-time? Can the Ministry consider promoting flexible work arrangement, flexible work hours and work-sharing to create opportunities for these individuals? Even as we make adjustments to foreign worker policies, to increase its effectiveness, we must progress on fair employment opportunities. How are we progressing at legislating TAFEP guidelines to ensure fair employment practices and treatment at the workplace? Beyond supporting our workers, we must also ensure that students from all background are given equal opportunities to excel in the skills-based economy.”
“How will electric vehicles feature in our land transport industry transformation? As we position ourselves for the challenges and opportunities ahead and transform our industry, I am heartened that in this Budget, we have provisioned significant resources to renew and strengthen our social compact. Our efforts to uplift low-wage workers have been ongoing for the past decade and I believe we can continue to do more to support our low-wage workers. It is important to ensure that productivity continues to improve so that wage growth is sustainable. If real productivity is not achieved, there is a risk wage growth would drive up costs and make us less competitive in the global market. The key to sustainable wage growth is upgrading workers' skills to ensure our workers maintain a good job, earn a good wage and have the opportunity to earn more. In this Budget, we have apportioned significant resources such as $200 million for building digital capability and increasing the capacity at Polytechnics and ITE centres to engage in technology. We will also invest in an additional $100 million to support NTUC to scale up CTCs and introduce new grants to support transformation plans. How can we encourage and support SMEs to transform their businesses so that lower-wage workers can be deployed more productively, with more scope for progression? How can we get business associations to support more SMEs? I am heartened that Progressive Wage Model (PWM) will be extended and wage increase for low-wage workers will be co-funded under the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme. This will be further boosted by the Enhance Workfare Income Supplement Scheme.”
“How can the Committee against Profiteering identify the singular cause of price increase and hence, identify businesses profiteering from GST in light of increasing cost of supplies, rental, labour, energy in addition to the step increases in GST? How can we ensure the committee is effective in protecting our residents? Moving beyond GST, in light of our future challenges, how do we remain relevant in the global economy and drive sector-specific industry transformation? It was previously mentioned that the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) will be refreshed by this year to meet the accelerated changes brought about by the pandemic. What is the progress of the ITM refresh? And given that in this year's Budget, a lot of additional resource is provided to bring about business transformation, how do we ensure companies develop capabilities in line with the refreshed ITMs to take full advantage of the opportunities available in the industry? How will the economic transformation efforts be integrated more closely with the National Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 plans? Will the ITM Refresh consider workplace transformation and specifically address the upskilling, retraining and hiring of mature workers, workers with disabilities and other vulnerable workers for an inclusive transformation of the industries? How can we leverage on the 811 company training committees (CTSs) set up by NTUC and its affiliated unions to identify the training and skills workers need to keep up with the transformation. Will there be a clear direction on how to enhance sustainability efforts in our ITM Refresh? For example, in the aerospace ITM Refresh, what will be our direction on sustainability activities such as sustainable aviation fuels, electric hydrogen or hybrid propulsion.”
“This Budget also reaffirms our societal commitment towards inclusive growth: caring for our seniors, assisting our low-wage workers and preparing for increased healthcare and social care needs. Do we leave individuals to find their own way, or do we as a society collectively agree to provide stepping ladders for those in need? That being said Mr Speaker, Sir, I do worry that this is our third consecutive year running a Budget deficit and we will be digging into our reserves yet again. I have a few points for clarification. Firstly, on GST and how can we protect our residents by preventing profiteering from the GST increase? Secondly, in light of the challenges ahead, how do we remain relevant in the global economy and drive sector-specific industry transformation? And thirdly, how do we ensure inclusive growth for all? One of the concerns that has been echoed by residents is how do we prevent businesses profiteering from the GST increase at the expense of the consumers? A Pasir Ris resident, Mr Wong, shared that he worries businesses will increase prices disproportionately at each GST hike in 2023 and 2024. The outcome will result in a disproportionate increase in cost that is borne only by the end consumer. How can we prevent businesses from passing costs straight to consumers instead of everyone shouldering a bit of the pain? Can I also seek clarification from the Minister on how the Committee against Profiteering will be implemented and how will it address concerns of businesses perceived to be profiteering from the GST increase?”
