Tin Pei Ling
Singapore
“This is not about building a talent pipeline and reserve for the land, sea and air transport sectors, but also about helping Singaporeans seize more valuable opportunities. (In English): Mr Speaker, Singapore did not inherit our connectivity. We built it deliberately, chapter by chapter, and this House now holds the pen for the next one.”
“Thank you, Chairman. Two questions. One is that I hear that there will be a review of the COE system later part of this year. I would just like to ask if there is a specific timeline that we can look forward to. Second is on land transport overall. It is on the impact of ageing population and ageing infrastructure.”
“Leveraging frontier technologies – automation, advanced sensors, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) – will keep our infrastructure globally competitive. But we must deploy technology responsibly to augment productivity while managing workforce transitions and reskilling needs.”
“Many thanks to all. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $3,109,174,200 for Head W ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $13,306,280,300 for Head W ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Can the Ministry consider targeted measures, such as rental relief schemes, tenancy support for heritage and neighbourhood retailers, incentives for landlords to prioritise local tenants or co‑investment platforms that enable local businesses to secure long‑term premises?”
“Internationally, we could forge norms that prevent regulatory arbitrage and ensure cross‑border accountability. Hence, building on existing frameworks, what more will the Government do to strengthen Singapore's role in global AI governance, standards, certification, international coordination and capacity building, to preserve human agenc…”
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“Beyond the KPIs and budgetary framework, I would like to share with Ms Tin and Members that being doctors, they are professionals. Different doctors would have different opinions. So, I would like to urge patients to also refer to their doctors so that they can have second or third opinions, so that among doctors, they can talk to one another, discuss what would be the best treatment procedure for the patients so that they can provide the best outcome for them.”
“Thank you, Mdm Speaker, and I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. I hear from the Parliamentary Secretary's reply that factors taken into account for the allocation include patient volume and workload. May I ask how will MOH ensure that the KPIs set in public hospitals will be in such a way that they Page: 31 would not drive unintended behaviours? For example, encouraging or perhaps pressuring patients to take on more procedures or more expensive procedures than necessary. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I would like to thank Ms Tin for her supplementary question. When we look at the performance of institutions as well as the hospitals and doctors, we have a holistic performance indicator. We recognise them for the things that they do, including the productivity of the institution and of the doctors as well, including the kind of clinical services that they do as well as teaching, research and administrative duties that they carry out. So, at the holistic level, we want to ensure that our stakeholders do the best for the patients and for the medical area that they are looking at. At the MOH level, we do costing exercise where we work very closely with the institutions to ensure that our legislative framework is robust and, at the same time, we are able to meet the needs of the patients. On the other hand, at the institution level, each institution has its own governance framework. Maybe some of them would look at setting up an accreditation committee, peer review and even before the operation is carried out, there are pre-operation conferences to ensure that we take the appropriate treatment measures that set the best outcome for our patients.”
“They set aside their personal time and energy just to search for the suspected dog because they fear that an innocent life may be harmed if no action is taken in Page: 34 a timely manner. Although I would also add that the search would have been much easier and thorough if there is, say, a life-detecting equipment that we can borrow from the authorities. On this particular case, I should also take this opportunity to thank AVA and the PUB's quick response team for coming down as soon as they caught news of it and did their very best to help the volunteers to search for the suspected dog. Till this day, we still have not found the dog, for those who are curious. Hence, I sincerely believe that there is scope for stronger resource support and closer collaboration with animal welfare organisations and volunteers. I believe that by working together and helping each other, we can help make the community, whether it is for animal lovers or for non-animal lovers, much more pleasant. All said, I do believe that the amendment Bill serves to strengthen the legal framework, providing a responsive and preventive approach to animal welfare. Therefore, I wholeheartedly support this Bill. 3.00 pm”
“For example, as I mentioned earlier, HOPE Dog Rescue helped to publicise the case of the dog I eventually adopted. Such organisations can also help with AVA's public education effort so that owners know what their moral and legal obligations are, what proper care means and, of course, now with this new amendment Act, what changes have been made. In addition, I believe the animal welfare organisations can assist with community issues such as neighbour disputes. Some Town Councils work with the Cat Welfare Society to address cat-related issues in HDB estates. In MacPherson, for instance, our Marine Parade Town Council taps on Cat Welfare Society's expertise in cats from time to time to resolve cat-related issues. Similarly, such a partnership can be extended to say, dogs, as well. We have all heard of complaints about how some neighbour's pet dog is barking incessantly or too loudly or how a pet dog seems to have crossed a certain boundary and the list goes on. Apart from animal welfare organisations, there are many good-hearted individuals out there who will mobilise and organise themselves to help animals in distress or solve animal-related issues. I have witnessed a few of such instances within my own community. One example was an informal group formed by residents who would patrol a particular neighbourhood when they know of possible cat abusers in the area. Another example involved a resident who heard barking sounds in the drain near her flat. When news got out, over 30 volunteers from all walks of life came to search over several days for this suspected dog. Many even tried to search the drains and crawl through them, although there were some risks involved.”
“First, current pet owners who wish to give away their pets for whatever reason should ensure that the next owner registers himself or herself within a stipulated timeframe. Alternatively, both parties should sign an acknowledgement form to document the transfer. Second, if a pet is found to be "lost" and has a microchip with a name registered to it, even if the registrant claimed that he had given the pet to another owner, he should be held responsible unless he has the acknowledgement described in recommendation one. The Page: 33 registrant should be held responsible even if the licence has expired. If there is an acknowledgement signed, the authority can then hold the subsequent owner as indicated in the form responsible. Third, for innocent pet owners whose pets had run away, they should proactively make a report with the authority – AVA would be most logical in this case – on top of the usual search practices such as putting up notices. Should the pet be found and reported to the AVA, the AVA can then match the reports and return the pet. The act of reporting is meant to commit the pet owners to take back the pets should the pets be found. This should not be difficult if the pet owner is sincere in wanting to take back the pet that he or she has lost. Just putting up some notices is, to me, not adequate as proof. The third point that I would like to raise is about having an inclusive community engagement effort. Beyond the legal framework and strengthening of processes, I hope the Government will continue with its support for and collaboration with animal welfare organisations. Animal welfare organisations can play an important role in the community. Many look out for strays, foster them, nurse them back to health and try to find new families for them.”
“This claim, in my opinion, was extremely suspicious because unless he happened to find some extremely kind-hearted stranger off the street to hand the dog over to, how is it possible that he does not have any information or the means to locate the second owner? In any case, whether it was this man or the mysterious second owner's doing, the dog was found abandoned. The man whose name was in the system was also not legally liable because the licence had lapsed and he was no longer the registered owner at that point in time. So, there are two issues here that I would like to raise. Firstly, there is currently no obligation on the owner to ensure that the subsequent owner registers himself or herself to the AVA – only some of the animal welfare organisations impose such a requirement and, second, it is almost impossible to hold anyone responsible for pet abandonment. In the Act, pet abandonment is deemed to be an offence if the owner abandons the pet without reasonable cause or excuse. From what I understand, abandonment is currently recognised as an offence only if the owner confesses, which I am highly doubtful of because whoever is guilty, I do not think the person will confess. Or if the act of abandoning the pet was caught on camera, which is challenging as well because the guilty owner will usually do so very discreetly. And even if it is not so discreetly, who among the unsuspecting passers-by will stand by with a camera and is prescient enough to have a camera ready and film the act of abandonment? The burden of proof in the latter is almost impossible to achieve. Hence, I would like to make three recommendations to the pet licensing process.”
