Usha Chandradas
Singapore
“A study could also directly engage arts workers, ensuring that any proposed guidelines, if they are issued, will reflect real market conditions and concerns. Ultimately, Madam, salary transparency is not about Government interference or market distortion.”
“This is promising and I have four questions on the Ministry’s future plans. Firstly, has the Ministry performed any assessments on how music festivals can have an impact on tourism and the economy and, if so, what have the results of those studies been?”
“Sir, I would like to seek an update from the Ministry on Singapore's position with regard to three international conventions, namely the Hague Convention of 2 July 2019 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters (Hague Judgments Convention), the Convention providing a Uniform Law on the Form of…”
“If it succeeds, it can provide arts workers with stability, opportunities and a strong foundation for long-term careers, one that is driven by genuine consumer interest and demand. Sir, I hope the Government can consider taking these suggestions on board and, with that, I support the Budget.”
“I thank the Prime Minister for his assurance that he will consider my suggestions for the visual arts sector. I also raised a number of questions about how the Culture Pass is going to be administered. Could I ask if the Prime Minister has a response to those questions?”
“I think, if the Minister will recall, I referred to the example of an artist. The example that I talked about was the artist, Lee Wen, in his performance and his works, "The Journey of the Yellow Man". So, with this work, he is basically addressing racial stereotypes and it is with a view to prompting audiences to think about the issues.”
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“The definition of a scam victim as provided in clause 2 of the Bill includes an individual against whom a scam offence is intended to be committed. Read together with clause 4, this, theoretically, has the effect of enabling the issuance of an RO, even before the intended victim has suffered any actual financial loss. So, my second question to the Minister of State is this: can the Ministry provide some examples of what would make a Specified Officer think that a scam victim will act in the manner as described in clause 4(1)(a)? While the Minister of State referred to incontrovertible evidence that the scam has taken place but, if for example, no actual financial loss has taken place, how will the Specified Officer be satisfied or have reason to believe that the acts in clause 4(1)(a) of the Bill will actually take place? Clause 4(1)(b) states that ROs may be issued when necessary to protect scam victims. This provision takes into account the time that is required by Specified Officers, relatives, or other persons to implement preventative measures. Accordingly, it is hoped that these measures will mitigate the risks of victims continuing to fall prey to scam-related offenses. Clause 4 (1)(b)(ii) also refers to "all other relevant circumstances" being taken into consideration. However, there is no indication in the Bill as to what these circumstances might be. As the Bill already gives very wide powers to Specified Officers, could the Minister provide some more examples of the kinds circumstances that are envisaged here? The criteria for issuing ROs seems to rely heavily on the judgment of Specified Officers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill but I have some clarifications that I wish to seek from the Minister of State. The proposed Bill seeks to protect targets of ongoing scams by empowering the Police to issue ROs to banks. These ROs have the effect of restricting the banking transactions of scam victims and they will be issued if there is a reasonable belief that the victims concerned will make money transfers to scammers or utilise credit facilities to benefit them. Joint account holders of scam victims are also affected by these measures. While the intent of the proposed law is to protect individuals from losing their money, the law also grants very wide-ranging powers to the Specified Officers as they are defined at clause 2 of the Bill. My first question for the Minister of State is, on the experience of these Specified Officers as defined at clause 2, they presently include any Police Officer or Commercial Affairs Officer as defined under the Police Force Act 2004. Since the Bill grants these Specified Officers very wide-ranging and serious powers, and these are powers that impinge greatly on the personal autonomy of scam victims, can the Minister of State elaborate on the expected qualifications of these Specified Officers? For example, will there be a minimum work experience requirement for these officers? Will they be required to undergo specialised training before assuming their roles? In her speech earlier, the Minister of State referred to certain safeguards being put in place. Could the Minister of State explain how the public can be reassured that ROs will only be issued by experienced and qualified officers?”
“Would the Minister be able to explain further MAS' understanding and interpretation of the term "conduct its business prudently", as it is set out in sections 26(2)(b) and 27(3)(b) of the Insurance Act? I believe a more detailed explanation on the present limitations of the Insurance Act will help us in this House to understand why these new, very specific amendments are being debated today and why they are required on an urgent basis. Notwithstanding my clarifications, I support the Bill.”
“Are there any defining factors that the Government can share with us, on when the "public interest" is deemed to be significant enough for interventions like this? I think more detailed explanations here will go some way towards assuring businesses and the general public, that this is not something that Singapore does regularly or on a whim. My third question has to do with the applications of sections 26 and 27 of the Insurance Act. Minister Chee Hong Tat explained on Monday, and earlier today as well, that on an application of sections 26 and 27 of the Insurance Act, MAS had reviewed the high-level submitted information from Allianz based on prudential grounds. This involved focusing on whether Allianz was fit and proper, looking at its financial strength and track record, and looking at the interests of Income's policy-holders to ensure that these would be safeguarded with a new, strong, substantial shareholder. The requirement in sections 26(2)(b) and 27(3)(b) of the Insurance Act is that a licensed insurer should continue to "conduct its business prudently", and that MAS' approval may be given if the Authority is satisfied that conditions are met. I note the Minister's view that there is no explicit provision in the Insurance Act for MAS to consider non-prudential-related factors in assessing such applications. Just based on the literal wording of the Act though, MAS' approval is not automatic even if the conditions in sections 26(2) and 27(3) are met. I wonder if it could also have been possible to take a more expansive view of the word "prudent", given Income's activities as a co-operative which provides financial services to the underserved and given the special circumstances behind its journey to corporatisation?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, first, let me begin by thanking the Ministers Mr Edwin Tong and Mr Chee Hong Tat for their Ministerial Statements and clarifications that were delivered on Monday. I support this Bill on the basis that it serves the larger public interest of protecting Income's social mission. Notwithstanding my support, I have three brief clarifications that I hope the Minister will be able to address. First, has the Minister considered the impact that the enactment of this legislation will have on business certainty and the regulatory environment in Singapore? When Income and Allianz BV entered into this deal, the present law that we are debating today was not in existence. The deal might well have been structured differently if it were. The Government has been courageous enough to take a step back and re-evaluate the situation, when new facts were revealed – this is something that is admirable – and it is important to acknowledge the relevance of this and the fact that this was done quickly when the Government realised that new information was in its hands. However, we need to be careful that we are not inadvertently sending a message to the world at large, that it is possible for corporate deals to be suddenly overturned by the Government, for legislation to be rushed through and for carefully planned corporate negotiations to be disrupted. And so, my first question is this, how would the Government propose to mitigate the impact of such conclusions being drawn by investors and businesses, both in Singapore and outside Singapore? My second question is on the history of corporate deals being overturned or blocked by the Government and the enactment of legislation contemporaneously to effect this. Has this happened in the past, and if so, what are these instances?”
“I thank the Minister for his response and his clarifications. I just have one further clarification. Would the Minister be able to comment on my suggestion on whether MCCY can advocate for a tax exemption for the awards that are granted to our athletes and para athletes?”
