Vivian Balakrishnan
Singapore
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not issue advisories on wait times at overseas airports. Travellers may wish to monitor airline and airport websites, as well as news reports for real-time information on wait times and potential disruptions at specific airports.”
“When the conflict in the Middle East deteriorated and commercial flights were halted in March 2026, the Singapore Government mounted four repatriation flights from Muscat, Riyadh and Jeddah to bring stranded Singaporeans home.”
“The Government has stepped up public engagement to explain our foreign policy fundamentals and responses to key international developments to Singaporeans and to hear their views. We do this through dialogue sessions across segments of society, including students, youths, businesses and community leaders.”
“And the larger point during the Committee of Supply was that precisely, because the world is in such a difficult, prickly, volatile and dangerous state, actually, if we keep our wits about ourselves, we maintain unity and we continue to have this clear eye-realistic, but principled, approach, there are many opportunities for Singapore.”
“Well, in short, I completely agree with you. And that is why we have indeed been hosting these events and in your own capacity as a national athlete and also as an official now, you have seen how it works in practice.”
“Since 2022, about half of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) employees are women. The proportion of women in senior appointments has remained stable at about a quarter. We recognise that overseas postings are disruptive for officers with families, especially female officers who bear greater caregiving responsibilities.”
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“Thank you. Those are two very salient supplementary questions. Is there a timeline to phase out physical counters? If you ask me, I would believe there is no timeline to phase out physical counters because there will always be a need for some contact, some hand-holding, some training, some engagement. Now, how and where the physical counters are expressed on the ground, will vary with time. Today, the common ones we are all used to is community clubs, libraries and other suggestions. I think that list would evolve but I do not see the time when we will eliminate all physical counters and human-to-human interactions. Your next point was on the private sector. And here, this is another important question because the example that you cited – opening a bank account, it used to be that you showed up at the bank with your IC or your passport and maybe if you had, for those of us old enough to have a POSB account with stamps and all that, there was a track record, and it seemed quite seamless to open a bank account. Actually, that same capability is available today but banks have also had to keep up with the times, both in terms of the digital possibilities which have opened up as well as the dangers of fraud and impersonation in the new world. That is why you will find that today, most banks, in fact all our local banks, when you actually are opening a new account, will try their best to get you to also use Singpass. The reason why they want to use Singpass is because of this other module which we call "MyInfo". Which means the Government as the ultimate custodian or a source of truth of trusted data that "I am who I am; I exist; my details, address and so on and so forth".”
“Yes, thank you. That is a valid point. I think Members will also now realise why ICA has been fastidiously reminding people at a certain age to update photos so that the photo on record is a recent one. And I would also add, because Singaporeans are quite well travelled at least until 2020 came along, if all of you were to log on to your Singpass Mobile now and look at your National Digital ID, you will realise that that photograph has been updated to your latest passport photograph. But, nevertheless, your point is valid, we need to make sure we have got updated photos. I would also add this additional point. That the digital systems actually are fairly robust and are able to identify, even if we have got more eye bags, wrinkles and grey hair on our visages.”
“I thank the Member for the questions. But, in fact, that is precisely the point. I have gone to great lengths to explain how the system will work, even without access to a smart phone, without access to a mobile phone and how you can either have someone else whom you rely on as a trusted party to be the mediator of the second factor authentication as well as a new method which we call facial recognition. My point is that we totally agree with you that we must make sure no one is excluded, that no one is worse off in the face of the inevitable progress of digital technology. I also want to reiterate the point that I made earlier that the key thing actually is not hardware or devices, it is really trust, confidence, digital literacy. And for this, I think I will also say – and I think from all Members' experience – hand-holding is necessary. And that is why the SG Digital Office and the more we can roll that out on the ground, accessible, so that someone is there to hold your hand and explain and teach the person, the better. So, you have my assurance that we will continue to roll this out. And the Member's suggestion on Social Service Offices, I think we will look at it. This is part of the delivery of Government services at the retail level. What was the Member's third point? Sorry, I want to make sure I answer him accurately.”
“Our low-income seniors can go to a SG Digital community hub to apply for support under the Mobile Access for Seniors scheme, which offers eligible seniors a subsidised smartphone and a mobile plan. The subsidised smartphone starts from as low as $20, the mobile plan from as low as $5 a month. And I am sure if someone cannot afford that, if they see their local Member of Parliament, we will find ways to help people. So, do not worry about access to equipment or devices. But actually, the greater challenge is skills – digital skills and that is why we have the SG Digital Office, which is supporting seniors to pick up these skills, including the most important skill, is how to use Singpass Mobile. And again, if you have observed the digital clinics in our community clubs, you will notice that that is almost 101, the first lesson which is provided. For those who need it, we will also provide in-person support at the 55 SG Digital community hubs at our community clubs and libraries islandwide and at PA's Tech Connect initiative and Integrated Public Service Centres. Finally, for those who truly require a physical means to access public services, we will make sure that physical counters remain available. Whilst the Government is working towards the digital delivery of all Government services, we will also ensure that everyone always has access to all these services.”
“The next point I would make, is that the other modification we have introduced is what we call Multi-User SMS two-factor authentication, in which users can opt and nominate to have their SMS one-time password sent to another Singpass user who has a mobile phone. This allows a resident – remember without a smartphone – without a mobile phone, to continue to access services with the help of a trusted family member. For this mode to work, obviously, the key word is trust. And our system has to make sure that it also protects privacy and security. How do we do that? Before the nomination of a trusted party is activated, there is a strict process for us to ensure that we have verified identities of both persons, the nominator and the trusted party, explain to them the use of these and to obtain – very importantly – obtain consent. I would also emphasise that the person who is nominated would only get the one-time password. That person does not have access to the services which the actual user is logging on, does not have access to the information or the transactions that the actual user is transacting in. The next point is that we will provide help for all those who need it so that there will always be able to have access and skills for an increasingly digitalised environment. Basically, we have to put our money where our mouth is and ensure that no one is excluded simply because of lack of resources. For instance, we have the Home Access scheme, which subsidises broadband connectivity and a smartphone or a tablet for lower income households especially focused on low-income seniors.”
“We therefore have to have this assurance that after 31 March this year, these services will continue to be available for everyone just as they have been today. So, let me explain how we are adapting our system. The first thing is, many Members of this House may not be aware of this new system we have rolled out called facial verification. This allows users who do not have a mobile phone to log into the Singpass system without the help of a third party. And they do so by using an Internet-enabled computer with a web camera, webcam for short. The webcam allows the computer to scan your face, the system then verifies that against the biometric information that the Government has on all of us through ICA. That means, it verifies against the face on record that we use for Identity Card or our Passport. This allows people to log on and to authenticate to Singpass even if they do not have a smartphone. But that requires a webcam. So, the next supplementary question you would ask, what about those who do not have access to a computer with a webcam? The answer is that if you do not have access to such a device you can access it through kiosks which the Government has rolled out at selected public locations. These locations include all CPF Service Centres, IRAS Taxpayer and Business Service Centre, Our Tampines Hub's Public Service Centre, Geylang East Public Library – I am just going through a list but this list is going to keep expanding. So, in other words, even if you do not have a computer with a webcam, do not worry there is still a physical counter which you can access.”
