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.”
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“We need a collective effort, with the community and Police working in partnership, to keep our neighbourhoods safe from the scourge of loanshark activities. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef and Mr Christopher de Souza have asked about vice. In 2012, less than 1% of the 5,300 odd arrests of female foreigners for vice-related activities were made in the heartlands. Hence, I would like to assure Mr de Souza that such activities are not prevalent in the heartlands. And of course, the Community Policing System will address this sort of crimes at a local level in addition to the other types of crimes that we have talked about. In specific neighbourhoods where residents have identified vice as a concern, the Police will continue to dedicate resources to deter and curtail such activities. In that regard, as Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef would be aware, the Police has formed a taskforce to conduct regular enforcement operations against vice-related activities in Geylang. The Police assessment is that this has yielded positive results. However, the Police will continue with its enforcement efforts, reviewing and adapting its strategies in response to feedback from the community and grassroots leaders. The Police also appreciates the support from the grassroots organisations and the Advisers involved in these precincts. Ms Sylvia Lim asked about how the Police selects its policing models and asked whether it adopts an evidence-based approach in discerning which strategies to adopt. Sir, I would like to first emphasise that our strategy in fighting crime fundamentally rests on robust laws, effective enforcement and deep community partnerships. These elements are at the core of any policing initiative on the ground.”
“Sir, let me now turn to the issue of unlicensed moneylending, a concern which has been raised by several Members and shared by all of us. We continue to make headway in our enforcement efforts against loanshark syndicates and their runners. The number of reports of unlicensed moneylending and related harassment cases fell by 19%, or 2,507, to 10,835 cases in 2012. This is the third consecutive year of significant decreases. These gains are a result of our robust laws, effective enforcement and education efforts. The Police remains resolute in tackling this heinous crime and in particular, the Police has launched an anti-unlicensed moneylending campaign last November. This nationwide campaign aims to raise public awareness of the serious consequences of borrowing from loansharks – for the borrowers and their families. It also highlights the severe penalties in our laws for those involved in loanshark activities. Our hope is that these efforts will help to further curb borrowing from loansharks, and deter debtors and our youth from working for loanshark syndicates. I am glad to inform Members that the number of youths arrested for unlicensed moneylending and related activities has decreased from 2011 by more than half to 160 arrests in 2012. So, there has been a significant decrease although this continues to be an area of focus for the Police. However, as Mr Christopher de Souza has pointed out, we can sustain this momentum only with the partnership of the community and we need Page: 153 neighbours to stay vigilant and help keep an eye out for one another. Such community support and cooperation are key complements to the Police's enforcement and education initiatives.”
“We will build on these initial achievements by implementing COPS in the Ang Mo Kio South, Bedok North, Jurong East, Jurong West, Nanyang and Rochor NPCs in June this year and in a further six NPCs by the end of this year. By the end of 2013, more than half of our 35 NPCs would have adopted the COPS model and we are on schedule for all NPCs to make this transition by the end of 2015. Mr Edwin Tong has enquired about the progress of Police Camera installation. This is an example of how the Home Team agencies are leveraging on technology as a force multiplier. Last year, Police Cameras were installed in 350 HDB blocks; and their coverage will be extended to another 650 HDB blocks Page: 152 across all Town Councils by the end of this year. Police cameras will be rolled out to all 10,000 HDB blocks and multi-storey car parks by the end of 2016. Mr Patrick Tay asked whether our cameras can help combat problems such as unlicensed moneylending harassment, littering and the disamenities caused by foreign worker congregations. Sir, our Police Cameras are deployed primarily to deter and solve crime, including cases of loanshark harassment. The Police is prepared to share the footage from its cameras in aid of the work of other agencies such as LTA or NEA if it is needed to support their investigation and enforcement efforts. Overall, I would say that our Community Policing System (COPS) has made a promising start. As we persevere with its full implementation and learn from our experiences, we hope that all members of the community will continue to actively partner and support the Police in this important effort to keep our neighbourhoods and our communities safe.”
“Mr Chairman, our neighbourhoods continue to be safe. In 2012, the overall crime rate fell to 581 crimes per 100,000 of population. That is a decrease of 4% from 2011 and is the lowest crime rate in almost 30 years. MHA and the Singapore Police Force are committed to sustaining this improvement, and preserving safety and security in Singapore. The Community Policing System (COPS) is a key pillar in Police's efforts to keep our crime rates low and our neighbourhoods safe. Mr Edwin Tong and Mr Arthur Fong have sought an assessment of the progress of the COPS model. We launched COPS at the Bukit Merah East and Tampines Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs) last May. A further six NPCs adopted the COPS model in January this year. It is too early to attribute specific crime trends to the implementation of this new model but the results and feedback, to date, have been encouraging. There have been notable successes, for example, in targeting local crime. The Bukit Merah East Crime Strike Force was able to, with the combination of ground intelligence, local knowledge and CCTV footage, identify a suspect as a known neighbourhood character in the context of a local crime and was then able to swiftly locate and arrest that person. In terms of community engagement, the Community Policing Units are also making good progress in reaching out to the communities whom they serve. The residents have welcomed the implementation of COPS, which they say has deepened their engagement with community policing officers in their neighbourhoods, and has enhanced their sense of safety.”
“We will continue to fine-tune this framework and take in views from the industry. MOM will also be introducing measures to raise basic wages and improve employment conditions in the private security industry. More details will be announced during the MOM's Committee of Supply debate. Mr Edwin Tong raised concerns about online harassment. Indeed, this is a concern that has been expressed by many members of the public. MHA is working with MinLaw and MCI to review the criminal legislation and civil measures available to deal with cyberbullying and cyber harassment. We will review our laws to ensure that there is effective and appropriate recourse for harassment that is perpetrated online or in the physical world. We are also considering the need to enhance existing civil remedies for victims. Mr Chairman, a safe and secure environment is the foundation on which our society and economy can thrive. In the coming year, the Home Team will continue to work closely with businesses, community groups, voluntary welfare organisations and individuals as we tackle the threats we face. By working together, we own the security and safety of Singapore and we help the members of our Home team agencies to do their work well. Together, we can keep Singapore safe and secure for everyone. The Second Minister for Home Affairs (Mr S Iswaran): Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their questions and suggestions. Deputy Prime Minister Teo has laid out MHA's three-pronged approach comprising Robust Laws, Effective Enforcement and Strong Community Partnerships, and the way we approach safety and security in Singapore. I will elaborate on how these elements come together in our efforts to ensure safe neighbourhoods and also Page: 151 safety on our roads.”