“In addition, winning athletes and para athletes are required to donate a significant part of their awards back to their NSAs or to the SNPC and Singapore Disability Sports Council or the National Disability Sports Associations. This is done in order to help fund future sports training and development, and so in other words, the award money is actually ploughed back into the sports ecosystem. It is not the case that once the funds are rewarded, that is the end of the story and there is no return to society. There is. So, we need to ask ourselves, do we really need to impose an additional layer of tax on top of these awards and winnings. With all of this taken into consideration, I would make the argument that the risk of overall revenue leakage is arguably quite low. I note the Minister's comment when he moved this Motion that we do not have unlimited resources in Singapore. I do that take that point. But I would, nonetheless, ask him and MOF to consider this suggestion. I would like to conclude, Mr Speaker, by sending my heartiest congratulations to all the Team Singapore Olympians and Paralympians. Thank you for all that you have done for us and I wish you all the very best. Sir, I support this Motion. [Applause.]”
“They will inspire others to embark on similar paths, and further encourage those who are already on the journey to sporting greatness. Awarding our athletes and para athletes with the same top prizes sends a powerful message of inclusion. One that tells our society and the world that we value both sets of athletes equally. Finally, my third point is this: I would like to ask if it is possible for the Government to consider exempting from income tax, awards granted under the MAP and AAA. At the moment, a grant may be brought to tax depending on factors such as whether the awardee is carrying on a trade, business, profession or vocation in relation to their sporting ability, or whether they are an employee of a sports body. The very guidelines issued by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore recognise that the status of an individual may change over time, for example, in one year, an athlete could be a recreational player, in the next year, he or she could be an athlete employed by a sports body or they could be an individual carrying on a trade, or similar, in relation to their sporting ability. This status can change within the course of a single year as well. In these situations, a detailed assessment on tax liability would have to take place on a case-by-case basis. An exemption would not would only reduce administrative and compliance burdens on both the tax authority and taxpayers, but it would also send a clear message that these specific awards are granted as a pure reward for the recipients as a prize for a lifetime of their hard work. Successful professional sportspeople would still be brought to tax on their other earnings from private sponsorships and endorsements.”
“As a Statutory Board of the Ministry of Finance, I hope that the Tote Board can assist and support the SNOC and SNPC in acquiring the additional funding to ensure that our Paralympians are given similar or identical cash prizes as our Olympians. Of course, post-podium rewards should be paired with holistic efforts to support our athletes in their journey to the podium – one should not come at the expense of the other and it should also not be the case that the two are mutually exclusive. That being said, financial awards do have an important role to play. There is plenty of data on this, I will just highlight one research study today. This was published in 2020, in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. It was found in that report that when appropriately applied, financial awards can increase confidence, achievement motivation, coachability, goal setting and mental preparation for athletes. They provide clear external incentives to succeed. In this particular study, football players who were awarded financial incentives generally showed better performance when compared to non-awarded players. More importantly though, cash awards also have a signalling effect. In this year’s Committee of Supply (COS) debates I advocated for cash awards for our Cultural Medallion winners and there are many parallels between sports and the arts scene in Singapore. Our artists and sportspeople sacrifice a great deal to take the path less travelled. Both the arts and sports play an important role in creating national identity and in making Singapore a distinctive home for us all. In a similar vein to what I said in the COS debates, cash awards will signal accomplishment and prestige, recognising the life achievements of our country’s best sportspeople.”
“Singapore was at the top of a league table of 13 countries, which is a fantastic achievement, but the article also noted that countries like Spain, Canada, France, Australia and South Korea were offering Paralympic medallists rewards that were equal to that of their Olympic counterparts. The article continued that Hong Kong and Singapore, which award the largest payouts to their Olympic medallists, still do not give out as much to their Paralympic victors. I acknowledge that there was an increase in awards for our Paralympians in in 2021 and 2022. In fact, this was something that was covered in today's Straits Times. This is an excellent development. But the fact remains that awards for our Paralympians still lag behind those of their Olympic peers. I know this issue has been raised multiple times in this House by many Members, as well as by activist groups outside the House, but I would nonetheless still like to add my voice to the call for parity in the awards for our Olympians and Paralympians. I understand that these are decisions made by the SNOC and SNPC. These are non-government organisations, of course, and I am also aware that there is a long history to how these monetary awards were created, developed over time and funded. However, I would like to highlight that it is also stated on the SNOC website that the Tote Board family, comprising the Tote Board, Singapore Pools and the Singapore Turf Club, is the primary sponsor of the SNOC MAP. The Tote Board is also publicly listed as one of the two primary sponsors of the AAA.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I wholeheartedly rise in support of this Motion. Our athletes give us so much more than just medals. They show us what it is like to perform under pressure and to work hard at a goal. When they succeed, the whole country unites behind them and cheers. And when they do not, we are privileged to be able to witness a masterclass in courage, grace and strength, as we watch them recover from their setbacks. Our medallists have done incredibly well and every single Olympian and Paralympian who made it to the Games this year is a winner in my eyes. In support of this Motion, I would like to make three points. First, would the Government consider doing more for athletes and para athletes who are able to qualify for the Olympics and Paralympics, regardless of whether any medals are won? The Paris Olympic Games saw about 11,040 athletes from all over the world taking part in 32 sports; and the Paralympic Games saw around 4,400 athletes competing in 22 individual and team sports. Coming from a tiny country like Singapore, the act of even qualifying for a spot in the Games is a momentous achievement. On this point, I hope that athletes and para athletes can be rewarded more for the act of qualification. This could take the form of better profiling and publicity to encourage private sponsorship, or better outright cash awards and allowances. My second point has to do with parity in the awards for our Olympians and Paralympians. CNBC Sport recently, on 29 August, published an article entitled "Here’s how much athletes at the Paris Paralympics earn for winning medals". The article, which is self-explanatory from its title, set out a list of how much para athletes are awarded by different countries when they win medals.”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I have one clarification for Minister Indranee. Does the Government have any plans at this point in time to devote more resources to the development of international tax education in Singapore at the tertiary level or beyond?”
“His studies have shown that a high number of creative occupations can be a strong predictor of a region's high-tech industry concentration, density and employment growth. In its assurance to potential foreign investors and expatriates that Singapore offers an excellent quality of life for its citizens and residents, the Economic Development Board (EDB) itself refers to the country's "lively creative arts scene." As we move forward in a BEPS 2.0 tax environment for foreign investment, I hope the Government continues to prioritise the funding and development of our arts and cultural groups. This is a sector that is not only tied specifically to our creative economy, but to the general well-being of society and the attractiveness of Singapore as a whole. A thriving arts and cultural scene is the lifeblood of a vibrant city. It draws talent, inspires creativity and will make us a magnet for global talent and businesses. Notwithstanding my clarifications, I support the Bill.”