“We are one of the fastest ageing populations in the world with one in four Singaporeans above the age of 65 by 2030. As we emerge from this pandemic, we must position Singapore for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. We are at an inflexion point in our history. It is for us to define how we want to grow as a society in this next phase. We must reaffirm our commitment for progress in an inclusive society. We must continue to impart the right values to the next generation. Our ageing population would increase the demand for healthcare and social care. How do we, as a society care for our seniors? How do we, support our less-privileged families and our low-wage workers? How do we continue to improve the lives of all Singaporean by growing our economy and staying relevant in an increasingly competitive global economy? How do we manage work-life harmony in a future work environment that blurs the line between work and home? How do we contribute to global efforts in tackling climate change? These are all pertinent questions we must answer but our means to provide resources for these will come under great strain as the ratio of our working population supporting aged dependents decreases. We can only get through this stronger if we remain united, helping and working together to ensure that the outcome is greater than the sum of all our efforts. Mr Speaker, Sir, this is a balanced Budget. We continue to provide support for workers, businesses and households in tackling the immediate challenges due to the pandemic while positioning ourselves to be future-ready by continuing our journey in transforming our businesses, developing new capabilities and investing in our people.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. The past two years had us tackling the immediate challenge of protecting lives and livelihoods during the pandemic while building on the foundations of an economically vibrant, socially cohesive and sustainable Singapore for us to call home. In many countries, the pandemic had exposed cracks and divisions within society. There are those against being masked, as well as anti-vaxxers, voicing out against measures amidst the pandemic. What made us different? The difference was our coming together as a united society, helping each other in these exceptional times. We understood we had a responsibility and the part to play for the greater good of public health. Volunteers reached out, especially to seniors staying-alone, encouraging vaccination and ensuring the seniors do not feel isolated amidst the pandemic. Grassroot organisations distributed care packs, masks, assisted in COVID-19 Support Grants and organised career fairs for those that lost their jobs. Private organisations such as Ghifari Network, helped to obtain and distribute care packs including for the migrant workers. Industries supported each other such as aerospace workers supporting vaccination centres. Companies took in mid-career workers switching from challenged industries through the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme. There are many more instances where things could have been much worse, but by coming together and helping one another we have emerged from this pandemic stronger. However, there remains many challenges ahead. The situation in East Europe reminds us peace is fragile. The global economy is more competitive and digitalised. Climate change continues to threaten the world.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers from FITRAH and other related organisations for providing assistance to ex-offenders and their families. (In English): In conclusion, Mdm Deputy Speaker, overall, I am in support of the amendments. However, for it to be effective, we need to ensure that SPS is adequately resourced; we have good quality training and trained training providers to enable the inmates to reintegrate through meaningful employment; we have strong support from employers in the right industries; we can ensure the inmate's family is supported, advised and counselled so that they can be the pillar of support for the inmates to reintegrate back to society; lastly and perhaps most crucially, we need to continue our efforts in getting society to accept these individuals who are intending to turn over a new leaf and be contributing members of our society. That being said, Mdm Deputy Speaker, I am in support of the amendments to the Bill.”
“Can EmPS be used to address manpower shortages that we have in digital, manufacturing and engineering industry or even kickstart talent in a new industry, for example, the electric car repair industry? I believe this would certainly help our inmates be more future ready and hence, more likely to be meaningfully employed post-sentence. Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Although EmPs provides a golden opportunity for ex-offenders to seek employment and give back to society, we must not forget the important role of the family in reintegrating offenders back to society. Families should encourage ex-offenders to participate in rehabilitation sessions so that they can use this opportunity to rebuild their lives. Indeed, EmPs is an opportunity that should be taken up because it will give ex-offenders time to upgrade themselves by acquiring new skills so that they have a better chance of getting a job after being released from prison. Family support and encouragement are very important because many ex-offenders face a host of challenges as they try to reintegrate into society. Therefore, we should build a conducive environment for ex-offenders to better themselves and return as members of society who contribute to community and family. Programmes such as FITRAH (Family and Inmates Through Care Assistance Haven) by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) together with M3 aims to provide integrated and holistic support for offenders and their families – from in-care to aftercare. Families will be connected to the necessary assistance network while their spouses who are in prison are given proper support with in-care services.”
“Are there counselling or career guidance sessions available to help our inmates deal with discrimination or stigmatisation? With more and more training and jobs needing IT or digital skills, if the training or job emplacement requires the supervisees to have access to mobile devices, social media and access to computers, will these devices be provided for in prison? Is it a cause of concern if inmates have access to such devices? Will this affect the inmates' time they spend in prison? Currently, many citizens can use their SkillsFuture Credit for training and upskilling. Can inmates placed on EmPS use their SkillsFuture Credit too? Ultimately, we want relevant and updated training and reskilling for our inmates so that they will have a fair chance of landing a job post-sentence and hence increasing the likelihood that they will be meaningfully employed. We must ensure the quality of such training is of a suitable standard. Hence, it may also be useful if such training or reskilling is accredited or by the end of the training or reskilling programme, our inmates receive some form of certification to help them with future employability. With the idea of future employability of our post-sentence inmates in mind, how can we get more employers to be part of the programme to work with the inmates? Ex-inmates face a tough time landing a job, even with proper skills and qualifications. Despite the best efforts of many inmates who want to turn over a new leaf, discrimination and stigmatisation remains a reality. Can we better incentivise employers to consider employing ex-inmates? What can we do to encourage a more welcoming environment for ex-offenders in the workplace?”
