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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“As individuals and as communities, we also can, through our own efforts, reach out to build bridges across communities. But we also need a system to support individual and community effort to nurture, guide and also protect. In this example, town planning provided a conducive environment for congregants of different religions to get to know one another. Grassroots organisations then proactively reached out to all three religious organisations to do good for the community together. Does the Government's practical and realist approach make the policies any less aspirational? Like our young, we all wish for a progressive and equal society. But just wishing for it will not make it a reality. Recognising human nature, natural tendencies, objectively distinguishing causes from outcomes, and then taking action, step by step, to strengthen and protect what has been created may bring us closer to realising the ideals our nation aspires to. Recently, we have seen growing religious extremism in many countries around the world which heightens tensions and differences among communities. Local grievances and regional conflicts provide a rallying cause, which charismatic preachers can leverage on. Racial and religious fault lines are fertile ground for domestic political exploitation. Singapore is not immune to these factors. Extremist ideologies are also finding their way to our shores via online platforms, carrying persuasive but dangerous messages. Such influences accentuate differences, create walls among different communities and isolate groups. How do we address this? Is it by looking at the social harmony we currently enjoy and assuming that all is well?”
“As the incident in Charlottesville, US, and in the Rakhine province of Myanmar and in various suburbs in France show us so vividly, in countries where there are racially and religiously diverse populations, when interracial or interreligious issues are not handled well, there can be bloodshed and chaos in society. Our Government has taken a practical and unbiased look at what drives communities. While nurturing each community, our Government is cognisant of what outcomes may naturally arise, given inherent preferences and motivations, and takes actions through social policies to ensure that the delicate balance among different communities is maintained and trust built. For instance, our towns are multiracial from the onset by deliberate design through our EIP. In Punggol recently, I welcomed three religious organisations to my constituency. Recognising the need to have places of worship to serve their respective communities, the mosque, temple and church each set up their places of worship in Punggol, a new town. They are located within 500 metres of one another. They each serve their congregants but they are close enough to one another for their congregants to see one another and to know one another if they make the effort to do so. Would it have happened naturally if the Government had not put it into the town plans? It is natural for members of a community to want to group together. This is instinctive and understandable. But there could be downsides as communities can end up being segregated. So, while providing spaces for communities to practise their ways of life and religious worship, social policies have also been needed to create more common space through town planning in this case to bring communities closer together.”
“Mr Speaker, I was at Gardens by the Bay. I marvelled at the boldness and imagination to create giant man-made trees in the middle of the city and to create a wonderful garden where plants of various species could be housed, tended to with great care to let them flourish. I recall that when plans for the Gardens were first unveiled, I had thought how unreal it was. But now, when I see the happy faces of families and visitors there, I have no doubt that the endeavour has paid off. It occurred to me that what we have in Singapore is somewhat similar to our Gardens by the Bay. With boldness and imagination, we had economically transformed Singapore and, with the ideals of a multiracial and multicultural society in mind, we created social policies to bring about equal opportunities for our citizens regardless of race, language or religion to flourish and co-exist peacefully together. Our diverse cultures are like the diverse exotic flowers at Gardens by the Bay. There is nothing preordained about our economic transformation. We created what we did not have. Land was reclaimed to build more housing and specialised industries, technology to recycle and desalinate water. And we attracted investments to create jobs we otherwise did not have. Similarly, there is nothing preordained about the social harmony among our citizens of different races and different religions. According to a Pew Research Center study released in 2014, Singapore is the most religiously diverse country in the world, compared to the 233 territories and countries studied.”
“I understand that some Executive Condominium (EC) developers also have some of these products and suites available but the purchase by residents have been low. I think the cost is about $6,000 to $8,000 for such applications. It does not sound very expensive compared to the overall cost of the housing unit. So, would the Minister share if this phenomenon is due to it being an opt-in kind of a function or is it because residents are not educated and do not think that such a product is usable or friendly enough for use?”
“I would like to enquire how the Ministerial Committee intends to continue with its work, given the strong feelings of the executors.”
“Okay. And he would only reconsider his position to leave Singapore if the Prime Minister were no longer in a position of power. It appears that he wants to bring down the Prime Minister. I suspect that when an individual chooses to look at the world through a distorted lens, there are conspiracies and shadows everywhere. A clarification becomes an act of aggression, cleaning the house becomes intermeddling and theft. We will have to make a conscious choice if we want the energies of our Prime Minister and other Ministers named in the saga to spend their time addressing allegations levelled at them over Facebook anytime of the day, but there are childcare centres to be built, seniors to be taken care of, MRTs that need to be looked into, our homeland and cybersecurity defended and economic restructuring to be carried out. There is work to be done, dogsbody work, and I hope our political leaders and the Government can get on with it.”
“The Prime Minister has explained with regard to the allegations of abuse of power levelled against him while both Deputy Prime Ministers have explained the role of Ministerial Committees. We can continue to debate this issue, attempt to poke holes everywhere and also dwell into what could have been done better and engage in as many imagined scenarios as we can. But even so, I suspect the issue will not close even after today's debate. Mr Lee Hsien Yang has stated that he does not trust Mr Lee Hsien Loong as a brother, as a leader —”
“Mr Lee Kuan Yew personally oversaw the passage of the Land Acquisition Act in 1966 and the Preservation of Monuments Act. In the Act, authorities will seek the owner's consent in the case of a private dwelling that has been gazetted for preservation or conservation, but the Government can also acquire the property under the Land Acquisition Act if the owners are unwilling. Given that the Preservation of Monuments Act has been in place since the 1970s, at a time when Mr Lee Kuan Yew was the Prime Minister and in the driving seat for enacting Bills to spearhead Singapore's development, it is clear that Mr Lee knew that the decision to gazette a house for preservation or conservation is ultimately the responsibility of the Government and he would have expected due process to be followed even if the matter to be decided had been his own house. Mr Lee's greatest legacy is the system he had put in place together with our other founding fathers to ensure Singapore's stability, progress and sustainability. The Singapore system is one that is founded on law, respected institutions, a credible Civil Service and leaders with integrity. With these as foundations, our society is one that reflects trust between the Government and the people, and trust among our people. It is assuring to note that since the issue broke, our stock markets have not tanked, asset prices remain stable, and the Singapore dollar actually rose in the same period. This shows that confidence and trust in our system and in our leaders remain strong. We will have to decide where we go from here. No less than three statements have been issued by PMO since the allegations broke.”