“Second Minister Iswaran will speak more on our plans to use technology to deter and detect crime and traffic offences. ICA has also been harnessing technology to ensure that immigration clearance remains efficient. For instance, the enhanced Immigration Automated Clearance System allows certain categories of travellers to be cleared more quickly. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked if we could have dedicated clearance lanes for Singaporeans at Changi Airport. In most places dedicated lanes are required because queues are very long. Here, I think queues are relatively short and people can be cleared through quite quickly. Unlike foreigners who are restricted to certain clearance lanes, in fact, Singapore citizens are able to use all clearance lanes, including automated lanes, enjoying maximum flexibility and ease of travel. Mr Patrick Tay asked about the private security industry. Our partners in the private security industry play an important role in complementing the work of Page: 150 the Home Team. I hesitate to set up a new agency, as setting up a new agency may not necessarily address the issues that Mr Tay is concerned about. The Singapore Police Force already works closely with the industry to continually improve the image and raise professionalism of officers and maintain high standards. Security officers are individually licensed and expected to abide by a code of conduct. Deserving officers are eligible for the annual Commissioner of Police's Award. 6.45 pm All security agencies are graded annually by the Singapore Police Force on a comprehensive set of criteria, which includes operations, training and employment-related criteria. This framework incentivises security agencies to uphold high standards.”
“We have also equipped 41 fast response fire bikers with Automated External Defibrillators so that our officers can promptly attend to patients who experience cardiac arrest. Page: 149 We are also cross-training officers to make them more flexible and adaptable. A good example is the Fire Rescue Specialist – Emergency Medical Technician scheme which SCDF is developing. By training firefighters as Emergency Medical Technicians, they will be able to provide the first line of medical response, until paramedics arrive. More details will be announced in April. Given manpower constraints, technology is a critical force multiplier, to help Home Team officers work more effectively and efficiently. We are also investing in technology that improves the quality of our training. For example, SCDF's Advanced Command Training System uses advanced simulation technology to train officers to command firefighting and rescue operations. The system allows officers to train in realistic, stress-testing scenarios, with full recording, playback and analysis. It complements live field exercises, as it can simulate incidents that cannot be reproduced in the physical world, such as major oil refinery fires. Technology can also provide additional eyes and ears on the ground, allowing our officers to focus on areas where human interaction or judgement is most valuable and necessary. For example, installing police cameras has helped to increase the Police's presence and create a stronger deterrent effect, without using very much additional manpower. These cameras provide useful intelligence when crimes are committed, and frees up time so that Police officers can focus on investigations and enforcement.”
“The overall Home Affairs Uniformed Scheme Junior Officers (HUS JOs) resignation rate has decreased from 4.6% in 2011 to 3.7% in 2012. I hope that these schemes and others will continue to encourage young people to consider a career in the Home Team, and allow us to retain the talent that we have. The respect that Home Team officers get from members of the public also helps them to take pride in their jobs. I hope that members of the public will continue to support them in their difficult and arduous task. Since introducing the Home Team Specialist Scheme in 2010, we now have over 260 Home Team Specialists in criminal forensics, criminal intelligence and protective security. We are now going further to professionalise training for our officers to develop deep expertise in their fields. Temasek Polytechnic and SPF have collaborated to develop a part-time Diploma in Applied Sciences (Forensics). This was launched last October. The course will help to grow the pool of forensics experts in the Home Team. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about paramedic training. SCDF reviews and updates its training curriculum regularly to ensure that its paramedics are well-trained to save lives. SCDF recently concluded its review of the Level 4 paramedic competencies programme, and will introduce the revamped programme by the end of the year. SCDF will work closely with Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, and KK Women's and Children's Hospital to provide this training. To meet the needs of our ageing population, SCDF will add 10 more private ambulances to provide emergency services by end 2013, doubling the current number.”
“We will invest more resources and mount a concerted effort to improve road safety through education, engagement and enforcement. We will focus our education efforts on vulnerable road users, such as motorcyclists, children and elderly pedestrians. We will also identify errant drivers and help them improve their driving habits. We will engage fleet owners, especially those with heavy vehicles, and other companies who hire drivers. We want them to make safe driving part of their company culture. We will also step up enforcement to better identify habitually reckless drivers and deal with them more firmly. Second Minister Iswaran will elaborate on these road safety initiatives later. Mr Hri Kumar Nair asked how MHA ensures that the Home Team can continue to meet operational demands. Indeed, the Home Team will find it more challenging to recruit good officers, and enough of them, due to our ageing population and fewer Singaporeans entering the workforce. Yet, the Home Page: 148 Team faces evolving challenges and growing demands. It is thus critical that we make the best use of the potential of our Home Team officers by deepening their capabilities and leveraging more on technology as a force multiplier. Last year, I told this House that we were enhancing salaries for junior officers, to attract more capable young people to join the Home Team. We raised starting salaries and introduced a sign-on bonus for diploma holders. We used performance-based merit increments to recognise those who work harder and more effectively. We also introduced retention payments to encourage experienced officers to stay in service. We have seen improvements in retention since implementing these changes.”
“While we remain firm on crime, it is also important to rehabilitate ex-offenders, to help them break out of the re-offending cycle and reintegrate into society. The community has played an important role in this effort, with voluntary welfare organisations, religious groups, and individual volunteers providing counselling, job placement opportunities, and family support, to ex-offenders. Page: 147 Senior Minister of State Masagos will speak more on our rehabilitation efforts, and about the Conditional Remission System and Mandatory Aftercare Scheme which MHA will be introducing later this year. Fourth, drug trafficking and abuse continue to be a key challenge. Regional drug production is increasing to meet rising demand, and Singapore is one of the transit points which syndicates target, with spill-over effects for our local drug situation. CNB works closely with ICA to conduct targeted, intensive checks at our checkpoints. CNB also conducts inland operations to clamp down on the distribution of drugs, and works with its foreign counterparts to target drug syndicates. However, we also need to tackle the problem upstream. CNB continues to work with educational institutions and community partners, such as the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association and National Council Against Drug Abuse to organise preventive drug education programmes on the danger of drugs. Senior Minister of State Masagos will say more about how we are addressing this problem upstream. Fifth, road safety. Our road fatality rate has come down in recent years. However, recent incidents underscore the need for us to improve road behaviour and eliminate reckless driving habits that put road users at risk.”
“It will facilitate cyber research and innovation, provide cybersecurity training and operational support for law enforcement agencies around the world, and house the INTERPOL Digital Crime Centre. Let me now move on to our domestic priorities for the year, namely crime, drugs and road safety. In relation to crime, the key is to continue managing it proactively. While our overall crime rate remains low, keeping crime at bay requires constant effort. This includes making appropriate changes to our laws to keep them up to date to tackle new challenges, as we did last year when we amended the Misuse of Drugs Act. We need to continually find new ways of protecting ourselves against behaviour which threatens the community's sense of security. For example, increased enforcement efforts by the Police have helped us make significant headway against unlicensed money-lenders. From 2009 to 2012, we have seen a 42% drop in unlicensed money-lending and related harassment cases. Second Minister Iswaran will elaborate on this later. Strong community support is also essential in managing crime. The Community Policing System, or COPS, has been effective in targeting local crime, not just through dedicating more police resources to neighbourhoods, but also through the community's active participation. In Bukit Merah East and Tampines, where COPS was launched last May, Citizen-on-Patrol membership has increased by nearly 30%, with an average of about 30 joint citizen-police patrols conducted in these neighbourhoods each month. Second Minister Iswaran will elaborate more on COPS' early successes and the next phase of implementation.”