“What can we do now in order to ensure our rehabilitation officers are adequately supported as we take more steps towards our "prisons without walls" concept? While we do want more of our inmates to be better prepared and ultimately reintegrate back to society, we must also be mindful not to tolerate any breaches of conditions by supervisees. Hence, the amendments also provide SPS officers with powers to obtain documents or information from third parties and this will be a required amendment to assist our SPS officers to investigate and make inquiries into breaches of conditions by supervisees. The EmPS rests on the premise that inmates who are better prepared through training and upskilling can find meaningful employment once their sentence is over. Meaningful employment would help the ex-inmate reintegrate better and ultimately be accepted as a useful and contributing member of society. How do we ensure the inmates experience good quality training that will lead to a higher chance of them landing a job after their sentences? Are the courses offered under EmPS limited and only available from specific training providers? If so, what are the types of training that will be made available to the supervisees and how do we choose our training provider partners for EmPS? While we want to get suitable inmates prepared for their life post-sentence, we must also be mindful not to dishearten these individuals who are intending to change by exposing them to discrimination which will dampen their confidence to reintegrate through meaningful employment. With that in mind, how do we ensure the staff and fellow trainees at the training centres are prepared to accept these individuals who are trying to turn over a new leaf?”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. Singapore's two-year recidivism rate of 22.1% is one of the lowest in the world. We are second only to Norway and South Korea. This is an applaudable achievement and a testimony to the good work done by Singapore Prison Service. Given our low penal recidivism rate, the Employment Preparation Scheme (EmPS) is a positive step in the right direction because it seeks to provide inmates better opportunities to reintegrate back to society as they will be allowed to undergo skills training and education as well as working within the community. With sufficient training and preparation at the tail-end of their sentences, inmates have better chances to be employed upon their release and ultimately, increasing the chances of successful reintegration back to society. I stand in support of the Bill. However, I would like to seek clarification on a few matters. Under the previous Work Release Scheme (WRS), inmates were given permission to leave prisons in order to work. What is the current number and percentage of inmates that are allowed to leave prisons under WRS and what is the absconder rate? How do we reduce it, keeping in mind the intent to have more inmates emplaced on the EmPS? What is the number and percentage of inmates that are expected to be on EmPS? Are there inmates with specific crimes that will not be allowed to be on EmPS? What are the guiding principles that help us ascertain which inmates are suitably ready to be emplaced on EmPS? Given that we expect a larger number of inmates participating in this programme and that the administering is done on a case-by-case basis, we can expect that our prison officers will have an increased workload. Do we currently have sufficient resources to handle the increased load?”
“While many of us enjoy the convenience of online shopping, a portion of our fellow Singaporeans, our small retail merchants, are struggling to make ends meet. The introduction of GST on low-value items will help to level the playing field for our small retail merchants as, previously, low-value items from overseas retailers are not subjected to GST. These are truly challenging times for our neighbourhood small retailers and we have to do more to assist them on their digital transformation journey. Notwithstanding the proposal above, I support the amendments.”
“However, most of them, at least for the small retailers in Pasir Ris, have found it hard to sustain the digital activities as they are usually a one- or two-man operation and have no resources nor skillsets to continue with these activities. Since the intent of introducing GST to low-value items from overseas is to level the playing field, can the Ministry consider the tax income from the activity to be used to provide more support for our neighbourhood retailers, such as hiring more consultants or trainers, to guide more retailers through their digital transformation and provide a support package for the small retailers to continue to sustain their digital activities? Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our patterns of purchase drastically. While many of us enjoy the convenience of online shopping, other Singaporeans, such as neighbourhood shop owners, clothes sellers and small businesses, are facing challenges in running their business. Many of them have reported their business declining by 40% to 50% and one of the reasons was that prices of low-value items from overseas retailers are not subject to GST. By imposing GST on low-value items from overseas retailers, we can help our small retail businesses by balancing the opportunities for all traders. We must also strive to continue helping our retail businesses to undergo digital transformation so that our small businesses can remain competitive in this increasingly challenging situation. (In English): In conclusion, Mdm Deputy Speaker, the onset of COVID-19 has seen an irreversible shift in our patterns of purchase.”
“Ms Ann Tan, a business owner at one of our neighborhood shops in Pasir Ris selling furniture, shared that her business has dropped by 50% and showed examples online where the overseas retailers were charging the same price for the exact same cupboards and shelves without GST. Bike shops also shared examples where small bicycles parts like grips, handlebars and gloves were all available online from overseas but not subjected to GST. The merchants also shared that some customers now are browsing the physical item in the shop, trying out the items, enquiring about the items but when it came to payment, some customers whip out their handphones and ask the shop owners for a lower price compared to what is available online. The sale of these items used to be the bread-and-butter of our small retail merchants, but it is no longer. With people shopping less frequently in physical stores and the unfair advantage that overseas suppliers have by not paying GST, our neighbourhood businesses are struggling to make ends meet. Hence, our small retail merchants are hoping for a level playing field and the introduction of GST on low-value goods from overseas will be one of the enablers for that. In addition to the introduction of GST on low-value goods from overseas, these small enterprises will need more assistance to remain competitive with the overseas online retailers. I am glad that we have programmes like IMDA's SMEs Go Digital which has a three-step checklist to go digital and the retail industry digital plan which provides a step-by-step guide on the digital solutions for local retail SMEs. These programmes assist our small retail merchants to start their digital initiatives.”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. Online sales in Singapore will hit an estimated US$8 billion this year. In a recent report by Bain & Company, e-commerce sales in Singapore are expected to grow to US$10 billion by the end of 2026. In the past 20 months, due to the confluence of factors, such as travel restrictions due to the pandemic, the growth of end mile-delivery platforms, lower-priced alternatives and our digitally well-connected population, online shopping has become the norm for us Singaporeans. Since the onset of COVID-19, people have changed the way they shop and these changes are unlikely to reverse. A recent study in Singapore last year by Visa also found that three in four consumers in Singapore are shopping online more frequently because of the pandemic and one-third of Singaporeans also made an online purchase for the first time. The same survey also found that more than half of the respondents shopped less frequently in physical stores. This is likely due to the fact that we can purchase almost anything online now, from small, low-value items like cutleries, pots and pans, tools, mattresses and household items to expensive luxury items. While most of us are enjoying the convenience of online shopping, a portion of our fellow Singaporeans, our small retail merchants, are struggling. In my recent discussion with our Merchants Association in Pasir Ris, our merchants, especially those that sell low-value household items, such as hardware, tools, curtains, small pieces of furniture and non-perishable products, shared that since the pandemic, their business has gone down by up to 40% to 50%.”
