Hansard, Tuesday, 5 April 2022

1 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Manpower (a) among private hire car drivers and food delivery riders, what are their (i) mean and median employment duration and (ii) numbers according to age group; (b) whether the Ministry tracks the number and percentage of these riders who have moved on to permanent employment in other industries and, if so, what are these numbers in each of the past five years; and (c) whether the Ministry can provide customised career transition programmes for these riders to help them successfully find alternative employment.

2 Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the concerns that platform companies and gig workers have raised with respect to the suggestion for platform companies to make mandatory CPF contributions for gig workers; (b) whether a survey or poll has been conducted to determine the proportion of gig workers who support such a suggestion; and (c) if so, what are the survey results.

3 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the longer-term job outlook for food delivery riders; and (b) whether there is a need to improve the employability and career planning for food delivery riders.

4 Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked the Minister for Manpower given that many freelancers, such as food delivery riders and point-to-point (P2P) drivers, do not determine the fees of services, but leave it to their platform partners' discretion, what are some of the safeguards that will be considered to ensure that these companies comply with their obligations should CPF contributions be made mandatory.

Mr Speaker, with your permission, may I take Question Nos 1 to 4, please?

Yes, please.

Sir, platform workers face unique conditions at work. They are subject to management control and are not able to set their own fees or remuneration, unlike the typical freelancers that we know. However, compared to employees, they receive lower job protections.

To address this, the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers was convened in September last year to look into three key areas of concern, namely: enhancing housing and retirement adequacy, providing financial protection in the event of work injury and strengthening representation.

Since it was convened, the Committee has actively engaged stakeholders through dialogues as well as a public consultation paper. To date, we have reached out to more than 20,000 platform workers and received about 1,200 submissions from them. To Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman’s question, more than half of these submissions touched on CPF contributions, of which, 55% indicated support for the idea of mandatory CPF contributions to platform workers. Housing was the most commonly cited reason for wanting CPF contributions, followed by retirement. This is not surprising, as platform workers today only make CPF contributions to their MediSave Accounts for their healthcare needs. In the coming months, we will continue with our engagement efforts and encourage all stakeholders, including platform workers, to share their views.

The Committee is also aware that other surveys on platform work were commissioned and published recently, some of which were commissioned by the platform companies. These surveys vary in methodology and some have much smaller numbers of respondents. Some of these surveys also did not capture the management controls and challenges that the platform workers face. An independent ethnographic study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) on delivery riders found that riders who are keen to earn an income of more than $4,000 a month would likely need to work more than 10 hours a day, for six to seven days a week, cycling at least 60 kilometres to 70 kilometres a day and not reject any assigned orders. They need to maintain long and disciplined hours at work and must certainly be physically fit. There is significant physical and mental stress imposed on these workers.

While the surveys differ in their emphasis and findings, the one consistent feedback they note is that platform workers do experience greater uncertainty and would appreciate some aspects of what employees enjoy, such as the benefit of CPF contributions and work injury compensation.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked about how mandatory CPF contributions for platform workers could be implemented. Without prejudging the outcome of the Committee’s deliberations, if this is implemented, we will develop appropriate mechanisms to ensure compliance.

Today, platform workers already make mandatory CPF contributions out of their own earnings, although at a lower level of contribution, compared to an employee. The Committee is mindful that if mandatory CPF contribution for platform workers is introduced, platform companies will also have to start making contributions. While this will increase their business costs, it is no worse off than any other company employing workers in a similar sector, such as in logistics and transport. Besides, platform companies already contribute CPF for their management executives and administrative staff today, a point which many of these riders whom I engage with, make as well. They ask the question – as the ones who are bringing in revenue for the companies, risking themselves on the roads – why are they not given some of these basic things that employees working for the companies in the office actually also enjoy.

But at the same time, the Committee is also aware that some platform workers are concerned about the impact on their take-home earnings. This somehow also suggests that platform workers are not as well-paid, as some recent surveys have tried to portray.

Mr Leon Perera and Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked about the profile and longer-term career prospects of platform workers. In 2021, the majority of those who depended on platform work as their main job were older residents aged 50 and over, although delivery workers tended to be slightly younger, with the majority aged below 40. This is not surprising, as riders have to maintain a certain level of physical fitness and toil for many hours a day covering long distances in order to keep their earning levels high, as I had earlier described. The majority, or around 80% of those whose main job is a platform worker, view it as their preferred job. In 2021, 8% of those who depended on platform work as their main job switched to work primarily as an employee – a slight increase from the 5% to 6% in recent years.

We will continue to support platform workers to actively plan their careers and strengthen their employability, while respecting the preference of many to continue in platform work. For those looking for employment opportunities, Workforce Singapore and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute offer career matching services, including career coaching, employability workshops and job fairs. The Workfare Skills Support Scheme and SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package are also available to them.

Sir, at the height of the pandemic and the circuit breaker, these delivery riders helped maintain our quality of life by risking themselves to meet our needs. Singaporeans have called for more to be done for this group of precarious workers. These are often the forgotten heroes during the pandemic.

So, even as we gradually ease into the endemic phase of our fight against COVID-19, let us not forget the needs of this group of precarious workers. The Committee’s work is still ongoing. As it continues to consult widely and facilitate deeper discussions, we will take in the feedback from platform workers and platform companies. The Committee aims to provide practicable and sustainable recommendations and is considering an appropriate phase-in period to allow the industry to adjust.

Mr Leon Perera.

I thank the Senior Minister of State for his answer. Two supplementary questions. Regarding the figure given of 8% who have transitioned to permanent employment, would the Senior Minister of State have any data of the demographic profile of those who moved out of platform work into permanent employment of some sort or other? Are they the older ones or are they the younger ones?

Secondly, given the developments in technology and also the fact that this kind of work that the platform workers do may be harder for older people to do physically, there is a long-term employability concern that the Senior Minister of State alluded to. Would the Government consider, going forward, engaging more proactive communications to these platform workers, make them aware of these challenges and to stimulate them to think more about their long-term career prospects in other industries? There is drone delivery, for example, that is displacing some of these jobs already in some cities.

Sir, the Member rightly pointed out some of the concerns that the Committee is deliberating on. These are the concerns of some of the workers themselves: the fear of autonomous vehicles replacing their jobs and also, for the riders at least, it being such a physically demanding career, there is a question of how they can sustain this over a long period of time and make it a lifelong career. Also, the risk of being injured any day and once you cannot physically subject yourself to that kind of toil anymore, the income would be impacted.

On the other hand, the workers do value the flexibility and autonomy, to some extent, that they have. It is also a job with low barriers to entry and allows them quick access to ready cash to tide over a period of need. So, there are pros and cons. And the Committee would continue to consult and engage our stakeholders.

In terms of encouraging the workers to then look at a career transition, this is something that we have already put in place – some measures and schemes to support them. Ultimately, it is also helping them to raise their awareness of what would make a sustainable career and help them to acquire the skills that are necessary to transit into a sector that may be of interest to them. Skills upgrading is still core to the whole endeavour.

But I think this is a complex issue. The demographics are quite widespread. Different segments of people, different needs. So, I do not think there is a one-size-fits-all strategy that will cater to all and appeal to all of them. I think we need to look at this from a multi-pronged perspective. Therefore, in answer to the first question posed, on what are the demographics of the 8% who may have made the transition, I do not have the full data. My sense is that it is a very disparate group: some could be younger; some could be older; some could be more educated; some, because of their physical conditions, realise they need to transit to something that is less physically demanding. I think it is a broad spectrum, the point being that we need many different things to meet the different needs of different groups of people. It is unlikely to be a one-size-fits-all solution, nor a fixed archetype.

