Sun Xueling
Singapore
“We are deploying electric vehicle (EV) chargers in tandem with growing demand, within the constraints of space and electricity. As EV technology is continuously improving, we are also mindful not to overbuild as chargers can become obsolete quickly.”
“I thank Member Dr Choo Pei Ling for raising feedback from her Tengah residents. Currently, two multi-storey car parks in Tengah have EV chargers, and LTA subsidiary, EV-Electric (EVe) Charging Pte Ltd, is in the process of deploying EV chargers in another eight multi-storey car parks in Tengah.”
“The Government targets to deploy 60,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points by 2030, which comprise 40,000 in public car parks, and 20,000 in private premises. As of March 2026, there are 30,500 EV charging points deployed in Singapore. We are on track to achieving our 2030 target in tandem with the growing demand for EVs.”
“In 2025, about 30% of Build-To-Order (BTO) blocks were completed earlier than their estimated completion dates at the point of flat booking. On average, these blocks were completed about two months earlier.”
“Yes, thank you. We agree with Dr Neo that it is important to bring together the wider ecosystem and we will consult all stakeholders. The Ministry of Transport's immediate focus is to drive the usage of drones more extensively, especially by the public sector and this is because we already have many potential use cases.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Earlier, I mentioned in my reply that the HDB notifies buyers at three junctures. This is to give buyers adequate time to plan. And that is why it is at the one year before, six months before and three months before.”
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“How do we bridge gaps in evolving value systems and focus on the common traits that bind across generations?”
“Chairman, we need forward-looking and entrepreneurial youths to flourish in the new economy. Hence, it is more important than ever that our youths learn more about the region. The ASEAN Workplan on Youth 2016 to 2020 is a good start. The five tenets of entrepreneurship, employment, awareness of ASEAN, volunteerism, and leadership and resilience as well are worthy goals for any youth to aspire to. How do we improve our youths' capabilities in these areas and prepare them for the future? We need to expose our youths to the different cultures and experiences that our ASEAN neighbours have to offer. How does the Singapore-ASEAN Youth Fund help integrate our youths further with the ASEAN community? Can we tap upon successfully implemented programmes, such as the ASEAN Youth Summit, to drive collaborative progress throughout ASEAN? Engaging our Youths A report by Citi Foundation and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) published in 2015 ranked Singaporean youths aged between 13 and 25, 32nd out of 35 cities in terms of optimism about their economic future. Understandably, the knowledge that a more volatile and complex economy will require skills that youths may not yet fully grasp, can present a daunting future. But like past generations of young Singaporeans, youths strive to create a future for themselves amidst uncertainty. In the process, youths balance their ideals with the need to make pragmatic solutions, because pragmatism allows the best ways and best methods to be selected to support ideals, and idealism is needed to give meaning to the need to be pragmatic. Chairman, I would like to inquire how MCCY plans to engage youths to support them to achieve their ideals. Further, how do we work with them to take in their inputs on key policy issues?”
“Chairman, with Government expenditure set to rise due to infrastructure renewal and building up of healthcare facilities, I hope that apart from having gateways to review the costing and design of large projects, that the Ministry can look into the processes that guide day-to-day Government procurement or assets. For instance, can we use centralised procurement to a larger extent to leverage economies of scale and get a better deal from suppliers? Can the Ministries actively push for product standardisation and demand aggregation to ensure that we do not get creamed off by suppliers? We could end up being charged different prices across different institutions for similar products if we are not careful. Also, how do we ensure that purchase contracts best take care of our interests? Lastly, where assets have a long lifecycle, say 25 to 30 years, are the Ministries adopting a lifecycle cost-approach to take into account the cost of maintenance and replacements of spare parts? Are there specialised teams with technical knowledge of these assets to make a reasoned assessment of the costs? Support for Local Construction Companies”
“Chairman, to tell the full story of a nation's history, it is not just the voices of important players which matter, but those of ordinary Singaporeans, too. I would like to ask the Ministry how the National Library and the National Archives intend to reach out to ordinary Singaporeans to include their oral histories and capture footage of daily living. This will help preserve our heritage and also enrich the quality of our collections. Further, how are we increasing access to archival resources in our libraries to encourage greater understanding of our history and culture?”
“What is helpful with the IDPs is that they include a self-assessment category which allows SMEs to know where the skill gaps are and then it directs the SMEs to look for help from Business Advisors at SME Centres or, in the case of needing advanced digital advisory, that they meet with principal consultants at SME Digital Tech Hub. On paper, the IDPs would give management consultants a run for their money and truly showcase the professionalism and high standards of the Civil Service. However, I am concerned with the rollout on the ground as many SME business owners may not read or understand the IDPs. How would the Government go about pushing out the IDPs on a broad scale? Are there plans to go to the ground level to push the message out rather than wait for the SMEs to show up at the SME Centres or Digital Tech Hubs? Further, I would like to enquire how the six priority sectors were arrived at and what is the envisaged timeline of the rollout? Would the Ministry be looking to roll out with certain Queen Bee companies in each sector to seed the digital plan and have it permeate through the supply chain? Digitisation of SMEs”
“And to our young who will use online resources increasingly in schools, can we include cybersecurity training as part of their school curriculum? CSA launched the "Live Savvy with Cybersecurity" campaign last year. Such general awareness campaigns are useful to inculcate awareness of cyber threats to mass audiences. Awareness is the first step. Then we can discuss the steps we can take collectively to avoid being victims of cyberattacks. Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises The benefits of digitalisation to the economy are apparent. However, when we look at the rate of adoption of digitalisation by SMEs in Singapore, since the SMEs Go Digital Programme was launched last year, only a few hundred SMEs have adopted digital technology using 30 out of the 56 pre-approved solutions by IMDA. Given the close to 180,000 SMEs we have in Singapore, how can we promote wider adoption of digital technologies? SMEs employ two-thirds of our workforce. If we can encourage the adoption of digital technologies effectively by our SMEs, the training our workers can receive in the process will be a huge plus. The Government has worked with the trade associations and chambers (TACs) to establish Digital Tech Hubs. Based on our knowledge of the most frequent queries SMEs have when they approach the Digital Tech Hubs, are we able to put together learning points, customise solutions and push out to a larger group of SMEs? Digitalisation across Sectors IMDA has highlighted that it would develop sector-specific Industry Digital Plans (IDP) for six priority sectors, namely, Retail, Logistics, Food Services, Wholesale Trade, Cleaning and Security. The Logistics IDP and the Retail IDP have been rolled out.”