“Specifically, I am concerned about pet abandonment as I found out it is actually relatively easy for a pet owner to abandon his pet even though this is a legal offence. I make the following points based on a personal experience having navigated through the current system. More than a year ago, HOPE Dog Rescue put up a post on its Facebook page calling for urgent foster or adopter for a dog believed to be a retriever. The dog was first found wandering around a HDB estate for weeks before a young girl found him, notified HOPE Dog Rescue and then at the same time, placed him at the SPCA for temporary shelter. The reason for putting him at SPCA was because there was no available foster at that point in time. The dog was only one year nine months old, had suffered some injuries – was Page: 32 without fur, even its brows and whiskers were all off – and was extremely thin, hungry and thirsty when it was found. I eventually adopted the dog and I am glad to say that today it is a happy, healthy retriever – all its fur has grown out, gained six kg, smart, quite a goof ball but definitely a sweetheart. The dog had a microchip and there was a name registered to it. However, as the original owner did not renew the licence after a year, this man was no longer deemed to be the legal owner of the dog. Nevertheless, with the help from AVA, the young girl who found the dog managed to speak with the man who claimed that he had given up the dog to another person. When asked about the name and contact number or even the email address of the person he supposedly gave the dog to, he claimed to have none.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise to support the Private Member's amendment Bill on Animals and Birds. Animal abuse is cruel, perverse and simply wrong. We are all capable of compassion and such cruel actions simply just demean us as human beings. Hence, as an animal lover and having "fur kids" of my own, I am very glad that this Bill was crafted with a responsive and preventive approach in mind to ensure responsible care and welfare of animals. This Bill will no doubt strengthen the legal framework governing animal welfare. And so on this note, I would like to place on record my appreciation of the great effort put in by the hon Members Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, Mr Alex Yam, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Mr Edwin Tong, Mr Vikram Nair as well as all the members of AWLRC and the MND staff. In this amendment Bill, I note that the penalties will be enhanced and the powers of AVA will be expanded to include enforcement. These are positive measures that will strongly signal that animal abuse is unacceptable. Nevertheless, this enhanced legislative regime needs to be paired with fair and sensitive enforcement, vigorous and efficient processes as well as an inclusive community engagement effort. First, I hope that the enforcement will be fair and sensitive. While I strongly believe that persons guilty of animal abuse should be penalised and that stiff penalties will act as deterrence, we should take care not to hurt small firms doing pet-related business. At the same time, while pet owners and potential pet owners must understand the moral and legal obligations involved in owning a pet, we should take care not to put off potential responsible pet owners from adopting animals altogether. Second, we need vigorous and efficient processes.”
“Thank you, Madam. I would like to ask the Minister a question. Firstly, I understand the move to have more school-based student care centres. I would like to ask the Minister whether the Ministry is open to considering on a case-by-case basis, perhaps, to give adequate support to VWOs setting up student care centres within communities, especially with rental blocks. Why I am saying this is because, currently, an example that I know of is Brighton Student Care Centre. It is located at one of the largest rented blocks in my area – about 500-600 units in the block. For the subsidy that they are benefiting from, there is a great disparity between what they are able to receive versus what a school-based student care operator may get. This is causing quite a financial strain on them, even as they are doing this not for profit and even as they are doing this to serve the community to help the lower income families. So, I hope that the Minister will be open to considering at least on a case-by-case basis to provide adequate support for some of these VWOs trying to provide student care services within the community.”
“However, as Singapore attempts to align closer with international standards, the protection and support provided appear to be rather basic compared with the UN TIP Protocol, in which victims may receive various assistance, including employment, educational and training opportunities. TIP victims are, by definition, vulnerable and deserve adequate protection, care and support. I am, however, also cognisant of how illegal immigrants or foreign workers may be tempted to take advantage of the Bill to try to legalise residence or employment through false claims, if the victim protection becomes too comprehensive and appealing. Hence, could the hon Member share the thinking process that underlies Part 4 of the Bill and the observed differences in victim support provided for in Part 4 vis-à-vis international standards? Notwithstanding the clarifications I have sought, I do believe that the Prevention of Human Trafficking Bill is timely and critical in providing a single and definitive legal framework to combat TIP crimes. Hence, with that, I support the Bill. 5.48 pm”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Private Member’s Bill on the Prevention of Human Trafficking. Human trafficking is a serious transnational crime that takes advantage of vulnerable people for purposes of sex, labour or organ sales. Being a reputed and vibrant hub for people movements and commercial activities, Singapore is both attractive and susceptible to human trafficking. Moreover, with some neighbouring countries sliding to Tier 3, according to the US government’s latest Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2014, there is a risk that more human trafficking cases could be coming to our doorstep and we need to ensure that Singapore does not become a destination or transit point facilitating such heinous crimes. Hence, it is both timely and critical that Singapore put in place a single, definitive legal framework, coupled with effective enforcement, to combat human trafficking. And I would like to take this opportunity to put on record my appreciation of the initiative and great effort put in by hon Members Mr Christopher de Souza and Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar as well as the various Ministries, including MHA, MSF, MOM and MOH. The Prevention of Human Trafficking Bill has clearly set out the legal framework to tackle the issue, enforcement powers that agencies will have and protection measures for Page: 89 victims. I am satisfied with the comprehensive scope of the Bill, though I have a clarification to seek. The Bill explicitly sets out temporary shelters and counselling services for the victims. These are no doubt essential to the victims, given the likely trauma they would have had to endure prior to being rescued.”
“I have two more questions for the Senior Minister of State. Firstly, for a new lift which is the main product of the LUP, would it be acceptable to expect everything about the lift, including the lift frame and lift jamb, in this instance, to be rust-free? That is the first question. The second question is: now that it has already been installed and because the material has already been rusting for a while and the Town Council has been required to maintain it, naturally, the manpower cost and material cost will go up more than perhaps in other precincts. Would there be any solution or proposal to help to defray some of these costs that the Town Council will now have to bear as a result of the quality of the stainless steel that was used in this particular LUP?”
“Madam, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State about the particular lift upgrading in MacPherson. I am referring, in particular, to Block 121, Paya Lebar Way. I have raised this for more than a year with the HDB officer. Basically, shortly after installation and before it was handed over to the Town Council, there was a survey. Page: 13 During that survey, it was noted that there was already rust formed on the lift frame or the door jamb, but because we did not want to delay the commission of the lift so as to provide convenience to the residents, the Town Council took over and decided to run with it. But my point of contention is that the lift is the main product of a lift upgrading project. In this case, if the lift frame came with rust on it, should it be accepted? In this case, while HDB has demonstrated on how to maintain the lift frame, the cost – in terms of manpower and material cost – is considerable, added up over time. Would this be fair to the Town Council which has to inherit this from HDB? The third question that I would like to ask is whether the material used for this particular lift upgrading is similar to the kind of materials used for the other LUP across the island. If it is not the same, why so? Is it something that we should accept?”
