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 22 of 36.
“I thank the Minister for talking about the survey. I just want to check whether the survey will also cover liabilities, because the gig economy is very different from that for traditional freelancers in which there are lots of established norms. If we look at Uber and others, for example, they do have other liabilities which they cater for as well and they are also at risk, but also in terms of income. I am glad the Minister has also mentioned and talked about the concerns about OA and SA contributions. Has there been a study today on the impact of the gig economy on the ability to service housing loans and insurance coverage and all that? Has there been a survey now or is that something that the Ministry will be looking into?”
“The Minister of State mentioned about the increased capacity in due course. Does the Minister of State have a timeline and what sort of waiting time could parents expect? Also, does the Ministry have a sense of how many are on the waitlist and who do not have a place in school? I know some on the waitlist actually have places somewhere else. There are also those on the waitlist who are not in school. Do we have a sense of that?”
“Mdm Speaker, just a correction. The Minister mentioned my question about 99.9% being too high and should be lower. It is actually the opposite; I meant it is too low. Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Thanks. We will continue to review.”
“As the CSA Chief Executive Mr David Koh mentioned, cybersecurity is a team sport. Everybody has to play their part. On the first question as to whether or not 99.9% is too high, this is something we have just started. We have to continue to monitor the situation. I agree with the Member that the most important thing is how we can resolve the disruption as quickly as possible. We have impressed upon the telecommunications companies and the ISPs that this is something that we want them to put in place quickly and ahead of time. As for the recent incident of Singtel, we are still investigating but we knew that they worked very hard to put in place additional resources so that they can deal with the demands of the customers. It is very difficult for us to determine ahead what exactly they need to do because the networks are becoming very complex and technology is developing very rapidly. The ability for the engineers and the experts to deal with the situation will depend on the complexity of the situation. But IMDA works closely with them to understand every incident, what we can learn from it and how we can use that as a learning experience to improve the resiliency of our network. That is something we will continue to do.”
“The Minister mentioned about our benchmark are not available against international operators, but within Singapore's context where we are moving towards a smart nation and more connected services, are we still expecting 99.9% as the benchmark or could we be more resilient than that? Certainly, what is also important is the amount of time it takes to get services back to normal. Does the Ministry plan to enhance standards in that respect? On that earlier clarification on cybersecurity, if I recall the StarHub incident, there were also DDoS attacks where they took over certain devices on the network. I am quite surprised that this could happen on our public networks. What measures could be put in place to ensure that security is not compromised in the future? Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Madam, on the incident, as mentioned in my reply, this will be responded to later, when we reach the Parliamentary Question that had been put to the Prime Minister. Certainly, we will continue to monitor the situation. Attacks, as the Member rightly pointed out, can come from the most innocent of devices, in this case, the Internet of Things devices that happened in America. CSA is on top of the situation. At the end of the day, it is something in which we are mindful where we need everyone within the value chain − the businesses and even consumers like ourselves − to put in place some cyber hygiene practices at home and in our workplaces. We will work closely with the industry and industry associations to ensure that all our businesses understand what needs to be done. We will work with the major operators who provide the service to the small companies so that they understand what needs to be done. So, it is an on-going effort.”
“I thank the Minister for his explanation. Firstly, I think that it is good that the Minister has shared the ongoing work that we are doing with China to enhance growth and prosperity among our countries. But I think that for those who have followed the Chinese media, especially the state-linked media, they have also noted the discrepancy in what the government is doing and saying at the same time, versus what the media is also saying about Singapore and portraying Singapore to be. So, how do we handle this bi-dimensional approach that China is taking on its relationship with Singapore? Secondly, based on feedback from the industry as well as clan associations, we have also noticed that some have complained or fed back that market access has been restricted of late. So, is that true? And is there any direct impact from our strained relations on market access of late? Lastly, back to the Terrex comment earlier on, I know the Defence Minister covered this. Given that MINDEF has mainly worked with the Hong Kong SAR government, and given our relations with China, and we know that there is a certain amount of influence that China has over Hong Kong, have we opened dialogue with the Chinese government to see whether we could mediate on this at the state level, between Singapore and China?”
“Madam, I thank the Minister for the reply. One aspect of the question I asked was about China's investments in ASEAN. Certainly, competition for us is not new in the region. However, what is different is that instead of being local government-led, this time round, there is also added support from an external government as well, and Chinese state-owned enterprises. In a certain sense, the level of competition and most of the industry's concerns would be different. Is there a counter strategy? Would there be tweaks by CFE to look into this new dynamic that recently arose?”
“In addition, will the amount of rent-free space that IMDA currently allocates under its Code of Practice for Info-communication Facilities in Buildings (COPIF) for telecommunications deployments in buildings be increased to account for this proposal? The other area I would like to raise a point on is the proposal to empower IMDA to establish an Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme. I applaud this scheme but seek more clarity on how it will be implemented. Will the ADR scheme be administered by the Government? What sorts of disputes can consumers bring to the ADR operator? Will consumers have to pay for ADR services and will the outcome of the ADR process be legally binding? How is the proposed ADR scheme different from some of the existing mediation channels available to consumers today, such as CASE or the Singapore Mediation Centre? These are important questions to ask and gain clarity on. Mdm Speaker, a structured mediation process is a good step, but it must protect the interests of the consumer to ensure high quality and a high level of service. Mdm Speaker. I rise in support of the Bill. 1.00 pm”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on this important Bill that will impact the future of telecommunications in Singapore. I would like to focus on two aspects of this Bill. Firstly, on the proposal in the Bill to empower IMDA to establish a framework for further regulating and facilitating access to rooftop space for the deployment of mobile equipment. Given the possibility of a fourth mobile operator entering the market, I would like to know if IMDA would be imposing a cap on the total number of mobile operators that can deploy their telecommunications equipment on the same building. Further, would the Ministry consider a strategy for all the operators to share base stations, like how operators currently use the NetLink Trust infrastructure for fibre broadband, for example? So, you do not clog up your rooftops with too many base stations or you have too many inline within the building repeater cells, for example. This may be especially important if they are moving to a new 5G network in the future based on new infrastructure, thus sharing may provide economies of scale for the operators and be more cost-effective for consumers, too. On this point about access to rooftop space, there are already existing agreements in place to govern this. How will the Ministry protect landlords with these existing agreements in place? I ask Page: 22 this as I wonder if the new regulations will enable operators to cancel these existing agreements with immediate effect and request to relocate their base stations in the same building under new terms.”