“The Prime Minister obviously believes that the circumstances around the drafting of the last will are suspect and had actually gone to the extent of doing a statutory declaration which has very serious implications if he is subsequently found out to have lied. Mr Lee Hsien Yang can actually sue the Prime Minister for what he, the Prime Minister, has set out in his statutory declaration, namely, that he has grave concerns about the events surrounding the making of the last will and by what appears to be a conflict of interest involving Mrs Lee Suet Fern. I think we should clarify this because it helps to potentially establish why we face the current situation. I note that the joint statement by Dr Lee and Mr Lee Hsien Yang was published on 14 June, before the timeline of end of June which was the original proposed date for their response to the questions. Since then, there has been no clarification by the siblings on who drafted the last will and the circumstances in which it was prepared. Next, now that we are aware that there are two parts to Mr Lee Kuan Yew's will, it appears ironical that those who accuse the Prime Minister of an abuse of power are asking for an exemption from the rule of law, that they are asking for an upfront commitment to the demolition of 38 Oxley Road, relying only on the first half of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's will and ignoring the fact that Mr Lee knew that the laws of the land will always prevail and which he mentioned in the second part of his will. They are also ignoring the fact that since Dr Lee is staying there, there is nothing for the Government to do now. I would think that this Government is not able to give any commitment about what is going to happen in 30 years and that any decision cannot be binding on future governments.”
“This lends scope to the idea that the Prime Minister had sought to play Mr Lee Hsien Yang out by making him pay 150% value for the house and then subsequently blocking him with the Ministerial Committee. I understand that the Prime Minister subsequently donated the proceeds from the house to charity. He then recused himself from Government deliberations on the property. Some question if it is possible for the Prime Minister to thoroughly remove himself from the equation, given that he is the Prime Minister. But I think that would be akin to saying that the Health Minister should not have family members using Singapore's health services or that the Minister of National Development should not buy a house. I think Deputy Prime Minister Teo has explained quite clearly about the code of conduct that public officeholders and civil servants need to adhere to. What I cannot quite get my head around is why there is so much unhappiness over an issue that apparently cannot be settled now. Dr Lee Wei Ling could be staying there for the next 30 years. Therefore, there is nothing for the Government to do now as no decision needs to or can be made. So, I am not sure what the dispute is about. Why is there any argument since the house cannot be demolished now anyway? It looks to me that a sensible course of action is to consider different options and to talk to the family members about various options and to understand their thoughts about the matter. Another question I have is why the Prime Minister did not challenge the last will when he first got to know its contents?”
“We can also be courageous to forgive those who have disappointed us, solve differences rationally and face tomorrow together. In many years to come, 38 Oxley Road might or might not be around, but what I hope to see is that Singapore's core values and the mutual trust among Singaporeans will never disappear. (In English): Mdm Speaker, in English, please. In the past two weeks, 38 Oxley Road became Singapore's most famous address with global news networks carrying more than 160 articles with screaming headlines. I have had many conversations with residents since the issue broke. The tirade online in the name of fulfilling Mr Lee's wishes is a strange way to honour Mr Lee's legacy. There are many theories as to why it had happened. From sibling rivalry, to warring factions in the family, to a fallout due to money. We do not know any better, not being privy to family matters. But if we were to look at the reasons presented in the joint statement on 14 June, namely, that keeping the house would help fulfil dynastical ambitions and provide political capital, I would say that that has not found traction on the ground. The Singapore public is a rational and discerning one. To suppose that they will vote based on a "halo effect" bestowed upon the Prime Minister by the simple act of him moving into a house, is an insult to the intelligence of Singapore voters. That said, I had come into this debate with certain questions on my mind. Could the Prime Minister have done anything better to prevent such a situation from happening? For instance, why offer the house for $1 to Dr Lee Wei Ling and then subsequently sell the house to Mr Lee Hsien Yang for full market value?”
“These truly are the most treasured legacy left behind by Mr Lee. Ever since Mr Lee Kuan Yew passed away two years ago, Singapore's law and systems have not changed a bit. With or without this recent incident, Singapore's ruling system is still here. Singapore is still Singapore. Just in 2016, Singapore was ranked No 7 on the Global Least Corrupt Index, overtaking western countries like Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. After this incident went public, I have asked many residents on what they think about the allegation of abuse of power. Their responses were very simple, "We trust our Prime Minister." They said, "We do not think that he is such a person". Such simple responses actually encompass a lot of more important meanings. Now, what shall we do? Since the eruption of this incident, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had issued at least three statements. The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers have also responded and explained the functions of the Ministerial Committee. When faced with this incident, we can, of course, spend an onerous amount of time putting together every detail and what every party had said, so as to conduct a thorough investigation and get to the bottom of things based on all possible assumptions and imaginations. But we must make a reasonable choice. Do we really want the valuable time of the Prime Minister and Ministers to be spent on refuting allegations on Facebook, rather than solving pressing issues faced by Singaporeans? Perhaps we should have more confidence in our systems, and in ourselves as well. We can be courageous and confident to face the post-Lee Kuan Yew era and embrace the opportunities and challenges of the new world order.”
