Shawn Huang Wei Zhong
Singapore
“I thank the Member for the question. Contractors who are PW Mark eligible are required to obtain and maintain the PW Mark throughout the contract period. They are also required to notify the contracting authorities if there are any changes to their PW Mark status.”
“Mismatches in the labour market may be driven by shifts in skill requirements. For example, firms are expanding technology functions, driving sustained demand for jobs like AI engineers and engineering professionals, while restructuring other professional, manager, executive and technician (PMET) roles that have become easier to automate.…”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. With regard to Parliamentary Question No 16, I would just like to clarify that Career Conversion Programmes provide salary support to employers. Thank you.”
“Mr Speaker, this question for oral answer has been addressed by written reply, to Question No 97 on the Order Paper for the 7 April 2026 Sitting.”
“There are schemes out there, for example, if a platform worker would like to transition to full-time employment or to a different platform, they can always approach WSG with a suite of capabilities, SkillsFuture, as well as the Career Conversion Programmes.”
“In 2025, the gross monthly income from employment, excluding employer Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions, of full-time employed resident professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) was about $4,500 at the 10th percentile, $5,400 at the 20th percentile and $6,000 at the 25th percentile. The median income was $8,400.”
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“Mr Speaker, one out of seven adolescents experience mental disorder. Whilst for younger children in the US, one out of six are diagnosed with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depression taking 40%; conduct disorder at 20%; and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at 19.5%. This age group is particularly vulnerable as it accounts for 13% of the global burden. In fact, based on the Mental Health Foundation, 10% of children and young people from age five to 16 have a clinically diagnosed mental problem. Yet, 70% of children and adolescents who experienced mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age. What does this mean for Singapore? Even if we take a conservative approach and with all estimates, take a discount and assume one out of eight instead of one out of seven. With an annual cohort of 35,000, from Primary 1 to tertiary education, we will have close to 57,000 students diagnosed with mental health disorders. This projection is based on diagnosed figures. The number for those who are undiagnosed will be far greater. It would probably be one out of seven or one out of six, a value closer to those reporting countries. With these statistics, a secondary school with about 1,000 students will have over 120 students diagnosed with mental disorders and many more undiagnosed with developing conditions. The global statistics for suicide amongst children and adolescents show that, every year, 47,000 end their own lives. If assuming similar parameters, approximately 30 of such suicides would have occurred each year in Singapore. Suicide is the most tragic outcome of a mental health condition.”
“Mr Speaker, in an era where economic landscapes are rapidly evolving, there is a need for robust measures to safeguard our national interests. In a world where some economic activities are intrinsically linked to national security, the importance of this Bill transcends mere financial implications. It is about preserving our sovereignty, protecting our critical infrastructure and ensuring that our nation remains relevant and viable. I have a few questions for the Minister. Can the Minister clarify, how the Bill will balance national security and economic interest without adversely impacting Singapore's competitive business environment? How does this Bill comply with Singapore's existing trade obligations? How will this affect future trade negotiations? What are the mitigating measures to ensure this Bill does not deter foreign investors and maintains Singapore's reputation as a global investment hub? How will this affect entities considering investments in infrastructure, technologies or capabilities in Singapore that may be included as significant investments in the future? Would the Minister provide a more comprehensive definition of what constitutes as "significant investments" under this Bill? What criteria will the Minister use to designate entities as critical for national security? How will this process be safeguarded to ensure accountability? How will this Bill affect entities whose operations depend on specific proprietary technologies and intellectual property whose rights and use may not reside within this entity, and if the network of capabilities or infrastructure is multi-national and cross-border? Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the above clarifications, I support the Bill.”
“Third, given the evolving operating environment, how are the authorities updated on the latest threats? In addition, given the collateral consequences of specific threats, what steps are taken to ensure that these threats do not enter Singapore in the first place? Mr Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“As such, governments will need to control these zones adequately, especially those operated by private entities, as they are focused on expanding zone occupancy and providing profitable services to these businesses. There is also a need to establish a more direct interest, enhance law enforcement oversight and increase the capacity and authority in monitoring zone operations. As most zones are operated via a hybrid and collaborative model between government and private parties, we need to further enhance and tighten the processes to ensure that it is strengthened against such exploitation. FTZ cargo handlers play a critical role in the supply chain and FTZs. By regulating the FTZ cargo handlers to comply with the FTZ Act, we can further strengthen service standards, security and assist authorities in detaining goods for inspection and reporting goods that have contravened any written law. It is reasonable to screen any person who intends to operate in the FTZ, enhance the management of FTZ tenants and better manage sub-leasing premises in the FTZ. As the volume of cargo that FTZ operators handle is immense, the authorities must be given accurate and timely cargo information. This is standard industry practice and will provide greater oversight of goods, persons and operations within the FTZ. I have a few questions for the Senior Minister of State. First, given the new FTZ requirements, how will this affect the overall business costs and competitiveness of our FTZs? What are the other areas that can be further improved to enhance the competitiveness of our FTZs? Second, with the new data submission regime, what are the measures taken to ensure that the FTZ operators meet proper data management and cybersecurity requirements?”
“Mr Speaker, many countries have set up FTZs to boost business activity and reap the benefits of free trade. These zones have been instrumental in the evolution of trade for the integrated supply chains of the global economy. According to an FIAS report, FTZs continue to benefit the country's economy. It has been proven that it is effective in generating employment, increasing the volume and diversity of exports, serving as an essential tool for attracting foreign direct investments and enhancing commercial linkages for export. However, FTZs may also facilitate illegal and criminal activities, such as trade in counterfeit and pirated products. FTZ is not a new concept. For centuries, governments have sought different ways to facilitate trade in their ports. One of the earliest was called free ports. These are designated areas open to commercial vessels where their cargo destined for re-export is exempt from customs duties. Today, many FTZs are managed by private operators and regulated by Government authorities. A study concluded that the growth in private involvement in the FTZs has been beneficial, as privately-owned zones tend to offer better facilities and amenities and are more responsive to tenants' needs and provide a more comprehensive range of property management services. However, we must be cognisant that lightly regulated zones are attractive to parties engaged in illegal and criminal activities. It is known that FTZs have facilitated trade in counterfeit and pirated products, as well as smuggling and money laundering. These areas have often provided bad actors with a relatively safe environment to carry out illicit activities.”
