Vikram Nair
Singapore
“I thank the Minister of State for the answer, as well as forming a workgroup to look into this issue. I think it is worrying that platform workers have a much higher rate of workplace injuries than many other groups and I think compensation is one component, but does the Minister of State think any interim measures are needed while the wo…”
“I thank the Minister of State for the answer. I think it is an improvement from the last time this question was asked two years ago, which was 17 minutes and 164 minutes. So, there is improvement. But a one-and-a half-hour waiting time is still quite long.”
“Thank you, and I thank the Minister of State for flagging the answer to me as well. So, I have a supplementary question. The answer was that the Ministry is engaging the digital service providers as well as preparing advisories for parents.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the response and to explain that the OCHA Directions are being issued to Telegram as well. The only reason I mentioned Telegram specifically is it seems to emerge in a whole range of crimes, including selling of drugs, etomidate, sexual crimes, scams.”
“It seeks to enable efficient cross-border travel while retaining Singapore's legal framework and ensuring that foreign officers cooperate within defined limits. It also provides for reciprocity, so that Singapore officers can exercise similar functions in Malaysia.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I note that amongst the different sources of energy, diesel prices have risen much higher than electricity prices. And diesel fuels many commercial operators, including buses and lorries, which feeds into many other sectors.”
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“Sir, I agree with my colleagues that having children is a wonderful thing and we should try and have more children if we can. Unfortunately, Singaporeans have not been very productive in this respect, myself included. Historically, Singapore's growth has, therefore, been supported not only by organic population growth, but also by a sizeable transient workforce. As a successful and economically vibrant city, we remain an attractive place for foreigners. What is the Government’s current approach on managing foreign worker inflows so that we can ensure our businesses remain competitive? At the same time, what is our approach to ensure that we also assuage the concerns of Singaporeans that these foreign workers may take away rather than add to employment opportunities for Singaporeans?”
“Well, it is now 2018, after the five-year timeline to review what the White Paper had recommended. I would like to ask PMO whether any steps have been taken to review the benchmark and, if so, whether any changes will be made. Salary Review”
“Sir, in January 2012, this House debated the recommendations of the White Paper titled “Salaries for a Capable and Committed Government”, put together by a distinguished committee led by Mr Gerard Ee. That was a vigorous debate in which many Members of the House took part and was one of the few times the Workers' Party put forward an alternative proposal. However, in the course of the debate, it emerged that, in fact, the differences between parties were relatively narrow and the benchmark salaries derived from both calculations would not be that different, notwithstanding different approaches to calculation. The benchmark adopted by this House for setting Ministerial salaries was to use the median salary of the top 1,000 income earners, as it was anticipated that people with the calibre to be Ministers and managing large budgets of hundreds of millions of dollars should be comparable to this group. At the same time, a 40% discount was applied to this benchmark to indicate that this was public service and people should not come forward for money. The principle was that money should not be a disincentive to serve but it certainly should not be the main incentive. Now, the salaries of other public appointment holders were set at specified fractions of the Ministerial salary benchmark. Of course, salaries cannot be set in stone, as income levels and Government expenditure change over time. The White Paper recommended this benchmark be reviewed every five years. In the 2015 Committee of Supply debate, my colleague Mr Edwin Tong had asked PMO about whether it was time to review the benchmark with the five-year mark approaching. At that time, Deputy Prime Minister Teo mentioned that he did not feel the benchmark needed to be reviewed and commented that it had worked well.”
“I guess if both say yes, then the problem is solved. It is to both of them, yes.”
“I will try my best to keep things simple. I think, listening to the debate, I suspect the question from Dr Tan to Ms Kuik was actually whether she thinks MAS is putting too much away in Reserves. I understand that was the point in the speech. But I guess she can clarify and the Finance Minister can answer that question. That is the only clarification, does Ms Kuik think that MAS is putting aside too much? From what I understand from Ms Chia's point is that equity is about fairness. So, if someone does more, he deserves more, whereas equality is everyone gets the same. I think what Ms Chia is asking Ms Kuik is whether or not she is looking for fairness to everyone as opposed to equality. That is my contribution to clarify for everyone.”
“There will also be a much greater need for infrastructure spending, both to renew ageing infrastructure as well as to build new ones, so Singapore can continue to stay ahead of the curve. These are big financial demands. However, this Budget gives us hope for optimism because it shows the Government’s plan for dealing with these demographic changes. This includes rises in taxes, including GST, and looking for other new forms of income to pay for infrastructure. This Budget sets out a roadmap for dealing with our long-term challenges in the decade ahead and to help Singapore not only overcome these challenges, but to remain a special place. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support this Budget. 5.30 pm”
“All these are financially sustainable ways and that is probably what the next generation will be most comforted by, that we will do our best to improve Singapore, to create opportunities in Singapore, to make it a place where they and their children will have opportunities. Even if we succeed, there will be people who will have difficulties and it is important for us to be generous in that respect, with both ourselves as well as the Government, and to make sure that these people have a chance to get back up again. That is the best we can do. We have had many analogies from different people on pushing the car, so that it runs on its own as well as a trampoline. But I think these are all important analogies to let our people know what the real message is, that, ultimately, it is for you to be self-sufficient and to sustain yourself, but there are people there to give you a hand when you are down. Mr Deputy Speaker, I will conclude with a few words in Tamil. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This is an important Budget because it plans not only for the next year, but for beyond the next decade. The world is changing rapidly and Singapore is changing, too. The rise of automation is going to change the nature of work and, if our businesses and workers do not adapt, the jobs and opportunities will go elsewhere. It is, therefore, important for both our businesses and workers to take advantage of the opportunities available to keep up and keep ahead of the times. Singapore, too, is changing, the biggest being the demographic change. As our population ages, we will have a much higher demand for healthcare needs at a time when our working population will fall.”