“These changes ensure a safeguard for Singaporeans to be assured that an irresponsible or profligate government does not raid our Reserves. This process keeps the intent and integrity of any standing government on the use of Singaporeans' hard-earned Reserves under scrutiny. This is where the WP's position against the Elected Presidency is certainly outdated. The Elected Presidency framework is being evolved with enhanced safeguards to prevent gridlocks and, certainly, the Elected President does not have the powers to block the Government from functioning. Ultimately, the Elected President still has to seek re-election and has to justify his actions to the people. So, why is the WP afraid of the Elected Presidency and why its designs on the Reserves to block this? On the elected Senate, how different is it from the CPA, apart from the election? The Prime Minister has mentioned earlier in his speech that the CPA has certain constraints. Therefore, if you want to elect a CPA, it is no different from electing your eight-man Senate. I think the Prime Minister has already explained in his clarifications. We have also seen how Senators out there have also caused gridlocks in the US. So, we have to trust the judgement of a standing Elected President to do the right thing for Singapore, for our people, for our nation and for our nation's future. And this is why our trust and faith in the Elected President's judgement lies in his moral authority. This moral authority, as the Prime Minister has mentioned earlier, can only be earned by being elected by the people, and not appointed, as the Head of State. I rise in support of the Bill.”
“The proposed amendments to the Elected Presidency with regard to the minority provision, must be seen in a wider context and goes beyond life as a plural society in Singapore. The issue of racial cohesion cannot be taken lightly, and it is also not something that comes automatically. Efforts will still be needed to preserve this situation. Therefore, the review of the Elected Presidency is timely. The Prime Minister's clear position about the need to have a provision for minorities, including Malays, in the Elected President system is much appreciated. It is certainly heartening to the Malay community who have not seen a Malay President since the late Encik Yusof Ishak held the highest Page: 50 office in the land. Nonetheless, more importantly, it is a measure that will further strengthen the principle of a multiracial country, that is the crucial principle of upholding Singapore as a nation for all races, even though the Chinese is in the majority. The Prime Minister's decision to propose this change is a courageous decision, especially in terms of the political risk in convincing the majority community that it needs to be done in order to preserve this principle of multiracialism. I, therefore, call upon the Malay community to accept this as an important trust and fully support the intent and this principle. I thank the Prime Minister for his long-term vision for Singapore. I am certain that this development will be welcomed by the Malay community. (In English): Madam, the changes to the veto and entrenchment framework will further strengthen the governance of the country, providing clarity on the process for Parliamentary override to avoid Government gridlocks and not to create an alternative power centre.”
“I welcome the proposal by the Constitutional Commission that proposed a reserved election for the candidate of a certain race if, for over five terms, no candidate from that race has been elected as President. The Government has also accepted the proposal in its White Paper. The Malay community's maturity stands out in this issue. Although they welcome the change, which promises the certainty of a Malay President, their main concern is that this should not be seen as an act of tokenism. Some are worried that the selection will not be based on merit. This concern is understandable because meritocracy is an important value in the lives and success of Singaporeans. So, I feel that the emphasis by the Commission regarding the level of eligibility is a guarantee that no matter which candidate is elected, he or she must fulfil the criteria that have been set. Therefore, when we have a Malay Elected President, this will certainly be a moment of pride for the Malay community because he or she is a President who is qualified and capable and have met the conditions for eligibility that have been determined. The one and only Malay President in Singapore's history, the late Encik Yusof Ishak, was a President for all the people. It has become a source of great pride to the Malay/Muslim community. If the community is proud to have President Yusof Ishak who performed his duty exceptionally, representing all races outstandingly, surely there will be a Malay of a high calibre and is able to fulfil the eligibility criteria. The late Encik Yusof Ishak left us a priceless legacy, including as a leader who became a symbol of unity and harmony for a multiracial and multi-religious society.”
“At no time must the credibility of the seat of the President be seen to be undermined or under-valued by Singaporeans as this will not only erode the goodwill that previous Presidents have built up, it will also not be fair to the minority-elect President if there is even a doubt that he is there based on his ethnicity. While this is not a case, the Government must ensure that any such perceptions on the ground must be reversed through education and awareness. Page: 49 I am heartened that the Prime Minister has just announced that the next election would be a reserved Presidential Election and I think many in the Malay community would also be heartened to have potentially a first Malay Elected President for Singapore. It must have been a heavily considered decision by the Government. I think the Prime Minister is expending political capital to get the citizens behind this, to also protect our multiracial and multi-religious diversity and principles. I am in favour of this Bill, Madam, in general, as it is done in the spirit of keeping the office of President relevant to today's context. However, while we are at it, it also truly reflects on the demands and aspirations of today's society and have the office of the President of Singapore reflect those ideals. Mdm Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The proposed changes to the Elected Presidency that was first mooted by the Prime Minister earlier this year, is an important political process for our nation. When I touched on this issue in Parliament at that time, I said that the move to have a provision for minorities is welcomed by the Malay community.”