“My own class enrolment has quadrupled over the space of around five years. As we move into a world defined by the developing rules of the BEPs project, would the Government consider devoting more resources to the development of international tax education in Singapore at the tertiary level and beyond? Finally, many commentators have noted that with the arrival of Pillar Two, competition for foreign investment will no longer be tied to low rates of corporate taxation. Rather, in order to encourage and retain foreign investment, countries will need to present other attractive factors, such as a skilled workforce, political stability, excellent infrastructure, a strong legal system and perhaps, more importantly, a high quality of life. To the specific point of being able to offer our residents a good quality of life, let us not forget that a thriving arts and cultural scene is one of the linchpins of a vibrant and dynamic society. According to National Arts Council's 2023 Population Survey on the Arts, 75% of respondents agreed that arts and culture had the effect of improving one's quality of life. As noted by a 2021 report from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World Bank, culture and creativity contribute to a so-called "amenity effect" and this is where people and businesses prefer to dwell in places that "foster social interaction and knowledge spillovers". The report also refers to the work of urban economist Richard Florida, who has developed a gauge referred to as the "Bohemian Index". With it, he measures the numbers of certain types of creatives, such as writers, actors and musicians, who are located in different regions and cities.”
“To say that the new Pillar Two rules are Byzantine would really be a severe understatement. They import OECD principles and guidelines into our domestic legislation and these are extremely complicated rules. We are not alone in facing this challenge. Many other countries that have implemented Pillar Two rules also faced similar problems with implementation. In many ways, Pillar Two represents a fundamental shift in the way that we view international tax rules. My next clarifications pertain to how ready businesses are to implement these rules. Compliance with Pillar Two rules will impose additional reporting requirements and prohibitive costs on MNEs. They will need to navigate much more complex tax regulations. As set out in clause 46 of the Bill, surcharges are imposed where MNE groups fail to register and Part 8 of the Bill lists a string of offences and penalties that entities could be exposed to under the new law. To this end, I would like to ask if the Government has any plans to assist to MNEs to meet their new enhanced compliance obligations. Of course, where there are new and complicated rules to apply, there will also be plenty of opportunities. Trained tax professionals should be able to rise to the challenge of the expanded demand for well-qualified service providers. On this point, will the Government be committing any resources towards the training or re-training of local tax professionals so that they may be well-equipped to serve the demands of this changing tax environment. Here, I declare my interest as a part-time lecturer in international tax and trade at the Nanyang Technological University. In my personal role as an educator, I see many young people with a keen interest in international tax developments.”
“Around 1,800 MNEs in Singapore with global revenues above €750 million have an effective tax rate below 15% and thee are the entities that will be affected by the new rules. While the financial impact of the Pillar Two rules will only play out in FY2027, has the Government, at this stage, identified any specific industries or sectors within the country that are likely to be negatively impacted by the global minimum tax? If so, has the Government considered how to mitigate any employment or other losses that might result from MNEs leaving Singapore? Have any MNEs already indicated that they will relocate as a result of the MMT Bill and if so, what steps has the Government taken or will it be taking to manage any detrimental effects of these relocations? Although Pillar Two targets large MNEs, its influence will also extend to other areas of Singapore's business landscape. Smaller firms connected to these MNEs, such as suppliers and service providers, could feel the indirect impact. This is a point that the hon Member Mr Yip Hon Weng has brought up as well. For example, if a major company adjusts its operations to better align with new tax requirements, for example, if it shifts its production to a different country or it alters its procurement strategies, this could significantly disrupt its current relationships with local businesses. Its local suppliers may face reduced demand for their products and service partners could see decreased revenue as well. And so my next question is this. What is the Government's outlook on these broader effects and are there any specific challenges that the Government can see at this point in time, which are coming for non-MNEs, with the introduction of the new Pillar Two rules?”
“Secondly, to summarise very broadly, the success of the new Pillar Two framework depends on their collective adoption by a "critical mass" of countries. Presently, the United States (US) and China which are the two major economies in the world, as well as key trading partners of Singapore, these two countries have not yet adopted these rules. Does MOF have clarity on how Singapore might be affected if we enact the MMT Bill, but the US and China do not go ahead to implement Pillar Two? Thirdly, I note that Pillar Two rules are generally enacted through domestic legislation in each participating country. Despite the OECD's Model Rules serving as a foundation, variations will inevitably arise between jurisdictions, in how the rules are written, interpreted and enforced. These differences could lead to prolonged disputes due to unintended consequences or inconsistent application of the Pillar Two rules across different jurisdictions. MOF has replied in its response to the public consultation on this Bill that the dispute resolution process for Pillar Two matters is presently under discussion by the Inclusive Framework for the global implementation of the BEPS Project. Would the Minister be able to provide a timeframe as to when we can expect to see guidance being issued on these processes? Prime Minister Lawrence Wong commented in this year's Budget Statement that the implementation of BEPS Pillar Two initiatives will provide additional revenues to the Government in the short term. However, he noted that it was "uncertain" as to how much this additional revenue would amount to, or for how long it would last. He stated that Singapore may even see a reduction in its tax base, should MNEs choose to shift some of their activities to other jurisdictions.”
“Mr Speaker, I will be speaking on the Multinational Enterprise (Minimum Tax) Bill, or the MMT Bill. I support the Bill but I have some clarifications to seek from the Minister. The rules under the MMT Bill implement Pillar Two of the OECD/G20 BEPS framework. These changes represent an important step in our ongoing efforts to align with international tax standards. They introduce a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15% for large MNEs. This move reflects our commitment to ensuring fair taxation while continuing to position Singapore as an attractive destination for business and investment. We are making these adjustments thoughtfully. I thank the Government for its long consultation period with tax professionals before putting these legislative changes forward. My first clarification has to do with how these new rules fit in with our existing tax treaty network. According to IRAS, Singapore has signed a number of Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs) and these include limited DTAs and Exchange of Information Arrangements. At the moment, we have concluded treaties with around 100 jurisdictions. These treaties have set a firm foundation for us to do business with countries all over the world and they provide certainty on cross-border tax positions. The new Pillar Two rules deviate from the traditional source and residence-based rules of taxation which our existing tax treaty network is built on and they introduce an additional layer of taxation on profits that may have already been allocated and taxed under treaties. My first question for the Minister this. Will more detailed guidance be issued on how Pillar Two rules will affect the application of Singapore's current network of DTAs, if at all?”
“And so, my final clarification is this: would the Senior Minister of State consider extending legislative protection to more groups of freelancers in the future and in particular, to the arts community, which itself can also be quite a vulnerable group? Notwithstanding these clarifications I support the Bill.”