“Mr Speaker, we are committed to building an inclusive Smart Nation, one where nobody is digitally excluded. Members would be aware that the key element for the delivery of digital services is to get digital identity right. In the case of Singapore, our national digital identity is expressed through Singpass. For the well over 90% of people in Singapore who have access to a smartphone, I think all of you, particularly in this House, would use Singpass through Singpass Mobile. And I would take a bet, that most of us who use Singpass Mobile have forgotten our password, because we depend on the biometric features of our smartphone to not only authenticate but also to act as a two-factor authentication system. So, these two questions really relate to the minority of Singaporeans who do not have a smartphone. You will also recollect that in the old days – I said old because it is quite many years ago – Singpass consisted of a user ID and password. This was not secure enough. Therefore, we introduced a two-factor authentication system. The two-factor authentication system, the second factor was delivered either through an SMS or through a token – we called it the OneKey token. The challenge with delivering an SMS is that it requires someone to have a phone, otherwise the SMS message with the one-time password will not reach you. Or to use a token. The token will be phased out and the last day of use will be 31 March 2021. Therefore, these two questions relate to the small minority of people without a smartphone, without a mobile phone and for whom, the use of the token as a second-factor authentication will not be available from the first of April this year. I want to emphasise, that when we design our digital services, we design them to be accessible, secure and convenient.”
“Mr Speaker, with your permission, may I address Question Nos 24 and 25 on behalf of the Prime Minister.”
“We will continue to take a Whole-of Government approach to build up Singapore's capabilities, contribute meaningfully to Arctic issues, and work with local and Arctic partners to promote greater climate awareness and action in Singapore.”
“These are positive signs that Singaporeans are becoming more aware of and concerned with the sustainability of the Arctic, and its implications on our region and the rest of the world. As a low-lying island with almost 30% of land less than five meters above the mean sea level, the future of the Arctic's environmental well-being will impact Singapore on many fronts, especially transport and shipping. With rising temperatures, the opening of new Arctic water channels, especially the Northern Sea Route, could significantly reduce travel time between Asia and Europe via the Suez Canal by around 20 to 30%. We must continue to monitor developments on the commercial viability of the Arctic route closely, and be nimble to seize new opportunities. Given that Singapore's maritime industry has developed decades of experience and strong credentials in shipbuilding and repair, offshore engineering, port operation and marine support services, we will work with the industry and other stakeholders to ensure that Singapore remains a premier global hub port and international maritime centre. Notwithstanding challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to anchor Singapore as a critical node in the global supply chain and facilitate the continuous flow of goods. Singapore's interest in Arctic issues is clear. Our observership in the Arctic Council is an opportunity to learn and play a constructive role. For example, we participate actively in the Arctic Council's Working Groups on Emergency Prevention Preparedness and Response (EPPR), the Protection of Arctic Marine Environment (PAME), and the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF). These efforts are valiantly led by our respective agencies such as MPA, NEA, and NParks.”
“Singapore is committed to raising public awareness on the effects of climate change. The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) initiated thematic years - the Year of Climate Action in 2018, the Year Towards Zero Waste in 2019, and the Singapore Food Story in 2020, to raise awareness and encourage collective sustainable action. Earlier this year, MSE launched the campaign "Let’s Game Change Climate Change" and organised Singapore's Climate Action Week in August, where 30 ground-up initiatives from the 3P (People, Private and Public) sectors were organised to raise awareness on climate action and sustainability issues. Public interest in the Arctic region has also grown since Singapore's admittance to the Arctic Council as an Observer State in 2013. We have hosted various fora and exhibitions in close cooperation with local and Arctic partners to raise awareness on Arctic issues. These include the "Changing Course" multimedia exhibition last year on the climate crisis in the Arctic, and the Arctic Frontier Abroad Forum organised in 2017 and 2019, which brought together key international stakeholders in Singapore to discuss Arctic issues and opportunities. Our youth have taken a greater interest in the Arctic as well. A youth forum on the theme of "A changing Arctic" in August 2018 attracted more than 100 youth participants. A Singaporean university student, Victoria Lim, was sponsored under the National Youth Achievement Award in 2018 to participate in the "Students on Ice" expedition to the Arctic to study climate change. Our local universities also run programmes that explore subjects like remote energy access, Arctic technology and land use in the Arctic.”
“COVID-19 presents both a need and opportunity to make profound digital transformations and in doing so, emerge stronger as a nation. Within the Government, SNDGG will accelerate the building up of engineering talent and foundations that enable more agile use of IT and data, such as the Government Data Architecture. These have proven to be invaluable in this time of crisis. All ministries are pursuing plans to raise their digital maturity. Across our economy, tripartite partners are working together to raise digital skills, develop digital infrastructure, and enable companies to innovate. This will ensure that digitalisation benefits Singapore and Singaporeans, by transforming how we deliver Government services, grow new economic opportunities, strengthen the core of local talent, and improve the lives of our people.”
“Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will be able to participate in up to 80% of procurement opportunities. Even as we push ahead with our digital transformation as a nation, every Singaporean must feel that they are a part of and can benefit from Smart Nation. To do so, digital technology must enhance, instead of replace, the human touch. COVID-19 has shown that vulnerable groups who are unable to access digital technology are at a greater risk of being left behind. Our digital services, for both public and private sector, need to be accessible and inclusive. The Government will take the lead to strengthen existing, and start new, digital inclusion efforts. These include efforts to translate digital services and websites commonly used by seniors into our official languages. Our digital services are tested for accessibility and meet accessibility standards, and we will constantly incorporate feedback from seniors and persons with disabilities. We will also work closely with MCI’s SG Digital Office to increase outreach to less digitally literate persons and equip them with the necessary hardware and skills. We will also continue to support the SG Together movement by engaging Singaporeans to experience, understand and co-create digital technology. We launched "SmartNation Together", an online series featuring tech-related talks and workshops, for all age groups. Many of these are conducted by Smart Nation Ambassadors, who are volunteers from all walks of life, united by a passion for tech. Singaporeans will also be able to co-create Smart Nation initiatives. At Smart Nation Co-Creating with Our People Everywhere (SCOPE) sessions, citizens can try out prototypes of upcoming products and share ideas on how to improve our services.”
