Teo Chee Hean
Singapore
“The second point first, Mr Speaker. Certainly, it could have been a factor. But to the Panel which reviewed the thing, it was not an acceptable excuse or reason. The agencies still have to be responsible for what they are doing, whatever season of the year it is.”
“On the balance in ACRA, I would not say it is a conflict, but you have to strike the right balance between the functions that ACRA is meant to provide, which is to have a registry which promotes corporate transparency, and you have to balance that against how you protect personal data.”
“That means, if you do find a bug or you do find a way in which you can penetrate a Government system, you let us know, and there is a bounty for it. And this is evergreen. But we also do, from time to time, have a hunting season. So, for certain of our systems, we invite white hatters to attack those systems.”
“Then, he asked when the political office holders got involved in the public communications on the Bizfile portal issue. They got involved, I think, almost as soon as it became apparent that there was public anxiety. Next question about paragraph 40 and the email to senior officers, yes, the July 2024 CM was emailed to officers.”
“In fact, we monitor the dark web for a variety of things, including this, and we have not seen any sale of NRIC numbers as such. On the question of collection and use of NRIC numbers, actually, in the communication with the Government agencies, I think it is important to know who you are communicating with.”
“So, you actually make your email address available to others. But for authentication purposes, it is quite different. You do not tell your password to others. That is something which you keep for yourself and your email service provider knows. So, there is a difference between an identifier and an authentication.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,689 lines we hold for Teo Chee Hean, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 19 of 34.
“We will also continually review our systems and processes and improve them to plug loopholes, address weaknesses or manage new circumstances. Public officers know that they are held to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. The vast majority adhere strongly to the Public Service values of integrity, service and excellence as they carry out their duties to serve Singaporeans, every day. I am confident that they will continue to do their best, and in doing so, help to maintain public trust and confidence in the Page: 13 Public Service.”
“However, if the Prime Minister refuses to give consent to the Director of CPIB to make any inquiries or to carry out investigations into allegations or complaints against any person, the CPIB can still proceed to carry out such inquiries or investigations if the President, acting in his discretion, concurs. These powers of the President are enshrined in the Constitution. They are important safeguards that this Government, on its own volition, has put in place to maintain the integrity and incorruptibility of the Government and the Public Service. Our Public Service is internationally recognised as effective and efficient, with zero tolerance for corruption and wrongdoing. This Government is committed to upholding high standards of integrity in our Public Service. This is an endless task that requires continuing effort and commitment of the leadership. We may have tight processes and systems in place, but there will still be people who try to circumvent them. They may succeed for some time, but sooner or later they will be caught. This is because Singaporeans, including our own public officers, reject corruption. We have prevented corruption from becoming a way of life in Singapore and succeeded in keeping Singapore clean. This differentiates us from many other countries and is a distinctive part of what makes us Singapore. There are reporting channels for public officers as well as members of the public to report possible wrongdoing. Citizens and public officers will be outraged if they are asked for, or offered, a bribe. The recent court cases demonstrate that the Government will not hesitate to act against any officer who does wrong – no matter how senior he is or what position he holds – even if it causes embarrassment to the Government.”
“For example, an officer's performance and progression are assessed not just based on his intellectual and inter-personal qualities, but also his motivation, commitment and integrity. All public officers are governed by a Code of Conduct, which sets out key principles expected of public officers. PSD has recently updated the Code of Conduct with guidelines for situations that public officers are likely to encounter in their work. For example, how officers should behave when they deal with suppliers and vendors, and what to do when conflicts of interest could arise. The updated Code will be issued by PSD soon. Even with the principles, policies and processes in place, we must appoint the right people as Public Service Leaders to ensure that the Public Service is well-led and maintains its integrity. PSC interviews the candidates and exercises its independent judgement in assessing the character and values of these potential public sector leaders, before appointing them to key leadership positions. The Chairman and members of the PSC are appointed by the President, acting in his discretion, if he concurs with the advice of the Prime Minister. The President also has veto power over the appointment of key officers in the Ministries and Organs of State who may be involved in investigations, prosecutions and the administration of justice, such as the Attorney-General, Auditor-General, Chief Justice and Judges of the Supreme Court, Page: 12 Commissioner of Police and the Director of CPIB. The Director of CPIB, in particular, reports to the Prime Minister.”
“Since February 2011, 81 reports of suspected misconduct have been made by public officers. Eighty-six percent, or 70, of these reports led to further investigations. Of these, half, or 35 cases, resulted in some form of disciplinary action. The Government will do more to make all officers, especially new ones, aware of the reporting channels already available to them. The Public Service does not tolerate wrongdoing and misconduct, and will take firm action in all cases, decisively and transparently. Every case is thoroughly investigated. If need be, a separate agency will conduct the Page: 11 investigations to ensure independence and impartiality. For example, in the recent CPIB case, the investigation was carried out by the Commercial Affairs Department of SPF, which then submitted the investigation papers to the Attorney-General's Chambers. In all cases, if investigations reveal wrong-doing, the officer will be charged, regardless of his rank or seniority. Errant officers who have not broken the law but whose actions are serious enough to constitute misconduct are subject to disciplinary action, either by the Permanent Secretary or PSC. They may be warned, reprimanded, fined or have their increment forfeited, reduced in rank, retired in the public interest or dismissed, depending on the severity of the case. Madam, strong processes and enforcement must be underpinned by sound values. We expect officers and leaders of the Public Service to uphold the core values of integrity, service and excellence, and to imbue these values in their officers. The core values are also embedded in many processes, such as hiring new officers, training and developing officers, and assessing their performance.”
