Zaqy Mohamad
Singapore
“Deputy Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the Question Time at this day's Sitting be exempted from Standing Order No 22(1) so as to enable questions for oral answer to continue until the completion of Question Nos 7 to 29, including relevant supplementary questions, until 12.45 pm?”
“Mr Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 48(8) to remove the time limit in respect of the Minister Tan See Leng's speech, please?”
“I think on the hawker front, we keep our rentals as low as possible to sustain our hawkers. But for food prices, we continue to monitor. My colleague, Minister of State Gan mentioned about how we are monitoring food supply of food prices, and I think that we will continue to do so.”
“I thank the Member for his question. On seafood specifically, we do not see immediate risk. We have diversified our food imports. We have also got local production of seafood readily available. At this point, as both the Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister have shared, our main risk for agriculture lies in fertiliser.”
“Mr Speaker, as I shared, we are monitoring the situation. The Government is monitoring at this point. There is no need at this juncture, because we have not seen the price hikes hit the hawkers in the same way as yet. There will be downstream impact. I think that is quite sure.”
“For us to also look into buying local produce, that helps our farms to increase capacity at this point, helps them build resilience over time and should there be disruptions or should there be a need for us to divert supplies or look to ramp up local production, I think they would be in a better position if we do what we can today to supp…”
The complete record
Every one of 1,752 lines we hold for Zaqy Mohamad, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 21 of 36.
“In our multi-religious and multi-ethnic Singapore, which has enjoyed decades of stability and harmony, such falsehoods should have no place as someone with the intention to stir up emotions and they can do it easily, using religion. What measures do we need the Government to look into? And these are some suggestions, I hope, the Select Committee can consider. Some countries, such as Germany, have laws to take down unlawful content and systemic breaches that can result in fines of €50 million. The EU, UK and France are considering similar take-down laws. New Zealand takes a different approach under the Harmful Digital Communications Act that allows the Court to order a right to reply or to correct false statements concerning individuals. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the process of appointing the Select Committee, given the sensitivities of the topic and the pervasive use of the online platform by many Singaporeans. Given our small size and highly connected population, we are at risk of foreign influence and intervention. The Select Committee is therefore a good platform to get views from many Singaporeans and other stakeholders to hear their views, challenges and for us to learn the best way to take this forward for the greater good of Singapore and fellow citizens. However, the Government must also assure Singaporeans that this is not an effort to silence critics and that the citizens must not lose that freedom to critic, feedback and put points of views across, as long as they are based on truths and not deliberately pushing falsehoods. One of the key priorities, I feel, of the Select Committee is to gain consensus among Singaporeans on how we define online falsehoods, and perhaps it may be time to refine and update our OB markers for the future.”
“In an undated letter to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, quoted in 2014, Al-Qaeda’s then leader Osama bin Laden himself observed that "90 percent of the preparation for war is effective use of the media". Al-Qaeda was long advocating ghazwa ma’lumatiyya, or information operations, and harb electroniyya which is electronic warfare. Bin Laden’s successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri, shared this same view. He referred to "jihad of the bayan" which is the message of declaration, and considered this more important than "jihad of the spear" – he praised the "knights of the media jihad", and the "clandestine mujahideen" who were conducting it. Terrorist organisations use Twitter to put out fake news stories. There have been many instances of mainstream media mistaking terrorist-originated tweets as legitimate sources of breaking news. An example of a terrorist organisation that has been using online falsehoods to push its own agenda is the Islamic State (ISIS). In 2017, it claimed that Mosul’s famed al-Nuri mosque was blown up by a US-led coalition airstrike, when in fact, ISIS had destroyed the mosque themselves, using explosives. Their goal as jihadists was to blame the West and the Americans. The Iraq military and the US military released counter-footage, trying to show the truth of the matter, but objective truth has little meaning as the followers of ISIS cannot be swayed by evidence. So, even if you put the counter-truth, it is hard to sway the public and hard to counter the perceptions the mistruths have already shaped. So, we need to be aware of the consequences when our online space is hijacked or influenced by players with certain motivations or agenda.”
“False information was also used to stir up racial tensions in the UK to smear Muslims as a group, and to turn non-Muslims against Muslims. In the face of numerous occurrences of online falsehoods in the UK, the UK government has launched a parliamentary inquiry into fake news. Their experiences have shown them that if left unchecked, the spread of falsehoods has a serious detrimental impact on society. In Australia, online falsehoods were used to stir up racial tensions to smear Muslims as a group and to stir up xenophobic feelings. In 2015, companies that get products halal certified were targets of a campaign that claimed that halal certification funds terrorism. Conducted largely through the social media and online networks, Australian anti-Islamic groups demanded companies that carry halal certification labels to drop them. This was part of what were known as rallies to "reclaim Australia". There was never any evidence to support the allegation that money from halal certification funded terrorist groups. Just like the UK, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has undertaken a formal inquiry into major digital platforms and their impact on media, journalism and advertising, with the impact of falsehoods as part of this inquiry. The Australian process is somewhat similar to Singapore’s proposed Select Committee process, in that it is formally convened to study a problem and has powers to obtain evidence and hold hearings. The second consideration is that falsehoods have the ability to radicalise individuals with extremist sentiments. Terrorist groups have long recognised the need to use online media effectively, in order to radicalise masses and achieve their sinister aims.”