“For Singapore to remain competitive and innovative in the post-COVID-19 world, businesses need to accelerate their digital transformation. SNDGG will support the work by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), and the various sector leads to build a digital economy and create more jobs for Singaporeans. In particular, we will use artificial intelligence (AI) to drive the next phase of Smart Nation, and implement the National AI Strategy. We will make it simpler, better and faster for businesses to transact digitally with the Government. With COVID-19, the GoBusiness platform was enhanced to help businesses to stay up-to-date on COVID-19-related regulations and apply for exemptions. GoBusiness also launched an e-Adviser to help businesses better identify relevant government support based on companies’ needs. Going forward, the platform will be expanded to include more services and personalised recommendations. To facilitate businesses going digital, the Government is working closely with the industry to build up national digital infrastructure, platforms and standards, that can be used by both the public and private sectors. The National Digital Identity platform will provide a suite of trusted services to help business digitise and transact securely with customers. Our E-Payments infrastructure enables seamless and secure payment. For instance, there are now over 2.4 million individuals registered for PayNow Mobile, 1.7 million for PayNow NRIC and 200,000 companies for PayNow Corporate. Our digitalisation efforts will help develop capabilities within the local Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. The value of Government ICT contracts is projected to increase by over 30% for FY20, to $3.5 billion.”
“Many agencies have already brought forward their timelines in view of COVID-19. This enables all citizens and businesses to transact with us in a paperless, "presence-less", and cashless manner, for greater convenience, and at this time, with greater safety. We will continue to put users at the centre, and maintain high citizen and business satisfaction with digital Government services, which were at 86% and 78% in 2019 respectively. We rebranded the Moments of Life app as LifeSG. The app now provides a one-stop directory of key Government services grouped by topics and provides recommendations on programmes and events, based on the user’s profile and interests. We will add more features and personalisation in the coming months. We will use technology to build Singapore into a Smart City, and to improve quality of life. JTC's Open Digital Platform at Punggol Digital District enables centralised and more efficient district management. The Housing Development Board's (HDB) Smart Hub integrates data to improve estate management and facilitate better town planning. These will be linked to the Smart Nation Sensor Platform to enable even more use cases. We continue to strengthen our cyber and data security measures and update our data governance policies. We are implementing the recommendations made by the Public Sector Data Security Review Committee, which will strengthen the Government's data security regime. We will continue to improve on these measures to ensure that data is safeguarded and used securely. For greater transparency, we will also publish and report on past data incidents. Amidst a global downturn, we must ensure economic resilience and preserve jobs for Singaporeans.”
“The Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) aims to build a Smart Nation where people acquire relevant skills for new jobs in a digital future and our enterprises become more competitive and productive by leveraging on technology. We will drive digital transformation nationwide, build long-term capabilities within Government, and enhance services to the public. The COVID-19 crisis has brought to the fore the importance of digitalisation, and the importance of developing deep engineering capabilities to respond effectively. GovTech rapidly engineered digital solutions to enable a more effective response to COVID-19. TraceTogether and SafeEntry have helped to make contact tracing faster and more accurate. We have started distribution of TraceTogether tokens to seniors and those who do not own smartphones. The Government also built a suite of digital tools to direct Singaporeans to the relevant delivery points of essential items like masks and tokens. We have adapted to Circuit Breaker and the urgent need to reduce physical contact by accelerating digitalisation: home-based learning and working were widely practised, and more businesses and Government services have shifted online. Our quick response and adaption have been possible because we have been steadily building our digital foundations and capabilities over the past few years. COVID-19 presents both a challenge, but also an opportunity to leverage and build on our gains in digitalisation. We must grasp this opportunity and accelerate the transformation of Government, Economy, and Society through technology, to allow us to emerge stronger into a post-COVID-19 world. All Government services will be digital from end-to-end by 2023, as committed in the Digital Government Blueprint.”
“In the spirit of SG Together, we will continue to ensure Singaporeans are aware of the Government's collective efforts to address challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, increase our relevance, and expand our space on the global stage.”
“We will continue to advocate for trade and investment liberalisation, a free, open and rules-based multilateral system, the importance of preserving supply chain connectivity, facilitating the flow of essential goods, and promoting vaccine multilateralism. These are critical to Singapore's growth and prosperity. We will work with partners to foster an environment where individuals, businesses, and governments can transact safely in cyberspace and thereby create opportunities for Singaporeans in the new digital era. We will also continue to contribute to efforts to address global challenges like climate change and sustainable development and developing global public health protocols and standards. MFA will continue to enhance relations with countries in other regions including the Middle East, Central Asia, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Latin America is increasingly an important source of food for Singapore, and potentially a growing market for our companies' expertise. We have embarked on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the Pacific Alliance and MERCOSUR regional blocs to enhance our economic ties. We will also utilise our Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP) to support the efforts of developing countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Foreign policy begins at home. As we navigate the challenging times ahead, we must ensure that first and foremost, we are strong and united as Singaporeans. This will strengthen our credibility when we work with external partners to strengthen our bilateral relations, regional standing, and international presence.”
“Singapore will continue to work closely with our fellow ASEAN Member States, as well as ASEAN's external partners, to enhance ASEAN's global footprint. We share substantive and growing economic, defence, and people-to-people ties with our Southeast Asian neighbours and are developing new areas of cooperation such as smart city infrastructure, FinTech, digital technology, innovation, as well as agri-trade to secure and diversify our supply chains. Beyond Southeast Asia, we will continue to strengthen our political, economic, and strategic ties, and explore new areas of cooperation particularly in vaccine multilateralism, which would be critical to help Singapore secure early and adequate access to COVID-19 vaccines. For instance, we are cooperating with the US on emerging areas such as cybersecurity and infrastructure financing. With China, we will leverage on the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation to expand bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas including public health. At the same time, we will continue with our active engagement of other key partners including India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, and the European Union, and explore ways to enhance cooperation in areas such as public health, reciprocal green lanes, and supply chain connectivity. We will have to work together with friends in the international community to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines for people in all countries. Beyond the pandemic, we are strengthening cooperation with international partners in areas such as vocational education and sustainable development. We will continue to play a constructive role at various multilateral fora, including the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Trade Organization.”
“In the months since, we have continued to work with the international community to cope with the travel and movement restrictions imposed by the pandemic while safeguarding Singapore's interests and Singaporeans' welfare. COVID-19 will continue to be a threat for the foreseeable future and we must be prepared for the uncertainty that lies ahead. For those Singaporeans who have chosen to remain abroad, their families here are understandably concerned about their well-being. MFA remains committed to helping overseas Singaporeans and doing our part to bring peace of mind to their families at home. As a small nation-state, developing strong, sustainable, and multi-faceted partnerships is vital for Singapore's long-term security and continued prosperity. Maintaining and strengthening our relations with our immediate neighbours, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, is more critical than ever as we work to maintain supply chains for essential trade and overcome the longer-term socio-economic impact of the pandemic. In our relations with Malaysia, we continue to adopt a win-win approach in the many areas where we have common interests, such as the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link project that both sides have agreed to proceed with. We are also discussing measures to progressively restore cross-border travel between Singapore and Malaysia while ensuring the health and safety of the citizens of both countries. We are also keeping up our strong and mutually-beneficial cooperation with Indonesia and will explore ways to support each other's economic recovery. ASEAN continues to be a cornerstone of Singapore's foreign policy, serving as the necessary bedrock for a stable, peaceful, and prosperous region.”