“It has the potential to affect positive change on a global scale while enhancing our own philanthropic ecosystem. Let us embark on this journey to become a regional, if not global, philanthropy hub with a sense of purpose and transparency, dedicated to making the world a better place for all. Mr Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“When family offices choose Singapore as their philanthropic hub, it enriches both our financial and philanthropic sectors, fostering an environment in which both innovation and giving thrive. This scheme's global outlook is one of its distinguishing features. We demonstrate our commitment to supporting philanthropic efforts beyond our borders by allowing family offices to claim tax deductions for overseas donations made through qualifying local intermediaries. This reinforces our vision of Singapore as a global philanthropic hub. However, there are considerations and suggestions to consider. As with any significant policy change, transparency and accountability are of the utmost importance. To ensure that family offices understand the criteria for participation, the eligibility conditions must be transparent and clearly defined. We must also put in place robust monitoring mechanisms to ensure that the scheme achieves its goals and impact. This scheme will rely heavily on public reporting and impact assessments. Encouraging family offices to report their philanthropic activities can help to build trust and confidence in the scheme's effectiveness. Collaboration through family offices, local intermediaries and charitable organisations should be encouraged. We can maximise the positive impact of philanthropic donations and make a significant difference in our communities by working together. Finally, this scheme is about more than just global giving. We should encourage our family offices to support charitable organisations in Singapore and promote local philanthropy. Our local community deserves our help and generosity as well. The PTIS for family offices is an exciting and innovative initiative.”
“Long-term commitment to such incentives can provide businesses with the stability and assurance needed for sustained innovation efforts. Long-term commitment is required for the scheme to be effective and given that the scheme will run out after the work year 2028, what are the indicators that MOF will track while deciding whether to extend it beyond 2028? It is prudent to establish a balanced framework of monitoring and evaluation. Regular evaluation can aid in assessing the effectiveness of incentives and making necessary changes or improvements. Maintaining transparency in the allocation of incentives and an accountability system in the use of funds will protect the scheme's integrity and long-term viability. As such, what are the mechanisms established when tracking the performance and impact of EIS over time? To summarise, the EIS has the potential to stimulate Singapore's innovation and economic growth. To maximise its impact, it is critical to provide clarity, raise awareness and continuously evaluate its effectiveness while keeping long-term commitment and inclusivity in mind. The second part is on the philanthropy tax. The PTIS for Family Offices demonstrates Singapore's commitment to philanthropy on a local and global scale. It represents a bold step forward in harnessing wealth and generosity for the greater good. First and foremost, this programme is intended to increase the impact of philanthropy. We hope to channel significant resources towards causes that truly matter. By incentivising family offices to establish their giving operations in Singapore, this initiative has the potential to attract both wealth and talent to our shores.”
“Mr Speaker, the EIS is a commendable initiative that encourages and incentivises businesses to invest in R&D, innovation and capability development. The EIS, with its increased tax deductions and allowances, is poised to have a significant impact on business innovation. It encourages businesses to invest in R&D and IP registration, which can lead to the development of new products, services and technologies. The EIS can give Singapore businesses a competitive advantage on the global stage by providing enhanced tax allowances. This is especially true in today's highly competitive and rapidly changing business environment. Introducing tax breaks for qualifying innovation projects with selected partner institutions is a progressive step. It fosters knowledge exchange and potentially game-changing innovations by encouraging collaboration between businesses and educational or research institutions. It broadens participation, while also enhancing its developmental and translational potential. Offering a non-taxable cash payout option is a practical option for businesses. It provides flexibility and immediate financial relief, which can be beneficial to startups and small businesses with limited cash flow. To make it easier for businesses to navigate the scheme and to take full advantage of the incentives, can the Minister provide more information and specific guidelines on eligibility criteria, application processes and documentation requirements? In terms of awareness and outreach, many businesses may be unaware of the scheme's benefits, a well-crafted and proactive outreach can increase participation. As such, how will the MOF conduct awareness campaigns and workshops to educate businesses about EIS?”
“Other studies have also shown that active fatherhood is also good for the men's own health and well-being as well as their relationship with the partners. Research shows that when men are more involved in the early care of a child, they are more likely to remain connected to that child and to carry out a more equitable amount of care work. This Bill is a good step forward, but our work does not end here. Let us continue to take more progressive steps to be a more equitable and compassionate society where we give our families and children the best possible outcomes. Mr Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, our family dynamics is evolving. Parenting today is a shared responsibility between mothers and fathers. Fathers today are eager to take an active role in parenting and we should support this. According to a McKinsey study on paternity leave, 100% of fathers surveyed expressed that they were glad that they took paternity leave and would do so again; and 90% of fathers noticed an improvement in their relationship with their partners. In many countries, the views on paternity leave are changing as well. According to a study by the World Economic Forum, more countries and companies are offering paternity leave benefits to new fathers. Worldwide, 90 out of 187 countries offer statutory paid paternity leave, with four in 10 organisations providing paid leave above the statutory minimum. In OECD countries, men's use of parental leave is increasing overall, even though the number of days taken is still fairly minimal. This is a good trend. Increasing paternity leave is an unequivocal endorsement that fathers play an important role in the family on the arrival of a newborn. Fathers should be given adequate time to bond with their newborns or adopted children. More can be done. In Sweden new parents are entitled to 480 days of leave at 80% of their normal pay. In Estonia, after the end of maternity leave, parents get an additional 435 days off, with compensation calculated at the average of both earnings. In Slovenia, fathers have a guaranteed 90 days of paternity leave, with the first 15 days at 100% while the remaining 75 are paid at minimum wage. According to the World Economic Forum, numerous studies have shown that policies promoting father's involvement at home is good for the economy, gender equality and families.”
“In the UK, more than 20,000 fake documents have been identified over a decade. We must do more to keep pace. At the same time, it is paramount that we prioritise privacy and personal rights as we employ technology to bolster security. Robust data protection measures and transparent practices will ensure that our citizens' rights are safeguarded. Singapore continues to be at the front edge of technology to ensure that the best possible set of technologies is used to digitalise and automate our processes. This is an essential part of the system. As such, this amendment, comprising of these initiatives and the enhancement of the powers of immigration officers will further safeguard our security and keep our borders safe. Here, I would like to thank our frontline immigration officers who have served us well all year around 24/7 and have kept Singapore safe. I have two questions for clarification. First, given the increased data collection and usage, what are the cybersecurity measures taken to enhance the integrity and security of the data? Second, how do we detect system malfunctions where border entry approvals were wrongly granted? Mr Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“We have been using technology integration such as Automated Passport Systems, which expedite entry for legitimate travellers while maintaining a high level of security. Additionally, advanced data analytics has enabled us to detect patterns and anomalies, enabling us to thwart potential threats in realtime. INTERPOL's Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database contains information on travel and identity documents that have been reported as stolen, lost, revoked or invalid. Today, it currently holds around 99 million records, all of which are potential threats. Two key issues why this is important. First, it is fundamental proof that the existing physical travel document is vulnerable. The physical document holds critical information that is too slow to adapt and use new data points for verification and validation. Second, the sheer existence of 99 million potential travel identity documents that nefarious and dangerous individuals can use. We must better safeguard ourselves and our loved ones. The pre-journey bulk submission will reduce the risk for all travellers. It would have prevented those potentially dangerous from embarking at the start of the journey. Embracing technology, digitalisation and innovation is our best defense against false and stolen identities. By staying at the forefront of technological advancements, we can ensure our immigration and border systems remain robust and capable of detecting these threats faster and more effectively. In Singapore, the number of travellers attempting to enter Singapore using a false identity or one different from their past trips jumped from 28 in 2021 to 441 in 2022. This is a 15-fold spike in multiple identity cases and a rise in immigration offences in 2022.”
