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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“Sir, thank you very much for your generosity. I would like to thank the Members for their interest in the public service. Ms Jessica Tan, Dr Magad, Ms Penny Low and Mr Alvin Yeo also spoke about this during the debate on the Budget. I fully agree with Mr Zainudin that an effective public service is crucial to the implementation of the vision and plan set forth in the Budget Speech for a first-class city, a first-call country. Building a first-class public service has been and remains a high priority of this Government. A good public service plays a key role in a country's stability and economic development. In the latest comparative country risk report just published by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, better known as PERC, the quality of the public service is one of the key factors. Singapore was rated best among the 14 countries on the quality of the civil service, quality of government policies, effectiveness of the government in implementing economic policies and freedom from corruption. This is strong testimony of quality and reputation of our public service. To maintain the quality of the civil service, we must continue to attract and retain a fair share of talent. Mdm Halimah and other Members have asked what is being done to retain talent in the public sector in a tightening labour market. The civil service is beginning to feel the impact of this tightening labour market. Our resignation rates have increased from an average of 4.8% in 2005 to 5.7% in 2006. Some segments of the service are experiencing much higher attrition. For example, in the Management Executive Service, which is for graduate officers employed across a number of Ministries, the resignation rate has risen from 7.4% in 2005 to 10.6% in 2006.”
“Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the trend of the number of visitors to nature reserves over the last five years; (b) what are the types of transport used by visitors to get to the nature reserves; (c) what measures have been implemented to improve the accessibility of nature reserves via public transport, in particular the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Labrador Nature Reserve.”
“Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how will his Ministry assist Singaporeans, with disabled children who are adults, who not only need to look into their own retirement needs but also the financial needs of their disabled children, especially upon the parents’ demise; and (b) whether his Ministry will help relieve the anxieties of these families by allowing parents or other contributors to top up the disabled adult's CPF Special Account which attracts a higher interest rate than the Ordinary Account. Dr Ng Eng Hen: Parents can make provision for the retirement needs of their children by voluntarily contributing to their CPF accounts, subject to an annual limit of $25,245. These contributions can also earn a higher return if the monies are transferred from the Ordinary Account to the Special Account, up to the prevailing Minimum Sum. CPFB will periodically review top-up provisions by family members for one another as part of its ongoing efforts to improve the retirement adequacy of all members. Parents can also use their CPF funds to buy insurance and investment-linked insurance products to provide for their families in the unfortunate event of their demise or incapacity. One of these products, the Home Protection Scheme, is administered by the CPF Board, while others, like the Dependants’ Protection Scheme and many others, can be purchased from private providers. NATURE RESERVES (Number of visitors and accessibility) 8.”
“Administrative Officers from the AS form the majority of the leadership tier in the Civil Service, thus their career paths and development roadmaps are designed in a way to give them a broad exposure to not just policy-making and strategy, but also to implementation and operation. They are deliberately given a broad range of postings across different clusters of ministries, and even postings outside the Civil Service. Postings may vary from between two and five years, depending on their seniority. Along the course of the career for Management Associates, they attend milestone training programmes conducted by the Civil Service College to hone their leadership skills and public policy instincts. For example, all new Management Associates attend the Foundation Course within their first year of service. This is a 10-week induction course to inculcate an understanding of the Public Service and its values, of Singapore and ASEAN, as well as introduce leadership concepts and impart essential skills to improve their personal competencies. (1) PSC Scholarships refer to the President’s Scholarship, the SAF Overseas Scholarship, SPF Overseas Scholarship, Overseas Merit Scholarship, Local-Overseas Merit Scholarship and Local Merit Scholarship for Medicine. See Annex A for breakdown of the different types of public sector scholarships offered each year. (2) More details are provided in Annex B as supplementary information. SINGAPOREANS WITH DISABLED CHILDREN WHO ARE ADULTS (Assistance) 7.”
“Midway through their studies, typically in the second year of their undergraduate studies, they attend a milestone programme to gain a better understanding of the basic principles guiding our security, social and economic policies and an appreciation of our national issues and challenges. They are also attached to Ministries to equip them with an understanding of the daily operations of the Ministries and the considerations behind the policies that they implement. Community involvement of scholars All scholars are required to participate in community attachment programmes during their student days and are attached to different organisations such as the Metta Welfare Association, Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), secondary schools and Community Development Councils (CDCs). Developmental roadmap for tied scholars after they have started work Once scholars start work in the Civil Service, their career paths and development roadmaps would depend on the profession that he is being groomed for. Tied scholars would undergo training to hone the skills required in their chosen profession. For example, a teaching scholar would first attend the teacher's pre-service training at the National Institute of Education. This would be followed by alternate postings between teaching positions in schools and MOE HQ positions. Subsequently, outstanding teaching scholars would be given the opportunities to assume principalships and professional leadership positions in the Education service. Development of Management Associates and Administrative Officers For the Overseas Merit scholars, they are placed on the Management Associates Programme. Management Associates are selected for their potential to be appointed to the Administrative Service (AS).”
“For scholars who have the capacity to assume top leadership positions, they will be groomed and better prepared for these roles through planned postings and leadership programmes. For those who have the aptitude to take on more specialist functions, the Ministries will provide the necessary training and exposure to develop their capabilities in their selected fields. Besides the PSC and Ministry scholarships, Statutory Boards like A*Star, EDB and DSTA also award about 170 scholarships each year to meet their own manpower needs. These scholars are managed by their parent organisations directly. Talent is valued in the Civil Service. All public service officers who prove themselves to be outstanding and show potential will be groomed and developed, regardless of whether they are or are not scholars. Annex A - Supplementary information Statistics of different public service scholarships awarded Type of Scholarships Estimated yearly awards (based on awards given in the past 3 years) PSC top-tier scholarships* 40 ) Ministry SGS scholarships 30 ) Ministry OSA 45 ) 190 Ministry LMS scholarships 75 ) Mindef scholarships 20 Top Statutory Board scholarships like ASTAR, DSTA, Firefly, MAS, etc 170 *The PSC top-tier scholarships refer to the President's scholarships, SAF Overseas Scholarships (SAFOS), SPF Overseas Scholarships (SPFOS), Overseas Merit Scholarships (OMS), Local-Overseas Merit Scholarships (LOMS), and the Local Merit Scholarship for Medicine (LMS - Open). Annex B - Supplementary information Programmes for scholars before and during their studies Scholars attend a pre-departure programme before they embark on their studies.”