“Chairman, we recently debated the Cybersecurity Bill in Parliament which looks at 11 CII systems. But Singapore’s cybersecurity is more than that. Our regular businesses and individuals also need to practise cybersecurity. Given how plugged in we are as a country and as a people, every computer in our system can become a conduit in which to launch cyberattacks. The Cyber Security Agency (CSA) commissioned a survey last year to find out Singaporean attitudes to cybersecurity. It was discovered that one in three respondents did not manage their passwords securely. They store them on computers, write them down or use the same password for multiple accounts. For almost half the survey respondents, they did not conduct virus scans on their devices and files and used open, non-password protected wi-fi networks in public places. The risks to us as a country is thus large as there are many open gateways through which we can be hacked. How then can the Government work with businesses and educate the public on how to prevent and respond to cybersecurity threats and incidents? As we work with SMEs to encourage them to leverage digitalisation to increase productivity, can we also take the opportunity to educate them on cybersecurity and encourage them to take appropriate precautions? Can the SME Centres set up to help SMEs embrace digitalisation also be equipped to provide cybersecurity awareness training to SMEs? For the public, can we work on two groups of individuals in particular? To the elderly who may give out personal details freely when asked, can we work through grassroots organisations to provide fundamental cybersecurity awareness to them?”
“Although Asean is becoming more integrated, investors have shared about local preferences and cultural sensitivities. A one-size-fits-all corporate strategy can, therefore, not be applied across widely varying markets. With Singapore helming ASEAN's chairmanship for 2018, we have a chance at positioning ASEAN for a more seamless economic region, as well as strengthening a focus on innovation and the digital economy. What is MTI's reading of ASEAN's potential? And how are we working with ASEAN member states to unlock this potential to benefit Singapore and Singaporeans? Potential of ASEAN's Trade”
“Mr Chairman, growth in Asian emerging markets as a whole is projected to average 6% from 2015 to 2020. Even though the 6% growth rate may not be high by historical standards, Asia is expected to continue outperforming the rest of the world by a significant margin. In India, Prime Minister Modi's administration is pressing ahead with reforms aimed at enhancing the business environment. China’s 13th Five-Year Plan demonstrates its leaders’ commitment to rebalance demand and revive productivity growth through a more competitive market-based allocation of resources. In ASEAN, there has been a ramping-up of public investments through various infrastructure projects. The region around us is gearing up to provide its citizens greater prosperity and greater opportunities for foreign direct investments. Since decades ago, Singapore’s fortune has been closely tied to the region. Our local business community is active in the region and many family businesses have networks across Asia. With Technology and rising consumerism, the population in the region is seeking new products and services. Their young population’s rising incomes and skills also mean that they are participating in the region’s supply chain in a new way. Mr Chairman, with these changes happening in Asia, how does Singapore and our companies leverage new opportunities and what are the Government’s plans to help Singapore companies take advantage of a rising Asia? Unlocking ASEAN's Potential ASEAN is a major hub for manufacturing and trade, as well as one of the fastest growing consumer markets in the world. It is one of the largest economic zones, with growth being rapid and relatively stable for the past two decades.”