“Mr Speaker, there is an urgent need to address the pressing global immigration challenges posed by false and stolen identities, exacerbated by the increased use of technology to evade immigration and customs control. It is paramount that Singapore recognises these challenges, acknowledges the evolution of technology used for such activities and emphasises the urgency of staying ahead of emerging threats. As such, we must harness innovation and technology to enhance our immigration and border management systems. In a world marked by unprecedented mobility, criminals and those with malicious intent are using technology to exploit gaps in our immigration and customs control systems. The ease with which digital documents can be forged and manipulated poses a grave risk to national security. We must remain vigilant and proactive in our efforts to combat these threats. Criminals are increasingly adept at circumventing traditional controls and our response must be swift, sophisticated and technologically advanced. Over the years, our immigration technology has evolved, adapting to the changing landscape of threats. Introducing biometric data such as fingerprints and facial recognition has strengthened our ability to verify identities accurately. These technologies are robust deterrents against false identities and those attempting to slip through the cracks. Furthermore, the advent of electronic passports and identity cards embedded with chips has become a standard practice, ensuring the integrity of our identity documents. However, as technology continues to advance, so do the methods employed by criminals. Therefore, we must progress in tandem.”
“We must survive. If the waves are relentless, we must be able to submerge and explore below the choppy waves. Where there is no water and we have run aground, we must hover and fly. For our future generations, we shall build the pathways today that will propel us forward with greater strength. Let us all work together to build our nation and home for future generations. Majulah Singapura. I stand in support of the Motion.”
“To our seniors, we want our seniors to be able to live longer and healthier lives, one that is filled with meaningful social interaction, where our seniors can continue to be relevant and, to the best of their abilities, continue to contribute to society and the community. Many of them are experienced and have much to give back. Above all, we want them to be valued members throughout life. It is a precious and worthy intangible achievement, probably moving from lifelong learning to lifelong teaching. To the youths, we want to give our youths opportunities to expand and live to their fullest potential, unbridled. Our youths must have the determination, ambition, passion and, more importantly, be centred on a strong set of values, identity and culture, to have that curiosity and eagerness for adventure, not just to travel, but to explore new worlds and domains, to build expertise and develop networks and, at every step, be an ambassador of Singapore that values identity and culture – to be proud of being Singaporean. To those doing their level best, those with elderly parents, young children, a family member with chronic illnesses or disabilities and those facing pressures and hostile workplaces, to those who had and needed second chances in life, there are days when you feel alone, facing insurmountable challenges. But fear not, for you are not alone. There is strength in our Singapore collective and our community. In unison, like a tug of war, we will drag, we will push, we will pull, with a full heart and full effort and, collectively, we will help one another achieve a full and meaningful life. To Singaporeans and Team Singapore, we strive for Singapore. Yes, a rising tide can lift all boats, but remember that we are all on the same ship, whatever the tide.”
“The Forward Singapore exercise is how we collectively explore our values and priorities and strengthen our social compact for the next bound of our nation's journey. How do we empower, steward, equip, care, build and unite for our future? This is our continuous work of nation-building. At its core, it is about building a strong national identity and promoting social cohesion among citizens. It requires the active participation of individuals and communities at all levels of society, from Government leaders, industries, voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), grassroots organisations and every citizen. All of us Singaporeans can contribute to nation-building. This includes being an active and engaged citizen, participating in community events and initiatives, volunteering and providing resources to help others and supporting policies and programmes that promote the common good. How can we help one another take the next step forward through mentoring, volunteering, helping a colleague improve, training junior staff, caring for a neighbour, helping an industry partner become more competitive or partnering a local competitor to win larger overseas projects? How can we collectively push our nation forward? We must work together and empower one another. This means setting aside our differences and working towards a shared vision for a better future for all citizens. It also means investing in education, innovation and infrastructure to create a strong and competitive economy that can provide opportunities for all. It starts with us – individuals and then families, communities and then inspiring others to do more. Every Singaporean plays a vital role in nation-building.”
“The world today faces a myriad of challenges unprecedented in scale and complexity. We just survived the global pandemic. We now face increasing geopolitical tensions, the challenge of climate change and rising global economic uncertainties ahead. Domestically, our ageing population is one of our gravest concerns. To put it into context, our boomer generation had an annual birth of about 60,000. Today, the number is about 33,000. In 2010, one in 10 were above 65 years old. By 2030, it will be one in four. As our population ages, we will face several challenges, such as increased demand for healthcare services, rising healthcare costs, a shrinking workforce, increased demand for social services, retirement funding, ageism and social isolation. And because of this ageing population, we must be mindful of our future economic survival and competitiveness. We will need to accelerate our pace of innovation and technology, drive growth and create new industries. Our institutions must continue to evolve and remain relevant and trusted. We must maintain our skills and capabilities, connectivity and modern infrastructure. We must remain open to trade and investment and maintain our strength and ambition through a strong entrepreneurship culture. Singapore has faced several existential challenges since Independence with much fewer resources. Since then, we have progressed from strength to strength in a continuous journey of nation-building. As we look ahead, we must build a clear vision for our future and imagine what our country and our society would look like. How should we Singaporeans work together to overcome the challenges of today and work towards our future? Most certainly, in our minds, this vision must be inspiring, ambitious and achievable.”
“Speaker, in a couple of years, or 843 days, Singapore will celebrate her 60th, our Diamond Jubilee. It would be a significant milestone. It is easy to say from where we stand that we have achieved, but we should not forget the difficult journey and the tough decisions taken to be where we are today. Many from our Pioneer and Merdeka generations, the generation of our parents and our grandparents did not have the same opportunities we have today. At that time, infrastructure was basic, resources were limited and many of that generation made deliberate sacrifices to give up their education early to work, not because they were uninterested. They sacrificed their progression so that a brother or a sister had the money to go to school and enough money for food, to survive. They did so, so that their brothers and sisters could have a better life despite their own detriment. Two volunteers recollected an incident when they responded to a community distress call recently. An elderly lady in her 80s had a suspected cardiac event and needed CPR. They did their best to keep her ventilated and the AED was ready. The ambulance soon arrived and she was taken to hospital. As the two volunteers spoke to the granddaughter, they could not help but notice that the elderly lady's home was full of family photographs. On the wall were the photographs of many of her grandchildren who were university graduates in their graduation garbs – a proud legacy for the family. She started working in a rubber plantation. Her children did well and her grandchildren did even better. In Singapore, in two generations, the entire family was uplifted. This elderly lady is the epitome and paragon of that generation that enabled us, with much certainty, for us to celebrate our Diamond Jubilee.”