“Thank you, Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to speak on this important Motion, and I applaud the effort to push this Motion in this House. While there are many aspects of this discussion, I would like to focus on two important considerations. Firstly, I need to underscore that constructive public debate or the exercise of freedom of speech must be founded on truth, not falsehoods. Those who advocate strongly for freedom of speech are quick to argue that the "market" should be left to "correct" misinformation and disinformation. They point out that a marketplace of ideas and thoughts will certainly eventually lead to the truth emerging. This, while true in the past, may not necessarily be the case in this digital era, where falsehoods are propagated at such speeds and volumes which makes it difficult for the common man to discern between fact and fiction. In this digital era, algorithms and social media platforms can also be manipulated by motivated parties – local and foreign, private and state-payers. Measures need to be taken to ensure that while free speech is exercised, facts will prevail. Free speech must be founded on facts, and not on falsehoods, especially those that are designed to undermine society. We should not take this lightly. The dangers of how freedom of speech can be abused to cause significant harm to society, can be seen from the experiences in the UK and Australia. In the UK, online falsehoods were used to distort sentiment in relation to government policies and to breed xenophobia. In 2016, online falsehoods were spread about immigration in the lead-up to the "Brexit" referendum, which fuelled support for "Brexit" by claiming that the UK will see an influx of 12 million Turks if it remained in the EU.”
“With this Bill, an outdated or erroneous data is now transmitted across multiple agencies. So, how can a citizen or a business find out whether the data that the Government has on them is actually correct and if they can self-update easily, without the hassle of checking from agency to agency? Also, given that Government officers now have access to a full suite of data, which, put together with reasonable deduction, may lead to market or sensitive insights and the possibility of what some may call "insider trading" for use of information for personal gain. Will there be measures put in place for such officers to declare interests beyond the grade ones that the Minister shared earlier, and holdings of investment and properties? Will the Government also consider stronger penalties for breaches of data access or leaks so as to create stronger deterrents? While the Bill covers penalties for data leaks, I do have concerns that, in recent years, we have seen Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) reports where data and systems controls remain a concern for some agencies. So, what additional measures will be put in place in terms of data security? Once data is leaked, even if we can penalise the officer, there is no retrieving the data back. So, I would like to know how the Government plans to balance security, governance and accessibility of data. If these concerns are addressed, Mr Deputy Speaker, I am confident that the Bill brings greater convenience and efficiency to Singaporeans and the Public Service. As such, I support the Bill.”
“Last, but not least, the importance of taking concrete steps towards being a truly Smart Nation. Data and, more importantly, the insights that can be garnered from it, are proving to be critical and significant in this digital era. Companies and governments around the world are increasingly leveraging data to serve their customers and citizens better, and Singapore should leverage such capabilities to improve and enhance policymaking. After all, if we are truly driving Singapore towards being a Smart Nation, then the Public Service should be incentivised to lead by example. I support this initiative to further our use of digital technology under our Smart Nation initiative, in areas that can better our lives, such as making our public transport services more efficient and enhancing our access to healthcare, amongst others. However, acknowledging these benefits, I would like to share the concerns I have on this Bill based on feedback gathered on the ground. The main concern some have on this move is the perception that "big brother" is watching. How does the Government plan to assure citizens that they are not actively being tracked? While governance and transparency are areas to keep in mind, we need to be clear on whether the Government will make public on what datasets that the "directing" Minister has asked for across agencies, and what they will be used for. This is especially for datasets that will be used for proactive enforcement of citizens, if any, such as tax compliance or declarations. My other concern is the erroneous or non-updated data on an individual or business which could work against them when used by the Government to approve applications for schemes and services.”
“For example, an agency can evaluate if an applicant’s household income exceeds the specified criteria through comparing CPF and/or Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) data, without having to be given actual details which will breach some of our laws. If the system can compute such a formula, this will help reduce trauma and difficulties by the applicant and reduce the burden on the processing for help. This way, more citizens will get help more expediently and with much lesser stress. The second consideration is the possibility of achieving cost-effectiveness. In the sharing of data and making Government processes more efficient, would such services not become cheaper for the relevant agencies and, consequently, the public? I am not just talking about direct cost savings but also indirect savings in terms of neater allocation of resources, achieving optimal outcomes and leading to effective policy outcomes. From the business point of view, for example, the amount of time and resources companies spend in administrative filings, whether for taxes, specific permits and licences or manpower quotas, can be drastically reduced through the sharing of data among Government agencies. So, I understand MyInfo is a good platform and I hope that more can be done, but also not in terms of pre-filling forms, when we were to carry forward some of these application data that was previously submitted. In recent years, we have heard of many businesses attributing the low take-up rate of Government schemes and grants to complicated and long-drawn processes of such applications and reporting. Hopefully, we will see businesses more encouraged to do so now in light of easier data sharing among agencies, so they do not have to keep repeating their applications across agencies.”
“Too often, many give up on these schemes or benefits because of the long process and when data and document sharing becomes onerous. The family situation for those in need is not always so straightforward. Family members may be difficult to locate and sometimes family members are also estranged. An example involves Government assistance schemes that need salary declarations to determine household income, but the Government may already have had some salary information either through income tax declarations or CPF contributions. I ask that officers handling such sensitive cases for welfare, housing and health subsidies be given greater access to data to make decisions more easily and, more importantly, to reduce the burden on the residents to keep providing updated statements and data every few months when assistance needs to be renewed. Mr Deputy Speaker, I understand that the sensitivities, as explained by the Minister earlier on, of allowing officers to see such salary data and declarations are, indeed, sensitive for the families. Thus, I have a suggestion. Can the Government work on a points-based system to determine the eligibility of citizens for various schemes, similar to what we do for credit scoring? So, systems can work in the background without having to reveal exact numbers to officers. So, in a sense, you go to the backend, get certain data, churn out a formula and, therefore, a score comes out to say whether a resident is eligible or not eligible. So, officers making the assessments will see some form of points scoring to make it easier and quicker to approve one’s eligibility for a scheme. This will allow officers to make decisions without having to access actual data.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to speak on this important Bill, which I support on three counts, focused on the data section. Firstly, the need to improve governance. Streamlining processes in the Public Service would have obvious benefits to the public and make governance more efficient and effective. Let me share some areas where I propose this can be done. From a public perspective, it can be frustrating, and I know many residents as well as businesses are often frustrated when Government agencies lob them from department to department and sometimes even Members of Parliament (MPs) are not immune to this. To make an application or appeal, one has to go online to different websites or to different departments to get the relevant documentation because the information among the different agencies cannot be shared. Thus, I am sure that the public will welcome this move if they can see the direct benefits that it brings them in transacting with the Government and in how they use various Government services. I hope that with the implementation of this Bill, the Government will prioritise to start with areas that can have significant social impact, especially those for the low-income, seniors and the under-privileged. I see many possibilities that data sharing can make living better for the under-privileged and those in need. Very often, I have had residents coming to our Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS) for help, especially for welfare appeals, home purchases and other declarations needed, such as immigration applications, where documents and statements are asked each time they make an appeal, whether it is CPF records, income statements, certified medical certificates and so forth.”