“The mission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is to uphold Singapore's independence and sovereignty while advancing the interests of Singapore overseas and providing consular services to Singaporeans. In the midst of this unprecedented crisis, we will continue to prioritise these key areas of MFA's work: First, looking after Singaporeans overseas; Second, managing and strengthening relations with our immediate neighbours, ASEAN, and key regional and international partners and; Third, maintaining our relevance on the global stage and engaging our international partners as we embark on our collective fight against COVID-19. Even as we deal with the massive health, economic, and social impact of the pandemic, we need to maintain our engagement on the global stage. COVID-19 has reinforced how important it is for Singapore to continue to play an active role internationally and deepen our interactions with key stakeholders and at multilateral fora. The fight against COVID-19 is a global one and we cannot win it alone. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, more Singaporeans than ever were living, working, studying, and travelling overseas. COVID-19 has deeply affected these overseas Singaporeans and their families. In the weeks and months following the outbreak, we saw numerous Singaporeans return home. MFA officers, together with other Ministries and agencies, were heavily involved in these repatriation efforts. Our officers worked around the clock and went beyond the call of duty to help their fellow Singaporeans in their time of need. Singaporeans know that we will leave no Singaporean behind. Diplomacy was crucial in these efforts. MFA worked closely with our international partners on these repatriation missions.”
“If the close contact data is required for contact tracing, only a small group of authorised officers in MOH will have access to it. All the public sector data protection rules will also apply. I need to emphasise again that quick and accurate contact tracing is a necessity. In fact, it has become all the more essential now that we are emerging from the circuit breaker. Because if you think about it, if everyone is at home, in fact, the need for contact tracing is minimal. But now that we have more people moving about, going to work, there will be more occasions when more people will have more close interactions with each other. Therefore, the collection and use of this data for contact tracing becomes even more essential. It will speed up the isolation of close contacts and reduce the risk of them spreading COVID-19 to their loved ones, family members, friends, colleagues and the community at large. If we can reduce the incidence of clusters by better and faster contact tracing, then we can avoid having to re-introduce restrictive circuit breaker measures in the future. So, I hope all members of the public will work with us to achieve this.”
“Notwithstanding the limitations of coverage today, the data from TraceTogether has already been a very helpful additional tool for our contact tracers, especially when it is used in combination with other data sources. In some cases, it has improved the contact tracing process by automatically generating a preliminary list of close contacts for quarantine, and thereby it reduces the time taken to isolate these contacts and prevents them from spreading the disease more extensively. I would like to emphasise that contact tracing remains a professional skill that is ultimately dependent on human judgement. Technology is an enabler; it is not a replacement for human judgement. We thank those who have voluntarily downloaded the app to date and we urge more to download the app. We have also just upgraded the app to register the NRIC or FIN of the user, in addition to the user's mobile number, so that we can more quickly establish the link between the identity of the confirmed cases and their close contacts. To Mr Gan Thiam Poh's question, we do not, at this point in time, have the breakdown of the downloads by gender or age, because such data is not currently collected by the app. Yesterday, we issued a written response to Mr Murali Pillai who had asked about the confidentiality of the data, and I think it is worth me reiterating that again, that the data is stored only on your own phone in the first instance and accessed by MOH only if the individual tests positive for COVID-19. This data is only used for contact tracing. There are safeguards, including encryption, in place to protect this from malicious hackers. The data that is older than 25 days will be automatically deleted from your phone.”
“Let me recap for Members what TraceTogether does. TraceTogether is basically a contact tracing app which uses your phone's Bluetooth function to detect other phones nearby. It keeps a record of other TraceTogether users whom you happen to be in close contact with. It encrypts and stores this data on your own handphone. If, in the unlikely event, you turn out to be positive or diagnosed with COVID-19, this data is then uploaded to MOH, and the contact tracing teams in MOH use this to quickly identify, isolate patients, quarantine people who may be at risk or have been infected by you and can transmit the disease onwards. Today, TraceTogether has been downloaded on a voluntary basis by 1.5 million users. The number of downloads, particularly given that it is voluntary, is encouraging. Unfortunately, the app does not appear to work as well on iOS or Apple devices as the iOS operating system suspends Bluetooth scanning when the app is running in the background. We have had repeated discussions both at the technical and policy level with Apple, but we have not yet been able to find a satisfactory solution. Because TraceTogether does not work equally well across all smart phones, we have decided, therefore, at this point in time, not to mandate the compulsory use of TraceTogether. Instead, we are developing and will soon roll out a portable wearable device that will achieve the same objective as TraceTogether, but will not depend on possession of a smart phone. If this portable device works, we may then distribute it to everyone in Singapore. I believe this will be more inclusive and it will ensure that all of us will be protected.”
“The Cabinet in Malaysia has not been announced yet. I do not want to prejudge the issue. But I will just make two points that we know all the people on the political scene in Malaysia. In fact, we have taken extra effort to maintain those links and to build that reservoir of goodwill and trust. So, let us keep an open mind. The second point I want to make is the importance of consistency and a principled foreign policy. So, I hope this is a moment where Singaporeans will appreciate it is good to be boring and consistent.”
“Fifty-five years ago, our founding Foreign Minister, Mr S Rajaratnam, declared to this House that the "primary task of our foreign policy will always be to safeguard our Independence from external threats". The sweat and toil of our predecessors has ensured we retain this Independence today – a very precious thing that we cannot take for granted. It means we, today, have freedom of action in both domestic and internal and international policy. It means we are no one's proxy, no one's stalking horse. It means that we are able to exercise our sovereign rights in a rules-based world order governed by international law. And it means our distressed citizens overseas have a country, a city-state and a home to come back to. We must thus continue to invest a fair share of our resources in diplomacy, so that we have the capacity to protect our sovereignty and most importantly, keep Singapore and Singaporeans safe. I thank Members of the House for your support of this mission although as I said earlier, we are actually asking for a little bit less money this year. [Applause.]”