“On food waste reporting, what are the approval considerations for new building managers to pursue alternative food waste treatment methods located off-site? Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“As individuals, they want to have more alternatives and access to participate in more sustainable activities and lifestyles. As a citizen, they urged for more action, a swifter and deliberate effort to push toward a more sustainable society. In addition, I hear the youths actively advocating for more action to secure their future and our future generations. This Bill will enable us to reduce waste generation and recover valuable materials from crucial waste elements. It will allow us to divert waste from Semakau and extend its lifespan. The reduced waste generation will reduce our carbon emissions from incineration, build capabilities and move towards a more circular economy. I have a few questions for the Senior Minister of State. On the disposable carrier bag charge, how will this affect supermarkets that operate under a single brand but use several special purpose vehicles and subsidiaries where, individually, the turnover is less than $100 million? Will this be aggregated at the group or subsidiary level? Can the Senior Minister of State share more on the reporting and recording-keeping requirements and how often should these retailers report the details of the bag charge requirements, and if there are any baseline requirements on how this should be published? Will there be a future mandatory requirement to channel the collected proceeds to support social and environmental causes? On the beverage container return scheme, in the scenario where the scheme operators have failed to achieve the required return rate, what will be the consequences and mitigating factors? How will the disposal and collection scheme work when cross-border commercial activities are involved, such as F&B services onboard aircrafts and ships?”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature, in 2019, the societal costs of plastics produced globally were US$3.7 trillion, more than India's gross domestic product. Although Singapore has a small global footprint, our globalised economy will influence and shape the wider commercial networks beyond our shores. Within our shores, we are already facing the environmental impact. For example, the Lorong Halus dumping ground, a 234-hectare landfill, was opened in the 1970s. For many years, it was plagued by illegal dumping, foul smell and pollution of the surrounding natural habitat. By 1999, It was filled up in 30 years and was closed. We then transited to Pulau Semakau, a 350 hectares facility 50% larger than Lorong Halus and receives more than 2,000 tonnes of incineration waste daily. At this current rate, it will run out of space by 2035, with only 12 years remaining. Therefore, we will need to develop more capacity beyond Pulau Semakau. According to the Singapore Environment Council, Singapore uses 1.76 billion plastic items annually. Of which, about 820 million are plastic bags from supermarkets and close to half a billion PET bottles and disposable plastic items. These plastic products require massive energy and resources to manufacture, distribute and dispose of. Some studies mentioned that Singapore only recycles 13% of domestic waste. So, what has impeded the recycling efforts? Most were due to the leakage of food and liquid waste, as well as e-waste and styrofoam, which contributed to most of the contamination, rendering most items unsuitable for recycling. When I engage businesses, youths and residents, many have expressed passion for the climate emergency and their desire to play a more active role.”
“They worked with industry partners to develop digital tools and platforms that supported heartland businesses and brought their products and services to the market. For example, MCI collaborated with the food platform Grab to launch GrabFood Hawker Picks. This service gave customers a curated list of hawker stalls for delivery and takeaway. Our seniors were also greatly affected. Many of them never had a smartphone in their lives. So, yet again, MCI worked hard to increase digital adoption among seniors and vulnerable groups during the pandemic. It launched the Digital Ambassadors Programme, which recruited and trained volunteers to help seniors. It has benefited my residents a great deal. As a result, today, we have a better and well-connected senior population than ever before. Most of them are able to use Zoom, WhatsApp, TikTok and Facebook as well, to connect and progress and find new friends and extend their network. There is much to be appreciative of. Many of our lives here were safeguarded by the collective actions of frontline staff, unsung heroes from the public and private sector, community volunteers and caring neighbours. It was not a perfect outcome, but there was every intent to ensure we achieve the best possible outcome and for Singapore to survive. Lives and livelihoods are what we are accountable for, and that is what matters most. We have done well. There is still much to learn and prepare for the future. The work of building for tomorrow continues. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.”
“These efforts actually helped to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the community and safeguard the health of stallholders and patrons. Operations in local and regional testing centres were strategically located and professionally operated. On behalf of my hawkers and stall holders, I would like to thank all MSE, NEA and SFA staff who have been very hard at work on the ground, with much personal sacrifice to ensure the continued safe operations of our hawker and market centres. To enhance preparedness in our community areas, could we include pandemic scenarios in the future planning of our hawker and market centres? Our heartland shops were also deeply affected by COVID-19 but the impact was quickly mitigated with the swift and professional response by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI). MCI played a crucial role in supporting the digitalisation of heartland shops in Singapore during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was in response to the need to enable heartland shops to operate remotely and maintain their businesses during the pandemic. I remembered how useful it was to the hawkers when MCI launched the Hawkers Go Digital programme in June 2020. It quickly enabled my hawkers and heartland businesses to digitalise their operations overnight and adopt ecommerce capabilities. My hawkers were very supportive of the programme and were provided end-to-end support with funding and education. As a result, numerous heartland businesses were able to adopt digital solutions such as epayments, online ordering platforms, and delivery services. All these would not have been possible or accessible to them. After digitalisation, hawkers needed a platform to sell. Once again, MCI stepped in to assist.”
“I must share that the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) played a critical role in coordinating and implementing safe management measures (SMMs) and vaccination-differentiated safe management measures (VDS) in public spaces. At the height of the pandemic, over 3,000 Safe Distancing Ambassadors and Enforcement Officers were deployed daily at public areas such as malls, parks, hawker centres, and coffee shops to ensure compliance with SMMs and VDS. In addition, there are over 114 hawker centres and wet markets and over 1,200 coffee shops. This is no mean feat. Overall, in Jurong Spring, there was zero COVID-19 deaths within the market and hawker centres, and all the hawker centres and market stalls remain open till today. No one went out of business. This was because MSE officers had a close working relationship with the hawker and market stall holders. There was deep trust in their working relationship. The officers were understanding, pragmatic and agile in their execution to ensure that operations were conducted safely, but yet nuanced with commercial and economic practicalities when possible. This strong working relationship was further validated when collectively together with the local community, NEA and SFA conducted intensive outreach efforts and achieved a 99.9% vaccination rate among stallholders rapidly. Between July 2021 and February 2022, NEA and SFA also worked with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to implement the Rostered Routine Testing (RRT) regime, which regularly tested around 24,000 hawkers and stakeholders at markets and hawker centres, as well as some 39,000 workers in food courts and coffee shops. One of these RRT centres were actually just behind the Block 505 market in Jurong Spring.”