“I have a question on the issue of context. It is a tricky one because many scriptures of the various religions do deal with the non-believers, and many religious leaders and preachers have had to address this and speak on such topics when they are overseas. So, it may not be easy for them to align the speeches to the context of multiracialism or multi-religionism, to what we believe here in Singapore; we are an exception. So, how do you differentiate whether it is through their views or it is a context in which they were giving that speech or sermon in those countries? And how can we do more to help our own religious leaders to also counter such radical beliefs?”
“I welcome the Minister's approach and strategies to combat such scams in the future. Bearing in mind that this may also mean tightening of the processes, firstly, how would SSG balance not having to make it more onerous for employers to claim and, secondly, given that $40 million was involved in the scams, how does it affect the performance and results that SkillsFuture had earlier reported? Will some old numbers be taken out and the adjusted numbers re-reported?”
“The Minister responded to my Parliamentary Question (PQ) that we are not holding a COI. My question relates then to the Audit Committee that is being formed. Does the Ministry plan to bring in international experts to augment the team, to put in best practices, for example, that we can learn from? At the same time, to what extent does the Ministry plan to supervise this audit, in terms of how wide, how deep it has to go? The second question relates to the technologies being used for the pumps. I understand that some of these are 30 years old, but would the designs be reviewed and relooked, because if we look at the sensors today, we do not need people to monitor that the sump pits are full, for example? Are all these developments being considered?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for his response just now. And, of course, Mr Speaker, congratulations. The first question is, for ABT, which countries have so far deployed this and what are some of the learning points that we have taken on board to smoothen the adoption and, certainly, how do we bring the seniors who may not be so IT-savvy on board? Secondly, the Senior Minister of State also mentioned about cost savings. Would that be passed on to consumers?”
“Madam, I have a question on the last will. The Prime Minister's speech, the Prime Minister explained that the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew's lawyer was not involved in the last will. So, will the Government or will the Prime Minister, in his private capacity, be pursuing this matter?”
“Thank you, Mdm Speaker. The analysis that the Senior Minister of State gave is really about e-commerce retail sales in Singapore. But I think the crux of the question here would be: Singaporeans are spending more, but are they spending more internationally with international brand retailers compared to, say, local ones? Are we losing out in terms of GDP for our local retailers to e-commerce? That is the key question. And do we track that?”
“Earlier, the Minister shared some of the profiles of those who have been radicalised. Has MHA studied some of these profiles and seen a trend − who are these in the groups that are more vulnerable to radicalisation − so that that could, at least, enable us to target some of these segments? My question is: what are some of these segments that are more vulnerable and has MHA profiled them? The second question is: I understand there are also sites that they probably go to because a lot of the threats the Minister mentioned were online. So, does MHA also actively track these sites and what are we doing to block them or reduce access to these sites? The third question relates to my Parliamentary Question No 39 which the Minister alluded to earlier − whether in constituencies or on the ground where the constituencies require or find that these are potential threats and we need to set up bollards and so forth, will items like these be put into schemes like the CIPC, for example, to be funded so that it would give constituencies or heartlands the autonomy to also set up some of these bollards where required?”
“Should it not be a private matter, to be challenged in Court, they ask? There are also some quarters who see the Government taking a role in this because the Prime Minister came out to say that he has "grave concerns" on the preparation of the last will. Perhaps it may be useful for the Prime Minister to clarify in which capacity he made this comment as it would then clarify the Government's perceived role in it. Lastly, on the platform that has been chosen for this matter, as mentioned by Members, some Singaporeans have asked if a Ministerial Statement in Parliament was the right platform to address this issue. While I agree that the integrity of the Government should be defended, I hope that we all also realise that this may not stop further allegations from being hurled at the Government. We have already seen, just in the past few days alone, how new actors have been brought into the fray − both Ministers and public servants − as the allegations grew. How does the Government plan to handle communications and further clarifications from the Lee family if there are still queries beyond what has been explained today? Under what circumstances will the Government or Parliament consider further enquiry or a select committee to investigate any further allegations or disputes of accounts? I urge all members of the family to take a more private course from here on to address this dispute. Opening it up into the public domain does not serve Singapore's interest at all, as it only tarnishes the country's reputation, something that no Singaporean would want and, not least, the late Mr Lee himself. If the family wishes to honour his wishes and legacy, then this would be a good base to start from.”
“And how has the Committee interpreted paragraph 7 of the will thus far? Under what circumstances or criteria can the Government declare a house a national monument for preservation to prevent any demolition or redevelopment while the family chooses to live onsite? In its study, what does the Committee estimate to be the potential value of the site, if sold, given the current zoning of the area? The second area, Madam, that requires clarification is the Deed of Gift. Due to the allegations that have been made, many Singaporeans deserve to know when the Prime Minister came to know of the Deed and if there was any leak outside of the purview. And I think the Minister has addressed that earlier. Here, the role of NHB comes into question. Why did NHB sign on to take over the items, despite the onerous contractual obligations and knowing that there could be potentially a family dispute? Since there was potentially a conflict of interest in the matter of Ms Lee Suet Fern, who served on the NHB board and whose firm had prepared the contract on behalf of the family, then why did NHB go ahead and sign it? Was it under any pressure to do so, as you have a Board of Directors working the agreement? Given that many of our top talent in Singapore wear multiple hats, how can we enhance the governance of our Government agencies to avoid potential conflict of interest in future? The third area that I seek clarification on is on the matter of the last will of the late Mr Lee and the extent to which the Government should be involved in determining its accuracy. Firstly, why is the Ministerial Committee concerned about the validity of the will? Many Singaporeans wonder why it is necessary for the Government to be involved in ascertaining the accuracy of the will, if at all.”