“However, to meet the intent of the Bill, raising the retirement and re-employment age must be accompanied by efforts to reduce and, eventually, eliminate the barriers to a truly age-friendly labour market. We must expedite the necessary legislation to protect our senior workers and implement fundamental changes in our HR policies. We have to look into redesigning jobs to leverage on the strengths of our seniors. Together, we must look at this challenge holistically and realise that we all have a part to play in this solution. With that, Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the amendments in the Bill. 12.51 pm”
“This means that SMEs may simply not have sufficient bandwidth to understand the full range of fair employment practices, nor the time and experience to implement career planning and redesign programmes. Given that SMEs account for an estimated two-thirds of all employment, we need to make the education process easier for our SMEs. Can the Ministry consider requiring all HR practitioners of organisations having more than one employee to attend a course on understanding fair employment practices before they are allowed to recruit employees and designate at least one employee of the organisation as a fair employment practices champion, similar to what we have for safety at the workplace? Mr Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This amendment Bill will enable senior citizens who wish to continue working to do so. In view of Singapore's ageing population, the amendments will also enable businesses to benefit from such highly-experienced workers. However, in order to achieve the Bill's objectives, the raising of the retirement and re-employment age must be complemented with anti-age discrimination laws, such as those provided by the TAFEP Guidelines, so that we can protect our senior workers. We should also change mindset and HR policies, such as having in place flexible work arrangements or career planning, for re-employment. We should also strive to redesign jobs that can harness the strengths of our seniors so that we can provide more opportunities for senior workers. (In English): In conclusion, Mr Speaker, Sir, the proposed amendments enable seniors who wish to continue working to do so. Given our ageing population, it also enables businesses to tap on this experienced pool of workers.”
“We must redesign jobs to leverage on the strengths of our seniors. This will provide better opportunities for re-employment and, at the same time, unlock this potential human capital to support our workforce. Failure to do so would mean that a significant portion, a third of our workforce, not being properly and purposefully allocated to add value to our economy. For this to be successful, we must work together. Employers must be willing to spend time to restructure jobs. Mature workers must be willing to train while our unions continue to encourage and assist, and Government agencies must provide structural support for this transformation. Though there are many job redesign initiatives in various industries, such as in cleaning and retail, how do we get more companies on board? Of the half million business entities in Singapore, how many are actively looking at job redesign to hire more workers? Given that job redesign takes a lot of effort and guidance, does the Ministry have sufficient resources devoted to this end? As a community, how do we encourage and adopt the right mindset to feel responsible in creating these employment opportunities for our senior workers? I would also like to highlight that although there are many support schemes available, it is difficult to make sense of all the information available on the MOM website. Can the Ministry consider making it more user-friendly by streamlining the available information to assist the companies? I have spelt out ways to create an age-friendly labour market. Arguably, this takes considerable commitment of time and resources which many of our SMEs can ill afford.”
“Hence, it is understandable that our senior workers want to continue working but with a more flexible work arrangement more suited for their life stage. How do we encourage companies to consider flexible work arrangements, such as shorter work weeks, part-time employment or even job sharing between two or more persons? That brings me to my third point on redesigning jobs to leverage on the strengths of our seniors instead of their weaknesses. I am sure many of us have heard our seniors share their struggles to find employment opportunities outside of roles, such as cleaners, security guards and other labour-intensive roles requiring long work hours. Let me clarify that there is nothing wrong with these jobs per se. However, they can be physically demanding and require long work hours which do not play to the strengths of our senior workers. How can we come together as a community and provide jobs that leverage on the strengths of our senior workers’ knowledge, experience and wisdom instead? What have we learnt from the past 20 months where many of us have been able to work productively from anywhere and at any time? Can we look into these remote and flexible work arrangements to ensure that our senior workers have more re-employment options? Can we employ our senior workers to conduct virtual training classes to share their intrinsic industry knowledge, or provide virtual customer service assistance, virtual consultation or even virtual career coaching? We can even harness technology to redesign jobs for non-PME roles as well, such as helpline operators for carpark gantries, or monitoring lift performance and dispatching teams for lift maintenance, which they can easily do from the comfort and safety of their own homes.”