“Chairman, many of us in Singapore watch with bated breath as the United Kingdom (UK) voted on the Referendum on its European Union (EU) membership and, more recently, when the US voted for its 45th President. These were divisive campaigns marked by catchy populist slogans and contagious promises. The results showed a deep frustration with the status quo and anxiety about the future in a globalised world marked by free trade. In January 2017, a newly elected President Donald Trump signed an executive order pulling his country out of the TPP. It would have been an ambitious trade deal that would account for 40% of global economic output and 26% of world trade. Singapore would have benefited greatly from it. Singapore thrives on an open economy, and trade is our lifeblood. Given these developments, what is MFA's view on the prospects for free trade and economic integration around the world? Further, Singapore takes over the chairmanship of ASEAN this year and will strive to deepen regional connectivity. With this year's theme of resilience and innovation, efforts will be underway to uphold the regional order to better deal with emerging security challenges, tap new ways to manage and mine digital technologies and push ahead with regional economic integration. Singapore, as Chairman, will also aim to achieve a high quality Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a trade pact involving all 10 ASEAN member states and six countries which ASEAN has Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with. What is MFA's view on the ability of ASEAN to achieve real economic integration regionally versus bilateral trade agreements with the major economies? Engagement of Emerging Markets”
“As such, how can we grow ICT leaders within the public sector with experience to drive and manage our Smart Nation ambitions? Voting Process and Polling Stations”
“Chairman, the Government has been encouraging the private sector to embrace digitalisation so as to increase productivity and develop new trajectories of growth. Similarly, citizens have been encouraged to go cashless and use technology to achieve greater conveniences in daily living. These efforts are worthy but, without foundational pieces, such as digital platforms and enabling infrastructure, private initiatives may achieve piecemeal success at best or, even worse, run into technical difficulties during implementation. I would thus like to understand how we are progressing in our five strategic national projects which can lay the foundation for which our society can make better use of digital technology. 4.15 pm Recently, a second outage hit SingPass and the Complementarity Assessment Framework (ComPass). This prompted some IT professionals to express concerns about the robustness of the gateway systems and their impact on our new national digital identity system. What investments would the Government be making to ensure the running of reliable, resilient and secure systems? Mr Chairman, we need a concerted and sustained effort to conceptualise, build and manage Smart Nation-related projects. We should embark on Smart Nation as a new nation-building project. What that means is that we need a whole-of-Government approach, an all-talent-on-board drive. We have been hiring ICT professionals piecemeal from the private sector. Given the enormity and strategic importance of Smart Nation to Singapore, I suspect that we also need ICT talents who understand where we are and the legacy issues we may have and where we hope to get to. It is a Singaporean Smart Nation vision that we want to get to, one that is inclusive and beneficial to all in Singapore.”
“Can we work with some queen-bee companies in these selected sectors to get early buy-in? In fact, can we push the boundary by legislating FWAs for selected industries?”
“Like childcare, infant care options weigh heavily on the minds of parents. I am concerned that some well-meaning parameters, such as space-to-infant ratio has overly limited the number of places the centre can provide for infants. What can the Ministry do to ensure affordable and quality infant care places so that young mothers have real options to put their infants in infant care so that they can go back to the workplace post-maternity leave? Family-friendly Workplaces Mr Chairman, I am glad to hear that since its launch in 2013, 1,500 companies have benefited from the Work-Life Grant which provides funding and incentives for companies to offer flexible work arrangements (FWAs). However, I am puzzled as to why, based on the 2016 survey when about eight in 10 companies are willing to let their employees go on a planned time-off or to telework to attend to personal matters and one or two companies are willing to let their employees work from home on certain days of the week, FWAs are not more prevalent in Singapore's workplaces. 2.45 pm Can the Ministry share where the gaps are since employees are keener on FWAs and employers, based on the survey, are willing to let employees benefit from FWAs? The Ministry has been systematic in promoting FWAs for employees, defining such arrangements as being flexi-time, flexi-place or flexi-load. I would like to enquire if similar commitments should be placed on employees to ensure that FWAs are taken on responsibly. I am keen to see FWAs are being rolled out on a sustainable basis in society, and that can only happen if both employers and employees see the value in the arrangements. Lastly, on the implementation front, can we consider rolling out FWAs on a sectoral basis?”
“I thank the Minister for the explanation. I would like to enquire if there is a sense that the same group of commuters, perhaps the 42% senior citizens, would require repeated help in this area. If so, how can we help them to remember how to do so, perhaps for a longer period of time?”
“For example, based on the premise of procuring quality products and services, Government agencies should always strive to negotiate for the best deal with suppliers, while achieving economies of scale and reducing procurement costs through centralised procurement and product standardisation. At the same time, the Government should adopt a lifecycle approach in procurement cost evaluation and control long-term costs effectively. The Government can also work with community and private sectors to optimise the use of resources. Mr Speaker, Sir, money is earned based on one’s ability and should be spent efficiently. I hope that we will not be trapped in a zero-sum game. With Government expenditure growing steadily, we must make greater efforts to save public funds, be more meticulous in planning expenditure, and constantly challenge ourselves to improve the efficiency of money spent. In the face of increasing global competition, we must be bold enough to increase investment, embrace new trends and technologies and strive relentlessly to improve ourselves.”
“Even if you compare it to 10 years ago, there has been tremendous changes, with the Internet and big data creating disruptive impact on the transport industry. As people say in Chinese ni shui xing zhou, bu jin ze tui (when you are sailing against the current, you must keep forging ahead, or you will be falling behind). We should keep up with the major long-term trends and actively pursue new business opportunities in the value chain, for example, investment opportunities in transportation big data, online travel services and more. Only by doing so can we stay ahead in the face of global competition. To seize opportunities in the major long-term trends, we need to link Singapore up with international innovation hubs. This is why I support the GIA programme. In addition, I also suggest setting up an international network for Singaporeans under GIA, so that overseas Singaporeans can also contribute to our development. It is also important to nurture our local talent. We should ensure that both working adults who are currently employed and young people entering the labour market are better able to meet market demand, and that job training programmes are market-driven. Secondly, with the growing Government expenditure, we must ensure efficiency in Government spending, such that every effort is made to ensure that every dollar contributed by taxpayers is well-spent. Government revenue comes from taxpayer’s hard-earned money. Therefore, to rein in costs, the Government not only needs a sound system, but it also needs to take a micro view to incentivise every public officer to save public funds.”