“It is good for us to understand that this is going to be the cost to be sustainable for, say, the next 10 years, at least up to 2025. These things are dynamic but it is good to know that this is what we have to prepare for. A tax increase is never popular. It is never an easy thing to do. Of course, it is natural for there to be some push-back, for people to say, "Why do we not look at some alternatives?" The Workers' Party has suggested using land sale revenues upfront. I think my colleague Lim Biow Chuan has addressed this. I should add, I would not laugh this suggestion off because, previously, I had considered this myself at one point. But I agree fundamentally that it is wrong in principle to sell land and spend that capital upfront. Some other countries do it but I do not think that is a reason for us to follow suit. It is more responsible for us to put the revenue from land sales or anything we get into the reserves and use any income we have from that. Because, ultimately, land is an asset, and, I think as some speakers have said, it is our most finite asset. The best we can do is treat that as an asset even after it is sold, and if there is income, then we can use that as part of the NIR Framework. So, in that sense, all this goes towards making sure that we have a financially sustainable Budget. All our expenses should be paid for with our annual operating revenues. If there are investments in long-term infrastructure, then, of course, for this, we can use hybrid models, including, perhaps, borrowing to be paid for with future income from that investment.”
“The dynamism in the modern economy, the line between success and failure is sometimes not easy to identify. Good people may fail, notwithstanding the best of efforts. People may succeed one year and fail the next. It is important for people to realise when they succeed that that is a time to be generous and to give back. This sense of responsibility is something the successful have to understand and accept. That is probably going to be the key to being a truly caring society. When you succeed, you must understand that it was not you alone and "It is time for me to give back". And when that success disappears, maybe someone else will be kind to you at a time when you need it. This is the core of a caring and cohesive society. But we must realise that our success is not our own and our misery is not always someone else's fault. So, we must take responsibility for our success while, at the same time, be gracious when we succeed. Let me also address the final aspect of the Budget which I am heartened by and that is fiscal sustainability which is one of the things that many of us are worried about. With the ageing population, with a shrinking workforce, how were we going to actually fund the increasing social spending needs. We have been blessed to have had a very generous amount in reserves and we have been able to use a fair bit of this through the Net Investment Returns Framework. The big question is: will this be sustainable and, if so, for how long? I am grateful the Finance Minister has put forward a plan – to me a fairly reasonable plan – to explain how this can be made sustainable. Many of us were anticipating a rise in taxes and it is good to know upfront that the anticipated rise is 2% in GST plus a few other taxes on cigarettes, carbon and other areas.”
“Related to this is the second important thing that I think Government can do, and this is part of the Budget – Being a Caring and Cohesive Society. There are two underlying threads in this. On the one hand, of course, the Government is saying that we will try and be there as a safety net. For those who have low-income, there will be social transfers to help. Education is still of fundamental importance. Education is now being provided at an even earlier stage, even extending to the preschool sector. If we start enabling education at an earlier age, that will, hopefully, reduce the risk of inequalities, even at the time people enter Primary 1. All this is necessary. If one studied the Greek wisdom, Plato's Republic is said to be the ideal republic, all children will be taken away from their parents and put into institutions, so that everyone has an equal footing. Of course, that is theoretical; it is unlikely to happen in practice. I do not think any parent would want their children taken away. But the reality is the more you equalise the education playing field, the better you are to have at least equality at the starting point. This Budget is making important steps in that respect. Accessible Primary 1 education was the best way to do it 30, 40 years ago. Now, we have gone even further. More than that, the second part that is important is also the sense of social responsibility. There are gentle nudges in this respect in terms of encouraging charitable and community work and participation. It is important for people who succeed to also realise that their success is not just because of their own efforts or abilities, but also because of the environment they lived in and also because of luck.”
“Massive investments took place in this sector. But in the last three or four years, this sector has had a big pullback as well. A lot of the investments in that sector will be wasted. There will be distressed assets going out and this is the reality of the future economy. Even if workers pick up the skills, even if businesses adapt, they must understand that success is not permanent. What works this year may not even work in the next year. Therefore, it is very important to be nimble. The fact that you have picked up a skill and that skill has paid off for a few years is a good thing. The fact that it does not pay off for a lifetime is to be expected. This is the reality of the future that we are going to live with. This is what will happen even if we succeed in having a vibrant and innovative economy. The nuts and bolts of being vibrant and innovative are the reality that you or your business could become irrelevant very soon because someone else has come up with an innovation that makes you irrelevant. For countries and big economies that have invested heavily in one area, one sector, for example, the Scandinavian countries back in the days of Nokia and Ericsson, they have also paid a heavy price when those sectors subsequently pulled back when the iPhone, for example, came and took the mobile phone market away. The reality about the globalised economy is that no matter how hard you work, your rice bowl can be stolen at any time. So, even if we succeed, it is important for individuals and businesses to know that things may happen beyond your control that will change the playing field dynamically. While the Government can enable you to pick up new skills even in that situation, it is normal for this to happen and you have to be able to adapt to that.”
