Wong Kan Seng
Singapore
“We all want a better future for our children and the future generations. Amid the debates, let us not lose sight of what we are working for – we are working for the benefit and future of Singaporeans. Not for growth targets, not for foreigners, but for Singaporeans.”
“Mrs Mildred Tan also suggested doing a longitudinal study on the impact of new citizens on Singapore. I am told that there is a periodic study on the perception of integration and rootedness of Singaporeans and PRs. A study is now ongoing too.”
“All they need to do is simply declare that they meet the residential criteria. EASING IN US ECONOMY (Impact on Singapore) 9. Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Senior Minister what will be the expected impact on the Singapore economy arising from the US Federal Reserve's announcement on 3rd November 2010 of a "quantitative easing" of the US economy…”
“Well, from the data I have here, 553 registered to vote before the 2006 GE and this is the data I have but Ms Lim may be right. There may be 1,000-odd that Ms Lim had mentioned. From what I am told now, we have 1,325 Singaporean overseas who are eligible to register to vote have registered.”
“But, as I said, there are so many other possibilities that they could come in and there could also be many possibilities that we could have missed and they have entered or left Singapore. LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS 2.”
“They are also recruiting people by offering them scholarships. So, we hope more of our companies can do that. Hopefully they come here to work for a while and, if they like our place, they may want to settle down. This is a place which they can think about. POPULATION AND TALENT DIVISION 5. Assoc. Prof.”
The complete record
Every one of 3,192 lines we hold for Wong Kan Seng, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 64.
“Through the Marriage and Procreation (M&P) package, we aim to provide holistic and comprehensive support to couples in getting married and having children but we also need to be realistic that even with our M&P package, we will not be able to turn our TFR around. Moreover, getting married and having children are intrinsically personal decisions. Singaporeans may still choose not to get married or have more children for various reasons. That leaves us with a sobering truth – Singaporeans are not producing enough babies to replace themselves. What are the implications of this? If our TFR remains the same, and we do not allow immigrants to settle here, our resident population will start to shrink as early as 2025 because deaths will outstrip births, just like what is happening in Japan today. In 1970, when our TFR was above 2.1, each elderly person was supported by 17 working adults. By 2020, one elderly person will be supported by five working adults. And by 2030, it will be one elderly person supported by just over three working adults. A larger elderly population in the future would also mean increased public expenditure due to increasing demands on our public healthcare, community and social support infrastructure. Taxes may have to be raised to increase support for the aged. With fewer younger people, our workforce and society will lose our vitality and vibrancy. This will mean that Singapore will become less attractive to foreign investors. Our own young talented Singaporeans may leave our shores for better opportunities in more dynamic economies. With fewer young Singaporeans, we will face grave challenges to maintain the strength and efficacy of our citizen armed forces, security and law enforcement agencies.”
“Besides broadening our talent pool, PRs and new citizens have another critical value for Singapore. Immigration is a key source of population augmentation which we cannot afford to do without. Let me explain. 4.30 pm We face a serious population challenge today. Last year, the number of resident births fell to 36,926 compared to 37,277 in 2008. But citizen births constituted only 31,843. Resident total fertility rate (TFR) fell to 1.23, our lowest yet. This is well below the 2.1 needed to replace ourselves. Our TFR is among the lowest in the world. Mr Seah Kian Peng suggested that we review the effectiveness of the marriage and parenthood package. The package was only recently enhanced, less than one-and-a-half years ago, in August 2008, and then the economic downturn occurred soon after. So my guess is that the economic downturn is likely to have played a part in the decline, and not like what Mr Chiam thinks, that it is because it is too hard to raise a family. Of course whether people have more children or not, whether they get married or not, is very much a personal decision. We would recall that in the last two recessions in 1998 and 2001, resident births fell by an average of 4,500. In 2009, the decline was smaller, only at 351. We believe that the 2008 marriage and parenthood package has helped to cushion this decline. Without the package, the decline could have been worse. It is too early now to review the marriage and parenthood package. We will let the 2008 marriage and parenthood package run for a while before doing a more comprehensive review. Sir, the Government is trying to address the problem of our low fertility rate and create a pro-family environment.”
“On the other hand, new immigrants could also initiate efforts to reach out to Singaporeans, and take part in activities organised for them by Singaporeans. Sir, although we will continue to welcome good quality PRs and new citizens who can contribute to Singapore, we stand by the principle that Singaporeans come first in their own country. No need to worry about this. Recently, the Government took measures to draw a greater distinction in privileges and benefits between Singaporeans and PRs in the areas of education and healthcare. This is necessary to recognise the privileges of citizenship, and to give PRs adequate incentive to convert to become Singapore citizens. However, we need to be sensible and balanced about how we go about this. For instance, we should never undermine the principle of meritocracy which makes us competitive and which ensures communal harmony and social cohesion. We must also avoid making ourselves so unattractive that suitable foreigners are deterred from sinking roots and becoming a part of Singapore. There is a global competition for good people with talent and if we make Singapore an inhospitable place, we will lose out. We will do ourselves great harm if others outside Singapore have the wrong impression that we are xenophobic. This will be against our national interest. We heard the story recounted by Mr Sam Tan that a PRC leader had said that even they are looking for talent. And New Zealand too. New Zealand is targeting Singaporeans, in particular, because they think that we are hardworking, we are honest and they want Singaporeans to be there. And the Australians, too, are also specifically targeting Singaporeans. So, we are in this world where competition for talent is very keen.”
“Like any seasoned GP in Singapore, he is able to interact with patients in a variety of languages, including dialects, English, and a bit of Mandarin. He prides himself on being able to provide medical consultation in Hokkien! It is hard to get much more Singaporean than that. Yet, he recalls wryly that whenever he speaks English, some patients would identify his non-native accent and ask him, "Doctor, where are you from?" Dr Gupta married a former PRC citizen who came here in 1995 and studied in our polytechnic to become a nurse. They now have two lovely children. Apart from Dr Gupta, we have also managed to attract his two brothers, who are also doctors in Singapore. When asked why he chose Singapore, since he married a PRC national, he said, "Well, my wife couldn't adjust to India, and I can't adapt in PRC, so Singapore is the best place for us." As Mr Sam Tan pointed out, new immigrants can play positive roles in building the future of Singapore alongside existing Singaporeans. Many immigrants are taking the first step to be part of Singapore society, through taking part in our grassroots activities and volunteering in community organisations. But it takes two hands to clap. Indeed, we have many Singaporeans, including 800 Integration and Naturalisation Champions from our grassroots organisations, who go about helping newcomers settle in and integrate into their communities as part of their daily lives. The INCs organised about 600 events last year for 30,000 new immigrants. Many Singaporeans took part in these events too. This should be encouraged. The newcomer’s transition into the community would be much smoother and faster if Singaporean neighbours and their co-workers take the initiative to welcome them and help them settle in.”
