Hansard, Tuesday, 10 March 2015

[(proc text) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [4th Allotted Day]. (proc text)]

[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]

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Mr Hawazi Daipi, I understand you have a clarification to make.

Thank you, Madam, for giving me the opportunity to make a clarification to Mr Gerald Giam's statement on household income. Yesterday, Mr Giam stated in his speech that almost 85,000 resident households are earning a monthly income of less than $1,000. [Please refer to "Sectoral Minimum Wages", Official Report, 9 March 2015, Vol 93, Issue No 12.]

These figures come from the Household Expenditure Survey published by the Department of Statistics. What Mr Giam did not mention is that 57% of these 85,000 households are not working. There are many of these retiree households. This information can be found in the same table that Mr Giam had used.

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[(proc text) Resumption of Debate on Question [9 March 2015] (proc text)]

[(proc text) "That the total sum to be allocated for Head Q of the Estimates be reduced by $100." – [Mr Zaqy Mohamad]. (proc text)]

[(proc text) Question again proposed. (proc text)]

Mdm Chair, the Personal Data Protection Act was passed in 2012 and the Do Not Call (DNC) Registry which was set up under the Personal Data Protection Commission is entering its second year of operation.

The DNC Registry works by generally prohibiting calls, SMS and faxes to all individuals whose numbers are listed in the directory. The exceptions to this include where an organisation has an existing relationship with the customer, or where the customer has given his express consent in writing to be contacted.

The idea of the DNC Registry was to prevent customers from getting nuisance calls from sellers. Having personally signed up with the Registry, I can confirm that the number of unsolicited calls I get has dropped significantly. I still get the odd calls here and there and when I tell them I am on the DNC Registry and they should not call, most of the callers apologised and hung up.

However, at the time it was implemented, businesses were concerned that it would affect them seriously. First, for those that required cold calls to be made for sales purposes, this might cut off their livelihood. Second, even for those that were calling existing customers, they would need to incur costs in checking with the DNC Registry and, after checking, check if the customer in question had given them express consent to be called or if he can be called as one with whom they already have an existing relationship.

I noted the creative methods some companies have used to get around this. One mall operator organised a generous lucky draw, but participation required participants to sign a written consent to being contacted for marketing or promotional purposes. If such practices become widespread, this may defeat the purpose of the DNC Registry.

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In this context, can the Ministry provide an update on the implementation of the Do-Not-Call rules and Personal Data Protection Act and assess whether it has succeeded in meeting its objectives? Are there complaints from individuals that they are still receiving unsolicited marketing messages?

Also, how have businesses been able to cope with cost of implementation of measures to comply with the DNC requirements? Is there any help from the Government to help businesses mitigate the cost of complying with the DNC requirements?

Mdm Chair, the Personal Data Protection Act has enhanced the privacy of individual identity and data privacy. However, in the course of my work advising unions and industrial relations work, we have encountered a major impediment. This arises in a situation when there is an impending retrenchment exercise to be carried out. The company will consult, inform and negotiate with the union usually a month prior to the date of retrenchment. The affected workers are always never notified and early notice to union is for negotiation and for the union to obtain the list of employees affected and their personal data so that the union can verify if there is any discrimination, disguised retrenchment or even victimisation.

More importantly, unions also obtain their personal data and profile to prepare the job search and look for possible job matches for them. The same goes when unions are verifying negotiated bonus settlements or wage increases and when handling workplace grievances and personal data is involved.

Not every employer is forthcoming and many fear the reprisal from PDPC and, therefore, have used the PDPA as an excuse to not release data to the unions. I urge MCI to consider granting an exemption from the PDPA for such industrial relations issues/cases as it concerns the livelihood, welfare and interests of workers in Singapore.

Madam, we all know what trolls are. Recently, I learned a new term, "broll". It is a meaningful project by a group of NTU students to promote greater civility online. Based on its website, a "broll" is "the bro (brother) who always has your back online. He likes frequently, shares great deals and always comments sensibly" – basically, the opposite of a troll.

They even have a broll pledge:

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"We, the Brolls of the Internet,

Pledge ourselves to be responsible netizens,

Regardless of channel, platform or medium,

To always have our friends' backs,

Minimise hate-mongering and share meaningful content,

So as to achieve brollgress for our future."

Such ground-up initiatives are great. I believe that the Government can also take the lead in terms of promoting and facilitating a harmonious cyber community based on mutual respect, as well as any new measures to counteract increasing polarisation of views.

Public discourse is an integral part of democracy. Increasingly, people are engaging online and, the anonymity, while enabling greater freedom of expression and disclosure, has also promoted uncivil behaviour, ranging from rude remarks to vicious, cyberbullying and attacks, sometimes with fatal results.

Has the Ministry had the opportunity to study measures and policies in other countries to tackle this problem and, if so, what are the best practices we can adopt for our cyber communities?

The younger generation is engaging online not only through their computers but also all kinds of mobile devices and are, thus, particularly vulnerable. I would also like to know more about recent measures to promote cyber wellness among our young and students.

Minister Yaacob.

Thank you, Mdm Chair. I thank Members for their comments and suggestions. The ICT revolution continues to unfold with new services and products that have transformed our lives.

Today, we can read the news while travelling, watch our favourite shows on the go, video chat with our overseas friends, buy things online and even arrange our vacations without going through travel agents. The way we live, work and play is being transformed as

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we speak. The end goal must be to bring about a substantial change to the quality of our lives.

Here in Singapore, the Government has made great strides in shaping the infocomm and media or ICM sectors, to take advantage of opportunities from the advancement of technology. Our efforts have been recognised. Singapore tops the latest Digital Evolution Index developed by The Fletcher School at Tufts University in the US. They have assessed that we are most ready to meet the challenges and opportunities of the digital future, by having infrastructure and policies spurring greater innovations. Our earlier Intelligent Nation 2015 plan has contributed to this achievement.