“The conference will bring together experts and practitioners from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the US, as well as European and ASEAN countries to share best practices and lessons learnt, and this will include, as I said, experts from Saudi Arabia, whose centre I visited a few months ago. A second challenge is cybersecurity. Cyberattacks, whether by criminals, terrorists or state-sponsored groups, have grown in frequency, potency and sophistication. The attacks can take on different forms, including threats to national security, cyberespionage, cybercrime such as theft of identities, data and intellectual property, or the use of cyberspace to perpetrate traditional crime. This emergent issue poses new threats to our security. Countries around the world are grappling with this issue and still building up their cybersecurity and defence capabilities. No country has found a complete solution, and the rapidly evolving nature of cyber technology means that any innovation can become obsolete quite quickly. In January this year, we amended the Computer Misuse Act, now called the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act, so that we can take proactive measures to prevent, detect, and counter cyber threats to our national security, essential services, defence and foreign relations. We will continue to build up domestic defences against potential attacks. MHA will be setting up a Cyber Security Lab within the Home Team Academy by 2014, to provide a safe and realistic hands-on platform for participants to hone their skills in countering Page: 146 cyberattacks. Singapore will continue to work closely with other like-minded countries, including through the new INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation which will open in Singapore next year.”
“This is even more critical given that it is not easy to de-radicalise a person once he has imbibed terrorist ideology. A specific case in point is former detainee Abdul Basheer s/o Abdul Kader who was a self-radicalised individual. He was detained from 2007 to 2010 as he had made specific plans to pursue militant jihad in Afghanistan. After his release in February 2010, he initially made some progress in re-integrating into society. However, while under the ISA post-release supervision regime, he was detected to have reverted to his past interest in undertaking militant jihad abroad. He even made enquiries as to how he could leave Singapore, illegally, if necessary, to pursue his jihad plans. ISD had to re-arrest him in September 2012 and place him under detention the following month, to prevent him from Page: 145 pursuing his violent agenda. 6.30 pm Abdul Basheer is a timely reminder that Singapore must continue to invest efforts in the rehabilitation of our terrorist detainees. Since January 2002, 64 persons have been detained under the ISA for their involvement in terrorism-related activities. Of these 64, more than two-thirds have been released after they were assessed to have been rehabilitated and not to pose a security threat that warranted preventive detention. This is why the work of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) in counselling the detainees is so important and must continue. To commemorate its 10th anniversary, the RRG will be co-organising an international conference on terrorist rehabilitation and community resilience later this month, with the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.”
“The Home Team's scope of responsibilities is wide and deep. We have to continually keep a strategic view of the larger issues that impact us, such as terrorism and cybersecurity entrenched in society and in the world. At the same time, Home Team officers also have to focus on more specific issues which can give rise to serious consequences if we let up in our efforts against them. Resources, both personnel and technology, as well as command attention and emphasis, can then be applied accordingly. Let me briefly outline our approach for tackling these key challenges. First, terrorism. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef, Mr Vikram Nair and several other Members asked for an update on terrorism. The terrorist threat remains a persistent one, both globally and regionally. At the global level, Al Qaeda and its affiliates remain active in terrorist activities and in spreading their radical ideology. They have capitalised on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa to further their objectives. Closer to home, Jemaah Islamiyah and other groups such as Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid remain resilient and continue to recruit operatives and carry out attacks in neighbouring countries. For instance, last year, the Indonesian authorities uncovered a terrorist training camp in Poso, Central Sulawesi. The foiled plots in Thailand in January and February last year indicate the presence of Hizbollah or Iranian elements in the region. We are also concerned by terrorist elements' growing use of social media to spread propaganda and recruit new radicals. With Singapore's high Internet penetration, especially among youths, we need to inoculate our young from coming under the influence of radical ideology.”
“I thank hon Members for their views and questions, and for their interest in matters regarding the Home Team. May I ask the Clerk to distribute a handout with some Home Team statistics. [Handouts were distributed to hon Members. Please refer to Annex 2 and Annex 3.] Over the years, the Home Team has worked closely together with the community to keep Singapore a safe and secure home. In 2012, our crime rate fell for the seventh consecutive year, to the lowest in nearly three decades. Our recidivism rate is stable. Our fire fatality rate remains very low. The number of immigration offenders has steadily declined. The number of road fatalities has also started to come down. However, we are acutely aware that any fatality or serious crime is a tragedy in itself, and can have a detrimental effect on our sense of safety and security. This is one reason why community partnerships and engagements are so important – they create a sense of collective ownership for safety and security which in itself provides a sense of assurance that issues can be addressed and overcome. Our collective sense of safety and security provides a strong foundation upon which our society has been able to develop and prosper. It has also helped to make Singapore a good place to live and bring up families. While the situation today is relatively good, we still face difficult security challenges and must remain vigilant to ensure that Singapore continues to be a safe home for all Singaporeans. Our approach to safety and security is underpinned by three pillars: robust Laws, Effective Enforcement and Strong Community Partnerships. This comprehensive approach allows us to tackle issues both upstream and downstream. Page: 144 Mr Edwin Tong asked about MHA's key challenges and priorities.”
“These would be the reasons for redrawing the boundaries of some electoral divisions or keeping the same boundaries for some others. And as Asst Prof Tan says, there is probably no perfect way that the committee can draw the boundaries to everyone's satisfaction. The Committee members are senior public officers with collective professional knowledge and expertise of these parameters, basically population and population shifts. They are thus in a good position to make recommendations for the Electoral Boundaries. The EBRC would have to consider all the relevant factors in making the totality of their recommendations. Hence, to ask them to explain the technicalities of every change that the Committee recommends may not be feasible. When the Committee is constituted, the Prime Minister will certainly remain open to and consider making refinements to its procedures when necessary. Car Loans”
“The fundamental structure of our electoral system, for example when and how elections are to be conducted, and how electoral constituencies are to be constituted are laid out in our laws, that is the relevant parts of the Constitution, the Parliamentary Elections Act, and for the election of President, the Presidential Elections Act. Our electoral process generally enjoys high public trust. Asst Prof Eugene Tan suggested examining the procedural aspects for reviewing electoral boundaries, specifically including non-civil servants in the Page: 113 Electoral Boundaries Review Committee and articulating the reasons for the boundary changes. Mdm Chairman, the Prime Minister is mandated under current laws to decide on the number, names and boundaries of electoral divisions. It has been the practice for the Prime Minister to appoint an Electoral Boundaries Review Committee to conduct the review and recommend any changes to him. The Committee is made up of senior civil servants who are experts in demographic shifts and population statistics. The past Committees have taken about two to four months to complete their reviews. The review report is presented as a White Paper to Parliament and released to the public once it is accepted by the Government. In drawing up its recommendations, the Committee is guided by the terms of reference laid out by the Prime Minister. The Committee independently considers and determines how the constituencies are delineated, the size and configuration of the constituencies, as well as the total number of Members of Parliament to be returned. When reviewing the electoral boundaries, the Committee takes into account technical factors such as population growth, population shifts and other relevant parameters.”