“Police officers working on law enforcement matters involving the casinos are also prohibited from visiting the casinos, except for official reasons. In addition, Police and CNB officers who are involved with general law enforcement work, as well as CPIB officers, are required to declare their casino visits within seven days of each visit. Other agencies, such as MTI, also require officers working on casino-related issues to declare visits to the casinos. The Public Service Division (PSD) is studying the application of similar safeguards for officers occupying positions that expose them either to the risk of being suborned and exploited, or to the temptation of misusing their positions to feed, say, a gambling habit. PSD has also been reviewing the rules and requirements relating to public officers in general visiting casinos, to tighten them. For public officers in general, PSD intends to require those who visit the casinos frequently, or who purchase the annual casino entry levy, to declare these actions. PSD is currently working out the implementation details for these new rules, to strike a balance between strengthening safeguards and imposing too many checks and rules on the system and public officers. As I informed Members in February 2012, there are several different avenues for public officers to report suspected wrongdoing. An officer can report such cases to his supervisors, or directly to his Permanent Secretary. He may also file a report to the Head of the Civil Service or the Public Service Commission (PSC). Officers may also report to enforcement agencies, such as the Police or CPIB. Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked about the number of reports made under the Internal Disclosure Framework.”
“The purpose is for the Public Service to know whether an officer may become vulnerable due to financial embarrassment. The Service can then assist the officer to overcome his financial difficulties, and thereby protect both the Service and the officer. Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked about oversight of enforcement units. We have instituted additional measures for enforcement officers and units because they do have a special responsibility to uphold the integrity of the system. For example, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) conduct psychometric testing when they recruit officers. All potential SPF, CNB and Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) officers also undergo security vetting before their appointments. As a further check, the Police conducts credit bureau screening on all Police officers, and CNB screens officers involved in enforcement and regulatory work. Arising from the recent CPIB case, CPIB has also recently implemented credit bureau screening for its uniformed officers and for civilian officers who handle financial and procurement matters. Mr Ang Wei Neng asked if the Government has plans to track the number of public officers who possess annual entry passes to the two casinos. The Government currently does not do so. While there is no blanket rule prohibiting public officers from visiting the casinos, agencies have imposed restrictions on officers where there is potential for conflict of interest. For instance, officers Page: 10 from the Casino Regulatory Authority are prohibited from visiting the two casinos here, or overseas casinos belonging to the parent companies of these two casinos, except for official duties.”
“Thank you. The Government emphasises very strongly the integrity of the Public Service and the public's trust in public officers. We expect public officers to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. The Government is thus concerned about the recent spate of cases involving public officers. Although the statistics do not show an uptrend, we are concerned that these cases should not undermine public confidence or convey the impression that standards have slackened over time. Page: 9 This is why we are prosecuting the cases vigorously. We have systems and processes to maintain the integrity of the Public Service. These include robust financial procedures, personnel-related measures, strong enforcement and inculcating sound values. These measures are regularly reviewed and strengthened where needed to address weaknesses or adapt to new circumstances. For example, we are reviewing our financial and audit processes, not just for the officers directly handling money and procurement, but also supervisors and managers who must give command emphasis to proper financial management in their units. As I informed this House in February 2012, all Government agencies are required to have in place sound accounting practices and internal controls to ensure the integrity of their financial systems. Members have filed a number of questions on audit which the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam will address later in this session. We also have checks and safeguards on the suitability of officers. All public officers are required to declare their financial standing when they are first appointed to the Service, and every year thereafter.”
“The foreign spouses granted Singapore citizenship (SC) under the Family Ties Scheme were typically Permanent Residents (PRs) for about five years before they took up citizenship. The vast majority, 95% of them, had their SC applications approved within 12 months of submitting their applications.”
“The specific offence that a bogus HDB contractor who preys on unsuspecting residents may face would depend on the facts and circumstances of the case. If he is charged under section 419 of the Penal Code for cheating by personation, he can be sentenced to imprisonment of up to five years, a fine or both. The number of bogus contractor cases reported to the Police each year accounts for less than 1% of the overall cheating and theft in dwelling cases. Police's view is that the current penalties are adequate to deter would-be perpetrators and punish those who have committed offences under the guise of bogus contractors. Aside from detection by the Police, we also urge the public not to allow anyone claiming to be a repairman or contractor to enter your house without verifying his identity. If in doubt, verify his identity with his company, or contact your family members or the Police for assistance. The public can help by keeping a lookout and reporting such dubious activities in their neighbourhood. Local community leaders can also reach out and educate elderly persons who are staying alone as they can be vulnerable to such crimes. Page: 75”
“The number of hit-and-run accidents each year has declined by 60% since 2008 (from 330 in 2008 to 133 in 2012). In the last three years, between 2010 and 2012, about four (or 2.6%) of such accidents each year involved heavy vehicles. All motorists must stop when they are involved in an accident. It is irresponsible and unlawful to flee from an accident scene. The Traffic Police takes a tough stance against such motorists, especially where injury has been caused in the accident. Any delay in rendering aid to the victim can mean a difference between life and death. Severe penalties are meted out to hit-and-run offenders to deter motorists from fleeing after getting into accidents. The driving licence of a hit-and-run motorist can be suspended pending court prosecution. Upon conviction, the offender can be fined up to $3,000 or to imprisonment for up to a year. In addition, the offender will be disqualified from driving for at least a year. This means that he will have to re-take the driving tests to obtain a new licence if he wishes to continue driving after the disqualification period. These penalties are in addition to the punishment meted out for the principal charges under the Penal Code for causing death or hurt in Page: 74 the accident. The Traffic Police will continue its education, engagement and enforcement efforts to ensure road users abide by traffic rules. At the same time, we urge all road users to exercise care and consideration, and motorists to stop to provide assistance if they are involved in an accident. They should also call for medical help where this is necessary. All motorists are required to inform the Police as soon as possible if injury or serious damage to property is caused.”