“If so, what is this list of resources, items and capabilities that citizens can help to stockpile and maintain? Every National Day, we should allocate time to have a nationwide exercise. Every citizen, community, private and public sector can participate in an emergency exercise – a time when we review and refresh procedures, trial our national emergency capabilities and examine our own household resilience through education and active participation. On safeguarding our industries and livelihoods, one key aspect of safeguarding local industries was Singapore's agility in locally re-tooling and building COVID-19 capabilities. Companies such as Razer Technologies quickly built up manufacturing capabilities to produce masks. Hope Technik designed and retrofitted COVID-19 buses with high-flow HVAC systems to transport patients. Mirxes developed COVID-19 testing kits and Singapore Airlines redeployed its pilots and cabin crew to provide essential services such as contact tracing and patient care. Numerous SMEs and business owners responded to the call of duty. Without hesitation, they invested their monies to secure scarce resources and manufacturing equipment and quickly onshored those capabilities for Singapore, producing masks, testing kits, PCR machines, and many more. I want to take this opportunity to thank the SME business owners for your service and personal sacrifice. On safeguarding our heartlands and community. Jurong Spring has one of the busiest markets. I have personally observed how COVID-19 affected hawkers and stall owners.”
“Scaling up COVID-19 testing was nearly insurmountable, given the backdrop of scarce resources and few trained personnel. Despite all the challenges, Singapore was able to build up a testing capacity of up to 60,000 tests a day. In light of this, in preparation for future pandemics, how could we build up capabilities within Singapore to develop and manufacture vaccines here? Do we have sufficient capacity or ability to re-tool and manufacture these testing capabilities locally? On access to food, water and other essentials, throughout the pandemic, Singaporeans had uninterrupted access to food, water and essential items. However, we cannot take this for granted and assume that the global supply chain would remain intact, with ports, ships, airports and air cargo operating normally. Our continued access to essentials was possible because Singapore's robust supply chain management system could quickly adapt to the pandemic's changing circumstances. In addition, the Government worked closely with local businesses and international partners to establish safe corridors for transit. The litmus test was when Singaporeans were able to walk into heartland markets, NTUC, Sheng Siong or Cold Storage, and all the shelves were stocked. I would like to thank those silent heroes at the frontlines of procurement, those unsung heroes on the ground who secured those essential supplies and their safe passage to Singapore. In the future, circumstances and scenarios may restrict or disrupt our accessibility to essential resources. How can we better on-shore or near-shore resources to buffer our resilience further? Can the Singaporeans play an active role in building buffers within households?”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the committee for their tireless efforts in putting together this report. The report provides valuable insights into the challenges we faced during the pandemic, the measures taken, and the lessons learnt. Operating in a dynamic environment with evolving knowledge and understanding of the virus is challenging. The pandemic has been an unprecedented global crisis. It has impacted all our lives, from healthcare to the economy, and tested our social cohesion, and Singapore's resilience and agility as a nation. It emphasised the need for cooperation and partnerships between the Government, businesses, and individuals. We have done remarkably well in our response to the pandemic. In the healthcare domain, there were four key issues: (1) continued access to healthcare; (2) resources to ensure the survival of Singaporeans stricken with COVID-19; (3) testing capabilities; and (4) vaccinations. To do this, we needed a trained workforce, space, equipment and essential medical supplies such as vaccines. And to mention that Singapore was among the first to secure and administer vaccinations to protect our citizens. I would like to applaud the planning group for vaccines and therapeutics for being able to pick out two of 35 other potential candidates during the early stages of vaccine trials that enabled us to have early access. We may not be as fortunate in the future. Singapore was able to build up COVID-19 testing capabilities. For this to occur, it required PCR testing kits, swab kits, PCR machines, trained personnels and well-coordinated logistics capability. Without one of these, large-scale testing would not have been possible.”
“There are a number of reasons why this is the case. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to face barriers to learning such as challenging family circumstances, access to learning resources as well as proper nutrition. These barriers can make it more difficult for them to engage in school and achieve their potential. Students with higher needs may require additional support to overcome specific challenges such as learning disabilities or mental health issues. Without this support, they may struggle to keep up with their peers and may become disengaged from the learning process. They simply need a better learning environment, more opportunities and time. Providing support for students with higher needs is not only a matter of inclusive values of the education system but also an economic imperative. Studies have shown that students who receive additional support are more likely to complete their education, to go on to further studies or employment and to make a positive contribution to society. It is essential that we provide more support for students with higher needs, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This may involve additional resources such as funding, extra staff, equipment as well as targeted interventions that are specifically tailored to the needs of individual students. As such, how are we better support our students with higher needs and those from disadvantaged circumstances? Persons with Disabilities' Access to SkillsFuture Programmes”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to declare that I am the founding director and board member of Tasek Jurong Limited, a charity and Institution of Public Character (IPC) for disadvantaged youths and Singaporeans. The world is changing at an unprecedented rate and our students will be facing challenges and opportunities that were not even imagined a few years ago. The pace of technological innovation, the rise of automation, the impact of climate change and the increasing interconnectedness of the global economy are just a few examples of the complex issues that our students will need to navigate as they move into adulthood. To prepare our students for this complex world, we need to focus on building their resilience and adaptability as well as their skills and knowledge. This means not only providing a strong academic foundation but also fostering their creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. It also means equipping them with the social and emotional skills that are essential for success in life. These include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. These skills will help our students to develop strong and positive relationships and to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the complex world that lies ahead. We are certain that we will require a partnership framework to augment the school system. As such, how can we build partnerships with parents, the industry and the wider community to nurture resilient and holistic students who can thrive in a complex future? Support for Students with Higher Needs Students with higher needs, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, require more support to ensure that they have an equal opportunity to succeed.”