“Sir, we will put in more effort to integrate PRs and new citizens into our society. This will continue to be spearheaded by the National Integration Council, under MCYS, which was set up last year to promote and foster social cohesion and integration. The success of this endeavour will, however, depend on the support and response of both newcomers and Singaporeans. Sir, recently, I held a few dialogue sessions with Singaporeans and new immigrants. I met a research fellow from A*STAR, Dr Xue Bo who was very glad that he made the decision to move from a private condominium to an HDB flat in Jurong. There, he encountered a friendly neighbour, Mr Alan Lim, who took the first step in welcoming him and his family. Not only did he help Dr Xue’s family orientate themselves in the new neighbourhood, he also included them in his social circles and introduced them to his friends. Kind, helpful and practical gestures like these are deeply appreciated by those at the receiving end, and will go a long way towards making us more cohesive and harmonious even as we become more diverse. Integration is an ongoing journey and takes a long time. It cannot be rushed. It needs the direct and active involvement of both Singaporeans and new immigrants. Sir, having newcomers in our midst means dealing with differences in outlook and social habits. While we work to make them a part of us, we should also appreciate the little differences that make our social landscape more varied and vibrant. Let me share the story of Dr Anuj Gupta, a former Indian national, who came here as a Junior College student in 1992. He later studied at the NUS medical school. Dr Gupta now works in Clementi Polyclinic.”
“Some even wonder if we are giving away permanent residency and citizenship too easily. While the number of Singapore citizenships granted is fairly stable, the number of PRs given is indeed higher over the last few years compared to the years before 2005. Why did we do this? We wanted to take advantage of the strong economy in the mid-2000s to attract and retain suitable foreigners to sink roots here and to make up for our low TFR. We have recently reviewed the PR/SC assessment framework. We will refine it to better manage the pace and overall numbers. We will ensure that those who become one of us are of better quality, and not only contribute to Singapore economically but also integrate well into our society. We have already started to tighten the framework in the last quarter of 2009. Mr Ang Mong Seng asked about the number of new PRs and citizenships granted. We granted 59,500 PRs and 19,900 citizenships for the whole of 2009, as compared with 79,200 PRs and 20,500 citizenships in 2008. Sir, going forward, we will further tighten the framework to raise the quality of the immigrants. This will reduce the number of PRs granted. We will monitor carefully the number of PRs who qualify and, if necessary, fine-tune our criteria in the light of the actual outcome. However, I am not in favour of any absolute cap on the number of PRs. How many we take depends on the quality of the applicants, and there may be events which trigger an unexpected surge in numbers, which we should take advantage of. As for the number of new citizens, this again will depend on the quality of the applicants, but provided we have good applicants, we should take up to 20,000 a year. I will explain later why we need this number.”
“The foreign workers enabled us to take full advantage of the favourable external conditions from 2004 to 2007 in order to maximise our growth. And these were good years for Singaporeans too because median income also went up. Had we kept out foreign workers, our growth would have been choked off, and Singaporeans would have been worse off. Going forward, Sir, in line with the Economic Strategies Committee's recommendation for our economy to keep the foreign workforce to about one-third of our total workforce, the Government will take steps to moderate the inflow of our foreign workforce over time. However, the change will not be easy. It will require heavy capital investment in automation, training to re-tool our own workforce and raising productivity. Our businesses and workers must also gear up to make the necessary adjustments. To sum up, Sir, transient foreign workers are here to work and they will eventually go home. Most of them do not sink roots. We should appreciate their contributions to Singapore as they have helped us grow our economy. In turn, with economic growth, we have the resources to develop infrastructure and support programmes which have raised the quality of life for all Singaporeans. Economic growth has also enabled us to accumulate reserves in good times, which we have been able to rely on to sustain and support Singaporeans during lean and tough times. Sir, the second category of foreigners in our midst is not transient but stays on to become PRs and citizens. I know that this is a matter which Singaporeans care very deeply about, and rightly so, as it concerns the value of our citizenship. The number of PRs and citizenships granted to foreigners has gone up in the last few years. Singaporeans have expressed concern about this increase.”
“While we want foreign workers to do the less pleasant jobs and contribute to our economy, we cannot also expect them to stay away during their off days from public places and shopping malls where we frequent or not to take the public transport to go to work and squeeze the space with us. On our part, Singaporeans need to be more tolerant and understanding the different habits and practices of workers from different backgrounds and cultures. I think some of us who are old enough here would remember that not too long ago, 40-50 years ago, we shared the same practices. For example, in the coffee shops, you would see spittoons just underneath the tables. 4.15 pm With regard to Singaporeans' perception that the foreigners are driving up the HDB prices, I am sure the Minister for National Development will address this more fully during the COS, but we know that we have no shortage of housing. New flats are being built, and this year we are going to offer 12,000 BTO flats. I understand that almost the same number of flats were being built last year. When we have PRs who have come to settle here, we also expect them to find a home, so it is only fair that we allow them to purchase flats. They do not receive any direct subsidy from the Government for HDB flats. They have to buy from the resale market. Some Singaporeans have asked why we allowed such a large inflow of foreign workers in recent years. We had taken in large numbers during the economic boom years from 2004 to 2007 to catch the wind of growth so as to propel our economy forward. The Finance Minister has explained this in great detail this afternoon. From 2004 to 2009, the non-resident population grew from about 750,000 to 1.25 million.”
“For example, Mercer is a company that has benefited from our flexible manpower policy. The ability to attract the best talent from around the world is vital to ensuring skills transfer to its Singapore office, which is today Mercer’s Asia regional hub. From just over 100 staff in Singapore five years ago, in 2005, Mercer will grow to 400 this year. Two-thirds of the jobs created in the last five years are filled by Singaporeans who are given the opportunity to learn from global expertise. Our flexible manpower policy has also allowed Barclays to establish a hub in Singapore by bringing in foreigners with highly specialised skills not readily available in our local labour force. Barclays has been actively investing in the development of Singapore’s financial services workforce by hiring and developing local talent, which is critical to further expansion and job creation. In the last five years, over 1,000 jobs were created by Barclays for Singaporeans. Sir, I believe Singaporeans recognise the value and contributions of these foreign workers. This is the point made by Mr Sam Tan too. Mr Matthias Yao and some other MPs who spoke in the Budget debate during the last two days are also right in observing that Singaporeans may have begun to feel that the Singaporean way of life was being encroached upon. The negative reaction of Singaporeans is one of frustration and annoyance of having to share limited common spaces with people who may have different social habits and reflexes. The Government has hence undertaken action to educate our foreign workers on our social norms so as to integrate them better while they are here. Singaporeans, however, need to be realistic and fair-minded.”
“Ms Indranee Rajah and Mr Chiam See Tong have also raised concerns about the competition that foreign professionals pose to Singaporeans in the job market, housing and also in the use of our public spaces and public transport. While we will not condone discrimination against Singaporeans, we cannot ring-fence jobs and reserve them only for Singaporeans. The majority of foreigners, who are here on work permits, are working in jobs that Singaporeans do not want to do. I acknowledge that there are also those on employment passes holding jobs that Singaporeans are willing to do, and who compete directly with Singaporeans. However, as Mr Arthur Fong has mentioned, if we want to compete globally, we have to create an environment which can attract the best people, including those in mid-level – be they Singaporeans or foreigners – to work here and contribute to our economy. The measures in Budget 2010 will provide Singaporean workers with the best possible head-start to compete in this global economy. If foreigners are not here to help us compete against other countries, they will be working in other countries to compete against us. The future will see global competition becoming more and not less intense. We must therefore attract skilled and professional foreigners here to increase our manpower pool. Indeed, it is because of our meritocratic open door policy that Singapore continues to attract investments, and ranks high up in international surveys on the ease of doing business. Companies must be allowed to recruit and deploy the best talent possible for the job to ensure the success of their businesses. This, in turn, generates economic growth and job opportunities, which ultimately benefit our citizens more than any transient foreign worker group.”