“Even after the videos were released, neither He and Liu nor their lawyers reported the allegations to the authorities. Their lawyers would have known that the proper procedure was for them to raise the matter in court, or to file a formal complaint with the Police. After repeated attempts by the Police for He and Liu to be interviewed and give their statements, the IAO was finally able to record statements from He and Liu on the alleged abuse on 15 February 2013, in the presence of their lawyers. Their statements gave details of the alleged abuse, but were found by the IAO to be inconsistent. Subsequently, in further statements recorded on 27 February 2013 and 20 March 2013, both He and Liu retracted their allegations of abuse. Page: 71 During its investigations, the IAO interviewed a total of 10 persons, including six Police officers involved in the complaint. After thorough investigations, the IAO concluded that the allegations were not substantiated. The AGC agreed with this assessment. We take allegations of Police abuse very seriously, especially when they are formally lodged, and investigate them thoroughly. Where there is wrong-doing, the officers will be dealt with. This is essential to maintain professionalism, public trust and confidence in the Police. However, we should also stand up for our officers when individuals or groups who break our laws or condone illegal actions, make baseless, false allegations against them. Our officers carry out their duties to keep us safe and secure, often in difficult and trying circumstances. The investigations have vindicated the officers in this case and protected their reputations.”
“The Police Internal Affairs Office (IAO) has completed its investigation into allegations by former SMRT bus drivers He Jun Ling (He) and Liu Xiangying (Liu) that they were abused by Police officers in the course of investigations, in relation to the illegal strike by SMRT drivers. He and Liu had instigated other SMRT drivers to take part in an illegal strike in November last year. The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has independently reviewed the case and concurred with the IAO's findings that the allegations were baseless. These allegations were made in two video clips shot and uploaded online by Ms Lee Seng Lynn under the heading "I Have Ways to Make You Confess". The videos were posted on Ms Lee's website "Lianain Films" on 28 January 2013, two months after He and Liu were arrested for their involvement in the illegal strike. The next day (29 January 2013), several civil society groups and individuals released a joint statement calling for an independent inquiry into He and Liu's allegations. Prior to the videos, neither He nor Liu made any allegations of physical abuse during Police investigations even though they had every opportunity to do so. They could have raised the issue at any time while they were in Police lock-up, when they appeared in court on 29 November 2012 to be charged, or after they were released on bail on 6 December 2012. He was examined by a doctor on 4 December 2012 for gastric pain, less than a week after the alleged incidents, but did not tell the doctor of the alleged abuse. Neither He nor Liu nor their lawyers raised the allegations in court on 19 December 2012. The Police also did not receive any complaints from the Chinese Embassy in relation to the two men's allegations of abuse.”
“Money laundering and tax evasion involving the use of high-value items falls under section 39 of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA). Under this legal provision, any person, who in the course of his professional or business duties, suspects that any property may represent proceeds of criminal conduct, including tax evasion and money laundering, is required to submit a report to a Suspicious Transaction Reporting Officer. The Commercial Affairs Department has conducted workshops to raise the awareness of industry players of this anti-money laundering measure.”
“Based on available data, around 10% of the Permanent Resident (PR) stock have been PRs for 20 or more years. Among those who have been PRs for 20 years or more, about 8% had previously applied for Singapore citizenship and were unsuccessful in their applications. Every application for Singapore citizenship is evaluated on a range of criteria, including economic contributions, qualifications, age, family profile and length of stay in Singapore, to assess applicants' ability to contribute and integrate into our society, and commitment to sinking roots. For those with family ties to Singapore citizens, we also consider the local sponsor's ability to support the family. As applications are evaluated holistically, there may be a number of reasons, taken together, for rejecting an application. Page: 125”
“Police also stepped up its presence and patrols at areas where large numbers of youth may congregate, especially during the school holidays. In addition to Government measures, parents and the community also have key roles to play in helping youths stay crime-free. Notwithstanding our best efforts, there will be youths who still turn to crime and violence. The Government's position is clear. While we have measures in place to ensure that our young are given chances to rehabilitate and reintegrate if they go astray, this must not come at the expense of safe streets, safe public places and safe neighbourhoods. We have zero tolerance for violence and all gang activity. Age is not an excuse. If our young people engage in violence, the authorities will not hesitate to step in and bring them to justice.”
“The Working Group also recognised that family support is crucial in helping a young person turn over a new leaf. Parental involvement is a key feature of diversionary programmes, such as the Guidance Programme, the enhanced Streetwise Programme and the rehabilitation programmes for young offenders in our Juvenile Homes and Reformative Training Centre. This strengthens family bonds and prepares the family to support and encourage the young person in his rehabilitation and reintegration. The third area being strengthened is anti-gang legislation. More details on proposed legislative amendments will be announced when these are ready. The amendments will enhance Police's powers to deal with gang formation, recruitment and congregation. We will also work closely with billiard saloons, computer gaming centres and amusement centres, where youths regularly gather, to introduce security measures to prevent gang activities. In the meantime, illegal associations and specific offences, such as serious hurt, rioting, intimidation and harassment, will be firmly dealt with under existing Page: 122 legislation. The youth crime and youth gang situation in Singapore remains under control. The number of youths arrested has fallen over the last five years, from 4,240 in 2008 to 3,320 in 2012. For the period January to May this year, 1,020 youths were arrested, a drop of 32% when compared to the same period last year. There were 1,493 youths arrested from January to May 2012. Nevertheless, as the recent incident at Cineleisure shows, we cannot be complacent and have to continually review and refine our strategies and measures to deal with youth crime and youth violence. The Police takes the Cineleisure case very seriously. They have arrested 14 persons, of whom six have been charged.”
“We announced the recommendations of the Inter-Ministry Working Group on Youth Gangs in November 2011. Since then, the various agencies, such as MHA, MSF, MOE, Singapore Police Force and the Attorney-General's Chambers, have worked together to implement the recommendations to deter youths from joining gangs and to disrupt existing youth gangs. Page: 121 The Working Group recommended a comprehensive range of programmes. First, enhanced coordination and collaboration between agencies. An inter-agency forum comprising the Police, Central Narcotics Bureau, schools and MSF share information and address gaps in intervention. Through this platform, Police informs schools when students are found hanging out late or reported missing by their parents. This allows schools to monitor these students and provide counselling and other forms of intervention. To support this framework, the Police established a Youth Offenders Unit in 2012. The unit oversees the programmes to prevent youth crime, monitors trends, and coordinates public education and outreach efforts to youths. It recently organised the fifth season of the Delta League in June 2013 with the National Crime Prevention Council. This programme keeps youths meaningfully occupied during the school holidays through wholesome physical activities, such as soccer. More than 1,000 youths have participated over the past four seasons. Second, we improved upstream measures for youths who are at the early stages of gang association. Such youths have to attend a mandatory intervention programme in lieu of prosecution. This enhanced programme includes compulsory physical reporting to Police, close supervision at school or work, and restrictions on places that the youth can visit and people that he can associate with.”