We have also actively supported enterprise development in the ICM sectors under the Singapore Media Fusion Plan. For example, we provide physical spaces for our start-ups to build and nurture their ideas with mentors and potential investors.

With your permission, Madam, may I display some slides on the LED screens?

Yes, please. [Some slides were shown to hon Members.]

Madam, Block 71 is one of Singapore's successful incubation stories. Home to around 250 startups and 1,000 talents, it has become a fertile environment for developing our startups.

An important part of the Block 71 ecosystem is the Games Solution Centre. Since 2011, it has nurtured several local games companies that have made a name for themselves internationally. One example is Springloaded. It developed the game "Tiny Dice Dungeon", which won the "Best-free-to-play" indie game at the Casual Connect Asia game convention last year.

These past achievements motivate us to do better. Looking ahead, how we choose to use technology will be even more critical in making us a more competitive economy, an inclusive society and a Smart Nation. Pervasive connectivity and technology can allow us to further develop capabilities and deliver more personalised services to citizens.

Mr Zaqy Mohamed asked how the Infocomm Media Masterplan complements the Smart Nation vision. The Masterplan plays an integral role in developing the ICT eco-system, such as infrastructure, enterprises and manpower, to complement the rollout of the Smart Nation initiatives. In doing so, we will develop a strong and vibrant ICT ecosystem that provides opportunities for everyone.

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The Committee members involved in the Masterplan have contributed tremendously and will be completing their efforts when the report is released later this year. I thank them for their contributions and will give a brief update on some earlier ideas and share a selection of the newer ones.

One of the key enablers to achieve our Smart Nation vision is a robust and pervasive infrastructure known as the Smart Nation Platform or SNP. This platform will bring together a sensor network, better wireless coverage and data analytics abilities to provide better situational awareness for the delivery of public services.

The Aggregation Gateway Box (AG Box) and Heterogenous Network (HetNet) form the backbone of this platform. These two ideas were released as part of the Infocomm Media Masterplan consultation document last year. Mr Zaqy Mohamed and Mr Gerald Giam asked for more details on IDA's infrastructure plans.

IDA and the technology community will develop the HetNet further through the HetNet Lab that will be launched later this year. Solutions from this collaboration will be showcased at the Lab, hosted at the JTC Launchpad @ One-North. As part of the trials for SNP, IDA plans to deploy about 100 AG Boxes to meet agencies' immediate needs in areas, such as Orchard Road and Geylang. IDA has called tenders for this deployment and is expected to announce the results by the middle of this year. It is, therefore, inappropriate to provide any cost estimate at this stage.

The SNP is not a public telecommunications network like the mobile cellular networks of Singtel, Starhub or M1. It is the core for the backhaul and analytic capability that will support the roll out of the Smart Nation applications. Like all Government ICT systems, there will be components that the Government will own and there will be components that the private sector will provide, such as the main fibre transmission network. I am sure that Members will agree that they will prefer the data in the Smart Nation Platform to be stored in servers owned by the Government, rather than stored in private company servers.

In addition, as Smart Nation data will be essential to execute a whole host of public functions from public security to healthcare, it is important, especially in a crisis, that the bandwidth to support such data transfers is resilient. These factors mean that it is not prudent for the underlying infrastructure to be completely outsourced.

Madam, Mr Gerald Giam was also concerned the Government might eventually sell the Smart Nation Platform to a private player – and I quote – "like what happened to OpenNet, which was sold to a Singtel-owned company in October 2014".

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I find his position on the issue strange. He first asked why there is a need for the Government to build its own SNP. But he later expresses the concern that the SNP may later be sold to a private party. As I have explained, the SNP will have components that are owned by the Government and other components that are provided by private companies.

In any case, the example he gave, that the Government sold OpenNet to private companies, is wrong. OpenNet was not owned by the Government, but by a consortium of private companies. The sale of OpenNet to NetLink Trust was, therefore, a sale between private entities. IDA's involvement was to evaluate and approve the sale from a regulatory perspective. As part of the approval, IDA imposed certain safeguards to mitigate potential competition concerns and ensure the independence and neutrality of the post-consolidation entity.

Beyond infrastructure, I agree with Mr Zaqy and Ms Jessica Tan that we will need the right talent base. Our CODE@SG movement for the young aims to promote better use and appreciation of ICT in an increasingly digitised world. It will also introduce them to an interesting and fulfilling career choice.

One initiative is the "Code for Fun" Enrichment Programme, in which students get to learn coding and computational thinking in a fun and engaging manner. They create animations and games using robotic kits and, Scratch, a visual programming language.

Madam, we have received positive responses on the programme in some of the 22 schools that IDA reached out to last year. I visited Wellington Primary School last month and was impressed by the passion and innovations of these students. They have not only shown great flair for coding and computational thinking, but also enjoyed themselves in these programmes.

A game they created, Harvest City, won the overall championship award, best game award and most popular game award in last year's National Primary Games Creation Competition.

Madam, with your permission, I would like to show a video taken in some of these schools.

Yes, please. [A video was shown to hon Members.]

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Thank you, Madam. Madam, we are also committed to helping our ICT professionals up-skill and to developing future ICT leaders. First, by providing opportunities for them to be involved in major exciting projects, such as helping us to build our Smart Nation. Second, by enhancing the existing competency framework and a suite of training programmes and incentives.

For example, IDA is working on an Open Online Learning programme and attachment programme that will help ICT professionals gain recognition via certifications and new skills through hands-on projects. IDA will collaborate closely with industry associations and WDA to make the best use of SkillsFuture for the ICT sector.

I will next touch on some of the media ideas that are being explored under the Infocomm Media Masterplan.