“This is all information and feedback that is well-known to the Government through its many engagement sessions over a number of years with the arts community. And there are examples that we can draw from in jurisdictions that have enacted specific laws to protect freelancers like this. In New York City, the “Freelance Isn’t Free Act” protects the entitlement of freelancers to written contracts, timely and full payment and provides protection from retaliation for individuals who exercise their rights under the law. In Illinois, also in the United States (US), the Freelance Worker Protection Act offers similar safeguards. Closer to home, in Korea, the Artist Welfare Act seeks to protect artists’ job security and rights in areas, such as contractual arrangements and work injury compensation. So, while I welcome and support the Platform Workers Bill, I would also like to take the opportunity today to ask the Senior Minister of State if this important piece of legislation can be seen as a step towards providing better workplace conditions for a wider group of self-employed individuals and, in particular, those in the arts community? The usual argument that is applied here is that freelancers are expected to make sacrifices in exchange for flexibility, but these kinds of views are so much harder to sustain in a post-COVID world. Now even workers in traditional employer-employee relationships seek more personal autonomy and flexible work arrangements. The very Bill that we are debating today, recognises that certain types of freelancers do require legislative help in safeguarding their rights; and these are rights that we would normally see being protected only in traditional employer-employee relationships.”
“This is one possible solution but the more fundamental issue, to me, is in basically ensuring that platform workers are treated equitably and are not unfairly penalised for things like caregiving responsibilities and for prioritising their own safety. The Platform Workers Bill being debated today does not seem to address this specific point, but I hope that the Government will advocate for this when dealing with platform operators. The next point I would like to make is a broader one. While the Bill today addresses the problems faced by certain types of platform workers, let us not forget that there are other specific communities which are also made up of a large number of freelancers. As I have mentioned previously in this House, and other Members have as well, in the arts, according to the latest Singapore Arts Plan, at least one-third of the workforce operates on a self-employed basis. Again, it is a well-known fact that this is higher than the national average, which stands at less than one in five. In fact, in many research reports and articles, artists are often referred to as the “original gig economy workers.” Admittedly, platform workers are not exactly the same as arts freelancers, certainly in the way that they have been defined for the purposes of the Bill today, but the two groups do face similar stresses. Arts freelancers often worry about retirement adequacy, they have little to no bargaining power when negotiating contracts, they are not entitled to protection under the Employment Act and WICA, they have little recourse when contractual disputes occur because it can be costly and time-consuming to pursue legal action and they may not have access to work insurance coverage.”
“To put it another way, digital labour platforms are built using real-world data, but we must not forget that the real world is itself full of biases and imbalances. For example, if workers have unpredictable caregiving responsibilities and need to suddenly cancel their work assignments because of these responsibilities, they may accordingly be penalised by platforms which operate by automatically allocating tasks to workers. Similarly, if ride-hail or delivery workers choose to decline jobs that take place late at night or in areas where they feel it is unsafe to work, they will lose out on potential job opportunities. Algorithms, of course, are built in such a way that where there is less supply, the prices charged to consumers are much higher. So, there is an opportunity to earn more if you take on work that other people either do not want to do or cannot do. This leads to a situation where workers who are either willing to put themselves at risk or who perhaps feel that they can handle these risks better, well, they have the potential to earn more than others who do not. Given that women still tend to take on the lion’s share of caregiving responsibilities in society and given that women are also a group who may be exposed to higher levels of risks when working alone in remote areas or late into the night, the overall outcome is then a situation where gender pay imbalances can continue to be perpetuated even in the realm of platform work. AWARE recommends that it be mandated that algorithms and rating systems be designed in a gender-sensitive way.”
“This is a point that has been raised by a number of Members, and I join them, too, in raising my concerns. My second clarification has to do with the term “human intervention on a regular or routine basis,” as set out in clause 6 of the Bill. Could the Government clarify what the threshold would be for human intervention that is considered to be “regular or routine”, such that this type of intervention would remove the platform concerned from the scope of the Bill? My next set of questions has to do with gender and other imbalances in the gig economy, especially where digital platforms are concerned. AWARE’s submission, which I referred to earlier, makes important points about the functionality of platform services which the present Bill does not seem to overtly address. Ride-hail platforms, for example, generally prioritise job assignments based on driver ratings. This is something that is determined by both the platform’s algorithms and by client reviews. The theory here is that workers will be incentivised to provide good service so as not to achieve poor ratings. On the flip side of things, platform workers may not themselves be adequately protected from harassment and discrimination if unfair complaints are made by malicious customers. The hope, presumably, is that these kinds of grievances can be taken up by platform work associations, which are provided for in Part 3 of the Bill. I seek the Government’s confirmation that this an area that platform work associations will be actively looking into. The next point I would like to make is that while we may assume that platforms are gender-blind and merely match customers and workers in the most efficient way, the design of these platforms can inadvertently result in gender imbalances being perpetuated.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Platform Workers Bill provides long overdue support to workers in the gig economy and I stand in support of this new piece of legislation. I do, nonetheless, have some questions for the Senior Minister of State on the scope of the Bill and on potential future developments. First, I note that the First Schedule of the Bill restricts the definition of “platform services” to only delivery and ride-hail services. As the Association of Women for Action and Research, or AWARE, has pointed out in its response to the public consultation on this Bill, the Bill excludes other types of services that are delivered via online platforms. Some examples of these include beauty and grooming services, caregiving services and house cleaning services. These types of platform services will not fall within the definition set out in the First Schedule of the proposed Bill. Accordingly, workers in these categories of services will not be covered by the protective measures outlined in the Bill today. Platform workers in the delivery and ride-hailing sectors tend to be male, whereas a greater proportion of workers in the areas of beauty, grooming, caregiving and cleaning services tend to be female. So, if we consider the framing of the Bill from this perspective, it appears that a good number of female platform workers may not actually be able to benefit from the protections offered by this new law. So, my first clarification for the Senior Minister of State is why these types of platform workers have been excluded from the scope of the Bill? I would also like to ask if there are future plans to include a wider range of platforms for the delivery of services within the ambit of this Bill.”
“This is an image that any student of art history will be able to tell Members, is open to multiple interpretations. But without labels to guide understanding, the audience is lost. To my mind, better labelling of artworks is a worthwhile endeavour in the quest to achieve better education and awareness of the art in our public spaces. Mr Speaker, the growth of our creative economy and our economy, in general, is premised on the existence of an inspired, vibrant, educated and creative population. I hope the Government will continue its efforts to prioritise arts education in all forms, whether it is inside the classroom or outside of it.”