“Many Presidents in the past, such as Mr Yusof Ishak, Dr Benjamin Sheares, Mr Wee Kim Wee, among others, were seen as Presidents of the people, above politics and represented Singapore well internationally. The Presidential candidate is not applying for a job to be a Chairman of a listed company, where his financial and corporate track record should be the key criteria for evaluation. He is applying to be the President of Singapore, a role that demands a track record of service to society, of demonstrated ability and willingness to have contributed to society and Singaporeans, in a leading role, in addition to his role as custodian of Singapore's Reserves. Therefore, I would argue that perhaps, we could have done the incremental increase for the financial criteria, rather than by a single step. Complement that criterion with some softer and relevant criteria like maybe the candidate should have played a key role in an organisation that has contributed back to society, say, a charity, community organisation or non-profit organisation. My point is that it is not reflective nor healthy for governance in the long run, if the key criterion to evaluate a President's ability is his corporate track record. In Singapore, where we are encouraging multiple peaks of excellence and promoting diversity and inclusiveness, the gauge to measure the President must be broader and not narrower. This brings me to my next point about enshrining race representation in the presidency. I support this change as I see it as a safeguard to reflect Singapore's racial diversity. Many I have spoken to have taken to it positively that the Government is committed to reflecting diversity in the presidential office. So, we must embark on it carefully, having considered all the implications and pitfalls.”
“So, does the criterion have to be so rigid on financial acumen since he can always fall back on the CPA for sound expert advice, and that Parliament will also have veto powers of a two-third majority under specific circumstances? Page: 48 Given the strengthened council that the President can seek wisdom from and the role of Parliament in intervening in a gridlock, could we have then retained the qualification criteria of $100 million in an executive responsibility, instead of $500 million? The other criterion under Article 19(4)(a) that the company run by the candidate chief executive officer (CEO) must be profitable over the three-year period does not reflect market reality. Some sectors face challenging times due to the global environment. If you are a CEO in an oil and gas firm, it will be hard to manage three years of profitability today. The reality is that even Government Budgets are not always in surplus positions when we have to take strategic measures for economic downturns. Also, some CEOs are also in place to turn around companies, but it does not mean that their performance was poor. But I assume that in such cases, they may still qualify under the private sector deliberative track in Article 19(4)(b). However, as the deliberative track may be a catch-all for anyone who does not make a clear-cut case from the private sector track, it may also be good to explain whether the deliberations will be made transparent and reasons for acceptance or rejection of the candidate be made public. Madam, we have had Presidents in the past who endeared themselves to the hearts of many Singaporeans.”
“As a small state, decisions have to be made with mutual trust and respect between the offices for the long-term benefit of Singapore. Thus, it is important that if these changes are applied by the next Presidential Elections, more education must be provided for voters to better understand the Constitutional amendments and the role of the President. It must also be ensured that candidates are also better kept aware of their role and powers that they are standing for so that voters are not misguided. That brings me to my second point, Mdm Speaker, the criteria for eligibility to be a President. The constant emphasis on the custodial role of the President seems to be the financial acumen and executive experience of the candidate. I agree that times have changed and while the role of the second key to the Reserves is important, but an overemphasis on this in this Bill, manifesting in the tighter criteria of having led a $500-million company to justify the complexity of the role, immediately narrows the consideration of what qualities a President ought to have. Many I spoke to are concerned whether this criterion will discount other candidates who have other strengths to offer and what it takes to represent Singaporeans and Singapore. There is another change that is made in tandem, with regard to the CPA which covers the enhanced safeguards of the CPA, the composition of the CPA and clarity on the veto powers of Parliament should the CPA and President disagree. It is clear in this amendment Bill that adequate safeguards are in place for the custodial decision-making by the President, guided by "wise men" of the CPA.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on this important Bill that has large implications on the future of governance in Singapore. I would like to keep my comments to three key areas of this amendment Bill. Firstly, on the role of the President. As Head of State, the President is really a representative of the people. A representative of Singapore and Singaporeans on the global stage and a symbol of the shared values of Singaporeans, regardless of race, language or religion. I also know that, to many Singaporeans, many of our past Presidents also meant much more. They were unifying figures that were above policies and politics, endearing characters that some were labelled the "People's President". And like many Singaporeans, I, too, hope that our ideals in what we want in our President will not be lost, as we strengthen the qualifying criteria and governance of custodial powers. During the last Presidential Elections, it was clear that many Singaporeans, including some of the candidates themselves, as the Prime Minister mentioned in his speech, did not have an accurate view of the role of the President and what powers came along with it. As a result, the debates surrounding the election and the election itself took on an unnecessary political slant. But this episode gave us the opportunity to ask a question. Do Singaporeans know what the President represents? Clearly, over the last two days, we had heard that the role of the President is different from the Government's, otherwise the President would be no different from other executive political office holders like the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers. I agree with President Tony Tan that the Elected President "cannot be a second centre of power".”
“The Minister spoke about transformations of the various industries. One feedback I often get from the industries is: how do they align with some of these strategies and sub-strategies because a lot of times the Ministry talks about strategies in very broad terms? From a sector-specific agenda, would the Ministry be sharing specific sector strategies, whether certain sectors will be defocused and others ramped up. I think what the industry is looking for is guidance so that that also helps in terms of manpower deployment and transformation, for example, where do they align to? Would the Ministry be sharing its sub-strategies in a more detailed manner?”
“Technology is now widely used but education and upskilling will be required from time to time. What is also important is that, hopefully, as many people as possible will be comfortable using technology in their dealings with the Government, including in terms of cybersecurity. For Page: 137 instance, websites, apps, electronic transactions and others should be easy and safe to use, including in terms of data security. With all these functions, GovTech will be the Government's main agency in the usage of technology and there is room for it to operate outside the public sector. Just like the infocomm media sector, GovTech will also require investments and planning to develop expertise and manpower capabilities in order to successfully develop those sectors. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill.”