“The Boston attack showed how the security agencies were supported by community efforts and resources. Ordinary Bostonians provided first-aid to victims and cooperated with the police in identifying and tracking down the suspects. Security measures taken by business owners in the area of the bombing, such as surveillance cameras, provided the security agencies with valuable images of what actually happened during the attack. In Singapore, MHA has worked with private business and premise owners through the Safety and Security Watch Groups to enhance security and vigilance in commercial premises and during large scale events. There is no room for complacency in dealing with potential terror threats that could strike us anytime. MHA will continue to strengthen our capabilities to deal with potential threats while expanding our community partnership programmes to ensure that everyone is aware and prepared to play his or her part in keeping Singapore safe and secure.”
“Singapore has not suffered a terrorist attack in recent years. But we work on the premise that terrorist groups and radical individuals have not stopped trying. A terrorist attack remains a real and present threat to Singapore. The recent Boston Marathon bombing serves as a sombre reminder that terrorists can strike anytime, anywhere and at any target. As a community and as individuals, we must never let our guard down as we seek to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our way of life. Our security agencies have been maintaining a high degree of vigilance to deter, detect and mitigate any terrorist attack. These measures have been stepped up in the wake of the Boston attack. The Police are working closely with organisers of sports events to implement enhanced security measures to prevent similar attacks. This includes increasing Police patrols, conducting bomb sweeps and implementing checks on persons and belongings. Besides sports events, the Police will also ensure that security measures have been put in place for other high profile events and sensitive locations, and that these measures are regularly reviewed and remain effective against potential threats. To prevent the entry of terrorists and contraband, such as explosives, into Singapore, stringent checks are conducted on all travellers and goods at our checkpoints. The Police also carry out round-the-clock surveillance and patrols along our coastline to deter and detect illegal intrusions. These measures have been in place since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Aside from the measures taken by our security agencies, our safety and security also depend on the community at large playing a key role in preventing and mitigating the effects of terrorism.”
“In support of Safer Roads Singapore and in conjunction with the United Nations Global Road Safety Week, the SRSC, together with the Traffic Police and the Land Transport Authority, will be holding the inaugural Singapore Road Safety Month from 6 May to 1 June this year. During the period, there will be customised road safety activities for different groups of road users, such as commercial transport operators, senior citizens, school children and motorcyclists. Under Safer Roads Singapore, the Traffic Police and its partners will step up the engagement and education of the community on road safety. We encourage more members of the community to participate in TP's road safety activities and practise safe habits when using the roads. Together, we can create safer roads for all.”
“I announced the launch of Safer Roads Singapore during this year's Committee of Supply debate on MHA's budget. This is a comprehensive plan involving the Traffic Police, its partners and the community to keep our roads safe. While enforcement of traffic laws is important, the education and engagement of the community and various stakeholders are also equally critical aspects of the overall strategy. The Traffic Police, in collaboration with the Singapore Road Safety Council (SRSC), organises four major road safety-related campaigns annually. These are the Road Courtesy Campaign for all road users, the Shell Traffic Games for young children, the Ride Safe Campaign for motorcyclists, and the Anti-Drink Drive Campaign. From 2010 to 2012, the SRSC raised an average of $1 million each year to fund these campaigns. In addition, the Traffic Police conducts many road safety talks and exhibitions that are targeted at different road user groups. These are organised in schools, at community events and to stakeholders, such as those in the transport industry. Over the past three years, the Traffic Police has reached out to more than 600,000 road users across various segments of our community through about 2,400 talks and exhibitions. The Traffic Police also partners the private sector to organise road safety activities for the community. For example, Zouk hosted the Traffic Police and about 200 elderly pedestrians to a road safety luncheon during Chinese New Year last year. As part of the event, a road safety educational video was screened, and road safety messages were shared by the Traffic Police.”
“Police received a total of 36,150 applications for security officer licences from 2010 to 2012. Of these, 2,194, or about 6% of applications were unsuccessful. Police assesses each application on its own merit, based on the key consideration that the applicant must be able to protect the lives and properties of others and be effective in discharging this responsibility. To determine this, Police considers a holistic set of factors, including the criminal record of the applicant. Applicants, upon being accepted, will be trained and certified as security officers before being deployed to various assignments. Persons who have committed criminal offences and who are assessed to be unsuitable for the security industry are likely to have their security officer licence applications rejected. Police will consider granting security officer licences to ex-offenders after a period of time if they can show that they have turned over a new leaf.”
“The Identity Card (IC) is made of a highly durable polycarbonate material that has been subjected to stringent tests to ensure its durability. It is not easily damaged with normal handling. Nonetheless, there are a small number of cards that may be damaged due to excessive wear and tear over time. The $60 fee for replacing a damaged IC is to cover the production cost, which includes manpower, material, as well as other costs incurred in producing a new card. This fee has not been increased since 1991. ICA will consider a waiver of the fee for cases which warrant special consideration. This will include situations where the card was damaged due to circumstances beyond the cardholder's control, such as accidents or fire.”
“Emergency vehicles such as ambulances activate their siren, bell or a multi-toned horn when they are responding to life-threatening emergencies. Under the Road Traffic Rules, it is mandatory for motorists to give way when such devices are sounded. Over the past five years, an average of 17 summonses were issued each year to motorists who fail to give way to emergency vehicles. Offenders are generally given a composition fine of up to $160 and awarded four demerit points. The Traffic Police has taken enforcement action against the motorist involved in the 14 March 2013 incident, based on a video recording. Notwithstanding this incident, most motorists are generally considerate and do give way to emergency vehicles when required. We will monitor this closely and may consider imposing stricter penalties if the situation warrants it. The Traffic Police and Singapore Civil Defence Force will continue to work with the relevant stakeholders to highlight the importance of giving way to emergency vehicles. At the same time, we ask motorists to be alert to emergency vehicles and let them pass safely at the earliest opportunity.”