“However, the implications for both businesses and consumers must be studied carefully, in consultation with the relevant stakeholders. Countries such as Australia and South Korea have recently announced carbon pricing schemes and we will study their experiences. The Government has formed the Long-term Emissions and Mitigation Working Group under the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Climate Change to study how we can stabilise our emissions over the long term. We need to work on energy efficiency improvements, explore new energy options and identify new technologies for deployment. We collaborate closely with our Universities and research institutes to conduct R&D in areas such as solar energy, smart grid and green building technologies that meet our local needs and conditions. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef has also asked about strategies to address sea level rises. The Resilience Working Group under the IMCCC is working to enhance Singapore's resilience to climate change. Protecting our coastline, addressing increased flood risks and assessing implications of warmer temperatures on public health are some key aspects of its work. For example, we have raised the minimum reclamation level for new reclamation projects by an additional one metre – beyond the previous 1.25 metres – since end 2011 to cater to a possible rise in sea levels. The Minister for Environment and Water Resources will elaborate more in his speech during COS on how Singapore is preparing for and building capabilities to address climate change. I would like to address Asst Prof Eugene Tan's question on Electoral Boundaries.”
“The CPIB continues to conduct outreach activities to the Civil Service, to the business community, and also to youths and undergraduates. Ultimately, our zero tolerance against corruption can only succeed if our society continues to reject corruption – not just because of harsh rules and penalties, but because this reflects the society we want to live in and the values that all of us hold dear. Mdm Chairman, on climate change, Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked if we are on target to meet our climate change pledges and if we are considering any form of carbon pricing. Singapore aspires to be a climate-resilient global city that is well positioned for green growth. We are on track to meet our pledge of 7% to 11% below business-as-usual (BAU) levels by 2020. We are prepared to go further and reduce our emissions by 16% from the 2020 business-as-usual level, if there is a global agreement on climate change. This would require a major effort given Singapore's early mitigation actions and difficulties to switch to alternative forms of clean energy. This year, a number of new measures have or will come into force, to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Building owners have to step up efforts to improve energy efficiency under the Building Control Act. The Energy Conservation Act will stipulate energy management practices for large energy users. We are also encouraging the take-up of low-emission cars and taxis through the Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme. Page: 112 We are studying a comprehensive suite of measures to reduce emissions, including carbon pricing. Carbon pricing will send the appropriate price signals to encourage changes in energy consumption, lower carbon emissions and promote low-carbon technology.”
“Over the past five years, the number of offenders prosecuted under the Prevention of Corruption Act has remained stable, with those from the public sector accounting for an average of 7.5% of the total number. For 2012, offenders from the public sector made up 5.6%, or eight of the 143 cases. The 143 cases are slightly higher than the 131 cases in 2011, but lower than the numbers in 2009 and 2010. So, the numbers have largely remained stable. While the corruption situation in Singapore remains under control, the recent cases involving senior public officers serve as a timely reminder that we must not let our guard down. The Public Service is governed by a Code of Conduct, based on the principles of meritocracy, incorruptibility and impartiality, which all officers are to uphold. Public officers must not let personal interests influence the official decisions they make. The Code also Page: 111 includes specific requirements to ensure accountability, and safeguards against corruption, for example, through annual declarations on indebtedness and investments. Generally, officers should also not accept gifts on account of their official position. The Civil Service College incorporates Public Service values and ethos in its training programmes. Officers are also encouraged to report any corrupt practices or errant behaviour they have observed in the course of their work, directly to CPIB, to their Permanent Secretary or Chief Executive, the Head of Civil Service or the Public Service Commission. We take these reports very seriously and will launch an investigation once there is sufficient basis and information provided. Our strong stand against corruption also effectively acts as a deterrent to officers from committing fraud.”
“Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Seng Han Thong asked about corruption in Singapore. Singapore adopts a zero-tolerance stance against Page: 110 corruption and is committed to upholding the highest levels of integrity and incorruptibility. Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has consistently ranked Singapore as amongst the five least corrupt countries in the world for the past 10 years. In 2012, Singapore was again ranked fifth, with a score of 87 out of 100. In 2012, Political and Economic Risk Consultancy ranked Singapore as the least corrupt economic entity in Asia for the 18th consecutive year. It is possible that because it is a perceptions index that the recent high profile cases may have affected the way people perceive corruption in Singapore. But it is important that we deal with these cases properly. I am confident that when the public and the international community see that we deal with these cases in an open and transparent way, they will continue to have high confidence in our anti-corruption stance in Singapore. 5.00 pm Singapore has therefore continued to maintain its strong reputation and position as one of the least corrupt countries in the world. The CPIB does not hesitate to investigate high profile corruption cases including those involving senior public officers. The fact that these are eventually brought to court shows that there are checks and balances in the Singapore system to detect, prosecute and adjudicate wrongdoings. Any wrongdoing will be investigated, and those accused of criminal acts will be prosecuted, and they will also at the same time have the opportunity to defend themselves in Court.”
“My colleague, the Minister for Finance, had announced a set of measures in his recent Budget Speech to help companies restructure and these include the Wage Credit Scheme, Productivity and Innovation Credit Bonus, corporate income tax rebate and so forth. These are meant to help our companies, especially SMEs, to cope with the transition. Page: 106 Ms Tan made some useful suggestions on how civil servants can have a deeper understanding of business concerns and practices, and we will consider these. We will also not let up on our efforts to ensure that the benefits of our policies, such as better job opportunities and wages, flow through to Singaporeans. We will press on with on-going infrastructure improvements, especially in housing and transport. And we will also review policies to ensure inclusive and quality growth that benefits and improves Singaporeans' well-being. We will also continue engaging Singaporeans on population and its related issues, including through Our Singapore Conversation and other forums. As the Prime Minister has stated, we will conduct a medium-term review of our population policies towards 2020. With the Government, businesses and Singaporeans working together, I am confident that we can build a Sustainable Population for a Dynamic Singapore. Anti-Corruption Stance”
“For example, while we seek to diversify the sources of foreign workers in Singapore, it may not be in our interest to provide a detailed breakdown of the numbers and countries of origin of workers in each industry. For similar reasons, we provide data on the number of immigrants by broad categories of the regions they have come from but have not provided the detailed breakdown of immigrants by specific countries of origin. I think Members understand that there may be some sensitivity with regard to this. Members have from time to time asked for specific data. We would be happy to consider these requests and endeavour to provide the information bearing in mind the considerations that I described earlier. Besides population statistics, we have also been open with our population policies, as set out in the Population White Paper. The Population White Paper recommends a significant slowdown, by about half, in population and foreign worker growth from past rates. And as Ms Tan Su Shan has pointed out, businesses have expressed concern about what this slowdown in foreign labour means for them. We are taking many measures to raise resident labour force participation. The Government will also continue to support businesses to raise productivity, upgrade workers, automate, improve processes and redesign jobs, so as to reduce their reliance on foreign labour. These are part of our efforts to restructure our economy to move towards quality growth, productivity and innovation. We recognise that the transition will be challenging, and we will help businesses to do so.”