“There is a symbiosis that we can tap and much potential that can be synergised through the exchange of ideas, research and collaboration. Whether or not GovtTech's scope extends beyond the public sector, it is also important to put in place various indicators to determine if GovTech is heading the nation in the right direction as many of its functions can be difficult to evaluate. As the building of Singapore into a Smart Nation is an important exercise that we cannot get wrong, how do we know if we are in the right direction? So, what will be GovTech's measure of success? Do we measure it based on how many citizen-centric apps are created to improve engagement with society? Or do we measure its success based on how efficient or productive the Government becomes in offering its services to the people? These are just two possible yardsticks. But based on how wide GovTech's mandate is, there are certainly many other possible measures and these will have to be decided upon. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, my speech in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The establishment of GovTech is a welcome move in view of the many changes that have occurred in the global technology landscape. GovTech was established to enhance Singapore's effort to fulfil its Smart Nation aspirations. It is hoped that this new agency will achieve the objective of leading the public sector and the Government in terms of improving the application of technology in order to provide a more effective service to the people and corporate organisations. The establishment of GovTech is timely. It will definitely approach the application of technology in a way that will further benefit our citizens and our nation, operating under the concept and implementation of a Smart Nation vision.”
“Page: 136 As GovTech develops expertise in a broad range of technology areas, including cybersecurity, how will it aim to create synergies with other agencies, such as the Smart Nation Programme Office (SNPO), Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and Cyber Security Agency (CSA), and minimise duplication of work and harness the synergies? The Minister covered several restrictions in the Bill, outlining GovTech's ability to work with other agencies or advise the private sector, for example, the oil industry. With GovTech developing expertise and experience handling complex ICT projects for the public sector, it has a lot of potential to also help the private sector and the industries. Should the work of GovTech extend beyond the current scope of mainly operating within the public sector? For example, can GovTech share expertise and Government experience in cybersecurity and analytics and help the SMEs, for example? Conversely, there is a lot that GovTech can learn from and collaborate with the private sector. I am not sure if the Minister plays Pokemon Go!, but I know many Singaporeans who have. I am not at a very high level, but I keep up with my kids and to understand the phenomenon. But what this app has achieved, as several Members have spoken before me, it is through innovation of what agencies like the National Parks Board and the National Heritage Board would have benefited. For example, today, you have more Singaporeans going on heritage trails and going to our parks, for example, which we have difficulty getting people to do before this. And today, the Health Promotion Board should also thank Pokemon Go! for the many kilometres our digital-natives are walking through just to hatch Pokemon eggs.”
“Like the Minister described earlier, MyInfo service allows citizens, who have given their personal details before, to have their transaction forms online pre-filled upon their consent. Secondly, I hope that we also see more interactive Government digital services to citizens that can improve citizens' lives. The MyResponder app by the Singapore Civil Defence Force is one example, which links cardiac arrest patients to nearby volunteers to help save lives. Third, I hope that GovTech can bring the whole of Government with it to unlock the value of information to solve everyday problems affecting citizens. The Beeline is one such example, which analyses user-suggested route data with existing transport data smartly to identify popular routes. GovTech will aid this effort also by setting up the Smart Nation platform, which will collect data that can then be analysed by policy-makers in various fields, including urban planning. Besides the development of efficiency and innovation within society, I hope that GovTech will also continue to play an important role in protecting our Government systems and citizen data which are stored in these systems. With all these functions, GovTech will be the core technology agency within the Government. However, this role will also require it to work closely with other agencies in areas that are, at present, cross-cutting or overlapping. It is less clear how this will be done and if any of the functions will be reassigned to GovTech instead or what permutations may exist.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Bill which, I believe, will have a significant impact on governance in Singapore. The new GovTech aims to harness and deploy ICT services that benefit Singapore and Singaporeans. It aims to deliver citizen-centric services to support Singapore's Smart Nation vision by pushing the boundaries in the use of applied technology and levelling up the ICT standards in Government. Replacing the Government Chief Information Office (GCIO) wing of the current IDA, it will build on its traditional strength of enterprise IT to take on new functions, as the Minister described earlier on, the digital transformation of the public sector, growing deep technical capabilities, seeing to governance and standards, looking into cybersecurity and managing the Smart Nation platform, solutions and applications. In this expansion of its mandate alone, the very establishment of GovTech is designed to innovate governance here in Singapore. And we are probably the first government in the world that announced an agency focusing on Government technology. This focus should enable GovTech to lead the Singapore Government's innovation of its processes, offerings, functions, infrastructure and citizen engagement. But we must not forget that the ultimate goal is to improve citizens' lives and make governance more productive for their benefit. Firstly, I hope that GovTech will look at simplifying Government-citizen interaction by putting in place the technology and infrastructure to operate smart applications for our young, our seniors and also those with special needs. We can do more to make Government technology inclusive for all. Some of the applications that IDA currently deploys show promise.”
“It will prepare our citizens with relevant skills for the digital future, including in terms of appropriate media and digital content. In terms of prospects and opportunities arising from this amalgamation of agencies, I look forward to the details of IMDA's plans for projects that will make the sector flourish further. In terms of expertise and talent, it is also important to let us know about the plans to develop suitable manpower and the strategies that will be adopted, through IMDA. (In English): I look forward to hearing from IMDA about their exciting plans and evolution in policy to bring Singapore in line with the latest developments in due time. I am certain that this streamlining and convergence will bring about a bright future for the infocomm media sector in Singapore. This is a sector that, if well-developed and managed, could become a key enabler of Singapore's growth moving forward. Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Bill. Page: 116”
“The establishment of IMDA is a welcome move, in view of the many changes that have occurred in the global technology landscape. IMDA is a new agency resulting from the restructuring of IDA and MDA in order to support the development of the Infocomm Media 2025 Plan. Both sectors, infocomm and media, are increasingly converging at the global level into one huge platform. Therefore, this amalgamation will definitely open new opportunities and, at the same time, present new challenges. We are aware that, just like the more traditional sectors, for instance marine, oil and gas, which are among the pillars of Singapore's economy, we need to identify and develop new growth sectors. In this aspect, I am confident that the infocomm media sector is one of the sectors with a bright future for Singapore. This sector promises a huge potential that can contribute towards Singapore's economy and provide our people with better job opportunities and attractive career prospects. One clear benefit is that service providers and companies that previously dealt with IDA and MDA separately can now deal with a single agency only. This will further facilitate the development of this industry because it will make dealings easier and provide a more conducive enforcement environment. Nonetheless, the overall functions of IMDA need to be explained more clearly. For instance, will it supervise the regulation of media content and will changes be made to the regulations since the same content can be published on various platforms? Even so, I believe that IMDA's priorities are to focus on the growth of the infocomm media sector and to develop a Singaporean culture that is more prepared to deal with changes in this sector.”