“He wants the Prime Minister to step down. Mdm Speaker, trust is the premise for any reconciliation. Only with trust can people communicate and collaborations become easier and happier. If there is a lack of trust, no matter what one does, it will still feel like things are not right. When there is an enquiry, if there is a trust, what we see is a concern and a normal procedure. But if there is no trust, then what we see is spying and abuse of power. For an action like packing up of stuff, if there is trust, what we see is assistance, dogsbody work that is of no importance; but if there is no trust, then what we see is interference and theft. It is precisely because we have trust in Singapore, when you see a Traffic Policeman, you will not worry that he is a robber. And because there is trust, in Singapore, when you see someone is injured in a traffic accident, you would go forward and help him and not think that he is a conman. This kind of mutual trust among Singaporeans does not come out of the blue; it is formed after multiple elections of credible and principled leaders as the basis and is built upon the way we rule our nation with our Judiciary, Parliamentary, Government and education systems. These systems ensure that we set correct and effective targets that balance the wants of all walks of society and also the long-term and short-term needs of all Singaporeans. These systems ensure that those who made mistakes would not go unpunished and also ensure that there are checks and balances among the different powers. This enables the Government to give priority to the common interest of the people when making any policy decisions. These systems were built up painstakingly by Mr Lee Kuan Yew and our Pioneers over the years.”
“What the Committee can do is to give the Cabinet some suggestions. Thus, there is no basis to the allegation that the Government is abusing its power. The parties involved might think that the setting up of the Ministerial Committee itself is an abuse of power. But from what I understand, in the day-to-day work of the Cabinet, it is very common to set up different Ministerial Committees. For example, I am part of the baby formula Committee, led by two Ministers. It seems nothing unusual, it is just part and parcel of the Government's work. Furthermore, if we were to study carefully the will of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, we can see there are actually two parts. The first part is regarding his wish to demolish the house, whereas the second part emphasised that everything must follow the law and Government procedures first. Mr Lee knew very well the relationship between individuals and the law and he would never surpass legal procedures because of his personal wish. Some people might ask, besides legality, should we not also consider feelings and reasons in this matter? Should we give more thoughts to Mr Lee's wishes? I can see that it is exactly out of respect for reasons and feelings that the Ministerial Committee consulted the Lee family members and mulled over different options. But unfortunately, even consultation like this was criticised. Then why did Mr Lee Hsien Yang come up with such allegations? Only they themselves know the truth. However, it is clear from the questions raised that the parties involved do not trust the Government nor our law enforcement agencies. Mr Lee Hsien Yang said he had no confidence in the Prime Minister and he even suggested that he would leave Singapore unless the Prime Minister is no longer the Prime Minister.”
“To bring a private family dispute between siblings to the social media platform for open discussion in the middle of the night, and to consistently throw out new allegations day after day via Facebook posts, are not going to make the issue clearer. Instead, it will only widen the differences and worsen the relationship. The residents whom I had met hope to see reconciliation, rather than the breaking up of the family. I hope that the consistent attacks on the social media platform can cease, so as to leave some room for every party involved and, at the same time, protect the international image of Singapore. The allegation that the Government is abusing its power is a serious allegation. It does not matter if this allegation is the key point or a subpoint of this family dispute. It is clear that it has affected the people's confidence in the Government and Singapore's international reputation and, thus, it is necessary for us to clear the air in Parliament. In the Deputy Prime Minister's speech, he said that there is no need for us to decide if we should demolish the house for the time being, as Dr Lee Wei Ling is still staying there. This decision might only need to be taken 20 to 30 years down the road. I think it is very important to clear the air, because some people have the misconception that we have to make the decision now or that the Government has already decided not to demolish the house. This is not the case. The Ministerial Committee is only asking some questions currently, so as to get a better understanding of the situation. By right, this should not cause any conflict. The Deputy Prime Minister has explained that the Ministerial Committee actually does not have the power to decide on whether the house should be demolished or not.”
“Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Ever since I saw Mr Lee Hsien Yang's Facebook post on 14 June, my mood has been sombre. When this first happened, the face of Mr Lee Kuan Yew is what was in my mind first thing in the morning. Looking at the situation today, I was thinking that Mr Lee Kuan Yew must be very sad, and maybe very angry as well. The Prime Minister has said this before, that he hopes to see his late father's wish being fulfilled, but he also said, it will be up to the Government of the day then to make the decision. On one hand, the Prime Minister hopes to be the filial son of the family, fulfilling his late father's wish; at the same time, as a responsible Prime Minister, he must not interfere with the normal procedures of the Government. Because how to resolve this matter on 38 Oxley Road is a statutory right of the Ministers. In this incident, I see the dilemma faced by the Prime Minister. In response to Mr Low's question just now, the Prime Minister said he had attempted many possible ways to resolve the dispute privately. However, Mr Lee Hsien Yang has chosen to accuse the Prime Minister openly via the social media platform. As a result, the Prime Minister had to apologise to all Singaporeans who are disturbed and confused by the news of this private family dispute. From this incident, I can see how the Prime Minister is being wronged and how he is exercising forbearance. Singaporeans put a lot of emphasis on the importance of the family unit. The family represents warmth, mutual trust and mutual care.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State. The Senior Minister of State mentioned changing the import requirements to allow more choice, for other brands being brought into the market. May I know what is the timing that the Minister expects whereby this can be implemented because, in the short term, we still see evidence of certain pricing behaviours in the market. So, I would like to know how quickly these changes can be effected to help families in Singapore.”