“We have to succeed. We have to find the way to succeed. But even if we succeed, the path will not always be smooth-sailing and I think it is important for individuals and companies to recognise that they have an important part themselves in this process. The Government can lay the foundation, it can create opportunities for workers to improve their skills. It can also create opportunities for businesses to improve and digitise. These are all gentle nudges. But, ultimately, the people who will benefit from doing so are the workers and the businesses themselves. Even if a business succeeds in digitising and a worker succeeds in picking up skills, it is important for both businesses and workers to realise that this success is not permanent, nor is it guaranteed to last. Business cycles are very short. So, the business that may be successful today may not be successful in a few years' time. Even if we look at just the last 15 years. Fifteen years ago, at the turn of this new millennium, some of the more successful companies were, indeed, tech sector, and everyone thought back then in 1999 and 2000 that tech was the way to go. The Nasdaq valuations of many companies exceeded even the mainboard-listed New York Stock Exchange companies. But that was a very short cycle at that time. It lasted maybe two or three years before the dot-com bubble burst and many people who had invested in picking up the skills to succeed in that environment were, all of a sudden, jobless. This is the reality of the new market and this cycle has repeated itself many times over, even in the last 10 years. Shortly after that, from 2004 onwards, a commodity megacycle started, and suddenly, oil and commodity prices started rising and everyone thought that commodity, oil and gas were the way to go.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I rise in support of the Budget. This Budget is unique in a few respects. The most important is that this is a Budget not just for the year ahead but one which deals with the next 10 years. And not only that, but which is quite upfront about some of the bad news for the next 10 years. So, it is a very straightforward Budget but the most important part of it is the message. The message is one of optimism, that Singapore is ready for the decade ahead, notwithstanding the challenges we face. I also think there is a risk that in this Budget, people may take, sometimes, perhaps, too much comfort. It is also important for people to realise what some of the important changes mean and what impact these will have on them. The Minister rightfully identified the three megatrends that will shape the future, including the move towards Asia, automation. I think herein lies opportunities but the biggest challenge is the third – our demographic challenge. So, how do all these things interplay? First of all, of course, if this vision succeeds, we will have a vibrant innovative economy and a smart, green and liveable city, which sounds very nice. But that is the picture of success. If we fail, of course, the consequences could be dire. The opportunities could move to other parts of Asia. In fact, what you see in places like the European Union, for example, is that opportunities move to the developing parts of that Union. So, there is a chance that even though there is a move towards Asia, we may lose those opportunities because we are less competitive than other parts of Asia. We may lose opportunities to countries that are cheaper but which can still produce better value than us. If we fail, there is a chance that Singapore could be irrelevant.”
“I thank the Minister for the clarifications. Will this case have a big impact on future cases, especially between now and the time the law is changed?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, two supplementary questions for the Minister. First, was there a reason Singapore chose to vote in favour of the resolution rather than, say, abstaining because that is clearly taking a position on the matter? And second, Singapore has always advocated a two-state solution and a change in status of Jerusalem, I believe, the Minister was implying would make that more difficult. What steps has Singapore taken to facilitate the two-state solution, given its strong relationships with both sides?”
“At the same time, MINDEF's available training spaces are also getting reduced due to competing needs for land in land-scarce Singapore. I have been quite impressed by MINDEF's efforts at working around these constraints. Personally, I have experienced it myself. As an infantryman, I did my basic training. I learnt, well, the old M16 rifle, and I barely passed my shooting test. I have shared in this House how the SAR-21 doubled my productivity. I managed to get a Marksman the first time I tried. The range I used was also a multi-storey rifle range. So, that meant it could have many more times the number of people doing the training. So, this seems to be MINDEF's way of adapting. It used better technology to get the same outcomes by using less land and less resources. While these are admirable adaptions which, basically, are the classic productivity improvements where you are getting more out of less, will we be able to achieve better outcomes by changing the game altogether? For example, if we are looking at the face of warfare where you do not need very large amounts of manpower to fight wars or to man aircraft, do we need different forms of training altogether which would significantly change the type of training areas we need and the type of people we need to have trained? In this Motion, I was hoping to raise raw themes to give the Ministry a platform to, basically, share the vision of NS perhaps for the next 50 years, even as we move forward to the first 50 with strong support from our population.”
“Will our NSmen be able to keep up with this increasingly advanced form of warfare? And how will dealing with automated warfare be built into the drills that our NSmen go through, perhaps either in lieu of or maybe in addition to the old field crafts we learnt? The second type of threats we have to prepare for is on the other end of the technology spectrum. These are the threats posed by terror. The difference between terror and conventional warfare is that conventional warfare, of course, if you comply with the rules of war, is a military-and-military exercise. Civilian populations are not, at least in theory, meant to be targeted. On the other hand, terrorists have complete disregard for this principle. Their primary aim is to attack civilian populations to cause as much damage as possible. They target highly populated areas, areas like train stations, airports, hotels and even gatherings. They do not require very sophisticated technology. Basic weapons − guns, makeshift bombs or sometimes even vehicles − can be used to carry out terror attacks. In this respect, these threats are much more difficult to identify and prepare for. Yet, as these threats become a much larger face of the type of threats we face, would we see a larger role for NSmen in dealing with this new type of threat? The final aspect that I have to deal with is how we deal with the limitations and constraints. This is a constant theme that the Ministry has dealt with over the years. In the early days of NS, we had a population boom with high unemployment. So, pulling people into NS did not have as big an economic impact. Nowadays, there are strict limits being imposed. Cohort sizes are falling. So, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) will have to be able to make do with a much smaller population.”
“The drone pilot, for example, could have breakfast at home, send his daughter to school, then go to a drone control centre a short drive from home and pilot a drone based thousands of miles away in the Middle East. It will be office hours for him but night time in the country of operations. The precision of such technology allows the pilot to see the targets clearly at night, attack with precision and take photographs after the damage has been inflicted. After a day of fighting, which could still be office hours for the drone pilot, he could go back home at night and have dinner with his family. It sounds like a very simple life. Yet, even drone-fighter pilots go through a very high incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder. So, they, too, seem to face the psychological stresses that other combatants face. Aerial drone warfare is just one component of increasingly automated forms of warfare, although it is probably the one that captures the imagination most readily. At the recent NS PRIDE Day awards, I was quite happy to see that even our own NSmen have found numerous uses of drone technology and I assume that because this is NS PRIDE Day awards, it is in the public domain. For example, drones are used in naval operations. They are used for surveillance and intelligence gathering. In the army, they can also be used for reconnaissance operations and security patrolling. All of these things used to be done by infantrymen who had to face the danger of enemy fire. However, would this rapid use of technology make it, first of all, difficult for NSmen to catch up? Secondly, how relevant would it make a largely infantry-based army if every few years the technology that these infantrymen have to deal with changes at a very rapid pace?”