“Mr Speaker, no one likes higher taxes. If increased spending is here to stay because we have to take care of our elderly and renew our infrastructure, let us seize the opportunities to grow our economy and revenues and, at the same time, make every tax dollar count. Let us be united in our vision and apply our energies correctly. Only then, can we overcome the challenges we face and create a stronger, better Singapore. Mr Speaker, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, some Members expressed hope that more can be done to help the elderly and the disadvantaged. This Budget is precisely about how to allocate our resources optimally to create the biggest economic pie to support increasing expenditure, so that we can look after our senior citizens and the disadvantaged effectively. Therefore, I would like to discuss two points. Firstly, to ensure that our economy continues to prosper, we should be bold in taking advantage of major long-term trends to develop new growth opportunities and strengthen the competitiveness of Singapore’s key industries. After decades of hard work, Singapore has made great strides in our ports and aviation industries. These were achieved by our forefathers who were bold to explore in the face of great uncertainty. As the new generation of Singaporeans, if we do not pursue success boldly, we will become mediocre. As such, I support the Government’s plans to invest in Changi Airport Terminal 5 and the Tuas Mega Port. These demonstrate Singapore’s determination to stay ahead and constantly strive to be stronger and better. Of course, the value chain of today is very different from 50 years ago.”
“Second, I would like to stress the importance of assessing asset purchases via a lifecycle approach so that costs are managed over the entire lifecycle of the asset. This is especially important when we look at assets that have a long lifecycle, like lifts and rail parts, which are intended to last 25 to 30 years. Cash flow projections should take into account their maintenance costs and the lifespan of their replacement parts. Given the challenges in projecting cash flows, inhouse expertise may be required to make a fair assessment. Government agencies, such as HDB, for instance, should consider having businesses, such as Essential Maintenance Service (EMS) develop lift expertise so that they are able to make a reasoned assessment on the costs of maintenance and replacement. In the meantime, greater care and scrutiny need to be put into purchase contracts to bind suppliers to their promises. Third, I would like to see greater collaboration between the public, private and community sectors to configure resources to deliver optimal outcomes. The Finance Minister described the CNS. I have also seen how private operators, like Grab Shuttle Plus, complement our national transport infrastructure by introducing buses to Punggol during off-peak hours and serving residents who stay in less populous areas. And in Gambas, the community came together to buy and share umbrellas rather than spend public monies building a high sheltered linkway which may not provide good cover for residents from the rain. We should be open and enthusiastic in encouraging different configurations of public, private, community contributions to deliver optimal outcomes for citizens while minimising the burden on public monies. At the end of the day, everybody wins.”
“Monies collected could have been left in our citizens' pockets, as their personal savings or for their own care for their families. I appreciate the value-for-money initiatives the Minister for Finance explained in his Budget Statement and acknowledge that, at 19% of GDP, our Government expenditures are prudent comparatively. However, I hope that Government agencies can constantly challenge themselves to manage costs while delivering good quality services. I have three micro-level implementation suggestions. First, Government agencies should always strive to negotiate the best deal with suppliers when it comes to Government procurement for the benefit of taxpayers. For instance, with the need to build more healthcare facilities for an ageing population, there is scope for economies of scale via centralised procurement of hospital supplies, equipment and information technology (IT) software. And as the country steps up public renewal works, there is scope to demand discover what various agencies are procuring and if there are overlaps which allow more streamlined purchasing and better leverage. A well-thought through centralised procurement process may go beyond simple demand aggregation to require standardisation of product needs across institutions. I hope that the Ministry of Finance (MOF) can look into this actively to ensure that we are not being charged different prices across different institutions. The Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) recently launched a certificate in procurement for public servants. I hope more will be trained through such a programme.”
“The Aviation and Maritime Transformation Programme described in this year's Budget thus builds on our capabilities in the airport and seaport. We should challenge ourselves to mine these sectors for new development opportunities. Third, we should equip our people and our companies to take advantage of new opportunities. Continuous skills upgrading is thus critical. Skills upgrading allows workers at different stages of their work life to catch up on skills gaps which, if left unaddressed, could lead to long-term income gaps. Skills upgrading and training have thus been a key initiative in successive Budget plans. I would like to suggest that to maximise outcomes from training, that we encourage company-based training as training initiated, envisaged and monitored by companies are most closely tied to market needs. Further, to ensure that our young Singaporeans are ready for the workforce, I would like to suggest that internships be made available to all youths above 18 years old from the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). Internships can provide youths a reality check on the skills needed for the workforce and complement the education they receive from IHLs. Lastly, I support the Capability Transfer Programmes that are being piloted in certain specialised fields. This is used, for instance, to bring in experts in data analytics, machine learning and AI to facilitate the transfer of specialised knowledge to our local professionals in fintech. This is timely help for our companies and industries which are facing skillset gaps in certain important fields. I would next like to discuss how we can ensure that Government spending is used effectively and efficiently.”
“We currently have many Singaporeans working and studying in the region, Singaporeans familiar with the venture capital and private equity circuits and Singaporean firms and their partners with investments in these cities. Apart from strengthening our bilingual and bicultural skills, I suggest we more deliberately build our networks and leverage them to sense-make and get a better grasp of emerging trends in Asia – open platforms to bring in various partners to widen our reach and understanding of new developments and establish linkages back into Singapore to provide more opportunities for businesses and partnerships. Second, we should invest in priority areas which are central to our economy and which can also develop new adjacent avenues of growth. Our aviation and maritime industries today account for 10% of gross domestic product (GDP) and close to 170,000 jobs. Our mega investments in Changi Airport Terminal 5 and Tuas Megaport will continue to build on these strategic sectors. Our investments in these sectors can provide us with a strong platform to develop new avenues of growth if we continuously reassess what the most valued part of the sector is. Data and the use of data, for instance, have emerged as a change agent for many industries and spawned new businesses and business models. For airports and ports, there is a lot of data from the travellers and trade that pass through our shores. Can this data be monetised? For instance, can we create our own global online travel company, given the amount of data we have about the preferences of travellers? We can also leverage data to market to travellers even after they have left our shores.”