“With the Raffles and Wallich colonial statues at Fort Canning, while I am quite aware that decolonisation as a political movement took place many decades ago, the term "decolonisation" is also used today to describe a push to re-examining colonial legacies, particularly, where these colonial legacies tend to gloss over the stories of the indigenous people of those places. Many museums and institutions all over the world, including the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in Britain itself, are re-examining their colonial legacies. This does not equate to an erasure of historical facts, nor is it an example of extreme "woke-ness" which is blindly imported from the West. It is simply a contextualisation of what was happening in colonial times from different perspectives. As Straits Times Correspondent Clement Yong observed in his article of 3 July 2024, the legacy of Stamford Raffles is complicated. It includes, amongst others, Raffles' ostensible involvement in the Massacre Of Palembang in 1811. The point of "decolonisation", used in this modern sense, is not to gloss over these complications. But to acknowledge them, observe them objectively and critically, and learn from them. For both Dunston's and Lacey's works, comprehensive wall text, like what we might find in our National Gallery Singapore or Singapore Art Museum's excellent collections, would go a very long way towards educating the public on the complex and varied issues raised by these artworks. For example, to me, the statues in Fort Canning are not necessarily blindly laudatory of colonial legacies. If Members look at the statues and I encourage everyone to do so if Members have not done so, Members will see that the colonial figures here, are blending into and almost dissolving into the foliage around them.”
“So, we might ask, why is information like this even important? Why do we care about it? Why should we care about it? Well, it offers us another unique and imaginative lens through which we can view our shared history. It helps us to build connections with one another. Visual and emotional stimulation such as this, allows us to develop a shared affective bond about our country. This is something that is not quantifiable in dollars and cents, but it is also something which is absolutely priceless. Here, I would like to pause to convey my particular thanks to Mr Speaker who, when I raised some of these issues with him, has been very open to receiving feedback about better labelling of the art in this House. Coming back to other examples of public art: we have Sean Dunston's Samsui Woman mural at South Bridge Road and the Raffles and Wallich statues at Fort Canning Park by Andrew Lacey. These have both recently attracted a good deal of public attention; and I do think they would both benefit from insightful and comprehensive labelling. When contextualised, the Samsui Woman mural struck a chord with Singaporeans, who felt that the work honestly depicted these women at rest. Singer Inch Chua, herself a descendant of a Samsui woman, commented in a Straits Times article by journalist Shawn Hoo on 20 July, that she loved the mural of the young lady, observing that it was like, seeing her great-grandmother's rebellious teenage photos. To her, this was something that was both eye-opening and delightful.”
“Art historian and academic, Jeffrey Say, for example, has opined in a letter to The Straits Times on 15 July that: "Proper attribution shows we value the work of the artist and the role of the artwork in the community and in placemaking." Government institutions are places visited by legislators, civil servants and members of the public. If the art and historical objects displayed there are explained to these visitors, these buildings then turn into mini-museums. This has the potential to educate people as they go about their everyday business. Parliament House itself is an illustrative case in point. How many of us in this Chamber know that the large painting by the late Dr Lai Kui Fang outside the Parliament library, depicts the swearing-in of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his first cabinet in 1959? If we squint very hard, we may see the name of the artist on the bottom of the frame. But do we know that the work was painted entirely based on oral and archival history, because there were no photographic records of the event? The attention to detail in the painting is exquisite. The lines are finely-rendered and the interplay of shadows makes the work look alive. The painting is infused with the sense of energy that one can only imagine would have been in the air, in the founding years of our nation. How many of us know that some of the busts that line the corridor outside this very Chamber were made by sculptor Dora Gordine, a female artist who has also sculpted local war heroine Elizabeth Choy? Gordine was herself lauded as a "genius" in a Straits Times article of 5 August 1932, when her works were acquired for the Singapore Municipal Building. This article, back in 1932, mind you, observed that the acquisition made Singapore an "art centre of Asia".”
“Presently, I understand the scheme includes a curated list of arts groups but I hope that eventually, it will be opened to more applicants who wish to join the scheme. Sir, the next part of my speech deals with art in public domain. Outside of the academic school syllabus, our museums, private institutions and arts groups also do important work in arts education in the public domain. In particular, our public artworks are often the first significant points of contact that members of the public have with art. In this area, there are some low-hanging fruit in terms of additional steps that we can take in improving the educational value of our public art. The primary one I want to focus on is this: better policies on the labelling of our public artworks. In response to a PQ I filed last year, MCCY informed us that objects from the national collection on loan to non-museum entities. such as the Istana and Ministries, are only "minimally" required to "display a label text showing the title of the object, its artist, if applicable, its donor, if applicable, and a credit line to acknowledge the museum which manages the object on behalf of the National Heritage Board." To this end, I would like to suggest that it be mandatory for more detailed wall text explaining the artworks and objects on display, to be put up together with the works. At the very least, this should be the case when such works are displayed in Government buildings. Ideally, this should be enforced whenever art is displayed publicly. Singaporeans have also recently spoken up on this point.”
“Many arts educators who have left full-time teaching to pursue other ambitions and dreams continue to have an interest in education. I would like to advocate for an expansion of programmes, such as the AISS, together with better administrative support for teachers seeking to utilise this scheme. At the moment, I understand that it can be quite paperwork-heavy. I would also like to urge MOE to consider whether more former arts teachers can be engaged to return to teaching on a part-time or ad hoc basis. There is both inspirational value in this for students, as well as potential respite for the overworked and full-time educators in the field. Finally, I would also like to thank MOE and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) for the introduction of schemes, such as the Performing Arts-Based Learning Scheme (PABL).This scheme gives students the opportunity to experience a bespoke live music performance in a professional arts and cultural venue. Just over the past weekend, I attended a performance by the Asian Cultural Symphony Orchestra which performed original classical pieces composed in response to different neighbourhoods in Singapore. It was a lovely performance in the lead-up to National Day. There was a piece composed for Geylang Serai, one for Toa Payoh, one for Tiong Bahru and so on. This was accompanied with images of the neighbourhood as the musicians performed. It was a great example of how classical music can be contextualised and made relevant to the public at large, without being over-simplified. I hope that the PABL will continue and eventually be expanded to include more of such diverse local groups.”
“I am an educator myself and I understand full well the difficulties that all teachers face today. I simply want to point out today that arts teachers face their own unique set of challenges that are sometimes overlooked. In replying to my PQ filed earlier this year, MOE has clarified that "the resignation rate of art and music teachers has been comparable to that of the overall teaching workforce, at around 2% to 3% per year over the past five years." Nonetheless, I am informed by arts teachers on the ground, that many still feel overworked and feel as though there is a shortage of support in the delivery of arts education. I have also heard feedback that there can be inconsistency in whether arts teachers are allowed by schools to continue on with their own public-facing arts practices. It can be demoralising for teachers to be told that they cannot continue with developing their own practices, especially if they view their own arts practices as important for their roles as educators. It would be good if consistent, clear and transparent policies are rolled out across the board. It should be clear as to whether, when and to what extent teachers in primary schools, secondary schools and junior colleges can continue to maintain their own creative practices. Teachers I have spoken to have cited the National Arts Council's (NAC's) Artist-In-School Scheme, or AISS, as something which has helped them tremendously. Here, actual working artists come into schools, to help with teaching and curriculum planning. This not only eases some of the burdens on art teachers but also gives students important practical insights into what the interesting and varied life of a working artist can look like.”