“Can we all work together to see which industries and which areas of work can be most easily flexi-ed? Lastly, alleviating stress points around childcare is also important for women. Would it be possible for MOE to consider setting up MOE childcare centres instead of just MOE Kindergartens? When it comes to opening hours, what options are there to keep childcare centres open till 8.00 pm so that parents have a reasonable amount of time to travel to pick up their children? A little step forward can go a long way towards helping our women. Please help her by ensuring that equal opportunities are made available to her. Ensure that her efforts meet just rewards. Help her make the choices easier as she is trying her best to be a good wife, a good mother and a useful citizen. Your understanding will be rewarded by her giving her best to you. 4.10 pm”
“00 pm for most childcare operators create a huge stress point for young parents who are not able to reach the school on time to pick up their children. Most working adults I know finish work after 6.00 pm. Can we look at options to keep childcare centres open till 8.00 pm, so that parents have a reasonable amount of time to pick up their children after work? A little step of the way can go a long way towards helping our women. We are responsible and stand by the choices we make in our lives. But do ensure that equal opportunities are made available to us. Ensure that our efforts meet just rewards. Help us make the choices we make easier as we are trying our best to be a good wife, a good mother and a useful citizen. By being the best that we can be, we can give our best to you. Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] At different junctures of our lives, women may have to make decisions to balance the competing needs of their careers and their families. Firstly, young women leaving the school environment, about to embark on their careers could benefit from having women mentors to help them expand their social circle and learn about business networking. The work of Young Women's Leadership Connection is thus very important. The next juncture women may face could be due to childbearing or the need to care for the elderly in the family. In this area, if we could take into consideration their needs and concerns, we will be able to better support them by providing training or flexible work arrangement (FWA), so that companies can retain or re-employ female employees. FWA benefits both men and women. Just as we have Industry Transformation Maps for technology, there can be Industry Transformation Maps for HR practices.”
“The next juncture where women may face disruptions in their careers could be due to childbearing or the need to care for the elderly in the family. As Minister Ong Ye Kung pointed out yesterday, the employment rate for women shows a sharp drop after 25-29 years, which coincides with peak childbearing years. Can we go a step further and identify the industries that show the highest drop-out rate for women and tailor the engagement for these women to encourage them to stay in the workforce? Flexible work arrangements are one way to encourage people to stay in the workforce who might otherwise have dropped out. This benefits both men and women. Just as there are industry transformation maps for technology, there can be industry transformation maps for HR practices. I hope that the tripartite partners can work together to identify which industries and which areas of work can be most easily flexi-ed. Can there be more granular work arrangements so that flexi-work, flexi-place and flexi-load can truly be implementable? Jobs can be shared and, correspondingly, wages can be apportioned. With greater deliberation, we can try to customise work arrangements to bring in workers who otherwise might not be able to participate in the workforce. Lastly, alleviating stress points around childcare can also help women and, in so doing, release constraints that potentially impede them from making optimal choices in their careers and family life. For instance, childcare options in estates with many young families have been a perennial bugbear. It would be helpful if MOE can consider setting up childcare centres, as young parents need full-day childcare facilities to take care of their toddlers while they are at work. Further, the opening hours till 7.”
“The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) and Trade Associations, with their network of employers, can also play an active role by putting these employers in touch with DAC. A little step every way can help us narrow this yawning gap in women in corporate leadership. Women also aspire to positions in community leadership. Anecdotal evidence suggests that women community leaders at the Resident's Committee level number about 40% but women community leaders at the Citizens' Consultative Committee level number about 20%, if not less. With increasing social spending from the Government on healthcare and childcare needs and a greater call for a whole-of-society approach to dealing with our society's needs, perhaps there can be more targeted recruitment, training and retention activities aimed at women volunteers. Women volunteers can bring in very different strengths and capabilities in community work and address the needs of special groups in the community. At different junctures of our lives, women may have to make decisions to balance competing needs of their careers and their families. If we were to take a life-cycle approach to the decisions that women have to make, it may be easier to identify the pressure points that women face. Firstly, young women leaving the school environment, about to embark on their careers could benefit from having women mentors and learning about business networking. The work of Young Women's Leadership Connection (YWLC) is thus important as its network of women mentors can help support young women leaders in their journey to fulfil their aspirations. Can we further support the work of YWLC?”
“Mdm Speaker, it is not uncommon to hear about four generations of women in a Singaporean family living lives and having experiences mirroring Singapore's developments. With grandma doing menial jobs to support her many children, mom having had some form of education and working in an SME or a factory, my current generation with greater access to education options and working in jobs that we desire and, finally, our children, having the possibility to be what they want to be and living lives that are meaningful and fulfilling. At this point, given the progress that women have made in Singapore, what more can be done to ensure that we, the mothers, sisters and daughters of Singapore, can be the best that we can be and, in so doing, give the best to those around us? We aspire for equal opportunity – the opportunity to be recognised fairly for the work that we do, the opportunity to rise up in a corporate or in the community for the efforts that we put in. A statistic that Minister Grace Fu brought up recently is disturbing − only 9.7% of board positions in Singapore corporates are filled by women. Given the increasing numbers of women as employees and as consumers, companies may be missing an important perspective on their products and services as well as the management of their company, by not tapping on the perspectives that women bring. The Diversity Action Committee (DAC) has done important work in this area. With their database of suitable women candidates for board positions and a knowledge of the capability requirements to become a board director, corporates facing difficulties identifying suitable women candidates for board positions could interface more with DAC.”
“I thank the Parliamentary Secretary. As there was no timeline provided for when the next tranche of SkillsFuture Credits will be provided, could the Parliamentary Secretary further share when that is likely to take place? Because if I look at the annual Budget Debate as well as the release, quite of lot, that is, $500 billion, is being set aside every year for productivity and SkillsFuture-related special transfers. I would like to enquire when that assessment will be, so we can take note of the parameters to look out for and the outcomes we should be expecting.”
“Just one additional clarification question. Of the top eight courses that I had mentioned, one data analytics course costs $1,326. I was thinking that, specifically for some courses that have a particular pertinence given the Committee on the Future Economy's recommendations, can more be done to subsidise such courses beyond the $500 SkillsFuture Credit?”