Mdm Chair, media consumption patterns have changed significantly over the years. Today, instead of enjoying TV shows in front of television sets, many people prefer watching them on the Internet using a handheld device. Several companies have recognised this and seized the opportunities to innovate and gain fans. One example is Viddsee, a two-year-old online video platform that enables filmmakers from Singapore and Asia to share their stories with a large Internet audience. In two years, Viddsee has grown into a team of seven and gained a sizeable following with millions of audiences across Asia and America.

Mr David Ong, Mr Baey Yam Keng and Miss Penny Low asked about our plans to strengthen our media industry's capabilities, given these changing consumption trends. Madam, MDA is exploring several ideas under the Infocomm Media Masterplan to nurture homegrown talents and spur the development and distribution of innovative made-in-Singapore content.

Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin suggested a physical space for media start-ups. MDA is looking at developing a Creators' Space in Singapore. This idea is about nurturing digital film and video sectors holistically by increasing collaborations within the community. MDA will work with industry partners to organise master-classes and workshops to hone creators' skills to produce content and better engage audiences on digital platforms.

I am pleased to share that Disney's Maker Studios will be our first partner under this initiative. Maker Studios is one of the largest international multi-channel networks for digital video content. More details on this partnership will be released later.

Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin also spoke about plans to promote local films and music. When assessing film applications, MDA does consider accolades received at recognised film

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festivals, besides commercial success. Furthermore, the New Talent Feature Grant under The Singapore Film Commission (SFC) focuses on talent development and not commercial viability. Through this grant, we have seen emerging filmmakers, such as M Raihan Halim. His film "Banting" was the first feature-length Malay film to be made in Singapore since the 1990s.

The SFC also widens exposure of local films on digital platforms through the "Watch Local" initiative and works with TV broadcasters to air home-grown films. On the music front, the National Arts Council, under MCCY, is working with radio stations, such as MediaCorp Radio and SAFRA, to provide local music with adequate exposure. Lush99.5 has also actively promoted local musicians performing at "live" platforms, such as the Made In Singapore Showcase at Music Matters LIVE.

MDA is considering expanding SFC's initiative to further develop and promote local films. Firstly, this involves introducing a Film Lab, an annual mentorship programme where expert practitioners and veterans from the region are invited to coach our film talents.

Secondly, to create more opportunities for talents to receive mentorships and gain access to international markets, SFC would cultivate a network of film industry veterans who can play an active role in nurturing them.

Finally, expanding on the "Watch Local" initiative, MDA would work with agencies to screen local films at more venues, including schools, community clubs and international festivals.

MDA is not just focusing its efforts in the film and video sectors. As demand for Asian content grows, we see more local television production companies partnering international broadcasters, such as HBO Asia, in content production. One example is Grace, which premiered last year.

Henceforth, MDA aims to make more media companies the Partner-Of-Choice for international companies. This includes securing more partnerships with international broadcasters to co-produce television content ranging from dramas to animations.

On the infocomm front, I share similar views with Mr Zaqy Mohamad and Miss Penny Low on the the increasing vibrancy in our local start-up community. To further this momentum, IDA has developed a conducive environment for young start-ups by offering more collaborative spaces and mentorships with industry.

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Recently, I launched a new facility called "BASH", which is short for Build Amazing Start-ups Here, at the JTC LaunchPad@ one-north. An initiative by the Infocomm Investments Pte Ltd under IDA, this facility provides start-ups a one-stop space for them to network and receive guidance from investors, as they build business traction and market access.

One local start-up that I interacted with during the launch is eVida. Their product, eBOS, is the first bed occupancy sensor that prevents falls and bedsores in the ward environment. eBOS was trialled in several public hospitals and private nursing homes and is developing its product further at IDA Labs.

Miss Penny Low asked about ICT assistance for social enterprises. IDA provides assistance schemes, such as Enhanced iSPRINT, which are open to social enterprises if the ICT project they embarked on has productivity merits. These projects include shared ICT platforms that facilitate the use of common business tools. IDA is open to collaborate with our community partners to explore ICT platforms to facilitate corporate social responsibility.

Madam, IDA will also continue to help our seniors, low-income households and people with disabilities to use infocomm in their daily activities through its digital inclusion efforts. One recipient who has benefited from these efforts is Mohd Sayfullah, a 12-year-old boy with cerebral palsy. He has minimally intelligible speech, posing difficulties for others to understand him. This picture shows him using a TouchchatHD application on a tablet. With the training he received at the Infocomm Accessibility Centre, a joint initiative by IDA and SPD, he is able to communicate independently and effectively. This has enabled Sayfullah to be more involved in school and the community.

Beyond these inclusion efforts, we want to improve our public services for citizens. Miss Penny Low asked if there are new areas that design can play a role in. Madam, the Design for Public Service Transformation programme by DesignSingapore Council, or Dsg, aims to help public service innovation, starting with the healthcare sector. Dsg and MOH will look into designing services and experiences for the elderly within the community and hospitals. Dsg is also working on a programme to assist companies in other sectors to innovate and transform using design. For example, Dsg and IDA Labs are collaborating to sharpen the competitive edge of our infocomm companies. These companies will work with our designers to develop user-centric products for our elderly.

Madam, I have explained how design can open up new value propositions for our companies and services. Design will continue to be an important driver of success in the dynamic global market and we will need to strengthen capabilities in the design sector on an even larger scale.

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I am pleased to announce that a Design Masterplan Steering Committee (SC) will be formed to spearhead the development of the next Design Masterplan. This Committee, involving members of the public and private sectors, will be reviewing several areas. These include the role of design as an enabler for productivity and ways for design to be a higher value-added profession.

Mdm Chair, earlier, I spoke about the possibilities that our Smart Nation journey will create. To realise these opportunities, we must ensure our infrastructure is resilient and secure, protect personal data and information and create a safe and conducive environment online. The Government, however, cannot do this alone. Therefore, we have partnered the private and people sectors to achieve these collectively desirable outcomes.

