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.”
The complete record
Every one of 760 lines we hold for Vikram Nair, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 16.
“Chairman, I seek to move, "That the sum to be allocated for Head J of the Estimates be reduced by $100". Sir, 10 years ago, at the Shangri-La Dialogue 2015, also the year Singapore celebrated 50 years of Independence, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen gave a speech titled "New Century – New Players, New Rules?". Within which, Dr Ng described the changing international order in the decades post-World War II, and how the United States (US) and the leading western powers reconstructed, rebuilt and redefined the international system after the war. The most important product of it all was a rules-based system to promulgate an international order for shared interest and mutual benefit. While we have the same players and largely the same rules today, the rules based system and the alliances that formed post-World War II appears to be under threat. The US, one of the architects of this system, seems to be re-evaluating its alliances under the current administration, starting with its trade relations with its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) allies Mexico and Canada, as well as its trading relationship with Europe. In the recent vote in the United Nations (UN), the US voted, along with Russia and North Korea, against a resolution put forward by its long-time European allies to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This marks a rift between US and its European North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies. We have yet to see the full impact of the new US administration's trade, economic and foreign policies, and what this means for international institutions and alliances, as well as for the US' role and presence here in the Asia Pacific. China continues to grow as a power, both economically and militarily.”
“These initiatives help keep the Tamil language vibrant in Singapore. In this year’s Budget, I note that $300 million is being set aside for the SG Cultural Pass. This translates into $100 to every Singaporean to spend on local arts events. The Indian arts community in Singapore is a thriving one. I would strongly encourage local groups to consider organising events that can tap on these funds. These vouchers can be redeemed from September 2025 to the end of 2028, so there is a good window of time for groups to plan activities. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, this is a wide-ranging Budget that provides support that Singaporeans need in a range of areas, including cost of living, employment and having families. I support this Budget.”
“I had also argued for the socialisation of early childcare costs from my early days in this House, even before I was married or had a child of my own. My view was that, given that having more children is a national priority that benefits the country, more of the costs should be socialised rather than privately borne by the parents in the early years. Costs for older children, from primary school onwards are generally well covered, but the earlier costs, when couples have lower incomes, may have been a concern. I am glad that this Budget continues with the Government's plans of the years of subsidising a greater part of these costs. The cost of early childcare will now be comparable to the costs at the primary school level of education. I welcome this move. Additionally, there is significant financial support for families with three or more children. These measures will hopefully make it easier for couples who decide to have children, to have bigger families as well. Mr Deputy Speaker, in Tamil, please. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Singapore Government has been generous in its support for programmes that support the Tamil language in Singapore. The Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee, which I chair, is a committee under MOE that supports the learning of the Tamil language outside the classroom and has several signature programmes. This committee also supports community organisations in their efforts to organise activities for schoolgoing children. Separately, the Tamil Language Council, of which I am an advisor, a committee under the National Heritage Board (NHB), promotes the use of Tamil in Singapore and organises the Tamil Language Festival each year, which sees more than 40 events organised by different community organisations.”
“It is heartening to note that the Government is catching up on the supply bottlenecks for construction of new HDB flats that occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and that it has plans to continue with construction of significant projects in the coming year. The delays and shortages in BTOs had been a concern over the last few years, especially for young couples hoping to start families, and I am glad that we are now crossing this hill. One point I would ask for though is for the Government to consider bringing back larger HDB flat formats. This will be important if we want families to have more children. Currently, the largest flat formats in BTOs are 5-room flats, and these generally have three bedrooms. If we are considering multi-generation families or families with more children, three bedrooms may not be enough for them. Many have given feedback that as children get older, they prefer to have their own rooms. Additionally, large families may need domestic help, and domestic helpers will also need their own bedrooms under the law. I understand that the reason for holding back on development of larger flat types in recent years has been that there did not seem to be much demand for them among first-time buyers. But I think it is also important for us to consider not just first-time buyers, such as young couples, but also older, middle-aged couples who have higher incomes but are also likely to have larger families and extended families to care for. Many of the older large HDB flats, such as jumbo flats, are popular and fetch high prices in the resale market, which suggest that it would be good to have a pipeline of new supply of them as well.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I support this Budget. For many Singaporeans, this Budget addresses some of the key concerns that they have in an increasingly uncertain world. First, it provides broad-based assistance with the cost of living. While inflation seems to be lower in the last quarter, people are still adjusting to higher prices of the last few years. Against this backdrop, the continuation of the CDC Vouchers and GST vouchers will be appreciated, especially by families with lower incomes who look forward to these. The CDC Vouchers also encourage spending with our local merchants and small business owners in the heartlands whose businesses have been impacted over the last few years. Second, we are living in an age where jobs and work are facing disruption like never before. The latest disruptor is AI. Many companies, including major tech companies and banks, have announced job cuts and restructuring over the last few years. The Government’s intervention in providing assistance for retraining through SkillsFuture, as well as, importantly, generous allowances that make up for lost income while people retrain, will be important buffers for people as they cope with this disruption. Related to this, there is extensive Government spending as well as tax breaks in a range of sectors, including heavy investments in transport, education and health infrastructure as well as tax breaks for qualifying tech startups. I would suggest that it will be important to tie and track these investments against local job creation as far as possible so that the economic opportunities being created by these investments will translate into jobs and opportunities for our people. Third, the Budget provides comprehensive support for families to gently encourage people to have families and children.”
“Mr Speaker, I think that this is a well thought through Bill that introduces important new tools for MHA to continue to protect our racial harmony in a more calibrated way. I support this Bill.”