“I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for her answer. I took a look at the SkillsFuture portal. Of the top eight most popular courses, six deal with health and fitness, baking, Korean language, sewing and photography. They appear to be courses for the pursuit of hobbies, even though they can be counted as part of lifelong learning. My question in the Parliamentary Question is more that, given that Government monies are being used for SkillsFuture Credit, can more be done to ensure that the courses being provided are ultimately bound to our pursuit of economic value-add for society?”
“Madam, every year, River Hongbao has an exhibition area showcasing our arts and heritage to visitors. This year, students took an active step by curating the exhibition on local festivals and local foods with Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall and serving as student ambassadors to the million visitors who visited River Hongbao. From their happy and excited faces, I could tell that the students enjoyed and were proud of their efforts to co-curate our arts and heritage. The experience of curating facts, interesting practices and unique displays of our arts and heritage can thus be a fun and learning experience for our students. Through embarking on this across schools or even at a national level, they get to know the subject matter better and also appreciate the common experience and opportunities to get to know friends across the cohort. I would like to suggest that students be encouraged to embark on local or national level projects involving the curation of our local arts and heritage. This could be in the form of co-curricular activities (CCA) and can be guided by a teacher. Such collaborative efforts across schools can also promote bonding within cohorts and be a shared experience forming a collective memory for cohorts of students. Access to Arts and Heritage”
“Madam, Government-led demand can be a powerful means to support innovation and growth in new industries. But it must be structured correctly to maximise participation from the private sectors, attracting interest from both large and small companies while remaining accountable to taxpayers' monies. Can the Ministry share on the range of procurement approaches that the agencies are using to maximise the positive externalities from Government-led demand as well as the measures in place to prevent abuses? Further, how does the Ministry ensure that contracts awarded do not subsequently create an incumbency advantage for the awardee arising from the project solution implemented? This is possible, for instance, in information and communications technology (ICT) projects, where subsequent add-on solutions by other players are not possible because of the initial project design.”
“Not all young children have the opportunity to grow up in an environment where books are readily available or have adults to read to them. If volunteers are able to read to them and encourage these preschoolers to take part in storytelling and role play, this would greatly enhance their confidence and readiness for school.”
“Madam, a sample of observations of the National Library on Trip Advisor provide rave reviews of their attractive facilities and the offerings of our public libraries. It is obviously a place that people want to go to. In traditional library spaces, visitors read or do research quietly while in new types of library spaces, visitors want to have the opportunity to explore, experience and collaborate with others while learning. A library can be a fertile ground to inspire and inculcate the habits of lifelong learning. How can our libraries facilitate that? I would like to suggest that libraries, as in all places of interest, be designed with the target audience in mind. Preschoolers, young teens, young adults and mature adults have different approaches to learning and different interests. It is not quite sufficient just to segregate books by reading complexity and interest. The layout, interactivity that visitors can enjoy, should be catered to different age groups. I would like to suggest that libraries become more theme-based and to run programmes, such as role play, reading clubs and thematic forums, to promote a passion for lifelong learning. NLB in Partnership with the Community Madam, our libraries can partner the community to help different groups come together to learn together. For instance, students can be engaged to serve as active volunteers in the library. They can interact with seniors and bridge the digitalisation gap for seniors by showing them how to use the online tools available in the library. Seniors can then have personalised help in learning how to access learning online as well as e-Government services to make their lives more convenient. Seniors and adults can also be encouraged to come together to organise reading programmes for preschoolers.”
“Countries, such as Germany, are looking at laws targeting fake news while Internet and the social media giants, Google and Facebook, are reviewing their policies to curb the spread of fake news. Minister Yaacob Ibrahim had shared that the Ministry plans to amend both the Films Act and the Broadcasting Act this year to take into account changes in technology. Given media convergence, amendments to the Broadcasting Act is likely to be a dominant media legislation. I would like to ask the Minister whether the timing of his recent announcement is related to public interest on the rise of fake news and its impact on societies and how the Ministry intends to maintain a balance between regulations and a market-friendly approach, given the need to uphold and promote Singapore as a communications hub. Media Legislation”
“Data can help power services to ensure seamless operability to the advantage of Government and local enterprises. GovTech is leading the Government's efforts to embrace digital transformation and innovate to enhance Public Service delivery. How has it done so far? How has it enabled the Government to better harness ICT and related engineering to drive transformation and innovation amongst other Government agencies? While data is being provided to the public to engage in co-creation of applications, what is being done to systematically integrate new applications to existing Government services to provide users a one-stop user-friendly experience? Lastly, as more Government services are migrating to e-services, how are we enabling our seniors to keep up with the changes? I would like to suggest that young Singaporeans be encouraged to come forward to volunteer to teach seniors how to use e-services and municipal apps at a retail level. This could be done in the form of simple workshops conducted by volunteers at void decks for seniors or at community hubs, such as town hubs and libraries. Such activities will greatly complement GovTech's efforts. Our seniors need a personal touch to encourage them to use e-services, and there should be more one-on-one opportunities for them to do so. Updating the Broadcasting Act Madam, the roof of Punggol Waterway Terraces had collapsed, screamed the headlines; a gigantic explosion at the Tuas Plant a few weeks ago; and the biggest problem is that these were all fake news. This is not a local phenomenon. Theories abound about how fake news and push-through reporting were alleged to have had a hand in shaping voter behaviour during Brexit and the recent United States (US) Presidential Elections.”