“This is not in the interests of China or the rest of the world. The strategic choices of the US and China will shape whether the two superpowers reach a mutual understanding and foster a stable global order where the rest of us will have peace and prosperity and fair opportunities. Or they could end up at odds with each other and leave other countries scrambling to avoid the fallout. This would be a big step backward for humanity, not only because every country will be less secure and less prosperous, but also because it will be a more troubled and less stable world, as mutual suspicions and anxieties build up. It will be much harder to deal with global issues like climate change and even public health emergencies, not least the on-going COVID-19 outbreak. 5.00 pm Southeast Asia has long been a theatre of major power competition. This is not new. While Singapore may find ourselves squeezed in the middle, we must avoid choosing sides. Instead, we must find ways to deepen and enhance our cooperation with both China and the US, including in new areas of mutual interest, and encourage all parties to act in accordance with international law. As I have previously stressed, we want to be friends with both the US and China. We hope wisdom and restraint will prevail on both sides. We do not want to be caught in their crossfire or be seen as taking one side or the other. Both the US and China must know that although we want to have good relations with both, we do not do things at their behest. Ultimately, we act in a principled way and we will only do what is in the best long-term interests of Singapore citizens.”
“Members will be aware that both the US and China signed what they call a Phase One trade deal in January this year, but frankly, thornier issues between them have been left to phase two and we hope that both countries can continue to make progress on this front, but more fundamentally, a trade deal, even a comprehensive trade deal, between them will not resolve all the strategic contradictions between the US and China. Going forward, both sides must make strategic choices. The US has to decide how to deal with China. It can work with China in the global order, get China to participate within a rules-based system and compete with China on a fair basis or the US can strive to remain the dominant power in all arenas, in all areas at all costs and seek to arrange international rules so as to limit China's power and influence. On China’s part, as China seeks to increase its influence globally, China has to decide whether it wants to be a benign superpower, welcomed and respected by other countries, including the US and projecting soft power. If so, China must be willing to make adjustments to participate within the international rules-based system and give space to others, especially other small countries. There should be room for all countries, big and small, to have their interests represented fairly. Doing so will reflect China’s enlightened and inclusive view of its own long-term interests, and enhance China’s standing and influence in the world. However, if China does not give sufficient attention to the interests and concerns of other countries and is not sufficiently restrained in wielding its growing strength, then it may get its way on the international stage in the short term, but in the long term, this will seed resentment and pushback.”
“The US had intended to convene an ASEAN-US Special Summit in Las Vegas next week and Prime Minister had agreed to go. However, the meeting has now been postponed because of the COVID-19 situation. We look forward to resuming the interactions at a high-level when the situation improves. The US has major equities in our region – and particularly in Singapore. It bears repeating that Singapore’s largest investor – let me put it the other way. The largest investor in Singapore is the United States of America. In 2018, the United States' investment stock in Singapore stood at S$289 billion, making us in fact the largest recipient of US FDI in Asia. Let me turn to China. Since opening up 40 years ago, 改革开放 by Deng Xiaoping, China has undergone tremendous growth and transformation. In fact, it has been the biggest beneficiary of globalisation and free trade. Our government-to-government (G-to-G) projects in Suzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing are icons of success that reflect Singapore’s complementary role at various phases of China’s spectacular development and even though we are so small, Singapore has been China’s largest foreign investor since 2013. Minister of State Sam Tan will elaborate on our bilateral cooperation with China later. Mr Vikram Nair has highlighted the need for us to maintain good relations with both the US and China. Actually, the key variable is the relationship between the US and China and that determines how the rest of us will have to arrange our affairs.”
“We are working together to explore new areas of cooperation, for example, agri-food cooperation and FinTech, while also continuing to deepen our ties between the younger generation of leaders on both sides. We continue to explore opportunities for younger Singapore leaders to engage the younger generation of Brunei leaders through platforms, such as the annual Young Leaders' programme. Let me now turn to major power relations. If you look beyond our immediate neighbourhood, Singapore continues to be vulnerable to the vicissitudes of a rapidly-evolving and uncertain global environment in the throes of a digital revolution. Mr Baey Yam Keng’s asked on the mature and multi-faceted links between Singapore and the US. Well, these links reflect the vital role that United States has played in this region for both security and economic development over many decades. A rules-based global order with free trade and flow of investments has been a formula for peace and prosperity across the globe for more than seven decades since the end of the Second World War. Singapore, in particular, has been a clear beneficiary, like many other emerging economies in our region. Therefore, we continue to believe in upholding international law and a global rules-based system, even as we recognise that some of these rules will need to be updated to suit a rapidly evolving multi-polar world. Although this is a presidential year in the United States, the US continues to maintain its ties with our region. Prime Minister Lee met President Donald Trump in New York last September and you will recall from the earlier discussion, signed a renewal of the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation between our two countries.”
“Singapore remains the largest investor in Indonesia with strong economic cooperation and our security agencies maintain close and regular contact. However, there are issues that arise from time to time. As the two leaders announced at the Leaders' Retreat last year, Singapore and Indonesia have agreed on a framework which provides a sound and comprehensive basis for discussion on two sensitive issues – the management of our Flight Information Region and military training. This framework sets out the core principles and considerations concerning these two issues. On the basis of this framework, discussions on these two issues are proceeding separately but concurrently. No deadline has been set for the conclusion of these talks. We will address these issues in accordance with: first, international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, International Civil Aviation Authority Rules, ICAO rules and provisions; second, respect for Indonesia's sovereignty over its territory; third, respect for Singapore's long-standing rights to conduct military training in accordance with UNCLOS; fourth, the long-term needs of Changi Airport. So, this will be a major round of work for our negotiators and we will update the House accordingly in the future. For Brunei, Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked about our bilateral relationship. Well, our long-standing special relationship is built on strong strategic trust at the Leaders’ level, and the pillars of strong defence cooperation and the Currency Interchangeability Agreement. You will remember that the Brunei dollar and a Singapore dollar are interchangeable.”
“However, if despite our best efforts Singapore and Malaysia are unable to reach an amicable outcome on these issues through negotiations, then Singapore is prepared to resolve them through arbitration on terms mutually agreed to by both countries. This is like how we have successfully resolve other bilateral issues in the past. This is what Prime Minister Lee and Tun Mahathir agreed at the 9th Leaders' Retreat in April last year. I have explained all this in some detail so that both Malaysians and Singaporeans will appreciate and we are taking a consistent, a constructive and a mutually beneficial approach to the development of water infrastructure in Johor. Both sides have benefited from these arrangements and need to continue cooperating effectively and urgently to meet the future challenges. But, ultimately, water is but one issue out of many bilateral areas of cooperation and we must not let any single issue colour the overall positive and multi-faceted relationship we should look ahead to see how we can cooperate and resolve issues for mutual benefit and for the benefit of future generations. We, therefore, hope that when Prime Minister Muhyiddin's cabinet is formed, we will be able to pick up where we last left off and continue our discussions on the outstanding important matters, including water. Let me turn to Indonesia. Mr Vikram Nair and Mr Seah Kian Peng, both asked asked about Singapore's relations with Indonesia. With Indonesia, our deep and multi-faceted relationship is rooted in the belief that cooperation is beneficial for both sides. We convene an annual Leaders' Retreat between our Prime Minister and the Indonesian President and these retreats involve many cabinet members on both sides.”