Everyone, Madam, has a part to play. But underpinning all of this is the communications infrastructure that is at the core of our knowledge economy and society. I would like to assure the House that my Ministry takes the provision of resilient and quality mobile services seriously. In fact, Singapore continues to be one of the few countries to impose mandatory Quality of Service (QoS) standards. Since 2014, operators have generally complied with the 3G QoS requirements.

Mr Vikram Nair asked about in-building service coverage. IDA tests the indoor coverage of a sample of buildings each month and had, in April 2013, significantly enhanced the in-building standard. To date, all three mobile operators have met the in-building standard in the 3G QoS framework. We will continue to review this framework.

Madam, in addition to the 3G QoS framework, IDA has begun monitoring and publishing 4G service coverage to promote greater consumer awareness. In the first set of quarterly results released last month, all three mobile operators attained more than 98.9% outdoor coverage. IDA will use the results of its ongoing surveys to determine the appropriate QoS standards.

Since October 2014, IDA has also crowd-sourced measurements of consumers' Quality of Experience (QoE), through the pilot MyConnection SG application. This application collects data on subscribers' experience, including latency and network coverage. We are among the first few countries to do this. I would like to thank those who have participated in this pilot.

In the area of resilience, IDA has put in place several regulatory frameworks. The Telecom Service Resiliency Code is one such example. In addition, IDA implemented a Mobile Audit Framework last December, which requires operators to address identified weaknesses in their networks. IDA is looking at implementing a similar framework for fixed telecom networks in the second half of this year and will continue to work with our operators to boost

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resilience. I hope this addresses the query by Mr Vikram.

Mr Png Eng Huat raised the issue of Premium Rate Services (PRS), citing a resident's experience. According to the PRS Code, providers must take steps to authenticate the user and ensure that explicit purchase confirmation is received prior to service activation. The resident's experience seems to be at odds with what would be expected for a PRS. Nevertheless, if Mr Png wishes to furnish more information to us, IDA will be able to look into the matter in greater detail.

More generally, Madam, the number of PRS cases has fallen significantly over the last few years. This could be due to increased awareness and use of PRS barring. I wish to clarify that, in addition to PRS providers, the PRS Code also applies to mobile service operators, acting as billing operators. In fact, I understand that PRS providers and mobile operators do investigate complaints and may offer goodwill waivers to the end-users – especially vulnerable users – on a case-by-case basis. In the event that there is unsolicited charging, IDA expects them to refund the consumer and may take the providers to task under the PRS Code.

Madam, my Ministry takes consumer protection seriously. We will continue to monitor end-users' feedback and industry developments to ensure that the PRS regulations remain relevant.

I am glad to report that our regulatory efforts in this area are top-ranked, globally. The World Economic Forum's Global IT Report has ranked Singapore first in the world for its Political and Regulatory Environment for the past five years. We are committed to reviewing and updating our regulatory frameworks to stay abreast of industry and consumer developments.

Besides improving our telecom services, we need to step up efforts to safeguard our cyberspace. As Mr Zaqy Mohamad and Mr Low Thia Khiang have noted, large-scale cybersecurity breaches continue to make headlines around the world. Such attacks are expected to become more frequent and sophisticated. This is why we will establish the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) on 1 April 2015 to take a holistic approach in navigating an increasingly fraught cyber landscape. Its roles will include developing a national cyber-security strategy, engaging the private sector to promote cyber security by design, boosting manpower and industry development, building local and global partnerships, monitoring national and sectoral cybersecurity readiness and threat detection. CSA will also work closely with agencies, including the National Security Coordination Secretariat (NSCS) and critical sectors, such as energy, transport and water, to mitigate growing cyber threats.

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As part of efforts to develop a vibrant ecosystem, cybersecurity research will be an important component of CSA's work, together with the National Research Foundation (NRF) under PMO. Seven research projects totalling $42 million have been awarded so far from NRF's $130 million grant for national cyber-security R&D programmes.

I would like to emphasise that tackling cyber threats is a shared responsibility. No sector, agency or organisation can do it alone. The Government, ICT industry, organisations – even individual users – must work together. A key focus for CSA is increasing our levels of outreach and engagement with the private sector, industry partners and our people.

Madam, as aspects of our lives, identities and personae become deeply intertwined with the technology that pervades our lives, protecting our personal data becomes ever more critical.

Our Government has taken the first step, with the introduction of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) in 2012. Through consultations with the public, private and people sectors, we formulated a framework of regulations and guidelines that balances the interests of consumers and businesses.

Today, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) continues to work closely with stakeholders through public consultations. It has continually sought industry's input for Advisory Guidelines that establish sectoral norms on personal data protection and for specific areas of interest. PDPC will continue to develop additional guidelines with public feedback.

Mr Patrick Tay's query on the difficulty that unions face in obtaining personal data of employees affected by retrenchment exercises, or in their labour negotiations, is timely.

Madam, I would like to clarify that the PDPA already provides exceptions for such purposes. For example, in the case of retrenchment, organisations can disclose personal data of affected employees to unions, to allow the latter to carry out their duties in representing the employees. Such personal data would be collected from the employees for the purpose of managing or terminating their employment relationships.

Consent to disclose such information to help unions – and, ultimately, the employees – is not required under the PDPA. However, employees must be informed that their personal data may be collected, used and disclosed for such purposes. And this notification can be done as part of the organisation's general HR policy or inserted in the employment terms.

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Where unions face difficulties in such cases, PDPC will be able to provide the necessary advice.

At the same time, Madam, PDPC has embarked on numerous outreach programmes, including briefings, workshops and seminars. It has reached out to over 18,000 participants since 2012. And in particular, PDPC is focused on helping SMEs and has introduced subsidised training courses for their Data Protection Officers.

The Do Not Call (DNC) Registry under the PDPC is entering its second year of operation. Since 2 January 2014, more than 780,000 numbers have been registered with the DNC Registry and over 5,000 organisations have set up accounts with the Registry.