“Mr Raymond Puah even shared that he took the opportunity cost of forgoing overtime pay to upskill and better prepare himself for retirement. Educating employers and legislating Fair Employment Practices will provide opportunities for our seniors who have to work. However, to create a suitable environment for seniors who want to work, we must drive fundamental changes in our HR policies. To better prepare our senior workers, employers must deliberately engage them in a structured career planning conversation well before retirement age. Job requirements must be clearly defined, along with the relevant skills required such that workers are aware of the prerequisites for future re-employment. This would allow workers to add value to the organisation even as they mature. There should not be a case where age is used to assess the workers’ suitability for any job. Hence, it is crucial that the extension of re-employment and retirement age must be accompanied by employers spending time developing a retirement and training plan for our maturing workers. For example, given that digital competencies are enablers for re-employment, can the Ministry consider basic digital skills training as a prerequisite for our senior workers in preparation for retirement? Another area to look into is the feasibility and adoption of flexible work arrangements that are already commonly practised around the world. Most of us start work in our 20s and, as we reach retirement age, we would have spent 40 years or more working. By then, there would be less financial pressure as our children would be independent and would likely want to spend more time outside of the work environment and enjoy a better quality of life as we head towards full retirement.”
“On Jobstreet, a job posting for a Quantity Surveyor describes the job highlights as “good career advancement, young and positive work environment.” Just last week, posted on 25 October, a recruitment ad for a part-time horticulturalist states “Looking for part-timers to work in a young and fun environment”. These are just two of many examples that can be found. Beyond recruitment ads, we would have heard anecdotal stories of how seniors were asked pointed questions about their age at job interviews, leading to the common perception that their age hindered them from proceeding further and securing the job. During our Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS), we would have come across older workers who felt that they were forced to retire as they felt their employers assessed their suitability for the job was based solely on age rather than the objective assessment of their job performances or relevant health conditions. Some also highlight that they were subjected, or they felt that they had unfair re-employment contracts as they were offered re-employment with the same job scope while receiving a lower remuneration or benefits package. Hence, to meet the intent of the extension of the re-employment and retirement age, this amendment must be accompanied by legislation to ensure fair treatment for our senior workers. In a recent discussion about retirement and re-employment with the residents in Pasir Ris, Ms Judith highlighted the common question of whether it was a case of “have to work” or “want to work” for our seniors. Residents Raymond Puah and Charlie Cheong shared that, in addition to protecting and providing opportunities for our senior workers through legislation, the best way to secure re-employment is to upskill and remain relevant in this job market.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. Today, Singapore is ranked as one of the countries with the highest life expectancy and we stay healthier for longer even as we grow older. However, like many other developed countries, our population and workforce are ageing rapidly. The Retirement and Re-employment Bill enables seniors who wish to continue working to do so, allowing them to stay active and contribute to our economy. The Bill will also enable businesses to tap on this experienced pool of workers. I am in support of this Bill. However, to meet the intent of the Bill, raising the retirement and the re-employment age must be accompanied by efforts to reduce, and eventually eliminate, the barriers to a truly age-friendly labour market. I would like to propose three key areas for improvement. Firstly, expediting the legislation of Fair Employment Practices; secondly, promoting a fundamental shift in our HR policies; and, thirdly, the community effort to redesign jobs that leverage on the strengths of our seniors. Let me touch on each of these key areas. Firstly, we have to expedite legislating the TAFEP guidelines on Fair Treatment at the Workplace to protect and provide opportunities to our senior workers. In the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, it states, and I quote, “Employers should not stipulate age as a requirement for employment unless there are legal or regulatory requirements which must be stated clearly. Words or phrases that suggest preference for job candidates of a particular age group should also not be used in job advertisements. Examples include “young” or “youthful work environment". However, a cursory check on recruitment websites shows a clear age-bias.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for sharing the Senior Workers Support Package. Despite all this, many aged 40 and above still struggle to seek re-employment. Can I ask the Minister how many companies have taken up JGI and taken full use of this incentive? What more can we do to get companies to consider senior employment or get companies to look at job redesign, so that we can hire more of these workers?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. With regard to the Senior Minister of State's reply on workplace discrimination, can the Minister consider naming these errant employers who are found to have practised workplace discrimination, with the intent that by naming them, both the company and the employees in the company will be motivated to adopt fair employment practices as soon as possible? Can the Ministry also consider that given that SMEs account for more than two-thirds of employment in Singapore, can such training for SMEs before they can recruit or hire individuals be made compulsory?”
“(In English): In summary, Mr Speaker, Sir, since 2018, the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehood provided 22 recommendations, which included implementing specific countermeasures to combat state-sponsored disinformation operations. We have sensitive issues like race and religion which can be easily manipulated by foreign actors to fracture our social cohesion. Our status as an open economy attracting investments globally implies that we must balance the needs of all stakeholders while putting forward our national interest. We need to enact strong safeguards to protect our national sovereignty and security, protect our social cohesion and protect our democratic institutions. As we chart the path for Singapore forward, we need to have open conversations, open conversations with all Singaporeans but protected from foreign interferences which may not be in the best interest of Singapore. As such, Mr Speaker, Sir, this is an important step to take. I support the Bill.”