“Regardless of the motivations and timing, this issue has raised many questions, particularly certain allegations against the Prime Minister and the Government of abuse of power. Like many Singaporeans, I would like to know if these allegations had an ounce of truth and I trust that this Parliamentary session must shed light because Singaporeans want to know the truth. Mdm Speaker, there are four particular issues where questions need to be answered. First, the role of the Ministerial Committee. I understand that Ministerial Committees are common and the Cabinet has assembled them on many strategic matters. But was the case of 38 Oxley Road such an important issue that it required assembling a Ministerial Committee? Would it not have sufficed to have URA, NHB or any other relevant Government agency assess the matter and give its recommendations to the Cabinet instead? And if, indeed, it was necessary, then Singaporeans deserve to know if the Committee was indeed independent. Because the fact that you have to make a decision on the matter where their boss has personal interest does raise questions, but I think the Prime Minister has already also spoken that you have to trust the Cabinet and the Government to remain independent. The Deputy Prime Minister, too, has also shared in his Ministerial Statement of the roles and functions of the Ministerial Committee. But the question I have would be that the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew had mentioned on many occasions that he wanted the house demolished. What else transpired when he met the Cabinet on 21 July 2011? The Government has said that it did not need to make a decision now as Dr Lee Wei Ling is still staying there. If so, was there a reason to set up the Ministerial Committee now? Is there a hurry to do so?”
“We know that according to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the house need not be demolished until his daughter chooses not to live in it. The Government is also clear that it will respect Mr Lee's wish in this regard. Hence, it is not as if a decision was taken. We have been assured before by the Government that as long as Dr Lee Wei Ling continues to live in 38 Oxley Road, it shall remain intact. So, why is this matter being debated now? And we are left puzzled as to what is the underlying motivation behind this dispute. If the Government has committed not to make a decision at this point in time and not on behalf of the government of the future, then what are this dispute and the public allegations all about? Is it just about the house or is there more to this? The other concern is a question of principle. For decades, many regular Singaporeans have had their homes and land acquired for the greater national good. Some for development of Housing and Development Board flats or MRT lines, while others for heritage and preservation. So many others have sacrificed − not everyone willingly − for the greater good and national interest. If some members of the Lee family believe that they should be exempted from Government deliberations or decisions just because they are a family of standing, then I think this sets the wrong principles and precedence. Based on the Prime Minister's Statement earlier, I can only guess that the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew recognised and respected this. Otherwise, he could have left out the second part of paragraph 7 of his will or deliberated the demolishment of the home while he was still alive.”
“There are other matters regarding the potential value of the site of the house and the Government's jurisdiction about preserving the house as a heritage. These matters require explanations. Otherwise, incorrect facts and allegations can confuse many people. In the end, after the sequence of events have become clearer, based on the facts presented, we are more informed that the Ministerial Committee and the Prime Minister have given the commitment that no decision will be taken as long as Dr Lee Wei Ling still resides in the house. As long as no final decision needs to be made until it is time to do so, what is the actual intention of making this dispute public? What is the real motivation behind this unhappiness? This can confuse the people and should be resolved honestly before it becomes prolonged. The house, the family involved, and even the institutions and laws created regarding matters like land acquisition and heritage protection, are all the legacy of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Therefore, I reckon that Singaporeans do not wish to see these institutions and legacy become tainted by this dispute. (In English): Mdm Speaker, the last couple of weeks have been a difficult one for many Singaporeans. As we deal with the information being shared by both parties on social media, we also had to contend with the country's history, systems and reputation being questioned in the international media − a source of concern and, sometimes, embarrassment to many Singaporeans I spoke to. But at the heart of it all, amidst all the attention and information being shared by many quarters, the one question that I was left to grapple with was: what was the issue about in the first place?”
“Thirdly, whether there was any conflict of interest in the issue of the Deed of Gift. Fourthly, is Parliament the most appropriate platform? I will touch on the first matter in my Malay speech, and the rest in my English speech later. I understand that the formation of a Ministerial committee is a normal thing as the Cabinet forms Ministerial committees on many strategic matters. Therefore, is the 38 Oxley Road issue such an important matter that it requires a Ministerial-level committee? In the Prime Minister's speech just now, he has convinced the people that the Government acted independently of the Prime Minister, especially since it has to make a decision in which the Prime Minister himself has a personal stake. Singaporeans' views about the residence at 38 Oxley Road have been mixed. Tradition teaches us to respect the wishes of the late Mr Lee and the wishes of the family. However, the house is not any house, and its historical significance has evoked an emotional response from many Singaporeans. Many have also voiced out and wrote in for the house to be preserved. Hence, we can understand why the Government took into account and considered the historical significance of the house and explore options for the house. The Deputy Prime Minister, who also chairs the Ministerial Committee, have explained further about the role of this committee and why it was studying family matters, even though the late Mr Lee had several times stated his desire for the house to be demolished. If the Government's position is that no decision needs to be made as long as Dr Lee Wei Ling still resides there, why was there a hurry to form this committee?”