There may be organisations that have the impression that the cost of complying with the PDPA is onerous. As I have said during the debate on the PDPA, some cost is inevitable in complying with new requirements. But organisations need not put in place costly IT systems or hire external consultants to ensure compliance. There are self-help resources and checklists on PDPC's website which organisations can use to help them understand their obligations and the steps they need to take. So, I encourage our organisations to take advantage of these avenues of assistance.

Given how new personal data protection regulation is in Singapore, we continue to devote substantial resources to educate the public so that individuals are aware of the responsibilities organisations have to them. Where there are consumer complaints against organisations, PDPC will investigate and take appropriate action. We thank members of the public who have highlighted instances of organisations breaching either the DNC rules or the PDPA provisions. So, I hope this addresses some of the concerns raised by Mr Vikram Nair.

Madam, in the media content space, our content regulatory framework is guided by three basic principles and it is important we reiterate this. First, we need to protect the young while providing more choices for adults. Second, we need to uphold community values and support racial and religious harmony. MDA alone does not determine what is acceptable to the community or aligned to societal norms. It actively consults the industry and the community to gain insight into our people's diverse views and sentiments. Finally, we need to safeguard our national and public interest.

We will continue to review and update our legislation and regulatory frameworks to keep pace with changes in the media landscape, bearing in mind these three principles.

But regulation alone is not enough. Our content regulatory framework must be complemented with effective public engagement and empowerment. Therefore, we work

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closely with the private and people sectors to develop public awareness and education programmes relating to media literacy, cyber wellness and information literacy.

In 2012, the Media Literacy Council (MLC) was set up to step up public education, which it is driving along three themes: Be Safe, Be Smart and Be Kind Online. MLC will also advise the Government on Internet trends and policy implications. This came against a backdrop of increasing digital participation and the consequent rise in issues, like cyberbullying, cyber vigilantism and uncivil online interactions.

Safer Internet Day (SID) was observed for the first time in Singapore in 2013, with MLC leveraging the international event to further increase public awareness and learning through a national campaign.

SID 2015 took place on 10 February. Building on the global theme of "Let's Create a Better Internet Together," MLC launched a public education campaign titled "Recognising the Good". This year's campaign aims to promote positive contributions to the Internet by acknowledging individuals who have displayed positive online behaviour and highlighting that we all have a role to play in making the Internet a better place.

I am heartened to know that there are many groups of people coming together to use the Internet for social good. One example is The Hidden Good, an online movement started by Leon Heng and Rovik Jeremiah Robert. Instead of focusing on the negativity in the online space, the duo decided to create a platform to uncover and share the good in our society and inspire others do the same. So, the efforts of Singaporeans like The Hidden Good, multiplied by the power of the Internet, help to make Singapore a great place to live in, both online and offline.

Madam, at the same time, to promote information literacy, NLB has rolled out its S.U.R.E. Campaign from 2013 to raise public awareness of the need to learn to search and sift for facts and reliable information from today's plethora of sources spanning all forms of media. In a simple manner, S.U.R.E. – which stands for Source, Understand, Research and Evaluate – captures the essence of a critical life skill for the 21st century.

In conjunction with SID, S.U.R.E. aims to promote a nation of discerning users who are skilled at both handling media messages and complex information needs meaningfully.

So, I hope this addresses some of Mr Baey Yam Keng's concern on promoting a harmonious cyber community.

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Madam, let me just reiterate that the infocomm, media and design sectors are seeing exciting developments. Our Government is committed to working with the private and people sectors to improve the resilience of our infrastructure, enhance the security of our cyberspace, promote cyber wellness among our people and to seize the opportunities that infocomm, media and design present to build a better quality of life for all of us, as part of our journey towards a resilient, safe and secure Smart Nation.

Mr Baey Yam Keng, you can take your two cuts together.

Madam, our National Archives has a rich repository of materials, including audio-visual and sound recordings, Government records, maps and building plans, photographs and posters. Presently, researchers can request to reproduce copies of records, subject to prior approval, I quote, "if this is required from transferring agencies and donors". This is according to the National Archives' website.

I would like to ask under what conditions approval would be granted and whether the Government would consider making it easier and cheaper for users to use these materials in artistic endeavours and non-profit, non-commercial projects, especially when the project would help to raise awareness of Singapore's history and promote patriotism. Examples of projects could include short films, memes and use of icons to raise funds for charity.

I would like to seek clarification regarding the use of such materials online. For example, when a certain image is uploaded onto a blog or website, would that be permitted? In addition, would the creation of images involving modifications to icons, such as Teamy the Productivity Bee or Singa the Lion, be allowed?

Next, is there a time limit after which the copyright on any image or material will expire and be freely available to be used by the public? For example, if a photo had been donated to the Archives by Singapore Press Holdings, would that be free for reproduction after a certain number of years, making it more accessible for the public to make use of these materials?

Next cut, on translation. Madam, with increasing globalisation, demand for translation services has been growing steadily at 5% annually worldwide. The global market was valued at US$34.7 billion last year.

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According to research firm Common Sense Advisory, Singapore's language service providers (LSPs) earn most of their revenue from finance, insurance, wholesale and retail trade. Their main clients are multinational corporations and Government agencies.

The clientele profile is not surprising as the standard of translation required for Government work and businesses is expected to be higher. Although there have been quite a number of glaring and humiliating mistranslations by some Government agencies in recent years which I had spoken about in this House, most of the translated materials are of an acceptable standard.

I am sure our various Government agencies would have learnt by now that translation is not a job for amateurs, foreign service providers or translation software. Besides terminology unique to each sector and industry, there are also regional differences, national, cultural and contextual nuances which must be taken into account in order to achieve accurate and appropriate translations.

While official figures are not available, the Business Times had estimated from local translation companies it researched that this sector has been growing at a high single-digit rate in recent years. The highest demand has been for simplified Chinese-English translations due to "Singapore's strong economic ties with China". We should ride this trend and nurture and upgrade our local translation expertise.