Mr Murali Pillai.

Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask the hon Senior Minister of State what proportion of platform workers are ex-offenders and what steps can be taken to encourage ex-offenders to look at more value-added jobs so that their long-term prospects would be protected?

Sir, the Member asked an important question. We did say that this is a job with low barriers to entry and, unfortunately, I do not think the companies themselves track such data, such as what is the status of this person's jobs before, during or after they join platform work. Because, it is just as simple as downloading an app, getting a simple sign-up and they can start to engage in this kind of work. I think the challenge is in getting this data.

We will try to do some surveys on this but I think it is very hard for us to get very, very accurate data on how many percentage of them are ex-offenders. Not all of them will also engage in this full-time. Some of them are doing it as a supplement. As I have said, the landscape is very diverse and the challenge is to get a true fix. At one point in time, we may get a single snapshot on how many ex-offenders are working in platform work, but they could easily exit the next day. And more may come on the day after. This is where, whatever intervention we design, we need to have that flexibility to cater to the evolving needs of this group of workers.

Upstream intervention, including the Yellow Ribbon project, would be very important to make sure that ex-offenders, before they are re-integrated into society, are already given some degree of skills-training to allow them to, from the outset, look for jobs that are able to sustain them for the longer term and have employers who are prepared to take them on as employees so that there is perhaps less impetus for them to enter platform work as the job of choice when they get out into the rest of society.

I think it takes all stakeholders, including the Singapore Prison Service, including employers who are enlightened, to engage and work with ex-offenders.

Mr Pritam Singh.

I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State if he has any recent data on how many of these platform workers actually make CPF contributions on their own accord.

Sir, in answer to the Leader of the Opposition's question, I do not have the actual data. Because at this moment, some of them are doing this only as a very small segment of their working life. So, they could be working on a very casual basis. Thus, they may not, actually, make contributions to CPF, if they are not working in this job as a full-time platform worker.

We are trying to get data from CPF and the platform companies to see if we can get a better sense of it. But our assessment is that probably around 45% or thereabout, are making some CPF contributions. At best, it is probably about half of them doing so. We hope to get clearer data when we engage with the drivers, riders as well as the platform companies.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling.

Would MOM also consider phasing in CPF contributions by platform companies to cushion any price impact on consumers and alleviate any potential adverse impact on the take-home income of our platform workers, which is something that the Labour Movement is, ultimately, the most worried about?

Sir, in my main reply, I did say that the Committee is considering some potential mechanism like a phase-in period. That is probably one way to actually ease the industry into this transition of some CPF contribution, so that the immediate impact on both consumers, platform workers and the business costs of the companies can be managed over time. This is something that the Committee will engage further with the companies and the workers before landing on a fixed recommendation.

The following question stood in the name of Ms Hazel Poa –

5 To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the result of the investigation into the case involving an expectant mother losing her child after being left unattended for a long time at the emergency department of the National University Hospital (NUH); (b) whether there are any previous similar cases; and (c) what steps will be taken to prevent future recurrence and to address the wider problem of overload situation at hospitals’ emergency departments.

Question No 5, please.

Mr Speaker, my answer will address Question No 5 from Ms Hazel Poa from today's Order Paper and also similar related questions raised by Ms Ng Ling Ling1, Mr Edward Chia2 and Dr Wan Rizal3,4.

It was with a heavy heart that I read about the unfortunate incident that happened at National University Hospital (NUH) two weeks ago. I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family for their tragic loss. The couple has had discussions with the NUH team and the matter has since been closed between the two parties.

The family had put up a social media post recently acknowledging this and further acknowledged that the mother had not been left unattended for two hours. Indeed, she received attention and care from the NUH Emergency Department (ED) team from the time that she arrived. They further noted that the sad and unfortunate outcome of the pregnancy was not the result of her experience at the hospital. Out of respect for the couple's request for privacy and confidentiality reasons, I will not go into details of the case.

NUH has investigated the matter thoroughly and reviewed their processes, in consultation with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Director of Medical Services. Their clinical care processes are appropriate, but there were some areas for improved communications and the coordination for transfers between the ED and the Delivery Suite. NUH has implemented these improvements.

COVID-19 has resulted in the public hospitals' EDs facing very high demands and our healthcare workers have been working continuously to attend to all patients with COVID-19 and those with non-COVID-19 conditions. All patients will be triaged based on presenting history, symptoms and clinical parameters so that those with life-threatening conditions are prioritised. No patient will be denied care.

I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all healthcare workers for their professionalism and dedication in caring for all their patients.

Mr Edward Chia.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. The Singaporean couple at the heart of the matter are, actually, residents of Zhenghua. As their Member of Parliament, I have communicated with them on several occasions and having to cremate one's child is an emotional journey for any parent. The father told me that it was never his intention to cast any blame on the hospital or the healthcare workers when he posted on social media. His intention was to really seek answers for the two hours of wait time that he and his wife experienced at the A&E.

It was so because he was unable to seek answers or any response over a period of five days and this included the time when his wife was being treated at a high dependency ward. He finally got a response from a patient care officer when his post went viral. Therefore, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State, following this incident and with the objective of improving protocols, would MOH be assessing how hospitals should improve the provision of critical information to patients in a timely manner with empathy? I do believe that greater transparency will strengthen the trust that Singaporeans already have in our healthcare institutions.

Sir, I thank Mr Edward Chia for the question. Notwithstanding the findings that the clinical care processes were appropriate and not contributing to the outcome, the NUH team did, indeed, look through how they performed their communication, how they provided the information that was available to reassure and inform the couple. And, indeed, there were ways in which they could improve that, they recognised this and they have already instituted changes to the processes to make sure that information is provided in a timely manner and done so in a way that is more acceptable to the patients and their families. And this process review was done in consultation with MOH and the Director of Medical Services. The lessons will be learnt and shared across our healthcare system.

Dr Janil Puthucheary, you mentioned about the question raised by Ms Ng Ling Ling earlier. Which question is that, for our record purposes?

Sir, the questions filed by Ms Ng Ling Ling, Mr Edward Chia and Dr Wan Rizal have been scheduled for subsequent Sittings.

Thank you. Dr Wan Rizal.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Minister of State for that. My concern is really for the healthcare workers who were involved in this unfortunate incident, because when this news went viral, clearly, they were the first in line to be blamed. My question is: how could we better protect them in the future when these things happen again? Because, apparently, it was not the first; there was a subsequent incident where healthcare workers were blamed. What can we do to protect them in the future in this regard?

Sir, I thank Dr Wan Rizal for the question. Adverse incidents will happen in these complex, high-risk and high-intensity situations. And when they do, everybody feels bad, it is a tragic outcome from an emotive empathy point of view. Anybody hearing about it feels lost, feels sympathy. If you are potentially the healthcare worker involved, you worry about the care that you delivered, whether you have made an error, whether your team has allowed something to happen, when the allegation is made.