“I thank the Minister for the clarification. I would like to ask the Minister, based on the conversations that I have with some of the pre-school teachers within my constituency, they shared that there has been a move to encourage them to take on graduate degree kind of programmes and this has asserted quite a bit of pressure on them. I am wondering if the Minister could clarify whether this move is actually signalling that the preschool sector should be moving into a higher skill, higher knowledge kind of basis whereby preschool teachers are expected, moving ahead, to hold a degree before they can dispense proper care for our toddlers or young children. Could the Minister help to address this question?”
“Hence, legislation and enforcement are necessary. Apart from enhancing penalties, I believe proactive education is also critical to cultivating safe driving behaviours. On this, I wish to commend the introduction of the voluntary SDC. This is a useful and critical complement to the enhancement of penalties, enabling repentant motorists to reflect, refresh and relearn safe driving behaviours. Besides the voluntary SDC, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State to also share with the House what other preventive measures are being put in place to educate motorists and our population at large about road safety. Notwithstanding that, I support the Bill. 3.47 pm”
“I hope that the Ministry would work closely with the operators and the Association to look at the compensation framework that is being used by the operators today. I think any compensation that is linked to, say, the number of trips that a bus driver can make within a certain time period, can drive very dangerous behaviours. A bus, given its larger mass, would mean that it has higher inertia. Given its mass, any impact that it makes on a pedestrian or anyone on the road can cause very serious damages and injuries to the person involved. And given its capacity, any accident that it is involved in, the passengers that it is ferrying, the number of them would definitely increase and, therefore, potentially multiplying the tragedies that can happen on the road. On this note, I would like to urge the Ministry to work closely with the bus operators. It is not something that is unfamiliar to us; we hear about bus drivers feeling pressured on the Page: 58 road because they are trying to make more money and therefore, trying to pack more bus trips within a short time span. And because of this pressure, it can definitely drive dangerous driving behaviours on the road. I believe that each life is precious and we all know that we only live life once. One can always try again after losing the driving licence, one can always try again or try something else after losing a driving job, even if that can be really, really tough. There is no doubt about that. But one can never recover a life lost once it is lost. A life lost is lost forever. No amount of fines or remorse can console the anguish of the family who survived the victim. We need to deter errant driving behaviours in a proactive manner and not wait for a tragedy to happen before we react to it.”
“Although I have not, and I do not want to, come across a fatal accident occurring in Singapore due to mobile phone usage, we should not treat this lightly. Reacting after an accident will be too late. Recently, in the UK, two toddlers were killed at a pedestrian crossing, because the driver was talking on her mobile phone while driving. Similarly, in Sydney, a young woman died when she lost control of her car that crashed into a tree. The reason for the loss of control was that she was distracted as she was trying to answer a call on her mobile phone. The two examples highlighted the potential danger that brief moments of inattention or distraction could bring while driving. Hence, this Bill provides a timely update in keeping pace with our society's proliferative use of mobile devices. The broadening of the existing scope makes it an offence to operate any function of a mobile communication device while holding onto the device and driving. I support the amendments in the Bill, and I would also like to suggest enhancing the penalties of using mobile phones while driving, potentially matching the penalties for drink-driving, especially in near-accident instances. Driving while being engrossed or distracted by his/her mobile devices is as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. In a 2009 study by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, it showed that five seconds is the minimal time period for the motorist's attention to be diverted from the road to result in a traffic accident. Text messaging, for example, makes a crash up to 23 times more likely to happen. At this point, I would like to add one more point on bus fleet operators, especially for the private bus fleet operators.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill. Since 2002, our national mobile phone penetration rate had doubled from about 77.8% to 156% in 2013. This implies that about one out of two persons in Singapore possesses two or more mobile phones. With the rapid advancement in technology, mobile phones have evolved from the once nostalgic simple device with a monochromatic display into a highly advanced multi-functional pocket computer that allows its user to check emails, update social media, take a selfie perhaps, and make online purchases on the move. As a result, the use of mobile phones has been deeply integrated into our daily living and activities. I believe that many of us would have at least once felt "withdrawal symptoms" when we forgot to bring or lost our mobile phones. So, in tandem with the exponential growth in mobile device ownership, the use of mobile devices by motorists has also become increasingly rampant. In 1999, this House passed the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, introducing the prohibition of the usage of mobile phone while driving. However, we still observe motorists egregiously using their mobile devices while driving at the same time. In a recent poll conducted by The Straits Times, about seven in 10 Singapore motorists admitted to using their mobile phones without a hands-free kit while driving, even though they are aware of it Page: 57 being against the law and that enforcement officers can confiscate their devices. One top reason for this behaviour is because they feel complacent about their driving abilities. It has been reported that, for the whole of last year, TP issued a total of 3,572 summonses for the offence, compared to 2,938 the year before.”
“I note that the Government has tried many new and innovative approaches to communicate the elements of the Pioneer Generation Package to Singaporeans, especially our elderly. I applaud this effort, and I hope that MOH will also make similar, if not greater, efforts for MediShield Life. Mdm Speaker, while I have raised questions on the long-term affordability of premiums for Singaporeans and sustainability of MediShield Life, which I believe MOH will have to address, I have no doubt that having a universal public health insurance, such as MediShield Life, is imperative in strengthening our national healthcare financing framework. And very, very lastly, I would just like to add one more thing, and that is, no matter how robust or how watertight our public healthcare financing framework is, nothing beats having good health because having good health will enable us to have the capacity, the energy and whatever we need in order to enjoy life to fulfil our aspirations and do what is meaningful to us in our life. So, I urge everyone, whether it is in this Chamber or outside of this Chamber, to always live a healthy life because health is not something that we can buy using any amount of money. With that, I support the Motion. 4.55 pm”
“It is based on the principle that "if one person is sick, everyone helps to pay"; it pools everyone's money together, so that people who need it can cope with large hospital bills. Everyone gets a chance to draw on it. Now, our population is ageing rapidly, while family size is getting smaller. It is necessary for Singaporeans to help each other and tide over difficult times together. Hence, we must support MediShield Life to prepare for ourselves and others for the future. Although, in principle, MediShield Life is good, the Government must pay attention to whether people can afford the increased premium due to larger coverage in the long term, as well as how to ensure the scheme's sustainability, to avoid the dilemma faced by other developed countries. The Government should take these into consideration. I believe, our ultimate goal is to ensure every Singaporean can receive healthcare protection. Nobody should be deprived of treatment because of financial difficulty. Page: 73 MediShield Life must succeed to meet people's expectations. (In English): Mdm Speaker, all said, implementation is still key. The potential issues that come with a large scale and costing scheme are aplenty. The abysmal implementation of Medicare in the US provides many lessons of what can go wrong. Our MediShield Life is enormously complex, and complexity increases the possibility of errors. Could MOH share how it intends to ensure that its implementation will proceed smoothly and correctly? Part of the implementation must be communications. The elements of this policy are highly complex, and we need to make an extra effort to make sure that Singaporeans understand what it means to them, and how they can benefit from it.”