“Each year, the Public Service Commission (PSC) offers about 40-50 scholarships to top students(1). These scholars pursue their undergraduate studies in top local and overseas universities. The majority of them are on "Open" scholarships and will return from their studies to work in various Ministries and Government agencies. A small number will be deployed to the Ministries of Education, Law and Foreign Service to pursue more specialised career paths. These scholars are groomed to take on top leadership roles. In addition, the Ministries also award about 150 Ministry scholarships each year to serve the need for talent in the respective Ministries. There are currently about 2,000 PSC and Ministry scholarship holders in the Civil Service. Slightly more than half are in the teaching service. If we exclude the teachers, one out of every 10 graduate civil servants is a beneficiary of a Government scholarship. To prepare the scholars for their role, the Service invests substantially in their development. We seek to give our scholars a rounded exposure to our national challenges and issues. Scholars attend programmes at different points of their student life - before they embark on their studies, midway through their studies and upon return. We offer them challenging assignments and opportunities to stretch themselves in various roles. All scholars are required to participate in community attachment programmes during their student days(2) so that they have a better understanding of the concerns and issues faced by Singaporeans. The development roadmap for the scholars varies with the inclination and strength of each individual.”
“As I said, Mr Speaker, most members of the public do know where to approach. For example, the previous question from the Member, even if we have a mosquito problem, I think most Singaporeans know that if you call the NEA, these are issues that will be addressed. So if you have one hotline for which all the calls go to, it will create an enormous bottleneck, which may not achieve the purpose which the Member is after, which is improved service. ELECTRONIC ROAD PRICING ALONG CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY (Efficacy in alleviating traffic congestion) 14. Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Transport if he will give an assessment of the efficacy of Electronic Road Pricing in alleviating traffic congestion along the Central Expressway.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, supplementary question 1, does it apply to residents of private estates? Certainly, it does. It applies to all members of the public, including those who live in private estates. Secondly, what can they do? If they do encounter rude civil servants, I think there are hotline numbers which they can call to complain, or they can go and see their Member of Parliament and complain; sometimes, they came to see me too. These are avenues which are possible, which are open. And certainly, the approach that the officers take towards members of the public and how they deal with members of the public is one factor which is taken into account in their overall assessment. If an officer, whose duty is to interact with the public and serve members of the public, is unable to do so properly, obviously the officer will not be assessed very highly.”
“In practice, these servicemen prefer to appoint their platoon commanders or unit officers to represent them, despite them not being legally-qualified. Training for non-legally qualified SAF officers MINDEF and the SAF have been conducting regular workshops to train SAF officers as defending-officers. A list of these trained SAF defending-officers are placed on the SAF intranet. The servicemen's unit manpower officers also assist them in their choice of their SAF defending-officer. Guides, advice, FAQs and sample mitigation-plea forms are also available on the SAF intranet. Column No : 1303 ISLAND-WIDE TRANSPORT SEASON PASSES 22. Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng asked the Minister for Transport in light of the introduction of season passes on its routes by SBS Transit, will his Ministry seek to make available to commuters island-wide season passes with SMRT’s and TransitLink’s participation.”
“Legal right to be represented The SAF Act provides that when an SAF serviceman is charged in a court-martial, he has the right to be defended by:- a) His own lawyer; or b) An SAF officer ("defending-officer"). If the serviceman decides to appoint an SAF officer, the SAF officer is appointed by the serviceman himself. The serviceman is not restricted, by law or practice, if he wishes to appoint a legally-qualified SAF defending-officer. Technical and practical restrictions The only restrictions to his choice, for obvious technical and practical reasons, is that the appointed SAF defending-officer is not a witness in the case, and should be able and willing to represent the serviceman. The SAF officer must also be a regular, NSF or an NSman who is serving his In-Camp Training (ICT). The serviceman can therefore appoint any legally-qualified SAF officer, who is a regular, NSF or NSman on ICT, as his defending-officer in a court-martial. Representation by choice In summary, the present system of representation in our SAF court-martial is based on the serviceman's choice. It does not follow that by making it mandatory for a serviceman to be defended by only a legally-trained SAF officer, that it will be a better system. Many of our court-martial cases (about 75%) are straightforward where the facts are clear and undisputed, and the serviceman has elected to plead guilty. This is not different from the civil courts in straightforward cases such as speeding or littering. In such cases, the accused person is often not represented by a legally-trained person especially when he has decided to plead guilty. The accused servicemen do however, often want someone to mitigate for them so that their sentence may be lighter.”
“Certainly, Sir, I agree with Mr Tan that if there is a high-risk activity taking place, there should be a doctor on standby. In fact, if there is a high-risk activity taking place in the field, sometimes we have doctors out there in the field as well. So, I agree with Mr Tan. National Service”
“Sir, I am not a doctor and I think Mr Chiam is not one either, but we have doctors in the SAF. We have doctors in the public service and we have doctors in private practice whom we can call upon to assess a soldier when the need arises. Rather than raising the issue here in Parliament, if Mr Chiam has any specific issues - in fact, if anybody has any specific issues - they can raise it with the appropriate chain of command in MINDEF. We have, all the time, soldiers who have difficulties here or little problems there and they are reviewed by the medical officers and we will be happy to do so. It is done regularly and all the time. Sir, I am not sure what issue Mr Chiam is making right now.”
“Sir, if Mr Chiam has any specific case that he wishes to bring up, I think there is an appropriate way of doing so, and the specific case will be reviewed by the medical officers, as is done routinely in the SAF. I will be happy to do so if he can refer the case to me.”
“Sir, the medical services and doctors in the SAF are like doctors who are in practice anywhere in Singapore. They are well qualified. We have specialists and, if necessary, we call upon the specialist services of the entire medical community in Singapore, both in Government hospitals as well as the people in private practice. So, all the doctors - whether they are in the SAF or practising in the private hospitals or the public service - maintain the same oath and commitment to the health and well-being of the patients they treat. So, from that point of view, there is no difference in the treatment of soldiers or civilians.”
“Without a defence force capable of safeguarding our sovereignty and our vital interests, we may well be nothing more than a state subservient to some bigger country or - worse - cease to exist as a nation. Singaporeans understand the need for a strong SAF and they are committed - as National Servicemen and the family members who support them - to playing their part in ensuring that the SAF continues to anchor the peace and security we have enjoyed for the last 40 years.”