“The focus of this committee was to improve the lives of NSmen and to make compliance with NS obligations easier for all stakeholders, without compromising training needs – a difficult balance, indeed, that has required thoughtful, well-calibrated policies. The NS50 events from July to September were particularly moving, with the theme "From my generation to yours", bringing together earlier and current generations of NSmen. Prime Minister Lee himself made a moving speech at the final event last week, sharing his own experiences in the army and ending with the importance of passing the NS torch from his generation to the subsequent ones. NS is an important rite of passage for us, and I am heartened that many understand and appreciate its importance. My main interest in this Motion is to understand how NS will fit into the future roles the military will be required to perform and the constraints we face. Traditionally, NS has largely involved starting in the military and with the majority of the cohort going through a Basic Military Training (BMT) that is modelled on infantry training. This shared experience is an important part of the bonding that NSmen feel intuitively when they meet one another. We all have the same experience going through BMT, dealing with NS sergeants and the same thing that we laugh about when we watch "Ah Boys to Men". Yet, is this largely infantry-based training model appropriate for NS in the coming years, particularly with the changing nature of warfare and the security threats we face? First, military technology improves at a tremendous pace. New inventions can render previous methods of warfare otiose. One vivid example is the use of drones in warfare. A BBC story on a United States (US) drone pilot was eye opening.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Fourth time lucky for me on this Motion. This year, we commemorated 50 years of National Service (NS). And much like the turbulent circumstances of our Independence, National Service was something that we had to embark upon out of necessity. At the time of separation, Singapore was faced with a host of threats, including the Konfrontasi with Indonesia, insurgency from the Malayan Communist Party and communal violence. The British forces remained to provide security but, in 1967, barely three years after Independence, the British forces also announced their withdrawal. The Enlistment Act was passed in 1967, at a time when it was clear that Singapore had a very small window of time to build up its own defence forces. At this time, Singapore had very little in way of financial resources and a booming population following the post-war Baby Boom. It has been 50 years since the Enlistment Act was passed and there have been many changes in Singapore. Our security threats and our approach to NS have evolved with us. In 2013, the Committee to Strengthen NS (CSNS) started an extensive consultation process with a Steering Committee led by Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen and two Working Groups focusing on Support for NS and Recognition and Benefits of NS. The focus of this committee was to ensure that support for NS remains strong in the population and that NSmen, employers and family members all have a shared sense of duty for their part in this process. The CSNS committee came up with detailed recommendations which have been swiftly implemented and NSmen have felt the impact.”
“I thank the Minister for the reply. In relation to the two collisions, I understand that we were able to detect the ships, but they were not subjected to a higher level of security and, therefore, additional steps were not necessary. What would the measures be if, for example, there was hostile intention detected on the paths of one of the vessels? Would that have been different?”
“I would like to wish Mr Tan all the very best in this new role as well, as he steers the business of this House in the years to come. [Applause]”
“Subsequently, when the office of Speaker was vacated, she rose to the occasion to fill it up and has been very even handed in her management of this House, keeping to schedules even as the legislative agenda and Sittings continued to grow. Once again, she is rising to the call of duty to run for President. I would like to wish her all the best in this endeavour. While it will be a loss to this House, it will hopefully be a gain for Singapore. I look forward to having our first female Head of State, which is a great way to mark the next 50 years of Singapore's journey. Even as Mdm Halimah leaves us to take on greater challenges, I would like to give my support to the Prime Minister's new nominee for Speaker, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin. I happened to be serving my reservist at Headquarters (HQ) Guards, the unit in which Mr Tan was once involved with, and Mr Tan was leading the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) contingent to Aceh when disaster struck there. He had distinguished himself as a strong, compassionate leader in the Armed Forces. We both entered politics at the same time, through the turbulent 2011 election, and our group had regular meetings and discussions in the aftermath of that election to decide on the way forward. Mr Tan was very hardworking in his first stint with MOM, and I recall the few times that I sent direct appeals to him, he always paid personal attention to the request and responded, often at small hours of the night. He has helmed MSF for a relatively short period of time, but has made a deep impact and is fondly remembered there. It appears that duty has called him to take on the vacated role of Speaker, and he has risen to the occasion again.”
“Mr Speaker, I am honoured to speak here today to congratulate you and to record our thanks for Mdm Halimah who is in attendance here together with her husband Mr Mohamed Abdullah. Given that you have heard almost all the official languages, I will do my speech in Tamil. So, I will give everyone some time to test our translators. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, I offer my heartfelt thanks to Mdm Halimah for her service as Speaker of this House. Mdm Halimah has had a long and distinguished career in public service, and I had the chance to get to know her better when we travelled together to Mexico earlier this year. She studied law, but upon graduation, she was more interested in a career in public service rather than in commercial practice and, therefore, interviewed for a position in the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). That was the start of a long career with the trade unions, where she made a strong reputation for herself representing workers before labour tribunals. She was initially reluctant to enter politics as she was happy with her role in NTUC, and she mentioned that she had initially declined to attend the tea sessions. It was only after some persuasion from then-Prime Minister and now Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong that she decided to come forward. She started serving in 2001, along with many of the senior leaders in today's Cabinet. At the time I was first elected in 2011, she was already a veteran MP with a strong reputation, and many were delighted with her promotion to the Ministry of Social and Family Development.”