“It will also be important to develop some internal guidelines, at least on when this discretion will be exercised, though in my view it would be best to have this as the first port of call for most first-time offenders unless it was a particularly serious offence. The third set of measures to safeguard racial harmony relates to foreign influence and requires race-based entities to have a leadership composed primarily of Singapore Citizens and to disclose foreign donations and affiliations. I declare that I am involved in a voluntary capacity in a number of race-related charities in Singapore. I am the advisor to the board of trustees of Singapore Indian Development Association, and I am a trustee of the Singapore Indian Education Trust as well as a trustee of the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society. I note from Minister of State Sun's speech that charities have not been listed amongst the entities that MHA intends to designate at this juncture. This should be a relief to many of them. As a matter of principle though, I believe that while race-based groups play an important role in preserving culture and tradition, it is important for Singapore-based groups to be rooted in our values as well. The requirement of a largely Singaporean leadership supports this objective. I also agree that foreign donations should be disclosed, though I think we should also send the message that there is nothing wrong with getting donations from foreigners per se, especially for charitable institutions. Many charitable groups may benefit from raising funds from a larger group of donors, including foreigners, and the beneficiaries of these charities are ultimately going to be primarily Singaporeans and PRs.”
“There are also three important new tools this Bill provide MHA more powers to better calibrate and deal with the potential threats to racial harmony. The first is the introduction of a Restraining Order regime, which allows MHA to act swiftly against acts that may threaten racial harmony. This seems to be an intermediate step that allows swift action without the need to prosecute the wrongdoer. I note that these orders will be subject to review by the Presidential Council for Racial and Religious Harmony and the President, which, in my view, is an important check. A similar regime exists in relation to religious harmony under the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act and I think it is sensible for those principles to apply here as well. The second tool is the CRI, which gives MHA the option to offer reparative measures in lieu of prosecution to offenders. This gives MHA a more calibrated set of tools so that less serious offenders may be given a chance to mend their ways and avoid a criminal conviction. I will be interested to know how MHA intends to apply these measures. I think MHA will probably need to develop a set of interventions and procedures. There will also probably be a need to have skilled professionals to both help raise awareness and encourage amity between the offender and the community. The aim of this provision seems to go beyond a simple Corrective Work Order type regime, and building bridges and amity is much more difficult than dishing out punishment. So, I look forward to seeing how MHA will apply these powers.”
“Mr Speaker, in 2021, then-Prime Minister Lee first telegraphed a Bill on racial harmony in his National Day Rally. At the last Committee of Supply debate for MHA, I asked for an update on this proposed Maintenance of Racial Harmony Bill, and I am happy to see this well thought through and comprehensive Bill before us today. The most important aspect of racial harmony is the day-to-day actions each of us takes to build bridges with people of different races. The Government has policies that nudge us in this direction, including ethnic quotas for public housing and the requirement for minority representation for contesting in GRCs for our elections. Most of us have close friends of all races and understand the customs and traditions of one another. Yet, notwithstanding the racial harmony we generally enjoy in Singapore, there remain issues beneath the surface and we cannot take our harmony for granted. In my view, legislation remains a necessary tool to promote and maintain racial harmony. We have had offences in relation to racial harmony in the Penal Code in the old sections 298 and 298A, and the substance of these offences remain in this Bill. The old language of section 298 of the Penal Code that made it an offence to "wound racial harmony and feelings of any person" has been replaced with language making it an offence to insult, vilify, denigrate, threaten or abuse another on the basis of race. In my view, the new language adds clarity by specifying the actual actions that constitute the offence. The offences in section 298A of promoting enmity between races and engaging in acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony remain. While prosecutions under these sections are not common, I think they send an important signal on what is unacceptable conduct.”
“Additionally, there is nothing in the legislation that prevents a court finding as a fact that a particular requirement may amount to discrimination under one of the protected characteristics. In my view, the current legislation may be used to deal with such discrimination, for example, under section 19(1), since they would give an advantage or disadvantage to certain races or nationalities. I think these types of indirect discrimination can be left to the court to determine as and when the situation arises, although if common threats arise, such as in relation to the irrelevant language requirements, then the legislation can be modified to give express protection on these matters. As with any new legislation, there will likely be a spike in complaints when the legislation comes out and likely, some employers will be taken to task. This is to be expected and natural. However, once people get comfortable with and understand the obligations under the law, there will likely be a cultural shift and change in mentalities amongst both employers and employees, which I believe is healthy in the long run. One point I had also made in this House in my speech in September 2020 was that anti-discrimination legislation should ideally also give the victim a personal remedy against the employer, rather than just a punishment for the employer by the state. I understand from the Minister's introductory speech that this is exactly the intention – and I support this as well, and look forward to the next Bill on this topic.”