“Mr Speaker, the Government is transparent about what it sees on the horizon – that our spending needs will continue to increase due to healthcare expenditures for an ageing population and the need to renew infrastructure. Some Members before me have spoken about how they wish more can be done for our seniors, about what more can be done to address inequality. We will have to match these needs with the resources that are needed to do so. That is the responsible thing to do. And that is why the Minister for Finance has announced the need to raise GST in the foreseeable future to be able to match this increasing expenditure needs. In my speech, I would like to touch on how we grow our economy so that we have more resources, jobs and tax revenues from a more buoyant economy to meet our needs so that we will have more to address the various issues that Members have raised before me. Second, I would also like to touch on how we ensure Government spending is used effectively and efficiently. This is so that resources collected from the public can be used to best address needs. Mr Low Thia Khiang, who has spoken before me, spoke on the importance of leveraging ideas and new technology. I have a specific suggestion. We cannot grow in a vacuum. We need to have contact points into globally innovative cities as so to have global access to ideas and technology. The Minister for Finance and his team have spelt out their plans through the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) and the ASEAN Innovation Network. I support the GIA and the ASEAN Innovation Network which are ways for us to be plugged into the ecosystem of ideas and new technologies.”
“I thank the Minister for the reply. I would like to understand what are the criteria used to determine what policies need to be explained on the Government Factually website. Does it have to do with how serious the subject matter is or is it also correlated to how viral the fake news is? Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, Factually aims to address what we call "drums", that is, distortions, rumours, untruths, myths, smears and inaccurate information published in the public domain. We either do it proactively, when we see something online that has gone viral and there is a lot of misinformation, or when we receive feedback from the public for us to clarify. This is a proactive process that we continue to refine as we go along. Certainly, when the misinformation has really gone viral that needs to be addressed very quickly, we will do it in a timely manner. Those that may not, but still needs to be addressed, we either do it ourselves or we work with the various agencies which are involved to see whether we can push out the information as quickly as possible.”
“I would just like to enquire again with regard to my first two questions on the expected number of commuters that the Ministry is planning for who will travel into PDD.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State. May I know, what is the expected number of commuters that the Ministry is planning for, who will travel into PDD; and what is the expected timeline of the inflow of commuters, with the progressive completion of different offerings in PDD? Separately, does the Ministry have in mind a general transportation mix that it expects commuters will use to travel into PDD, for example, x% by car, x% by bus or rail, if the Senior Minister of State could give an indication on whether there are certain pending parameters?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State. Should the public be interested to track the yearly outlay on these mega infrastructure projects, how would they be able to see that in the yearly Budget release, given that the combined infrastructure spending budget for the Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Ministry of Transport (MOT) was only $15 billion in 2016, whereas the expected spending on these mega infrastructure projects are in the tens of billions?”
“A supplementary question: a common complaint from residents is of neighbours smoking in their balconies or out of the windows of their flats, leading to smoke wafting into the flats of residents. What would the Ministry recommend to residents who suffer from such second-hand smoke?”
“CII owners have to be identified correctly and their responsibilities accordingly scoped so that they face the right impetus to invest in cybersecurity for the sake of the nation. There will be conflict between the need to uphold cybersecurity and the need to protect the privacy of information, but we should not shy away from exploring where the boundaries are and find the right balance. (In English): With that, I support the Bill.”
“The Bill is bold as it covers both the public and private sectors, recognising that cybercriminals do not distinguish between such boundaries. However, concerns about the extent of powers a proposed Cybersecurity Bill would give the Government has emerged, underscoring the ever-present tension between security and protection of privacy. For example, the Bill empowers the Commissioner of Cybersecurity to require any person to surrender pertinent information regarding a suspected cyberattack. At the same time, various laws prevent the disclosure of personal information. Banks, for example, owe their customers a duty of confidentiality under the Banking Act. Similarly, organisations cannot use or disclose personal data without individuals’ consent under the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Is there scope then for the Bill to better address the intent of the Bill with existing prohibitions on disclosure? Lastly, how would the Cybersecurity Bill interact with existing legislation that may already cover cybersecurity requirements? Digital technologies are transforming our daily lives. They offer many new and exciting opportunities but, at the same time, present several challenges, including increasing our vulnerability to cyberattacks. The Cybersecurity Bill would help fortify our systems against cyberattacks and, notwithstanding my clarifications, is definitely a step in the right direction. Mr Speaker, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Cybersecurity cannot be taken for granted. Cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated and can cripple our CII. This can have serious repercussions for our nation’s ability to function and deliver essential services to our citizens. The Bill sets out the responsibilities of CII owners.”