However, all of these allegations and comments do need to be investigated. I think we should not take the view that somehow, we should not look into them. We should look into them. We must investigate the process because that is our duty to the patients and the families that we care for. And the best protection then for healthcare workers is quick and thorough establishing of the facts that are involved and to do so in a way that involves the healthcare worker, systematically and professionally.

The processes to investigate and follow up on incidents, such as these, are well-known to our healthcare system and healthcare staff. Nevertheless, it can be taxing and draining on the healthcare workers who are involved, and we have services that are available for counselling and psychological support for the healthcare workers that are within the system and are working in these situations.

At root, however, it would be helpful if, when allegations and incidents are raised, that these are based on facts rather than speculation.

6 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what safeguards are in place to protect members of the public, particularly children and women, from recalcitrant sex offenders; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider lifelong counselling and monitoring of these offenders.

Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for the question. Members know that the law provides for stiff action to be taken and stiff action is taken against sex offenders. Recalcitrant sex offenders receive even heavier sentences. These include longer imprisonment terms and sentences under the Corrective Training (CT) and Preventive Detention (PD) regimes. Under both CT and PD regimes, repeat offenders can be sentenced to imprisonment terms which are longer than the maximum term prescribed for the offence. CT sentences can range from five to 14 years and PD sentences can range from seven to 14 years. Such offenders also undergo longer rehabilitation programmes and supervision. [Please refer to "Clarification by Minister for Home Affairs", Official Report, 9 May 2022, Vol 95, Issue 62, Clarification section.]

Members know that we have been extremely focused on this proactively, always looking to see what else we can do to try and protect members of the public, particularly vulnerable members of the public. I had asked the Minstry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) to study a new sentencing option, quite a novel approach, to give more protection to the public from dangerous first-time offenders as well as repeat offenders, who commit very serious hurt and sexual offences. The proposal is not quite fleshed out yet but the framework or the outline is that offenders will have to serve a minimum jail sentence, which could be anywhere between five and 20 years.

When the jail sentences end, when they have completed it, there will be no automatic release. At the point of release, they have to be assessed as to whether they pose a threat to the public. If they are assessed to continue to pose a threat, they will continue to be detained. This, as Members can see, would represent a major change in the way our sentencing regime works, because, today, the Court imposes a sentence and when it ends, the person is released.

The UK tried this approach, I have to say, with very mixed results. But I think we can make it work, and the rationale is very simple. A person commits an offence. It is a serious heinous offence, say, raping a young child or a rape followed by murder. The judge can express outrage, he can impose a very stiff sentence, assuming it is not capital punishment. But the judge will not know whether, in X number of years, the person will no longer remain a danger to society. And there have been enough cases around the world where the day after the person is released, literally, he goes out and commits another serious offence. We have had not many, but we have had one or two cases in Singapore, too.

So, really, we can only assess some of these cases at the point of release. We sought public feedback on these proposals in July of last year. We are considering our approach. Obviously, we will come back to the House because any such approach is going to require changes to the law. In addition to the above, agencies like the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) work closely with the Police to screen those who apply for jobs when they have to work with children in licensed preschools and schools.

The Member suggested that MHA consider lifelong counselling and monitoring of recalcitrant sex offenders. Today, a sex offender is given psychological assistance by the Singapore Prison Service's (SPS) psychologists. Those who have committed serious sexual offences can also be put on the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme (MAS). The MAS provides community support, counselling, case management, with supervision for up to two years for inmates who were released and who are at a higher risk of re-offending, or who are in need of more reintegration and support.

SPS also works closely with the families of ex-offenders and community partners to support them after their release. We will refer the Member's suggestion to consider lifelong counselling and monitoring for recalcitrant sex offenders to the relevant agencies for them to consider.

Ms Joan Pereira.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for his reply. I have one supplementary question. May I know in scenarios where they are convicted paedophiles, are there any safeguards or precautions to prevent them from working with children?

The safeguards are in licensed vocations, regulated industries or institutions – I mentioned MOE-registered kindergartens and schools. So, employees at these licensed childhood centres, regulated by MSF or Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), must be screened. But those who work in enrichment centres or other commercial service providers for children do not need to be screened in today's framework. Even then, in licensed premises, the question is whether all employees need to be screened, for example, cleaners and so on. We know that MOE does a screening for all, including cleaners, but others may not.

I have asked my Ministries to look into the screening framework to see how the process can be strengthened. But we need to have a balance between making sure that people have a second chance, but, at the same time, protecting the vulnerable. There are some not so easy issues to consider; for example, what about freelance providers of services – piano teachers or swimming coaches? So, the regulatory framework for that is not so easy to consider, but we will look at it and we will come back before the House.

Mr Pritam Singh.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just a quick question for the Minister. I understand this is a review that is in progress and full details of the proposals are not before the House. For current offenders who are incarcerated – because they have committed serious sexual crimes, in the course of their custodial sentence – are there constant reviews done as to their re-integration later into the public after they have served their sentences? Is that being done currently?

And in terms of the numbers of individuals that we are looking at who are currently serving sentences, how many people would the Minister estimate to come under the regime, based on whatever existing data the Government has?

The first question, as I understand it, is whether we are assessing the current detainees, people who are in jail, for their re-integration back into society. As I have said many times in this House and outside, this is a matter of a very serious focus for the Home Team and the Singapore Prison Service, in that we focus a lot on rehabilitation. And in order to do rehabilitation, when someone who has been imposed with a custodial sentence comes into prison, he or she is assessed on a certain matrix of factors to see what sort of intervention is necessary to help the person. Without going into too much detail, they may be classified as low-risk, medium-risk or high-risk, for example.

And depending on the total set of factors, including the risk within prison and outside, they are given tailored interventions and assistance, job training, education – you name it – different things. Of course, some, based on our assessment, are not suitable for immediate job training, for example. They need other sorts of intervention first, to get them to be in a place where they can be better rehabilitated. So, there are a whole series of factors and approaches, and it is done through the period of detention. But, of course, if they are in there for three months or six months, then these approaches do not work. We are talking about detainees or people in jail for a longer period of time and assessed to be in need of such assistance.

So, when they come out, we no longer take the approach that "you are out and, therefore, you are no longer my obligation". The Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) takes a very detailed approach to try and get them jobs and place them on jobs when they leave and continues with other agencies to try and handhold and assist them thereafter.

I am not saying that it works for every releasee. Some do not want to know us and, obviously, this only works on the basis of consent. And some will not keep in touch. But for those who need assistance – and, again, we do not have the full set of resources to assist everyone – we try and do our best for as many as we can.

So, I think I am answering the question that was asked. If the Leader of Opposition's question is do we assess the risk of re-offending in the way that I have described, for the future, that is part of the assessment, but I am unable to give the numbers. The Leader of the Opposition can file a separate question on that, if he wishes.

7 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many CPF members currently have MediSave contributions in arrears with amounts (i) less than $1,000, (ii) between $1,001 and less than $3,000, (iii) between $3,001 and less than $10,000 and (iv) above $10,000, respectively; and (b) for each respective category, how many of them have met the minimum MediSave savings.

8 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Manpower (a) for those with MediSave contributions in arrears, how many appeals have been received to-date to waive the condition of making up-to-date MediSave contributions so as to receive the various grants given by the Government; (b) what is the success rate of these appeals receiving the waiver; and (c) what are the reasons for the unsuccessful cases.

Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will respond to Question Nos 7 and 8 on MediSave arrears together, so that I can give a more holistic reply.