“And I am confident that with the right development of local talent and content in the infocomm media sector, IMDA can nurture a world-class talent pool for the global media landscape. In terms of opportunities that this convergence creates, I look forward to hearing what plans IMDA has in rolling out some of the projects that leverage synergies across the infocomm and media sectors. Having the right regulatory environment alone is not enough. To develop the industry in-depth and to allow Singapore to leverage all of the opportunities that the convergence of infocomm and media presents, we must also have the right supply of resources, that is, talent and human capital, to help create a specialised sector and to support its expansion. At the moment, we do not have a critical mass of professionals in this sector to support this scale of industry development, and I would like to hear from the Minister how IMDA plans to grow more infocomm media professionals for future demand. For those with the potential to switch to this field, how can we attract them and develop their skills and competencies in this area? How will Page: 115 these be done differently under IMDA as compared to the times when IDA and MDA were separate entities? Deputy Speaker, Sir, allow me to continue in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The restructuring efforts being done by the Government in the infocomm and media sectors as well as in the application of technology towards the creation of a Smart Nation are essential steps to not only adapt to a changing world but also for us to prepare for the future. They clearly show a change in the Government's approach to achieve outcomes that would further benefit Singapore.”
“In this respect, I would also like to ask IMDA to review the possible market failure or issues with lack of competition which results in Singaporeans being taken hostage to pay for expensive, exclusive sports content. The English Premier League saga has gone on for some time, and cross-carriage does not address high costs for content. We were very lucky with the last-minute agreement for Mediacorp to screen the Olympics. The sentiments evoked by Joseph Schooling's win would not have been the same if Singaporeans did not have access to the "live" screening. As older sectors, such as marine and oil and gas start to slow down, we must identify and cultivate new engines of growth. And I am confident that the infocomm media sector has the potential to be one of them. I am heartened that industry development will be a focus for IMDA because this will bring great benefit to Singapore, as it emphasises on talent, research, innovation and enterprise. To begin with, IMDA aims to equip Singaporeans with the skills to thrive in a digital future and drive the domestic economy by promoting digital connectivity and creativity. It is important to note that in terms of its industry development focus, the priorities of IMDA are to grow the infocomm media sector, foster a stronger culture of creating and building, building a future-ready Singapore Core for infocomm and media, strengthening Singapore's connectivity and harnessing data as a competitive advantage. I believe that these priorities will, in part, help to create a stronger pipeline of Singapore content. And we recently saw with the right dedication and nurturing of talent, Singapore was placed on the global sporting map at the Olympics.”
“Thank you, Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to speak on this Bill which changes the way the Government approaches infocomm and media. The restructuring of IDA and MDA is both relevant and timely and will support the development of the Infocomm Media 2025 plan. Both infocomm and media around the world are converging and this presents both opportunities and challenges. From both the Government and corporate point of view, the restructuring also made sense, so as to be able to better deal with the challenges and the huge potential that the new digital world offers. Before this, in Singapore, the lines between pay television and telecoms operators had become blurred as regulatory and competition issues had straddled both IDA and MDA. The introduction of over-the-top services, such as Netflix, further illustrates the need for a converged regulator and Page: 114 industry development agency. Hence, businesses that offered the bundled services of both telecoms and media had to work with both IDA and MDA. Under the newly formed IMDA though, these companies need only to work with one agency guided by the converged policy framework. This will promote industry development as it facilitates business planning and creates a more conducive regulatory environment. However, there are some areas that the new IMDA must make clear with respect to regulation since these have not been discussed in the public domain yet. With the new IMDA in charge of content regulation – I know the Minister spoke about Acts that will come under IMDA – will there be further changes in (a) laws and regulations in the near future to simplify business operations in the industry, and (b) regulations on content that can be carried across different multiple platforms?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for giving us a broad range of explanation and clarifications on the Parliamentary Question. There are two trends that I am quite concerned with today, especially when we see common place items being used, such as the knife attacks in Japan as well as in the recent Nice attack where a lorry was used to mow through the crowd. How can we assure the public that with measures put in place operationally today, we are better prepared to protect our high-density areas, especially, from such attacks? The second concern would be beyond our shores, like the Batam attack, that also showed us certain vulnerabilities today – that from beyond our shores, whether from the southern or northern neighbours, there is that vulnerability that exists. What is the Ministry doing to better protect our nation?”
“I have a separate laptop altogether – it allows me to surf the Internet. So far, it has not affected our work. On the issue of productivity, I think this is something which we will continue to monitor. Certainly, we do not want to affect the work of our public officers. As I have mentioned in my reply, we have given ourselves one year. There is a whole series of workshops that we are conducting with senior management right down to the IT division within each of the Ministries for them to work together and find the best way forward. I think we recognise that there may be some instances where separation may not be possible now because of the nature of the work. So, we will leave this to the agencies to work with IDA to determine exactly how we are going to proceed. But as a policy, the Government has adopted this as the best way forward for us to ensure that we do not have any more attacks. At the same time, you and I know; I cannot promise there will be no more attacks because the hackers are becoming more sophisticated, new hacking tools are being developed and it is always very difficult for us to keep ahead. So, we think this is the best approach going forward. But like all governments, we will never close off other options. We will continue to explore what are the available options out there and see whether we will review our strategies down the road.”