“This is out of goodwill and this again illustrates the interdependence and how these arrangements have actually been of mutual benefit to both sides. 4.45 pm The steps need to be taken and taken now to protect the Johor River from pollution and to enhance the yield of the river and to manage the total amount of water being drawn from the river. Singapore and Malaysia could otherwise end up in a very difficult situation down the road, especially in dry weather conditions. And if you believe, as I do, that climate change will make the situation worse. If Johor is unable to fulfil its obligations to provide us with 250 million gallons of raw water, as stipulated by the Water Agreement, this will have grave consequences. It would undermine the sanctity of the 1962 Water agreement. It will severely damage our bilateral relationship. Members will recall that the 1962 Water Agreement is guaranteed by Malaysia as part of the Separation Agreement in 1965. And this is the sacred document on which we draw our Independence. In order to head off such an eventuality, Singapore has been prepared to hold discussions with Malaysia on these matters related to the 1962 Water Agreement upfront without prejudice to our legal position. We are even willing to discuss the possibility of Singapore sharing the cost of pollution control measures and new schemes to increase the yield of the Johor River since this is important for both sides. We are, therefore, negotiating with Malaysia on these issues in good faith to explore a practical, durable and mutually beneficial solution for both sides. So, I think Mr Singh's comments just now are entirely consonant with the position that we are taking.”
“Emeritus Senior Minister Goh was just sharing with me just now that in fact the two of them had a final round of negotiations in what was then the NOL Penthouse. This 1990 Water Agreement led to the construction of the Linggiu Reservoir that was completed in 1993 to ensure the sustainable abstraction of our entitlement of 250 million gallons per day of raw water from the Johor River. Had Malaysia exercised the right to review the price of water in 1987 as provided for by the 1962 Water Agreement, Singapore might then have made different investment decisions to develop the Johor River, including the Linggiu Dam. In recent years, we have made further progress. Malaysia built a barrage along the Johor River at Kota Tinggi in order to keep seawater from intruding upstream and affecting the abstraction of water from the Johor River. Again, Members of the House may not realise how shallow Johor River is. The seawater from the Straits comes all the way up to Kota Tinggi. But anyway, this barrage helped. The barrage became fully operational in March 2017 but, let me be frank, much more needs to be done and to be done urgently. Johor's own water needs are increasing as its economy and as its population grow. Already from time to time, Johor's own supplies have run short and the State has had to impose water rationing and buy additional treated water from PUB. In fact, during periods of drought, there have been occasions when they have bought more than four times their entitlement because they needed the additional water. Even in normal times, they buy more than three times their entitlement under the Water Agreement. PUB, out of good will, has continued to provide this additional treated water to Johor at the same price of 50 sen per thousand gallons.”
“Both sides must also discuss the yield and the quality of the water from the Johor River, so as to ensure that Singapore can continue to draw our entitlement of 250 million gallons per day of raw water under the 62WA for the remaining 41 years of the Water Agreement. We have also been concerned for a very long time about the yield and quality of the water from the Johor River. Mr Pritam Singh in fact referred to the recurrent episodes of pollution. The Malaysians have built two major water treatment plants which are drawing water from the Johor River upstream of Singapore's PUB Johor River Waterworks. The Malaysian water treatment plants' abstraction from the Johor River, in addition to Singapore's entitlement of 250 million gallons per day, has caused the total abstraction to exceed the Johor River's sustainable yield. In addition to that, there have been recurrent pollution incidents in the Johor River. These developments have forced the PUB Johor River Waterworks to shut down temporarily on multiple occasions, and I say that with the benefit of experience from my time in MEWR. Singapore has raised these concerns with successive Prime Ministers of Malaysia on many occasions. Prime Minister Lee previously raised them with Datuk Seri Najib Razak and also with Tun Mahathir Mohamad. In fact, the 1990 Water Agreement, which is a supplement to the 1962 Water Agreement, was the result of prolonged negotiations between Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Tun Mahathir. I believe those negotiations in fact began in 1982. Members may not be familiar with the additional fact, which is that Tan Sri Muhyiddin played a key role as the then-Menteri Besar of Johor.”
“We have been able also to advance other areas of cooperation, including Iskandar Malaysia, more recently, setting up a Joint Working Group between our Ministries of Health on COVID-19. Mr Pritam Singh has asked for an update on the bilateral issues in particular, on the 1962 Water Agreement (62WA). Singapore's position, a long-standing position which successive Foreign Ministers have reiterated is that Malaysia has lost the right to review the price of water under the 62WA, and we had told Malaysia this, as early as 2002, when Singapore last negotiated with Malaysia on water as part of a package deal. Malaysia cannot unilaterally revise the price of water. Our legal position remains unchanged. Then-Prime Minister Mahathir had raised with Prime Minister Lee on several occasions his desire to revise the price of raw water sold to Singapore. Malaysia subsequently made proposals on a new price for raw water. In the spirit of bilateral cooperation, but without prejudice to our position that Malaysia has lost the right of review, we have been willing to listen to and to discuss Malaysia's proposals on the basis that there must be a balance of benefits for both sides. I have in fact had some preliminary discussions over the past couple of months over two meetings with my then-Malaysian counterpart, Dato' Saifuddin Abdullah. I believe we met in December 2019 and January 2020. We made it clear to Malaysia that any review of the price of raw water sold to Singapore will also mean a review of the price of treated water sold to Johor.”
“He has not announced it yet but we know many of the personalities who are potential cabinet members and we know them from our prolonged engagement over decades and we wish them sincerely all the very best. We hope we will continue to have a constructive, mutually beneficial relationship with Malaysia and we look forward to resuming the discussions on the on-going issues and projects, which Members are all aware of. We have always sought a win-win approach in the many areas where we have common interests, such as the Singapore-Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System (RTS) and the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail (HSR). These are mutually beneficial projects for both countries. But after the Pakatan Harapan government took office in May 2018, Members will recall that these projects were delayed. When that happened, Singapore could have enforced our legal rights and we could have sought full compensation from Malaysia. But in the spirit of constructive bilateral cooperation, at Malaysia's request, we agreed to temporarily suspend both projects through formal agreements and we gave Malaysia time – time to review their position and to propose amendments to what both sides had in fact agreed to contractually before. However, these major infrastructural projects cannot be suspended indefinitely. At some point, we do need to decide whether to proceed or not. We look forward to hearing from Malaysia on these two projects in particular in the coming months. At the same time, we have continued to have a constructive discussion on the maritime boundary delimitation. Members will recall the problems that we had last year.”