“MINDEF believes that this is a meaningful and solemn recognition of SAF servicemen who lost their lives during training. Sir, technology is critical for the 3G SAF. But the human spirit in any fight is perhaps even more critical. Our soldiers must be well-trained and disciplined, and they must have in them the fighting spirit to overcome adversity and defeat the enemy regardless of the conditions or odds. I fully agree with the observation that ultimately it is the people who make the difference - people who are well trained and who have the determination to fight and win. Singaporeans should be grateful for the commitment and sacrifices of our National Servicemen. They form the backbone of our defence. Our nation is fortunate that Singaporeans understand the need for National Service, and that our NSmen are committed to their duty to the nation and their families give them their support as they do so. It is only right that we show our appreciation for the efforts and contributions of our NSmen. 5.15 pm I am, therefore, pleased to inform Members that after careful study of RECORD IV's recommendations, MINDEF has accepted all the recommendations. The recommendations are comprehensive, benefiting all NSmen and recognising their contributions, with a good mix of broad-based initiatives, such as the 40th Anniversary NS Bonus, and targeted initiatives, such as the proposals to recognise our key command and staff appointment holders. Dr Ng Eng Hen will be elaborating on the recommendations. Sir, security is the very basis of our existence as an independent nation, free to chart our own destiny. Without security, we will not have a firm foundation for the prosperity and social harmony which have made Singapore a good home - the best home - for all Singaporeans.”
“They were doing helicopter rappelling training when they fell after their ropes disengaged from the rope attachment device on the helicopter. The Police investigation is still in progress. This training has since been resumed after a thorough review has been done and improvements were made to the rope attachment device and dispatch procedures. The other two cases were of two servicemen who collapsed while taking part in runs and subsequently died. The autopsies revealed that these were cases of Sudden Cardiac Death. Our investigations showed that the medical responses in both cases were appropriate and adequate. The SAF has a regime for screening for cardiac risk factors, starting before a serviceman is enlisted. But it is not always possible to detect a heart ailment before a person suffers a heart attack. Over the last five years, there were six cases of Sudden Cardiac Death in the SAF that occurred during training. Sir, the SAF will continue to strengthen its safety systems and procedures, as well as its safety culture. Even as we proceed with tough and realistic training - as we must, to enhance the SAF's capabilities and operational readiness - MINDEF will continue to make sure that we do so without compromising safety. On Ms Irene Ng's suggestion to erect a memorial to commemorate servicemen who lost their lives in the line of duty, MINDEF recognises that the servicemen who lose their lives have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the country. We will consider her suggestion. During the SAF Day Parade on the 1st of July each year, a minute's silence is observed to pay tribute to the servicemen who lost their lives in the course of duty. This is a deeply significant segment of the annual parade.”
“In the first incident in June 2005, a regular serviceman in training for the Special Operations Force drowned during maritime counter-terrorism training. This is very demanding training to carry out the extremely difficult mission of approaching a ship which may be in the open sea, and then taking it over, by force if necessary, with minimum casualties to any hostages. Only specially selected regular troopers who volunteer for this Force undergo such training and they are rigorously prepared in a step-by-step progressive training in order that they may be able to conduct such a mission. It is a very, very demanding mission. These are things which ordinary human beings do not do and these are very special men and, Sir, I am certainly and deeply grateful, and the nation should be deeply grateful that there are Singaporeans who are prepared to volunteer for such missions and to put their lives on the line at any time, 24-hours a day, if they are called upon to undertake a rescue hostage mission. The Attorney-General's Chambers, after reviewing the facts of the case, the investigation reports by the Police, and the findings of the Coroner's Court, found no legal grounds for proceeding with criminal charges against the four servicemen who were conducting the training. AGC has now referred the matter to MINDEF for possible action under military law. MINDEF will conduct further investigations before we decide on the next course of action. If our investigations show that any of the four servicemen has failed to perform his duties as required, we will take the appropriate disciplinary proceedings against the serviceman under military law. The second incident in July 2005 involved two servicemen - an SAF serviceman and a foreign serviceman.”
“The SAF is also drawing lessons from the safety practices of other established armed forces like the US, UK and Australia. Ms Irene Ng asked about comparisons with other armed forces. Yes, we do benchmark against them. We compare the systems and the procedures which we have in place against those in other armed forces and we are comparable, if not better than best practices. We are not able to compare data because the basis of collecting the data, the numerators and the denominators are different and there is no standardised basis for this, except for the air force, where air forces use the number of incidents or accidents per 100,000 hours as the norm by which they compare against each other. On that comparative basis, our air force does as well as, if not better than, the air forces of advanced developed countries. Our safety systems are there and in place. There are two dimensions to safety, both equally important - the system and the individual. We must have rigorous safety systems and processes and there must be strong command emphasis and command responsibility. Our servicemen must also have a high level of safety consciousness and alertness, so that the entire safety chain remains strong and unbroken. We will do our best, but even with the best efforts, it is not possible to entirely eliminate training incidents. However, we must ensure a rigorous system, minimise human errors, and learn from the mistakes and not repeat them and reduce to an absolute minimum and eliminate, if possible, such incidents. Sir, Mr Tan Soo Khoon and Dr Ong Chit Chung asked about the training deaths last year. There were four training incidents last year that resulted in fatalities.”
“We also owe it to our servicemen that we prepare them adequately so that they have the ability and confidence to fight, survive and win, should they ever have to go into battle. Training has to be tough and realistic, but it also has to be in strict accordance with safety regulations and safety procedures. There is top-level focus on safety in the SAF, as Mr Tan Soo Khoon has pointed out, and we do expect the highest safety standards from our commanders, all the way down the line. Safety requirements are systematically integrated into all SAF activities, and safety systems and processes are continually being improved. The SAF has also strengthened its safety inspectorates and, in addition to safety officers, formations have been augmented with Formation Safety Warrant Officers who have extensive experience and knowledge of safety and risk management. There are regular safety audits of the units, including surprise audits. The previous work year and the last work year, there were about 1,000 such audits per year. It works out to about 20 such audits by the various groups per week. High-risk activities are audited more frequently. The results of the audits are reported to the respective Service Chiefs. Whenever there is an incident, whether or not it involves injury, the safety inspectorate of the particular Service will review what happened and draw lessons, and these lessons are then disseminated to all personnel. The SAF also reviews near-misses as valuable lessons can be drawn from them. We want to develop an open culture where people are encouraged to report near misses and share the lessons. This requires a change in mindset. We are working on that.”