“The Public Service Commission (PSC) encourages our scholarship holders to pursue diverse experiences in preparation for their public service career. This includes studying at a range of good universities, both locally and abroad. Outstanding candidates who are keen to study locally may be awarded the Local-Overseas Merit Scholarships (L-OMS), which provides a well-rounded local undergraduate education with opportunities for overseas exposure. They are also given the same grooming and development opportunities as Overseas Merit Scholarship (OMS) recipients. Twelve percent of PSC scholarship holders are currently pursuing their undergraduate studies locally while the remaining 88% are doing so in a spread of countries like the US, UK, China and Japan5. We agree with the Member that there have been many positive developments in our local Universities. PSC continues to share such information with scholarship applicants and encourages them to pursue their undergraduate studies locally. There are also opportunities for scholarship holders who complete their undergraduate degrees overseas to return to Singapore for postgraduate studies in institutions like the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at NTU and so on. In addition, the PSC recently reviewed the terms and conditions for our local scholarships to enhance their attractiveness to prospective scholarship applicants. We will continue to educate our scholarship applicants on the opportunities offered by our local Universities, and continue to ensure that PSC scholarship holders have a broad range of perspectives and experiences in preparation for their career in the public service.”
“As my Ministry had shared in January last year, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) may recommend to the Traffic Police (TP), for suitable SAF servicemen, including Full-time National Servicemen (NSFs), Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) and SAF Regulars, who hold military driving licences, to qualify for civilian driving licences if they meet the prescribed conversion criteria. A set of conversion criteria is necessary in view of the different requirements and operating environments faced by SAF drivers and civilian drivers. For instance, SAF's military licensing regime trains servicemen to be competent in driving military vehicles in an operational environment, usually across off-road terrain, whereas TP's civilian licensing regime trains drivers to meet the demands of general motoring on Singapore's roads. Given the different needs, servicemen who do not fulfil the conversion criteria have to be further assessed through TP's driving tests before they can qualify for civilian licences.”
“Foreign spouses of Singapore Citizens (SCs) are typically granted a Long Term Visit Pass (LTVP) in the first instance. ICA will require some time to assess that the marriage is stable before it considers the foreign spouse for Permanent Residence (PR) and, subsequently, for Singapore Citizenship (SC). Based on ICA records, the number of foreign spouses sponsored by their SC spouse for long term immigration facilities and subsequently for Permanent Residence and Singapore Citizenship under the Family Ties Scheme has been on the increase in the last 10 years. The total number holding LTVP, LTVP+, PR or citizenship in 2003 and 2012 are as follows: The majority of foreign spouses sponsored by their SC sponsors for long-term immigration facilities, PR or citizenship under the Family Ties Scheme are Page: 142 females. The above figures do not include foreign spouses who applied for and were granted PR or SC under other schemes, such as the Professionals/Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers' scheme nor those who were already PR at the time of marriage.”
“Between 2000 and 2004, an annual average of 700 Singapore Citizenships (SCs) were granted by descent to minors born overseas to Singapore Citizens. Sixty-four percent of these minors declared that they were holding a foreign citizenship at the point of registration for SC. Between 2005 and 2009, there were 1,100 SCs granted annually by descent to minors born overseas to Singapore Citizens. Sixty-eight percent of these minors declared that they were holding a foreign citizenship at the point of registration for SC. Individuals with a foreign citizenship must renounce their foreign citizenship within 12 months upon reaching the age of 21 to retain their Singapore Citizenship. Page: 141”
“While I spoke only of the monetary side, which is the Long-Term Retention Plan, of course, there is a whole range of other things which motivate a person to stay. The most important motivation for a person to stay in the Public Service is that he gets happiness out of other people's happiness – it basically comes down to that. If you get happiness only from the remuneration package that you have, then I think the Civil Service is really the Page: 20 wrong place for you. Your ultimate satisfaction and happiness must really come from seeing other people happy, other people doing better in life – that is, our fellow Singaporeans, the public at large and the community. So, that is the ultimate satisfaction for a public servant. We try to bring that across to our public servants in the course of their work, in the courses that they attend and so on. But that motivation comes from inside the person as much as it does from what somebody tells him. So, that is one aspect. The other aspect of motivating our people is we try and give them development opportunities. We have a system where officers have 100 hours of training a year. We give our officers opportunities to go for developmental courses, both within the Public Service and also other kinds of courses, to improve themselves or to get higher qualifications, postgraduate degrees and so on. These are ways in which we develop our officers, keep them motivated and also increase their ability to contribute to the Public Service and to Singapore.”
“There are quite a few questions. I will try and answer all of them. If I forget some of the questions, please repeat them. I will try my best to answer them. On accountability, we do have a process by which officers are assessed by the Head of Civil Service and also the Chairman of the PSC on an annual basis. Officers have, of course, to state their KPIs and performance indicators. In the process of coming to their assessments, the Head of Civil Service and the Chairman of the PSC do consult the Ministers whose Ministries these officers are working in. So, that is one process. We have a very rigorous process, in fact, of assessing performance in the Civil Service, especially for those in the top ranks of the Civil Service. We also have performance bonuses. This is not always usual in most public services. We do have performance bonuses and therefore, how much and how well an officer has performed in a given year, how he has contributed, are taken into account in determining his bonus. There is a range and it is not fixed. Where do we set our salary points? The same principles apply across the whole Public Service. We choose comparables. Then, we look at what type of officers we are trying to recruit and retain. We do indeed sometimes choose the 75th percentile, and sometimes the 90th percentile, depending on the range and the group of persons that we are looking for. These are basically similar to HR principles that are used in the private sector. We do use HR consultants from the private sector who have experience in compensation and remuneration to help us to devise the schemes that we have. There are probably several other questions which I have not answered but I will be happy to answer them.”