“I would make two points about this. First of all, of course, Singapore's figures are nowhere close to these. We do not have addiction rates of 17%. I think it would be quite shocking if we hit that. The point is that we should not adopt everything they have done wholesale, but I think their rehabilitation programmes specifically probably have things that we can learn from. The main thrust of their programmes involves promoting alternative recreational facilities, strengthening family ties, improving self-sufficiency and building social competency for youths who were identified as being at risk. The key purpose was to reduce delinquency. I understand that we have a lot of programmes targeted at this by different agencies. But I believe that there might be something useful to learn from these programmes. The main focus of these programmes is to keep at-risk youths occupied, usefully engaged and socially involved. The second issue which the CNB highlighted was online drug peddling. This has risen from 30 arrests in 2015 to 201 in 2016. Although the numbers are still small, the total rise is very significant. I agree with Mr Christopher de Souza's suggestions for stronger penalties and enhanced penalties if drugs arer peddled online. This would add an additional deterrent. I also note from the CNB report that most of the arrests were against people who were buying drugs. I would suggest that CNB take additional steps against those who are selling drugs, maintaining websites and are in any way part of this dark net. They are difficult to detect but, once detected, I think harsh penalties should be taken. Mr Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Motion. 8.23 pm”
“I do not wish to address the whole system, but the two trends of concern that the CNB raised in its latest report. The first is that of the rising number of young drug users below the age of 30. This was a bit different because the typical profile of many of the other drug offenders who use heroin – and many of the other offenders are from the lower income groups – and they use drugs like heroin and meth which are a lot more damaging. But the young users tended to be from a different social profile, including more affluent people, and they are using more cannabis. Cannabis has developed a reputation in some other countries or, at least, it has been marketed in some countries as being a perfectly harmless drug and has been legalised. I would not make the argument Mr Christopher de Souza has made earlier. I think he has quite comprehensively covered the programmes in these countries where it has been legalised and shown that it actually has caused harm. It is not really a harmless drug. The tough measures that we have against cannabis are actually generally quite helpful and relevant. There is one additional suggestion I have and I think this also relates to the point about rehabilitation of young offenders. One of the countries that had a very successful programme on rehabilitating of offenders which we can learn from, I believe, is Iceland. Between 1998 and 2016, Iceland ran a programme specifically for youths. And there are two things to observe. I will just read the figures first. This was a study of Icelandic youths between the ages of 15 and 16. Over the course of the 20-year study, the rate of alcohol abuse fell from 42% to 5%. The rate of cigarette smoking dropped from 23% to 3% and the rate of people who use cannabis fell from 17% to 5%.”
“That was when I realised, as he told me more and more, he also asked me to write a letter to excuse him from urine tests. As I spoke to him more, his thoughts were disjointed but, basically, it finally emerged that he was actually an addict and he was an addict who had served his sentence. He had come out but he was in danger of re-offending and very likely had re-offended which is why he did not want to go for his upcoming urine test. Later on that evening, he brought his wife along to help make the argument for him. But when he moved away, his wife said, "please make sure that he does not get any more cough mixture." So, it is quite clear the families of addicts suffer along with the addicts. But there were many more stories after that. In my community, we have a programme where we reach out to ex-offenders just before their release from prison. And one of the things that strikes me is that ex-offenders who have the biggest difficulty coming back in are those who have drug antecedents. These are also the ones who are most likely to have offended before and to have committed other offences. These are the ones that we really have to make a special effort to reach out to, to try and make sure their families still accept them which is also a difficulty because, in some cases, the family is outside, may have divorced the inmate, may have moved on. These are all the challenges that I think drug addicts face. The biggest issue, of course, is that they became addicts in the first place. I think we should do everything we can to prevent that happening and I believe the tough measures we have taken have achieved that effect. In this regard, there are just two points I would address.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, given the lateness of the hour, I am just going to give a short speech to say that I agree with everything Mr Christopher de Souza has said. But maybe, I will just add a few brief points. The first is this. I am glad that in this House, we have not really had a debate on one issue and, that is, the seriousness of the drug threat. Everyone here has agreed that drugs are a menace and we have to find a way to deal with it. Before we look at what we want to change, I think we need to look at what Singapore has done well. The incidence of drug abuse in Singapore is one of the lowest in the world. As a percentage of the population, I believe it is below 0.001% of the population. In contrast, if we look at the latest UNODC report, it said one in 20 people in the world has used drugs and that translates into a quarter of a billion people. So, if you talk about overall statistics, Singapore is doing very well. My own view – and I suspect this is shared by many others in the House – is that this is not because of any one measure. There is no silver bullet, but rather the suite of measures. So, if we look at the big picture, I think Singapore is doing a good job in its fight against drugs and the low incidence of drug rates contrast favourably with many other countries. In fact, the rates of drugs are so low that many people may not even have encountered drug addicts in their lives. My first encounter was after I started as a Member of Parliament and I met a gentleman who came to the Meet-the-People Session (MPS) who was telling me very badly why he needed cough mixture. I did not really understand why he was having difficulty getting cough mixture until he told me that he had actually been banned from buying cough mixture and his name was with several doctors.”