“I acknowledge that the Government and the unions have done a good job of encouraging workplace fairness over the years, including with the Tripartite Guidelines, but these have generally had the most fight with employers seeking EPs for foreign employees. The MOM's denial of new work pass applications is already a potent stake against employers whose businesses depend heavily on foreign workers, and these employers had to become extra careful in ensuring they give Singaporeans fair consideration first. This will continue to be the case even with the new legislation. The provisions in this Bill are unlikely to surprise multinational employers, particularly those from the West, where anti-discrimination legislation is quite common. Indeed, many of these companies already have anti-discrimination provisions as part of their internal policies. I would suggest though, that assistance be provided to local employers, including SMEs, on compliance with these provisions and in particular, the requirements of sections 25 to 27 of the new Bill that require employers to put in place fair employment practices. I know a number of my colleagues have spoken in favour of recognising indirect discrimination as well. I think it is important to acknowledge that indirect discrimination exists, although these may be more difficult to establish in court. An example is where a person puts out characteristics for a job that may favour some groups over others, such as say a requirement for fair skin or curly hair. As a starting point, the current legislation does make reference to some forms of indirect discrimination, one of the most common being irrelevant language requirements, which is essentially indirect racial discrimination.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, this is a landmark Bill for employment law in Singapore that I am happy to support. This Bill gives the MOM express powers to take action against discrimination in the workplace. I have been speaking up in favour of anti-discrimination legislation in this House several times over the years, including the very first Sitting of this term of Government in September 2020. And I am grateful to the Minister and the team at MOM that has had the openness of mind to move ahead with this change. This Bill now makes it an offence to discriminate against employees based on characteristics such as nationality, sex, marital status, pregnancy, caregiving responsibilities, language ability, disability and mental health. There are important carve-outs, of course, including genuine job requirements, referring citizens and PRs over foreigners, and in relation to age, having minimum age requirements. I think there has been broad consensus, both on the characteristics that have been identified, as well as the exceptions carved out. In dialogues I have had with women's groups over the years, one of the common issues they face in returning to the workforce is that employers are likely not to employ them because of concerns about their age and expected caregiving responsibilities. Now that it will be prohibited to discriminate on these characteristics, they may have better opportunities to return to the workforce. Likewise, older workers who are moving between jobs and face difficulty with younger, less experienced candidates being hired ahead of them may now also have express protection under the law.”
“I think the current penalties of a fine of $1,000 and imprisonment not exceeding 12 months suggest that this is to be treated as a minor offence, with no distinction made for creators of content and those who may just publish it on their platform by sharing a link. Third, the offence is currently targeted at a "person", which suggests a natural person. I think we may also have to deal with a situation where content may be published and circulated by bot accounts and perhaps even substantially generated by such accounts. Such publications may be outside the scope of this Bill and that would mean taking action against such accounts or even social media platforms more difficult, because the primary offence is not triggered. Although I know most platforms have internal rules that require natural people to operate the individual accounts, this is not currently a matter that is regulated and there are many reports of a large number of bot accounts that operate on social media platforms. Overall, though, I think this is an important legislation that takes concrete measures in helping to combat the insidious use of AI to undermine candidates and manipulate elections. I think there is scope for even stronger measures against the threat and would suggest that these measures be continuously evaluated and improved as needed to combat this threat.”
“If so, I am concerned this exception may be too broad as, anecdotally, there is already a lot of fake news being circulated through WhatsApp, often forwarded by individuals to others in their group or contacts list. These may all be known contacts, but if a person forwards a video to several hundred people on his contact list, that may be more damaging than the same video on a Facebook account, precisely because the message comes from a trusted source in a private message channel. I think there is scope to say that if a person forwards a message to, say, a hundred contacts, that would be publication. On the other hand, if this exception is to apply to any communications as long as it goes through a private channel, that means these manipulated videos may continue to be circulated through these means and some of the intended mischief may not be captured. I also believe there is scope for legislation to go further in eradicating this threat of manipulated content. Some suggestions for future consideration include, first, this Bill only protects election candidates and only covers them from the time they are indicated as such. I think there would be some scope for extending protection to existing Members of the House and the President as well, since a video circulated ahead of the person being named a candidate in the next election may still do significant damage and there is no reason such harm should not attract punishment. This is also a much faster and less burdensome remedy than requiring the person to commence defamation action against any and all those who may have shared a link to such content. Second, I think there is scope for significantly more serious and even punitive penalties to be imposed against the creators of the contents themselves.”
“A related matter is whether Facebook page administrators will be held liable for content posted in the comments of their Facebook pages as publishers of that content. In the UK, courts have held that administrators of Facebook pages can be considered publishers in relation to comments posted by third parties on their page. And if the intention in this Bill is to extend this duty to Facebook page administrators, it will be good to clarify this. I think it is principled to do so because Facebook page administrators should take responsibility for contents on their page. In terms of scope, I note that one of the requirements of limb "c" of the operative provisions is that the content must relate to "election in the electoral division". I would be grateful if the Minister can clarify that this is not intended to restrict the implementation, only where it can be shown that the video was related to a particular electoral division. A video that, for example, falsely attributes criminal or immoral behaviour to a candidate can damage that candidate, even if no reference is made to the constituency the candidate is in, or that such a video is directly related to the election. I would also be grateful if the Minister could clarify the intended scope of the defence in subsection 4 of both proposed amendments that state that the offence in subsection 1 does not apply in any communication between two or more individuals that is private in nature. I think domestic communications are clear. But for private communications, is this exception intended to cover any sharing of such messages by private means, such as WhatsApp?”
“Mr Speaker, I support this Bill. This Bill aims to deal with the hazards posed by manipulated content during an election. It is now possible, with the assistance of technology, to recreate not only images, but also videos of people, to have them say or appear to do things they never did. Thanks to machine learning, even voice, mouth movements and speaking style can be replicated to create videos that appear authentic. The video the Minister played in her introductory speech of an AI-generated deepfake video of herself is a chilling example of the power of this technology. Likewise, the example she had shared of President Joe Biden's voice being imitated in robocalls to tell potential Democrat voters not to vote is a recent real-world example of such technology being used in a campaign. It is clear that such technology cannot be left unchecked. Against this backdrop, this Bill makes it an offence for any person to publish or cause to be published such videos. Notably though, this Bill does not make it an automatic offence to create such a video, but only to publish it. I would like the Minister to clarify the intended scope of the word "publish" and whether it is intended to capture, for example, every person that recirculates such a video on social media. Is each share on Facebook, for example, a fresh publication? If so, I think this should be made clear so that people are mindful about what they share, knowing that they may be taken to have published material if they reshare the video on their own platforms. The law of defamation already treats a person who shares a Facebook post as a potential publisher of that content and I think taking a consistent approach with this is fair.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, in Tamil, please. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, I support this Bill. It is always a shame to waste food and in Singapore. According to a 2022 article on the SG Government website, Singaporeans throw away a total of 2,000 tonnes of food every day. The same article suggested at least half of this is in the form of bread, rice and noodles. It could have been prevented. This Bill aims to alleviate some of this food wastage. In particular, in relation to providers of food donations, provided certain safeguards are met, they would be protected from liability from recipients of their food. The safeguards are both rigorous and reasonable. These are: one, the food must not have been "unsafe" for consumption when it left the control of the food donor; two, the food donor must inform the recipient of the handling requirements for the food so it remains safe for consumption; three, the food donor must inform the recipient of the food of the time limit for consumption; and four, the food donor should comply with food safety and food hygiene when handling the food. Many of these are the same matters that the authorities would look into even today if there is a complaint. The main difference is this legislation sets out a positive list of requirements, which if met, would mean the food donors do not have to worry about liability from their food being eaten by recipients. There are many organisations and people that currently collect and redistribute food from potential donors to recipients. This Bill aims to support the work of these organisations and groups by making their legal responsibilities clear and easy to comply with. I therefore support this Bill.”