“Mr Speaker, the Cybersecurity Bill sets out a comprehensive framework to protect our CIIs and points out the areas where Government agencies can work with CII owners to fortify our systems. Given the pivotal role that CII owners play, I would like to understand how the essential services and CIIs are identified, together with their owners. In instances where business operations are international and computer systems are housed outside Singapore, how would CII owners be identified and held accountable for their cybersecurity responsibilities? The Bill sets out requirements for CII owners to establish mechanisms and processes to detect any cybersecurity threats. It is heartening to note that MCI and CSA have been forthcoming and open to suggestions. I would like to enquire, given the range of cyber threats, to what extent would it be possible to expect CII owners to guard against every imaginable threat? The Bill would likely bring about increased compliance costs as well as organisational change to businesses. Has there been an assessment on the costs businesses would incur from the implementation of the Cybersecurity Bill? Would there be adequate time given to them for them to comply? And when there are cyberattacks, how do we balance the need for incident reporting and investigation requirements when CIIs may be putting efforts simultaneously to restore services targeted by cyberattacks? Standards or codes of practice issued or approved under the Bill should be aligned with globally compatible policies and benchmarks to help CII owners as much as possible. Given rapid developments globally to tackle cyber threats, how would the Bill take into account global developments and evolving standards?”
“I hope the Committee can conduct comprehensive public consultations to allow people to participate in the discussions and allow all sectors to give their views. At the same time, we need ample time for questions to be asked and discussed. Lastly, I hope that we can find a solution that will benefit Singapore and Singaporeans, a workable solution which is achieved through discussions among all Singaporeans. 3.06 pm”
“False news is the key instrument to incite people's feelings and create post-truth politics. False news can target a certain community or race in society, instil racial and religious ideology, and breed extremist ideas. This kind of slow and subtle influence can lead to a social divide and affect social stability. Singapore, although small, is a key player in ASEAN and a key node for trade, finance and communications. To advance their interests in the region, foreign powers may seek to manipulate Singapore through these means. Internationally, there are already people using the Internet to interfere with other countries' politics. They tend to possess powerful resources and advanced Internet technology. They can fabricate false news to infuriate people in another country, cause domestic turmoil and may even influence regime change. Singapore must stay vigilant so that these people will not succeed. For insidious false news, we cannot sit around to be fooled and harmed. We need to build our own defence system. Many countries in the world face the same difficult issue and still there are no good solutions. We cannot rely solely on the efforts of companies to self-regulate, because there may be people who profit from fabricating false news. Neither can we put the onus on citizens to separate truth from falsehood. This is irresponsible. False news can simply touch and go. To prevent false news from harming the society, we should consider legislation. However, we should also be mindful, when legislating laws, that we do not take away citizens' right to free speech. Freedom of speech must be protected by the law. Hence, I support the Motion to set up a Select Committee to examine ways to tackle online falsehoods.”
“Many countries worldwide are already doing so. Mr Deputy Speaker, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Through public voting, Lianhe Zaobao readers selected the word "terror" to describe the year 2017. This is not accidental, as there were many terror attacks all over the world last year. Besides terror attacks, there is another weapon which can also cause fear and anxiety in society and destroy social cohesion. This weapon is more insidious and harmful in the long term, but it is often overlooked by people. That is false news. False news can spread in seconds to a large population and pose a major hidden danger for the society. I have personally witnessed how false news can cause damage in my constituency, Punggol. There was news that the roof of a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block had collapsed. Although this news was deleted after half an hour, public agencies had already despatched vehicles and manpower to the site within that half an hour. False news has caused the wastage of public resources which could have been used on things that need them more. We can imagine what would happen if the false news is not about a collapsed roof but about credit issue of a bank. If the depositors or investors see the false news and a run-on-the-bank happens, the bank will then close down, resulting in real capital loss. Deliberate false news is harmful for the economy and people's lives. A new word has emerged these days called "post-truth politics" to describe a situation whereby the real truth does not matter anymore and that the situation is driven by people's emotions. The Oxford Dictionary has even listed the word as a key word for 2016, which shows how widespread this phenomenon has become internationally.”
“I worry about relying solely on the efforts of companies to self-regulate or putting the onus of responsibility on citizens to discern truth from falsehood because if that alone were enough, we would not see online falsehoods proliferating and affecting so many countries worldwide. That said, I believe the Motion proposed by the Minister to have a Select Committee examine and report on the problems posed by online falsehood and various ways to tackle them is a worthwhile step forward. The problems posed by online falsehoods with the wide ramifications across all sections of society, rapid speed of transmission and seriousness of disruption to security, financial stability and religious harmony – are all serious enough to warrant convening a Select Committee. I am supportive of the broadly drafted terms of reference – they reflect the fact that the Select Committee will be considering all options, fairly and objectively. I would, however, like to ask the Minister how the Select Committee will be organised, how views will be sought and how the public can participate in the process. I think it is important that there is: (a) a thorough discussion of the problems posed by deliberate online falsehoods, (b) that the process is inclusive so that representations can be received from all sectors and stakeholders and we benefit from their opinions and breadth of knowledge; (c) that there is ample time for questions to be asked and clarifications provided; and (d) that all options are considered and the recommendations are something that Singaporeans can read for themselves and consider for themselves. This should be a study that the Government, Singaporeans and companies embark on together to find solutions to combat deliberate online falsehoods.”