“Building an Innovative Country Mr Chairman, developing innovative capabilities is essential for the progress and relevance of the enterprise as well as for the collective ecosystem of the industry. There are many downstream benefits such as better trained manpower, competitive learning and more rapid adoption of technology as well as sharing of best practices and collaboration for the joint development of innovative technologies. Innovation is a key driver of economic growth and enterprises play a critical role in driving innovation. By developing new products, services and processes, enterprise can create new markets, attract investment and create jobs. In a globalised economy, enterprises that are more innovative are better able to compete on a global stage. By investing in innovation, enterprises can gain a competitive edge and contribute to the country's overall competitiveness. Innovation can also lead to increased productivity and efficiency, which can help to reduce costs and increase profits. This can help enterprises to reinvest in their businesses, create new opportunities and contribute to the country's economic growth. Innovative enterprise are more able to contribute to social progress by developing products and services that meet the needs of a growing and diverse population. They can help to improve access to education, healthcare and other critical services and create new opportunities for individuals and communities, especially in the area of employment. How is the Government supporting enterprises in growing their innovative capabilities? Enterprise Digitisation and Innovation”
“Mr Chairman, building up advanced manufacturing capabilities is important for a country in order to remain competitive and successful in the global economy. Advanced manufacturing capabilities can contribute to economic growth by driving innovation, creating new products and services and increasing productivity and efficiency. This can lead to new business opportunities, job creation and increased competitiveness in the global market. These capabilities drive technological advancement by enabling the development of new materials and production techniques. This can also help to enhance a country's reputation as a leader in technological innovation. It is critical for national security as these capabilities enable the production of key components and systems that are essential for defense and other critical applications. For environmental sustainability, many new materials and advanced process are required to develop new products that contribute to environmental sustainability, enabling the production of more efficient and environmentally friendly products and reducing waste and emissions. Today, there are significant potential for growth and innovation for robotics and space. Robotics can be used to automate production processes, increase efficiency and enhance quality control while space manufacturing can enable the production of advanced materials and components that are critical for space exploration and other applications. These sectors will drive significant technological advancement as new products and services are developed and new materials and production techniques are used. As such, how are we building our manufacturing capabilities for the future?”
“It is imperative to develop our local leadership and talent. Local talent has a better understanding of the local market, including customer needs, cultural nuances and regulatory requirements. This can help businesses to better meet the needs of their customers and compete more effectively in the local market. This is especially so in Asia where the diversity of cultures and operating environment vary substantially. However, when there is a tight local labour market, businesses will face much difficulty. There is a much smaller pool of available candidates, businesses struggle to find workers with the specific skills and experience that they require. This is further exacerbated when there is an increased competition for talent within a single industry. Businesses will have to compete for the same pool of candidates. Many will have to offer higher salaries or better benefits to attract and retain employees and driving up business costs. If businesses are unable to fill critical roles or have to rely on inexperienced workers, this can lead to lower productivity and profitability. Eventually, without a sufficient supply of skilled workers, businesses will struggle to expand or take on new projects. As such, what can businesses do to adapt to the tighter labour market and manpower challenges? What is the Government doing to develop talent locally and preparing them to take on leadership roles and help their companies grow? Achieving Vision of Manufacturing 2030”
“Under such circumstances, many companies will face cash flow problems which is further exacerbated by higher borrowing costs and a tighter credit market. In a tightened financial market, businesses will have difficulty accessing financing especially those with high levels of debt or have a poor credit rating. As such, what can businesses do to adapt to rising operating costs and tightened financial markets and what will the Government do to help them? Helping Businesses Cope with Rising Costs”
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Singapore SMEs faced significant challenges. For most, the pandemic has led to a significant decrease in demand for many products and services which has resulted in a decline in revenue. They faced cash flow problems and find it difficult to meet their financial obligations, pay employees and invest in the future. This was especially so for those with high rental costs and depend mainly on physical stores and delivery. The supply chain disruptions were severe and many could not access the resources and materials they need to operate. For many others, finished products could not be shipped or distributed. Most SMEs were not equipped for remote work. There were challenges communicating, coordinating and managing the businesses which led to problems with productivity and reliability of service. This is especially so for those who have not embarked on their digital transformation to complete their sales and marketing online. During such challenging circumstances, what measures did the Government take to help local SMEs tide through the COVID-19 pandemic? Managing Rising Business Cost in Singapore Businesses face several difficulties especially when operating costs are rising faster than expected with a higher inflation environment. As costs increase, businesses may need to raise prices to maintain their profit margins. However, there is usually a lag in price adjustments especially for those in the contract manufacturing or with ongoing or unfulfilled contracts. The cost of goods and operating costs continues to rise but these companies continue to face outstanding obligations leading to reduced profit margins.”
“The challenges we face in the information and cyber domains have grown far beyond any single country's ability to address. Not only have they grown in relevance, countries are also becoming more reliant on social media and digital technologies. Almost every aspect of our lives has an online presence, including for the purposes of accessing essential services, transactions and communication. Losing access to the cyber and information domains would be extremely disruptive and is a challenge that transcends national boundaries. While the world has become more seamless, integrated and interconnected through digital means, it has led to a new wave of modern security challenges, increasing our exposure to cyberattacks, disinformation and misinformation. We have witnessed a significant increase in the volume, frequency and reach of disinformation and falsehoods, not just within, but also across societies. In order to combat these common challenges, deeper international and multilateral cooperation can be essential. In light of this, could the Minister for Defence provide views on what Singapore can do to ensure that multilateral cooperation remains strong, to address the increasingly transnational nature of the digital threats that we face? Regional Security Dialogue”
“The nature of warfare continues to evolve going into the 21st century. Unlike the past, battles today are no longer fought in the traditional physical domains of the sea, air, and on land, but also in cyberspace. We will also need to contend with another dimension – the rapid pace of technological evolution and disruption, which will also shape the texture of war and future conflict, and thus have a critical impact in shaping the SAF’s military doctrines and future battlefield tactics. With the private sector leading much of the technological innovation today, key technologies with high disruptive and dual-use potential are in the fields of AI, robotics and autonomous platforms. Could the Minister for Defence provide views on the emerging slate of military threats that MINDEF/SAF will need to guard against, and how MINDEF/SAF will stay ahead of these threats? New Military Technologies”
“Today, we continue our work of our forefathers in building and fighting for a better future. We must not fail. We must not falter, not on our watch, not today, not tomorrow. For an impossible dream to a credible vision, we craft our reality for tomorrow. Majulah Singapura." Mr Speaker, I support the Budget. [Applause.]”