“One of the ways it is done is by using fake social media accounts to influence and divide a harmonious society by using sensitive matters such as racial and religious issues. In one case in the United States, an organisation from a foreign state used fake accounts that promote Islamic objectives, as well as fake accounts that spread anti-Islam messages, in order to start a protest against the building of an Islamic library – at the same time and place! This prompted many Americans to attend the protest with one protester reportedly carrying a gun. In Singapore, we are not immune from the impact of foreign country intervention. For example, in 2018 and 2019, amidst disputes with neighbouring countries over airspace and maritime issues, online comments on social media were found to be made by anonymous accounts aimed at creating fake opposition against Singapore's stance. As we strive to improve the law to address this problem, we should also realise that we can play a role as Singapore citizens. We must be more careful and sceptical of what we read on social media including the comments and we must not be easily influenced that is not based on truth; especially on sensitive issues which are more easily manipulated to heighten racial discord. We should check the source of information so that we can get the accurate information. If in doubt, we should not share the messages in case we spread the wrong information. Therefore, this law is an important step that should be taken to protect our national interests and also protect ourselves from being used by those with nefarious intentions.”
“Rightfully, foreign businesses and MNCs are concerned that such discussions on the impact of our policies on their businesses may run them foul of the law. I am glad to hear that Minister has reiterated that discussions of this nature does not meet the threshold to be foul of the law. Mr Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Select Committee on Online Falsehoods was established three years ago and comprises Members of Parliament from both sides of the House. After considering 169 written representations and oral evidence from 65 individuals and organisations, it has concluded that the spread of online falsehoods is a "real and serious problem" in Singapore. The Select Committee was also presented with evidence that information operations sponsored by foreign countries were carried out against Singapore. Since 2018, the threat of foreign interference has been discussed repeatedly in this Chamber and in online media and publications. It is time that our laws deal with the threat of foreign interference which is increasingly threatening our national security. There are other factors that make it important for this law to be implemented. A survey by the Institute of Policy Studies, or IPS, found that our digital literacy rate was low, with two-thirds of respondents believing in a manipulated article. Imagine, two-thirds of respondents inadvertently believed an article that was manipulated by the study! And imagine if article is manipulated by those who seek to divide our society. We should and must overcome such online falsehoods, especially when it is done through foreign interference. The spread of online falsehoods through foreign interference is a real and growing problem around the world.”
“I understand that there are some reservations to this Bill. However, let me just point out that such legislation to ensure non-interference by foreign agents are currently already in place in countries such as Australia, EU, US and Canada. They have laws to prevent, detect and disrupt foreign interferences conducted through hostile information campaigns and the use of local proxies in their domestic politics. For example, in June 2018, Australia passed laws targeting foreign interference in politics and other domestic affairs and the European Commission is proposing a new Digital Services Act which will, among other things, regulate online platforms by transposing what is already illegal offline to the online space. These examples serve to illustrate the fact that it is only expected that states will have to protect their self-interests and prevent foreign intervention especially when its intention is to harvest protest potential. Notwitstanding the above, I wanted to share a concern which was addressed by the Minister in his speech earlier. One concern was from foreign businesses and Singaporeans working in MNCs on whether discussions between a Singaporean and non-Singaporean individual on policies which may affect their business may be seen as foreign interference and captured within the scope of the Bill especially if it is done on an online platform. This has been of particular concern, especially in light of the current labour crunch causing delays and pushing up the cost of doing business. This labour crunch is brought about by border restrictions, the lack of access to foreign labour and the perceived increasingly anti-foreigner sentiments exacerbated by the current COVID-19 environment.”
“The IPS study also found that more than two-thirds of over 2,000 respondents trusted a manipulated "news article" presented to them as part of the study. Secondly, the existence of fault lines in our society is undeniable. Sensitive issues of race, religion, foreign workforce versus local hires, can be easily manipulated to sow social discord. We cannot allow others the chance to destabilise the delicate balance that we have continuously been working on. Lastly, our open economy. It keeps us relevant and competitive globally. International investors from various industries are attracted to set up operations in Singapore. Facebook, Google, Twitter, Tencent, Alibaba, Huawei, Wechat. These are all foreign companies that have established substantial operations in Singapore. We value the partnerships we have forged with each one of our trading partners and we seek to continue to be able to balance their needs while propelling our national interest forward. However, the increased Sino-US tensions will invariably affect Singapore. We will have to be able to assert our neutrality and independence to maintain the balance that we have. We must prevent foreign interference from destabilising what we have. We must keep in mind to pursue what is best for Singapore. As Minister Vivian aptly said in a CNA interview, there is a big difference between “being useful” and “being made use of”. We are not isolated from the impact of foreign interferences, as Minister Shanmugam had mentioned earlier. With the rise of technology and even more ubiquitous use of social media, these interferences are expected to be more frequent and more sophisticated and they will attempt to sway public opinions and even destabilize the precious balance that we have so carefully cultivated.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I would like to declare my interest as an employee in a global MNC. In 2018, the Select Committee of Online Falsehood, which comprises of members from both sides of this House, concluded that “this phenomenon (of foreign interference) is real and a serious problem in Singapore,” and that the “Committee received evidence that state-sponsored information operations have been carried out against Singapore” and the Committee provided 22 recommendations which included implementing specific countermeasures to combat state-sponsored disinformation operations. Hence, I am glad that three years later, after the recommendations of the Select Committee, discussions in Parliament, conferences, publication and speeches during the Committee of Supply, we are ready to debate this piece of legislation to protect our national interest. The threat of foreign interference is a global problem and the threat to Singapore is real, is growing and we need to enact strong safeguards to protect our “national sovereignty and security, social cohesion and democratic institutions”. In protecting ourselves from foreign interference, there are several factors that makes it even more important for this Bill to be enacted. Firstly, Singapore has a small and digitally connected population with IMDA citing 87% of our four million resident population having access to the internet. Unfortunately, a recent IPS survey also found that our digital literacy rates are worryingly low with 6 in 10 respondents believing false information to be true and found that no one is immune to false information regardless of age, socio-economic status and educational background.”