I would like to ask the Ministry for an update on the plans to nurture future translators and professionalise the industry through measures, such as accreditation. I would also like to ask if the Ministry could share with this House data on the size and profile of our translation sector.

Next, it is important that our Government supports translators who choose to join the Civil Service with attractive career paths and salaries. In addition, when procuring such services, where appropriate, there should be a good framework to demand, respect and pay for professional translation services. The Civil Service should take the lead in demonstrating our commitment to maintaining high standards in this field. So, I would like to ask the Ministry how it intends to do so.

Madam, our four national languages – English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil – are major languages in the world. We have close links to regional economic powerhouses which use these languages. Not only should we raise the level of our current expertise, we should also explore niche areas, such as Chinese-Malay translation services.

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While it is true that the majority of commercial clients may focus on the price and speed of translation services and treat it as a commodity, the bigger corporations will not take such a risk and would demand quality work. We should focus on this segment of the market and avoid competing with cheap translation services offshore.

Mr Arthur Fong, take your two cuts together.

Thank you, Madam. Madam, we are celebrating SG50 this year. Many events and activities will mark SG50. One such successful project, the Singapore Memory Project, is one where I believe that many young Singaporeans can begin their learning journey of Singapore's history. The last time I visited the website, 423,122 memories were added.

The knowledge of the fight against what I call the 3Cs are remote to many younger Singaporeans. The periods of Colonialism, Communism, Communalism and, later, Separation, were turbulent times, just as there were many defining moments for Singapore.

Our libraries' archives have a wealth of collection of our national history, as well as different milestones of our nation building. Aside from these collections and archives, how else can we promote and communicate to our younger and future generations the history of Singapore?

Madam, my next cut. I declare my interest as a member of the Board at NLB. The libraries have seen an increase in visitors steadily for the past few years, in fact, no less than 25 million a year. I am aware that even tourists have made it a point to visit, as they have heard so many good things about our libraries.

The libraries have made much effort to redesign library spaces and always exploring innovative and practical ways to increase the positive experiences of library-goers.

There are some popular libraries, especially the community libraries that have some issues of seating availability. Can the Ministry share some of the plans that are in store to tackle this and to improve the experience of library-goers?

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Madam, as Singapore celebrates 50 years of Independence, there is renewed interest in our shared past as we look back on the difficult early years of our Singapore Story.

Naturally, we want Singaporeans to be able to understand our history and how it has shaped our current and future national identity. It is, therefore, important that both researchers and members of the public must be able to access easily material that relate to our past.

At the last Budget debate, I asked for declassification of Cabinet papers but was rejected by the Minister and he said that all Government records beyond a 25-year period are deemed as public archives.

However, one of the current problems researchers have raised is that the researcher still needs to get approval from the relevant Ministry or agency to access the document. I acknowledge that there are certain situations where the release of documents may be denied for particular purposes but the existing process is inefficient and it is also unclear what the reasons are for the decisions made.

One possibility to make the process more efficient would be to have a structured declassification system for materials. When documents are transferred to the National Archives after the 25-year period, can we have documents categorised as "Restricted" and "Confidential" to be automatically unclassified? At the same time, material marked as "Secret" will still be subject to requests and approval by the relevant Minister. Such secret material can also be subjected to extended closure.

Secret material that is subject to extended closure should still be governed by clear guidelines that state the reasons to be considered, together with the period of extended closure.

Mdm Chairman, as a boy, I frequented the Queenstown Community Library as it was a short walk from my home. It was the Republic's first full-time branch with basic and functional design. Our then Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, highlighted that the Queenstown Library not only provided access to books which few could afford but because it also served as a "sanctuary of peace and quiet where concentration is

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possible".

Since then, our libraries have evolved. The boutique Library@Orchard, for example, has impressed many with its modern, chic and cosy spaces. It is built with the user in mind. The library has four clusters for Music, Dance, Theatre and Film. This supports creativity, learning and entertainment. The Library@Orchard also facilitates community spaces where Arts can be brought to the public, as well as a cavern for peace and sanctuary for the individual user.

I would like to ask the Ministry whether Singaporeans could look forward to more of such libraries being introduced to our heartlands. Apart from new libraries, will our older libraries in the heartlands be upgraded to incorporate such innovative designs and concepts?

Mdm Chair, Lau Pa Sat is only open on Saturday and, if you are a wandering spirit from Central Europe, you will need a visa to visit Singapore during the seventh lunar month. Confused? Well, so were many others when Lau Pa Sat was translated on our road signs in Tamil to" Lau Pa Saturday" or "sani" in Tamil and the Your Singapore tourism website translated the "Hungry Ghost Festival" to "Zhong Ya Li Gui Jie" which is "Hungarian Ghost Festival". These are just two of the examples of how important it is for translation standards to improve.

Therefore, I would like to ask the Ministry's update on the progress of the National Translation Committee in standardising official translations and raising translation standards.

Mdm Chairman, the National Translation Committee was set up about a year ago, announced in COS 2014, to enhance the Government's translation capabilities and produce quality translation in Government communication materials. This, in turn, will shape the standards of the vernacular languages used in the community not just by the general public, but also among our local school students.

What are some of the Committee's plans to improve translation standards in Singapore which, inadvertently, will shape the proper use of Mother Tongue and vernacular languages in our community?

Minister Yaacob.

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Madam, this year, we will celebrate our 50th year of Independence. I agree with Mr Arthur Fong that, beyond celebrations, it is a time to reflect on our history and for us to appreciate the journey of our nation and people. It is also important to continue to reach our young people and future generations. I will now share how both the National Library and the Archives can play a role in this.