“Today, we observe the emergence of ChatGPT and other tools, reading articles on Google's Survivor and Meta Facebook existential struggles. The pace of innovation, technological change and relevance is constantly shifting, more dramatic, the stakes much higher, opportunities and threats at every turn. Mr Speaker, existentialism is in our DNA. Singapore has been building his capability since our Independence, a strong banking and financial system, robust and progressive public housing. Robust because HDB has enhanced our public housing for seismic events – earthquakes. For food, with several months of strategic reserves – rice, eggs, poultry, vegetables. Stockpile of antiviral drugs, amongst many essentials. Reserves to rebuild our entire country in disastrous calamity. How do we retool our entire workforce when needed? Do we shrug our shoulders and say, it is just bad luck, it is beyond our control? I say, let us continue to prepare for our survival. We've heard those who suggested that we should prepare less, do less, take our time. We can cut the little and assume disasters and its recovery is preordained. Mr Speaker, I daresay we have no interest inverting to become a mud flat. We are not in the interest in building the country for a lifetime, but on a journey of building a country for many lifetimes – 100 years, 1,000 years, 10,000 years. Yes, no civilisation has existed that long yet. We will try. We may fail, but we will do our utmost. One of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's most memorable quotes, "Over 100 years, this was a mudflat. Today, it is a modern city. Ten years from now, this will be a metropolis. Today, we are here but we have not arrived. We must never think that we have arrived. We are on a journey, building a country and nation to thrive for 1,000 years and beyond.”
“Today, the Finns would study anything that would possibly go wrong and prepare for it, never again to repeat history. According to one of the Finnish reports, it was this particular work that enabled Finland to stock up face mask as part of the strategic reserves which readied them for COVID-19. Then, many say it was paranoid, excess, a waste of public funds. But for catastrophic event for once in 100 years, I say it is for survival. Singapore has weathered many crises since Independence. Closest to World War Z was Covid-19. We had the oil crisis of 1970s, the economic crisis, SARS and global economic crisis of 2008. We also had our fair share of destructions throughout the years, some more dire consequences than others. But what's fresh in our minds was the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. It reviewed the vulnerabilities and independence of the global economy. First, medical supplies and equipment were in short supply. Then, food shortages worldwide, with rising prices of fertiliser, oil and grain, amongst many others. This was a race for resources and for survival. We must remember that, to survive, it is not just the 10th person or the black hat, but the contributions of all five other hats, doing their best to be innovative and creative with balance and poise, emotive and inclusive, building and fighting a strong team for Singapore. In my maiden speech two years ago, I shared the importance of relevance and how Temasek's 700 years of history had its fair share of turmoil and success. Last year, I spoke on the dramatic rise of China's AI development and holding more AI patterns than any other country.”
“Mr Speaker, this Budget is well crafted, balanced, sustainable, with a progressive stance for the future. This Budget will help us to build strong foundations for innovation and collaboration, setting the right tone and pace. It sets out the importance to work on the strategy collectively – every stakeholder and entity, every Singaporean, a role to play. It reflects our values to give every citizen opportunities to discover themselves and contribute meaningfully, each contribution appreciated and cherished. This Budget reflects our vision and ambition to build with courage the Singapore we want for tomorrow. Each year, natural disasters have shocked the world – earthquakes, tsunamis, pandemics. Some deadlier than others. War conflict and failed government policies are disasters we strike upon ourselves. Famine, economic collapse, inflation – we may be powerless in the face of a natural disaster, but we can prepare for them. We may not have the influence over policies of others, but we can prepare for them. In the movie "World War Z", standing behind the impenetrable fortress and high walls, Mossad Chief, Jurgen Warmbrunn, explained the concept of the 10th person in the council of 10, the person charged with the responsibility, challenging every assumption, no matter how improbable it may seem to safeguard the "what-ifs" for the country. This gave them time to build up defences and face the threat. In the Six Thinking Hats of De Bono, white, red, blue, yellow, green and black, the black hat is to imagine everything possible that may go wrong and to build capabilities for it. In Finland, during the World War II, the Finns suffered greatly as a result of being cut off from imports.”
“We have a window of opportunity to become truly an intelligent nation to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life in Singapore. Quality of life is closely linked to our access to resources. The world consumes about 92 billion tonnes of resources each year – approximately 1.7 times the amount consumed in 2000. In the last 15 years, the global consumption of commodities increased by 40%. At the same time, investments in new mining projects have fallen to 15-year lows. The discovery of copper is on a gradual decline, with only one major discovery in the last five years. Many more resources follow a similar trend. We are just at the start of a long run of shortages and higher prices. Even if supply was available, we cannot assume that it is accessible, not least until the producer country has stored ample supplies for domestic consumption. Copper and critical materials are at the leading edge of this global shortage. In due time, the rest will follow. Who are competing with us for these resources? In the 1960s, most of the global population were living in poverty. Today, we have 2.5 billion people in the middle class. The uplift of the middle class, coupled with better access to healthcare and education, has increased the number of professionals and global talent. In 2020, China and India graduated over 90 million students from universities, with 2.7 million of them with degrees from science, engineering or technology. In the US and European Union (EU), 7.5 million students graduated from universities, mostly in business, healthcare, social science and law. This will continue to increase by another 30% by 2050. This is the global competition for good jobs and quality investments and it will be increasingly difficult.”
“Think of the steam engine, which took 100 years, 25 years for the telephone, 30 years for electricity, and the printing press, which was invented in 1439, only widely adopted 500 years later in the 19th century. These technologies changed the way we live and work. However, this time, it will be different. It took a few years for Kodak to slide into bankruptcy. But with AI, the time required for a Kodak moment by pressing the camera button on the latest iPhone, a single AI would have generated more than a billion bits of information – a quantum leap by any measure. The UK plans to become a global AI superpower. From the codebreaker Alan Turing's early work to London-based powerhouse DeepMind, UK is ranked third in the world for investments to AI companies and a third of all Europe's AI companies – just behind the US and China. More recently, British Telecom quick-paced and established an AI developmental hub, launched an AI accelerator and registered more AIs than any UK entity. South Korea has similar ambitions and aims to become a powerhouse, with investments of $642 million into companies developing advanced AI chips. As part of the larger vision for South Korea, Seoul has set aside $795 million for AI semiconductors and another $235 million for next-generation platforms. According to the Global AI Readiness Index, Singapore ranks second behind the US. Looking deeper into the data, Singapore outperformed in government and infrastructure pillars and must strive to do better for the technology pillar – impressive for a small country of a population of 5.5 million. We must continue to do this good work, to be courageous in investing and building our future capabilities.”
“6 billion from Volkswagen, and many more. Nvidia took the lead as the company positioned its latest Pascal chip architecture as purpose-built for AI, holding 90% of the market for processing chips using training and machine learning today. From 1959 to 2012, computing power doubled every two years, tracking Moore's law. Today, computational power used to train the largest AI models doubles every 3.4 months. That is a rate seven times faster than before. If you think that this progress is rapid, this was limited because graphics processing units (GPUs) could only condense computational power over a few hundred cores. An AI chip maker, Cerebras, recently built the largest chip in the world – 22 inch on each side, 2.6 trillion transistors on a condensed computational power of 850,000 cores, with a 100 trillion parameters. Compared to what I knew of 486 Pentium computers, this was not space technology. This was alien technology. This progress will keep pace with machine learning and robotics. In 2022, Amazon invested $1 billion into robotics. Amazon hires about 1.6 million workers at the end of 2021 and today, it adds about 1,000 robots a day. The number of robots to workers today is about a third. By 2023, Amazon will have more robots than employees. With global investments reaching $232 billion by 2025, these capabilities will soon be quickly moved from supply chain to manufacturing. Employment will be disrupted. Throughout history, there have been a handful of technologies that have truly transformed the world, unleashing new levels of productivity and prosperity.”