“First, let me say that the SAF is constantly learning from many other armed forces and not just the Americans. In doing so, we do not merely copy, but apply what we learn to our own circumstances. Technologies will not solve all the problems in the urban environment or, for that matter, any environment. But we will equip our soldiers with technologies that can make a significant difference to their fight in the urban environment. I have here with me an example of such technologies. This surveillance ball was developed by ST Engineering for fighting in built-up areas (FIBUA). It has embedded sensors, and our soldiers can roll it round a corner or throw it into a room so they can see behind walls. This will improve situational awareness and minimise casualties. 3SIR, our urban operations battalion, is now conducting trials with this FIBUA surveillance ball. The SAF will be fielding more of such technologies to help our soldiers overcome the many complexities of the battlefield. As the SAF continues its transformation journey, it will continue to maintain a high state of operational readiness. The operational readiness of the SAF may not make headlines everyday. But the SAF is constantly at work quietly behind the scenes - whether conducting regular naval and air patrols in the Malacca Straits, securing major international events like the International Olympic Council meeting, or escorting high value ships through our sealanes. Sir, the operational readiness of the SAF requires sustained hard work and rigorous training. The training has to be rigorous, as pointed out by Mr Ravindran, and it has to be realistic. We have to prepare our servicemen well because military operations are very demanding and victory or defeat hangs in the balance.”
“I will show it to you again so that you can have another look, if you have missed some of it. As you can see, we can find the target by multiple means and we can attack it by multiple means as well. This makes it difficult for the enemy to hide or run. It also makes it difficult for him to counter-attack effectively as there is no single point of vulnerability that he can hit and cripple our systems. In conventional warfare, the commanders are often faced with a dilemma, the trade-off between dispersion and concentration of forces is a key challenge. Networking allows us to disperse our forces so that we are less vulnerable, and yet be able to bring together a concentration of fire, force and effects to deliver a massive blow to the enemy. You can see that the strength of the 3G SAF is not from superior platform numbers or specific platform capabilities alone. Rather, the strength of the 3G SAF will be multiplied by the ability to network our various systems and capabilities together to achieve a quantum leap in total capability. For example, the way to combat tanks is no longer by fielding more and bigger tanks. These are necessary, but this is not the only way to solve the problem. Our anti-tank capability will comprise a network of unmanned sensors, precision missiles delivered by Apache attack helicopters, smart bombs delivered by fighter aircraft, and armoured forces on the ground. The whole, as the saying goes, will be greater than the sum of the parts. I have distributed a DVD and some MINDEF and SAF publications showing Exercise Forging Sabre and Exercise Wallaby to give Members a clearer concept of networked warfare. Mr Sin Boon Ann asked what the SAF has learned from the US experience in Iraq.”
“00 pm The training of our commanders and for our units has been adjusted to factor in the shorter deployment period of our National Servicemen. Our transformation efforts also mean that more of our National Servicemen will be deployed in positions which are more challenging and make better use of their education and training in utilising the capabilities of the 3G SAF. Sir, I have sought the Speaker's indulgence, so please allow me now to share with Members a video which illustrates one of the key capabilities of the 3G SAF. This shows the integrated sensor-shooter network which was exercised in two major exercises the SAF conducted just last year in November - Forging Sabre in the Mojave Desert in California, and Wallaby in Shoalwater Bay in Queensland. In these exercises, the SAF linked a series of sensors - manned and unmanned, airborne and ground - to form a tight network to watch over the battlefield. As you can see, once a sensor detects a target, the information is sent to the HQ in real time. A UAV can track the enemy and relay a continuous stream of target information to the HQ and a network of shooters. The most appropriate shooter is quickly assigned to take out the target, or a suite of shooters can launch a synchronised attack. Fighter aircraft can come in quickly with precision bombs. The Apache attack helicopters, which can detect more than 200 targets with their Longbow radar, can take out many tanks rapidly with Hellfire missiles, rockets and guns. The artillery guns will wipe out what remains of the enemy. Multiple sensors can confirm the effects on the enemy forces and the HQ can quickly decide what follow-on strikes are necessary. With information technology and networking, the SAF has brought the sensor-to-shooter cycle down to a matter of minutes.”
“I would like to report that we are well on the way to developing the capabilities of the 3rd Generation SAF. The SAF has been experimenting with new operational concepts, capabilities, technologies and training methods. As I pointed out last year, transformation is a journey and not a static goal. This ensures that the SAF is always ready to face new challenges and can fight and win the wars of tomorrow, not get stuck in the fighting concepts of past wars. As one set of capabilities is delivered, there will be a spiral development to deliver the next set of capabilities. These are the demands of the modern battlefield as armed forces leverage on technology to enhance their edge over potential adversaries. We are fortunate that MINDEF and the SAF have the science and engineering resources in our Defence organisations and industries; and that more than 80% of each cohort coming into National Service are tech-savvy soldiers with A-level, Polytechnic, or ITE qualifications. Our National Servicemen in our reserve forces are also very well qualified and have no difficulty converting to these new equipment and concepts. Mr Leong Horn Kee asked about the impact of the reduction in full-time NS to two years, for those who previously had to serve 2 1/2 years. As Members are aware, the transformation of the SAF was the key driver that made this feasible. The two-year NS system has been implemented smoothly since December 2004. Incidentally, the drive to a 3G SAF also allows us to reduce the ICT call-ups for our NSmen from 13 years to 10. So, it is not just the full time NSmen; but also our Operationally-Ready NSmen have benefited from it. 5.”
“Let me quote a recent observation in the 21st February 2006 issue of Flight Daily News, which says, "Singapore's evaluation was widely praised as being thorough, in-depth and comprehensive." In fact, a number of countries, who are considering fighter purchases, have come to our procurement agency to ask us about the processes by which we went through our evaluation. Another article, in the 23rd February issue of Aviation Week, noted that for the contenders in the current competition to supply the RSAF a trainer aircraft, "a win . . will be valuable not only in financial terms. Singapore's preference may well go on to influence other prospective customers worldwide." We could not have gained such a reputation if MINDEF did not have the highest standards of prudence and stringency in our expenditure. Sir, history has no lack of examples of nations which have fallen to aggressors because they were not prepared or not prepared to be prepared. We all know what happened to Kuwait in 1991. Singapore has no buffer. If deterrence should fail and the SAF is called into battle, it cannot afford to fail in its mission. We will not have a second chance. This is what we mean when we say that our defence spending is our insurance policy. We have to maintain a strong defence now so that we will not have to pay a much higher price in the future. At another level, as the Minister for Defence and, I am sure, this is true for all Singaporeans, we should make sure that if our soldiers, sailors and airmen ever have to go into battle, they have the best equipment and training that we can provide them. Sir, Mr Ravindran, Mr Leong Horn Kee, Dr Teo Ho Pin and Mr Sin Boon Ann have asked about the progress of the SAF's transformation efforts.”