“The Department of Statistics website has key annual indicators on population, and puts out annual publications including, Population Trends, and Statistics on Marriages and Divorces. Population statistics are also included in the Monthly Digest of Statistics Singapore and in the Yearbook of Statistics. The National Population and Talent Division releases the Population in Brief publication every year, to provide the public with relevant information on Singapore's population landscape. MOM also puts out statistics on the workforce. In the last year, we have also released a significant amount of data and analysis related to population issues in the form of Occasional Papers on Citizen Population Scenarios and Marriage and Parenthood trends. Ms Lim and Mr Singh may wish to visit the "Resources" section of our population micro site. I have with me a sample, not a complete sample, of all the population data that we have released in just the past one year. So, there is actually quite a lot of data that is made available in the public domain. These publications are easily available in the Parliament Library and through online access on Parliament's or the individual's own computers. Hence, much of the information and Page: 105 statistics pertinent to population issues are already available in the public domain. In some cases, we provide aggregated information or data instead of a more detailed breakdown because it may not be in our interest to do so. It may have implications on specific groups of persons or create sensitivities in the countries of origin for those who are working here or those who have migrated here.”
“Mr Pritam Singh and Ms Sylvia Lim raised the issue of transparency in our immigration policies and data. I had earlier explained the parameters of our immigration framework and described the main factors considered when assessing applications. Page: 104 But beyond that, we do not reveal the specific criteria when approving applications. Applications are assessed on a holistic basis taking all factors into consideration and we would not want to encourage individuals to tailor their applications to specific criteria to artificially increase their likelihood of approval. Most countries adopt the same practice. They have eligibility criteria for applications, but they do not reveal specific details of how they evaluate different criteria when making approval decisions. Mr Zainal Sapari and Mr Pritam Singh raised the examples of the various calculators in Australia, and the Naturalisation Eligibility Worksheets in the US and Canada. These are tools to help applicants assess their own eligibility for citizenship application, but applicants are still subject to a stringent set of criteria before they are granted citizenship. There are factors such as good moral character which are factors for assessment and how precisely they assessed are often not made public. I should point out that in Canada, for example, when citizenship applications are processed, such processing can take two years or more. For some categories, I am told that a processing backlog of up to eight years exists. This was in November 2012. So, there is clearly some friction in their system as well. 4.45 pm Ms Sylvia Lim also requested for increased transparency of our population data. Much of the information and statistics pertinent to population issues are already available in the public domain.”
“The proportion of Malays in the resident population has indeed fallen slightly, as the number of Permanent Residents that has been given out, is not in proportion with the racial composition of Singapore. However, the proportion of Malays in our citizen population has been stable. In granting citizenship, we have been careful to maintain this racial balance. Hence, Malays comprised 15.1% of our citizen population in 2010, similar to the 14.9% a decade ago in 2000. One of the reasons that this has been possible is because the higher birth rates of Malays compared to the other major ethnic groups have helped to support the racial balance. Or put another way, the other racial groups have been having very low TFRs. While our overall total fertility rate (TFR) fell below the replacement rate of 2.1 since 1976, the TFR for Malays fell below replacement level from 2004. The TFR for Malays is still higher than the other ethnic groups at 1.69 in 2012, compared to 1.18 for the Chinese and 1.14 for the Indians. The Malay population will therefore continue to grow over the next few decades. We hope that the new M&P Package will help uplift the birth rates towards replacement rate. Mr Zainal Sapari and Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap also asked about attracting more Malay immigrants. We do have an inflow of Malay immigrants. Some are spouses. There are also Malays from regional countries working and studying in Singapore. We welcome more who are suitable to take up residency and citizenship here. We hope that they will find Singapore an attractive place. I also look forward to suggestions and ideas from Members on how we can make Singapore a more attractive destination for Malay immigrants.”
“A calibrated level of suitable immigrants will help keep our citizen population stable. Several Members asked about the criteria for granting PRs and SCs more generally. Our immigration framework has been tightened significantly since late 2009. All PR and Citizenship applications are carefully evaluated on a comprehensive and stringent set of criteria to assess the applicants' ability to contribute and integrate well into our society as well as their commitment to sinking roots here. This includes factors such as the individual's length of stay in Singapore, family profile, economic contributions, qualifications and age. We also consider applicants' family ties to Singaporeans. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, Mr Ang Wei Neng, Mr Zainal Sapari and Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef raised suggestions on how to improve our immigration framework, including having Singaporeans vouch for or support a person who applies for PR or Singapore Citizenship, or considering factors such as being able to speak English or being involved in the community. These are all possible ways to encourage integration and indicate how well an applicant has adapted to Singaporean norms, values and lifestyle. We will study these suggestions and are also open to other ideas, as we continue to fine-tune our framework. We should continue to adopt a holistic framework for assessing applications and remain open to diversity even as we do more to encourage and help immigrants integrate better into Singapore and adapt to our norms Page: 103 and practices. Mr Zainal Sapari and Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked about the proportion of Malays in our population. We recognise the need to maintain the racial balance in Singapore's population to preserve the character of our society and our social stability.”
“LTVP and LTVP+ holders are not subject to any foreign worker levy, nor do they count towards a company's dependency ratio. Thus, this makes it much easier for them to find employment in Singapore, help to stabilise the family and contribute to the family income. Therefore, it helps to support them forming stable families. As at 31 December 2012, there were 11,736 foreign spouses of Singapore Citizens on LTVPs including the LTVP+. Four thousand two hundred have been granted the LTVP+ since it was introduced in April 2012. Let me assure Mr Hri Kumar that the LTVP+ in no way disadvantages a foreign spouse's application for Permanent Residence (PR) or Singapore Citizenship (SC). LTVP+ is meant to provide more certainty and a higher level of social and work benefits for spouses who might otherwise have remained on an LTVP as they have not yet Page: 102 met the requirements for PR. As their marriages and family situations stabilise and they become increasingly integrated, more of them will qualify to become permanent residents, and eventually naturalise as citizens. Over the past five years, 4,100 foreign spouses were granted PR every year and a further 4,100 took up citizenship each year. In assessing foreign spouses' applications for PR and Singapore Citizenship, their family ties to Singaporeans are taken into consideration. ICA considers factors such as length of marriage, duration of stay in Singapore, and whether the couple has children from the marriage. Citizens who sponsor their foreign spouses for PR or Citizenship applications will also be asked to show that they are able to support them. Apart from those who are applying on the basis of family ties, we also consider other applicants who seek residency or citizenship.”