“I thank the Minister for a very clear articulation of Singapore's policy, which is different from many other countries' but I think the right one. The area that I have concern with, like some of the other Members, is that the age at which children start taking drugs is relatively young – an average of 15.9 years. When I was in primary school, there were campaigns against glue sniffing, which was seen as a gateway drug. Are there any other gateway substances or drugs that the public should be aware of and which the youths in particular should be aware of today?”
“The other thing about the area that the Member has shared with us, the process is that when we receive feedback, our TP officers will monitor the situation. We work with grassroots organisations and then we assess whether it is really that serious. If we find that something that can be managed, we will make our presence there. And we will also try other levers to address the issue. So, I thank the Member for sharing this with us. We will continue to monitor. I understand that the area, the road that the Member was sharing about, if there are no reminders, there are no enforcement efforts, those with no road safety behaviour may speed and may cause danger to the public.”
“Two questions for the Minister of State. First, I think the Minister of State indicated there will be more use of cameras at traffic light junctions. But how about stretches of roads where there are no traffic lights? In this House, I had asked about Woodlands Avenue 5 previously, where I have had residents post a lot of videos of what they believe to be speeding. We had asked for cameras because we know that TP are short on manpower. But I think, at that time, they said the incidence rate was not above the average. So, in line with rolling out more cameras at junctions, will they also roll out more along roads? The second supplementary question is whether or not the Minister of State would consider having more serious penalties for dangerous or careless driving where there is death or grievous bodily harm. Currently, I think for careless driving, if it causes death, it is up to three years in jail for the first offence and double for repeat offences. For grievous bodily harm, it is up to two years in jail or double for repeat offences. This is for careless driving. For causing death, it is two to eight years, and one to five years for causing grievous hurt. This seems a little low for the seriousness of the injuries and so, whether we can consider increasing the penalties for that. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: As I have shared in my answer, we feel that our penalties and punishment framework is already stiff. If you compare it with other parts of the world, our road safety situation is actually much better than in many parts of the world. And I have also shared that we regularly review the framework that we have.”
“Of course, there is also currently conduct that may be annoying but may not amount to contempt, such as delays in providing information or providing incomplete information. In these matters, it may be helpful to have some appropriate penalties in place to ensure timely compliance. Enforcement is an important matter for successful litigants. I would be interested to know if there is any update by MinLaw on the review that it announced at the last Committee of Supply. Family Justice Reform Act”
“Chairman, at last year's Committee of Supply debate, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam mentioned that MinLaw was considering possible reforms to the civil enforcement framework. She explained that the aim was to make enforcement cheaper and faster so that successful litigants can get the fruits of their litigation more quickly. The current tools available for civil enforcement have been around for decades – certainly longer than I have been in practice. These include orders to examine judgment debtors, to seize and sell assets and to garnish monies – say – in bank accounts. Typically, enforcement proceedings are separate from the main claim and need to be commenced separately. In the Committee of Supply debates in 2023, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam indicated that potential changes being considered were: one, giving the Court more powers to identify the assets and means of a non-compliant judgment debtor. With more information, the successful party can probably better decide whether and how to enforce the judgment. Second, to introduce new powers to deter and punish non-compliance with Court orders. I think both are sensible measures. I am particularly curious about what additional powers the Court and parties can tap to get information. For non-compliance with Court orders – where this would amount to contempt of Court – I would support stronger penalties. For simple non-compliance – say, of an order to pay damages, I would be more careful to introduce any additional penalties. It is currently not a crime to be unable to pay a debt or a judgment debt; and impecuniosity itself should not be punished with imprisonment – other than usual consequences, such as bankruptcy and so on; are entirely legitimate if a debtor is unable to pay their debt.”
“Thank you, I was a bit worried about the time. Israel-Hamas Conflict and Public Order The Israel-Hamas conflict has been a matter that has evoked strong emotions amongst many of us. Hamas' attack on Israeli civilians on 7 October was shocking and Singapore had called it an act of terror. Yet, the sympathy for the Palestinian cause is also strong and Singapore and many of our citizens believe in a two-state solution. As the conflict is escalating, the death and damage in Palestine and the mounting civilian death toll has been staggering. Singaporeans have been vocal on this issue, but sympathies are divided; and it appears sometimes along religious and communal lines. This was also evident in recent reactions to how this matter was being discussed in the Singapore schools. Deep divisions like this may threaten religious and racial harmony in Singapore. I would like to know if MHA has analysed the reactions of different communities on this matter and whether it is taking any steps to keep Singaporeans united in the face of threats like this. Related to this, in some other countries, there have been public protests and demonstrations related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. In Singapore, the Police and NParks have – in my view – rightly prohibited protests and demonstrations on this matter. Given the strong views that people have on this matter, it may be helpful to have healthy outlets where people can share views on this matter and remain safe. Does MHA have any guidance or suggestions on this front?”