“Similarly, we need to also make this compulsory for every Singaporean to be in MediShield Life because if those who are healthy today decide that they do not need to be insured now, then we will have an impossible situation of having Page: 72 only the ill in the pool, which is certainly unsustainable. Some countries also face the issue of chasing for premium payments. In Japan, for example, those who cannot or refuse to pay for the premiums may eventually have their properties seized to pay for the arrears. Arguably, we are different in that we have Medisave accounts that we can deduct from. But how will the MOH attempt to resolve the issue when people cannot pay the premiums, or can no longer pay for the premiums from their Medisave? And before I continue and conclude, please allow me to speak in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Speaker, I think the launch of MediShield Life is timely and appropriate. MediShield Life is a universal healthcare insurance scheme. It removes the age limit so that all Singaporeans will be covered. It ensures that all Singaporeans will receive basic protection. For a long time, we have been hearing Singaporeans voice their concern over the rising medical cost, so much so that some dare not see a doctor even when they are sick. As a fellow Singaporean, I feel a deep sense of compassion for those who are sick but have no money to receive treatment. Besides Medisave and Government subsidies, MediShield Life is another very important pillar. As unpredictable as the weather, people's fortune may change overnight. Nobody knows when he will fall seriously sick and incur high medical expenses. To cope with such uncertainties, MediShield Life plays an important role.”
“And these also highlight the importance of designing, at the very onset, having careful, thoughtful design of a public health insurance system and, therefore, I think this is something that is very important for us – whether for the Government, for us as a nation – and that we need to think about very carefully. In Singapore, we have been able to provide large subsidies in the billions of dollars only because our country has enjoyed decades of good economic growth. However, what of the future, when our own growth is predicted to slow down, when economic conditions are expected to become more volatile, when we face an ageing population, and with smaller families? In addition, healthcare costs have been projected to increase exponentially. We see it in Canada where healthcare costs are rising far beyond the increase in their real income and this is something that I believe is not just us in Singapore or even Canada but all around the world, all the developed economies are facing the same problem. One of the key cost drivers is the cost of manpower, which, for us in Singapore, is something that continues to be a challenge that we have to grapple with today. Given these forces, I would like to ask: what is MOH's assessment of the sustainability of the proposed design of MediShield Life, and could MOH share how it intends to keep the scheme sustainable? Sustainability also depends on whether the scheme will enjoy universal support. If health insurance is left to private insurers and they can choose who they want to insure, then those with pre-existing conditions, precisely the people who are most in need of insurance, will be left out in the cold.”
“A number of them may not come from well-to-do families and their family members will be unable to help pay for their share and, for some others, they may not even have reliable family members around to even help them. How will MOH support this group of Singaporeans so that they, too, will be covered? Page: 71 And fourth, for Singaporeans with unstable income, such as freelancers, how can they cope with the annual premium payments? MediShield Life is a bold scheme that we must support. It gives hope and assurance to those who suffer serious illnesses and have to incur large bills. However, it would be a great let-down if this hope was shattered because MediShield Life cannot be. Sustainability of MediShield Life is perhaps the largest trade-off for the enhanced benefits it brings. In reality, sustainable healthcare financing is an issue everywhere – whether it is in Canada, US, Europe, Australia, Taiwan or Japan. These countries face escalating healthcare costs and have insolvent schemes. The systems are essentially surviving on borrowed time. For instance, the National Health Insurance in Taiwan saw its government having to borrow from banks because there was insufficient money in the pool. The one in Japan is facing such a large financing gap that increasing co-payments and other measures will not be sufficient to close it. Medicare in the United States is also fast becoming unsustainable as the enrolment into the programme is growing faster than its economy. Once introduced, such systems become entrenched. Any subsequent reforms will be difficult.”
“So far as I have read the report, most of the concerns that my residents have raised to me, especially from my elderly residents in terms of affordability of premiums and the adequacy of coverage as well as the co-payment, the deductibles, I think all of these have been very adequately and eloquently addressed in the report and I am heartened by this. Two points in the report that struck me were the assurance that the premiums will be fully payable by Medisave and that no one shall be left uninsured because of financial difficulty. Such a promise is a demonstration of our Government's fiscal strength. Few other countries can afford to do the same. However, I do have a few questions that I hope MOH can address. Firstly, can MOH share how the premiums are derived? How confident is MOH that these amounts will be adequate in supporting our current and future healthcare needs, given the enhanced coverage? Second, how confident is MOH about the long-term affordability of the increased premiums? Will MOH continue to monitor and, if need be, take steps to mitigate the impact of the increased premiums on Singaporeans after the five-year transitional subsidy period? And at the risk of sounding like I am contradicting myself, really, how long can MOH sustain the subsidies that it has been promising Singaporeans within these five years and possibly beyond the five years? Third, the majority of Singaporeans have CPF contributions and, hence, are able to cope with the premiums through our own Medisave. But what about those who have no income and, therefore, no CPF contributions? These include housewives and Singaporeans who have suffered long- term unemployment.”
“In Singapore, we are not immune to this challenge, as very eloquently articulated by my colleague Dr Chia Shi-Lu. In response, we have developed the 3M system – firstly, the Medisave, which is our money and we use it to co-pay for our own medical expenses; second, MediShield, which is everyone's money that we pool together to help one another to afford high medical bills when we suffer severe illnesses; and lastly, Medifund, which is Government's money, also taxpayers' money, that acts as the ultimate safety net when all else fails to help vulnerable Singaporeans. While the 3M framework is robust, we can do more as a society. We have been expounding the need to be caring and inclusive. We all feel a deep sense of compassion when we see someone in pain and we all feel the need to help that someone regain the health and strength to lead a normal life like we do. We talk about it, we argue for it and this is the time for us to do it. A universal public health insurance in the form of MediShield Life is how we can do so, by pooling our risks and money together to help pay for one another's bills. No one gets left out, everyone gets a chance to tap on it, if not today, then tomorrow, although, Page: 70 ideally, it would be the most ideal situation that we all remain healthy so that we have the capacity to really enjoy life and do what we want to do. The report made recommendations to tackle the wide-ranging concerns that Singaporeans have – from the adequacy of coverage to the expected premium increase and to how current IP policyholders will not be left worse off with the transition to MediShield Life. The degree of thought and sophistication in these recommendations lead me to believe that the Committee has carefully considered all the trade-offs.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise to support the Motion. Madam, I believe the MediShield Life Review Committee has considered and done its best in addressing a wide range of issues that concern Singaporeans and has produced a comprehensive report with many good recommendations for MediShield Life. In my speech, I will share why I support MediShield Life, why I believe the report forms a good basis for the design and implementation of MediShield Life, and also raise a few questions that I hope MOH can address. In principle, our health is ours and each of us has the responsibility of taking care of ourselves. However, we know in reality that relying on ourselves alone may not be sufficient, as healthcare expenses can be costly and not everyone has high earning power. Moreover, some Singaporeans may be more unfortunate to be hit by serious illnesses or chronic conditions, requiring long-term and expensive treatments. Hence, there is a need for additional support from other sources. Different countries adopt different ways of tackling this issue. Some completely socialise this cost and fund healthcare through taxes. But this can lead to escalating and potentially unsustainable, public healthcare expenditures. In some developed economies, public healthcare expenditure is one of the most costly fiscal items each year and, hence, a top government headache. Others do it through insurance: collecting premiums from everyone, pooling the funds collected and then allocating the money to purchase health services as required by the population. But such systems work only when everyone contributes, regardless of whether they think they will need to tap on the common pool now. This requires a strong sense of solidarity as a nation and the willingness to help our fellow countrymen.”