“We should not think that we are immune to this. Rivalry between states have existed since time immemorial. Singapore though small, is a key player in ASEAN and a key node for trade, finance and communications. Foreign powers to advance their interests in the region may seek to manipulate Singapore from within, through the seeding of deliberate online falsehoods, injecting ideas, narrow casting to groups split along racial, religious, or along ideological lines. Such insidious actions can polarise our society, erode the middle ground and destabilise us. How then do we tackle this? Do we take a big stick and censor all information online? That would be akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Our openness and access to information is one of our key strengths and has played a key role in creating a thriving and international city out of Singapore. Do we legislate laws to tackle online falsehoods? It sounds reasonable to penalise those who choose to act irresponsibly and deliberately spread online falsehoods and to create safeguards to ensure that that does not happen. But where do we draw the lines? How do we distinguish those who knowingly create or spread online falsehood from those who are just expressing their opinions? How do we ensure that legislating laws to tackle online falsehood will not end up impeding our right to free speech? Or is part of the solution also to encourage greater media literacy in our citizens, so that they can discern truth from falsehood and working with technology companies to use algorithms to distil facts from fiction?”
“Residents congregated at the scene. Other residents texted to say that they were rushing home. And even after the news was taken down, to play safe, I still mobilised the Town Council to go around check for cracks on walls. So, this might be someone’s idea of a joke, but it was not a very efficient use of time and resources. Because of how small Singapore is and how connected we are, we can mobilise quickly to respond to situations. In the example that I just provided, everyone was rushing to the scene to provide help. But what if our speed and proximity instead ended up harming us? Recently, in Wichita Kansas, an innocent man was shot dead by the police after pranksters called the police to say that he had shot one of his family members and was holding the rest of them hostage. The police SWAT team responded quickly and in force, went down to his doorstep and shot him dead at his doorstep. All because of false information. It is also not altogether unimaginable if online falsehoods on a financial institution were put up, leading to a bank run or if someone wanted to agitate foreign workers in Singapore and put up something to say that Singaporeans bullied them. Repeated instances of deliberate online falsehoods can also have costs as it can lead to a "cry wolf syndrome", whereby when a real emergency strikes, no one reacts because everybody is accustomed to thinking it is false news. In recent months, several countries, Germany, France, the UK and Ireland have moved quickly to protect themselves by enacting laws to limit fake news and punish purveyors and websites who either disseminate or fail to take down fake news. Foreign agents and organisations have been identified as seeding fake news to attack these large countries.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to support the Motion. We have heard from the Ministers why deliberate online falsehoods have become a global problem. I would like to argue that Singapore as an international, multi-ethnic, small and open country faces the issue of deliberate online falsehoods, even more acutely than others. We have one of the highest levels of Internet penetration in the world. The Ministers have both mentioned it. Seventy-seven percent of Singaporeans are active social media users, placing us third globally, in terms of social media penetration. These are actually strengths. We have an active, well-read and inquisitive population. We have ready access to information, across borders, across time, across languages. We are not barred from accessing information. We can read and write all sorts of things online. But these very strengths can also be used against us, when we face the onslaught of online falsehoods. We are a small, densely populated nation. We are also multi-racial and multi-religious. Everything that the world faces, we can face here, in a quicker time, with a nearer striking distance. Given how small we are, falsehoods can spread online in seconds, reaching a large segment of population and causing great inconvenience to everyone. Let me give you an example. When false news of the roof collapse at Waterway Terraces I, which is in my ward, broke, I was on the phone in seconds calling up the Town Council, calling up my grassroots leaders to rush there as soon as they can while I drive there from another part of town. The false news was taken down in half an hour but many things happened within that half hour. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) despatched vehicles and manpower.”
“The second question was if there were no changes in technology and we had gone to the same manufacturer or the same construction company, whether there were issues in the replacement of parts. My third question was if there was a change in green technology, let us say industry wide, and you had to look for a new company to replace parts, will that cause issues?”
“The second question was with regards to whether there were any issues with asset maintenance arising from having green buildings, be it spare parts or something else. The third question was with regards to changes in technology.”
“I thank the Minister. I have three supplementary questions. Could he share what the make-up of the CP2M committee? Who are the members of this committee? Are they largely civil servants or do they include participants from the private sector as well? My second supplementary question is if there were any issues with asset maintenance arising from the use of green technology. Thirdly, with rapid changes in technology, has that also resulted in problems in finding parts or in the process of trying to maintain these green buildings?”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the comprehensive answer. I would like to enquire if there is an intention to build up the proportion of ITE graduates going for internships from 44%, closer to 100%, and the same for university graduates as well?”
“I have two questions for the Minister. First, will GovTech be involved in the move to use data analytics to prevent fraudulent claims and, secondly, what are the terms of reference for the Interagency Task Force and will they be making their findings public?”
“For food products, and, in particular, for infant milk formula, this is almost impossible to execute as there is no way to prove that a child becomes less bright after the consumption of infant formula as compared to if the child had not consumed infant milk formula. The new section 16(A) thus helps regulate misleading advertising in the infant milk formula market as the onus is on suppliers of infant milk formula to prove that the health and nutritional claims they put on labels are, indeed, true. Failure to do so could result in a fine or imprisonment of a period not exceeding three months. I, therefore, think that the amendment to the Sale of Food Act can play an important role in regulating misleading advertising. Lastly, I note that the amendment allows a new power to make food regulations requiring or regulating the display or distribution of nutritional information of a kind prescribed. For example, as a means of combating obesity and to help people understand the implications of their purchasing decisions, proprietors of certain retail food businesses may be required by food regulations to disclose the energy or sugar content or food items they sell. In our nationwide war on diabetes, this will certainly play an important role in promoting public health. Notwithstanding my clarifications, I support the Bill.”