As in Question Nos 7 and 8 on the Order Paper?

Yes.

Please do.

While employers process both employee and employer CPF contributions of their workers, Self-Employed Persons (SEPs) are responsible for making their own MediSave contributions after declaring their income for the year. More than 75% of SEPs are able to meet their MediSave obligations in a timely manner. For the remaining SEPs who are unable to do so, about 50% of them have less than $3,000 in outstanding liabilities. Most SEPs with outstanding MediSave liabilities have not met the Basic Healthcare Sum.

To ensure that SEPs continue to take personal responsibility in saving for their longer-term retirement and healthcare needs, SEPs are required to contribute to their MediSave to qualify for Government schemes, such as Workfare. To enable our lower-income SEPs to benefit from Workfare, SEPs have up to two years to make the required MediSave contributions to qualify. Less than 5% of appeals for Workfare were from SEPs requesting to waive their MediSave contribution requirements.

We recognise this is a difficult period for many people. The Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board has been helping SEPs who are facing difficulties in meeting their MediSave obligations find alternative arrangements, such as by extending their GIRO arrangements to reduce monthly instalments. The Board also considers appeals on a case-by-case basis and exercises flexibilities based on the appellants' needs.

Members who are facing significant income loss and require urgent financial assistance can also apply for support through schemes, such as the COVID-19 Recovery Grant by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). They can visit their nearest Social Service Office if they need further help.

9 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Government has any policy prohibiting ex-offenders from entering or being employed at key installations, such as Jurong Island and Changi Airport; (b) if so, what categories of offences are covered by this policy; (c) what conditions need to be met before the prohibition lapses; and (d) if not, how many ex-offenders have been employed at these key installations over the past five years.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Member for the question. There are several facilities in Singapore that require security protection. The security measures required at these different facilities are assessed by the relevant agencies.

Jurong Island and Changi Airport are among the facilities that are considered to be high risk. Anyone who wishes to have access to the restricted areas in these facilities will have to be screened by the Police. We have seen in Singapore and overseas, incidents where insiders used or attempted to use their access for wrong purposes, sometimes with serious consequences.

Past offences are a consideration when screening persons for such passes. However, the Police do not rule out ex-offenders on a blanket basis. The factors relating to the offence are assessed. A person with antecedents of concern may also be required to remain offence-free for some time, before he or she is allowed access into such sensitive facilities.

The Member may wish to clarify the specific categories of offences and the associated facilities that he thinks should be exempted from such screening, if that is the purport of his question. I say this because it is not clear what the real concern is. Is the concern that these people are not able to find decent jobs, or they are not able to find jobs in specific security-sensitive places?

Our approach is to help ex-offenders find decent jobs. Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) works closely with employers and industry partners, so that an ex-offender can find jobs across a wide range of sectors, and not just at key installations.

As at end of February 2022, about 5,800 employers are registered with YRSG to offer employment to ex-offenders, with over 2,700 job listings. There are many job vacancies. As any employer will tell Members here, the key issue in Singapore is, actually, a lack of manpower.

YRSG provides employment assistance in three ways: placement services, career retention support and engagements with industry stakeholders. On placement services, placement exercises are held in prison to match inmates with suitable employers. The inmate's interests, skill level and incarceration history are considered, to best match them to a job. In 2021, YRSG provided employment assistance to over 2,900 inmates. Of these, over 2,700, or 94% of them, secured jobs successfully.

But even after finding a job, some may face challenges transiting from prison to the work environment. YRSG assigns a Career Coach to each ex-offender at work for up to 12 months after their release. And that is Career Retention Support. The Career Coaches engage ex-offenders regularly to set behavioural goals and provide encouragement and work closely with their employers to resolve work-related issues.

So, I hope Members will appreciate that quite a lot is done to help them, because we want them to succeed. Of the ex-offenders released in 2020, Career Retention Support was provided for more than 1,700 persons. As at December 2021, 87% had stayed on the job for three months and 70% for six months. And I think, if you compare it across the world, our approach compares with the best around.

Third, YRSG actively engages industry and employers on good career opportunities available. Earlier this year, I mentioned the TAP and Grow initiative to this House. Under the TAP and Grow initiative, training academies in prison have been set up in partnership with the Media, Precision Engineering and Logistics sectors. Inmates will be offered jobs by partner employers upon release. About 650 inmates will benefit from the TAP and Grow initiative in these three sectors every year. This year, YRSG aims to expand the initiative into the Food Services sector.

So, both Mr Leon Perera and other Members can see, a lot of effort has been put into this, into helping ex-offenders find and keep decent jobs. It is not clear to me why the focus is on employment of ex-offenders at key security installations specifically, without considering the wider landscape and the efforts by YRSG, which I am sure all Members are aware of.

The Member's colleague, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, made a somewhat related set of points last year. And I told him, do you want convicted paedophiles working in childcare centres? Or those who have been convicted of serious offences, albeit non-violent – to use his language – to be security officers at condominiums? Or would it be better that we have a risk matrix and assess suitability for different jobs and yet help all of them find jobs? We take their livelihoods seriously and we want to help them.

I also suggested to Assoc Prof Jamus Lim that if he suggested some condominiums in suitable places, we can consider trying out his suggestions. Get the residents to agree. The proof of the suggestion and how serious it is, is in getting it done on the ground. Since then, I have not heard from Assoc Prof Jamus Lim. Likewise, if Mr Leon Perera thinks it is useful, he can suggest some condominiums to try out these ideas. Then maybe we can take these suggestions seriously and not dismiss them as political soundbites.

So, I will repeat my suggestion here: if Mr Leon Perera or Assoc Prof Jamus Lim believes that ex-offenders – be they child molesters or have convictions for housebreaking – should be allowed to be, say, security officers, without their conviction record being available to employers or that they should be allowed access to highly security-sensitive locations; first, maybe we can try out some private installations which they can suggest, and I am prepared to consider this favourably.

If they say, well, it depends on the offence, then, in principle, they agree with the approach taken by the Government and that is what we do now, because we adopt a risk matrix approach.

Mr Leon Perera.

I thank the Minister for his answer. Just to respond to the Minister's point, the intent of my question was to understand if there was a blanket prohibition for ex-offenders entering to these facilities as, say, delivery drivers or to be employed in these facilities. By looking at this question, my view would be that a nuanced approach and a calibrated approach should be taken whereby the gravity of the offence and the length of time that the ex-offender has been offence-free be taken into consideration, rather than a blanket prohibition be imposed. I think the Minister did confirm that that is the case – that a nuanced approach is taken. And I appreciate the other efforts across the whole landscape that YRSG has been undertaking to help ex-offenders to re-integrate and find alternative employment.

My particular question was just in relation to those two facilities that are, of course, high-risk, we do recognise that, and with a view to ascertain that there is no blanket prohibition. I think the Minister did confirm that is the case. So, that is my response.

Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.

Thank you, Speaker. I feel that it is useful for me to clarify that the specific Parliamentary Question that I had posed last year mentioned, specifically, that it was with regard to non-violent offenders, of which, in a number of categorisations, including the UN, exclude sexual crimes and misdemeanours. So, I think it is a bit of a mischaracterisation to argue that it is about allowing paedophiles back into the system.

Minister.

Fraud and cheating are also non-violent. So, would the Member consider those people to be suitable to be security officers? Looking at pornography, child pornography is also non-violent. Would the Member agree to such people acting as kindergarten teachers in registered kindergartens?