“Mr Chairman, many Members have spoken passionately about the issues of immigration and population. They no doubt reflect concerns raised by segments of our public over the increased inflow of immigrants and its impact on our society. This is a very important subject, and it is also a highly complex subject. I want to thank the Members for giving me this opportunity to address it. Let me first assure Members that the Government recognises and acknowledges Singaporeans’ concerns and sentiments. Indeed, in the last few years, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of foreigners in Singapore. It is understandable that Singaporeans may feel uncomfortable over the sheer number of foreigners in our midst. The Government has taken note of this, and we have reviewed our current processes of granting permanent residence (PR) and citizenship (SC) to foreigners in Singapore. Dr Teo Ho Pin asked about the Government’s strategy in attracting foreigners to come here for work, and to become PRs and citizens. Broadly speaking, there are two types of foreigners living in Singapore – the transient group which mainly comprises those who come here to work, and the resident group which sinks roots and becomes our PRs and citizens eventually. Although this distinction is not obvious on the ground, it is an important one to bear in mind. In June 2009, the transient group accounted for about 1.25 million out of our total population of about five million. Foreigners who come here to work essentially fall into this transient group. They leave when their work permits or employment passes expire. They are an important part of our workforce, and their economic contributions to Singapore’s growth are real and significant.”
“The enhanced marriage and parenthood package was announced in August 2008 and was implemented shortly after. Resident births fell by 351, from 37,277 in 2008 to 36,926 in 2009. One reason for the decline could be due to the recession in 2009. It is too early to review the marriage and parenthood package at this stage. We will let the 2008 marriage and parenthood package run for a while before doing a comprehensive review. In the meantime, I hope that Singaporeans will not be deterred by the Year of the Tiger, and proceed to get married and start a family when they are ready to do so. Children born in the Year of the Tiger are no different from children born under other zodiac signs. SELECTIVE EN BLOC REDEVELOPMENT SCHEME (Number of flats slated for demolition rented out to foreigners) 10. Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for National Development how many HDB flats that had been slated for demolition under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) have been rented out, or are designated to be rented out, to foreigners working in Singapore, through Government agencies or agents appointed by the HDB.”
“Town Councils issued six summonses for the illegal posting of notices. Generally, when asked to do so, offenders would remove illegally posted notices in housing estates. In short, the response to the problem of illegal display of notices is calibrated in accordance to circumstances of the case, as reflecting the severity of the offence. For the vast majority of the cases, the offence committed is not serious and is rectified by the removal of the notice. At the same time, agencies are exploring innovative solutions to ameliorate the situation. For example, LTA has piloted the use of anti-stick paint to prevent advertisements and notices from being pasted onto lamp-posts. Some Town Councils have also written to real estate agencies to advise them against posting their notices in housing estates. While the various agencies would continue to deal with such notices and advertisements which fall under their purview, let me assure Er Lee that blatant acts of vandalism, mischief or intentional harassment will not be tolerated. Police will investigate and bring the perpetrator to task. UNLAWFUL TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT 26. Er Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many cases of unlawful or unsatisfactory termination of employment by employers have been brought to the Ministry's attention over the past three years; (b) how many of these cases involved executives and pregnant women respectively; and (c) how can the Ministry assist these executives and pregnant women.”
“Regulating the posting and hanging of advertisements and notices on public property is a responsibility undertaken by agencies coming under three Ministries – MND, MOT and MHA. Under the Town Councils' Common Property and Open Spaces by-laws, Town Councils can take action against persons who post notices or advertisements on common property without prior approval from the Town Council. On conviction, the offence carries a maximum penalty of $5,000. Under the Building Control (Outdoor Advertising) Regulations, an outdoor sign or signboard cannot be displayed without a licence from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA). The offence attracts a maximum fine of $5,000. The illegal display of notices at bus stops, MRT stations and on lamp posts is prohibited by the Street Works (Advertisements on Road Structures, Road Related Facilities and Public Streets) Regulations, and has been addressed by the Ministry of Transport's response to Dr Lim Wee Kiat's question on this issue. If the facts of the case warrant it, a person who illegally posts a notice on public property may also be charged for vandalism under the Vandalism Act, mischief under the Penal Code or Intentional Harassment under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act. If convicted of vandalism, a person may be fined not exceeding $2,000 or imprisoned for a term not exceeding three years. A person convicted of mischief is liable for imprisonment for a term of not more than one year, or a fine, or both. For committing intentional harassment, a person may be fined a maximum of $5,000. In 2009, the Police arrested eight persons for vandalism. BCA compounded around 670 offences for unlicensed display of outdoor advertisement signs and signboards.”
“In an application for such a constituency event, if its nature is not clear, Police will request further details of the event from the organiser to determine if the event in question is in essence an outdoor political event or a constituency event organised by the Member of Parliament primarily for his constituents. Such requests by the Police may include details of the speech to be made during the event. This practice will continue. H1N1 INNOCULATIONS FOR TAXI DRIVERS 19. Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Health whether his Ministry is willing to grant free H1N1 innoculations to taxi drivers since they are in the front line of public transport service.”
“The issue of political parties organising outdoor activities has been raised several times before in this House. Government’s position remains unchanged. Police will not grant permits for outdoor political events. This is due to the assessed potential for public disorder which politically-driven events can lead to, even when this is not intended by the organiser. However, in a relaxation of this policy, we have gradually amended our laws between 2000 and 2008 to allow citizens to organise and participate freely in public speeches, performances, exhibitions and even demonstrations in the dedicated space at Speakers’ Corner. Political parties, like any other Singaporean individual or group, can use the Speakers’ Corner to hold outdoor political activities. They can do so without the need to apply for a permit if the speakers, organisers and participants are citizens. They can also hold such activities in indoor settings, without the need to apply for a permit. Separately, in October 2000, we also changed our policy to allow elected Members of Parliament, including Opposition MPs, to make speeches in the constituencies in which they were elected, as long as their speech was part of a constituency event organised for the benefit of the constituents, and where the participants were primarily from that constituency. This is why Mr Chiam could address the participants of an outdoor event to celebrate his 25 years as an MP recently in Potong Pasir.”
“We have many reasons to be proud of the successful hosting of APEC. Unlike some previous APEC meetings in other countries, Singapore’s APEC meetings went on peacefully without security problems, mass protests or law and order problems. And this was achieved without having to shut down the city centre and declare a public holiday like in some countries. The delegates and many visiting business leaders thanked Singapore for handling the arrangements, including the security arrangements, effectively and efficiently. This would not have been possible without the collective efforts of all stakeholders and a cooperative public, who, like the Home Team, recognised the importance of keeping the Singapore flag flying high. Our officers know that their extra efforts were for an important cause and also know that Singaporeans and the Government are grateful to them for the part they played in maintaining security throughout the APEC meetings. Column No : 1723 PERMANENT RESIDENTS IN HDB ESTATES 14. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the total number of permanent residents (PRs) who own HDB flats and the distribution pattern of PRs in the various public housing estates; (b) whether his Ministry will ensure that there is a good mix of PRs in the various housing estates to encourage better integration with Singaporeans; and (c) whether his Ministry will consider expanding the current policy on racial mix for HDB flats to include PRs.”