Mr Baey Yam Keng asked if we can increase access to the rich content that resides in our libraries and archives. Our National Library and the National Archives play an important role in safekeeping records of Singapore history. The National Library is a premier resource centre on works about Singapore and the region. It has about one million books, manuscripts, newspaper issues, letters and so on, published in and about Singapore. Complementing the National Library, the National Archives safeguards Government records, including Government files, photos, plans and maps, speeches and oral history records that document our nation-building journey. So, together, the National Library and National Archives hold a collection of over five million items on the history of our nation.

In 2012, as part of the restructuring of MCI, NAS was transferred to the National Library Board (NLB). Since the transfer, NLB has accelerated digitalisation and access. Over 800,000 e-items have been published online in the last few years, including materials like maps, development plans, books and photos. Last year, the NLB also launched HistorySG, an online encyclopaedia of critical events for our students to learn more about our history. We have also made available online over 1,000 oral history interviews. People can now stream the recollections of different personalities, such as the likes of Ms Elizabeth Choy, Mr S Rajaratnam, Pak Zubir Said, Mr David Marshall, as long as they have a computer and Internet access.

To facilitate access to these rich materials, NLB launched OneSearch last year. It is a portal that allows users to search across library and archive databases with ease. Mr Baey asked if the use of archival materials can be made more affordable. Currently, NAS charges most materials at a rate that is less than 20% of commercial rates. NAS also heavily subsidises educational use and offers them free to partners, such as MOE and NHB, to promote Singapore's history. Reproductions or modifications of these materials would depend on the access conditions set by the donors or copyright owners. We understand there is interest in images that are owned by the Government or have expired copyrights and we are prepared to review and lower charges. As long as there are no copyright restrictions, it is acceptable for images to be posted online. Regarding modifications, I think we should be mindful to treat materials with respect, especially if they feature important national icons.

Mr Low Thia Kiang asked about making more non-sensitive documents available. The numerous treasures, such as maps, plans, publications, speeches and oral history recordings, have been made available to the public wherever possible. More television programmes,

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exhibitions and books have been produced using these resources. They have extensive reach. For instance, our archival materials were used for over 80 Public Service Broadcast programmes last year. Also, over 100 exhibitions used materials from the library and archives last year. This works out to say, two exhibitions a week and at least 120 books were published containing reproductions of content as well. So, I am sure we will see more heritage content this year as part of SG50 celebrations.

Over and above these, NAS also receives requests to view specific old Government files. There were about 60 such requests last year and NAS has facilitated and released file records in most cases. So, the structured process that Mr Low mentioned in his speech is actually already in place. These requests are usually made by researchers for scholarly projects, such as in writing books. Some examples include Loh Kah Seng's book on the Bukit Ho Swee Fire and the biography of Tan Siak Kew, the late pioneer businessman who founded the then-Nanyang University.

Madam, besides the materials I shared about earlier, there are also many records that we hope to seek citizens' help to make available. Mr Fong is interested to know how to get young people interested in history; I think this could be something that they will enjoy.

The Straits Settlements Records consist of over a million handwritten pages. These documents date back to the 1800s and include letters written during Raffles' administration in Singapore. These letters shed light on the personal and political considerations surrounding the establishment of a British trading centre in Singapore in 1819. These records are just some of the amazing treasures not yet made available online. The key challenge is that they were written in elaborate cursive penmanship which is not machine-readable.

Besides the Straits Settlements Records, thousands of old photos have been donated or transferred to the Archives without descriptions or titles. With our physical landscape changing so quickly, we can certainly tap on the knowledge and wisdom of the public to do this quickly and effectively.

NAS will roll out a Citizens Archivist portal this weekend to involve the public to transcribe old records and to identify people, places and events in old images. While this is a first for Singapore, other institutions, such as the Australian National Archives and the Smithsonian Institution in the US, have embarked on similar endeavours with very positive results. We hope we can do the same to enrich the archival collections available to the public.

To further facilitate access to archival content, we will be improving our facilities for better physical access. The Memories at Old Ford Factory will undergo a major revamp. This beautiful art-deco building along Upper Bukit Timah Road was opened in 1941 by Ford Motor

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Company of Malaya for motorcar assembly. It became famous for its significance during World War II. It was in the Boardroom of this factory that the British surrendered to the Japanese on 15 February 1942.

World War II was an extremely difficult period in history and we need young people and future generations to understand what we went through. The Old Ford Factory is now home to a World War II exhibition on life during the Japanese Occupation. We will be renovating this gallery. Stories of pre-war, wartime and post-war Singapore will unfold through different zones of the museum. More interactivity will be incorporated to help recall traumatic times. This gallery will open in 2017 when we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the fall of Singapore.

Madam, the National Archives (NAS) at Canning Rise will also be renovated starting this year. Here, NAS conducts important conservation and preservation work on old records. The Archives building also houses a public reading room for accessing records on site. We will be upgrading the conservation labs and reading room and we will open a public gallery. The inaugural exhibits at the gallery will showcase some constitutional documents of Singapore and this would help visitors better understand Singapore's journey into nationhood. Some examples include the envelope on which Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Tunku Abdul Rahman penned the terms of merger, as well as the proclamations of merger and Separation.

Mr Arthur Fong's comments remind me of the Singapore Memory Project. Some of you might recall that this was started some five years ago. In the Prime Minister's National Day Rally speech in 2011, he wanted the movement to inspire all Singaporeans to share their memories of Singapore. And our hope was that the wealth and diversity of personal and shared memories can connect us and bond us as a community.

The project is helmed by NLB and the team has built extensive partnership with volunteers and interest groups and reached out to Singaporeans through schools, community events, libraries and even the private sector.

In 2014, NLB launched the irememberSG fund to encourage individuals and groups to come forward to create unique products like films, exhibitions and books about Singapore. An overwhelming number of applications were received and, finally, 74 projects were chosen. I am excited to see these projects come to fruition this year as part of our SG50 celebrations. Allow me to share some examples.