“When the threat of catastrophic terrorism reared its ugly head in 2001, we were able to build on the existing Island Defence Headquarters, augment it with certain capabilities, and stand it up quickly as a 24/7 headquarters. We had started building up our CBRE capability in the late 1980s - almost 20 years ago. This included seeking the expertise of some of Prof. Png's colleagues in NUS so that we painstakingly built up a complete capability with operational units suited to operate in our climatic conditions, backed up by laboratories and experts, and based on a solid scientific foundation. This goes to show how important it is to take a long-term view when it comes to developing our defence capabilities; we cannot afford to wait until a threat is upon us. If we had not built up the ID HQ and CBRE units over a long time span, when September 11, 2001 struck us, we would have been scrambling around trying to get things put into place. And I am not even sure that today, just four or five years later, whether we could say that we were satisfied with what we have when we have just spent three or four years doing it . Sir, MINDEF is fully conscious of our responsibility to use the money allocated to defence prudently and stringently. MINDEF has rigorous checks in our budget process. Acquisition programmes are carefully scrutinised at various levels to determine need, evaluate options, and decide on the most cost-effective solutions. The rigour and integrity of our system is widely acknowledged by defence analysts. Singapore has acquired a hard-earned reputation as a reference customer. This was why our decision on the RSAF's Fighter Programme was watched so closely around the world.”
“Building an effective defence force takes many years and cannot be done in fits and starts. It takes more than a decade to bring a major new capability into service - from conception to bringing the system into operation with fully trained servicemen and supporting infrastructure. MINDEF draws up long-term multi-year plans so that the SAF is built up as a coherent and integrated force. There are checks and balances in the system to make sure that the money is well spent. Sir, the development of our defence capabilities cannot be directed only at what appears to be the most imminent threat. We should not lose sight of the fundamentals of our geostrategic circumstances just because terrorism is the most obvious threat today. We must remember that our most critical need is still to have a defence force which can deter threats to our sovereignty, enable us to withstand external pressure, and prevail over the aggressor should there be a conflict. I wish to assure Dr Ong, Mr Hawazi and Prof. Png that at the same time, the SAF has also been strengthening its capabilities for homeland security, and we will continue to do so, working closely with the Home Team to deal with terrorist threats. Among these capabilities, let me mention two. One is the Island Defence Headquarters and, the second, our Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives (or CBRE) units. It is important to know that both these units are not new creations. We did not create them after September 11, 2001. Both have been in existence or development for some two decades. The possibility of low-intensity, unconventional attack was one which we never dismissed and, hence, we prepared for it. We made contingencies to deal with them.”
“And, most importantly, no two countries have exactly the same strategic circumstances. There is geography and history to consider, the surrounding environment to look at. Finland, Sweden and Switzerland believe that they should reap the peace dividend after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The situation in Europe today is very different than it was in the 70s and 80s. At the end of the day, each country has to forge its own path, taking into account its security environment and the unique combination of resources and attributes that geography, demography and history have conferred on it. I should also point out that military expenditures in Asia have been rising steadily. According to the US Congressional Research Service, Asia is now the largest arms market in the developing world. From 2001 to 2004, five of the top 10 buyers, according to the US Congressional Research Service, were from Asia, namely, China, India, South Korea, Malaysia and Pakistan. Since 2000, some countries have doubled their military spending to modernise their armed forces. Western European and Russian defence companies are finding that the Asia-Pacific is a significant market, not just in terms of quantity, purchasing power but also for increasingly sophisticated hardware. Prof. Png has made the point that there is no need to spend more money simply because the economy is growing. Indeed, MINDEF does not take a feast and famine approach. We do not suddenly ramp up spending just because we have a good year nor do we squeeze it down sharply when the economy turns downwards. Our policy has been to put in consistent investments, both in good times and lean years. It would be too late to start buying weapons and to raise and train forces only when an obvious threat confronts us.”
“Sir, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance missions are roles the SAF undertakes to enhance Singapore's national interests and contribute our part as a responsible international citizen. But the SAF's core mission remains the defence of Singapore's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and our vital interests. Both Prof. Ivan Png and Mr Steve Chia have pointed out that the defence budget takes up a significant proportion of national expenditure. That is so because the Government considers it vital that we have a defence capability which can effectively deter potential adversaries. The Government's strong commitment to ensuring Singapore's security, the calibre of our defence force, and the determination of Singaporeans to protect what is theirs, is the key to our security and survival as an independent country. A strong defence allows us to pursue the best interests of our country and our people, and to chart our own course steadily and confidently. It is, unfortu nately, the lot of small nations to come under external pressure - as we have from time to time. We would not want to have to succumb to such pressure. When there are loud voices raised against us, we must be able to take them in our stride and remain quietly confident. The SAF gives us the political space to chart our own destiny. Prof. Png has asked why our percentage of GDP expenditure on defence is higher than most other countries in Asia. As I had pointed out last year in response to a similar question, numerical comparisons of defence expenditures are not particularly meaningful. For instance, to say that Vietnam spent almost 7% of GDP on defence while Japan allocated only 1% tells us very little, almost nothing, of the relative defence capabilities of these two countries.”
“The SAF organised the first PSI exercise in Southeast Asia last August, which involved 13 participating countries, sending ships, plans and observers. The RSN organised the first sea exercise and other professional exchanges on maritime security issues involving 19 navies of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium. Last year also, the Army hosted a Special Forces conference involving 19 Asia-Pacific countries to enhance regional cooperation in counter-terrorism. Sir, the SAF has also continued to participate in humanitarian relief and peace support operations. We have deployed KC-135 tankers, C-130 transport aircraft and LSTs to support the reconstruction of Iraq. Right now, one of our LSTs is in the Northern Arabian Gulf - she is on patrol - I just read her report before coming here - protecting the largest Iraqi oil terminal. Closer to home, SAF monitors are working alongside their ASEAN and EU counterparts in support of the Aceh peace process. 4.45 pm The SAF has also kept up a high operational tempo with various relief missions. After assisting in post-tsunami relief in Aceh and Phuket at the beginning of last year, the SAF deployed again for relief efforts in Nias in March, and when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August. Last October, an SAF medical team was sent to Bali after the terrorist attack, and two C-130s delivered aid to Pakistan after the earthquake. In all these missions, the SAF demonstrated its operational readiness and professionalism. Their swift response and effectiveness in executing these missions were the result of years of steady investment in our people and equipment, and in building up a robust system capable of rapid and flexible responses.”