“Madam, digitalisation has been identified as one of the seven pillars in the CFE report. Digitalisation is a challenge as well as an opportunity for SMEs. While it significantly changes how business is being done, disintermediating the middleman and impacting companies that may be asset-heavy, it also offers an opportunity that SMEs can scale up and internationalise quickly. SMEs form the bulk of our enterprises. If they are able to successfully leverage on digitalisation, there is a real chance of us being able to break out of the constraints of land and rental, manpower and small home markets, achieving higher revenue, higher productivity and lower manpower reliance. How do we encourage our SMEs to embark on digitalisation and what holds them back? One of the reasons for the slow adoption of digitalisation could be a lack of familiarity with technology. One way of increasing awareness of digitalisation for SMEs could be to organise meet-the-firm sessions, akin to a Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS), except that instead of meeting a Member of Parliament to seek assistance and introduce the various Government schemes, the firm and its management can meet an IMDA officer to be introduced to various digitalisation options. For it to be impactful, the outreach should look to touch base with as many firms as possible, but provide solutions targeted to each firm's technology capability level. This could help spur adoption. There is a tipping point for technology, where a critical mass of users starts using digital solutions, digitalisation could undergo an exponential adoption rate. Let us help to initiate a tipping point. SMEs and Digital Transformation Madam, in a world with great uncertainty, data can help make sense of things.”
“I have a question for Minister of State Koh Poh Koon. My question is in regard to the enhanced EntrePass scheme. I would like to enquire if a business plan from the foreign entrepreneur would be required. And given that this is a startup, how would the officers assess the business plan?”
“This will enable them to understand and create relevant products and services for consumers in the region.”
“When asked why he had only conducted a roadshow in the US to secure venture capital (VC) funding and not in China, an entrepreneur whose company had created an online portal for services remarked, "I can't do a powerpoint in Chinese and I can't handle negotiations with them. They ask pointed questions about how I am running the company which I am not comfortable with. Further, my product is personal computer (PC)-based whereas they are into mobile apps." And when I probed further if he had been successful in raising funding in the US, the entrepreneur replied, "No, the US investors said we were too physically far away and that it would be difficult for them to review how we are doing post-investment". A very telling example about the various issues we face with internationalisation and what would be needed to overcome them. First, basic language competency matters. If we are looking to crack nearby markets, being able to converse in Chinese or a Southeast Asian language would be helpful. Secondly, if we are looking to expand overseas, we should accept that cultural norms can be different elsewhere. What could be considered an aggressive mode of discussion could be the cultural norm somewhere else. Further, to have a successful product, we would need to understand the pain points different markets have. Lastly, while we should attempt new and exciting far-flung markets, nearby markets, by value of proximity, allows greater interaction and increases the possibility that business can be done. I suggest that alongside Government schemes to help our companies set up overseas, we should also support language, cultural studies and programmes which offer immersion opportunities in neighbouring countries to young Singaporeans.”
“Sir, for ITMs, ideally, firms, TACs, unions and the Government would work together to understand the constraints that firms face and brainstorm how, with new modalities and new technologies, firms could move forward together. The reality is that firms go into the discussion with different perspectives. Big firms wonder what is in this for me? Will there be discussion into who and what the potential disruptors to my business will be and what I should do? Will there be investments into new areas of growth and how can I benefit from that? Small firms wonder will there be honest sharing of best practices? Will I get to know more suppliers, more customers to help grow my business and will the Government help with grants to make my return on investment from using new technologies and new processes more appealing? With such dynamics in place, how do we bring firms together to share the strengths that work for them and which could be trade secrets and also for firms to be honest about their weaknesses? I suggest that the economic lead agencies conduct in-depth one-to-one discussions to thoroughly understand the corporates and what they need. To avoid being constrained by local models and local environment when putting together the ITMs, I suggest that disruptors, entrepreneurs from adjacent industries and overseas markets be brought into the ITM discussions. Resource panels can be set up to ensure that there are systematic exploration and follow-up on their inputs. Lastly, setting the parameters for ITMs is going to be a crucial part of positioning the firms for success. Working on those potential parameters and eliminating potentials along the way is, in itself, helping firms make sense of an uncertain environment and helping them feel their way forward.”
“With the conclusion of the 13th Singapore-China Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation, it seems that the rough patch in Singapore-China relations in the second half of 2016 is behind us as officials on both sides signalled their intent to further collaborate by signing a series of cooperation initiatives. Mr Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister, in a meeting with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, said, "I hope both sides can work doubly hard through the actual actions of our cooperation to fully embody the characterisation of the bilateral relationship that we share, which is an all-round cooperative partnership, progressing with the times". What is our interpretation of what he had said and can MFA update us as to how Singapore can navigate the opportunities and challenges in this bilateral relationship? Both countries have strong cultural, people-to-people, trade, finance and investment links. I would like to suggest that there be more formal and informal touchpoints established between the governments, businesses and the people sectors of both countries, so that communication and understanding can be enhanced to the benefit of both countries. Relations with Malaysia and Indonesia”
“Of solutions available to young parents but not quite solving the problem. Of gaps between options that leave young parents in a bind. Can we start looking at policies in a continuous spectrum to help young parents, where solutions are available every step of the way mirroring the decisions they have to make as baby grows up? For instance, can there be more infantcare options in new towns, given the mismatch in demand and supply even as the Ministry has announced an increase in infantcare positions? Further, can MOE also undertake childcare provision, since it is childcare that young parents most desperately need and want, and not kindergartens? Can infantcare progression to childcare be seamless and not cause parents to fret, queuing for a spot every few years? Can a community of caregivers be trained to help young parents pick up their child or provide a hot meal when they are caught up? Large cohorts of the children of the Baby Boomers are entering their child-bearing years. It would be a loss to their joy as a family if inconveniences and uncertainty stop them from having children. It would also be a loss to the state. Can we pull the Government machinery together to offer seamless solutions for our young families? We must try. For then, we can pop the confetti and celebrate, and bring on the baby showers.”