“The allegations that were made can affect the integrity of the leadership and also the Government, as well as the people's confidence, and this should be addressed firmly. Most importantly, Singaporeans should know the true facts. With that, they can decide for themselves why this dispute is brought to the open now because all it does is confuse matters further to the point that it affects the reputation of the Government and Singapore. Our limited resources should not be spent on addressing issues that essentially should not have been raised until it becomes the focus of the Government, especially since we are facing many national challenges. I am moved by the Prime Minister's apology, as well as his explanations and clarifications about the actual situation. It is clearly difficult for the Prime Minister, seeing that he is the Prime Minister and also the eldest son of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Others who are involved in this issue are also prominent people and have served in various capacities in Singapore. That is why today's session is very important. I would like to thank the Prime Minister and also the Deputy Prime Minister for their focus on safeguarding the Government's integrity in this Chamber. Although I do not think that this session can resolve the dispute, however, as many Singaporeans have wished for, it is hoped that this session can address the various allegations about the Government's abuse of power and any conflict of interest amongst those who are involved, including the Prime Minister, in the matters related to 38 Oxley Road. It is important for us to address four main issues. Firstly, the role of the Ministerial Committee and the role of the Prime Minister. Second, should the Government involve itself with the issue of who prepared the last will?”
“Mdm Speaker, please allow me to start my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Firstly, please allow me to wish you Selamat Hari Raya, Mdm Speaker, and I also seek your forgiveness, and to all Members in this House and Muslim Singaporeans, too. Over the past few weeks, an unexpected development caught many Singaporeans by surprise. The quarrel between siblings from the family of Singapore's founder, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, was made public and affected all of us. This is especially since the allegations were mainly aimed towards the eldest son of Mr Lee, who is also the Prime Minister. What is more serious are the allegations levelled by his own siblings that are certainly hard to ignore and instead should be addressed properly without making matters worse. Within the Malay community, based on my own observations and conversations, many have expressed concern and are quite uncomfortable with matters like having a family quarrel so openly. Some felt that it is a private matter and should be resolved within the family itself, based on some of the issues that were raised. Some are confused, some have raised questions, and some have queried how such a quarrel could happen. To them, in line with our cultural values, it is not good to talk about such matters. What more when it involves the family of a leader who is renowned and beyond compare? As children, it is our responsibility to protect our family's good name, regardless of their position. However, we should understand that this is not a trivial dispute, because it involves issues of national interest and also involves our Prime Minister.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the explanation. Two supplementary questions. Is there a concern by the Ministry that there will be a further decline in the number of JC places, in the sense that they are talking about future graduate workforce in Singapore? The second question is whether the Senior Minister of State would say that the JC experience, in terms of infrastructure and environment, has not really changed compared to, say, competition, such as polytechnic places where today, there is a lot more vibrancy in terms of marketing and the variety of courses being made available. If you go to the polytechnics, for example, many of the students I spoke to and asked, "Why did you choose polytechnics over JCs?", for example, they would say, "You go to a JC, you see classrooms and classrooms and not much more, whereas if you go to the polytechnic, you will see labs, very interesting things". So, the experience also matters in terms of the erosion of JC places. Would the Ministry be reviewing that because there is value to a JC education? Would not having changed this environment and experience result in further erosion of students taking the JC pathway, given that you also have more competition for students today, with regard to whether it is the International Baccalaureate (IB), IP or polytechnics?”
“I have two supplementary questions. One would be the number of lots you have or have planned to put in place, are they sufficient? I looked at the plan and it is for 2019. The issues that are faced by my residents and many others in Singapore show that the bikes are indiscriminately parked if there are no parking spaces allocated for them. The regulatory framework today has to take into account that there are not enough parking places and that you need to enforce this a lot more stringently. The second question relates to my Parliamentary Question on the level of enforcement. LTA has the enforcement authority but I think most of the other agencies have not implemented this. Are there plans to make this more consistent across all agencies? I can give some data points. My Community Club, which is managed by the People's Association, for example, has 65 of these illegally parked. We have called the operators and they have not collected any of the bikes. They may not be interested in collecting them because the bikes may already have been paid for by deposits. To a certain sense, there is the business model issue, and there may not be interest for them to also collect the bikes. So, the level of enforcement may not be sufficient. Are there other plans to make enforcement more consistent across all agencies, not just LTA?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the clarification. Many of my residents are concerned because there has been a slew of Government announcements of price increases ranging from car park to water and, recently, on energy as well. How can the Government help assure citizens that the impact of such Government-influenced prices will not impact long-term sustainability in terms of affordability and cost of living? I just want to check that for the 0.2%, is that after or before the Government transfers to help subsidise short-term increases, because there is a long-term implication as well, if we keep doing that. Second, I would like to check: does the Ministry proactively monitor this and coordinate with agencies so that we can also smoothen − in anticipation of some of these potential increases that we know of, for example, the energy prices the Senior Minister of State mentioned − some of these increases as well to make it more affordable for citizens?”
“I thank the Minister for the explanation and clarification. Two things. I just want to clarify whether 2% of the total number of flat applications is against the total number or is it just those who purchase from a resale flat before. A number of cases I have come across were that they were all caught because of the slow resale market right now. Some have difficulty paying the cash that they have to top up. Is there a possibility for HDB to exercise more leniency because I understand that sometimes the holding costs are quite high, at a few hundred dollars? At the same time, can we also protect buyers through better credit modelling, knowing that the market could tank after a certain period because BTO flats do take some time to complete?”