“Arts teachers have also told us things like how they are sometimes expected, as a matter of course and with very little respect, to execute anything and everything that is "aesthetic" in schools. This can range from stage and plant pot arrangements in prize-giving ceremonies, to general embellishments and decorations around the campus. As one teacher told me rather sadly, "We do not go to art school [just] to get a degree in how to make decorations." All of this put together can result in low morale on the part of arts teachers. Students pick up on this too. If schools and other subject teachers perpetuate the notion that arts subjects are not as important as other subjects, students and parents will get the same impression. Students therefore become less focused and less interested during their classes and this creates a self-fulfilling and damaging cycle where arts lessons are de-prioritised. One fallacy that arts teachers face is the thinking that because their work somehow involves less marking in the traditional sense, it therefore requires much less effort to convey. What people may not realise is that arts subjects, just like all subjects, involve a large body of technical skills and subject matter expertise. On a day-to-day basis, arts teachers are also often responsible for studio space and equipment. Significant amounts of time may need to be spent accounting for, maintaining and enhancing those spaces. Of course, this is not a competition as to what kind of teacher has a more difficult time. Let me be clear about this. All teachers, whether arts teachers or non-arts teachers, face heavy teaching responsibilities from grading, lesson planning and pastoral care duties.”
“Robert then examines the new ecosystems that have developed within these forests. Important lessons can be learned from his work on how the island of Singapore has evolved and the ways in which human urban design can shape the natural world. Lessons such as these are universal. They have roots in science, geography and environmental issues and when conveyed in the context of artworks, allow students to imagine and dream of possibilities beyond the confines of academic book-learning. Perhaps, one day we could see Robert's work and research being taught alongside the academic content of a Science or Geography lesson? To be fair, arts educators tell me this kind of interdisciplinary learning already happens in schools. But I understand that this is largely on an ad hoc basis, for example, when teachers of other academic subjects proactively decide to engage in "cross-over" projects with their art-trained colleagues. Today, I would like to advocate for it to take place on a more concerted and systematic basis and this would be in line with the recommendation in the UNESCO framework that I referred to earlier and that framework says that the planning and implementation of culture and arts education should not be something that is siloed. But more fundamentally – and this brings me to my next point – arts education in schools cannot thrive, if arts educators themselves are feeling unsupported or disillusioned. In the course of speaking to arts educators, members of my research team and I encountered some troubling sentiments. Some of the teachers we spoke to seemed to sense that they were viewed as "less important", or somehow lower in the "pecking order" of teachers.”
“Self-direction, confidence and communication are, of course, all part of the 21st century core competencies which have been identified by MOE itself. In response to a Parliamentary Question (PQ) that I filed earlier this year, MOE clarified that drama is not part of the primary school curriculum beyond lower primary levels. I am heartened, however, that MOE has acknowledged that drama is an important pedagogical tool that can be adopted to enhance learning. In the press release by MOE that I referred to earlier, I noted that less than half of our students believe that they can produce good stories or invent new things! A solid drama education may therefore help build on their intrinsic creative abilities, giving them the medium to express themselves well. Hopefully, someday soon, a similar survey will show that our students have faith in their abilities as storytellers and would-be entrepreneurs. The second suggestion I would like to surface came out of a conversation that I had with Mr Ang Song Ming. Song Ming was the Singapore's representative at the 58th Venice Biennale and he now lives in Berlin in Germany. Song Ming asked why can we not think more of arts education as something to be integrated with the core education syllabus, instead of being thought of primarily as a standalone subject. We can see this "interdisciplinary" nature of the arts in the works of artists like Robert Zhao. Robert is coincidentally Singapore's Venice Biennale representative for this year. In his Venice Biennale work, titled "Seeing Forest", Robert looks at "secondary forests" in Singapore. So, if you did not know, these are forests which have regrown from land that had previously been cleared due to human intervention.”
“" Countries all over the world are also struggling to deal with developments in artificial intelligence and with societal polarisation across racial, religious and socio-economic fault lines. Solutions to these problems as well, will have to be devised not just book-smarts, but with creativity and empathy too. So, how do we go about "developing" this creativity? That is where a robust arts education comes into play. The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Framework for Culture and Arts Education recognises that culture and arts play a vital role in the flourishing of human imagination, creativity and self-expression. A large component of arts education is, of course, the education that we receive through our schools. My first suggestion for MOE is to add more exposure to theatre and drama education, in our present primary school curriculum. In many developed countries, drama is an integral part of the national school curriculum. In engaging with drama educators and the Singapore Drama Educators Association, I have learnt that there are many positive social effects that come out of using drama as a medium of education. Role-play and other process-driven drama techniques can help pupils to identify with and explore characters and issues. They help students to become more confident with language and communication. They also provide opportunities for students to develop and order their ideas, through acting and improvisation of scenes in various settings. These are certainly all skills which are worth developing. In learning how to articulate their own emotions, students become better communicators and more confident with their use of language to develop and organise their ideas and thoughts.”
“Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity today to address this House. I would like to speak today on arts education and its value in our society. Arts education, as we know, takes place both in schools, as well as in the public domain and I will be covering both in my speech today. Many of us may not be very inclined to see a career in the arts as something that is lucrative, or the doing of "creative things" as "useful" or "prestigious". There are other "more pressing" national priorities, more "bread-and-butter" issues, which deserve our attention. Certainly, whenever I speak in this House about the arts, the online commentators seem to agree and I often get comments to say: "Why does this Member always want to speak about the arts? Can she not talk about more bread-and-butter issues?" Mr Speaker, I would go so far as to say that developing a creative citizenry is a bread-and-butter issue. Outdated societal views that the arts and creativity are "less important" are changing. In a recent press release, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has noted that our students believed that it was possible to be creative in different disciplines. About three quarters or 73% recognised that creativity was not limited just to the arts. There are also potentially positive effects on Singapore's economy. According to Singapore's 2023/2024 Skills Demand for the Future Economy Report, creative thinking and the ability to generate new and innovative ideas ranks as one of the skills that has consistently been in the top 10 list in 2012, 2017 and 2022 . It is one of the top five critical core skills that has been identified as "essential for the Singapore workforce to be competitive globally.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for her answers. I appreciate that my question may not be immediately relevant to the Bill that is being moved today, but to the extent that it applies to future plans by the Government to expand our regulatory framework under our AML/CFT/PF rules, can I ask the Minister if there are any specific plans underway to include the art market within the scope of our AML/CFT/PF regulatory framework?”