So, let us be clear about this. The Government is very focused in trying to assist, but we are also very clear-eyed about trying to make sure that the vulnerable are protected.

10 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Health in light of the move to living with COVID-19 as an endemic disease (a) what are the medium-term plans for the relaxation of vaccination-differentiated measures; and (b) whether COVID-19 positive status will be treated differently from other endemic diseases, such as influenza or pneumonia.

11 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Health (a) to what extent is TraceTogether data still utilised for contact tracing and COVID-19 management purposes for establishments with a high volume of irregular visitors, such as malls and public attractions; and (b) whether there is any update on the timeline and milestones for the abolition of establishment-entry TraceTogether protocols, given the commencement of streamlined COVID-19 measures.

12 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Health whether the Government intends to maintain Vaccination-differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS) even after the borders are opened further following the scrapping of the Vaccinated Travel Lanes.

Sir, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 10, 11 and 12 in today's Order Paper together, please?

Yes, please.

Sir, Minister Ong Ye Kung shared the comprehensive reply yesterday to address all of these matters and questions. I would refer the Members to the answers from the Sitting on 4 April 2022.

Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.

I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. I just wish to pose a quick supplementary question and that has to do with something that was not touched on by Minister Ong Ye Kung.

Given the much shorter incubation and infectious periods for the Omicron and sub-variants, my understanding is that, right now, the Health Risk Warnings tend to arrive a few days after exposure. I imagine that this would be even longer for high-volume locations. I wonder whether the Ministry has plans to move to a policy where TraceTogether may be used to automatically alert users to potential exposures and place the onus on individuals to exercise social responsibility for self-isolating, rather than relying on the Health Risk Warning that is proving to be a little bit behind the curve at the moment.

Sir, as we have explained several times in this House, indeed, we are moving towards a posture of social responsibility as the key intervention in the fight against COVID-19. The use of TraceTogether and Safe Entry as a platform is, currently, largely driven by the need for vaccine-differentiated measures.

Certainly, if we need to step up contact tracing again in the face of an increasing public health risk, the way in which we do that using TraceTogether, SafeEntry, automatic warnings, targeted warnings will be informed by the characteristics of the variant or the wave of the epidemic at that time.

13 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the minimum household income required to employ a migrant domestic worker (MDW); (b) what is the rationale for not disclosing such income criteria; and (c) what are the number and percentage of annual MDW applications over the last five years that are rejected based on the household income criterion.

14 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Manpower in respect of senior citizens seeking to employ a migrant domestic worker (MDW) but who do not have an earned income, whether the sponsorship scheme can be expanded to allow for potential employers to set aside the full costs of hiring a MDW over the contract period in an escrow account to demonstrate financial means.

Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will address Question Nos 13 and 14 by Mr Louis Chua together.

Yes, please.

MOM assesses an applicant's eligibility to employ a migrant domestic worker (MDW) based on various factors, such as the income of the prospective employer, the ability to provide proper and safe accommodation for the domestic worker and the caregiving needs of the household. Income is not the sole factor in determining whether the application can be approved.

In addition, MOM may consider other relevant information to determine an applicant's financial ability to hire a migrant domestic worker. These include caregiving needs and retired senior citizens without regular income but who have savings. In assessing renewal applications, we also consider the track records of the employers, such as whether they previously defaulted on salary or levy payment. Hence, we do not have a rigid income criterion and do not just reject applications solely on that alone. We do have many factors for consideration.

Over the past five years, an average of about 2,000 cases, or about 1% of all the applications each year, were rejected after taking the various factors into consideration.

Mr Louis Chua.

I thank the Minister of State for the response. Just a supplementary question in relation to my second Parliamentary Question.

I understand that MOM is rightly concerned about the financial ability of employers who hire and upkeep the MDW. And, especially, when it comes to retiree households, by definition, they would not already have an income. I do note that there is a sponsorship scheme which allows them to nominate their children or other family members to be their sponsors, but some of them may think that they do not want to unnecessarily impose on them when there is no logical need to do so, given that they do have the financial resources. I think the Minister of State has also mentioned that they consider other factors like the savings of these households, for example.

I wonder whether or not this could actually be one of the means other than income specifically that is put up as the eligibility criterion, rather than on a case-by-case basis. I have a resident who came to me last month, sharing this concern and we have also written to MOM on his behalf.

I thank Mr Louis Chua for that question. Indeed, we do consider various forms of financial ability for the applicant to be able to hire an MDW. We do look at savings. And in the case of the resident who was referred to MOM, we have actually been in discussion with the applicant. We are supportive, in principle.

15 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for National Development of the HDB blocks that have undergone the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) (a) how many blocks are fitted with machine room-less elevators and bubble lifts to provide direct lift access to such flats; and (b) what is the average cost for the adoption of such innovative technical solutions computed on the basis of per directly-benefiting unit.

16 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for National Development for units in the 150 HDB blocks that do not have direct lift access and are currently unable to benefit from the Lift Upgrading Programmme (LUP) due to technical or costs reasons, whether HDB will consider buying back such flats from eligible flat owners who face genuine difficulties in selling their flats due to the lack of direct lift access, similar to the buyback assistance scheme for flat owners constrained by the Ethnic Integration Policy.

Sir, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 15 and 16 together?

Yes, please.

Under the Lift Upgrading Programme, or LUP, about 270 HDB blocks were provided with bubble lifts or machine room-less lifts. For most of these blocks, the cost of providing the lifts was within the LUP cost cap. For some blocks, HDB exercised some flexibility and went beyond the LUP cost cap, so that all the residents in these blocks would be able to have direct lift access. This notwithstanding, providing lifts for some of the remaining 150 blocks without full direct lift access today will be very costly – in some cases, more than $200,000 per household, enough to buy another HDB flat.

For these blocks, HDB will continue to explore new methods to bring down LUP costs, as well as alternatives to improve accessibility for residents living in flats without direct lift access.

In the meantime, residents living in these blocks who are in urgent need of direct lift access due to medical conditions or mobility reasons, are eligible for the Lift access Housing Grant (LHG) of up to $30,000 when they buy another flat with direct lift access. As with all flat owners, when they take possession of another flat, they are given a grace period of six months to dispose of their existing flat. HDB’s data shows that, generally, those who have purchased another flat with the LHG have no issue selling their existing flat.

Should the flat owners need more time to dispose of their existing flat, HDB can grant an extension of time on a case-by-case basis. Flat owners who need further assistance can approach HDB and HDB will see how best to assist them.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.

Thank you, Speaker. Out of the 150 blocks in the whole of Singapore that are segmented, 20% of those, or 30 blocks, are within the Keat Hong ward of the Chua Chu Kang GRC in my constituency. The flats and blocks are more than 30 years old and some of the residents are elderly and I know of one resident of mine who has an adult child who is a stroke patient whom he carries up and down the stairs every time he needs to get to medical appointments. The real distress is there for residents having lived there for many years.

I have two questions for the Minister of State. First, whether HDB can consider a different way to assess what is and what is not a benefiting unit for the purposes of an LUP. Because, if you think about it, there are other units that may actually benefit from LUP in the event of a lift breakdown, for example.