“(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] SkillsFuture is more than just about providing SkillsFuture credits. Our hope is that the concept and objectives of SkillsFuture, including increasing awareness and fully taking advantage of this scheme, are understood by all Singaporeans, including Malay/Muslims. All levels of society should make use of this scheme, from housewives to students, workers and also entrepreneurs. However, in order for SkillsFuture to be truly beneficial for them, it will require an understanding and knowledge on the best way to use it. A more focused help and guidance may be required by the Malay/Muslim community. For instance, students may need to know which roadmaps are relevant and which career paths will emerge. Some may not have the confidence and need guidance. Can the Minister provide the latest update on this effort? Syariah Court − Building Capabilities”
“Madam, in Malay please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Madam, over the past few years, increasingly more support is being provided to workers from the professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) group through various programmes and assistance schemes like training in reskilling, job matching and others. I think few countries in the world provide such assistance. However, it is understood that although there is help specifically targeted at PMETs, many may still experience uncertainty and doubt about their future within this challenging economic situation. This is especially so for those who lost their jobs or are employed in sectors or jobs that are impacted by the economy or have a bleak future. I note that, for the Malay/Muslim community, many efforts have been done to help PMETs. For instance, the Council on Education for Muslim Children (MENDAKI), together with several Malay/Muslim bodies, made efforts help this group. In my opinion, for this particular group, there is a need for a more focused and meaningful assistance, for instance, by providing advice, counselling and networking opportunities. Can the Minister share what are the efforts and types of assistance that can be extended to this group? Aspirations of Malay/Muslim Community”
“The slow bus-driving. Is the service level determined by LTA or the service provider? Why are these buses driving slowly? Could they be adjusted based on commuters' experience?”
“I have three clarifications. One to Minister Ng for replying to my cut on dynamic pricing. I am all for dynamic pricing and companies innovating with new models. But my question was how LTA, as a regulator, will ensure that in shifting to demand pricing, you do not have a deja vu of taxi availability being an issue, because that could shift behaviour in terms of how taxis make themselves available. The second question is I thank the Minister also for demystifying the slow bus-driving for some services like 983 where you travel from between Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang. Residents have complained that buses sometimes travel at 30km/h or 40km/h on an empty road or stop at bus stops where there is no one. Are these service levels determined by LTA or the service provider? Despite repeated feedback, does LTA review the service level based on commuters' experience? Finally, on noise barriers, I am heartened that Minister Khaw Boon Wan spoke that LTA and NEA are aligned. May I just check what the qualifying decibel level is before noise barriers are erected? I understand these projects compete for resources within the LTA budget but if you could give residents and citizens clarity on how they can qualify and when they qualify, I think they are more inclined to —”
“On a more national strategic consideration, I would like to ask the Ministry how our sea and air ports will be differentiating themselves, with growing competition from the region, be it the new Malaysian port or the Kra Canal development. What new strategies and features will be put in place to ensure the continued attractiveness of our ports? I look forward to hearing from the Minister on these considerations. Taxis and Driverless Transportation”
“Madam, I am heartened by how MOT has balanced the disruptive aspects of the industry, such as Uber and Grab, and embraced future technologies by creating regulatory sandboxes for autonomous vehicles, for instance. Recently, our taxi operators announced that they will be implementing surge pricing. The private hire car industry has set themselves up to fill the gaps in availability of the traditional taxi companies. Now that taxi companies are moving in the same direction, many Singaporeans are concerned that there is no longer fare certainty if both the taxi firms and private car hires all adopt surge pricing. Also, many asked if they will be hit with a double whammy now that LTA has just relaxed earlier this year the requirements for taxi availability. How can the Ministry ensure that the public will be adequately served? From a regulatory point of view, there are many possibilities for transport in the near future and I think the Minister just now covered some of these, such as autonomous vehicles. I would like to ask the Ministry what regulatory and policy changes it may require to manage this transition and how will this transform public commute? I would like to propose that a Future Transport Committee be formed to conduct a comprehensive overview of regulations covering all forms of current and predictable future civilian ground transport. We must look at both the economic and social impact shifts in the transport paradigm; and what this means for commuters and Singaporeans whose rice bowls could be impacted, such as autonomous vehicles and other aspects. For example, today, you find taxi drivers being impacted, too.”
“LTA needs to be transparent in the criteria to implement noise barriers which, currently, is not clear to the public. Train Reliability”
“Madam, breakdowns, as we have seen in recent times, not only disrupt our overall public transport system, they also undermine customers' confidence in it. Therefore, reliability of our train systems should be a major focus of the Government as it had done in recent times. I would like to ask the Ministry: what are its plans to improve maintenance and expedite the replacement of old trains? May I ask whether LTA is considering employing a regime of predictive maintenance instead of waiting until something goes wrong? This will help us enhance the reliability of trains and tracks from contributing to breakdowns. One other issue that concerns estates, such as the new BTOs of Keat Hong Pride and Crest in my constituency, is that they are not covered by noise barriers today. Trains on the North-South line increase in frequency due to signalling enhancements and, quite often, you can also hear trains travelling towards depots past midnight. Many residents are impacted by the level of noise from the tracks and trains. Residents have complained that the noise from concrete sleepers is much louder, compared to the old wooden ones. NEA has set acceptable noise levels in decibels. Can I ask if this is a determining factor and what is the acceptable decibel level for LTA to put in place noise barriers? In our current situation, it does seem that LTA has put the responsibility on HDB to put in place noise mitigation measures, and we seem to be going in circles. If, indeed, the decibel levels are equivalent or higher compared to the areas that have benefited from noise barriers, such as those that are being implemented just 100 metres to 200 meters along the current track, then the decision to implement noise barriers should be quite clear-cut.”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all Members for their cuts and making the COS for MCI a meaningful one for Singapore and Singaporeans. I would like to thank Minister Yaacob Ibrahaim, the Ministers of State Dr Janil Puthucheary and Mr Chee Hong Tat, the Permanent Secretary and the teams from MCI and the various Statutory Boards for their extensive work to develop the programmes and initiatives in this Budget. I wish them every success in executing the Budget presented. Good luck! Chairman, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,084,323,200 for Head Q ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $236,391,400 for Head Q ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“We can help people who are mid-career, who may have lost their jobs or want to have a change, preferably if they come from a sector which is related with the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sector, it would be much easier. But IMDA is prepared, as I said earlier, working with TeSA to consider all professionals who may want to make that transition. We will assist them as much as possible. The reason why we want to do so is very simple. There is, indeed, a shortage in the ICT sector. The opportunities are there, like in cybersecurity and data analytics, but this is something which the individuals would have to make their choices. What we will continue to do is to create more pathways by more partnerships with the companies and, through the partnerships, we hope that the companies can also see the value and the talent in some of the trainees so that they are willing to employ them after they have been trained. On the second question as to whether or not other organisations which are non-profit can benefit from some of the support by IMDA, let me ask IMDA to study this. We want to help as many as possible within the sector. The preschool sector is a very large sector. IMDA is in conversation with the Early Childhood and Development Agency on how we can deploy some of these solutions across all members of that sector.”