“In my view, it would be more correct in principle to completely exclude practising lawyers from the Bill, in order to avoid law practices from being subject to two sets of overlapping AML/CFT/PF obligations. Being subject to overlapping but similar CDD regimes is not ideal. My fifth and sixth clarifications relate to clause 29 of the Bill. Could the Minister clarify how the requirement to prove a corporation's "state of mind" will be assessed? Will objective or subjective standards be applied? It is also unclear as to what will constitute "action towards creating and maintaining a corporate culture that does not direct, encourage, tolerate or lead to non-compliance" under the new rules. Is the Minister able to clarify if further guidance will be issued on these points and on whether regulated corporate service providers will be assisted with the training and tools necessary to support their own compliance with these new rules? My last clarification has to do with future plans by the Government in the AML/CFT/PF regulatory space. FATF has identified trade in art, antiquities and other cultural objects as a market that is vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing risks; and so my last question is this: are there any plans to specifically include the art market within the scope of Singapore’s AML/CFT/PF regulatory framework? Notwithstanding these clarifications I support the Bill.”
“Thirdly, another related point is this. In Singapore, taxation services in themselves are currently not covered by any CDD regulations. The Bill proposes to remedy this, but only to the extent that it is done as a part of providing "accounting services". I appreciate that the Government's intention may be to align the scope of regulation with the requirements of FATF and to go no further. But a question that nonetheless deserves to be asked is whether persons providing "taxation services" should be regulated for AML/CFT/PF purposes regardless of whether these tax services have any connection to accounting at all. This is particularly in light of the fact that serious tax offences are, in themselves, predicate offences for AML/CFT/PF purposes and may in fact be considered to be an area of heightened risk. I understand that some other jurisdictions, including the UK and Germany, do extend CDD obligations to providers of tax services as such. So, my third clarification is this: has the Government considered whether all persons providing taxation services should simply be regulated for AML/CFT purposes, and if so, why the scope of regulation in the proposed Bill has been limited in the way that it is? Fourthly, further to clause 7(2) of the Bill, accounting firms will automatically be treated as registered for the purposes of the new proposed law. There is however no similar carve-out for law firms. In any event, law firms are already required to conduct extensive due diligence checks under the Legal Profession (Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism) Rules 2015. I would be grateful if the Minister could clarify whether the Corporate Service Providers Bill will be applicable to practicing lawyers and law firms, if at all.”
“The context of the term's use in the existing legislation appears to be different from that which is proposed in the Bill today. It would be helpful if the Government could clarify the legislative intent on this point and on what is meant by the term "accounting or related skill" as it is referred to in this Bill. Secondly, I note that the provision of assistance in resolving tax disputes is deemed to be an "accounting service" referred to in the Bill, if it requires the application of an "accounting or related skill". To this end, I would like to refer to CDD recommendation No 22 issued by FATF for designated non-financial businesses and professions such as lawyers and accountants. This recommendation adopts very similar language to that of the proposed Bill, and it is recognised there that representing clients in disputes and mediations, as well as the provision of advisory services on regulations, are not specified activities covered by FATF's CDD requirements. The Bill's definition of "designated activities" draws from FATF's standards and it is unclear when some of the "accounting services" defined at clause 3(1) of the Bill would as a matter of practical effect, be covered as "designated activities". This includes matters such as tax disputes work and tax advisory work, as well as other types of accounting work such as "internal audit work". This is fundamentally something that is not transactionally-oriented as a service. In other words, does the link to "transactional" activity unnecessarily narrow down the scope of the proposed Bill? It would be useful if the Government could comment on this point and provide some guidance on the intended interaction between the terms defined as "accounting services" and "designated activities" for the purposes of this Bill.”
“While financial accounting rules are generally not definitive of tax positions, the outlook may be different where tax legislation directly refers to financial reporting standards. So, in other words, if a tax lawyer was looking to advise on section 34A or section 34AA of the Income Tax Act, he or she would necessarily have to refer to and apply financial reporting standards, as well as the law. If for example, a tax lawyer is engaged to work on a matter involving the application of section 34AA of the Income Tax Act, and this arises in the wider context of a corporate restructuring exercise that his or her firm is working on and the deal involves "the buying and selling of business entities" what would the relevant treatment be? Would this then result in the law firm's tax work being covered by the Bill because some "accounting or related skill" is necessarily being applied? Or is it the case that the standard of accounting skill involved has to be something higher? Does it have to be equivalent to that of a professional practising accountant, before regulation under the Bill is triggered? In this regard, I am aware that the term "accounting or related skill" is currently found in the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Prescribed Accounting Services and Conditions) Regulations 2023. These regulations apply to situations where a non-accounting entity voluntarily wishes to apply to ACRA to be described as a "Chartered Accountant of Singapore". This might suggest that a high standard of accounting skill, equivalent to that of a professional practising accountant, must be involved before the Bill is triggered for any "taxation services". However, this is not immediately apparent from the plain wording of the proposed Bill.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, under the new Corporate Service Providers Bill, corporate service providers and qualified individuals who provide or supervise the provision of corporate services, will be regulated. The Bill imposes on them a duty to detect or prevent money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing . I will refer to these as AML/CFT/PF, for short. While I support this Bill, I seek seven clarifications from the Minister. My first few clarifications relate to how the proposed Bill will apply to law firms, especially when they provide tax-related legal services. Clause 3(1) of the Bill includes in its definition of "taxation services" four different types of services namely – the ensuring of compliance by an entity with written law relating to tax in the course of preparing tax returns, the making of tax calculations for the purpose of preparing accounting entries for an entity's financial statements, the provision of advice in relation to tax and tax planning; and the provision of assistance in the resolution of tax disputes. If these services are rendered in relation to certain "designated activities" they then become "corporate services" which are within the scope of the new Bill. Clause 3(2) then goes on to state that such services will not be caught by this new law "unless they require the application of an accounting or related skill." This might at first glance seem to exclude lawyers providing tax services, but the boundaries of the Bill are not so clear. Certain tax provisions for example, section 34A and section 34AA of the Income Tax Act 1947 relating to the taxation of financial instruments, directly import the application of financial reporting standards, such as FRS 39 and FRS 109, into tax law.”
“As the Minister has said, the new proposed amendments aim to clarify GST treatment for regulatory and non-regulatory fees moving forward. To be clear, I do believe this a is a good development that will minimise errors in interpretation moving forward. That being said, I would be grateful if the Minister could share the intentions and thought process behind the inclusion of the validation clause at clause 4 of this Bill. Notwithstanding my clarifications, I support the Bill.”
“The new provision also states that no legal proceedings may be instituted outside of the transactions referred to in the Schedule. As MOF has itself mentioned, over 5,000 different types of fees are charged by Government agencies and accordingly, is it possible that other erroneous transactions could have taken place in the past? And if so, what recourse will there be for persons affected? If this possibility exists, is it then appropriate to retrospectively validate these errors and limit the availability of legal remedies? Generally speaking, where a GST-registered person wrongly collects an amount of GST with no reasonable excuse or through negligence, that person would have committed an offence and this is one which is punishable by a fine, or prison term or both. The Comptroller of GST has the power to consider the circumstances of each case. But the fact remains that GST-registered persons are held to a high bar when it comes to the wrongful collection of the tax. While these two kinds of situations are not exactly the same, the main principle that we can take away is that the wrongful or mistaken collection of GST is indeed a very serious matter. As the Minister has explained previously, each Government agency, like any GST-registered business, has to assess whether its fees should be GST-chargeable whenever a fee is introduced or revised. Agencies did so based on the law, with guidance from MOF and IRAS, but the GST Act is also a complex piece of legislation. Mistakes in its interpretation can happen. This is understandable and it is laudable that the Government has not shied away from making tough decisions about being transparent whenever errors are made.”