“Mdm Chairman, the stork flew often to the northeast in 2016, delivering bundles of joy to families in Punggol, Sengkang and Pasir Ris. On average, nine babies were born every day to residents of Punggol in 2016, accounting for 10% of Singaporean babies born last year. Perhaps, arising from all this baby goodness, I had a baby myself and attended several 100-day baby showers with my loved one on my hip. At 100 days old, the babies were just cherubic enough to undergo a baby massage, participate in baby gym and be dressed in bunny outfits. The mummies had organised the baby showers all by themselves, sometimes involving a hundred babies at one go. They set up Facebook groups, discussed via whatsapp, sometimes in the middle of the night as they fed their babies and looked to one another for mutual support. It was a time of bliss, of sisterhood and camaraderie. But as the maternity leave started coming to an end, the worries started coming in. "Grandma's too far away in Ang Mo Kio (or Hougang, or Serangoon) and she would rather get together with her friends than take care of baby", they say. "My maternity leave is for four months and I need to go back to work urgently in this economic climate. There is no available infantcare spot in Punggol, given the large number of infants here. What do I do?", "MOE is starting up some kindergartens in Punggol but I work and need a childcare spot, not kindergarten.", "Infantcare or childcare closes at 7.00 pm and I am fined for every 15 minutes I am late picking up my child. But I cannot leave work early. So, I am late all the time and my child is starving by the time I get to her. I feel like a bad mum all the time. What do I do?" Of stress, uncertainty and conflict.”
“Mdm Chairman, many cities around the world are competing to become smart cities, for instance, in the US. The Presidential Council of Advisers for Science and Technology has put together a report on technology and the future of cities, identifying areas where new technologies have improved the lives of city residents. Dubai, on the other hand, is piloting to launch the world's first passenger-carry drone service in July this year. How are we setting ourselves apart from other cities looking to be "smart"? We have identified five domains where technology could significantly change how things are done. These five domains include development of autonomous vehicles, urban smart and green solutions, electronic payments and smart solutions for active ageing. How have we progressed on these fronts? Further, the Smart Nation initiative allows the Government to perform the role of lead demand and involves citizens and businesses in co-creating solutions to enable better living and build stronger communities. Have there been instances of private-public partnership to effectively leverage on ICT networks and big data to co-create solutions? Inclusive Smart Nation”
“I thank the Finance Minister for his speech. I have a clarification. NIRC has consistently contributed 20%-21% of total revenues in the most recent two Budgets. In a recent article on Bloomberg, Norway Central Bank Chief warned of how the risk of a 50% decline in 10 years of the sovereign wealth fund increases five times if government withdrawals from the fund increases from 3%-4%. Given our reliance on NIRC to fund our Budget, what are the inherent risks we face? Should there be huge changes in global outlooks of capital markets, how does that change our expected long-term rates of returns and our ability to use NIRC to fund our Budget?”
“As more individuals are participating in the shared economy or becoming a freelancer, if a company who systematically engage individuals to work for them do not pay CPF or taxes, one leg of the equation in our social safety network will be missing. Hence, I suggest that we include the new economic model into our CPF and tax regime. Facing an uncertain future, we need to make Singapore's success as certain as we possibly can. We need to be daring, but also prudent. This requires leadership and judgement.”
“What I would like stress is that the future may be uncertain but we need to make Singapore's success as certain as we possibly can. Budget 2017 attempts to strike a balance between building for the future and meeting short-term needs. SkillsFuture and ITMs are the two key pillars to help businesses and individuals to meet the challenges of the new economy. Budget 2017 focused on "on the job skills utilisation" to ensure a better match between training and jobs. Outcome-based training is the right move for SkillsFuture. I suggest that there be regular reviews of the training programmes under SkillsFuture to ensure they indeed generate desired job outcome. For ITMs, although industries differ from each other, having a vision of what the industry could look like and thinking through what the parameters for innovation, labour and productivity can be, will guide firms on their next move. I hence suggest that entrepreneurs who are equipped with disruptive technologies and technology pioneers in the overseas market be brought into the discussion on ITMs to help our firms paint the future. With regard to Government revenue, NIRC has helped turn our budget into an overall surplus, contributing a 20% share of the operating revenue. Given our reliance on NIRC, if the outlook of the international market changes, are we still able to fund our Budget? Therefore, can we consider binding expenditures with revenues or performance? Be it SkillsFuture, ITM or Government projects, can we determine how much we should invest in based on anticipated and quantifiable outcome?”
“In Budget 2017, we see attempts to diversify revenue sources − a carbon tax to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by large direct emitters such as power stations, the restructuring of diesel taxes and water price changes. But these are taxes mostly to right-size behaviour and are not in the longer term derived from new economic activity. The future economy has already been shown to bring new business models and new relationships between firms and workers. With the growing importance of the sharing economy and cross-border transactions over Internet platforms, more thought should be put into how we can update our tax policies to keep in line with new emerging business models and maintain a level playing field. Otherwise, the tax burden may fall unnecessarily on certain segments, or individuals and consumers over time. Lastly, as more individuals participate in the New Economy through freelance work arrangements, we will need to ensure that our retirement adequacy frameworks take care of our citizens. One leg of the equation is missing if companies who engage individuals systematically to work for them do not pay CPF. And regulations may need to be tweaked to bring them into the fold. Much has been said about how firms and workers need to be oriented to meet the challenges of the Future Economy. I would like to add that our Budget and its construction likewise needs to be future-ready and future-proof. The future may be uncertain but we need to make certain as much as we possibly can. We require daring, but we also require prudence. This requires leadership and it requires judgement. Mr Deputy Speaker, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Much has been said about how businesses and workers can meet the challenges of the future economy.”