“Mr Speaker, those of my generation would fondly remember visiting the computer lab in school – bulky cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors and the screeching noise of a dial up modem. Twenty-eight point eight kilobits per second was what we had. Much later, the 56.8 modems were on after-burner. This was probably difficult to comprehend – why the hype over a computer lab? But back then, this was cutting edge. Access to computers was a luxury. Much earlier, I remember loading MS-DOS using floppy drives. I remember hardcoding my first html website in 1996 and uploading it onto Angelfire, a free hosting website. Computers back then were the 486 Pentiums and the thought of having dual core and quad core chips were to me, space technology. February 2023 marks the dawn of generative artificial intelligence (AI). This is becoming the new Internet in the pursuit of new experiences. We have heard this before. The rate of technological change is accelerating. It is unpredictable and unprecedented. But the pace of change has gained additional momentum with the arrival of tools such as ChatGPT. For a long time, the generic Google Search was much of everything we knew of the Internet. Chatbots are not a new idea. For a decade, we had Siri and Alexa, but the level of performance and adoption in Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) is astounding. What took Facebook four years, Instagram, two, Google, one to achieve 100 million users, ChatGPT took two months. More recently, Microsoft invested $10 billion into ChatGPT. In response, Google has invested $300 million in its rival, Anthropic. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), an educational research institution with an endowment of $24.6 billion, committed $1.1 billion for AI research. A $2 billion investment from IBM, $4.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. I have several concerned residents and parents and despite the current efforts – education, outreach, enforcements – there is still an upward trajectory. So, I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary what more can be done to reverse this trend and if you have done sufficient – given enough effort to reach out to our youths, to educate them on the adverse effects?”
“Therefore, it is timely to review the SSG Act to uphold the integrity and the reputation of SkillsFuture. I have a few questions for the Minister. First, how are the penalties ascertained, and how will they evolve? Given the expanded scope, how do we ensure that the Statutory Board can adhere to high standards of conduct? How does SSG plan to raise, train and sustain this capability? Are there any precedents of such expanded powers in other Government Statutory Boards? Whilst under investigation, will there be powers to impose or lift any interim restrictions imposed on the companies or individuals? How do we ensure the process is swift and reasonable during the investigation to avoid unnecessary disruptions? Mr Speaker, I support the Bills.”
“Mr Speaker, in 2021, over 247,000 Singaporeans utilised their SkillsFuture Credits, up from 188,000 in 2020. Thus far, it has served Singaporeans well in helping individuals make well-informed choices in education, training and in their careers. Ongoing efforts in maintaining and developing a high-quality education and training system ensure a responsive and relevant resource for the industry and its future developments. This system must be a platform that can give employers confidence that the skills and training are practical and recognised by the industry, becoming a trusted system for acquiring skills and mastery of capabilities. Above all, it must foster a culture that supports and celebrates lifelong learning. Why do we do this? The main objective is to provide Singaporeans with opportunities to develop their fullest potential throughout their life, regardless of their starting point. And no matter at which phase in life, one will have access to the resources to attain the skills and training required to be more effective at work and progress further in their career, for some, a less difficult transition into a new industry. The integrity, credibility and quality of the system underpin these core tenets. Of late, the rise of abuse cases has threatened these. We have heard about examples of such abuse. We have training providers falsely indicating that the Government recognises their courses. We have bogus claims being submitted for courses that were not conducted. We have multiple companies where claims were submitted to SSG for employees whose only role and job was to attend SSG-funded courses. These are growing concerns, and it affects the credibility SkillsFuture in Singapore.”
“In the future, when these standards evolve, how will it affect EV chargers that were already implemented? To ensure a robust EV charging industry, operators will play a significant role in ensuring that EV charging experience is safe and reliable. As the capital expenditure (capex) investment for an EV charger is substantial, licensing and establishing commercial guidelines are essential to ensure commercial viability, price stability and user reliability. I would like to ask the Minister if there will be a cap on the number of licences issued and if there will be a minimum baseline load before a licence is required. Also, how long will the licence be valid? Finally, will the licence be in sync with the commercial lifespan of the chargers? The network and accessibility of the chargers are essential. As a significant proportion of the chargers will be located on private premises, how will the usage of these chargers be regulated? Will there be a distinction between EV chargers solely for private and public use? Can private owners provide charging services on an ad hoc basis? Another example is: if the chargers are located within a private estate or home, can the public pay for and use the charging infrastructure when visiting these private properties? How will this affect chargers on Government premises and Government-linked premises, such as JTC managed properties? Will these EV chargers be reserved only for staff in the building? If there is restricted use clause, will a vehicle that requires emergency charging be able to use these facilities? The transition phase for any implementation will be dynamic. There will be disruption and I am encouraged that MOT and LTA have mentioned that they will work closely with the industry to facilitate the transition.”
“Mr Speaker, Singapore's EV adoption is well-paced, with electric car registrations in 2022 exceeding 10% of all car registrations. Compared to 2021, this has almost tripled. In fact, this adoption rate has reached a new high of nearly 20% in the past couple of months. This trend has, most certainly, boded well for our national EV objectives. Users are more confident in purchasing an EV, due to availability of EV models, charging infrastructure, competitive costs and access to associated amenities. I want to congratulate and thank MOT for the work well done thus far in our EV transition. The continued deployment of EV infrastructure over the next 10 years is critical in maintaining our pace. By 2030, there will be over 60,000 EV charging points, of which 40,000 will be located in public car parks, whilst 20,000 will be in private premises. This project is a significant nationwide deployment. As such, it is timely for MOT to introduce the Electric Vehicle Charging Bill to ensure reliable EV charging services and infrastructure. Globally, nearly 25% of EV fires occur while charging. As such, it is vital that we can minimise the deployment of unregulated or ill-maintained chargers. I agree that LTA should have the power to regulate the supply, modification, advertisement, installation, certification, registration, use and maintenance of EV chargers. Like elevators in our buildings, EV chargers should meet high standards, with timely maintenance to ensure safe operations. Given the nascent EV charging technology, I would like to ask the Minister how MOT will establish and review the certification and testing standards. How will these new standards affect current owners of EV chargers? What is the impact assessment?”