“I thank the Minister for the clarification and the answer. I just want to ask the Minister in considering this solution – because some in the industry would consider it quite extreme – were there more elegant solutions that were thought through? For instance, did they consider tiered networking or a lockdown environment? The second question is: would the Ministry be looking into what is the productivity impact on civil servants? For example, today, if I send the Minister an email with a link on it, the Minister would have to email it somewhere else, to another device, just to surf, to know what is this link about, for example. So, there is definitely impact on productivity, even for the simplest of things. What will the productivity impact be, and will the Ministry be studying the impact on civil servants? Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: I thank the Member for those two questions. The first answer is yes, we did explore other solutions. I am not at liberty to discuss today in Parliament what solutions we explored because we have a whole range of efforts that we can put in. Clearly, putting in enough anti-viruses into our system is not sufficient because the experts will tell you it can only stop about, maybe, 20% to 30% of the malware. We deliberated this for a very, very long time and we decided that the best way is to do an Internet separation. We have to balance this against costs and usability and given the fact that Internet facing is always a challenge for us, we thought it was better to have a separate system altogether, allowing, of course, public officers to still surf the Internet on different devices. For example, the Prime Minister and some Ministers have already gone on with the separation.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I note in the reply that MOM is coming up with enforcement measures to curtail Work Pass applications for foreign manpower. How effective has this measure been in terms of setting the right tone among employers and for them to adhere to non-discriminatory practices? In cases and conversations, we also often hear from employees or jobseekers on how employers tend to favour or discriminate against certain race profiles and so forth. Based on the findings that the Minister of State mentioned earlier on, are they mostly minority Singaporeans in this case, and how do we bridge that perception between employers and jobseekers, for example, because employers will also say they cannot find suitable Singaporeans or people of a certain race? Last question, in terms of hiring practices, one fallout I can see, if you hit them too hard, is that there could be pre-emptive filtering, which means that even before they get to the hiring or interview table, they get filtered. How does MOM plan to look at these practices?”
“First, a question for the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs on the mosque building planning, I am heartened by the new mosque that has been announced. But Minister, in terms of mosque planning, do we consider foreign workers who may also be using the mosques as well? Today, that contributes to quite a bit of mosque capacity issues. For Minister Grace Fu, just a quick answer to her question earlier, the MP football team is still in place. There is a match coming up on 21 May 2016. Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: No, we do not. We cater for the permanent population because the foreign worker population is transient. Having said that, MUIS, over the years, has been working with some of the foreign worker dormitories to see how we can accommodate, especially during Friday prayers and Eid prayers. We do have some mosques where the mosque committee has been very enlightened and have allowed the foreign workers to do a second shift in terms of the prayers. I think it is not possible for us to accommodate the foreign workers in our planning because, if we do so, we will have to build a lot more. Certainly, I think we want to try our very best to make sure that the foreign workers who are Muslims and who want to fulfil their religious obligations, we will try our very best.”
“What is the Minister's view on the type of life values that our young people should display and advocate and how can we encourage more Malay/Muslim youths to play a part in nation-building and provide leadership opportunities for them in the community as well as at the national level? People's Association”
“[Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairperson, I am pleased and proud to see so many of our madrasah students progressing in education, with some of them even going on to achieve excellence in the mainstream schools. Many have also continued their studies in Islamic institutions overseas like Cairo and Jordan. This group will potentially become future community leaders and, hence, we should continue to engage and communicate with them, so that they will stay rooted here. The knowledge that they acquire overseas, together with an understanding of the multiracial and socio-economic situation in Singapore, will be crucial. How will MUIS and our religious leaders shape the relationship and ties with this group and how are they being prepared for their return to our shores? I hope that we can make good use of their potential and ensure that every graduate has ample opportunity to serve our community, religion as well as our economy in the future. Diversity will always be part of our lives, and these young people will also play an important role in maintaining our solidarity. In this era, the education of our young is not solely done in schools because we must also expose them to a broader mindset and perspectives, including life values, especially with the influence of social media. So far, we have been able to increase understanding through various initiatives, but due to the presence of many influences and challenges, including within the Muslim community itself, the situation may be different for future generations. The ability to give and take, and being tolerant, does not happen automatically.”
“How can we get young Singaporeans also excited about the prospects of working in these transport hubs, given that these are not typical professions that our young look forward to? I think there is that scope to make it sexier. Challenges Budget Airline Crew Face”
“Mdm Chair, Singapore's status as a major trade and business hub in Asia is heavily dependent on our air and sea connectivity for us to provide easy access to people, goods and capital. In line with this, the Government's announcements to build Page: 34 Terminal 5, a third runway at Changi Airport, as well as a new port in Tuas, are designed to build our capacity as an air and maritime hub in Southeast Asia. Can the Ministry elaborate on what are the new capabilities that will be developed as part of these developments that can benefit and differentiate Singapore as a maritime and air hub and for businesses to look forward to? Last year, Singapore also saw the sale of its national liner, NOL, to a foreign entity. With the sale of NOL, what are some of MOT's plans to ensure that we do not lose container volumes and that the sale would not adversely impact our logistics sector, in particular, in the mid to long term, where the new entity's private sector interest may change due to competitive or business priorities? How does the sale of NOL impact our position as a strategic maritime hub, given that a foreign entity now has better access to our strategic port facilities? The redevelopment of our strategic plan and maritime capabilities would enhance our economic and transport standing in the region. But it is also important that these developments provide for meaningful business and jobs for Singaporeans. What are the expected new jobs and business opportunities that these hubs will bring to Singapore and what are the Ministry's manpower development plans to provide these enhanced sectors with a Singaporean Core?”