“Bilateral defence cooperation with our ASEAN partners, Thailand and Brunei, continues to be substantive and strong, and from which both sides benefit. We look forward to strengthening the mutually beneficial defence cooperation with Indonesia when the Defence Cooperation Agreement is concluded. This will stand as a strong symbol of cooperation between two close neighbours. Singapore also continues to play an active role in regional groupings which enhance security, such as ASEAN, the Five Power Defence Arrangements, the ASEAN Regional Forum and, more recently, the East Asia Summit. We support the creation of the Asean Security Community and will work together with our ASEAN neighbours to realise it. As Asia opens up, multilateral engagements will become even more important for confidence-building and facilitating dialogue, not just among regional parties but also to engage countries beyond the region which have a stake in the stability and prosperity of Asia. Open platforms, such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, will become increasingly important, now that greater cooperation is required to deal with transnational security issues like terrorism, counter-proliferation and maritime security. The Shangri-la Dialogue, held annually in Singapore since 2002 and which will be held again in the middle of the year, brings together defence ministers and strategic thinkers from around the region and beyond to discuss security issues, to create greater understanding and, hopefully, better consensus as to what can be done. Singapore has also been an active participant in such multilateral efforts as the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), and we work closely with other countries in the fight against terrorism.”
“The objectives of our defence diplomacy are to develop positive and mutually beneficial relationships with friendly countries and armed forces, to contribute to a stable and cooperative regional environment and international order. On the bilateral level, good defence relations also enable us to overcome our land and air space constraints. Today, the SAF trains in about a dozen countries around the world. We are very grateful to our friends for extending this assistance to us. These overseas training facilities, along with the exercises that the SAF conducts with foreign armed forces, bring significant benefits in terms of enhancing the SAF's operational and professional skills, improving inter-operability with friendly forces, and offering opportunities to benchmark ourselves. Our defence diplomacy also affords us valuable technology cooperation. The Strategic Framework Agreement we signed with the United States last year provides the framework for Singapore and the US to expand the scope of defence cooperation and work together to enhance regional stability and peace. We are also nurturing newer defence relationships. Having signed the Defence Cooperation Agreement with India in 2003, we have since been expanding interactions with the Indian Armed Forces. The regular naval exercises over the past decade have now been augmented by air and land exercises for the last two years. With China, my visit last November at the invitation of my Chinese counterpart provided a useful opportunity for developing a better understanding of each other's perspectives on security issues of mutual concern, and it was agreed that we would step up defence interactions.”
“This is a fight that may take many generations, for it is an ideological war that they are waging. The fact that Azahari Husin was killed in Indonesia does not change that. The personalities might change, organisations might morph, but the ideology and objectives remain the same, and there are others, eg, bomb-makers like Nordin Top and their disciples, those who have learnt from them these dark arts, who are still at large. So we still have to remain on our guard. Sir, Dr Ong Chit Chung has asked if new security threats have brought any changes to our defence policy, and Mr Ravindran asked about the state of our defence relations and defence diplomacy. The fundamentals of Singapore's defence policy are determined by our geography and environment. We are a small island with no strategic depth. We have no hinterland to absorb an attack, and there is no natural buffer between the external environment and our populated areas and economic infrastructure. We are also a maritime nation, critically dependent on the security of sea lines of communications and the freedom of navigation. Our geography - both in the contours and size of our island and in our location in a sometimes turbulent region - is immutable. Given these realities and the uncertainties of the regional environment, we continue to pursue deterrence and diplomacy as the twin pillars of our defence policy. We have invested considerable resources into building up a defence force that can deter aggression. And, should deterrence fail, the Singapore Armed Forces must be able to defeat the aggressor swiftly and decisively. At the same time, we have also been enhancing our security by pursuing active defence diplomacy.”
“So we can expect that the issues of maritime security and energy security will loom larger in our region and become more critical for the major powers. Singapore, therefore, must have the wherewithal - military and diplomatic - to play a role to contribute to regional security and stability, and also to protect our national interests and ensure our security as the geopolitical landscape evolves. Singapore and the SAF have, therefore, been playing active roles in multilateral efforts to enhance maritime security. Over the past year, we contributed to developing a consensus among the three littoral states of the Straits of Malacca that while we, the littoral states, have the primary responsibility for the security of the Straits, major user states and other stakeholders have a role to play as well. Also, whatever measures are undertaken to enhance security must be in accordance with international law and respect the sovereignty of the littoral states. Dr Ong asked about the measures to safeguard the Malacca Straits. In the last two years, the littoral states have jointly launched air and sea patrols to demonstrate our commitment to safeguard this strategic waterway. We are also working with the international community through, for example, the IMO and member states, to focus on maritime security in straits, such as the Malacca Straits. Another major threat to our security is - as Mr Hawazi has noted - that of trans-national terrorism. The list of countries hit by terrorist attacks continues to grow. The danger is by no means over. In fact, with the terrorists exploiting modern technology to their advantage and organising themselves better to evade detection, the fight will be a long and arduous one.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I would first like to thank the hon. Members for their comments and questions, and for their support and robust commitment to defence. Mr Ravindran, Mr Hawazi Daipi and Mr Steve Chia have asked for an assessment of our regional security environment. Sir, the geopolitical landscape of the Asia-Pacific region is in a state of flux. The shifts which are now taking place will lead to significant changes in the geostrategic balance. The US remains pre-eminent, with its superior military power, economic strength and political influence. But alongside this is a new reality - China and India, the two Asian giants, are now on the rise. This is reshaping the strategic contours of our region. What is less clear is what shape our region - and indeed the world - will take in the future. The situation will be made more complex by the greater assertiveness of Japan, and perhaps also a resurgent Russia, in the coming years. China and India have both abandoned autarky and are seeking economic linkages with the world. They are now both major trading and energy importing nations, and their search for foreign sources of raw materials and markets, as well as their dependence on them, can only grow. As a consequence, both China and India now have an interest in the security of sea routes, and of their energy sources. Southeast Asia is situated at the confluence of major sea routes, and at the crossroads between India and China. The Straits of Malacca and Singapore are now vital lifelines for these two emerging powers, as they are for the US, Japan and the countries in our region. Our region is also a major source of oil and gas.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, we fund people who go on scholarships according to how much it costs for them to study. So if we give the same amount of money to a person who goes overseas to study as a person who goes to a university in Singapore to study and we try to balance out the two, we will probably be over-funding one of them quite a lot and under-funding the other quite considerably. The one who is studying in Singapore could stay with his mother and father and not incur an enormous amount of cost, whereas the one who goes away, say, to France, Japan, Germany or the United States for several years will, I think, be seriously out of pocket, if we give them the same amount of money. I should say also that we have to respect the choices that these young people make. The world is their oyster. If we were to limit their choices by limiting the amount that we give them, I think we will be doing ourselves a disservice as well and doing the public service a disservice. The second question the hon. Member asked was whether or not the term "farmers" has been used. Sir, I think Prof. Png has come to this term very late. For as long as I have been in the SAF, we have been talking about such terms and we have dealt with that and gone past that for many, many years already. So Prof. Png has made this discovery a little bit late.”