“Thank you, Chairman. I have three supplementary questions. One, it is heartening to hear from the Minister the example of Mr Alvin Koh who is above 50 years old and who benefited from TeSA and is now a cybersecurity professional. Many of those above 50 that I see, often find that careers and jobs are hard to come by. How can the Ministry help seniors in this age group find career pathways and, especially for those outside the sector, can we bring them in and how can we help them through? The second question is about the transformation in sectors, such as the preschool sector. I know this will help enhance experience of parents and children in this sector, but I just want to ask the Minister whether anchor operators and non-profit organisations will also be part of iSPRINT. Can they also benefit? Because while these are not SMEs per se, they cater to a large base of lower-income children and families, and the impact can be quite significant. The third supplementary question is for Minister of State Chee Hong Tat. It is heartening to know that for SPH, we have seen increased readership. Part of my speech also covered the minority languages because we also want to make sure that there is sufficient coverage of that. How has that been? I know for The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao, there are existing programmes. Are there also programmes for the Malay and Tamil newspapers as well to help enhance their reach and quality of journalism? Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: I thank Mr Zaqy for the two questions. First, on the transformation for our senior career professionals, as per the example of Mr Alvin Koh whom I mentioned in my speech, there are a lot of opportunities through TeSA, for example, under the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP).”
“How can the Ministry enable and support our print media to face the challenges of the era of digital news, to uphold professional journalism in the era of sensational news, flick baits and alternative facts, and help uplift their digital capabilities to better reach out to and engage the digital generation? IMDA Grants for Media Works”
“Overall, while we often speak about quality programming, quantity also matters, to ensure sufficient local content to provide more choices for different segments and tastes among our older and younger generations. I hope the Government will continue to find ways to expand our PSB space as new Internet-based media platforms continue to grow. Future of National Mass Media I would like to find out what are the Ministry's efforts to help our national broadcaster, Mediacorp, to position itself for the digital age to provide relevant and engaging PSB content? Can PSB stay relevant and continue to evolve and meet the changing consumption habits of Singaporeans? On one hand, it is easy to blame the Internet for taking away audiences from our national television medium. It is worthwhile transforming our approach to engage and work with the mainstream and digital channels and review the ecosystem. Take, for example, South Korea. Their locally produced content continues to maintain viewership ratings on the television medium. In fact, many have gone international, too. This is also attributed to the fact that they have quality content in look and feel but, more important, with storylines that connect with local and international audiences, too. Moving on to newspapers, many news agencies globally have struggled for readership, competing with digital channels. Our newspapers have always played an important role to uphold quality journalism and reporting while also fulfilling the important role of an enabler for national communications. We have seen some consolidation as readership declines, and this is more concerning for the minority language papers.”
“Thank you, Madam. I would like to acknowledge that the Government has continued to invest in Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) and has increased funding in this area significantly in the past years. It is important to note that our national broadcaster faces new challenges in competing for citizen attention, compared to new and emerging Internet content and service providers, such as Netflix and Amazon. While Mediacorp has started going digital on Toggle, how does the Ministry ensure that the increased funding delivers intended PSB outcomes and that PSB programmes continue to stay relevant and viable, especially with the younger audiences moving online to consume overseas content? What outcomes have we seen and can expect to see with the increased funding? Today, our younger generation are consuming children's programming from the Internet. Even on our national channels, many of the programmes for children are from western cartoons, which may not necessarily be aligned to our Asian values system. While we have done better in documentaries, current affairs shows and primetime local programmes, the Ministry can do more to develop high quality local children's programmes that can engage our children better, which will also bring about better learning outcomes of our local environment, cultures and values. I would like to find out what has been the trend of actual spend on our Public Service Broadcasts (PSBs) on productions' overall and per-episode basis to enhance the quality of programmes to compete against international content. How different has the spending been among programmes from the vernacular languages − Mandarin, Malay and Tamil − especially to keep its relevance within the next generation of Singaporeans?”
“(proc text)] Industry Partnership to Drive SME Digitisation”
“In identifying the need to build a vibrant ecosystem, what steps can the Ministry take to reduce our over-reliance on foreign, migratory talent in this area and build genuine career opportunities for Singaporeans? It is important that for us to have a healthy, sustainable and vibrant digital economy, that we have an ecosystem which must provide opportunities for exciting technical career paths. This will help us drive innovation and cutting-edge tech application and research. This is one of the reasons why ecosystems, such as those in San Francisco, thrive as hubs of innovation. I look forward to hearing the Ministry's plans on these initiatives. Enhancing Cybersecurity Initiatives Madam, as Singapore increases its digital capabilities and goes deeper into a digital economy, the impact of a cyberattack increases as it could be damaging to the economy. Therefore, with cybersecurity being of increasing importance in a digital economy, what is the Ministry doing to increase its cybersecurity capabilities, as well as to strengthen the cybersecurity industry in Singapore? Last year, the Government announced that it will separate its networks from the Internet. What is the feedback from civil servants and public servants thus far? Has there been impact on customer service from the Government by those agencies that have been affected by this policy? Has the Ministry studied the impact on the productivity and effectiveness of knowledge workers in the agencies and their responsiveness to the public? It is inevitable that the more exposed we become to the virtual world in a digital economy, we are exposed to more and more risks and trade-offs. We will need to study and assess these negative effects so that we would not be caught off-guard. [(proc text) Question proposed.”