“Lastly, while we understand the need to have remote Court hearings and sentencing during the pandemic, we must be very clear, during normal circumstances, as to when we could allow remote hearings. We cannot discount the fact that in some cases, it is important for the judge to be able to physically see the plaintiff or defendant and even witnesses, as it allows the judge to assess their demeanour and to see if the person is being prompted to respond. All these may have an impact on the eventual sentencing and, hence, should not be taken lightly. Hence, we must be very clear as to when we can utilise remote Court hearings and not compromise the legal process for the sake of conveniences afforded by the use of technology. We must also be mindful to not be perceived as being too cold or inhumane when employing remote hearings. As an example, the remote sentencing of Punithan Genasan where he was handed the death penalty via Zoom in May 2020 was understandable at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in normal circumstances, it may seem very detached and procedural for capital punishment to be meted out via Zoom. Mr Speaker, Sir, in summary, the amendments will enable legal proceedings to be more accessible to everyone by simplifying the language used in the Courts and also support our overall digital transformation plans, keeping our legal system efficient and ready to meet the evolving needs of society in the future. Notwithstanding the clarifications above, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Unless the person is well-read in Singapore law and familiar with due legal processes, the desire to defend oneself in Court may, ultimately, prove detrimental. In the recent case of the individual publicly known as the "MBS badge lady”, the defendant's initial attempt to represent herself in Court was met with various challenges. Subsequently, her family had to step in, engaging a lawyer to finally represent her in Court. While we want our legal system to be more accessible, we should also be careful not to develop the mindset of engaging legal representation only after attempts at self-representation had resulted in getting themselves into a deeper legal predicament. Another cause for concern is the public's misunderstanding of our legal system. This is in light of our exposure to the American legal system and, lately, even the Korean legal system, from popular media. Obviously, there are differences between our legal systems. However, members of the public sometimes misunderstand that and expect our legal proceedings to be similar. The Miranda warning, for example, is used in the American system, where a citizen's right to remain silent is read to the person being arrested. However, in our legal system, remaining silent could draw adverse inferences. Importantly, our changes should be recognised internationally as we are well accepted as a leading global dispute resolution hub. We cannot afford to make changes at the expense of the rest of the world's legal fraternity not understanding us. We must avoid changes that make our legal system overly localised as we are too small a country to change the norms and nomenclature of the international legal fraternity.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. The amendments will enable legal proceedings to be more accessible to everyone by simplifying the language used in Court and support our overall digital transformation plans, keeping our legal system efficient and ready to meet the evolving needs of society in the future. I am in support of these amendments. However, I would like to raise three clarifications. Firstly, simplification of words used in Court must not compromise on common understanding of terms; secondly, there are potential implications of simpler language and accessibility of the legal system; and, finally, clarity on when remote hearings are allowed should be considered. Firstly, while it is laudable that we want legal proceedings to be more accessible to the public, we must ensure that words, especially new words used, should be properly defined. There should be a clear definition of terms such that all those involved in the proceedings are clear of their meanings such that it is not open to different interpretations and, subsequently, become a point of contention in the proceedings. An illustration is the use of the word "claimant" instead of "plaintiff". The word "claimant" is used in many contexts, such as a claimant in insurance claims or, in the US, a claimant for welfare or tax benefits. "Plaintiff" is more widely used in the Courts. It may be the case where it is just not possible to simplify legal terminologies and to change for the sake of accessibility may prove to be detrimental to the due process of law. Secondly, with easier access to the Courts and better understanding of legal terms and proceedings, laypersons may seek to defend themselves in Court.”