“With these arrangements, we were able to reduce the staffing requirements for APEC to a manageable level. This I understand is a relatively lean number compared to the number of officers deployed at previous APEC meetings in other countries. We also know that an event like APEC would put a lot of pressure on our officers to do a good job to ensure that our visitors and Singaporeans are not too greatly inconvenienced. Our officers were also expected to deal with the security threats or other law and order issues. Hence, we put in place several measures to monitor the morale of our Home Team Officers throughout the APEC preparations, before and during the APEC Leaders’ Week. The reports from our psychologists who conducted these morale-sensing measures found that Home Team Officers’ morale was consistently high. Prior to the Leaders’ Week, our psychologists conducted Focus Group sessions with Home Team officers. Feedback collected was immediately raised to management so that any issues or concerns could be resolved before operations commenced. During the APEC Leaders’ Week, dedicated teams of psychologists and welfare officers continually monitored morale on the ground. Issues raised by officers were surfaced daily to senior commanders so that they could be quickly addressed. Sir, the APEC gave Home Team officers the opportunity to contribute to a milestone event of national and international significance. Home Team officers were proud to be part of this effort. The officers understood the importance of their roles in the challenge of keeping the delegates and Singapore safe and secure. I highly commend all our officers for sacrificing their time to undertake such an important duty successfully.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the successful organisation of APEC Singapore 2009 reflected the collective effort of various Government agencies and stakeholders. And we are proud to have delivered a positive and memorable "Singapore Experience" for 15,000 delegates and visitors. As host for a major international event such as APEC, it is our duty to ensure the safety and security of delegates and Singaporeans. To do anything less would be irresponsible. To this end, various security measures were implemented at the meeting venues. On average, each day, during the APEC Leaders’ Week, we had about 1,300 Police officers deployed on the ground to perform security duties. This comprised about 950 regular Police officers and about 300 Police NSFs. Apart from the Police, some SAF officers were also deployed at the peak of the event to assist. During the APEC Leaders’ Week, operational units in the Home Team were able to continue to function at close to their ordinary staffing levels. The performance of key functions was not compromised. Key frontline units continued to have the necessary manpower and resources to carry out their operations effectively. This was achieved through careful forward planning. First, we minimised the number of officers who had to be re-deployed away from key frontline operational units like the Neighbourhood Police Centres. We also regulated leave and activated off-duty personnel, and temporarily put on hold some of the functions such as training. Second, we augmented our numbers by recalling NSmen as well as contracting Auxiliary Police Officers and unarmed Security Officers to help manage security operations. In addition, many voluntary Special Constabulary Officers also stepped forward to help out the Home Team.”
“I think this perception is not correct. We need foreign workers to come here to do the jobs that our industries and economy need. Without them, many of our companies which are here today probably will be relocated elsewhere. Column No : 1720 SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS AT APEC MEETING (Involvement of law enforcement agencies) 13. Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many Home Team officers, and from which law enforcement agencies, were taken out of their ordinary duties in their respective units and deployed for the APEC meeting in November 2009; (b) other than the Home Team, which other state agencies supplied manpower to cater for security arrangements during the meeting; and (c) to what extent (in percentage terms or numbers) were the respective units functioning below ordinary staffing levels during this period.”
“There are some who are on long-term visit passes and they are sponsored by Singaporeans. To put this in perspective, as of June 2009, there were about 1.253 million non-residents in Singapore as compared to 533,000 PRs. Singapore needs to bring in a continuing inflow of immigrants to augment our population and enhance our economic competitiveness. However, the Government is mindful of the concerns of Singaporeans. We will manage the inflow of immigrants taking into consideration how quickly our society can absorb and integrate these new immigrants without diluting our national identity or weakening our social cohesion. Such a sustained and calibrated inflow of immigrants will ensure that Singaporeans benefit from immigration in the long term.”
“Mr Speaker, from 2000 to 2008, an average of about 74,500 foreigners submitted applications for Permanent Residence each year. For the same period, an average of 46,300 applicants were successful in their PR applications each year. An average of 2,200 PRs renounced their PR status over the same period. Sir, the number of persons applying for PR and the numbers of persons granted PR have been increasing steadily in recent years. This was due to two factors: the strong economy and the need to augment our population. A booming economy with economic growth of 6% to 8% between 2004 and 2007 meant also that we needed to take in more foreigners to work here. Most of these foreigners are transient, here to work and not to stay long term. But a good many who are well-qualified with university degrees or diploma qualifications, or skilled personnel and professionals, decided to stay longer and applied for PR. The other reason was to augment our population. As Members are aware, we have a low fertility rate of 1.28. If we close our doors to immigrants, our population will age rapidly and start to decline by 2020. This will affect us adversely. We will lose our economic dynamism and competitiveness as a city state. The burden on Singaporeans will increase. The Government recognises that some Singaporeans feel anxious about the large inflow of foreigners in recent years. We should not think that all foreigners here are PRs. In fact, a very large proportion of these foreigners are non-residents such as foreign workers and foreign students who are here on short-term passes. In other words, they are here on a transient basis and will leave Singapore one day when their services are no longer needed by their employers or when they have finished their studies.”
“When the Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme (HUP) was introduced in 2001, the Government decided to offer first-generation stallholders, who prefer to exit the trade rather than continue at a stall in an alternative centre, the ex-gratia cash grant, even though HUP does not involve the clearance of stallholders. To date, some 2,000 eligible stallholders were paid a total of $40 million in ex-gratia cash grant. MEDISAVE (Use for palliative care) 3. Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for Health given the recent move to increase subsidies and allow Medisave to be used for palliative care (a) how much money does the Ministry foresee being used for this in the future and how does Singapore compare with the rest of the world in our use of palliative care; and (b) what is the increase in health care spending as a percentage of GDP that the Ministry foresees as population ages.”
“Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the number and amount of ex-gratia payments made to the first-generation stallholders who have been affected by the Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme since its inception; (b) what is the rationale for not according the next-of-kin who took over the stall after July 1992 the same treatment as first-generation stallholders; (c) whether his Ministry and NEA have been flexible in handling cases where the stallholders are the elderly spouse of the deceased first-generation stallholders; and (d) what is the number of disputes since the programme was introduced. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: In 1989, the Government decided to offer ex-gratia cash grants to stallholders located in centres affected by HDB's redevelopment programme as a gesture of goodwill. Apart from the first-generation stallholders who were resettled from the streets, the cash grant was also extended to family members who took over the stall tenancy from these stallholders. In July 1992, the Government decided to limit the ex-gratia cash grant to only first-generation stallholders. This was to ensure that those who take over the stall tenancies from the first-generation stallholders are genuinely interested in carrying on with the business and not seeking to benefit from the cash grant eventually. These stallholders continue to enjoy subsidised rent. This policy has been applied consistently to all cases, regardless of the age of the stallholders involved so as to be fair to all stallholders. Those taking over stalls from first-generation stallholders are also informed of this policy before they take over.”