“This is, indeed, one of the things which the Public Service as a whole, not just the Administrative Service Officers, needs to take very seriously. There are many avenues for this. I would say that the ongoing "Our Singapore Conversation" has been a very useful exercise in hearing public feedback, getting views, not just on policies but on how policies are executed and transmitted. Those have all been very valuable opportunities. We also encourage our public officers, whether they are Administrative Officers or not, to get involved in the community. A good number of them actually have spent some time volunteering for various good causes. We also institutionally and structurally have our public officers, especially our Administrative Officers, attach to various organisations, for example, the CDCs. I know of one of our officers now who is working in the frontline in one of our public hospitals, dealing with public feedback. This provides opportunities for our officers to gain an understanding of issues on the ground, and we will find more opportunities for them.”
“Obviously, salaries are not the only way in which we recruit, attract and retain officers. The officers also look for worthwhile jobs, a job which is respected by others in the community and also they are motivated by being able to do something larger, for the community, for Singaporeans as a whole. So, they are motivated not by just the bottom line of a company, but really their bottom line is the well-being of all Singaporeans. These are the motivations of public officers who come in and will stay for a long time. There are many opportunities and avenues for officers to express their views. In fact, before a policy decision is arrived at, there are often very many different options which are explored. In that process, officers are encouraged to exercise their initiative and creativity in developing these policies. A number of the policies that have been developed have had significant inputs from our officers, for example, the Jobs Credit Scheme, Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) and so forth. These are important inputs that they have provided. There may well be a difference in views of what is a better policy or what is a better way of executing things, but these are natural in any organisation. But we do expect, that once a decision has been made, our officers will follow through and see through the execution well. That is also expected of any organisation that an officer serves in.”
“Because we have maintained salaries at a comparable level – we lag, we do not lead – but at a comparable level, we have been able to maintain our recruitment and our retention.”
“I will take the last question that Mr Baey has raised first. Commitment and integrity are very important for the Public Service, and these are key things which we assess our public officers on and demand very high standards of. So, when an officer is found to have not lived up to the standards of integrity and honesty that we require for public servants, we do not hesitate to take action against him. We can see examples of that already. In order to make sure that we can recruit and retain officers of high quality throughout the Public Service, not just the Administrative Service and the Judiciary, but everywhere, including policemen, teachers, accountants and the average civil servant who serves the public wholeheartedly and does his best to serve the public, we will continue to pay competitive market salaries. That is the best way to make sure that we can continue to recruit and retain officers in the Public Service to serve members of the public. But we will take suitable comparators for each job in the Public Service where there are equivalent jobs in the private sector. For example, if a person works in an administrative job in, say, the back room of one of our organisations, we will try and take a comparable job in the private sector and set the salary according to that. If a person is an accountant, economist or a lawyer, we would take comparables as well. Similarly, we will apply the same principles for the Administrative Service and the Judiciary. In terms of maintaining competitiveness and sufficient numbers, we have seen in the past from our experience that where salaries have gone out of line with what is happening in the market, we have had difficulties in recruiting and Page: 17 retaining officers.”
“There was only one breach of the election regulations governing outdoor rallies during the 2011 Presidential Election. This took place on 24 August 2011 during Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian's outdoor rally where the rally ended shortly after the permitted time. Taking into account the facts and circumstances of the breach, Police issued a verbal warning to the election agent. There were no breaches detected during the recent Punggol East By-Election in 2013. Police will continue to refine its rules, regulations and penalties to ensure that candidates, agents and/or their permit holders take the permit conditions seriously and adhere strictly with all permit conditions. Page: 172”
“The expenditure incurred by the Elections Department for the Punggol East By-Election in January 2013 is estimated to be $840,800. This includes the cost of printing ballot papers and election materials, rental of equipment, transportation costs, and allowances paid to election officials.”
“Mdm Speaker, the basis for awarding these scholarships is quite different. There is a variety of scholarships to our Universities which are awarded by the Universities, MOE and a range of bursaries and so forth. Scholarships awarded by the PSC are of very high standards. The expectations are that they do perform to very high standards. If the Member has a question on the performance of other scholarship holders in general, he may want to direct that to the Ministry of Education.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year 2013/2014, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Sir, may I seek your consent and the general assent of hon Members to move that progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again tomorrow.”
“We will also intensify our upstream education and engagement efforts to inculcate the right mindsets, habits and skills for safer road use. Sir, it is important that we must take a decisive step to minimise injuries and the loss of lives. In the Traffic Police's dialogues with representatives from the industry and vocational driver groups, there is a general consensus that more can be done collectively to enhance road safety for everyone. Every life matters. I urge all parties to work together and make our roads safer. Sir, before I sum up, let me address Mr Christopher de Souza's query on the waiting time for casino exclusion orders against vulnerable persons. The Page: 161 National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) administers such casino exclusions. The Council convenes Family Exclusion hearings within two weeks from the point of application to determine the need for a Family Exclusion Order. Applications for self-exclusions made online take effect immediately. The recent amendments to the Casino Control Act empower the NCPG's Committee of Assessors to also issue a provisional Family Exclusion Order in the interim period, if there is an urgent need to protect vulnerable family members from further harm due to casino gambling. Sir, to conclude, I have laid out some of the Home Team's key initiatives to ensure the safety of our neighbourhoods and our roads. The Home Team will continue to enhance our operational capabilities, stay resolute in enforcement and leverage on technology for greater effectiveness. At the same time, we will continue to need the support of each and every member of the community to maintain a safe and secure home for all of us.”
“We are working with LTA to tighten the existing speed limiter regime by introducing additional inspection requirements for heavy vehicles that are caught speeding. Sir, I agree with Mr Vikram Nair that it is particularly heartbreaking when children in particular are involved in traffic accidents. Hence, apart from our education efforts, we also want to step up on enforcement. To ensure that extra care is taken near schools, motorists will receive an additional demerit point if they commit speeding, red-running, careless driving or inconsiderate driving offences within enhanced school zones. Let me illustrate the impact of this change. This additional demerit point will cause a new driver who is on probation to have his licence revoked if he is caught committing the offence of red-running in an enhanced school zone. Thus, this measure will have a material impact on the driver's eligibility to drive. Let me also assure Mr Christopher de Souza that the Traffic Police does and will continue to take enforcement action against cyclists who flout traffic rules on our roads. Traffic Police issues almost 900 summonses annually to cyclists for various offences committed on our roads, including those highlighted by the Member. These enforcement steps and the educational initiatives that I mentioned earlier are part of a broader effort undertaken by a committee led by MOT to enhance the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. MOT will elaborate at its Committee of Supply debate. Taken as a whole, Safer Roads Singapore is a comprehensive strategy to improve road safety by enhancing the norms of road use. The Traffic Police will be firm and fair in enforcing traffic rules.”