The second question: I appreciate the answer just now by the Minister of State that HDB is still exploring further solutions, but can HDB determine whether there are any feasible technical solutions conclusively and quickly? And if none is forthcoming, can HDB consider other solutions like purchasing the flat and repurposing it for interim public rental housing, for instance, where the tenants are on a revolving basis and are younger? I ask this because the residents have waited 30 years for LUP and some of them may not survive to wait another 10 more.

Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question and also for his suggestion. If we look at how we have been doing LUP, we have always only considered the units that do not have direct lift access as the benefiting units of the LUP, since the cost of the LUP has always been shared amongst these units only.

LUP polls have also always been conducted only among these benefiting units.

The current method of counting only the units without direct lift access as benefiting units may thus be, in our view, a cleaner approach. Nevertheless, as I have shared earlier, we thank the Member for his suggestion. We will continue to look at ways to bring down LUP costs and alternatives to improve accessibility of residents living without direct lift access. If the Member has residents who are facing such an issue, I would like to urge the Member to raise it with HDB. He can approach the HDB branch office. We will do our best to explore ways to help the family and the household.

17 Mr Abdul Samad asked the Minister for Manpower whether he can provide an update on (i) the number of companies that successfully applied for the Capability Transfer Programme since it was first introduced and (ii) its assessment of the programme's effectiveness in terms of helping companies, associations and professional bodies to develop and acquire new capabilities for their Singaporean workforce.

18 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what studies have been done on the take-up rate of the Capability Transfer Programme (CTP) by the different sectors; (b) how does the Government measure the CTP's success in achieving foreign-to-local skills transfer; and (c) whether the Government has considered imposing conditions on the funding of CTP, such as requiring the applicant company to meet targets for the reduction of foreign labour after a specified period of time.

Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will respond to both Question Nos 17 and 18 on the Capability Transfer Programme (CTP) together, so that I can provide a more holistic reply.

Yes, please.

Thank you. Since the CTP was introduced in October 2017, more than 140 companies and over 990 locals across more than 20 sectors have benefited or are expected to benefit from the programme. The top three sectors in terms of the number of local trainees are Precision Engineering, Air Transport and Logistics.

Under the CTP, funding support is provided to companies to acquire global capabilities that are not available in Singapore. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as by: one, bringing foreign specialists into Singapore to train locals in new capabilities; two, sending locals for overseas training attachments; three, facilitating remote capability transfer from foreign specialists; and four, supporting follow-on training in Singapore by local specialists who were trained by foreign specialists or had trained overseas.

To qualify for funding, companies are required to submit a training plan on the new capabilities to be acquired and the number of local employees who will be trained. This way, we ensure that each CTP project leads to genuine upskilling. For example, the CTP project by SP Services Limited sent 12 local employees to the US to learn about advanced network design and optimisation. Upon their return to Singapore, these employees, in turn, trained 13 other local colleagues. As a result of this project, the local team is now able to take on an expanded job role, performing more advanced tasks, such as fault isolation and data analysis. These were previously jobs that could only be undertaken by contractors.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat also asked about conditions that are imposed on the CTP. CTP companies are required to commit to training a specific number of locals. As to the suggestion to require that the company reduces its foreign workforce after completing a CTP project, I think it is too blunt an approach. Such conditions would penalise companies that are transferring expertise to locals but, at the same time, still need to grow their overall workforce, both locals and foreigners, to meet growing demand.

Due to travel restrictions arising from COVID-19, take-up of the CTP has been minimal over the past two years. With the gradual resumption of international travel, we expect more enquiries and applications for the CTP, which has been extended to September 2024.

CTP is not the only way in which the Government supports firms in capability transfer. Enterprise Singapore’s Global Ready Talent Programme supports Singapore companies in building a young talent pipeline through internships and overseas work opportunities. MOM is also piloting the Global Rotation Scheme, which facilitates the entry of high-potential employees from abroad, on the condition that these same companies post Singaporeans abroad on the same leadership development programme.

Beyond Government schemes, skills transfer takes place through structured company training programmes, as well as learning from a variety of people, including peers, superiors, customers and suppliers. Workers may also acquire valuable skills through a range of assignments, including overseas postings and even job changes, to gain exposure to different industries or markets.

We can see that this is reflected in the macro employment data. Resident employment has grown strongly over the past 10 years, driven by PMET jobs which now make up 62.1% of resident workers, compared to 52.7% in 2011. Resident unemployment rates have remained low – they rose during the pandemic but have since recovered to 3.1% as at January 2022. Real median income of full-time resident workers grew an average of 2.6% per year from 2011 to 2021.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat.

I am glad to know from the Minister that there are more sectors now that are benefiting from the CTP – 20 sectors – and, hopefully, we will have more sectors, going forward.

My question is in regard to my Adjournment Motion which I raised in 2019 on this matter and I am raising it in the Parliamentary Question as well. With regard to the funding support for CTP, I had suggested before whether we can consider expanding CTP to support the transfer of capabilities from foreign employees currently already employed in Singapore to local employees, with the eventual aim of localising jobs, working in tandem with the localisation targets I mentioned back in the Adjournment Motion. This is because the current funding support of CTP only applies to incoming foreign specialists. So, I hope the Minister can answer my question here, whether we can consider expanding CTP to support transfer of capabilities from foreign employees currently already employed in Singapore to local workers.

I thank the Member for his suggestion. It is something that we, certainly, will look into closely. I think the appreciation of the fact that this has to be a very tightly-scoped funding support structure is important in making sure that capability transfers are effected and also effective, so that our local employees can gain the maximum amount of expertise and skillsets from this particular programme. I think this is of paramount importance to us.

So, perhaps, a broad summary of how we think in terms of the extension of funding support. Support levels will be determined by WSG in consultation with the relevant sector agencies. Today, CTP projects can receive up to 90% funding and the co-funding ratio will depend on the impact of the CTP project, and whether, of course, the entity that is applying is an SME or non-SME, or organising the programme on an industry-wide level.

Today, the funding rates, the different levels of support, serve and exist to differentiate the level of support based on the assessed impact of each project. We also have to ensure that there is some degree of co-funding from the participating company or the industry.

Mr Abdul Samad.

Thank you, Sir. I just have one supplementary question. Can MOM consider a higher funding for companies intending to embark on CTP and may also engage the unions through our Company Training Committee for a more balanced assessment, to ensure that there is a structured plan for a transfer of capabilities?

I thank the Member for his suggestion. We are not closed to anything. But I think let me set the perspective. Thus far, since the programme began till now, WSG has not received any feedback from interested companies that the existing support rates or the project funding cap of S$300,000 is restrictive. So, we will continue to monitor the take-up of the scheme.

It is something that we have started for quite a number of years. Certainly, companies have benefited and, like I said, 990 locals, close to about 1,000, have also benefited or will be benefiting from the programme. In the absence of additional feedback, unless Mr Abdul Samad is suggesting that there are instances where he finds that the funding cap of S$300,000 is restrictive, it is something that we can look to review.

Mr Pritam Singh.

Thank you, Speaker. I thank the Minister. I think this is a subject I spoke about in my Budget speech last year as well, seeking details on the number of individual Singaporeans who have benefited from CTP.

In view of the revision or the review of the ITMs towards ITM 2025, does CTP feature very prominently in the review? Because as I mentioned last year, my view is it can be an important conduit through which locals upskill effectively with new skills that have a direct knock-on effect on their companies and, of course, on enterprise, in general.