“One thousand, three hundread and twelve summonses were issued to errant cyclists for cycling offences between July 2008 and June 2009. Of these, the largest number of 615 summonses were issued to cyclists for cycling on the footways of roads. Other common infringements include failing to ride in an orderly manner such as not keeping a proper lookout and not giving way to traffic with the right of way, riding on expressways and riding against the flow of traffic. Cyclists are not prohibited from riding across pedestrian crossings but must do so in a safe and orderly manner. Those who do not and cause danger to others commit an offence under Rule 10 of the Road Traffic (Bicycles) Rules and are liable to pay a composition fine. If they ride in a rash or negligent manner that endangers life, or in a manner that is likely to cause hurt or injury to others, they can be prosecuted under Section 279 of the Penal Code. If convicted, they can be fined up to $5,000 or imprisoned up to one year, or both. When approaching pedestrian crossings, a driver is required to keep a proper lookout for other road users, slow down and proceed at such a speed which will enable him to stop his vehicle before reaching the crossing. Failure to do so may result in the driver being liable for a fine of up to $1,000, or imprisonment for a term of up to three months under Section 131 of the Road Traffic Act. HAWKER CENTRES UPGRADING PROGRAMME (Ex-gratia payments) 2.”
“Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for Health (a) how does the number of Singaporeans suffering from mental illness compare with other countries; and (b) whether he can provide a further breakdown of the number by age, gender and race for the last three years.”
“The application process is conducted online and only requires basic information of the company and the product, and the necessary test reports. The Public Utilities Board ( PUB) does not charge any fee for registration. Upon approval, the applicant can print the Water Efficiency Labels for use with the product. To qualify for at least a "one-tick" water efficient label, appliances have to undergo a water-efficiency test and meet a minimum standard. The test can be conducted at local or foreign laboratories accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC), and typically costs about $200 per model for tap and mixers. Furthermore, for urinals and dual-flush LCFCs, there is no additional cost as the water efficiency test is already part of the mandatory performance test required for all water products to ensure their suitability for use with the potable water supply system. We have no plans to provide grants or incentives under MWELS as the water efficiency requirements for the one-tick label are consistent with mandatory water efficiency requirements that must be met by all models when installed, and the additional cost of testing to suppliers is not high. Furthermore, suppliers could potentially benefit from better sales of higher rated products. In designing the MWELS, PUB consulted suppliers, the Singapore Sanitary Wares Importers and Exporters Association (SSWIEA), the Singapore Hardware and Tools Association, the Singapore Plumbing Society (SPS) as well as other professional bodies. Notwithstanding that, we would be happy to receive specific suggestions for improvement from the parties concerned. Column No : 1425 MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG SINGAPOREANS 3.”
“Most accidents can be prevented if motorists obey traffic rules, remain vigilant and behave responsibly. As everyone knows, before a traffic light turns red, an amber signal is shown. Unfortunately, many motorists approach a green traffic light at high speed, and then speed up when they see the amber light. What motorists should in fact do is to always slow down when approaching a traffic light and stop when the light turns amber. This will help prevent many needless accidents which occur today. Column No : 1423 WATER EFFICIENCY LABELLING SCHEME (Grants for sanitary fittings upgrade) 2. Mr Teo Siong Seng asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) if his Ministry can simplify administrative procedures and reduce the high cost of testing each model of shower heads and sanitary fittings for compliance with the mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS); and (b) what grants/incentives can be provided to help suppliers of sanitary fittings upgrade to comply with WELS requirements in support of the Government's green drive. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: The Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme is part of PUB's 10-Litre Challenge initiative to help users reduce water consumption. The labelling scheme rates water appliances according to their water efficiency, thus enabling consumers to make informed purchase decisions. With effect from 1st July 2009, the labelling of taps, urinals, and dual-flush low capacity flushing cisterns (LCFCs) was made mandatory, under the Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (MWELS). The labelling of shower heads and clothes washing machines is voluntary. A key consideration in the scheme's design was the minimisation of inconvenience and cost to suppliers.”
“Between 2004 and 2008, about 2,100 accidents occurred annually at road intersections. On average, about 330, or 16%, of these accidents occurred because the motorist disobeyed a red light signal. During the same period, the Traffic Police issued about 19,700 summonses annually to motorists for disobeying a red light signal. In the first six months of 2009, about 1,100 accidents took place at road intersections, out of which about 159, or 14%, occurred because the motorist disobeyed a red light signal. During the same period, the Traffic Police issued about 6,600 summonses to motorists for disobeying a red light signal. Singapore's traffic light system operates on the Green Link Determining System, or "Glide", where the duration of green time at a traffic light junction can be varied according to traffic demands, thus allowing for smoother traffic flow. To enhance safety at traffic light junctions, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has set a few seconds of buffer time in between each change of the traffic light. This is consistent with international practice. LTA has previously studied the installation of countdown timers at traffic light junctions. In 2003, a trial was conducted at the junction of Rochor Road and North Bridge Road. The trial showed that the behaviour of motorists approaching the junction varied when the countdown timer was about to reach zero. Some motorists applied the brakes to stop, while others accelerated in an unsafe manner to beat the light. This in fact increases the likelihood of rear-end collisions. Studies conducted overseas in Hong Kong, Australia and China confirm that motorists behave differently towards countdown timers and that there is no significant improvement in road safety.”
“Ms Ellen Lee asked the Prime Minister (a) what is being done to ensure sufficient staffing and spread of duties in Public Service departments, including statutory boards and restructured hospitals, that have a high concentration of female employees in order to address staff shortages when these females go on 16-week maternity leave, whether taken all at once or in tranches; and (b) how will the Government recognise the contribution of staff who help to cover the duties of these female employees since by doing so they are also contributing to Government’s efforts to promote/encourage procreation.”
“Organisers are also required to engage stakeholders whose premises are located along the roads closed, to address their concerns on access to their premises or disruption to the public transport system. The Police approved 37 requests for road closures for sporting events in 2008, and 22 for the first eight months of 2009. Mr Lim highlighted the inconvenience caused to residents living in the Tanjong Rhu area. To facilitate sporting events in the Tanjong Rhu vicinity, there were four closures affecting residents living there in 2008 and three closures in the first eight months of 2009. Most recently, access to the East Coast Parkway (ECP) from Fort Road was closed for the Singapore Bay Run on 16th August 2009. I would like to assure the Member that measures are taken to minimise the inconvenience of road closures. For example, alternative routes to the ECP were available via Nicoll Highway and Tanjong Katong Road, both of which were less than five minutes away from Tanjong Rhu. The road closures took place in the early morning from4.30 am to 10.00 am on a Sunday, when traffic is usually light. We are mindful that the residents living in a particular location should not be unfairly burdened by road closures for the benefit of the sporting public. Applications are carefully considered and only approved after certain mitigation measures are put in place. If excessive inconvenience cannot be mitigated, the application will be rejected, as has been done in the past. Column No : 1397 STAFFING IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE 16.”
“The Police and Land Transport Authority (LTA) work closely together with event organisers in deciding whether roads should be closed for sporting events. One important consideration in evaluating applications for road closures is that the motoring public and local community should not be excessively inconvenienced. Hence, the Police and LTA take into account whether the events are national events supported by organisations such as the National Sports Council or MCYS, the availability and capacity of alternative routes to cope with the diverted traffic and the number of participants, before approving an application for road closure. Examples of events that fulfil these criteria include the "New Paper Big Walk", "the Aviva Ironman Singapore Triathlon" and the "Singapore Bay Run and Army Half Marathon". LTA and Police have different roles in managing road closures. LTA’s focus is on minimising disruption to traffic flow. In this regard, it will require the event to be held at a suitable time and for a reasonable duration. The route for the event will also be specified. LTA also uses traffic volume data to ascertain the capacity of alternative roads, to ensure that there are sufficient alternatives for those affected by the closures. Existing platforms like Traffic Watch, media releases, radio broadcasts, and the Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System (EMAS) are used to inform the public in advance. As for the Police, its main role is to ensure that access for emergency vehicles will not be impeded. In addition, event organisers are required to put up adequate signage and media notices to inform the public and residents of impending road closures, so that they can plan to use the alternative routes.”