“Mdm Chair, Singapore has enjoyed racial and religious harmony for decades. However, this harmony did not come by accident. In the 1960s for example, Singapore experienced race riots between the Chinese and Malay communities. Since then, we have taken steps to build a cohesive society, including with unique measures like ethnic quotas for public housing – to ensure different races live together. In relation to religious harmony, we have had the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act in place for more than 30 years. This gives authorities the power to take pre-emptive measures against those that threaten our religious harmony and a variety of powers to prosecute and deal with those who commit offences under the act. Interestingly, while we often talk of racial and religious harmony in the same breath, we do not have similar legislation in place to deal with racial harmony. One explanation for this may be that religion built around organisations and there was a need to deal with religious organisations in a systematic way. In any event, in 2021, the Prime Minister – in his National Day Rally speech – addressed the topic of racial harmony and indicated that there was a plan to introduce a Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act. I will be grateful if MHA can provide an update on this?”
“I would like to thank Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Second Minister Maliki Osman and Senior Minister Sim Ann for sharing the good work of the Ministry. I think in a slightly unusual approach, all three addressing the Israel-Hamas issue, which is an emotive issue. But I think it has been good that we have the position of the Government explained clearly. I am also grateful to the Leader of the Opposition for standing with us on this difficult issue. Since we have consensus, Chairman, I seek your leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $536,736,600 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $25,500,000 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Chairman, it has been three years since the coup in Myanmar and conditions for the people of Myanmar remain dire. Singapore has strongly supported ASEAN's efforts to provide urgent humanitarian assistance for the people of Myanmar, including through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre). We have made a variety of contributions through the AHA Centre and also provided assistance when Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar in May 2023. This included the RSAF's delivery of the AHA Centre's relief supplies to Myanmar, using our C-130 aircraft. Singapore has stated that it will continue to work with fellow ASEAN member states to support the AHA Centre. However, other than humanitarian assistance, does MFA believe there is anything else Singapore and ASEAN can and should do to help resolve the crisis in Myanmar? Can anything else be done to address the humanitarian issues in Myanmar? ASEAN's Continued Relevance”
“There are growing opportunities for us to collaborate in emerging areas, such as renewable energy. The Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP) is an example. This allows us to import renewable energy and could be a pathfinder for an eventual ASEAN Power Grid. I will be interested to know if MFA has any update on the status of relations with Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos and its plan for the upcoming year? Singapore's Relationship with Indochina”
“Chairman, our relationship with Indonesia, our immediate neighbour and the largest economy in ASEAN, has been an important one. We have had strong ties with successive Presidents and built relationships at all levels, including between our governments, militaries, businesses and at the people-to-people level. Indonesia was, together with us, among the founding members of ASEAN. After almost 10 years, Indonesia will now be undergoing a leadership transition. President Jokowi has been a popular President, and during his time, we have achieved some significant milestones in the relationship, including signing agreements to address the flight information region (FIR), defence cooperation and an extradition treaty. Indonesia held its presidential election on 14 February this year, and Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto appears to have won a convincing majority. I understand that General Prabowo is well-known to many of our leaders and I believe it will be important for us to build deeper ties with the new administration. How will Singapore continue to maintain good ties with the new administration and what opportunities does MFA see to deepen ties further with Indonesia? Indochinese Region Indochina is the region of ASEAN that sits between India and China. Our relationship with Thailand is a long-standing one – as a fellow founding ASEAN member. We have deep and longstanding defence relations with Thailand and have strengthened cooperation in the digital economy. 1.00 pm The other countries in Indochina – Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos – are newer members of ASEAN, with whom we also have also steadily built ties. We have a strategic partnership with Vietnam and are exploring upgrading relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
“Chairman, the Gaza war shows no signs of abating and this conflict is now spilling to other parts of the Middle East. In October 2023, the Houthis, ostensibly in condemnation of Israel's military operation in the Gaza, launched unlawful attacks on vessels in the Red Sea region, a major sea line of communication (SLOC). This has disrupted the flow of trade and threatened the safety and freedom of navigation through the area. 12.45 pm Singapore has condemned these unlawful attacks. As a maritime and trading nation, it is in our interest to work with the international community to uphold international law and ensure that SLOC in the Red Sea remain open. Singapore is participating in Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG), a US led initiative to restore free flow of maritime shipping through the Red Sea and rebuild confidence in trade. Singapore supported the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 2722 on 10 January 2024 which condemned the Houthi attacks "in the strongest terms" and demanded that the Houthis cease all attacks on merchant and commercial vessels. Given our reliance on maritime trade routes, what more does Singapore plan to do in relation to this issue? Impact of Israel-Hamas Conflict”
“This can only lead to a more fractured, more divided, less prosperous and less peaceful world. In matters, such as climate change, US and China are the world's largest carbon producers and as these matters need a collective solution, it will be important for the US and China to demonstrate leadership in these issues. This is best done collectively. Singapore and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are both in a difficult position in this matter, as we have close economic and political ties to both countries. Considering the current state of geopolitics, how can Singapore preserve our relevance to both the US and China without choosing sides? [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Our Relevance and Place in the World”
“Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head N of the Estimates be reduced by $100". Sir, since World War II, the US has been both the largest economy and strongest military power in the world. During the Cold War, China and the United States (US) were on opposite sides, with relations only thawing under President Nixon and Secretary Henry Kissinger who visited China and met with Chairman Mao in the early 1970s. In the 1980s and 1990s, relations continued to thaw as China integrated itself into the world economy, culminating in its membership of the World Trade Organization in 2001. Both countries prospered together for much of the time since, with trade and capital flowing across. China has since grown to become the second largest economy in the world. Along with its economic growth, it has developed as a military power and a major player on the international stage – with its Belt and Road Initiative providing investment and engagement far and wide. In the last decade though, relations have grown more tense as a strategic rivalry has developed. There is now a bipartisan consensus in the US that they need to be "tough" on China. This resulted in a trade war in 2018 – with both slides slapping tariffs on goods from each other and with pressure on businesses to disengage. These tariffs continue to today. As discussed in this House in previous Committee of Supply (COS) debates, Singapore watches the trajectory of US-China relations closely. The current tensions have already led to a bifurcation of technology and supply chains. The issue of Taiwan also continues to be a potential tinderbox in relations. Our global economy is inter-dependent and any bifurcation between the two largest economic powers will be painful.”