“But diversity is sometimes not always easy to achieve because people tend to get onto boards together with others they are more comfortable with and, sometimes, if you take someone who is different from you, either gender or ethnicity, it may be a little unnatural at first. That is why sometimes having some kind of quotas may be helpful. The Women's Wing paper has suggested that the SGX put some kind of requirements in place to ensure we have at least 20% representation of women in all companies by 2020. I endorse that. I think that may be a little bit unnatural at first but I think that it is something that will, in the long term, be in the best interests of all companies. As this is also the Tamil Language Festival, let me just end with a little bit of wisdom in Tamil. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] She will make butter out of bought buttermilk and pay for her eldest son's wedding. (In English): This is a proverb, which basically says, a mother will make butter from butter milk, which is the alternative to yoghurt and, with that, pay for the wedding of a son. Of course, this is from a different era but the idea of the proverb is the ingenuity of women. And even in that day and age, where there was something important to be done, the women would be able to do the impossible. My own view is, given the amenities of today, they would probably be able to outshine us and do even more impossible things. Mdm Speaker, I support the Motion. 4.35 pm”
“However, a fairer appraisal system should find ways to make sure that people are appraised on the quality of their work and not just the amount of time they spend at the office or the amount of say, childcare leave they take. Ultimately, if people are accessed according to their contributions, rather than the amount of time they spend at work, that could lead to fairer appraisal systems. Also, one of our aspirations is to make sure that women are able to stay at work. I think it is also important to give back-to-work support for caregivers. If people take some time out of the workforce, they should be given as much opportunity as possible to come back. The Women's Wing suggestion was for subsidised courses in areas of interest to women where they could develop skills to assimilate themselves back into the workforce. Let me just deal with one final issue and this was also mentioned by a number of my female counterparts but I should also give my support to this. This is diversity on corporate boards. There has been an extensive study that diversity, in fact, adds to the value of companies. There was a McKenzie study in 2015, which I believe the paper cited. This study talked about diversity in two respects: gender diversity and ethnic diversity. It was a study of companies in London and what it found was that companies at the top quartile for gender diversity, performed 15% better on a return on equity basis than other companies, while companies with the top quartile for ethnic diversity performed 35% better. But the point is this, this is a correlation, it is not really causation but there seems to be strong evidence that diversity creates more perspectives on the board, more viewpoints and more reach for companies.”
“I should also add that flexible work should be open to both genders, both men and women. In many ways, this will also encourage more men to take up roles at home, if they know that such flexible work arrangements are available for all parties. The second set of areas relate to caregiving facilities that are made available and the network of support that is available for women. Flexible work is certainly an aspiration and one which I think we can start working on a short measure through a tripartite workgroup. But in the meantime, just as I think many speakers have acknowledged, part of the reason women drop out of the workforce is because they take on the caregiving role. One of the suggestions in the paper is also to rethink how childcare and eldercare facilities are designed and situated. The key being that these should be situated in places that are easy for women and actually men as well to drop off children, seniors if necessary. These caregiving places can also not only surely be near where people stay but also near where people work. The next is to develop a network of caregivers or what some other people might have called social capital. This can be done with an online directory created to help match supply and demand. It is a very simple solution but it involves creating awareness of where these caregivers are, whether it is in the neighbourhood, whether it is outside, whether it is near the workplace. As long as credentials of these people are available and somewhat regulated, this could be another alternative for caregiving. Workplace appraisals are also important. There is a tendency observed that workplace appraisals sometimes depend a great deal on face-time.”
“This tends to happen in their 30s because that is when female workforce participation drops relative to male workforce participation. In the 20s, it is about the same. But in the 30s, male workforce participation spikes from about 89% to 98%, whereas female workforce participation drops. This is largely attributed to playing greater roles in the family and at home. Many women do not see this as an imposition but this is a role that they seek to take up on their own. Some of the suggestions in the Women's Wing paper are actually very thoughtful to meet this need. I would just highlight a few of those that I think are particularly useful. The first, of course, is flexible work, which I think has been bandied about quite often in this debate. This includes simple things: creating opportunities for women to work from home, telecommuting and more flexible hours. But, of course, at a theoretical level, this is very easy. To implement it is not always as easy. The Women's Wing had previously taken a stronger position in 2013, saying that flexible work should be mandated; it should be made a legal right that employers have to observe. This new paper is more nuanced and recognises that having a legislation to that effect may actually cause problems or may cause fears for employers employing women. What it has actually recommended instead is a tripartite arrangement − a tripartite workgroup to look into creating flexible work arrangements within industries. This is important because it has to be a nuanced approach that all parties, employers included, must buy into and agree with. Ultimately, it is my hope that employers will recognise that this is in the long-term interest of their business as well because they keep talented people in the workforce.”
“Even with these dramatic changes, it gave me some pride actually to read the Women's Wing paper on "Singapore's future − women's perspectives and aspirations". That was what inspired me to come forward and speak for this Motion. Because while we have made great strides to create equality, educational opportunities, there is, I think, still more that can be done. It was with some pride that I read the Women's Wing paper where it started out by saying, "Although Singapore enjoys high female labour force participation, women saw their social impact, not only through contributions at the workplace but also through performing multiple roles in the family, as daughters, sisters, wives and mothers. Though motivated primarily by intrinsic satisfaction, societal recognition of their familial and societal contributions remains important". My reading of the paper is that women's aspirations were really to try and do it all, far greater aspirations that I think many men would have. They want to be the ideal person at home; they also want to be the ideal person at work and have opportunities there; these are difficult to do. There are many things in this paper which I would recommend everyone to read because, from beginning to end, it covers a whole range of areas from leadership and societal impact, employment, entrepreneurship, family and caregiving, financial well-being and the concerns women have towards the end of their life. But I will focus on, perhaps, the two more optimistic areas, the happier ones. What I will call empowering women for the women who really want to try to have it all. What the crux of this boils down to is how women can get help when they come to the difficult part of their life.”
“Mdm Speaker, it may be difficult to imagine, but conceptions of a woman's place in society were very different just one or two generations ago. Both my grandmothers were homemakers and, in their generation, most of their female counterparts would similarly be at home. In my maternal grandmother's case, she came to Singapore from India in order to be educated. However, after Primary 1, World War II broke out and her education was stopped. After the war, her guardian told her that, as a woman, it was not good to be too educated because it would be difficult to get married and that was the end of her education. However, post-Independence Singapore was a very different place. The PAP Government at that time governed on the premise that men and women should have equal opportunities. Education was made universal and compulsory. Both boys and girls had to have Primary education and school fees were nominal. The Women's Charter was passed in 1961, barely two years after the PAP came into power and even before Singapore's Independence. My parents' generation saw the benefit of these changes. My mother and all the aunts had full education, unlike their own mothers, and joined the workforce after their education. Indeed, my maternal grandmother, whose own education was cut short, did the reverse with her daughters and would chase them out of the kitchen when they tried to help, telling them they should study instead. These dramatic changes took place in a single generation since Singapore's Independence and have changed Singapore life completely. Women have become economically empowered and educated, which gives them a degree of independence the previous generations never had.”