“I thank Members for their suggestions and questions. Some of these have been addressed by Minister Grace Fu. I will now focus on Page: 101 the other suggestions and questions raised. There are many more opportunities now for Singaporeans to meet and marry non-Singaporeans. A large number of Singaporeans have married non-Singaporeans in recent years. Most would want to seek residency and citizenship for their spouses. A number of Members asked about the granting of citizenship and immigration facilities to foreign spouses. Madam, we want to facilitate such couples to remain together in Singapore and for them to form stable families who would contribute in a positive way to Singapore. Our policies for granting long-term immigration facilities to foreign spouses are intended to support this. Foreign spouses will generally be granted a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) in the first instance. Factors that we consider for granting LTVP include the ability of the sponsor to financially support the family, and good conduct of both the sponsor and the applicant. Beyond these requirements, a foreign spouse will be eligible to be considered for LTVP+ if the married couple has at least one Singaporean child from their marriage. For those without a Singaporean child, we will look at other factors such as the duration of marriage. A marriage of at least three years will be considered more favourably. This information is available on ICA's website. Each application will be considered on its own merits. As Members are aware, LTVP+, valid for three years in the first instance, and up to five years in subsequent renewals, grants healthcare subsidies for inpatient services similar to what Permanent Residents get. LTVP+ holders only need a letter of consent from MOM to work in Singapore.”
“The annual dental reimbursable limit will also be increased from $70 to $120, bringing it closer to market practices. The enhanced medical and dental benefits will also apply to our re-employed officers and Statutory Board employees. Thank you, Madam. Pro-fertility and Family Measures”
“Currently, an officer who visits a private clinic can claim up to 85% of the medical bill, subject to a cap of $10 per visit. This cap for the reimbursable amount will be increased to $20 per visit. This is comparable with the average amount that the Civil Service subsidises an officer for outpatient treatment at a polyclinic, which is about $18. So, it equalises both of them. Civil servants can currently claim up to $350 per year for their outpatient expenses. Any unutilised balance of the $350 is credited into the officer's Medisave account at the end of each year. While some private sector employers may provide a higher annual limit for outpatient subsidy, it is usually on a reimbursement basis, that is, if you do not consume it, it is not credited to your account. We recognise that some officers may need more than $350 for their medical needs in a year. We will thus raise the annual outpatient claim limit to $500, with the additional $150 beyond the $350 given only on a reimbursement basis. This approach allows us to better meet the different needs of our officers while ensuring that our overall package of salary and benefits remains competitive compared to the private sector. On dental benefits, the Civil Service currently pays 50% of the dental bill per visit and the annual claim limit is capped at $70. This is a very modest amount. Not many officers make use of the dental benefits today. We see the importance of maintaining dental health and want to encourage our officers to visit a dentist regularly. We will increase the subsidy of the dental bill per visit from 50% to 85%. Officers who used to pay $35 for a $70 dental bill will only need to pay $10.50 with this change.”
“This helps the officer to buy medical insurance (MediShield or Medisave-approved insurance plans) or to pay for his medical expenses. It is important for officers to plan ahead and ensure that they have adequate medical insurance coverage, particularly after their retirement. Agencies have been encouraging officers to buy medical insurance for themselves and their families. To facilitate this, PSD has arranged for a panel of insurance companies to provide Medisave-approved medical insurance coverage at group discounted rates for public officers since October 2006. More than 40 road shows were held in public agencies in the last year alone to create greater awareness of the importance of medical insurance. Over the past three years, more than 21,000 public officers have enrolled in plans under this central arrangement, bringing the total to over 37,000 officers. This is under this central arrangement. Most other officers have their own medical insurance plans. As at end 2011, 97% of civil servants have either basic MediShield or Integrated Shield Plan. We will continue these efforts to encourage more public officers to take up medical insurance. Members have asked, over the years, particularly Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, for a review of medical benefits for our civil servants. Last year, I informed the House that we are carrying out a review to assess if the MSO scheme and the dental benefits scheme are sufficient to meet the needs of civil servants and how they compare against practices in the private sector. After a careful study Page: 78 and consultation with the unions, the Civil Service will revise its medical and dental subsidy caps with effect from 1 April 2013, to keep up with market practices in employee benefits.”
“They take reference from the Tripartite Guidelines on the Re-employment of Older Employees. Hence, what the Public Service is practising is not different from what has been discussed and what has been agreed on the Tripartite basis. Since the implementation of re-employment in the Public Service in July 2011, PSD has made refinements to the guidelines based on the feedback Page: 77 received. For instance, since 1 April 2012, all eligible Division IV officers are re-employed at their last drawn salaries at the point of retirement. Agencies also have the flexibility to re-employ officers with strong performance at their last drawn salaries if they are still doing the same jobs. The practice in the private sector remains mixed. Some companies adjust pay at the point of re-employment, while others do not. PSD is currently reviewing the salary guidelines for re-employed officers in the light of these private sector practices. And PSD will support a national consensus on re-employment practices. The review will be completed in six to nine months. Re-employment is a new episode of employment after retirement and that was the way it was structured. Non-pensionable officers who are re-employed are hence placed on the Medisave-cum-Subsidised Outpatient (MSO) scheme which is offered to all new appointees. Pensionable officers who are eligible for post-retirement medical benefits can choose to remain on their post-retirement medical benefits during the period of re-employment. Officers on the MSO scheme receive an additional sum of 1% of their monthly salary (capped at $70 per month) beyond their normal Medisave contributions, in their Medisave account.”
“The Public Service will continue to work hand-in-hand, wholeheartedly, with citizens for the good of Singapore and Singaporeans. Both the public and the Public Service have a shared responsibility for the public good, with both partners working together with mutual respect so that this relationship will thrive and bring about positive results for all of us. I will now address Members' questions concerning the well-being of our public officers. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about flexible work arrangements. The suite of flexi-work arrangement options offered by the Public Service includes part-time employment, telecommuting and staggered work hours. Today, 95% of public agencies offer flexible work hours. Officers can choose the time they prefer to start work within a time-band, as long as they perform 42 hours of work a week. This flexibility allows officers to better manage their work and personal needs. All public agencies also offer part-time employment with prorated salaries and benefits. As at 31 December 2012, there were some 1,700 public officers working part-time. One example: just last month, the Accountant-General's Department accepted an applicant's request to work part-time in a role that was originally advertised as a full-time position. The officer is now able to pursue a meaningful career while spending more time with her two young children. I agree that the Public Service, as well as all employers in Singapore, can do a lot more in this area. Mr Heng Chee How asked for a review of re-employment guidelines with regard to wages and medical benefits, and Mr Yeo Guat Kwang asked for a review of medical benefits. The public sector re-employment guidelines were drawn up in consultation with public sector agencies and unions.”