“We can invest more in those who start off further behind, and we can create more pathways and entry points for them. But we must also not hold back talented Singaporeans, to fulfil some misguided sense of social fairness. Instead, we have to allow Singaporeans with talent and grit to get ahead and to help pull our nation ahead. However, our meritocracy must be tempered with compassion and a sense of community. We cannot be a careless and care-less meritocracy. We cannot be careless in the way we implement meritocracy such that our system ends up exacerbating inequality and breeding politics of envy or, worse, class warfare between the haves and have-nots. We cannot be care-less and end up with a Singapore society that is cold, fragmented and brittle. We must be a society where there is mutual respect and camaraderie among all Singaporeans, where the more successful Singaporeans feel for and will help those who are less successful and where all of us share a common cause to build Singapore together. Page: 39 Our Government policies must shift to put in place the framework for this better Singapore. I am glad that the President's Address has articulated a strong message of making policy changes to improve Singapore for Singaporeans. But true changes require also a change in the spirit of our nation. It requires all Singaporeans to believe in our Singapore Dream and commit to creating the miracle again and again. Although Singapore is now passing or almost passing the half-century mark, ours is still a young nation full of promise. As we approach our 50th year next year, let us give our wholehearted support to the President's call to take pride in what we have achieved and pledge ourselves anew to build a better, brighter Singapore. With that, I support the Motion. 3.06 pm”
“In this vein, I feel very heartened by the President's statement that "we will keep pathways upwards open to all Singaporeans, regardless of background or family circumstances" and that "Singapore must remain a nation of opportunities for all. Those who do not succeed at first should have a second chance, indeed must always have the chance to try again." I look forward to MOE's new initiatives to do this. It is not enough also for education to be solely about preparing students for the future economy. Clearly, it must also nurture in our young critical thinking skills, resilience and adaptability, lifelong learning habits and values that will stand them well throughout their lives. Most importantly, it must inspire them to greatness – to want to do better; to want to do more for our community, for the nation and perhaps even for the world; to be inspired to take Singapore to ever greater heights. We must support and nurture our youths, for it is young Singaporeans who will carry forward and fulfil the hopes and dreams of Singapore. We must never allow young Singaporeans to ever share the pessimism that youths in other developed countries have, which is a finding that a recent Ipsos Mori study has shown. We must create a Singapore that not only provides many opportunities but also more comprehensive safety nets which enable Singaporeans to explore the world and succeed in different ventures and also provide a safe and comfortable home for all Singaporeans. As we approach our 50th year of Independence, I dream of a Singapore that is both compassionate and competitive, successful yet inclusive. That means meritocracy must stay. Without meritocracy, we risk making way for cronyism, favouritism and discrimination – all of which we, as Singaporeans, have clearly rejected.”
“In some EU member countries, the youth unemployment rate can reach more than 50%. However, at the same time, there are about 2.5 million job vacancies with no one to fill them. Why is that so? Because there is a mismatch of skills and lack of practical hands-on experience. There is a demand for labour in jobs requiring STEM knowledge, that is, Scientific, Technical, Engineering and Mathematical knowledge. However, many young Europeans are not educated enough in these areas and, despite having a degree, they are finding it difficult to secure a proper job. Many end up in temporary jobs. The officials I met were concerned not only with the immediate impact on the young people's well-being but also with the risks of long-term scarring. They worry about an entire generation of young European people unable to find work for months or maybe years at a time, watching their contemporaries in other countries move far ahead while they stay static, feeling lost and depressed, losing drive and hope during the prime years of their lives. We must not allow Singapore to get into such a situation. We must enable our young people to have meaningful employment and to be empowered to support themselves and their families. We need to prepare our youths for diverse job opportunities, avoid ever letting them experience the despair of wasted youth, of losing hope in the prime years of their lives. Page: 38 Of course, it is not enough to have an education system that only equips the most capable students to succeed. Our system must ensure that all young Singaporeans, with their different aptitudes and starting points, can have the best chance of succeeding in life.”
“Because of our rigorously well-designed education system, Singapore has been able to nurture generations of knowledgeable and skilled Singaporeans. Singapore has also been able to capitalise on our talented human resource to transform our nation from a Third World to First World within one lifetime. We must now evolve our education system once more to keep it relevant to the economy and to the future. Page: 37 The April edition of The Economist carried an article titled "Coding in Schools, A is for Algorithm". It discussed how computer coding – a fundamental in understanding and designing technology – is proliferating in schools in many countries. For instance, computer science is slated to become part of England's primary school curriculum this September. The article further noted that, "Many other places are beefing up computer-science teaching, too. Israel was an early adopter, updating its high-school syllabus a decade ago; New Zealand and some German states recently did the same. Australia and Denmark are now following suit." These countries are taking steps to prepare their children and youths for the future. We must do the same. I am not saying that teaching coding is definitely the way to go; but it is important that our education planners adopt a future-oriented attitude in curriculum development. The consequences are dire for our young if our education does not match the needs of the economy. The case of Europe is perhaps a grim warning for all of us. Last year, I had the chance to discuss this subject with some European officials who are deeply concerned about the Continent's high youth unemployment. About one in four young people in Europe cannot find a job. That is about 5.5 million young people in Europe out of work.”
“The Pioneer Generation laid the foundation for modern Singapore. The young will pave the way for the Singapore of tomorrow. As such, I am glad that the President focused so much on our young in his Address and I strongly agree with his statement that, "We will enable young Singaporeans to fulfil their potential, pursue their dreams and follow their interests in diverse fields." It will be extremely challenging to fulfil this promise. Already, today, there are concerns about providing enough job opportunities for PMETs and equipping Singaporeans with the right skills to fill such jobs. The future world that the young will operate in will be even more competitive. It will be full of smart, well-educated, very ambitious and driven young men and women, many of them in Asia, and they will do whatever it takes to succeed. The future world will also be characterised by rapid change, as new technological developments push corporations to innovate or die and propel societies to adapt or wither. Our education system must prepare our young for such a competitive, fast-changing world. Our system, therefore, has to teach our young to have multi-disciplinary skills, to be versatile and adaptable. We must equip our young with skills of the future, in a world where work will be transformed and enabled by technology. To date, our education system has done well. It has evolved over the past decades – from a one-size-fits all in the colonial days to post-World War II's "10-year programme" to the "survival-driven education" in the 1950s and 1960s, to quality education in the 1980s and to the "Thinking Schools, Learning Nation" in the 1990s, which continues to be relevant today.”
“Fiscally, the Budget should remain pretty much the same but, practically, our elderly pioneers will have an additional help resource to use in times of need. Many people are worried about growing old. Apart from concerns over losing physical and mental strength, there is a real concern over retirement adequacy. The CPF is our main device to ensure retirement adequacy in Singapore; it has served us well and it should continue to stay. Recent media coverage and the Minister for Manpower's blog post have explained how CPF works and why certain restrictions are necessary. I am grateful for the explanation that the Minimum Sum is necessary to ensure that Singaporeans will have enough when they retire. Many Members had also spoken on this yesterday and I will not belabour this point. Nonetheless, I would like to echo my support for the review of the CPF system. I urge the Government to evaluate the feasibility of guaranteeing a higher rate of return on our CPF monies, so that it can better withstand inflation and ensure Singaporeans' CPF monies will be well above the Minimum Sum. I also urge the Government to make the rules governing the use of CPF money more flexible, so as to allow mature Singaporeans genuinely Page: 36 in dire straits to take care of their immediate needs, such as HDB mortgages and their children's education. Such a move is in line with a more compassionate society. Does it mean that there will be a higher risk that some Singaporeans will not have enough in their old age? Maybe, but I believe that such cases are in the minority and the reality is that some Singaporeans are in desperate need for help and we need to help them reach the life buoys as they try so hard to paddle ashore on their own.”