“I would like to remind motorcyclists to not to ride on areas designated for pedestrians. Doing so makes them liable to punishment, and more importantly, puts the safety of both the pedestrian and the rider at risk. IMPACT OF RETRENCHMENTS AND PAY CUTS ON CPF CONTRIBUTIONS 36. Mr Terry Lee asked the Minister for Manpower how adversely affected are the CPF contributions of workers due to retrenchments, shorter work weeks and pay cuts.”
“Riding and parking on HDB common property and open spaces such as void decks are offences under the by-laws of most Town Councils. Riding on footways of roads is also prohibited under Rule 28 of the Road Traffic Rules. Town Councils have taken action and issued summonses against motorcyclists who park or ride on HDB common property and open spaces. Traffic Police has also been taking enforcement action against motorcyclists who endanger themselves or others by riding recklessly or without due regard for others along footways of public roads. Traffic Police issued more than 850 summonses to motorcyclists for riding on footways in 2008, compared to 537 in 2006. In the first six months this year, more than 300 summonses were issued. Enforcement is one pillar of Traffic Police’s approach towards road safety. Public education is another important pillar. Traffic Police has been engaging key stakeholders such as companies employing delivery riders, motorcycle clubs and tertiary institutions to remind them on the importance of obeying road traffic rules and practising safe riding at all times. This is done through regular road safety talks and dissemination of publicity materials. As postal, courier and food delivery businesses typically employ larger fleets of motorcyclists, Traffic Police has leveraged on the 'Ride Safe' Campaign to introduce the 'Rider’s Ambassador' scheme in some of these organisations to spread the road safety message. Selected riding ambassadors help spread the message to other riders at their workplaces. One such participating company is McDonald’s. Traffic Police has also conducted safe riding talks with SingPost and will continue to do so as part of its overall road safety outreach efforts.”
“Besides Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian, there are currently 91 other races that Singapore Citizens are classified under. Chinese, Malays, and Indians form the three largest groups. They constitute 78%, 14%, and 7% respectively of our population. Among the other races which make up the remaining 1%, Eurasians form the largest group, followed by Arabs. Together, they account for more than 60% of this 1%. The remaining 0.4% of Singaporeans are distributed across 80 over other races. The Government does not assign a particular race to a person. The general rule is that a person’s race follows that of his or her father. However, a person’s race can be registered differently if he or she is of mixed parentage. For example, a child of Chinese and European descent can be registered as Chinese, European or Eurasian. In this regard, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority exercises flexibility during the NRIC registration process, which takes place for most children at the age of 15. A declaration by the parents will be accepted so long as it falls within normally accepted notions of ethnicity by lineage. MILITARY TRANSPARENCY 2. Ms Ellen Lee asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence in respect of his statement at the 2009 Shangri-La Dialogue on military transparency, to what extent is the Ministry prepared to articulate our security concerns and strategic intent to our neighbours vis-à-vis our ASEAN partners in view of the fact that it is a very intricate and sensitive affair.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, under the law there is no legal requirement for the Prime Minister to appoint Electoral Boundaries Review Committee or Commission, but the Prime Minister has done so by convention and so, one would be appointed. Public announcement of the appointment of such a committee does not serve any meaningful purpose. I think the main interest in people wanting to know of the boundaries report is that when the Committee's report is announced, how much time there would be between the announcement of the report and the time when the Parliament is dissolved. I think that relates to her other question. Much depends on the circumstances at the time and whether the Prime Minister decides to call for Elections soon after the publication of the report. But as I have said in the House previously, there will be as much time given as possible. It is too early to make any decision now because no Committee has yet been appointed. What will the Committee take into account? It will take into account population shifts, the increase in population and some other matters which the Committee will have to decide. PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARE REVISION The following Question stood in the name of Mdm Cynthia Phua – 13. To ask the Minister for Transport in respect of the recent public transport fare revision (a) why the quantum of fare revision by the transport operators is not in line with the drop in oil prices; (b) whether the Public Transport Council will adopt greater transparency in explaining how revisions are arrived at; and (c) what is the average number of passengers (i) who take single journeys; and (ii) who take multiple transfer journeys. Er Lee Bee Wah: Question No. 13, Sir.”
“The Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act is used for the maintenance of public order, prevention of strikes and lock-outs relating to essential services, as well as the detention and supervision of persons in the interests of public safety, peace and good order. The total number of persons detained and released under the Act in the past five years (2004 to 2008) is 366 and 272 respectively. The Act is only used as a last resort when a serious crime has been committed and a court prosecution is not possible because witnesses are not willing or afraid to testify in court. Most cases dealt with under the Act are related to secret societies, drug trafficking or loansharking. APPENDICES”
“Such groups enlist the help of women through false identities and empty promises, preying on their good nature and exploiting their vulnerabilities. Children, too, may become victims of cyber crime. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Masagos Zulkifli will share more about specific efforts on that front. To tackle cyber crime, Police has forged close alliances with law enforcement agencies. In the ASEAN region, SPF is known for its cyber crime capabilities and regularly organises highly regarded and well-attended cyber crime investigation courses. Police also works with various partners in pushing out cyber-wellness programmes to the community. MHA will continue to be abreast of trends in cyberspace which have law and order implications. We have not as yet created any specific offences to deal with cyber-bullying and other such acts, preferring instead to work within our current legal framework. This approach is currently adequate, but we will watch developments in countries which have moved ahead and adopt their best practices where appropriate. We will continue to maintain a lean and effective Home Team, constantly refining our mission and methods, and optimising our resources in every possible way. With support from the public and our partners, I am confident that we will be able to maintain the safe and secure environment we enjoy today.”
“We have been reviewing our framework for managing public order so as to be more accommodative of cause-related and political activities. This is always an exercise of judgement, balancing different imperatives. The result has been a gradual shift in the policies relating to such activities. For instance, there is no longer any need for permit application for indoor political events. As for outdoor political activities, the Speakers' Corner was established to provide an outdoor venue to address this. Recently, besides public speaking, protest and demonstration activities were also accommodated, and conditions for its use were further liberalised. The review of our public order laws is part of this on-going process to evolve and change in tandem with societal change. The scope and operation of such powers will certainly be debated in Parliament when the Bill is presented. It is somewhat premature to deal with them at this stage on a Bill which is not even present before the House. Let me now end off by addressing one further issue - cyber crime, which Dr Teo Ho Pin has spoken about. The Internet is today an integral part of most people's lives. In 2007, about 74% of Singapore households had Internet access. An estimated 58.6% of the local population are Internet users. The greatest challenge in dealing with cyber-criminals is the borderless and anonymous nature of the Internet. Organised crime syndicates have realised that this allows them to operate from anywhere without exposing their true identities. They have thus adapted their modus operandi. One trend we have noticed is that of drug traffickers befriending women through social networking sites and then using them as drug couriers.”