“The Land Transport Community Partnership Division helps LTA to understand local road and traffic issues at the constituency level. Ground feedback from the community is systematically surfaced, and LTA can respond more quickly and effectively to these requests. The Singapore Police Force also launched its Community Policing System last year, with more police officers sent to the Neighbourhood Police Centres to tackle local crime. Police officers also go on foot and bicycle patrols to get closer to the community, and play an active role in community safety and security programmes. This is in line with three new service principles that the Public Service added last year: people-centricity, mutual courtesy and respect and shared responsibility for the public good. 3.30 pm Each year, we give out Excellence in Public Service Awards to recognise public officers and agencies for their efforts in providing good service. One of last year's PS21 Star Service Award winners is Ms Cadence Goh, from People's Association. As the coordinator of the constituency's social assistance programmes, she often delivers welfare funds personally to the sick and elderly whose mobility is restricted. On one occasion, she coordinated responses across several agencies to help a distressed family restore their utilities after clarifying that arrangements had been made for their bills to be paid through a financial assistance scheme. This is a good example of a public officer who has gone the extra mile, many times over, to deliver service to Singaporeans with Page: 76 a heart. We also recognise customers – Singaporeans, ordinary citizens – who have been exemplary in contributing to better public outcomes through their partnership with public agencies.”
“Mdm Chairperson, I thank the Members for their interest in, and support for, the Public Service. Mr Seng Han Thong spoke about the need for "policies with more heart". The Government seeks to design policies and services that bring the most benefit to the largest number of Singaporeans. At the same time, I agree with Mr Seng Han Thong that public officers need to have the flexibility and compassion to better understand the particular needs and circumstances of individuals and be prepared to allow exceptions where these are possible. Indeed, Singaporeans must be at the centre of all that we do. Singapore has largely gone beyond just fulfilling citizens' basic needs. Singaporeans' interests and aspirations are becoming increasingly varied. Sometimes, different groups or people may have interests or needs that tug in Page: 75 opposite directions and a middle ground has to be found. The Our Singapore Conversation provides a new and good avenue for Singaporeans from all walks of life to express their heartfelt concerns and aspirations. Just as Our Singapore Conversation provides opportunities for citizens to hear from one another, it also has been offering a good opportunity for public officers to gain a deeper understanding of the concerns and aspirations of fellow Singaporeans so that they can design policies and implement programmes that are better attuned to Singaporeans' needs, taking into account their varied aspirations and interest. Listening to and taking into account different perspectives and concerns will help strengthen us as a community. Government agencies also have mechanisms for engagement, to reach out to the community, understand their local or unique needs and tailor initiatives to meet these needs. Mr Seng cited a few. Let me give a few more examples.”
“Mdm Speaker, I do not have a different view from Asst Prof Tan. I agree with him that we should not have dual citizenship at this point in time but that we should always keep an open mind.”
“Mdm Speaker, I certainly agree Asst Prof Tan. The ageing population issue that we face is a very major one. It is a one-off problem which we are facing as a result of the very large Baby Boomer generation, spread over about 15 to 18 years, from the early 1950s to the mid 1960s. This is now coming through our system. We have to make preparations for that future. If we want to maintain a stable, energetic and able population for Singapore Page: 10 and Singaporeans into the future, and be able to support and make sure that our seniors in these coming two decades are able to look after themselves, are well looked after by their children and by our nation, then we have to shape those policies today. I am glad that the debate has focused attention on this very critical issue and also the range of options and choices that we have from those which are on both ends of the spectrum. We will continue to make sure that we discuss this as we go into the future. We hope that as we go along, Singaporeans will understand the issues and choices that we face, better.”
“The Singapore Police Force (SPF) does not collate statistics relating to Singaporean crime victims in Johor, as any such crimes would have occurred beyond Singapore's jurisdiction and are not necessarily reported to the Singaporean authorities. The SPF and the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) have a good working relationship, and have been collaborating to fight crime in both jurisdictions. Recently, the Jurong Police Division of the SPF and the Johor Police Contingent of RMP, with support from the National Crime Prevention Council (Singapore) and the Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation, collaborated to go upstream in the fight against crime by focusing on crime prevention. To this end, the two police forces jointly produced a series of crime prevention pamphlets targeted at travellers between the two countries through the land checkpoints. These crime prevention pamphlets encourage travellers to guard against offences, such as theft, cheating scams, violent crimes and outrage of modesty. They also contain information which may be useful in the case of an emergency, including the contact details of both police forces in Singapore and Johor. We urge all Singaporeans travelling overseas not to let their guard down, and remain vigilant when they are in other countries.”
“Police has already been deploying mobile cameras in public housing estates, including Potong Pasir, to help fight and deter crime. Separately, as part of the roll-out of the Community Policing System (COPS), Police aims to progressively install police cameras across all 10,000 HDB blocks and multi-storey car parks by 2016. Since April last year, Police has installed police cameras in 350 HDB blocks. All Town Councils, including Potong Pasir Town Council, will have some blocks within their towns installed with police cameras by the end of this year. In identifying specific locations to deploy the police cameras, Police will consider its operational needs and also take into account inputs from the Town Councils. While cameras can help deter crime and capture valuable footage to aid investigations, they are not sufficient on their own. Under COPS, Police will strengthen the Neighbourhood Police Centres with additional resources to tackle local crime concerns and enhance community engagement. The community also needs to remain vigilant and actively partner Police in keeping their neighbourhoods safe.”
“We urge all members of the public to be vigilant and to report incidents to the authorities as soon as possible.”
“Over the past five years, the number of outrage of modesty cases reported on public transport has increased. The number of cases per one million passenger trips has remained largely stable, as passenger trips also increased during this period. The rate for 2012 was 0.07 cases per one million passenger trips. Page: 149 Harassment offences are classified under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act, and Police do not separately track the number of harassment cases that take place on public transport. Police take a comprehensive approach to crime prevention. This includes adopting strategies to deter and apprehend potential perpetrators as well as preventing the occurrence of these opportunistic crimes by raising commuter awareness. Officers from the Public Transport Security Command patrol the MRT network and the bus interchanges and conduct checks on suspicious persons. Transit Security Officers employed by the public transport operators provide another layer of deterrence and detection, through their presence at MRT stations and bus interchanges. Police also collaborate with the transport operators to raise public awareness. Crime prevention posters are displayed at the MRT stations and on trains and buses to remind the general public to be alert and adopt measures to prevent such crimes from happening. The higher number of reported outrage of modesty cases has to be seen in the context of higher public transport ridership over the same time period. However, I would like to assure the Member that Police are watching the situation carefully and will continue to enhance measures to detect offences within our public transport system and apprehend offenders.”