“Hence, it is imperative that we help our elderly to Page: 35 navigate our complex and seemingly daunting healthcare system, so that they can seek the treatment they need without fear. What is the point of having these wonderful measures and packages if these beneficiaries do not know of them and, therefore, cannot benefit from them? In this regard, I must applaud the Government for the Pioneer Generation Package, which is highly focused on healthcare – a top concern amongst elderly Singaporeans. The generous package honours a generation who has given so much for Singapore, but who has gotten back so little in comparison. The Pioneer Generation, despite their selfless contributions to Singapore, does not have a legal claim over the benefits offered in this package. But we have a moral duty to thank them, honour them and take care of them. The package does this and signals our desire for Singapore to be a better society. But more has to be done to communicate the Pioneer Generation Package. Many inside and outside this Chamber have spoken about this. I trust that MOH will step up its communications, as promised. We, politicians, community leaders or just ordinary Singaporeans, should also do what we can to reach out and help the elderly and vulnerable Singaporeans, some of whom may be tucked away in their homes or simply too preoccupied with their immediate needs. I would also like to repeat my call to introduce more flexibility for the Medisave payout of the package, specifically that it can be converted into cash in some years to give our pioneers more autonomy to decide whether the money is better used for healthcare or other pressing living needs. To encourage prudence, this option can be capped at, say, five times.”
“I am pleased that the Government's policies demonstrate that Singapore is moving towards building such a successful society. MOH has made successive significant moves in improving the care of our old and vulnerable. It has enhanced healthcare affordability through, for example, enhanced Senior's Mobility and Enabling Fund, Community Health Assist Scheme and enhanced outpatient subsidies, on top of the 3M framework. MediShield Life, which will come on line next year, is also something that is on the horizon and that is here to help Singaporeans better afford large bills. The Government has pledged to keep it affordable and certainly, through this pledge, the Government is sharing the risk with its citizens in managing healthcare affordability. MOH has also pledged to increase healthcare capacity and manpower to address the increasing healthcare demands resulting from an ageing population. It has and it should also pay attention to ensuring the mental well-being of our elderly through efforts to heighten awareness of age-related conditions, such as dementia, and to build social infrastructures and networks to provide high-touch care and support. All these moves will go a long way in assuring Singaporeans that ageing is not gloom and doom. While the Government has moved to provide quality healthcare and strong safety nets for Singaporeans, especially our elderly, it is extremely important that the implementation and communication, the very last mile, are done well. The majority of our elderly and pioneers today belong to a generation who had limited education as Singapore went through tough times. Many may also have lost their family members for various reasons and are now living alone fending for themselves.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak in this very important debate over the direction and commitment for Singapore's next lap. The President in his address articulated the key thrusts and underpinning values of the Government and he painted a picture of what I would describe as our Singapore Dream. He clearly described the six areas that the Government has pledged to focus on to offer better opportunities and enhance the quality of life for Singaporeans. Clearly, the address is about building a Singaporeans' Singapore. The President's address is timely, as we approach a significant juncture of our history – Singapore's 50th National Day next year. It is an important debate for the Twelve Parliament and the Government to address the concerns and aspirations of Singaporeans and chart the Page: 34 way forward to create the Singapore of Tomorrow. In other words, we are here to discuss what our Singapore Dream is and what we must do to achieve it. I would like to make my modest contributions in three areas: how we should take care of our elderly; how we can inspire our young; and how we will advance as a community. A successful society is not simply defined by the strength of its economy, the height of its skyscrapers or the achievements of its most capable members. It is not one in which its citizens focused solely on pushing ahead, with a winner-takes-all attitude. No, a successful society is one that takes care of its elderly and vulnerable, and one that draws strength from solidarity. It is about bringing everyone along, moving ahead together and sharing in the fruits of our success. A successful society is inclusive and compassionate in its policies and in its spirit.”
“This proposed law can certainly shape the development of appropriate conduct but it will not be the prime driver as such since these behavioural norms have to be internalised rather than dictated to. Where online conduct is concerned, this Bill marks a significant step forward. We need a civil online society. Otherwise, the full potential of social media and the Internet will not be Page: 112 realised. Madam, on that note, I reiterate my support for the Bill. 4.57 pm”
“While the Bill covers harassment at the workplace, the power asymmetries that exist between a superior and a subordinate and the fear of losing one's job, as well as the negative and unnecessary publicity that would accompany the victim even in a criminal prosecution, make it onerous for the victim to seek redress, whether via the criminal or civil route. Had the Bill provided for companies to do more, then a major source of harassment, especially of a sexual nature, can be better tackled. Some companies do have workplace harassment policies but the Bill could have made it mandatory for all companies to institute workplace harassment policies. We can also then reduce the likelihood of workplaces becoming hostile environments. I hope business enterprises and organisations, such as education institutions, will be spurred by this Bill to take workplace harassment seriously and to put in place relevant policies, as well as a code of conduct and formal processes, for dealing with complaints of harassment at the workplace. At common law, an employer has a duty to take reasonable steps to protect the employee from harm to their physical and mental health. However, this duty is limited to harm that is foreseeable. I hope this Bill raises the bar where an employer's duty at the workplace is concerned. Employers would be well-advised not to wait until misconduct is so serious that the sanctions of criminal law are justified. Let me now conclude, Madam. It may well be that this Bill will help shape appropriate online behaviour. If it, indeed, turns out that way, that will be a bonus. But this Bill reminds us again of the need for education and the imbibing of proper norms of conduct in the real and virtual worlds.”
“This provision prevents surveillance targets from taking out private prosecutions against those keeping surveillance and so expose their identities to a larger audience. However, it is probably hard to envisage circumstances where there will be a need for such a certificate to be issued by the relevant Minister. Nonetheless, it would be helpful if the Minister can assure the House that such certificates, when issued, relate only to high-level operations concerning terrorism, major crime syndicates or very serious crimes. Will such certificates be issued in relation to the activities of the police or specialist enforcement units? The Bill provides in clause 12(3)(c) that the District Court, in making a Protection Order, can refer the respondent or the victim or both to attend counselling or mediation. If the District Court is satisfied that a respondent has committed harassment or unlawful stalking, as defined in the Bill, what is there then to mediate? Why should the victim be expected to compromise? What is there to compromise in the first place? What is there to mediate? Is there the expectation for both parties to make up? Much as I appreciate the virtues of alternative dispute resolution, I am somewhat perplexed that mediation is envisaged. Could the Minister clarify what is the intent and what outcomes are sought in mediation in cases where there is unilateral harassment and unlawful stalking? Page: 111 In future reviews of this Bill, I hope the Ministry will consider enhancing the penalties where the victim is physically harassed or stalked in or near his or her home or at their workplaces. A further improvement is to make it a legal requirement for companies to put in a framework for handling harassment at the workplace.”