“The Traffic Police will progressively install digital red light and digital speed cameras. By the end of 2014, there will be a network of almost 300 such cameras at various locations. The new cameras have enhanced capabilities to better identify vehicles that speed or run red lights. The Traffic Police can also download the images remotely, which means the cameras can remain live 24/7. These digital cameras and other measures will significantly enhance our ability to detect speeding and red-running. Our principal objective is to enhance road safety and encourage motorists to adhere to traffic rules at all times, regardless of whether there are cameras or traffic police officers present. Ultimately, all road users must take personal responsibility for this, as it is in our collective interest to ensure our own safety and the safety of all other road users. So, we look forward to the cooperation of all road users and the community in this regard. Sir, allow me to also elaborate on our approach towards heavy vehicles. Heavy vehicles can cause severe harm in accidents due to their size. Hence, we have stepped up efforts to engage the heavy vehicle industry and educate their drivers. We already have a stricter enforcement regime for heavy vehicles. Heavy vehicle drivers face stiffer fines for compoundable traffic offences. The Traffic Police has also stepped up enforcement efforts against speeding by heavy vehicles in recent years. For example, Police Speed Laser Cameras are frequently deployed along expressways and roads regularly plied by heavy vehicle drivers. Page: 160 Currently, heavy vehicles above a certain weight class are required to install speed limiters.”
“They give awards and vouchers to drivers who have been accident-free, and the drivers' driving records are again a consideration when they do their year-end evaluations. We will do more to encourage and promote such positive practices. Many stakeholders – unions, fleet owners and the like – have expressed support for a collective effort to ensure greater safety on our roads. The Traffic Police is working with the Singapore Road Safety Council to develop a common platform to facilitate the sharing among stakeholders of such best practices in road safety. We hope more companies will be encouraged to shape the driving habits of their drivers constructively. The Traffic Police will also expand its Road Safety Champions programme to the wider motoring community, including logistics companies and fast food delivery companies. Through this initiative, the Traffic Police identifies and trains supervisors and managers as Road Safety Champions. These Champions will in turn promote road safety and gracious road behaviour among their co- Page: 159 workers. Finally, as Members have suggested, we will step up our enforcement efforts under Safer Roads Singapore. The aim is to encourage road users in general to be more careful and courteous, while firmly dealing with the small proportion of reckless and recalcitrant drivers. To this end, the Traffic Police will augment its enforcement capabilities by deploying 70 more officers on the roads. In addition, the Traffic Police will complement this by employing auxiliary police officers. So, there will be greater enforcement presence on the roads. We will also leverage technology to boost our enforcement efforts. Dr Janil Puthucheary raised concerns over red-running and speeding offences.”
“So, that should be ample incentives and motivation for motorists to take the course. The Traffic Police will also revise the retraining course for motorists facing their first or second suspensions to have a more comprehensive curriculum and more stringent passing standards. These enhancements to our corrective Page: 158 education regime will be implemented by the end of the year. The second thrust is engagement. The Traffic Police will be able to multiply its outreach and education efforts by engaging industry stakeholders such as owners of heavy vehicle fleets and interests groups such as motorcycling enthusiasts clubs. Such engagement helps to foster a shared sense of responsibility within the community of road users for the safety of our roads. In that regard, I am heartened by the initiatives that some companies are already taking to promote a culture of safety amongst their drivers. For example, Poh Tiong Choon Logistics Limited, which is one of Singapore's largest home-grown logistics companies, has a range of road safety management practices. They conduct road safety talks and defensive driving courses for their drivers, and have instituted compulsory breaks for their night shift drivers. The company also has a GPS system to monitor the speed of its vehicles. Drivers who are caught speeding are counselled and may even face disciplinary action. On the flip side, those who have a good safety track record and stay accident free are rewarded through bonuses in their year-end evaluation. SembWaste Pte Ltd, which is an integrated solid waste management service provider, also provides incentives for its drivers to drive safely.”
“For example, road safety for elderly pedestrians is one of the key areas of focus for the inaugural Road Safety Month that the Singapore Road Safety Council and the Traffic Police are jointly organising in May this year. As Mr Edwin Tong pointed out, motorcyclists are also a vulnerable group of road users. They account for about half of all road fatalities. We will thus enhance our licensing regime for motorcyclists to ensure that they have the requisite knowledge and skills to ride safely. Specifically, from June this year, all motorcycle Class 2B learner riders will have to undergo the Expressway Familiarisation Ride course before they obtain their licence. This course, which has been an optional offering since December 2010, allows motorcyclists to familiarise themselves with riding on expressways. Riders who have taken the course over the past two years were found to be significantly less prone to be involved in accidents on expressways. By making the course compulsory, we hope to reduce the number of accidents involving motorcycles on our expressways. Mr Gan Thiam Poh has asked whether the Traffic Police will consider requiring all speeding offenders to undergo compulsory education earlier, immediately after their first offence. We agree that corrective education is useful for all motorists, not just speeding offenders. Therefore, the Traffic Police will introduce a new voluntary Safe Driving Course for motorists who have accumulated half or more of their maximum allowable demerit points. This will allow for earlier intervention to correct dangerous road habits. To encourage motorists to take this course, those who pass the course will have three demerit points deducted from their record.”