“However, it should not also be abused by the very few who lodge such reports in bad faith. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to conclude in English. The amendments made in the Criminal Law Bill are in light of the current trends in our legal landscape. Notwithstanding the clarifications above, I support the Bill. 2.07 pm”
“] There has been an alarming increase of outrage of modesty cases. Between 2016 and 2020, the number of outrage of modesty cases reported was 24% higher than the number of cases from 2011 to 2015. Given the rise in cases, the harsher sentences will act as a strong deterrence for would-be offenders. The increasingly widespread use of digital space amongst our youths, unfortunately, also increases the chances of them being exposed to sexual grooming, sometimes even on seemingly innocent online platforms. Parents play a role in educating the young and those who are more vulnerable by monitoring their online activities so that they do not fall prey to such acts. I suggest that parents and guardians be mindful about who is trustworthy and can be trusted and exercise vigilance and educate the young to spot and report inappropriate activities. Our society has a responsibility to create safe spaces for the vulnerable and to report such acts without hesitation. While harsher sentences do act as a deterrence, we can enhance protection for the vulnerable against convicted offenders by establishing an offender registry. We can deter or at least be aware of such offenders when they are employed in situations where they may be exposed to the vulnerable. Such jobs may include teachers, tutors and school bus drivers. Certainly, it is not easy for victims of sexual offences to lodge a report. They need to be strong and to summon their courage to make the report. Self-doubt, shame and even a sense of self-blame plague many victims. It is because of this mental anguish on top of the physical harm that they suffer that perpetrators must be brought to justice. Therefore, our justice system must not be so onerous for victims to pursue justice.”
“Can the Ministry consider some form of registry or self-declaration such that convicted offenders of sexual offences will not be able to work in situations where they will be exposed to the vulnerable? How do we enhance the protection to our children and allow parents to make an informed decision? Many of our children are taking private tuition, coaching lessons, or extracurricular activities, such as piano lessons. It can even extend to school bus drivers and their attendants, and vendors for after-school programmes. It is of paramount importance that we do not make our children more vulnerable than they already are. For convicted offenders of sexual offences who prey on victims online, can the Ministry consider monitoring their online activities during their rehabilitation period after they have served their sentences? Only after they have been suitably assessed as having been fully rehabilitated would they then be allowed to exercise the liberties of regular citizens. These two methods may prove to be more of a deterrent to potential offenders than simply increasing the maximum sentence of the offences. However, while we support harsher sentences, we must also protect the wrongly accused. The nature of sexual offences is such that it takes a lot courage for a victim to proceed in making a report. Self-doubt, embarrassment and even a sense of self-blame plague many victims. It is because of this mental anguish, on top of any physical harm and abuse that have already occurred, that perpetrators must be brought to justice. However, it should not be abused by the very few who, out of spite or mischief, decide to lodge such reports. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“Sometimes, these hyperlinks are also deceptively embedded in an online chat and take the form of what is known as "clickbait". An innocent child may inadvertently be routed to inappropriate content and this is, indeed, something that is increasingly worrying. In addition, what legal action can be taken by the Ministry if the perpetrators are not in Singapore as it is more than conceivable that online sexual grooming can occur across state borders? Will the Ministry consider setting up a platform where parents, adults and minors can easily report such perpetrators? Is there a register of sexual offenders in Singapore? Do we have the capability and resource to track such offenders if there is, indeed, one? And how do we prevent such sexual offenders from taking on roles which may put others at risk? For example, will they be barred from becoming teachers or private tutors and coaches? And what happens when a person on such an offenders’ list is successfully rehabilitated and fully repentant? The change to gender-neutral language also reflects the unfortunate realities of such heinous acts. Any vulnerable person can be a victim and to characterise a person as a potential offender through a checklist, is creating caricatures. As such, it is of utmost importance that parents and guardians be mindful about who is trustworthy, exercise vigilance and educate the young to spot and report what is not appropriate. In addition, the community has a responsibility to create safe spaces for the vulnerable to report such acts without shame, guilt or fear. While harsher sentences do act as a deterrence, how can we further protect the vulnerable against convicted offenders?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. The amendments made in the Criminal Law Bill are in light of the current trends in our legal landscape. I am in support of these amendments. However, I would like to raise three clarifications. Firstly, as we increase the sentence for engaging in sexual activity before a minor or causing a minor to observe a sexual image, does it also include sending hyperlinks or deceptively embedding hyperlinks to sexual images, content and websites to minors? Secondly, beyond harsher sentences, how can we better protect the vulnerable. Finally, while we support harsher sentences, we must also protect the wrongly accused. Let me touch on the first clarification. We must recognise that sexual offences are not only physically damaging but it scars the victims emotionally and psychologically. There has been an alarming increase of outrage of modesty cases. As mentioned by Minister Shanmugam, which was reported in The Straits Times on 5 March 2021, the number of outrage of modesty cases between 2016 and 2020 was 24% higher than from 2011 to 2015. Given the rise in cases, the harsher sentences will act as a strong deterrence for would-be offenders. The increased use of the digital space amongst our youth, unfortunately, also increases the chance of them being exposed to sexual grooming, sometimes even on seemingly innocent online platforms. Beyond just sending inappropriate pictures and content to the vulnerable, I would like to clarify if this also includes sending hyperlinks of sexual images or hyperlinks to sexual content and websites through platforms, such as Instagram Chat, WhatsApp chat, Tik Tok comments, or chat on games platforms like Minecraft or Roblox.”