“Is it the victim or will the police do so? Should not a breach to the Protection Order be a seizable offence? This will provide the Protection Order with sufficient bite, otherwise the Protection Order will be a mere paper judgement. Madam, I would like now to touch briefly on a matter not strictly within the ambit of the Bill but certainly relevant to its effectiveness since the Bill's long title states that the legislative intent is "to protect persons against harassment and unlawful stalking". This relates to the evidential requirements in prosecuting cases under this Bill. Page: 110 Cases involving unlawful stalking and harassment can be difficult to prosecute. Sensitive handling, especially with regard to victim care, is important. I hope the Police will be equipped with the necessary skillsets and empathy to handle complaints of the alleged victims. Another major area is evidential in nature. Here, again, the Police must be adequately trained to ensure that the relevant evidence is gathered properly so that the victim's case can stand up to legal scrutiny when it is presented to the Court. This requires, in turn, the proactive building, management and execution of a case. Where appropriate, and because of the distress and alarm caused to the victim by the offender, victims should also have access to relevant care and support. I trust that there will be the necessary capacity and competency in the Police to this end. Madam, I now turn to what I call the "oddities" in the Bill. Clauses 7(7) and 7(8) seek to immunise what would otherwise be unlawful stalking but for the purposes of national security, national defence or the conduct of international relations.”
“Otherwise, the civil remedy would be rather Page: 109 inadequate. When one considers the offence of harassment or unlawful stalking, it is very often the fact that such acts cause, in the words of the Bill, "alarm," "distress" or the actions are "threatening" or "abusive". Could the Bill then be explicit in providing that damages may be awarded for anxiety, alarm, distress and other associated feelings caused by the harassment or unlawful stalking? The protection and expedited Protection Orders found in clauses 12 and 13 respectively are to be welcomed. Such non-harassment orders are essential to stop harassment and unlawful stalking. As such, I appreciate the Minister's assurance with regard to clause 19 on the civil proceedings framework envisaged as enabling the victims to obtain the Protection Orders without having to incur high expenses or the need to engage lawyers. This injunctive relief would be next to useless if the Protection Orders are hard to obtain and the process expensive and emotionally draining. In addition, it must be said that the Protection Orders will be difficult to obtain where the identity of the perpetrator is unknown to the victim. Nonetheless, the power of the court to grant take-down orders and correction notification orders for false and malicious online content is crucial. In this regard, it is important to be circumspect as to what the proposed law can do and cannot do. Enforcement becomes critical in ensuring that the proposed law has the requisite deterrent effect. Clause 10 provides for the penalty in respect of non-compliance with the Protection Orders. Could the Minister also clarify how enforcement action will be taken where there is non-compliance? Who has to initiate action when a Protection Order is breached?”
“It goes without saying that each case will fall to be determined on its own facts. What this means is that, often, it may not be immediately apparent that separate incidents are connected as a course of conduct. It is, therefore, important that the Police are alert to the possibility that incidents could form part of a course of conduct, and to take this into account during the investigation of each incident, making whatever inquiries seem appropriate, to determine whether the incident is, in fact, part of a course of conduct. Madam, what about a campaign of collective harassment by two or more people in which one person commits one act personally and arranges for another person to commit another act of harassment or unlawful stalking? Can this aiding, abetment and procuring of conduct amount to a "course of conduct"? I welcome the Bill's providing for both criminal offences and civil remedies. Conduct caught by the proposed new law can be subjected to a claim in civil proceedings under clause 11. This can be useful if the evidence was insufficient to succeed under a criminal prosecution but may be enough to support an action for statutory tort. In civil proceedings against the perpetrator, clause 11 empowers the court to award damages to the victim. One can envisage, for example, financial loss from the harassment. For example, victims have been known to alter their lifestyle choices and daily routines, move homes or change jobs, and even restricting their social activities. However, it is pertinent to ask whether such a claim would include damages for emotional injury. Can the Minister clarify if this is so? I would argue that clause 11 should not be read narrowly and that, in the appropriate cases, emotional injury can be covered.”
“I also welcome the Bill seeking to define "harassment" as conduct causing or likely to cause alarm or distress although the use of "harassment" itself in defining harassment is somewhat puzzling. But that is a minor point. More importantly, this criminalisation of harassment and unlawful stalking is important because it draws the line where previously there was none. It should help prevent egregious conduct, which might otherwise go unpunished without this new law. The Bill also makes clear that speech can be harassment in the appropriate circumstances. The Bill will strengthen existing laws through clarifying that the same standards of what constitute harassment are applicable to online conduct. This has to be so. There should not be an unnecessary distinction between the virtual and the real, especially when online conduct has real-world consequences. I also welcome the extra-territorial reach of the proposed new law. Since the Bill is applicable to online conduct, then the proposed law has to be borderless in reach, subject to the requirements of international comity and not Page: 108 compromising the sovereignty of other countries. Clause 7(10) generally defines a course of conduct as being actions that take place on at least two occasions. Although the Bill does not specify what period of time should elapse between the two occasions, my sense is that we should not adopt a pedantic or dogmatic reading. In my view, a pragmatic approach is necessary. Thus, if the behaviour complained of has ceased, even for a short period of time, and then resumed either in the same or a different form, this can certainly constitute a course of conduct. By the same token, acts that are some distance apart in time can also constitute a course of conduct.”
“The right to be protected from malicious behaviour is as important as, if not more than, the right to free expression by those who have malicious intent. For some of those who may worry about being deprived of the freedom of expression, I would say that if the post – if the content of the message – is constructive, has no malicious intent, then there really is no cause to worry at all. Otherwise, responding to this, having doubts on this Bill really is, in my opinion, somewhat “此地无银三百两” – basically, Page: 107 pointing to a spot saying that I never bury 300 taels of silver in this spot. So, again, I would stress that freedom is for everyone. The right to be protected from malicious behaviours is as important as, if not more important than, the right to freedom of expressions by people who have malicious intent, and, I stress, malicious intent. Personally, in my opinion, I believe that, in Singapore, where we uphold and still value justice in our society, if we believe in this, then we must have the ability to protect the innocent from unjust behaviours. 4.45 pm Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene (Nominated Member): Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill. This Bill is not the silver bullet with regard to the scourge of harassment and stalking. So, it is important to manage expectations. Although this Bill will not decisively end harassment, stalking and other anti-social behaviour, it will function as a deterrent. In today's wired world, technology is a double-edged sword. Therefore, I welcome this Bill's coverage of online harassment, including cyberbullying, which can be very damaging, given the speed and reach with which falsehoods can spread. The malicious content can also remain online for an extended period of time.”
“First, to what extent will this Bill have powers in tracking down and identifying perpetrators online, especially if the sites are hosted overseas? Second, to what extent can this Bill influence or demand sites to remove offensive content, especially if sites are hosted overseas? "Revenge porn", even though it has been outlawed in California, is an example of sites whereby the recalcitrant site owner had refused to remove the content despite it being offensive because the owner wanted to extract a removal fee from persons who may or may not have been affected, but the fact is that they can become very recalcitrant. Third, does this Bill punish only the first culpable person who posted the offensive content or every one of the cyber lynch mob? Fourth, what kind of self-help is available for cyber victims, for instance, and, very specifically, cyber sexual or related harassments? How will these self-help avenues help these victims seek redress under this Bill? Victims, especially if they are minors, may not have adequate financial resources to hire lawyers to help them seek justice. Fifth, on Expedited Protection Orders. I understand that the Minister earlier had mentioned that it can be within one to two days, but for cases online – cyber cases – speed is crucial because, within one minute, it can viral out many, many times. And, so, how long will it take for this Expedited Protection Order to be granted in such cases? Can it be even faster than just one day? The sixth question I have is this: Is it provided for, under this Bill, to allow the MDA to step in immediately to block sites first while investigations continue and allow the due process, as set out in the Bill, to proceed? Madam, freedom is for everyone.”