“Anecdotally, from what I understand from residents, I have been told that over the course of 15 years, more than 50% of the units have had their tiles popped. The view is that that is because of workmanship issues. I understand HDB has been very kind. It has actually been replacing the popped tiles for about the last 15 years. Because I think this issue will continue to arise and continue to come up, if it is a workmanship issue and rather than HDB incurring the cost of replacing it each time, my suggestion would be for HDB to give a one-off grant to the residents to replace at their own cost and their own choice of the type of tiles. The issue, the residents tell me, is that when the same tiles are put in by the same contractors, they pop again. This may be one way to just close the issue off, for upcoming cases that arise.”
“I apologise because I have not seen the answer yet. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State what was the answer to the first two questions that I had: the number of units and, as a percentage of the total number of units in blocks 685 to 690.”
“Mr Chairman, following up on the topic of languages, I wonder if the Minister of State has any update on the work of the National Translation Committee. I think Minister of State Chee Hong Tat discussed that in the last COS.”
“It was announced at COS 2016 that there would be a review of the operations of Mediacorp to see how it can better position itself for the future. What are the outcomes of this review conducted by Mediacorp of its operations? What changes can Singaporeans expect to see from this review? Public Communications In last year's COS debates, Minister of State Chee Hong Tat announced that the Government would be enhancing its communications to the public across three dimensions, namely, Content, Platforms and Language. The Government rolls out a great many good policies every year, and yet, public awareness of these may be limited. I noticed a lot of creative approaches to bridge this gap in recent times, including helpful aids, such as kopi kaki books and videos in different languages. All these have been very helpful. As a long-standing member of the Feedback Unit's Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry @ Home (REACH) panel, I am also personally aware of how hard the Government tries to reach out and have dialogues with as many groups of Singaporeans as possible in a wide variety of forums, from face-to-face dialogues, outreach posts, Facebook livechats and radio shows. In a more diversified society and changing media landscape, it is important that the Government further strengthen public communications to ensure that we can reach out effectively to different groups of Singaporeans. MCI is responsible for leading and coordinating this effort. I am interested to know what other initiatives it has in mind to improve its public communications for the whole of Government. Empathetic Public Engagement”
“Mdm Chairman, Mediacorp remains Singapore's main broadcaster. It was the successor of our old Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Over the years, Mediacorp has been innovating to keep up with the times, reaching across multiple platforms in creative ways. With my various duties − I am sure many Members of this House have as well − I do not get the chance to watch television (TV) on a regular basis, but I do get to watch a lot of locally-produced content happily on Toggle. So, I do not have to catch a show at the exact same time, I do not have to be available at the same time, but I can still keep up with all the content that I am interested in. And many of these locally-produced shows on Toggle are supported by PSB funding. So, this allows our "Uniquely Singapore" content to have a platform and to be enjoyed. I will make a short pitch since everyone else here is doing this as well. One of my favourite contents on Toggle is the telemovies, but the vernacular telemovies do not come with subtitles. As much as I would love to watch them all, I do not get a chance to. That is my little pitch for quality improvement. Having said that, Toggle is a wonderful platform because it allows us to access content not only on TV, but also on mobile devices, so that we can watch it anywhere, whenever it is available. However, all of this requires financing, and the revolving media landscape of FTA TV is largely supported by advertising revenues, for which there is intense competition across a variety of platforms. In principle, I would like Mediacorp to be financially independent, but Mediacorp faces serious challenges in delivering good quality content in a financially self-sustainable way.”
“Okay, Madam. Sorry, recounting NS stories. I thank the Ministry and the officials as well for all their support for our defence. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $13,612,805,500 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $839,000,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“I would like to thank Minister Ng Eng Hen, Second Minister Ong Ye Kung and Senior Minister of State Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman for dealing with a wide range of questions that we have raised. We are very heartened to hear that NS, which we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary this year, a timeless institution, is still very strong. I am particularly heartened to hear that the young men are very keen to do combat vocations. I wish I could say the same for my generation but not sure it would be true. Luckily, we had no surveys back then. But I am particularly heartened because, in my personal anecdotal experience, I know people coming up saying they want to join the Naval Diving Unit as well.”
“There have been many interesting announcements. The most interesting, from my perspective, was the one on the new division or group being set up to deal with cyberattacks and fake news. I think it is going to be a big group of about 2,600 people. This is an organisation being created almost de novo. Are there any other models for us to follow or are we just pioneering this on our own? If we are pioneering this on our own, then it is going to start in about a year's time. Do we have the capabilities within our existing people to do that? If not, how would we be developing this, because this is quite ground-breaking?”
“We will need to develop our capabilities to defend against cyberattacks and, potentially, even to use them as part of a counterattack in a broader defence strategy. The fact that MINDEF's own servers were hacked just a few days ago highlights how real and imminent this threat is. 12.15 pm But dealing with this threat also requires people, and the skills required for this are highly specialised and the people with those skills are likely to be few. What are the recommendations from the Committee on the Future Economy in relation to this? It suggested using NSmen to boost our pool of cyber talent to deal with such threats. I understand that other countries, such as Israel, also use national servicemen to deal with cybersecurity threats. Can MINDEF provide details on whether it plans to implement these suggestions from the Committee on the Future Economy and, if so, how it plans to do so?”