“However, since FY2015, we have been running a primary deficit where our total expenditure exceeds our operating revenue even before Special Transfers are considered. The reasons provided for why total expenditure budgeted for in 2017 increased by 5.2% over 2016 when revenues are only increasing at 1.1% are that they are mainly due to higher expenditures on public housing, higher development expenditures for water-related treatment and health expenditure arising from growth in patient subsidies and improved training and retention of healthcare workers. To ensure prudent expenditure, can we look to bind expenditures or match them with revenues, so that any increases in expenditure are carefully considered in relation to how the funds will be provided. Further, while the net investment returns contribution has helped turn our Budget into an overall surplus, the scale of its contribution relative to other sources of revenue is large, at 20% of our total revenue. It is the largest source of funds for our Budget, larger than corporate tax contributions. In a recent article on Bloomberg, Norway's Central Bank Chief warned of how the risk of a 50% decline in 10 years of their sovereign wealth fund increases five times if government withdrawals from the fund increases from 3% to 4% of the fund. Given our reliance on NIRC to fund our Budget, what are the inherent risks we face? Should there be huge changes in global outlooks of capital markets and earnings of firms, how does that change our expected long-term rates of return and our ability to use NIRC to fund our Budget?”
“While it has often been said that we should not set static targets for the ITMs, given that they defer from industry to industry, and should be instead be "live" documents, having a vision on what the industry could look like and thinking through what the parameters for automation, innovation, labour and productivity can be, will give them something to work on, to try and possibly fail, to retry, and recalibrate. For how then will we − Government, firms and workers − know whether we are succeeding? It requires great trust, collaboration and vision for firms, competitors, unions and Government representatives to come together and work effectively together. I further suggest that disruptors, entrepreneurs from adjacent industries and also overseas markets be brought in, where possible, into the discussion on the ITMs to enrich the discussion and paint the possibilities or we might be entrenched in local models and local constraints. SkillsFuture and the ITMs are huge outlays to develop our capabilities. How they are implemented affects their ultimate efficacy and we need to be clear as to the outcomes we hope to achieve, and have parameters to track their implementation and course-correct to ensure success. For only then will they be effective investments commensurate to the amounts we have allocated them in consecutive Budgets. That said, SkillsFuture and the ITMs form only part of the overall Budget. An analysis of how else we are allocating our resources will give a sense of how prepared we are for the future. The Budget surplus of $5.18 billion for FY 2016, 50% larger than originally estimated puts us in a better position to react to external shocks and potentially fund future needs in the remainder of the Government's term.”
“5 billion for the ITMs in Budget 2016 and Budget 2017 announced further top-ups to this initiative to transform our industries. We have to make these investments work for us because every dollar spent on one item in the Budget, is another dollar not spent somewhere else. For SkillsFuture, Budget 2017 focuses on "on-the-job skills utilisation" to ensure a better match between training and jobs. Such an outcome-based approach where employers, trade associations and chambers, and unions are encouraged to develop training programmes for their workers because they know best the skills the marketplace values and thus the skills workers need to have, is the right move for SkillsFuture. With the integration of SkillsFuture Portal with Jobs Bank, the nexus between training and jobs will be even tighter. I would like to suggest that there be reviews of training providers under SkillsFuture to ensure that there is accountability on the part of training providers to provide relevant training, that is, which is linked to job outcomes. Further, that individuals are guided by industry practitioners in their choice of training so that they are likely to choose relevant training which provides tangible benefits and, therefore, motivate them to train more. Sometimes, less is more. A more targeted approach in the delivery of training is more likely to deliver tangible outcomes. For the ITMs, their effectiveness is tied to the KPIs set out for them.”
“Budget 2017 attempted a fine balancing act. Trying to build for the future, for whom most discount the benefits of, and meeting short-term needs, for whom most place an emphasis on. But the future is not that far away and how we spend in the long term affects how we budget for the short term. Uncle Koh came to see me a few weeks ago and he was in a fix. Adventurous and enthusiastic in his 60s, he had tried being a Grab taxi driver. But he did not know how to use his phone to locate customers. So, three days into the job, stressed out by the ordeal of fiddling with his phone till no end, Uncle Koh gave up and decided to be a cook instead. He took a course in culinary skills, used up his SkillsFuture credit and brought his shiny, laminated certificate to see me. He could not find a job, he said, as he did not have any prior experience being a cook. So, please, could he have more SkillsFuture credits so he can try something else? This story encapsulates the challenges the future economy brings us as individuals, as businesses and as a government. For Uncle Koh, he could no longer cruise empty on the streets, burning up diesel, looking for customers. He had to learn how to use a taxi-hailing app. He had SkillsFuture credits, but he had not used them where he needed it most. For firms, they can no longer rely on old business models as new entrants come in, disintermediating them and being asset-light, did not have the sunk costs that traditional firms bear. SkillsFuture and the ITMs are two key pillars of our strategy to help individuals and firms meet the challenges in the new economy. And huge sums of money have been set aside for them − $1.5 billion in Budget 2015 to support SkillsFuture, not a small sum and more will be put in. And $4.”
“I would like to enquire how the Ministry ensures that what the trainee goes for during the programme is an add-on to what he or she has learnt in school, that it is really Earn and Learn, in the sense that they are learning on top of what they have learnt in school. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: It is a developmental process whereby we make sure that what they learn is also linked to what they are doing at their workplace. It is not only about looking at what they have learnt, but also what they are going to do, what they are doing and, at the same time, we cannot run away from the fact that there are certain basic things that we need to remind them and to link these to what they had learnt before. It is an integral and integrated process whereby we want to manage the whole process of learning seamlessly.”
“I thank the Parliamentary Secretary. I would like to enquire what is the process to obtain feedback from the trainees about their experience in the programme. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. The trainers, even the lecturers, have a close engagement with the students and participants and, at the end of it, they would also obtain feedback from the participants. We also work with the companies to see how we can get feedback and, at the same time, to better and improve the service delivery of the training institutes, as well as how we can enhance the learning experience of the participants.”