“This goes beyond the current capability of SME Centres or industry associations because the largest impact will come from deep experts who can identify trends, intellectual property (IP) and research that can drive innovation at all levels − the businesses, across the value chains and the whole ecosystem. Given how technology is strategic to Singapore's future, I believe that expert access to our business and technology know-how will be crucial to the success of our SMEs. I urge the Ministry to consider all of these questions so that our home-grown companies can maximise the opportunities presented to them by digital disruption. Helping Citizens Prepare for Digitisation Besides SMEs, it is also important that we help Singaporeans maximise the opportunities presented by the digital wave. I would like to know what the Ministry is doing to help workers who face difficulties in reskilling themselves, particularly those whose jobs have been displaced by technology? Also, I would like to request the Ministry to provide an update on the information and communications technology (ICT) manpower initiatives that it announced at the Committee of Supply (COS) last year. Given the disruptive and rapidly evolving nature of the digital economy, how can we ensure that we also retain our technical expertise to remain and provide projects and create an ecosystem that continually challenges them? Without opportunities to progress careers with technical depth, many ICT professionals switch to general management and into sales to further their careers. Thus, the industry may keep losing skilled resources and not grow deep skills as a whole.”
“Madam, the way in which businesses operate globally is shifting as a result of digital disruption. Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are trying to find their way in trying to win over customers and compete against competitors who have mastered the digital realm. The impact of the current economic slowdown has not helped as most SMEs I have spoken to are more focused today on the issue of everyday survival to retain their current business and pay their employees. With the recent Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) report highlighting the shift to a digital economy, I would like to seek the Ministry's update on its initiative to help SMEs in particular which face more constraints and have less resources to help themselves. I believe, for instance, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) can play a driving role to energise the sectors in helping SMEs. So, I hope that both the Ministry and IMDA will look into how it can help with industry transformation. For one, it can address the feedback from industry about technology adoption and, secondly, it can also help SMEs better leverage the grants available to help them transform. Specifically on industry transformation, I would like to find out if the Ministry has any game-changing initiatives and, if so, what would these be? I would also like to know what could possibly be done to catalyse a quicker adoption of technology, such as the Internet of Things and data analytics, among SMEs, which can consequentially provide better insights into their business, workforce and improved customer service. I would like to suggest that we consider setting up Innovation Centres or Centres of Excellence for key sectors where transformation can make an impact.”
“Madam, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head Q of the Estimates be reduced by $100."”
“Its distributed ledger architecture could potentially disrupt our financial sector, a key pillar of Singapore's economy; as well as artificial intelligence, which can deliver much higher efficiencies and provide intelligence to systems, such as autonomous vehicles and drones. The Smart Nation needs to go beyond the technologies of today and prepare the population for tomorrow's disruptions too. A November 2015 report by McKinsey explained that in a survey of 800 jobs and 2,000 activities, 45% of activities that individuals are presently paid to perform can be automated by adapting currently demonstrated technologies. In a more recent report on the Future of Jobs released this January by the World Economic Forum, it was noted that in the next five years, advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural user interfaces are making it possible to automate knowledge worker tasks that have long been regarded as impossible or impractical to perform. In Singapore's context, if I take the threat of autonomous vehicles as an example, we have possibly 27,000 taxis, or 100,000 taxi vocational driver licences, and 12,000 bus driver roles at risk. If we do not manage disruption well, it is not just about losing jobs, but the compounded difficulty to match them to new jobs in the digital economy. Given both the positive and negative aspects of these rapid developments in digital disruption, it is important that we have strategies to fully seize the opportunities presented by technological trends and mitigate undesirable outcomes. We must also consider how do we ensure inclusivity so that our seniors and those with special needs can leverage on these technology enablers to improve the quality of living and their employability in the workforce. Smart Nation”
“Mdm Chairman, the digital revolution will bring many new possibilities for citizens as well as businesses. The Budget has supported the CFE's recommendation to help businesses transform through the Industry Transformation Roadmap. Can I have an update from the Minister on the progress of the Smart Nation initiative in helping businesses, especially local SMEs, to identify and adopt impactful technologies to boost capability, capacity and productivity? I would also like to suggest that we consider setting up Innovation Centres or Centres of Excellence for key sectors where transformation used in smart technologies can make an impact. And this goes beyond the current capability of SME centres or industry associations because the largest impact will come from deep experts who can identify industry trends, IP and research that can drive innovation at all levels − the business, across value chains and the whole eco-system, including facilitating connections between public and private funding as well as technology partners. Given how Smart Nation is strategic to Singapore's future, I believe that one-stop access to our experts in business and technology will be crucial to the success of Smart Nation. The Budget has put a lot of emphasis on our need for skills in adopting new technologies, such as analytics, cybersecurity and Internet of Things (IoT). However, these are primarily today's needs and today's shortage of skillsets. Digital revolution leads to disruptive changes in the industry and the economy and there are also other technologies that are developing rapidly that we will also need to study seriously. These include block chain.”
“I thank the Minister for the explanation. Just two clarifications. Firstly, the Minister mentioned we had 1,300 workers that were successfully matched. I think that is very good progress. Does the Minister have figures in terms of how many are there who actually applied initially and what proportion was successful that made up this 1,300? Secondly, it is good the Minister mentioned that, across different racial groups, it is quite evenly distributed. Is there a difference within age groups as well? For example, are seniors more difficult to get matched? I suppose matches for the younger ones would be easier, but are there issues for the senior groups?”