My second question is specifically on the 990 locals and the 140 companies that the Minister spoke of earlier. How many of them received the highest cap of funding at 90%?

The CTP is one of the multitude of programmes that we have available in ensuring that we are able to nuance the JTM to match what we have actually set out to achieve under our ITMs. I believe that the Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Gan Kim Yong, will provide an update in terms of the effectiveness of the programmes at a later stage.

Suffice to say, we have got a whole host of other programmes like the Company Training Committee (CTC) programme administered by NTUC. Then, WSG works on the Career Conversion Programme (CCP) in helping many of our mid-career job-seekers who want to switch careers. So, it is one of the many programmes that we have available.

As far as the numbers in terms of the 140 companies and the 990 locals are concerned, how much of the funding of up to 90% we have been able to accord, at this particular point in time, I do not have the numbers, but I am happy to provide the details subsequently.

One other point, and I hope that the Leader of the Opposition may want to take note, is that in the last two years during COVID-19, because of border restrictions, the number of companies applying for this particular programme to allow either their employees to go overseas for training or to bring foreign expertise here, has been significantly curtailed. Hence, that speaks for the very low take-up rate over the last two years.

But as border controls ease, as we start opening up, I would expect that the numbers would start to go up again, all the way until the end of the programme in 2024.

19 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Prime Minister as "Buy Now Pay Later" (BNPL) schemes have rapidly gained traction in the past year (a) what is the total value of BNPL transactions in Singapore in 2021; (b) whether there are plans for BNPL companies and schemes to be regulated; and (c) whether BNPL schemes have disproportionately affected younger consumers in being over-leveraged.

Mr Speaker, “Buy Now Pay Later”, or BNPL, transactions have constituted a very small fraction of total consumer payments to date. Last year, BNPL transactions amounted to around $440 million, which is less than 0.5% of the $103 billion in credit and debit card payments.

BNPL schemes offered in Singapore, currently, do not pose significant risks of consumer indebtedness. Some common features of BNPL schemes limit the extent of debt accumulation by consumers. For example, BNPL providers typically suspend users from making further BNPL purchases once a payment is overdue. BNPL schemes also do not charge compounding interest on the outstanding amount and cap the amount of late fees levied. The risk of rapid debt accumulation by consumers through BNPL schemes is, hence, not large.

All BNPL providers in Singapore have also set a minimum account opening age requirement of at least 18. In fact, those who are 25 years or older account for more than 85% of BNPL users here and more than 90% of total BNPL transaction values.

MAS is, nonetheless, closely monitoring the BNPL sector as such borrowings have the potential to grow rapidly. We are studying the experience of other countries where BNPL schemes have taken off more strongly.

For now, MAS has assessed that effective industry self-regulation, through an industry code, should adequately mitigate the risks in the BNPL sector. Under MAS’ guidance, the Singapore FinTech Association has launched a BNPL Working Group to develop a code of conduct for all BNPL providers.

This code, which we expect will be launched in the second half of this year, will seek to mitigate the risk of consumer over-indebtedness and establish minimum safeguards to ensure that consumer interests are well-protected while using BNPL schemes. MAS will continue to guide the progress of the BNPL Working Group and monitor developments in this space.

Mr Desmond Choo.

Mr Speaker, I have two supplementary questions for the Minister of State. BNPLs are, essentially, unsecured loans. The consumer can purchase across multiple shopping sites and use multiple BNPL facilities provided by different providers. Should there not be a limit to how much a person can utilise such facilities?

BNPL also has the propensity to encourage spending beyond one's means, especially because BNPL payments are charged to a buyer's credit card so there is double leverage. Can MAS consider making credit worthiness checks on BNPL, similar to what it has been doing for credit cards?

I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. MAS agrees with the risks highlighted by the Member. As I had mentioned earlier in my response, the BNPL's code of conduct will seek to enshrine unique features of BNPLs which exist today to limit the extent of debt accumulation by users.

In addition, we also expect the code of conduct to incorporate minimum safeguards for BNPL providers to limit financial imprudence amongst individuals and also to mitigate risks of consumer over-indebtedness.

MAS is monitoring the progress of the BNPL code and will continue to guide its development, especially in areas where MAS has baseline expectations that need to be met within the code.

At this point of time, I want to quickly just share on what consumers may do while we are still working with the SFA on this code.

As with undertaking any financing of any form, consumers should first consider and prioritise their needs over wants when deciding to make a purchase. BNPL schemes and instalment plans should not be used as a way to buy items that are more expensive than what consumers can afford and do not need. By over-stretching finances this way, consumers compromise on their financial goals.

Consumers should read and understand the terms of any financing schemes, including BNPL schemes, which are fast gaining popularity, before signing up for any of these schemes. In particular, they should be aware of any fees and charges, such as late fees, which are imposed on missed or partial payments. Consumers need to be sure they are able to make payments fully and promptly and factor in whether they can bear the consequences of failing to do so.

Mr Melvin Yong.

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I have one supplementary question. The Consumers Association of Singapore is concerned with the risk posed by the BNPL scheme, especially when the consumer is unable to service the payment instalments.

So, while I can understand that the Government needs time to study the evolving BNPL landscape and consider its regulatory approach, I would like to ask will MAS consider including advertising curbs in the proposed code that it is studying right now, similar to that which is imposed on cryptocurrency. This is so as to prevent BNPL schemes from preying on impressionable youths.

I thank the Member for his question. I think it is a very important point. And I also encourage the Member and CASE also to work together with the Singapore FinTech Association and the Working Group to explore some of the suggestions that he has made.

20 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether there has been an uptick of unlicensed moneylending cases being reported since October 2021 when Singapore's inflation rate started increasing; and (b) what proactive steps have been identified to ensure that unlicensed moneylenders do not take advantage of the inflationary pressures to exploit vulnerable people.

Mr Speaker, we have not detected an uptick in unlicensed moneylending, or UML, cases since October 2021. Between October and December 2021, there were 917 cases of UML and UML-related harassment cases reported. This was an 8% decrease, compared to the same period in 2020.

The Police take a tough stance against UML activities. In 2021, the Police conducted 11 major enforcement operations and investigated a total of 1,682 subjects. The Police also actively work and share information with foreign enforcement agencies to dismantle UML syndicates that are operating from outside of Singapore. In addition, the Police work closely with the banks to disrupt the operations of UML syndicates.

Police have also been enhancing outreach efforts to educate the public against borrowing from or working for unlicensed moneylenders. The Police are planning a new run of the anti-UML campaign to educate and remind the members of public on the perils of borrowing from unlicensed moneylenders.

Mr Murali Pillai.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the hon Minister of State for his reply. I am glad to note that the Police are starting the anti-UML campaign now.

Given the higher inflationary pressures that we now face, I wonder if the Police would proactively monitor ads through SMS text messages, WhatsApp messages and Telegram and other similar platforms to see whether these ads are from unlicensed moneylenders and, if so, proactively stop the circulation of these ads.

I thank the Member for the suggestion. Indeed, the Police do monitor the current trends, but I would like to, first of all, say that we think the current situation of unlicensed moneylenders is under control.

We will continue to look at how we can strengthen our levers and also on measures to educate the members of public on the perils of unlicensed moneylender borrowing and also monitor the modes in which unlicensed moneylenders are using to transmit the advertisements and promotion through different means.

Minister Shanmugam.