“Thank you. My thanks to the Minister and two Senior Ministers of State for their sharing and for all our serving people in the armed forces and reservists. Chairman, I seek leave to withdraw my cut. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $19,364,918,800 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,440,390,200 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Thank you, Chairman. I think it is heartening to note that MINDEF is investing regularly and steadily, to keep our defence strong. In my cut on Total Defence, I had asked about how the whole-of-nation is getting itself ready as well and I think Senior Minister of State Zaqy shared exercise SG Ready on this – which was very heartening, more than 800 organisations taking part. In order for Total Defence to work, things like these probably need to be done regularly and institutionalised. I just wanted to check whether that is the plan and to get more organisations involved in understanding their roles?”
“A strong military is a necessary but insufficient component of our Total Defence. To thrive, Singapore needs to invest in and build up a united, resilient society. Which is why Total Defence is important. This concept involves every Singaporean playing their part to build our nation – which is critical in periods of difficulty. While we all hope that a crisis does not befall Singapore, we need to prepare for it nonetheless. 11. 30 am Given the ongoing conflicts in other parts of the world and the increasing prevalence of new frontiers of conflict and non-traditional threats, I would like to ask MINDEF – what Total Defence lessons we can we take away from these developments; and what MINDEF is planning to do in relation to Total Defence in the coming year? 40th Anniversary of Total Defence”
“Chairman, the concept of Total Defence was first introduced in Singapore in 1984, recognising that defending Singapore required a whole-of-society approach. At that time, the key pillars were military, civil, economic, social and psychological defence. In 2019, a sixth pillar, digital defence was added. Although Total Defence involves everyone, generally, MINDEF has taken the lead on coordinating defence across all pillars. Presently, two major armed conflicts are being fought – the Russia-Ukraine war in Europe and the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East. Both conflicts have caused immense loss of human life and displaced millions of civilians. Both conflicts have expanded also beyond the traditional battlefield and military domains. These conflicts show that the modern warfare is total in nature, involving not only militaries, but the whole of society. In both conflicts, we have seen how important it is for societies to be resilient and united in the face of adversity. In times of crises, it is important for people from all walks of life to band together and help one another. There are many threats beyond an actual armed conflict that could undermine a society's ability to be resilient and remain united. Disruption to essential services can incite widespread fear and panic. Disinformation campaigns have the potential to ignite societal divisions, wear at our social fabric and erode people's trust in the Government. And, as we have seen in the past few years, a pandemic can erupt quite suddenly, disrupting our way of life. The events in the past few years have been a sobering reminder that threats can arise from anywhere and that we cannot rely on the military alone to deal with them.”
“On the flip side though, automated technologies also pose greater risk to our forces, given barriers to entry and costs are relatively low. This may provide opportunities for enemies, including non-state actors, to use these technologies to threaten Singapore's securities. Could MINDEF provide an update on how the SAF has been integrating unmanned technologies to enhance its capabilities, and also dealing with the potential threat from these technologies? Evolving Military Threats”
“Chairman, given Singapore's declining birth rates, we can expect that our full-time national servicemen and operationally ready National Servicemen (NSmen) cohorts will shrink in the coming years. The SAF will need to do more, with less manpower. It is clear that new technologies have the potential to help organisations optimise and streamline operations. Notably, the use of drones and other unmanned technologies can help to make up for tighter manpower constraints, and I understand that MINDEF has already made significant progress in this area. Unmanned technologies also enhance the military's capability edge. Mechanised warfare reduces the need to put troops in danger. There is also an ability to fight with precision, while limiting human frailties and vulnerabilities. For this reason, I ask about updates and developments in this area regularly in COS debates. I am heartened that MINDEF normally reports impressive developments on this front each year. During last year's COS debate, the Minister for Defence highlighted that when used at scale, unmanned platforms in the air, land and sea would be a game changer in the future. We have seen examples of drones being used in ongoing conflicts, such as in Ukraine and in the Middle East. Given the role that unmanned and autonomous technologies will play in the military domain moving forward, it is more important than ever for the SAF to utilise and integrate such technologies. The Minister for Defence also said that more unmanned aerial and ground vehicles would be introduced in our combat units, and the RSN would be shifting towards a force structure, in which half of its vessels would be unmanned.”