“Mr Speaker, this Bill seeks to treat all taxable supplies made by public agencies as supplies which are made in the course or furtherance of a business. Notwithstanding this, the Minister for Finance has the power to disapply the provisions of the GST Act to certain prescribed taxable supplies made by public agencies. Under clause 4 of the Bill, or the validation clause, every sum purportedly imposed as GST, before the date of publication of the new Act, on any supply made in connection with the performance of a regulatory function by a public agency, is deemed to be and always to have been, validly imposed. Accordingly, clause 4 goes on to say that no legal proceedings may be instituted on or after 7 March 2024 in respect of the imposition of any of these taxes. The provision is then accompanied by a Schedule, which sets out a list of supplies to which clause 4, the validation clause, does not apply. This list includes details of the 18 different types of supplies which relate to the sums of GST wrongfully collected by Government agencies as announced by MOF on 14 February. So, to recap, these were regulatory fees identified to have been charged with GST wrongly and which needed to be refunded. To summarise, while clause 4 validates past GST charges on regulatory fees, the specific supplies set out in the Schedule are not shielded by the validation clause. My clarifications relate to this validation clause. Primarily, what is the purpose of the validation clause and why has it been included? Following the Government's internal review last November, which identified inconsistencies in the application of GST on certain Government fees, why is there a need to deem that all previously collected GST in relation to regulatory fees has, in fact, been validly imposed?”
“Sir, I thank Minister Edwin Tong and Minister of State Low for their very comprehensive replies to my cuts. I just have one clarification and that is on Gillman Barracks. Will MCCY be working with the Ministry of National Development (MND) to ensure that the artistic character of the space is preserved and what will be the plans for existing tenants of the space?”
“Redevelopment of 45 Armenian Street Sir, my final cut has to do with the redevelopment of 45 Arminian Street. 45 Arminian Street was the previous permanent home of the substation and the closure of the substation at that location was the source of considerable debate in previous years. Is the Ministry able to provide details of the expenditure planned for the redevelopment of the building this year? Can the Ministry provide updates on how long redevelopment will take and what future plans are for tenants who will occupy the building once it is ready? Finally, are there lessons to be learned from the experience of the substation in the building; and if so, moving forward, how will the Government's engagement with the space be different from what was previously done? For example, in his announcement on the proposed new artist space at Kampong Java, Minister Edwin Tong said that the Government was prepared to let the arts community take the lead in telling the Government what they want. He said, "A little bit of messiness in that space is something that I think we need." I fully agree with this sentiment and I know that many in the arts community do as well and I thank the Minister for this affirmation. Would the Ministry be able to provide details on how these big picture ideas will be operationalised, both in 45 Arminian Street and in the new art spaces that will be coming up in this year?”
“4 million awarded to Cultural Medallion recipients since 2001, $3.4 million – or around 36% – remains unutilised as at January 2024. I thank the Ministry for making these statistics available. For our national athletes who win medals internationally, cash awards are granted under the Major Games Award Programme. While these award amounts vary and athletes are required to plough back a certain percentage of the awards into their respective national sports associations, it is still a cash award and one which recognises the huge costs of training at an elite level. It also serves as a reward for our athletes who play a big role in bringing Singaporeans together whenever they win medals. Artists too, when they are at a developmental stage of their careers, incur significant costs in maintaining and growing their artistic practices. As acknowledged by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his Budget Statement, the arts play such an important role in making Singapore a distinctive home for us all. The Cultural Medallion is Singapore's highest arts accolade. It honours distinguished individuals who have enriched Singapore's arts and culture scene. I would like to suggest that the Ministry consider offering a direct cash grant and additional supports, such as health benefits, for recipients of the Cultural Medallion. This would allow for better practical access to and actual use of the award funds. A cash award could also have a better signalling effect of accomplishment and prestige, recognising the life achievements of our country's best artists. It would also provide them with a measure of monetary support in recognition of the financial sacrifices that are often required to build a career in the arts.”
“These two play an important long-term role in challenging and educating audiences on arts and cultural appreciation. This was a point that I made as well in my adjournment Motion last year. I hope that while our arts offerings are able to cater to popular demand, that there is still room for experimental and fringe activities. I certainly hope that the Government will continue to support these. Revision of Cultural Medallion Grant Mr Chairman, for my third cut, I would like to ask the Ministry if it will consider converting Singapore's Cultural Medallion Award into a cash grant or cash award with incentives, such as health benefits. This would be similar to national artistic awards given by our neighbours, such as Thailand and Malaysia. Presently, each Cultural Medallion recipient in Singapore wins an entitlement to access up to $80,000 from the Cultural Medallion Fund throughout their lifetime in order to support arts-related projects that meet certain objectives. So, to be clear, it is not a cash award. It is an entitlement to apply for funding for certain types of projects. For example, these include projects that involve the mentoring of younger artists, the transfer of knowledge, community outreach and the development of the artist's own practice. But there is an administrative application that has to be made and the funds are granted only if the application is approved. In response to a Parliamentary Question that I filed earlier this year, the Ministry clarified that 71% of living Cultural Medallion recipients have partially or fully used their access to this funding. Of the recipients who had passed away and were eligible for the funding, 59% had partially or fully-utilised their entitlements. Of the total $9.”
“Plans for Cultural Concierge and Analytics Mr Chairman, my second cut relates to the spending allocated for the building of the Cultural Concierge in FY2024. This is budgeted at around $1.5 million. I also have some questions on the expenditure, which has been planned for the Culture Sector Data Analytics Solution. This has been budgeted at around $1.7 million. With regard to the Cultural Concierge, I would like to declare my interest here as the owner of a local digital art magazine. Is the Ministry able to clarify what the expenditure relating to the Cultural Concierge will entail? As the Ministry is aware, there are a number of independent digital content creators in the industry who all work with the aim of promoting awareness of the arts and in publicising arts events. Some platforms are more lucrative than others, some are purely run as passion projects; but what all creators in the space have in common is their commitment and passion in promoting awareness of the arts. They have put in resources to this end and some have spent years on their work. In developing its new digital platforms, what opportunities are there for the Ministry to work with existing independent content creators in the arts space? How can the public and private sectors work together in this area to improve arts appreciation, consumption and awareness amongst general audiences? On the spending that is planned for the Cultural Sector Data Analytics Solution, can the Ministry provide details on what the expenditure will entail and what effect it is intended to have? How will the Ministry ensure that while audience preferences are catered for in arts offerings, that there is still room for the avant-garde and works and events that push boundaries?”