“Mdm Chair, as a small country, SAF competes for use of land with many other uses. Most recently, the acquisition of Paya Lebar Air Base was announced. I have fond memories of Paya Lebar Air Base because my mother was a psychologist there and I used to go there as a child. That camp will probably not be there in a few years' time. The camp where I did my NS, Nee Soon Camp, will probably not be functioning as a Basic Military Training (BMT) camp anymore. In fact, I think it has already stopped functioning as one. Bit by bit, we see a long list of training areas and camps that SAF used to use being given up. Whether it is the Air Force, Navy or Army, all three services require land to train. Given local land scarcity and increasing demand for land for other uses, how will SAF ensure that our soldiers receive the necessary training? National Service As I mentioned earlier, this is also our 50th Anniversary of NS. NS has become a Singapore institution. Not only is it a fundamental part of our national defence, it is also an important part of our national identity. It is the one basis on which men easily relate to one another; and women can easily relate to one another as well talking about what men go through. One of the fundamental issues we face with NS is our declining population, and cohorts are likely to get smaller and smaller each year. Each NSman will, therefore, become even more precious. What step is MINDEF taking to ensure that each NSman receives adequate training, his potential is well used and whatever capabilities he has will be well maximised? Related to this are the new form of threats we face. Many of the earlier speakers have alluded to the threat faced by cyberattacks, hybrid warfare, and these threats are likely to become even more important in future.”
“As a small country, technology is going to be fundamental to our defence. What is equally important is developing our own technology. I have personally seen how important these changes can be. I was in a group of NSmen that did NS with the M-16. Later on in reservist, I was acquainted with the SAR-21, a wholely modified weapon. I have also seen the wonderful difference this makes. I used to barely pass my shooting tests when I was in NS. With the SAR-21, my entire section became marksmen. So, there is tremendous improvement in productivity with our homegrown weapons. One of the important things, of course, is whether we can get enough people to develop these weapons, these homegrown technologies. We need people with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) backgrounds or fields. What is MINDEF doing to ensure that we have enough people with background in STEM to ensure that we will maintain our own capabilities to develop such technology? SAF”
“Some of these were organised attacks, while others were lone wolf attacks by self-radicalised individuals. This makes the reach of terrorism far and wide, with lone wolf attacks being particularly difficult to detect. In the region, too, not all appears comfortable. Indonesia, for the first time in many years, was wrecked by violent demonstrations in Jakarta in response to remarks made by its governor. But physical threats are not the only threats. Just the last few days, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) reported that there was an attack on its cyber systems. Cyberattacks, I think, are a threat that has captured our imagination for a long time but now it seems to have come very close to home. The security threats we face come from far, wide, in many forms, and MINDEF is very much in the frontline to deal with many of these. For this reason, I would like to open this debate by asking what MINDEF sees as the most salient security challenges facing Singapore today, both conventional and unconventional. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“Madam, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head J of the Estimates be reduced by $100". This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the fall of Singapore in World War II. The events in the 20 years since that day have marked the tumultuous journey of Singapore to Independence. Even after Independence, security became one of our concerns and National Service (NS) started shortly after. This year, we also celebrate the 50th Anniversary of NS. Happily, Singapore has grown against the backdrop of domestic peace and prospered. However, security threats remain around us. In the South China Sea, the United States (US) administration has recently mentioned that they see China's developments of installations in the island as illegal and steps may be taken to stop China from accessing them. China has responded by continuing its security patrols and even sailing its aircraft carrier through the region. While I think conflict is not in either party's interest, the threat certainly seems to be looming amongst the great powers. Closer to the region, along the Korean peninsula, North Korea has carried out its fifth nuclear test in September 2016. Even closer to home, in the Kuala Lumpur airport, a North Korean national, Kim Jong-Nam, a half-brother of North Korea's leader, was killed under mysterious circumstances. It appears that nerve agent VX, classified as a "weapon of mass destruction", might have been used in the process. Meanwhile, terror threats that have captured our imagination in recent years continue. Even as the so-called Islamic State loses ground in Iraq and Syria, the terror attacks continue. Last year, these included attacks in Nice, Yemen, Turkey and Bangladesh, with the death tolls in the hundreds.”
“I would like to thank Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Senior Ministers of State Josephine Teo and Dr Mohamad Maliki. As I had said, they took us on a tour of the world but I think that really tells you how much hard work MFA has been doing. I think every continent except Antarctica − but there is a story there as well, I believe, which we just have not had time to share. But the fact that Singapore as a small country has meaningful relationships with so many countries, is truly an achievement. I would like to record my thanks to MFA and to the staff. In true Singapore tradition, you deliver value-for-money, so it is a very small budget Ministry, 50 officers, but we make the most of what we have. And I personally must record my thanks to the MFA staff every time I have been on a trip with them. Chairman, I beg leave to withdraw my cut. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $461,646,300 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $39,981,800 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Thank you, Chairman. This is a clarification. I thank the Minister and Senior Ministers of State for giving us a world tour of what Singapore is doing everywhere. I have two clarifications. In fact, they both relate to relations with the US and China. First, I think Singapore has always found a way to look for opportunities in the midst of adversity or difficult situations. So, what opportunities does MFA see with the new US administration? I know that it is still starting; it is finding its feet. But what are the possible opportunities we can have to build bridges and do things together with the US? In relation to China, I also see some seeds of opportunities because in recent months China has actually been talking about the importance of holding up environmental legislation. It seems to be that China itself may be open to persuasion that international norms and rules are important, vital, and will be the way forward. Is there any opportunity that we can persuade more people that rules-based international order is in everyone's best interest?”
“On the other hand, his Secretary Rex Tillerson has reaffirmed that the US will continue to be a major player in the region and even stated they would take steps to prevent China accessing illegally built structures in the South China Sea − a point which caused consternation in China but which seemed to suggest that the US still views its role in Asia as important. As a country which trades and invests extensively with both countries, Singapore may face adverse consequences if the relationship between the US and China sours. What is MFA's take on the direction of Sino-US relations in the medium term and what is MFA's strategy to manage Singapore's relations with China and the US? Foreign Policy in the New World Order”