“As a small country, Singapore is vulnerable to changes in its external security environment – a peaceful order is critical to Singapore's success. Could the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) therefore provide an update on the major global and regional trends that MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are closely monitoring, and how MINDEF and SAF will be affected by these trends? [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] MINDEF's Plans and Priorities”
“Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head J of the Estimates be reduced by $100". Sir, we live in a dangerous world. Following the end of World War II, the great powers of the world came together to build a cooperative framework for international relations. This included the setting up of the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions – namely the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The Charter of the United Nations enshrines the prohibition against the use of force – except in self-defence. This rule is generally regarded as jus cogens – or a peremptory norm of international law – which means it is a rule that permits for no derogation. Against this backdrop, Russia's invasion of Ukraine – in breach of this rule – is a direct challenge to the rule of international law itself. Russia is a member of the Security Council of the United Nations (UN) – the body that is supposed to lead the collective response of the UN to uphold international law. When the rule of international law is threatened or breaks down, it leaves small nations like us particularly vulnerable. Non-state actors are also becoming more powerful and potentially destabilising. The Israel-Hamas conflict has escalated dramatically since October, resulting in devastating loss of life. This is a conflict between Israel, which is – some argue – an occupying power in the Gaza; and Hamas, an organisation that has de facto control over the territory, but as a non-state actor. The violence has spread beyond the Gaza Strip, spilling into Lebanon and the Red Sea – threatening to destabilise the Middle East. The world is likely be more volatile and unpredictable in the coming year.”
“While schemes like that have had fallen short in other countries, I trust this will be important support for those who genuinely need it, especially if they are of limited means and did not receive much in way of retrenchment benefits or redundancy pay. Therefore, I think the training grant and allowance will be two important pillars of support for those who are between jobs. (In English): Mr Speaker, this Budget is an important one because it shows the Government "has our backs", and I have focused on the policies that help our workers. I support this Budget.”
“For workers whose wages remain low or those industries or jobs that are not part of the PWM yet, the WIS will kick in to provide an income supplement. WIS does not impose a burden on employers but meets the employee's need for a higher wage. I believe this two-pronged model is a better one than the model proposed by PSP. Mr Speaker, in Tamil, please. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This year's Budget provides a wide range of support for those facing difficulties. In my speech, I focused on those who may face difficulties with job losses or job disruption. Based on the employment data last year, it was clear that the unemployment rate in Singapore remained low and jobs continued to be created. However, retrenchments also more than doubled last year from the year before, with most retrenched people getting a job within six months. This means that for those who lose jobs, there are opportunities out there and it is important to keep trying for new jobs. In this Budget, the Deputy Prime Minister has introduced the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, which provides a $4,000 grant as well as a training allowance of up to $3,000 a month. For those who have lost jobs or who simply wish to retrain for better jobs, this provides support to do so, as it will cover course fees and also help subsidise some of the lost income with the training allowance. If you have just lost your job, this would be particularly helpful as you can continue to earn while you train. The Deputy Prime Minister also announced that he is looking into unemployment support going forward.”
“Along the theme of investing in our people, the ITE Progression Award also gives encouragement to our ITE graduates to pursue diploma qualification. This is an aspiration for many ITE graduates and the support of $15,000 will be helpful, particularly to those from lower-income families. Another structural issue we face in our job market is that wages at the lower-income levels had been stagnating relative to those at higher-income levels. A number of measures have helped to address this issue, including rolling out the Progressive Wage Model and the WIS scheme, whereby the Government topped up salaries of lower-income workers. Both these schemes will continue with more generous funding available. WIS will now cover workers with incomes of up to $3,000 while the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme will also cover employees with an income of up to $3,000. While most Members in this House support the WIS, I note the PSP does not seem to support it wholeheartedly and suggests this would create a "handout mentality". Instead, they advocated a minimum wage of $2,200 a month, which they call a "living wage". I respectfully disagree with PSP on this. One of the reasons the Government is slow to impose a "blanket" minimum wage is that it is mindful that many of the lowest wages are in the lower-skilled sectors, affecting older workers and SMEs. If wages are pushed where a business cannot afford it, this may make these workers and the businesses they work in no longer financially viable. What the Government has instead done is a two-pronged approach. For those industries with profits to sustain higher wages, the PWM is being rolled out and this is better than a minimum wage because it guarantees not only a minimum wage, but wage increments for lower-wage workers.”
“Against this backdrop of even more challenges coming into the job market, I support the proposal for greater support for the unemployed. It appears that what is being envisioned is payouts to those who may be unemployed. This is not an easy area to navigate and even private providers of unemployment insurance in places like the US have stopped providing this. This suggests that they have not been able to find a financially sustainable way to provide this service. Much of the feedback I have received from this also includes suggestions that the Government should have limits on the amounts that may be claimed and the duration, so that people are properly incentivised to return to work as soon as possible. The scheme should perhaps start as a safety net of last resort, to cover people who may have more limited resources and should take into account factors, such as whether the employee received retrenchment benefits from their previous employer. Related to this, I strongly support the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme. This, to me, seems to be an alternative but which could work quite well together with the unemployment support scheme. This provides a $4,000 top-up to the SkillsFuture Credit a person has and provides an allowance of up to $3,000 a month while a person is attending full-time courses. This is a helpful programme for anyone whose industry or job has been disrupted and needs to pick up new skills. The training allowance helps to take away some of the pain, particularly for lower-income workers, of getting a new job. Also, as there is no age limit on this, older workers can also take advantage of this, even after they have retired.”
“In this way, we create an environment that is conducive for job creation, hiring and incentivising people to work. If one looks at the macroeconomic employment figures, the data looks alright for Singapore. The labour market remains tight with low unemployment, which means people who wish to work will have opportunities to do so. Yet, notwithstanding the macro picture looking alright, there will be individuals who will still face disruption in their lives. For those retrenched or facing unemployment, quite often, the cause has nothing to do with their own work performance but rather due to structural reasons, including their jobs or businesses getting disrupted. In several earlier speeches in this House, I had spoken on how business cycles and lifespans of companies had gotten shorter, and industries and companies can go from boom to bust in a matter of years. This has already made the idea of lifetime employment with a single employer to the exception, rather than the rule, for many people in the private sector. Today, there is another development. Even if the industry and company remain, that does not mean the job will be there, and jobs are getting disrupted in a wide range of industries. In the technology sector, for example, some of the jobs getting disrupted by AI are, ironically, the jobs of computer programmers and engineers. Even in the movie industry, there was a dispute between the production houses and actors with arguments about whether and to what extent the industry was permitted to use the digital likeness of actors. This was part of the reason large numbers of actors and workers in the media industry went on strike in the US.”