“Two weeks ago, I was in Vientiane for a Special Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) and a Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers Meeting. We reaffirmed the importance of openness, decisiveness and cooperation to collectively address the crisis. When I stood here a year ago, I said peace and stability for our immediate neighbourhood are absolutely essential. Well, recent events just in the last one week have underlined this imperative. As our closest neighbours, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei will always be of special importance to us. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim asked about our relationship with Malaysia. Members will know that our ties with Malaysia are deeply rooted in history, the people-to-people ties and business links. More than 300,000 people cross our land links daily for business, work and other reasons. The causeway is one of the busiest cross-border road-links in the world. Both countries, Malaysia and Singapore, are each other's second-largest trading partner and also important investment partners for each other. More personally, many of us seated in this Chamber will have family members or relatives who are Malaysian or who live in Malaysia. We therefore have long-standing and broad-ranging relations with Malaysia. Over the years, we have worked with successive Malaysian governments for the mutual benefit of both countries. Members would be aware, of course, of the on-going major political developments just across the Causeway last week. We congratulate Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on being appointed Malaysia's eighth Perdana Menteri. In fact, Prime Minister Lee telephoned him yesterday to convey his congratulations personally. We look forward to Prime Minister Muhyiddin forming his new cabinet soon.”
“Our Embassy in Beijing had to coordinate closely with the Chinese government at the centre and with the Hubei provincial government to arrange these repatriation missions. I will be very frank. Our decision around that same time to impose travel restrictions on travellers from mainland China was not an easy one. Our paramount consideration was to protect public health in Singapore. After all, we are a densely populated city-state and we are an international transportation hub. We did not want to import nor export infection. These stringent measures were necessary to prevent the virus from spreading here. These measures, I should add, were not directed at any specific country, nationality or race, but we recognised that this could impact our bilateral relations with China. We therefore gave China a "heads-up" before making the public announcement and we made a special effort to explain why we had to do this. When I spoke to a senior Chinese leader recently, he conveyed China's understanding of the actions that we had taken due to the unique circumstances faced by Singapore. I think his exact words to me was, "我们可以理解你们的特殊情况". He expressed his gratitude for our efforts to support China during this crisis. We sent testing equipment and test kits which were developed in Singapore to Wuhan. We also sent personal protective equipment and other medical supplies that were needed because of the sheer scale of the challenges that they were facing in Wuhan. The Singapore Red Cross has raised more than $6 million for the affected communities across China, and we have been working together with the international community to address this emerging global epidemic – and some people would say, pandemic.”
“New cases are occurring daily across the globe. Singaporeans, understandably, are concerned about their well-being and their loved ones. As Prime Minister Lee highlighted in his televised address on 8 February 2020, this is also the time for Singaporeans to pull together in solidarity. While the focus is on containing and overcoming the crisis at home, we must do our best to take care of Singaporeans abroad affected by the travel restrictions or indeed, are at risk of exposure to the virus themselves. Members will know that we launched two flights in late-January and early-February this year to Wuhan to bring our people home. There were a total of 266 Singaporeans and their family members from Hubei Province in China who returned. This was a major, delicate whole-of-Government operation. MFA worked closely with MOH, MOT, MHA, several other agencies and with the airline Scoot to arrange the flight repatriations and quarantine measures for our returning Singaporeans – for their safety and for the larger population. Whilst many people were trying to leave Wuhan, it is noteworthy that our pilots, flight crew, nurses and MFA consular officers volunteered to fly into the epicentre of the epidemic. They accepted personal risk. They went beyond the call of duty to bring fellow Singaporeans home. These officers themselves had to be quarantined for 14 days, separated from their family members. Their service, their personal sacrifice should be recognised and commended. I believe this was a display of the Singapore spirit at its best, tested and proven in a time of crisis. [Applause.] 4.30 pm Diplomacy was also crucial.”
“Mr Chairman, Members of this House, I will start with a quiz. Which two Ministries are asking for less money this year, than last year? Twenty-nineteen was a busy and eventful year for MFA. This year will be no different. I wish to address three key aspects of our foreign policy today. These are: first, looking after Singaporeans overseas; second, managing relations with our immediate neighbours; and, third, engaging major powers, specifically the US and China. MFA's mission is to uphold Singapore’s independence and sovereignty; and advance the interests of Singaporeans, at home and especially, overseas. Today, more Singaporeans than ever before are living, working and travelling overseas. This means more Singaporeans will occasionally run into trouble overseas – be it personal crises, epidemics, natural disasters or political unrest. I have personally met Singaporeans who have lost loved ones in tragic overseas incidents or been released from detention overseas, and most recently, Singaporeans returning from Wuhan, the epicentre of COVID-19. All these Singaporeans have shared with me, that when the chips are down and when they are in a moment of great distress, what is most comforting is to hear that familiar Singapore-accented voice. The human touch made all the difference. These Singaporeans are so grateful to the Foreign Service officers who go beyond the call of duty to reach out to fellow Singaporeans at the point in need. They know we will leave no Singaporean behind. This is a 24/7 commitment – and I do want to express our deepest appreciation to all our consular officers all over the world, who are doing this. It is telling that this year's MFA debates began with questions from Mr Vikram Nair and Ms Joan Pereira on COVID-19.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary question. There are multiple reasons that they have offered. Some of them, clearly, are working and living there, and their livelihoods depend on their presence in China. Others have got family members there and although there was opportunity for them to return, because they felt an obligation to look after their extended families, they stayed on. There were others – perhaps not so much now but in the earlier phase of the crisis – who were worried even about travelling, making the journey to Wuhan, and therefore, decided that they would stay in place. I think every family will have its own unique reasons. The key point is this: we will remain in touch; we will do our best to help. It would also help if they eRegistered with us because that gives us an immediate, direct line to them; and similarly, for them to us.”
“I am also pleased that on the two flights on 30 January and 9 February this year, with the assistance of the Chinese government, the Singapore Government was able to facilitate the safe return home of 266 fellow Singaporeans and their family members from Hubei. It helped that many of them were eRegistered, which made it much easier for us to contact them and to make the arrangements to bring them home. Upon their return to Singapore, they were placed on quarantine in Government Quarantine Facilities. Amongst the 266, seven of them had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. I am glad to report that all have since been discharged from hospital. We will have to continue to keep watch on the viral outbreak in China and indeed, in many other places of the world as the situation unfolds. In the meantime, life must go on, even as we take additional precautions and make the necessary adjustments. I would like to commend the consular officers of MFA who have been working extra hard to look out for overseas Singaporeans. We will not leave any Singaporean behind. I am confident that we will get through this crisis as one united people.”