“Sir, a clean and efficient public service is the foundation for good governance in Singapore. The service will continue to strive to live up to its core values of integrity, service and excellence. It believes in continuously challenging itself to excel so that it can function effectively to serve Singaporeans better. As an employer, the service will also ensure that its human resource practices are progressive, responsive and flexible. With this, we will have a first-class public service worthy of Singapore.”
“The civil service supports the movement to give ex-offenders a second chance. As far back as 2000, Ministries have started to employ ex-offenders taking into consideration the type of offences and the nature of the job. We will take the additional step. The civil service will amend the job application form to ask applicants to declare if they have criminal records in Singapore, instead of whether they have ever been convicted in court. Candidates with spent records can now indicate that they do not have any criminal record. The new forms will take effect on 1st April this year. Ministries will work with the statutory boards under their charge to implement similar application forms by the second quarter of 2006.”
“And the Public Utilities Board re-employs about 100 retired staff mostly in the technical fields. So retired officers are being re-employed in the service. As a large employer, the public sector has a role in addressing this national concern of employment of older workers. I believe that we can do better without compromising our ability to deliver cost-efficient public service. The Public Service Division will step up efforts to re-orientate the attitude of public agencies towards the employment of older workers. In December last year, we organised a seminar to raise awareness among public sector HR practitioners on this issue and will continue to promote sharing and best practices among the agencies. But PSC recognises that its efforts cannot stop here. It has therefore also engaged Ministries and statutory boards to identify and open up more job opportunities for older workers, and these could also be people who are not directly employed by the public sector. But these could be jobs created in the public sector. For example, the Ministry of Education has worked with private sector companies to provide more than 600 security guards for deployment in schools, and many of these positions will be taken up by older workers. Public sector agencies will also be strongly encouraged to tap on WDA's ADVANTAGE Scheme, to redesign jobs and retrain the older employees. The response from some agencies has been encouraging. We will work with Ministries and statutory boards to create more flexible avenues to re-employ older workers. Although the public sector is not setting hard targets for the employment of older workers, we will be monitoring the progress of public sector agencies closely. Finally, let me close with good news for Ms Indranee Rajah.”
“I should say that the public sector looks at older workers, not just focusing on this age group, which has specific issues regarding them. But we also look at older workers in general, and we look at workers who are above 40 years of age and see how we can make them more welcome in the public service as well. The public sector does welcome older workers who have the skills, experience and passion. The public sector has a diverse workforce, comprising both younger and older workers with different strengths and talent to build an effective and efficient service. Recruitment is based on merit. The public sector employs a candidate who best fits the job requirements regardless of age, gender or race. Currently, about 39% of public officers are above 40 years old and 17% are above 50 years old. On average, about 15% of the new hires each year are older workers above the age of 40. Between 2002 and 2004, the public sector has recruited more than 2,800 such older workers. Public sector agencies are free to employ retired officers if these officers wish to continue working and where the agencies have a need for their expertise. Over the past few years, more than 800 officers have been re-employed. This number does not include retirees who are employed on casual terms or on short term, ad hoc projects. The re-employed officers are in a diverse range of jobs, for example, retired teachers are re-employed as adjunct teachers and school counsellors. In the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, retired officers are re-employed to maintain experimental farms and control stray animals. The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports employs retired SAF and Singapore Police Force officers to undertake operational duties in the juvenile homes.”
“We do not want a public service which has been brought up only within Singapore. I think that would not be very good for us. To keep overseas scholars rooted to Singapore, the PSC brings them back after two years of study to attend a mid-course programme and to undergo a six to eight-week attachment in a public service agency. PSC scholars studying overseas can also choose to do their masters locally. Overall, the scholarship schemes have worked well. A vast majority of scholars adapt well to their working environment and live up to the high expectations demanded of them. Those who leave the public sector after working for some years generally still contribute to Singapore in one way or another at large. On Prof. Png's concern about morale in the service, I assure him that scholars are not automatically placed on a career fast track. I wish all of them could become enormous successes because we have great hopes for them when they join us. But we do assess them on their performance and potential rigorously when they are in the service compared to all other officers in the service and only if they do well, do they progress. They must prove their worth and demonstrate aptitude and ability before they are promoted. The public service values and rewards talent, whether they be scholars or non-scholars. And it certainly would be our loss to neglect talented non-scholars in the service. Sir, let me now move on to an issue of national concern which Mdm Halimah Yacob has touched on - the employability and employment of older workers. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang and Mr Loh Meng See touched on this yesterday as well. Mdm Halimah has focused on those who are aged 62 and above.”
“Students have a choice of whether to apply for a Government scholarship. If they do, they should be aware of the obligations and be ready to commit themselves to a public service career. For those who are not sure if they are suited to a public service career, they can pursue their university education on their own first and then decide on a career after graduation. And the public sector welcomes these individuals to join us if they wish to do so later on. Prof. Png also asked how many of the scholars achieved Superscale grade or Colonel grade at the end of their bond. The bond today is six years and it will be quite an achievement if they do achieve Colonel grade or Superscale grade at the end of just six years of service. But many of them do stay on longer in their career, do achieve these grades and reach the highest ranks in the Armed Forces and civil service. That is precisely why we have taken them in. If we did not have such able people joining the civil service, committing and dedicating themselves to the profession, we would not have a constant flow of people, the refresh of people that is required in the service to have at the end of a 15-, 20-, 25-year career - people who can rise to the top and lead these very important organisations. Government scholars are sent to both local and overseas universities. The PSC awards the prestigious Local-Overseas Merit Scholarships which are on par with Overseas Merit Scholarships for an undergraduate education in Singapore with the opportunity to do a masters programme overseas. PSC also sends scholars to top overseas universities in countries like the US, UK, PRC, France, Germany and Japan. Experiencing what the best foreign universities can offer and being exposed to diverse perspectives is good for the public service.”
“Since the launch of the on-line business licensing service two years ago in 2004, more than 28,000 businesses have benefited from it. The public service strives to function as many agencies, one Government. Notwithstanding the achievement, there will always be cases where we can do better. Citizens and businesses who face problems with inter-agency coordination can surface this for attention at the PS21 website. 3.15 pm Sir, to have a first-class public service, it is crucial for the public sector to attract a fair share of Singapore's most able people. Government scholarships are important as they are key source of talent to build capable public sector leadership. I would like to assure Prof. Ivan Png that the public sector is careful not to take in more scholars than we need. For the past few years, the total number of Public Service Commission and statutory board scholarships awarded had been kept relatively constant, at an annual average of about 300. For the year 2005, 249 scholarships, 93 in the civil service and 156 from the statutory boards were awarded. This is not a large number, considering that the public service, the Armed Forces and the Home Team have many challenging and demanding jobs that require very good people. It is also not a large number compared to the approximately 12,000 students a year graduating with 'A' level, or approximately 2,800 a year with three 'A' grades or more at their 'A' levels. If there were not sufficient people of high ability in the public service, we would not be able to have the quality and integrity that has become the hallmark of the Singapore Public Service which is recognised, not just in Singapore, but internationally, and we would not have the quality of a public service that the people of Singapore expect.”