“Notwithstanding this, the unemployment rate remained at a relatively low rate of 2.7% in 2023. The MOM report also indicated that this was partly due to "global economic headwinds on outward-oriented sectors such as wholesale trade, IT services and electronics." However, statistics also showed that most retrenched workers re-enter the workforce within six months. Overall, employment continued to grow in 2023, albeit at a slower pace than 2022, which suggests the post-pandemic spike in employment was moderating. Most of the employment growth was in domestic-facing sectors. The upshot of these figures is that, against the backdrop of rising retrenchments, Singapore's economy is doing alright and there are opportunities for our workers to take up. The continued growth of our job market has been possible, thanks to the creative approach to developing our economy, as outlined by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat earlier in his speech. Singapore has had some unique features in its employment market that have helped keep our unemployment rates low. First, there is less legislation and regulation as compared to many other markets. So, while this means less legislated employment rights for workers, it also means that employers are less concerned about making employment offers and employ people here. Second, the efforts of the Government to bring in new business and industries have kept investment in Singapore robust, creating new jobs and many of these companies provide higher wages and drive up the general wages across the country. Third, as there is currently little in way of direct unemployment benefits, people who lose jobs are highly motivated to find new jobs and do so.”
“Mr Speaker, I support this Budget. Some of the bigger challenges Singaporeans face in the coming year include the rising cost of living and economic uncertainty, with retrenchments on the rise. While the causes of these issues are global trends, the Budget introduced by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong provides important measures to address these challenges for us in Singapore. In relation to the rising cost of living, significant financial assistance is being given out each month through a range of vouchers and, for the lowest income earners, the amounts being given out would be more than enough to cover the rising costs. I am not aware of any other governments who are giving out such generous amounts to such a wide part of the population, but this does seem to be a direct way to address the issue. The matter of retrenchments is one I wish to address in more detail. I am advisor to several unions, including the Advanced Manufacturing Employees Union. This is a union that started with being a union for the metal industry workers but has since repurposed itself to reflect the development of industries and the workforce it represents. The evolution of this union is a reflection of the numerous waves of disruption it has helped the employees weathered over the years. In this capacity, I am aware of the frontline challenges and efforts of our unions in dealing with retrenchments. The labour MPs who spoke just before provided important examples of the work of our unions in dealing with retrenchment. And I encourage all employers and workers who are not already working with NTUC, to do so. According to the advanced labour estimates released by MOM on 31 January 2024, the number of retrenchments in 2023 spiked to 14,320, more than double the record low of 6,440 in 2022.”
“It is likely that phone numbers and email addresses may change over time and they may overlook updating MINDEF of it. This would mean it is possible for that person to get charged for not attending a call-up because under the amended legislation, he could be deemed to have received notice when the SMS or email is sent to his last contact number even though the person did not, in fact, get the call-up notice. I acknowledge that it is an individual's responsibility to update MINDEF on his latest contact details and to check these, but any penalty for not updating contact details should not be at the severity of getting charged for failing to attend the call-up. Additionally, there are increasingly sophisticated spam filters in many email accounts that may block system-generated emails like call-up notices. So, even if the details are up to date, the notices may get accidentally filtered out. The current practice of following up with the registered post is helpful because MINDEF knows for sure whether or not the person has actually received the notice. I note that Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How has given significant assurances on this that MINDEF will continue its practice of following up with the conventional notice in the event the electronic call-up notice is not acknowledged for any reason. This is good and, in my view, important. It means that notwithstanding the change in legislation, the useful practice will continue.”
“Mr Speaker, I support this Bill. Most of the amendments are done to update the Bill and to take into account developments in technology and it is naturally sensible to include these developments. One area I would like to focus on is clause 9, which amends section 30 of the Enlistment Act to allow service of notices by SMS, email and an electronic service platform, which I understand is the NS Portal. It says these modes of service may only be used with the enlistee's express consent. I think the set-up of the section is sensible and, in principle, if an enlistee agrees to accept service by any of these methods, it would be efficient for both MINDEF and the enlistee to communicate in this way. MINDEF's current practice, as confirmed by Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How, already involves the use of these methods, except that if there is no express acknowledgement of receipt by the NSman, MINDEF then follows up with the conventional notice by registered post. This is because under the current legislation, MINDEF cannot assume notice has been received simply by sending an email or SMS. I think there is some benefit with MINDEF's current method of sending a follow-up in the event the enlistee does not acknowledge an SMS or email and my concern is that with the change in legislation, MINDEF may stop doing this because it can simply assume that enlistees have received notice of the call-up from the deemed notice. In general, while an enlistee may give consent to receiving notice by SMS or email, sometimes, life events catch up and the SMS numbers or email addresses may change. This is especially so if the person gives his consent, say, at the end of NS, but then goes on to study or work.”
“I just wanted to pick up on a point that the Leader of the Opposition made both to me and to the Leader. He suggested that the IPS report had a reference or recommended a Select Committee. It is 90-page report. I did a quick scan and I could not find this reference. I would be grateful if he can tell us where it is.”
“The point about shares is just more on the lifespan. Most companies now may not even last 30 years, 40 years. So, yes, it is gone forever, but how long you would have had it, even if you kept it? So, whenever land becomes treated as an asset, say, by standard accounting standards and so on, we should also feature it as an asset. I mean, that to me is simple honest accounting.”