“Mr Speaker, since the outbreak of the COVID-19, we have seen more than 2,000 new eRegistrants for mainland China in our system. Whilst we do not track the movements of Singaporeans overseas, it is reasonable for us to assume that a number of them would have since visited Mainland China and left, or returned to Singapore, at least for the time being. Based on our current records, there are still more than 1,900 Singaporeans in mainland China who are eRegistered with us. We believe that the actual number of Singaporeans there is much higher. Therefore, this is as good a time as any for me to remind all Singaporeans overseas to please eRegister with MFA. In particular, given the on-going COVID-19 outbreak in China and in many other countries, we urge Singaporeans to eRegister with us. It enables us to stay in touch with them, to contact them and to provide for any emergency or urgent messages, as well as for them to stay in contact with us. I should also add, as the Minister in charge of the Smart Nation initiative that we have now made it even easier than every before to eRegister using SingPass Mobile. Our Embassy in Beijing and our Consulates-General in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Xiamen maintain close contact with the Singapore community in mainland China. Any Singaporean there who is in need of consular assistance can approach my colleagues in those Missions at any time. To date, we are aware of one Singaporean who was infected with the virus and hospitalised in Hubei. Our Embassy in Beijing has been in touch with him to offer consular assistance and I am very pleased to inform the House that he has since been discharged from hospital in China.”
“I hope collectively, we have addressed the Member's concern about data security and privacy, and the need to get that balance right in order to maintain public confidence. Senior Minister State Janil may not have mentioned lamp posts specifically, but he did talk about security. And I think this House is also aware of the overarching policy and legislative framework for data security, both within Government and in the private sector.”
“There is increased of capacity to deal with rapidly changing circumstances and emergencies in the real world. We will continue to evolve how the Government operates innovatively in a digital environment and we will work even more closely in partnership with our people.”
“These attributes have made them very convenient to deploy sensors on. We are deploying sensors and testing out some use cases. For instance, to keep track of environmental quality sensing, traffic congestion and crowd safety. Let me assure Mr Pritam Singh – I listened carefully to his speech. I think that the key point that he made is balance: that we must get the balance right between acquiring data, using it and protecting privacy and security. If we get the balance right – and we have to maintain public confidence – then we can truly reap the benefits that come with it. So, I need to assure you that we have very stringent data management and protection standards to govern the access, the use and the disclosure of all collected data by the Government and our vendors. In particular, only officers with legitimate use of the data will be able to access the data, and the data will be de-identified for data analysis and for planning work. It will be identifiable only when absolutely necessary. For instance, in service delivery or in the case of facial recognition, if the Police need it to identify missing persons or for the purposes of investigation, then, under carefully controlled circumstances, that will be enabled. I would like to remind the House that public officers are subjected to the Public Service (Governance) Act, which makes mis-handling and unauthorised access of data a criminal offence. Going forward, we will find more opportunities to deploy sensors on lamp posts, but we will ensure that the collected data is stored and used securely, and Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary will elaborate on this later. Let me conclude. Smart Nation has benefited citizens and businesses.”
“We will streamline our digital transactions, make them even more user-centric, and provide businesses with information and tools so that they can capitalise on opportunities and to reduce cost. MTI will elaborate on this during its COS. We will also be exploring more National Digital Identity use cases for businesses in order to make it cheaper, easier and faster for them to go digital. We are testing the use of SingPass by businesses so they do not have to build and secure their own digital identity verification systems. Union members can currently access the U Portal via SingPass and Republic Plaza grants building access when visitors enter via SingPass Mobile. No more surrendering your NRIC. We also ran a 12-month pilot last year for MyInfo Business to help SMEs pre-fill their Government-verified data for bank account opening and loan applications. Later this year, we will extend such pre-filling to more business-to-business (B2B) services. Of course, a Smart Nation must go beyond just fancy online services and apps. It must improve the daily lived experience, as emphasised by Dr Teo Ho Pin. Punggol Town will be our test bed to implement smart technologies such as the Open Digital Platform and smart energy grids in our towns. Later this year, we will share more about how smart features in residential estates and community facilities will benefit Punggol residents and ultimately – I must emphasise – all other towns. Mr Pritam Singh has asked about the trials of Lamppost as a Platform in One North and Geylang, and I thank him for asking that. Let me just take a step back and explain why lampposts. Lampposts are ubiquitous. There are 100,000 of them in Singapore. They have the advantage of being in a have fixed location. Lampposts do not move. They are always powered.”
“I say this not to blow our trumpets but to tell people that we are focused on the citizen's experience and on making sure we deliver real value to citizens. We will continue to improve digital services for both citizens and businesses. At the last count, we have about 100 Government apps. I do not take joy in that number, because citizens often tell me, "There is so many. Which one do I use?" To remedy this, we will systematically streamline the number of apps and our digital offerings. For a start, we will improve and re-organise the Moments of Life (MOL) app, which I described just now, with the eventual aim of personalising it for each user, as Ms Tin Pei Ling had suggested. If you think about it, we may all carry smartphones but everybody's home screen is unique. That is what individualisation, customisation is. And in a sense, the question is not the number of apps but whether those apps are customised and are suitable for you. Citizens will soon be able to access common Government services on Moments of Life like managing taxes and CPF matters, or even to make event bookings. These processes will continue to be reviewed and as I said – do not pay attention to the number of apps, pay attention to whether it meets your needs and more importantly, whether at the back-end, the Government is using this as an opportunity to re-engineer our processes to be more efficient, to be more cost-effective and to be more responsive. For businesses, we will be extending the user-centric approach that we have taken in setting up the GoBusiness Licensing portal to help more businesses meet their different needs as they start up, as they grow and as they run.”
“For instance, online retailers like Carousell who have promoted users as verified buyers or sellers when they sign up using MyInfo, thereby building up trust in online transactions and the marketplace. Businesses also report saving up to $50 per transaction and processing transactions five times faster when their customers use MyInfo to prefill forms. I should have explained MyInfo is basically linked to the NDI so that people do not have to repeatedly fill forms. As long as I have verified that online user, a carefully curated set of information which the user authorises is then made available to that business. Apart from Digital Identity, we have also made significant improvements in digital payment infrastructure, to support more use cases and to make sure it remains inter-operable and competitive. Today, over three-quarters of Singaporeans between the age of 20 and 75 years are registered with PayNow. Monthly transaction volumes nearly doubled over the course of last year, from 4.2 million to 8.1 million transactions. We are using PayNow more pervasively in our Government services and we are seeing high take-up rates. For instance, last year, 20,000 CPF members conducted over 90,000 CPF withdrawals using PayNow, which amounted to over $600 million being transferred almost instantly, in real time. 3.15 pm Through these efforts, citizens' and businesses' satisfaction rates have gone up – you know that we conduct regular surveys on this. We discovered that there has been an 8%-point increase from 2018 to 2019. Currently, those who are indicating satisfaction with Government digital services has gone up to about 86% and 77% respectively. These are the highest scores since we started measuring them in 2012.”