“As at 31 December 2012, there were about 20,000 enforcement officers deployed by various public sector agencies, including those in areas outsourced to the private sector. Enforcement work includes maintaining law and order, policing our borders, conducting site inspections and issuing parking fines, among others. Currently, 2% of our enforcement officers are foreigners and they are largely deployed to deter littering and illegal parking. Effective enforcement work ensures that Singapore's laws and rules are observed for the safety and well-being of Singaporeans. It is important that our enforcement officers have a good understanding of the laws and rules in Singapore so as to discharge their responsibilities competently and effectively. The affected agencies will review the suitability of foreigners in enforcement functions and consider the suggestion of Mr Zaqy Mohamad. Page: 125”
“Between 2007 and 2011, there was an average of 13,500 Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) applications each year from foreign spouses of Singaporeans. Of these, about 11,500 applications were approved each year. Over the same period, there was an average of 4,300 LTVP applications a year from foreign spouses of PRs. Of these, about 4,000 LTVP applications were approved each year. Page: 149”
“Singapore's total fertility rate (TFR) decreased from 1.41 in 2001 to 1.20 in 2011. For international comparison, this is based on the resident TFR. The Department of Statistics (DOS) does not compute the TFR of permanent residents (PRs) separately. To understand the fertility trends of citizens and PRs, we use the "average number of children born to ever-married females". This indicator takes into account all children ever-born to a group of ever-married females up to a specified age range9. Table 1 shows the average number of children born to ever-married women in 2011, for the 30-39 and 40-49 age groups, by residency status. Over the last 10 years, this has experienced a decline similar to the TFR. Page: 148 Birth trends are influenced by many factors, such as economic conditions, age profile, educational profile, labour force participation, as well as personal decisions and societal mindsets. As such, we are unable to accurately predict how the fertility rates of different population segments would develop over time.”
“Based on the Census of Population 20108, there were an estimated 114,000 married couples comprising a citizen and a non-citizen. 86% of the non-citizen spouses were Permanent Residents, with the remainder residing on other pass types, such as the Long-Term Visit Pass. Amongst these couples, about 66% had at least one child aged below 21 (including children from a previous marriage and adopted children). 68% of the foreign spouses were from Southeast Asia, with 25% from other parts of Asia, and the remainder from other regions. About 59% of such households had a monthly household income that was above the median resident household income ($5,600). From 2007 to 2011, an average of about 4,300 permanent residence (PR) and 480 Singapore citizenship (SC) applications from foreign spouses Page: 146 sponsored by citizens were rejected each year. Various factors are considered in deciding the grant of PR/SC to foreign spouses, including the duration of marriage, length of stay in Singapore and whether the couple have children from the marriage. Citizens who sponsor their foreign spouses for PR/SC will also have to show that they are able to support them financially. Applications are considered holistically and there may be a number of reasons, taken together, for rejecting an application. Foreign spouses who do not qualify for PR status may be granted a Long-Term Visit Pass or Long-Term Visit Pass-Plus for them to remain in Singapore.”
“Sir, as Mr Singh would doubtless be aware, a number of different papers have been released by the National Population and Talent Division over the past year. I am sure he has read all of them thoroughly. These are all in the public domain and are part of the current discussion that we are having. I would rather address the population issue holistically through the White Paper, rather than in a piecemeal manner like right now. Page: 1346”
“The Government recognises that population growth in recent years has outpaced our planned infrastructure capacity. We have ramped up infrastructure development in the areas of transport, housing and healthcare and these are coming on-stream progressively. Going forward, we will strive to better match infrastructure provision with population needs. Issues, such as our societal make-up and cohesion, our living environment and economic viability, are fundamental in determining the sustainable population we want for Singapore into the future. Over the course of this year, the Government has been engaging the public widely on these issues and is preparing to release a White Paper on Population in January 2013 which will address them. We have invited Singaporeans, including all Members of Parliament, to provide their views. We have met with numerous stakeholders, such as the business federations, labour unions, students and various civic and community groups. In the process, we have received well over 2,000 pieces of feedback from individuals, groups and organisations. I wish to thank everyone who has sent in their views and proposals, many of which were substantial and which required much time, energy and effort to put together. We are taking these inputs into consideration as we formulate and review our population policies for the White Paper which will address these issues, as well as other important issues, in a holistic way.”
“From 1991 to 2010, an average of 1,600 persons annually were granted citizenship without first being permanent residents (PRs). These were minors who registered for citizenship after they were born overseas to Singapore Citizens, as well as minors of successful citizenship applicants. Under the Constitution, minors do not need to obtain permanent residence status first in order to be eligible for citizenship. Over the period of 1991 to 2010, most PRs who took up citizenship did so within six years of becoming PRs. Page: 1310 Taking up citizenship is a serious commitment which is ultimately a personal decision. While we welcome qualified PRs who have decided to make their future here to consider applying for citizenship sooner rather than later, this is best served by ensuring that Singapore Citizens are well looked after. To reflect the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, and to acknowledge Singapore Citizens' commitment to Singapore, Singapore Citizens receive more support and benefits in the areas of marriage and parenthood, housing, healthcare and education. Over the past few years, we have widened the differentiation in benefits accorded to Singapore Citizens and to PRs. We should also continue to be a society that is open and gracious. How welcoming and accepting we are of newcomers will also impact on their decision to sink roots here permanently. Page: 1310”
“Flexible work arrangements help our public officers better manage their work and personal needs. There are three main types of flexibility that public officers might require: flexi-place, flexi-time and flexi-load. Flexi-place, or telecommuting, allows public officers to work remotely, usually from home. About four in five public agencies have a telecommuting scheme. Eighteen percent of public officers who responded to a survey by the Public Service in January 2012 indicated that they telecommute at least once a month. Flexi-time allows public officers to determine the time when they are at work in the course of a day, as long as they fulfil the minimum of 42 hours of work required a week. Almost all public agencies offer staggered work hours, a form of flexi-time, where officers can choose the time to start work that best suits them, typically between 7.30am and 10am. Finally, flexi-load allows public officers to opt to work fewer hours per week on part-time employment, with prorated salary and benefits. All public agencies offer a part-time employment scheme. As at 31 December 2011, there were 1,094 or 1.4% of Division I public officers working part-time; and 321 or 0.6% of non-Division I public officers working part-time. Page: 1309”