“What impact do you think that will have on civic-minded citizens who want to file a complaint? Many people will start saying, "Why would I want to file my complaint when my name is going to be published?" If the case goes to Court, the complainant may well become public. On Mr Siew's suggestion that the Police's action to investigate on receipt of the complaint was politically motivated, I regret that that suggestion was made. It should not have been made. I am not sure of the precise circumstances because Mr Siew has not told us about this before. But as I have said, if a complaint is received, then the Police have to look into the complaint. Let me assure Mr Siew that when complainants call up the Police, the way they will describe the event and what is happening will be more graphic and will make it sound more serious than may actually have been the case from Mr Siew's perspective. In fact, as I have said earlier, the problem that the Police is facing is that they receive up to 60% nuisance calls, and 57% of the incidents they respond to are, in fact, not urgent. And, often, the Police should never have been involved, but the Police have no choice. Let me make this point. I earlier spoke about the public partnership with the Police. There is a very high degree of trust in the Police in Singapore. Singaporeans have that. That is a very valuable asset. Members of the House, citizens of Singapore should not fritter away that asset lightly. My Ministry and the Police are not intending to let that asset be debased by allowing the Police to become a tool for dirty politics. The integrity and impartiality of the Police Force should be beyond reproach. And that has been, and will be, our policy. Mr Siew also spoke on the proposed "move-on" powers.”
“Ms Ellen Lee suggested having a separate telephone number for the public to call in certain non-urgent cases. There are, in fact, existing hotlines for the public to call in relation to noise and other issues but not all are manned round-the-clock. Our experience has been that, nevertheless, callers to the Police typically tend to consider all their problems as urgent. But we will not rule out Ms Lee's idea. Now, let me deal with the points Mr Siew made on the need to reform the offence of nuisance, and his personal experience. But let us look at it fairly. There was a complaint which had been made which had to be investigated. Police went down and they observed what was happening. Based on his own account, they did not intervene. Finally, they asked his colleague some questions. After checking with their superiors and within about an hour, Mr Siew and his partner were told they could proceed with what they were doing. There was no further action and the complaint was obviously treated as non-meritorious. So what do we take away from this? First of all, Mr Siew will accept that complaints when made to the Police, have to be investigated even if it involves someone as important as Mr Siew. It would be difficult for us to tell the Police that whenever Mr Siew is involved, there should be no investigation. Nevertheless, it was dealt with openly and transparently. They went down, they looked at the incident, they spoke and they went away. Mr Siew talks about transparency. What about identifying the complainants? Sir, 40% of the crimes in Singapore are solved with the assistance of the public by the Police. We treat the public as our partners in this. That is why Singapore is one of the safest cities in the world. Do you want to make all complaints public?”
“Many "999" calls do not require a Police response as they are not even Police matters in the first place. Reports of illegal parking at HDB carparks and noise pollution caused by renovation in HDB flats and shops, for example, are handled by the Housing Development Board (HDB). Police has in place a set of service standards for response times to "999" calls. Urgent incidents should be attended to within 15 minutes of the call for 87% of the cases; non-urgent incidents within 30 minutes for 90% of the cases. Police has been able to meet these service targets to-date. In 2008, Police received 1.5 million "999" calls and responded to over 320,000 incidents. Close to 60% of the calls to Police are nuisance calls and 57% of incidents responded to are non-urgent incidents. So whenever we debate in this House, we only look at the Police's response. People seem to forget that the public also have a responsibility to use this resource responsibly. And in terms of 60% of 1.5 million calls being nuisance calls targeted at the Police, I think it should bring home to the Members of this House the kind of constraints the Police work under. Therefore, the public has a part to play in this. Public resources should be used responsibly. The Police should not be treated as a free resource which can deal with any complaint just because it is convenient to call them at any time round the clock. People who call the Police when their neighbour's karaoke singing is too loud, or if they spot a snake, are potentially taking the officer away from a real emergency which may result in injury or loss of life. In many jurisdictions such as New Zealand and London, the Police do not despatch immediate resources for non-urgent calls.”
“We believe time has to be given for the industry to adapt to the changing situation and the audit requirements. 6.30 pm Dr Teo Ho Pin and Mr Lim Biow Chuan have asked about Home Team resources. We are reviewing how we can increase the number of officers on the ground to alleviate some of the stress faced. Police will increase recruitment this year by a further 250 officers, bringing the total number of vacancies to be filled to 700. Most of these officers will be deployed at Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs). The Home Team has embarked on a publicity and outreach campaign. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will also be introducing a Home Team Merit Award (HOME Award (Polytechnic), targeted at new and existing polytechnic students. Under this award, successful applicants, who signed up with the Home Team, will have their full tuition fees paid for and receive a monthly allowance of $1,000. We will also enhance our resource management. We are piloting a series of courses to sensitise officers and supervisors to fatigue and how to manage its consequences. This will, however, be a long-term effort. We are also working with MOF and external experts to determine the optimal level of resources for sustainable management of increasing security demands. But, at the end of the day, expectations have to be set right. Our Police Force is lean when compared with other agencies and we have to bear that in mind. Ms Ellen Lee spoke about non-urgent "999" calls. "999" calls are grouped into urgent calls and non-urgent calls. Urgent calls include cases where a crime is in progress, or where someone is in danger. Non-urgent calls include situations where there are no imminent threats to life or property such as noise-related nuisances and sightings of stray animals.”
“We have also set up the Security Industry Regulatory Department (SIRD) within the Police to manage and upgrade the industry. It is estimated that an additional 2,200 security officers will be required from 2008 to 2010. In tandem with greater demand, manpower supply has increased. There are currently more than 29,000 approved guards compared to about 18,000 at the beginning of 2005. These numbers do not include officers from APFs, such as CERTIS CISCO and AETOS. As Ms Lim notes, with higher standards and competencies, security agencies have started charging more for their services over the years. The higher demand for such officers has also resulted in an increase in wages in the industry from a gross monthly salary of about $900 - $1,000 per month in 2004 to about $1,300 - $1,800 per month now. Supervisors and other more specialised security professionals in the industry may even command a gross monthly salary of over $2,000. Ms Lim also asked about the annual grading of security guard agencies. SIRD has been conducting annual grading exercises since 2006. Grading serves a dual purpose of encouraging firms to upgrade their service quality and systems, and providing market information to buyers. 59% of the assessed agencies achieved an "A" or "B" grade in 2008, up from 53% in 2007. As Ms Lim has pointed out, grading is not compulsory. SIRD is presently considering the feedback and inputs it has received from the industry in order to refine the grading system which is relatively new. Since this audit has been conducted only since 2006, it would be premature to rush in and impose compulsory audit immediately. There are no current plans to make the audit compulsory but we may consider doing so in the future.”