Nafisah Alias, Afiqah Mazlan and Geraldine Lee came together to set up a website featuring Malay pioneers of Early Singapore. Their one-stop portal, Warisan SG, will showcase unsung heroes and heroines of the Malay community who have made an impact

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on our nation.

Another project called First Homes by Jean Loo and Yang Huiwen, is a digital art installation that will celebrate Singaporeans' memories of their first homes. One such home is Mui Hong's Kampong Buangkok home. Mui Hong is the Kampong landlady. She is in her 60s now, and enjoys gardening and harvesting fruits to share among neighbours. When asked what home meant to her, she mused that the Chinese character which is pronounced as "jia" (家) has a few strokes on top, sheltering more strokes below; just like how a home should be one that would allow many to live harmoniously with one another.

Beyond individual projects, the greater achievement of the Singapore Memory Project is that it has started a national movement and inspired similar memory collection projects from other public agencies, community groups and private companies. Some schools have started their own memory projects. Community groups like the Boon Lay Youth Executive Committee, in collaboration with Jurong Junior College, started the Boon Lay Heritage Project.

Madam, as the memory project turns five years old, we welcome communities to come forward to take the reins. And, together with our National Library, bring us to the next phase of our social history, where communities will take ownership of the memories of the nation and help us to connect one another as one people.

In closing, Madam, I would like to reiterate that the Government, community and citizens must work together to help enrich the treasure trove of heritage materials we have both in our Library and Archives. I hope that, together, we can make history more enriching and engaging as we turn 50 this year. Now, I invite my Minister of State, Ms Sim Ann, to continue with the speech.

Madam, I will now address the cuts on libraries as well as translation.

Singaporeans value our libraries as important learning and social spaces. Last year, about 24 million visits were made to libraries and over 34 million loans were made.

Libraries are no longer just physical reading spaces with physical books. Significant investments have been made to develop digital infrastructure and increase National Library Board (NLB)'s acquisition of e-books by almost a million in the past few years. The NLB Mobile app launched last year brings customised library services to mobile-savvy borrowers

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and even allows people to loan out books with just their mobile phones.

Besides online access, NLB has found that digital services can complement physical spaces. For example, digital storytelling stations have been incorporated in the children's sections and unconventional digital services, such as gaming stations, have been added in Serangoon, while video walls have been added in Orchard. These efforts to enhance library services have been well-received. NLB's annual customer satisfaction index has gone up every year since 2011 even amidst rising service expectations across different sectors.

Madam, with your permission, I would like to display a few slides to help Members visualise.

Yes, please. [Slides were shown to hon Members.]

In the last few years, our libraries have been experimenting with new ways of serving our society and one way is through themed collections. Mr David Ong shared his observations on the library@orchard. It is one of the themed libraries opened recently. Another themed library is the Lifelong Learning Library at the WDA campus in Paya Lebar.

As Mr Ong suggested, there are many opportunities for differentiation within libraries to serve diverse groups. The Early Literacy Library in Jurong Regional Library is one such example. It targets children aged six and below and provides resources to their parents and care-givers. In less than a year, almost 10,000 participants attended programmes supporting early literacy efforts. In view of the success, NLB opened a second Early Literacy Library in Sembawang Public Library in November last year.

We are not stopping there. The NLB is prepared to re-imagine library spaces boldly and take us to places where few libraries have gone. This year, Singaporeans can look forward to a dedicated teen space in Pasir Ris library. Teens rank among the more frequent users at the Pasir Ris Public Library. Hence, NLB worked with the community to come up with a Teen Space as part of the revamp of the library. Overall, the library will adopt a "chillax lifestyle" theme. There will be a special space for teens to learn in creative ways and engage in indoor recreational activities.

Some libraries will feature integrated family and lifestyle spaces for the first time. We recognise that reading and learning can be part of many other activities. The new Tampines Regional Library, co-located in the upcoming Tampines Town Hub, will be integrated with a culinary studio. This would help combine learning through reading and practice of culinary art.

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NLB will also be working with IDA to set up an IDA Lab in Jurong Regional Library. Slated to open later this year, the IDA Lab in Jurong will encourage users to create, invent, network and share skills and knowledge in a fun and well-equipped space. Users can tinker with gadgets using tools and equipment, such as 3D printers and micro-controllers, and innovation or technology talks would be organised for the general public, while hands-on workshops will cater to students and families.

Mr Arthur Fong observed that some libraries are heavily used. We agree. Many libraries are also due for refurbishment after being opened for a decade or more. Hence, I am pleased to share that the NLB is embarking on a masterplan that charts the expansion and development of the library network for the next decade.

Some libraries that are exceptionally popular will be expanded. This is necessary, as library visitors are expected to grow and more space is needed. There will also be new libraries to look forward to. The new Tampines Regional Library, Punggol Regional Library and Bedok Public Library are on the way. They will be opening in the next few years.

Some of the libraries located in malls will also be expanded. Pasir Ris and Bukit Panjang are two such libraries that will be expanded this year and next year. NLB is also looking for opportunities to expand and refurbish other libraries that are more heavily-used than others. Beyond expanding and refurbishing libraries, more can be done to bring libraries and their services closer to the community.

Last year, I mentioned the initiative of READ@Community for NLB to bring books and reading closer to home. I am pleased to know that there are community groups that have come forward to work with the NLB to set up library corners near their residents. Grassroots groups from communities, such as Changi-Simei, have approached the NLB to set up reading corners in their areas for people to browse, exchange and borrow books. I understand that volunteers will run the spaces and NLB will donate a sizeable collection of books.

I will now address queries from Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mr Alex Yam and Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar, who have asked how the National Translation Committee or NTC plans to improve the Government's translation standards.

The NTC was set up last March to improve the Government's translation capabilities. It comprises representatives from the public, private and people sectors. Their expertise and invaluable input over the past year have helped us in several areas and one of them is a Whole-of-Government Procurement Framework for Translation Services that will be rolled out next month.