“Chairman, the developments in transport and its associate technology have been rapid in the last few years. Just last week, NuTonomy, a driverless car startup out of the US sets its sights on operating a fully autonomous taxi service out of Singapore. The future of transport is arriving on our shores and sooner than we realise. I would like to ask MOT how it is preparing Singapore and keeping our regulations up to date, given the evolving transport technology trends, such as driverless vehicles, digital applications, such as Uber, as well as emerging models of vehicles using a myriad of technologies. The difference in views between LTA and car manufacturer Tesla on test methodology for its cars earlier this year gained widespread international attention. The incident exemplifies this need for us to be ready to master new developments quickly and continuously engage new technology manufacturers to ensure that our laws, regulations and methods are up to date. In terms of public transportation, what other developments can Singaporeans expect and how will these trends encourage greater use, provide greater confidence as well as real-time information and enhance the reliability of our own public transport system. The recent announcement of Electronic Road Pricing 2.0 (ERP2) is certainly a game changer and I am keen to know the Ministry's plans to balance the pace of transition in adopting this new technology. Given the rapid pace of adoption, it is especially important for the Ministry to guide Singaporeans through these investments and developments. I hope the Ministry consults the public widely on the policy changes and inform them in advance of impending changes. Autonomous Vehicles”
“Thank you, Mdm Chair. Throughout history, great nations were able to make their mark because of the mastery of technology of their day to further economic, defence and social objectives. At the same time, what stands out are the culture and knowledge expressed by societies through design and creative arts and collecting the knowledge of the day through libraries and other platforms to fulfil the thirst for knowledge and broaden the minds of their people. I see parallels in the role that MCI plays through its agencies in promoting the adoption of technology and managing its impact on society, also in making knowledge accessible through our libraries and national digital infrastructure, making communication and information more accessible to people through PSB and translations and also making our mark in the areas of design and innovation. I would like to thank Minister Yaacob as well as Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and Minister of State Chee Hong Tat as well as Permanent Secretary Aubeck Kam and the various Chief Executives and public officers involved in the COS for putting in their hard work in the Budget together. And special thanks to the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPCs) as well as all Members who put in their cuts today for making this a lively discussion. So, on behalf of the GPC, I wish the Ministry all the best in the execution of the Budget and may this further our nation to its next phase of development and transformation. So, Mdm Chair, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. 3.15 pm”
“My question is on Smart Nation. There is always a perception that the application of technologies is for the young and the savvy. However, it is great to know that many applications being piloted under Smart Nation, are also for the elderly and seniors. In terms of deployment of assistive technologies and how we can make applications more inclusive for seniors, what are IDA's plans to make this so?”
“I have a question for the Minister of State. In my speech earlier, I spoke about the possibility of expanding PSB to include other new players. I want to ask whether the Ministry is considering that or is in dialogue with any new players and whether it is considering bringing in new players. Would independent broadcasters or providers also be included if they meet certain requirements? Next, I noticed that when it comes to Government public communications, the translation for materials and publicity for the Malay and Tamil languages always come later. So, I would assume that in doing translation, there would be separate teams and probably with different capacities. So, do we have a capacity issue that some of these translations for the Malay and Tamil language materials come much later and whether the Government has sufficient talent and resources to upkeep the standards of Malay and Tamil translations for Government materials?”
“Public expectations of Government communications have heightened, with increased scrutiny on how the Government postures and positions policies. In our diverse society, the Government needs to customise its approach in communicating policies and handling crises, especially to its intended target segments. The Pioneer Generation Package campaign was a good example of how the Government showed much flexibility in its communications across channels, be it on TV, video and publicity material on the ground, customising the approaches to engage different races and age groups, even selling its messages in dialect. There are many schemes covered in this Budget, and how each citizen will benefit from it will vary. How can the Government leverage its experience with the Pioneer Generation Package and extend it to simplify the communications on more complex policies such as MediShield Life, CPF LIFE and the many different housing schemes being rolled out? How about Budget 2016? We must make simplifying our complex policies a habit in our communications, so that the ordinary citizen can easily "get it" and be clear on the benefits, rationale and trade-offs in each of our policies. Commercial service providers today and also applications are increasingly moving towards personalisation, targeted outreach and being able to push recommendations in how their products are being marketed. Will the Government go the same way to reach each Singaporean in his or her mode of communications, be it email, short message service (SMS), mailers, booths or even adverts on the street? Ultimately, can the Ministry share how it plans to further strengthen public communications to reach different groups of Singaporeans more effectively? Public Communications Initiatives”
“Therefore, I hope that through PSB, the Government will also place a strong emphasis on investing in our local talent pool and ensure that the sector continues to provide good jobs and opportunities for all. Public Broadcasting for the Underserved”
“Madam, the entry of new players in recent years such as Netflix and Spotify into our media landscape has provided citizens with more options in entertainment. Today, our media content producers and broadcasters, predominantly Mediacorp and StarHub, provide public service broadcasting to Singaporeans. Can the Ministry elaborate on its plans to ensure that the public service broadcast (PSB) will continue to reach out to Singaporeans in this new digital landscape? As our public service broadcasters face greater competition, what are the Ministry's strategies to ensure that they remain competitive and continue to provide local content to compete more effectively against more sophisticated media players that have global reach and economies of scale? I agree with hon Member Darryl David, and also Alfred Hitchcock as well, that the good movies and good TV programmes start with the script, the script and the script. So, can the Ministry consider a special scheme to have our PSB operators bring in good scriptwriters or screenwriters to mentor our local content providers as well as, in the short term, uplift the quality of local content? Is the Ministry considering adding more local players such as Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) or SingTel, or others who meet the requirements, to further develop the PSB options for Singaporeans? What are the Ministry's plans to enhance the use of social and digital media as channels for PSB? Today, our public service broadcasters also provide avenues for developing local talent. PSB providers, therefore, become a platform to grow local talent, strengthen our production capabilities and, hopefully, some may become world beaters.”