“Since 2000, the ZIP Panel has identified more than 110 cases for action, with 22 inter-agency teams formed to tackle how the more complex cases can be resolved. For example, the ZIP Panel implemented the no-wrong-door policy in 2004. This policy requires all public officers to put a member of the public in touch with the right agency for help. This has enabled citizens and businesses to get in touch with the right agencies more quickly, instead of being given a run-around. As another example, organisers had to apply for many licences needed to hold community events, concerts, sporting events or exhibitions. As a result of one such specific case that was brought to the ZIP Panel's attention in 2005, a project team was convened to look into the matter. The project team helped to identify the typical licences and permits needed to hold events and made these available to the one-stop on-line business licensing service. This can be done now on this on-line service. Apart from the Zero-In-Process, there are other mechanisms to resolve inter-agency issues. The Pro-Enterprise Panel has so far reviewed close to 1,500 suggestions, some of which also involved more than one public agency. Besides responding to public feedback, the public service proactively re-engineers processes to deliver integrated e-services. The on-line business licensing service is a prime example of how more than 30 Government agencies have worked together to provide an integrated one-stop solution in the area of application, update, renewal and termination of business licences. As a result of process re-engineering, the time taken, for example, to incorporate a new company has been cut from five days to 15 minutes.”
“To achieve this, we have set up inter-Ministry committees and project teams to carry out reviews. Examples of such high-level panels are the National Population Committee, the Ministerial Committee on Low Wage Workers and the Committee on Ageing Issues - the last two having recently released their recommendations. Much dialogue and collaboration between agencies happen with these committees which draw on public, private and people sector expertise. We have also created new platforms to sensitise senior public officials to national imperatives and to build a common understanding of the challenges and issues facing Singapore. Managers are also put through milestone courses in the Civil Service College to attune them to cross-agency issues and national considerations so as to increase their capacity to think beyond their departmental work. Besides addressing issues at the policy level, the public service has also set up similar mechanisms at the operational and implementation level to bring public officers together to resolve operational and service-related issues. One such mechanism, as Mr Wee has pointed out, is the Zero-In-Process, which he has requested for an update. The Zero-In-Process Panel (ZIP Panel) was started in 2000. It is a mechanism in the public service to identify and resolve issues faced by members of the public that cut across public agency boundaries. Issues are typically identified through feedback from members of the public. All issues surfaced are addressed. Where appropriate, they will be channelled to the ZIP Panel, which is chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office. If the issue is complex, the ZIP Panel may even commission study teams to look into the issue and make recommendations for its consideration.”
“Sir, first, let me thank Members of the House for their interest in issues related to the public service. The challenges facing the public service are in line with those facing Singapore. The issues confronting us today are more complex and multi-faceted. Some can strike us with immediate and potentially devastating effect, such as a pandemic flu or a terrorist attack. Others are of a longer term but critical nature which will shape our society, country and region for decades to come - education, entrepreneurship, ageing population, healthcare, falling birth rate and new regional dynamics. Our citizens are better educated, more globally connected and expect a higher level of service. They also expect more avenues for expression and participation. The public service has to be responsive to these developments. It must adapt and innovate in order to create the right conditions for peace and prosperity, and help seize opportunities for Singapore. Today, the public sector consists of 15 Ministries and 66 statutory boards. These agencies, for reasons of accountability, have clear lines of responsibility. However, many issues do cut across agency lines. To be effective, the public service has to think and to act as one. There must be greater inter-agency coordination, not just in policy formulation but also in implementation of policies. This is why the public service is paying much attention now to working on what we call a whole of Government approach. Various mechanisms have been put in place to tackle cross-agency issues. Where inter-agency problems are due to differences in fundamental policy orientation, there is a need to review the policies themselves and decide on potential policy trade offs, if necessary.”
“And all summary trials, whether they are JDOs, SDOs or Superior Commanders can try these 28 offences. So we do want to give more powers, more discretion, to the Junior Commanders so that they can exercise discipline and responsibility for discipline in the unit. But of course, just by giving them disciplinary power is not the only way of giving them more responsibility, as I distributed yesterday in the pamphlet, we do want to give them more responsibility, more scope to make decisions in the 3G SAF by widening the responsibilities that they have in other areas. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Teo Chee Hean]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair]”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank Mr Alex Chan for making this point because it is indeed important that we give greater responsibility to our commanders, particularly our NS commanders, in the appropriate levels of the organisation. Many of our NS commanders are OCs and Platoon Commanders in the units. The Junior Disciplinary Officers are usually OCs in the units, officers commanding companies and batteries. The Senior Disciplinary Officers are usually Battalion Commanders, commanders of units. And indeed, one of the reasons why we wanted to put in place this increase in the quantum of fines is because the quantum of fines that can be imposed by Junior Disciplinary Officers is so low that if in a unit they want to bring a charge and a punishment against a particular soldier, the Junior Disciplinary Officer feels that the fines that he can impose are so low that they tend to escalate it up to the Senior Disciplinary Officer. So in this case, we do want to give the Junior Disciplinary Officer more ability to deal with the soldiers directly under his charge expeditiously and in the direct line of his command. So indeed, this is one of the objectives that we want to achieve. And similarly, also, when we have increased the powers to fine of the Senior Disciplinary Officer, it avoids the Senior Disciplinary Officer having to escalate this particular charge to the Superior Commander who is usually the Brigade Commander. As for the types of offences that can be dealt with, the offences are specified in the Schedule of the SAF Act, and there are 28 such offences, if I remember correctly, which are triable by summary trials. All the offences in the SAF Act are triable by court martial, but these 28 offences are triable by summary trials, as specified in the Act.”
“The fines will depend on the specific circumstances of each case. The higher maximum fine will allow for an appropriate level of punishment to be meted out based on the seriousness of the offences committed. Sir, the amendments to the maximum fine quantum will help to uphold the state of discipline in the SAF and to ensure that the SAF will continue to be a disciplined, professional and credible defence force. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 4.41 pm”