“Perhaps, let me quote what my resident wrote to me in an email, and I quote: "To complicate matters, the website is hosted in the United States. The company is registered in Amsterdam and even the individual, who happens to my fiance's ex-boyfriend, who uploaded the photo is unable to remove them without the website host's approval who, ultimately, would only do so if the removal fee is paid. Since then, my fiancé has lost sleep, could not eat or work in peace, especially not while witnessing the links to her compromising photos appear on search results while looking up her name." All of these instances are distressing and alarming to the victims. These victims often times are harassed by people who they know or do not know on sites of origin or, worse, in some instances, being reproduced on other sites. In vengeful instances, the perpetrator is simply using the Internet and its netizens to exact his revenge, and in Chinese, I would say this is “借刀杀人“. The American Psychological Association has a journal, Psychology of Violence, where there is an article on youth online harassment published in 2013. The results showed that about 69% of such online harassment victims are girls, and this was in 2010. And this statistic of 69% went up from 48% in year 2000. It also revealed that distressing harassments, as well as repeated harassments, have also been on the rise over the years. These are very worrying trends and we must do more to protect females, to protect young girls especially, out there who may fall prey to cyber predators who have less than friendly intent. Page: 106 Madam, I am in support of this Bill and I would also like to raise six questions which I hope the Minister can help to address or clarify.”
“And even the original poster – the person who originally posted the comment – may find it difficult to try to retract that content later. Cyber predators hide behind anonymity and they are emboldened when they know that they can get away with it relatively easily. Many cyberbullying and harassment cases are also sexually explicit, even towards minors. There are a few of such forums and platforms that we can find online and there is no lack of new examples even on a daily basis. Page: 105 Let me just share an example. In March earlier this year, there was a photo of a young girl on the MRT and her photo was being posted on this forum. She did not realise that her photo was being taken. Ensuing that were comments in the tens in the same minute – tens of comments just started to flood the forums – commenting from her legs, rear, to her front and face. I am sure this is not something that we would proudly declare in public nor is it something that would bring any comfort to the lady involved in the picture. The Internet has also become the platform for revenge and malicious mischief. One example is the fiance of my resident. Her ex-boyfriend uploaded very compromising photos of her. These photos were taken while they were still in the relationship. These photos were then uploaded onto websites, such as "revenge porn", which the Minister had mentioned earlier, and, luckily, it has been outlawed by California. These sites are hosted overseas. There were many unsavoury comments by people she knew and did not know, and, after a while, even her friends started to notice it and came to her to ask about it. Imagine the shame, imagine the embarrassment, imagine the kind of distress that she had to go through.”
“Madam, I stand to support this Bill because I stand to support the need to protect the innocent and I believe that this House will also stand to support the need to protect the innocent and also to preserve justice in our society. There are many cases that have been highlighted in this House. There are many examples that we have shared to illustrate the importance of this Bill and how it will help innocent Singaporeans protect their dignity, protect themselves against, I would say, some very malicious-intent people out there. Cases that involve physical and verbal harassment are probably relatively straightforward because these are in the real world, these are tangible. But cyber bullying and cyber-harassment are more complex. Firstly, any content that is posted online spreads instantaneously, exponentially and has far-reaching effects. They are harder to contain or control. Some sites operate outside our jurisdiction and these can be loopholes that scheming perpetrators can use to their advantage. For example, it is relatively difficult for the victim, or even sometimes the authorities, to try to identify the perpetrator. And it is also, many a time, hard, difficult, challenging to request for site owners to remove content, some even at a fee. There is also an asymmetry of power because it is easy for anyone to post anything online but to get the offensive content to be removed, the burden of proof is on the victim, especially in cases where the content has gone online and viral, the ability to claw back such content, to limit the damage, is, indeed, very limiting. Some sites – and I will give an example later – even demand a removal fee and this is a hefty amount.”
“For example, before an application is approved, the third party needs to help show proof that the children have neglected or abandoned their elderly parents to the extent that the elderly's survival or well-being has been compromised. Alternatively, can MSF share what measures it has in place to address the issue of abandonment by children? Finally, Sir, MPA itself is a bold move to impose on children to care for their parents. I am pushing this further, because I feel strongly about this. It is about defending important values to us as an Asian society for generations of yesterday, today and tomorrow —”
“" I have met so many elderly residents who came to MPS to beg for welfare and rental flats because their children would not give support despite themselves owning 4- or 5-room flats or even private condominium units. In one recent case, a woman in her late 30s came to seek help with supporting her elderly mother. Her two elder brothers in their late 40s – and they have kids of their own – refused to share any financial obligation to care for their mother. When the Judge asked the brothers during their parents' Page: 172 divorce just a few years ago whether these brothers were supporting their elderly mother, these brothers went missing in action for a few months – for many months, in fact. Just for Members' information, the father was abusive and, hence, the mother filed for divorce despite their old age, so it is not a matter of the mother not playing her part. At last, the elderly mother was unwilling to apply for MPA for fear of straining an already strained relationship. The brothers continued scot-free, knowing fully that nobody can do anything about it. Suddenly, filial piety is being outsourced to the Government. Of course, there are cases that are complex and the children may have valid reasons for wanting to keep their parents at arm's length. It should be considered. But this cannot happen if there is no opportunity to do so. For instance, it can be done during mediation where a neutral mediator can be witness. Hence, will the MSF consider allowing neutral third parties to apply for MPA on their elderly parents' behalf? Proper guidelines can be established.”
“Sir, the Maintenance of Parents Act (MPA) was first passed in Parliament in 1994 and later amended in 2010, as tabled by hon Member Mr Seah Kian Peng. There was much debate, and I believe issues were comprehensively argued to derive at its current form. I am in support of the Act and I would like to raise some points about this Act to further strengthen the Act, hopefully. By definition, filial piety cannot be forced. But with this Act, we are setting the right tone to the society that filial piety, kinship and caring for our old continue to be important values to us as an Asian society. Budget 2014's overwhelming focus on honouring and caring for our Pioneer Generation and support for seniors in Singapore further underlined these values. Looking at the statistics, I know that the new Tribunal applications have steadily decreased since 2009. Cases with the Commissioner for the Maintenance of Parents have, however, increased since 2010. It seems to suggest that the option for conciliation has helped to promote amicable resolutions between elderly parents and children, as this option gives them the chance to talk it out before things get ugly. However, there are cases of outright abandonment that MPA is not yet able to cover, not least because this again requires one of the elderly parents to be willing to apply for maintenance. This creates the opportunity for financially competent but irresponsible children to abandon their parents, knowing that they can get away with it. I have heard of many irresponsible comments, such as "Go to see your MP. Find her. Government sure will help you.”