“There is also a trend of worsening road habits and behaviours, a point which Mr Christopher de Souza alluded to. There are a growing number of violations for dangerous offences such as speeding and red-running. Members of the public are also concerned about such behaviour and the impact it has on road safety, as evident from the regular public feedback that we receive. To arrest this trend, the Traffic Police initiated a holistic review of its traffic policing strategy in August last year. This has culminated in a comprehensive plan and strategy involving the Traffic Police, its partners and the community to keep our roads safe. This plan is called Safer Roads Singapore and there are three key thrusts to this strategy: education, engagement and enforcement. Each of these is important and mutually reinforcing in shaping behavioural norms, and engendering a culture of safe and courteous road use. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the roads are safe for all of us. Let me start with our education and licensing initiatives which will help equip road users with essential road safety knowledge. The Traffic Police has particularly emphasised road safety education for children, given their inexperience as road users and their vulnerability on the roads. In 2012, the Traffic Police and the driving centres conducted road safety Page: 157 talks to over 35,000 Primary school students and also conducted road safety training for over 28,000 Primary school students at the Road Safety Community Park. The Traffic Police will continue to work with our educational institutions to extend these efforts to children, especially the younger ones in pre-school and lower Primary. We will also increase our educational efforts for other vulnerable road users.”
“Uniformed Auxiliary Police Officers and Security Officers are deployed in locations with high concentrations of foreign workers to help deter crime and conduct enforcement against anti-social behaviour, such as littering. 7.00 pm MHA is also working with other Government agencies to study Ms Denise Phua's suggestion to impose further restrictions on the sale of alcohol in residential estates and the consumption of alcohol in public. We are learning from the experience of other countries and how these could be adapted to our circumstances. This is again a work-in-progress and we hope to be able to make some announcements in due course. Page: 156 The members of the local community also play an important role in this effort and many have stepped forward to form Citizens-on-Patrol groups. Some groups even work together with foreign worker volunteers to patrol foreign worker congregations in order to deter crime and anti-social behaviour. We welcome these initiatives because it is part of the collective enterprise we need to deal with this. Sir, let me now move on to road safety, which is another key area of focus that many Members have spoken on. Over the years, the situation in our network of roads has grown complex with more and diverse users. Notwithstanding this, our road safety has generally improved. For example, the number of fatalities on our roads fell by 13% to 169 in 2012. The number of injuries fell by 687 or 7% to 9,073. Our road fatality rate has decreased by more than 50% over the last two decades and compares favourably with other countries. But this is still a cause for concern for it means that, on average, there is a fatality on our roads every other day.”
“This study covers aspects such as fostering a common understanding of what constitutes acceptable social norms or behaviour, enhancing our mediation processes and introducing calibrated penalties, if necessary, for those who persist in their anti-social behaviour. This is a work in progress and the Government will announce its plans in due course. We would of course be very happy to welcome ideas and suggestions from Members as well. However, as Mr Hri Kumar has said, and I want to reinforce this point, it is not just a matter of mediation, enforcement and penalties. We need to foster a culture of mutual respect and consideration, and build the consensus on what constitutes acceptable behaviour in our communities. This is not the role of Government alone. I hope that our community leaders, residents and Members of this House will continue to play their part in supporting and encouraging a spirit of "give and take" and also exercise forbearance in dealing with such community disputes, which are an inevitable part of community life. We need a similar approach in dealing with the disamenities posed by foreign worker congregations that Ms Denise Phua and Mr Patrick Tay have spoken about. Members would be aware that there is already an interagency effort underway to address this issue. The Government agencies have worked with the community to put in place a range of measures to address this issue. These include providing dedicated social and recreational amenities for foreign workers both within and near their dormitories, and educating foreign workers on Singapore's laws and social norms.”
“So, we have to decide and exercise judgement on what works best in our context and be prepared to continually evaluate the evidence and the empirical data and see how we move forward. This is the system that has worked well for us and I think it is borne out by the fact that our crime rate remains low, notwithstanding the significant changes we see in our society. Let me now address other community-based issues raised by some Members. Many of the community dispute type issues highlighted by Mr Hri Kumar, Mr Edwin Tong and Dr Janil Puthucheary are not criminal offences per se, as they themselves have said. I appreciate that anti-social behaviour and inconsiderate conduct can be quite disruptive to the peace and also can cause anxiety, stress and even adversely affect residents' sense of safety and security. So, residents naturally often look to the Police in order to address these community disputes. Sir, it is essential that our Police resources are focused – first and foremost, on fighting crime. I think we would all agree on that because that is what the real purpose of policing is. The Police will continue to act against criminal offences robustly and resolutely. However, a large majority of these community dispute cases which do not involve breaches of law and order do find their way to the Police. In such cases, and where the parties are willing, our officers will generally assist to forward the details of the case and refer the parties involved for mediation at the Community Mediation Centre. I know Members have expressed some concern that this is not enough and whether more can be done. Page: 155 I want to inform Members that there is also an interagency effort underway to study how community disputes can be better addressed.”
“The Member has highlighted examples of models like hotspot policing and problem oriented policing. An example of hotspot policing is what we are doing in a place like Geylang. An example of problem oriented policing is what we are doing with unlicensed moneylending. The Police has been eclectic and has adapted different models, studying them from different parts of the world and then adapting them to our local context. In doing so, the Police also pilots the concepts and then continues to review and refine them. An example is Community Policing. We have had it in Singapore for 30 years and in that time, crime rate has decreased by more than 50%. But the Police's objective in introducing a new model of frontline Policing is really to see if we can refine the Page: 154 previous model further to enhance the efficacy on the ground, especially given the changing needs projected from the demographic trends we see today. The Police has conducted study trips internationally to places such as China, Hongkong, London, Sweden and Taiwan. They then tried out a series of pilots over a period of six to 12 months. These were then refined and tested at all land divisions before a final model was embarked upon. So, the answer is "yes", we do have a very robust evidence-based system. I also want to say that in learning from other countries, we must bear in mind that our context is different and even the experiences in other countries can be quite diverse. If Members take, for example, cameras − there is mixed evidence from the USA. In cities like Chicago and downtown Baltimore, cameras have yielded positive results. But this has not been the same and has had little impact in Washington DC.”