“Police leverages on the Community Safety and Security Programme (CSSP) and the Neighbourhood Watch Zone (NWZ) scheme. Another "force multiplier" is technology. For example, Police has established Public Camera Zones (PCZs) in areas such as Little India, Boat Quay, Geylang and Suntec Convention Centre. These PCZs have allowed Police to free up otherwise static resources and deploy them elsewhere while maintaining a deterrent effect. Town Councils, in consultation with Police, have also deployed mobile CCTV systems. Training, which Dr Fatimah Lateef has asked about, is another strategy to enhance the effectiveness of the Home Team. All Home Team officers receive training in certain core areas, such as policing and counter-terrorism. The focus is on equipping front-line officers with practical skills and knowledge because the best chance of mitigating or arresting any incident occurs at that level. Officers who interact with the public are given communications training, which covers both telephone call handling and drafting written replies. All Police and SCDF officers are also trained in basic first aid and CPR. In addition, all SCDF officers are trained to use Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), which all SCDF ambulances are equipped with. I would add that first aid and CPR skills are something everyone can learn, and the SCDF provides training on life-saving skills which the public can attend free-of-charge. We have also been working to enhance the capabilities of our partners in the private sector. Ms Sylvia Lim has spoken about the private security industry. That industry has expanded rapidly in recent years. We corporatised CISCO and approved licences for additional armed Auxiliary Police Forces (APFs) like AETOS.”
“They have to decide what is best for them, in the context of their political, social and historical development. For Singapore, we are a young nation and we are still in the process of forging our national identity. Citizenship is and should be for us a badge of commitment, for those who are born here, and also for those who come from overseas and make this their home. A commitment to this country and a willingness to defend its sovereignty is first and foremost what we are about as a nation. I do not think that allowing dual citizenship is the right course for us at this point in time. However, we will keep our options open and review this position in future, if necessary. Sir, my colleagues will answer the other questions and points raised by Members. The Second Minister for Home Affairs (Mr K Shanmugam): Sir, I will address the issues raised by Members relating to how we maximise Home Team resources in today’s operating environment, and also questions on nuisance and cyber-crime. Our resources have been stretched for reasons already mentioned in the House. In addition, high-profile international events can require up to 10,000 Home Team officers, and there have been an increasing number of such events. We also face other challenges arising from population growth, the increasing sophistication of international criminal elements, and advances in technology. One way we have been dealing with such challenges is through "force multipliers". Community involvement is one such "force multiplier" and has been a key strategy for some time. In relation to traffic issues, which Mr Lim Biow Chuan has raised, Traffic Police forms alliances with community stakeholders to inculcate personal responsibility for road safety.”
“The Flyer management has since rectified this and installed additional safeguards. In training our people on emergency preparedness, we should maximise our resources and concentrate our efforts on training leaders rather than just the masses. This is a practical approach which will pay good dividends given that the public in general do not feel the urgency to learn about emergency preparedness until the crisis is upon them. When key people in charge know what to do, they can help the rest of their co-workers and community to respond appropriately in an emergency. This is a lesson from the Mumbai attacks in November 2008 where quick thinking hotel staff helped steer innocent people from the path of the attackers and saved many lives. In constituency response plans, CEP community leaders are looking into incorporating the psycho-social aspect and being vigilant in maintaining communal harmony. Grassroots organisations in Ang Mo Kio and Yio Chu Kang have good response plans and they have been certified as CEP Ready. I encourage other grassroots advisors to do likewise and achieve CEP Ready certification for their constituencies. Let me now turn to Dr Lam Pin Min’s question on dual citizenship. To survive and prosper as a nation, Singapore needs to compete with other countries for human capital. We must continue to ensure that Singapore remains an attractive place in all aspects, not only as an immigration destination for other nationalities, but also as a best home for our own people. There are many countries which recognise dual citizenship and there are others considering this option, like Dr Lam mentioned, perhaps believing that this is a way of retaining and attracting talent.”
“To guard against radicalisation, especially among the young, seminars for students on the threat of terrorist ideology have been organised by community groups, such as the Malay Youth Literary Association and the Inter-Agency Aftercare Group comprising Taman Bacaan, Yayasan Mendaki, the Association of Muslim Professionals and Khadijah Mosque. In addition, the Religious Rehabilitation Group continues to educate the community about the dangers of terrorist ideas through public forums, media interviews and articles, as well as on its website. The Internal Security Department has also been working with the Ministry of Education and various educational institutions to bring counter-terrorism messages to educators and students. On the issue of emergency preparedness, I agree with Ms Ellen Lee that we should work towards a well-prepared Singapore that is ready to respond to any civil emergency or natural disaster. But we should never think that we have arrived and that Singapore is ready for any emergency. This is because preparedness is not an end-state. It is always "work in progress". The Government has created a crisis management system designed to respond to a wide variety of hazards, both natural and man-made, that could affect our country on a national scale. However, a timely and effective response requires the preparedness of the public and private sector domain owners. In most major disasters, it is the people on site who make the most critical difference in terms of saving lives or mitigating the damage. In the case of the Singapore Flyer, a matter raised by Mr Hri Kumar, the SCDF was at hand and ready to assist even as the Flyer management activated its contingency plans. A fire had destroyed the Flyer’s backup system and such a scenario was unforeseen.”
“Incident sites have to be cordoned off to prevent disruption by media or others when the security agencies respond to the situation. When a terrorist incident happens, facts will, at best, be sketchy. Yet, the media and the public will be clamouring for information. It is therefore important that the Government communicates regularly to the public and the media to calm public anxiety and restore public confidence. Such information has to be well coordinated. The Police must also sieve through and ensure that information given to the media does not unwittingly aid perpetrators. Responsible media reporting is crucial in a crisis. Speculative and irresponsible reporting can lead to mistrust and animosities between communities. This is especially so in a multi-racial and multi-religious society like ours. Since July 2006, the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts has created a Media Emergency Forum to provide a regular platform for open and frank exchange of views between our domestic media and the Government on crisis issues and crisis management. This on-going engagement is an important pillar to ensure that in a crisis we can count on the media to report responsibly. We must also not let up on our efforts to counteract the Al Qaeda and JI ideology. Leading JI observer, Ms Sidney Jones, believes that there are about 40 Islamist schools associated with JI scattered across Indonesia that continue to teach members' children. If these children are radicalised, they will grow up to form the new rungs of the JI leadership, or become ready JI operatives for terrorist attacks. Sidney Jones is not alone in her views, as the US National Intelligence Council came to the same conclusion too.”
“15 pm Our security agencies will continue to work closely with their regional counterparts to arrest JI operatives and fugitives. In so doing, we reduce the chance that they could infiltrate Singapore to mount attacks. New JI operatives and cells have continued to sprout and these need to be identified early and disrupted. Dr Teo has asked about the search for Mas Selamat. We have no credible information on Mas Selamat’s whereabouts to share at this point in time. But let me assure Dr Teo that we have not slackened in our search. Whether Mas Selamat is in Singapore or he has fled our country, we will hunt him down, as we did before. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Members of this House and also members of the public for the support they have shown to the Home Team officers over the past year. They have worked tirelessly in difficult conditions, and made tremendous sacrifices. It means a lot to them to know that the public are behind them. Dr Teo also asked about the number of detainees currently detained in the Whitley Road Detention Centre. There are currently 20 persons under ISD’s detention for terrorist activities. Communal harmony is key in fighting terrorism. We have widened outreach beyond the traditional grassroots sector under the Community Engagement Programme (CEP) to involve religious groups, Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs), schools, workplaces, media and the arts. The mass media plays an important role too. Ms Indranee Rajah correctly points out that responsible media reporting is important in the event of a terrorist attack. We can learn a lesson not only in the Mumbai attacks but also in the London bombings in July 2005.”