“Mdm Chair, as Singapore embarks on our Smart Nation initiative, it is imperative that we must have public wi-fi that is more pervasive and faster. Many developed cities, such as New York, Seoul and Tokyo, are also investing in their public wi-fi infrastructure. I would like to ask the Ministry to consider enhancing our Wireless@SG network to improve connectivity for our people in our push for a Smart Nation. Today's Wireless@SG speeds are slower in performance than what our 4G mobile networks provide. Given our high penetration of smartphones among the population, this is also an opportunity to connect citizens with real-time data and sensor networks that will benefit them in areas such as transport and retail. An enhanced wireless infrastructure will also boost our workforce engaged in entrepreneurial or freelance opportunities. Withdrawal of 2G Phone Services”
“I mentioned in my Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) cut that we need to be ready for "hybrid warfare", where our businesses and critical infrastructure may be targeted by cyberattacks to cripple our economy and business confidence in Singapore. How does the Ministry ensure that boards and senior executives of such firms, and even our Government agencies recognise the risks involved and are committed to invest to protect the interests of their firm and organisations for the interest of customers and the nation? To complement the technology and risk initiatives, we must also have strong legal frameworks to tackle different forms of cyberattacks. Today, we have the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act. Are there additional pieces of legislation that the Ministry is considering to strengthen our laws? Are our cyber laws sufficient to handle cyber terrorism, and emerging platforms, such as blockchains? Attacks may also come from foreign state and non-state entities. How does the Government handle concerted attacks either by foreign governments or groups originating from foreign countries? [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“If this happens, we could lose more high-value jobs in the ICT sector. So, I would like to hear from the Ministry on how it plans to balance our dependency on foreign manpower, while channelling our local manpower towards building a strong Singapore Core in ICT firms, and ICT professions that support our businesses and Government. Enhancing our Cyber-security Legislation As Singapore becomes more and more digitally connected and moves towards the age of sensors and the Internet of Things, securing our cyber space, devices and personal data becomes ever more important. How does the Ministry rate the awareness of cyber security among individuals and businesses here in Singapore as well as the steps they are taking to keep the data secure? Today, cybersecurity is not just about reputational risk. The risk to operations, even denial of access to public services, is possible if hackers take control of our critical infrastructure, not to mention, the mischief and safety risks that could be caused to our transport, defence systems and confidential Government information. Imagine if a hacker is able to take control of our train system, air traffic control or even poison our water by changing the chlorine composition of our water tanks. To protect our national interests, does the Ministry have in place regulations that enforce a required standard of cybersecurity measures or cyber risk management framework that critical infrastructure providers, such as telecommunications, transport, energy and utility providers, as well as institutions dealing with financial transactions, to safeguard our people and businesses here?”
“45 pm Mdm Chair, earlier this year, Changi Business Park, which housed many back-office functions, including information technology (IT) data centres and support units, came under scrutiny and was dubbed infamously as "Changalore", because of the higher-than-average foreign workforce that are employed there. This puts many other industrial and tech parks under the spotlight too. Understandably, one may question whether we should retain such sectors if few Singaporeans are keen to take on jobs there. Understandably, these roles usually support the region, or even the world. Therefore, their working hours may be shift-based and because of its back-office nature, the salaries may be at the lower end of the scale. But before we judge which jobs should be retained or moved out, we must recognise that it is not just about high-value jobs or jobs that Singaporeans want. The whole ICT ecosystem must be aligned for us to continue to attract leading technology firms to set up here. If we swing too much to the extreme and move these perceived low-value operations, such as data centres, support operations, out of Singapore – we risk losing many high-value jobs too because the whole ecosystem is inter-dependent. Given the enabling nature of ICT, companies across various industries are also dependent on these operations, particularly companies that serve the region or the world, including banks, logistics and manufacturing firms. The revenue stream for many local and international ICT firms, including the leading brands, also rely on the international hubs here for business. Therefore, if these firms lose clients because of fewer ICT infrastructure and operations being based here, we lose a strong justification to retain the headquarters of these firms here.”
“It is important to develop our manpower both in depth, for them to specialise and get certified in new exciting fields, and balance their development with a breadth of soft skills in areas of leadership, business management, functional design, creativity as well as sales and marketing, to differentiate our educated workforce from those of other low-cost countries. Otherwise, we are only competing on costs, which depresses salaries. At the top end, it is also important that we produce ICT and business leaders who can compete on the international stage, given competition from other tech powerhouses here in Asia, such as Korea, China, India and Japan. It is important that we build a world-renowned brand for our ICT workforce as innovators and being able to apply quickly the latest technology can offer. As a small nation, we may not always be at the forefront of invention, but it is important that we are able to be creative in the application of the best technologies from the world over and be able to leverage Singapore as a testbed to implement new ideas and market them effectively all over the world. The war for talent is here. Over the next few years, I hope that the Ministry will do its utmost to attract more Singaporean students and workers into the ICT profession to ride on its growth for the years to come. The challenged economy today presents an opportunity for the ICT sector to attract those outside the ICT profession with an aptitude for technology, especially many middle-aged professionals, who may find themselves displaced as the economy restructures to fuel this growth. As we embark on the Smart Nation, we must move quickly to ensure that our Singaporean workforce is ready with the skillsets and mindset to exploit the opportunities to come. 12.”
“Mdm Chair, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head Q of the Estimates be reduced by $100." Today, technology is all around us, influencing new business models, disrupting old ones, creating new jobs and business opportunities as the world around us embraces the digital revolution. Singapore's next phase of development towards a Smart Nation has opened up many exciting developments in terms of jobs and business opportunities. I recall the times in this Chamber when Members, such as Ms Jessica Tan, Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and I, spoke about how the engineering and technology fields have become less attractive professions in recent years. But times are changing. According to TechSG, technology services represent the fastest growing startup sector in Singapore, almost tripling, from 1,539 in 2004 to 4,380 in 2014. Over the last five years, the number of tech services start-ups grew at 16% per annum, compared to average growth of 9% in other sectors. Also, the tech services sector saw the highest employment growth of 11% per annum compared to an average growth of 3% per annum for startups in other sectors. In 2014, the number of technology talents in tech startups was about 33,000. Overall, the Government has indicated that 30,000 information and communication technology (ICT) jobs are expected to be filled over the next five years up to 2020. This bodes well for the technology sector. Therefore, it is important that the Government develops a clear manpower strategy to maximise our local talent pool who are keen to develop a career in ICT.”