“Such labelling practices for infant milk formula are not allowed in many developed countries, such as Australia and New Zealand and also under the World Health Organization's (WHO) standards. The selective playing up of certain nutritional elements in infant formula through labelling can also slant consumer purchasing decisions. I would thus like to seek clarification as to whether the current expansion of the Minister's powers to make food regulations extend to prohibiting health claims and nutrition claims on infant milk formula labels; and, if not, why. What would be the associated regulations to regulate such behaviour? Next, the new section 16 prohibits the selling of food that is packaged or labelled in a manner that does not comply with the requirements of the Act and, importantly, the provision states that in the prosecution for such an offence, it is not necessary for the prosecution to prove that the defendant intended to commit the offence. Further, the new section 16(A) places the evidentiary burden on the defendant where failing to adduce evidence to the contrary where it is alleged that a person has made a false advertisement will result in the advertisement being found to be false. Currently, there is only indirect protection against misleading advertising under the Consumer Protection Fair Trading Act (CPFTA). The CPFTA states that a consumer can only commence an action if he has entered into a transaction in reliance on a representation in the advertisement and damages cannot be claimed, unless he has suffered a loss as a result of reliance on the representation.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to support the Bill. The Sale of Food (Amendment) Bill is noteworthy in that it seeks to expand the Act to regulate food to promote public health and ensure that the provision of information relating to food helps and enables consumers to make informed choices. Earlier this year, this House discussed infant formula prices in Singapore and the marketing practices of suppliers of infant milk formula. Examples of misleading marketing claims used to justify high premium prices of infant milk powder were brought up and a taskforce was set up to look into such practices. I would like to highlight two amendments in this Bill and seek clarification as to the extent the amendments can potentially help regulate egregious marketing practices and protect consumers' interest. Firstly, clause 19 amends section 56 which concerns the Minister's powers to make food regulations. The Minister's powers are expanded to provide for regulations which regulate the identification and labelling of food, including specifying the matter that must or must not be contained in labels and the manners of labelling. In the case of the infant formula market, we currently see indiscriminate use of labels marketing health claims and nutrition claims. Health claims state or suggest that a relationship exists between a food or a constituent of that food and health, while nutrition claims suggest or imply a food has a nutritive property. Consumers can be misled into paying premium prices for infant formula when supplies play to the psyche of parents wanting the best for their children and aggressively label certain minerals as supporting overall mental functioning, helping in physical development or development of the brain of the child.”
“I thank the Minister for his explanation. I have some clarifications to make. Based on what the Minister has shared about on-the-job training, I would like to understand when he mentioned "deep engineering expertise", may I know what is the proportion that can be accomplished through classroom training? How much on-the-job training is required and, if a lot of on-the-job training is required, do we currently have sufficient experienced engineers to provide the on-the-job training to the young engineers?”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. I understand that it takes time to trace the source of the noxious smell in the air, but I think our residents will appreciate a timely update on what chemicals are in the air, to aid their own assessment of what they can do to protect themselves. That is my first point. And my question is whether there is any research done on long-term exposure to low levels of VOCs in the air. I asked this because residents in Punggol and Sengkang obviously live closer to Pasir Gudang, and there are a lot of feedback or persistent concerns about such chemicals in the air. Even though at any one point in time, such VOC levels may be low and not cause immediate alarm, long-term exposure to VOCs may cause and endanger health.”
“It was proposed by the Punggol grassroots organisation, organised by the Al Islah Mosque, and attended by the local Catholic church and Buddhist temple. They did charity work together by delivering daily necessities to the residents and giving blessings. The theme of this event was "Blessing in Harmony". The decision to do this was jointly made by the three religious organisations, because they felt they shared a common cause. I remember we came up to one flat with a cross hanging on its door. We naturally turned to the Catholic priest who then went up to knock on the door. A Chinese lady opened the door. She was Catholic but she can only speak dialect. The priest, however, can only speak in English. They made many gestures and tried to communicate but still failed. Luckily, there were people from the temple and the grassroots organisation who could speak dialects. They stepped forward to help with the interpretation. Both the priest and the lady were very happy, and we were also very happy seeing that. I was touched. I think perhaps this scene can only be seen in Singapore. Here, the distance between the different religions and races can be very small. Although we are different, we can still support one another and be inclusive. Integration does not mean homogenisation. We are not looking for uniformity. However, we can respect and accommodate one another.”
“Or is it to continue investing in multiracialism so that it becomes the best socio-weapon against threats to the cohesion of our society? We have to be careful not to be lulled into just saying the pretty words by not wanting to point out realities which may be inconvenient. In Hokkien, they say, "Mai zou pai nang", that is, "do not be the bad person", and allude to higher aspirations of multiracialism while leaving the work to others to do, and offer no practical solutions. Because if we all do that, then, we may inadvertently dismantle what has brought us here and discourage those who have contributed and are still contributing to our social harmony. Our local religious organisations are mostly members of our IRCCs, volunteers who make up our RRG, and religious leaders who have pushed for the Asatizah Recognition Scheme to be made compulsory. Was it an ideology that the Minister Mentor had asked rhetorically in Parliament as recently as in 2009 over a debate on our founding tenets of multiracialism and multiculturalism? No, it is an aspiration, he remarked in return. Will we achieve it, he asked again. "I do not know," the Minister Mentor said, "We have to keep on trying". We have to, so that our people, regardless of race, language or religion, can flourish in our unique garden city where there is always sufficient nutrition for everyone. Perhaps, individual care unique to their backgrounds, but always safe where no weeds can harm them. Our garden will be more beautiful and a greater wonder to all through its diversity. Mr Speaker, I would like to now continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Last month, I attended a very special event.”