Sir, thank you for allowing me to clarify in the interest of accuracy. I think it is important that we are accurate to this House.

Going back to Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, he said today, "It is useful for me to clarify that the specific Parliamentary Question that I had posed last year mentioned specifically non-violent offenders, of which are in a number of categorisations, including sexual crimes and misdemeanours. It is a bit of a mischaracterisation to argue to let paedophiles back into the system."

So, he is suggesting that, last year, his Parliamentary Question (PQ) excluded sexual crimes and misdemeanours. That is not true. The PQ specifically last year said: to ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Government will consider expanding the coverage of the Yellow Ribbon project such that ex-offenders of non-violent crimes will, contingent on an extended period of good behaviour following successful re-integration in society, be eligible for the elimination of their criminal history from public records and hence not report this record for employment purposes. [Please refer to "Expanding Coverage of Yellow Ribbon Project to Include Ex-offenders of Non-violent Crimes", Official Report, 2 February 2021, Vol 95, Issue 17, Written Answers to Questions section.]

Sexual crimes were not excluded if they were non-violent, nor were misdemeanours excluded if they were non-violent. My comments, both last year and this year, were based on what Assoc Prof Jamus Lim then asked and suggested, rather than what he thinks he now has asked. That is the first point.

The second point: Members will remember the case of Mr Robinson who sent across sexually explicit images to try and groom a child; it is non-violent. You want him to be in a childcare centre or serve as a security officer?

So, let us be careful and let us also be clear what we said and what we did not say in Parliament.

21 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how many Singaporean and Permanent Resident (PR) households currently have electricity and water bills in arrears respectively; (b) how many of these cases have measures taken to regulate their use of water; and (c) whether the existing practice to offer Pay-as-You-Use (PAYU) scheme can be expanded to cover the use of both electricity and water.

Mr Speaker, there are approximately 13,000 households which have electricity accounts in arrears and 150,000 households which have water bills in arrears. Of these 150,000 households, about 1,200 have arrears of at least $250. [Please refer to "Clarification by Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment", Official Report, 5 April 2022, Vol 95, Issue No 61, Correction by Written Statement section.] For these households, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) has installed flow restrictors to reduce the flow rate of water to their premises. This measure does not completely shut off water supply to these households, as access to water is a necessity for drinking and basic hygiene. Normal flow of water will be restored once the arrears are paid off.

The Pay-as-You-Use (PAYU) scheme is currently offered to electricity customers who have accumulated at least $400 of overdue payment. Under the PAYU scheme, households would have to pre-pay for credits to use electricity and 20% of the credit payment would go towards settling outstanding arrears.

Since August 2021, PUB has commenced a trial to implement the PAYU scheme for water, and 50 households are currently participating in this trial. Similar to the electricity PAYU scheme, households under the water PAYU scheme will be able to access water at the normal flow rate through pre-paying for credits, 20% of which goes towards settling their arrears. PUB will continue to gather data from the trial, before making a decision on whether to extend the scheme to more households.

Order. End of Question Time. The Clerk will proceed to read the Order of the Day and Notice of Motion.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix, unless Members had asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn.]

[(proc text) Resumption of Debate on Question [4 April 2022], "That the Bill be now read a Second time." – [Prime Minister]. (proc text)]

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

Mr Yip Hong Weng.

Mr Speaker, Sir, as a global financial hub, Singapore must stay abreast of the rapidly evolving financial landscape. Today, technology has led to a rapid increase and innovation in new financial products and assets. Conversely, the risks and challenges of managing these products and assets as well as the financial institutions and persons involved have also heightened.

I support the consolidation and enhancement of the regulatory powers under this Bill to address the challenges. I believe that this will lead to a more holistic and comprehensive management of the financial services sector. I have several queries on the Bill.

First, Mr Speaker, Sir, can the Minister provide further clarification on the Harmonised and Expanded Powers to Issue Prohibition Orders (PO)?

If a person has been placed on a watchlist or issued something of equivalence to our PO by an overseas jurisdiction, would they be issued a PO here by default? This will facilitate various national regulators to better work together to maintain the integrity of global markets.

The Bill also states that persons who have been issued a PO may be, amongst other things, prohibited from becoming a substantial shareholder of a financial institution. Will it be an offence to wilfully assist the PO individual to evade the PO?

Even with the PO, it is not difficult for seasoned fraudsters to set up their theatre here, with actors and props in tow. Take, for example, the recent case of a blockchain company that is being investigated for cheating offences. One of the key personnel was previously convicted for commercial crimes.

Usually, these cases only come to light after some of our citizens are cheated by these individuals. Such incidents would make a mockery of our regulators in the way we oversee such theatrics.

More than just putting up regulations and by-laws, we should look at the gaps in how we allow businesses to get registered. Ever so often, we hear of bank account holders being flagged up and put through a lot of queries over the sources of funds in their own bank accounts while the real sharks swim away after gnawing an arm or a leg.

In sum, we need a more proactive enforcement of our laws and licensing conditions. This has to be in addition to more effective oversight and not just closer monitoring of our financial institutions.

Notwithstanding the above, I am pleased that the Bill, in its provisions, for example, clause 174, expressly allows for the prosecution of directors and individuals involved in the management of the corporation for offences committed by corporations. This is a clear signal to fraudsters that there is no hiding behind the corporate veil. It is also broad enough to prosecute fraudsters who often avoid registering themselves as officers of corporations.

Second, Mr Speaker, Sir, can we further enhance and streamline the regulation of virtual asset service providers (VASPs) to better manage money laundering and terrorists financing risks, or AML/CFT?

I note that MAS does not intend to regulate non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for now. However, the NFT market is vulnerable to money laundering activities.

In a recent study, the US Treasury Department revealed that NFTs may become a tool for money laundering in the high-value art market. Recent sales of high-profile art pieces involving NFTs have sold for millions, indicating that this art sector has reached similar valuations as traditional art mediums.

These art sectors using NFTs are popular vehicles for illicit financial flows. NFTs can even be used to conduct self-laundering. In this scenario, criminals may purchase a NFT with illicit funds and proceed to transact with themselves to create records of sales on the blockchain and wash the cash clean.

I have asked several NFT-related Parliamentary Questions previously, given these concerns. Member Derrick Goh had also spoken about this yesterday.

Can the Ministry clarify how the possible risks of AML/CFT through NFTs are addressed under this Bill? Can NFTs be brought into the definition of virtual assets so that the new rules will be applied equally to NFTs?

I note the specification that the Bill covers VASPs created in Singapore or carrying on business of providing digital token services from a place of business in Singapore. What about foreign digital token services which provide virtual assets activities within Singapore?

I would also propose that we further streamline the capture of licensees under this Bill. MAS has explained that if a VASP is already licensed, exempted from licensing or required to be licensed under the relevant provisions in the Securities and Futures Act, Financial Advisers Act or Payment Services Acts, then it need not be licensed under the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA). Is it not possible to consolidate all of these licences under one omnibus Act?

Third, Mr Speaker, Sir, how often will the maximum penalty of $1 million be meted out for technology risk management lapses?

The technology sector progresses rapidly and funds flow in copious amounts daily. A 2018 International Monetary Fund (IMF) report stated that projected cyber attacks were costing financial institutions at least $100 billion globally on an annual basis. This figure would likely have risen with the sharp rise in technology progression and cybersecurity breaches in recent years.

In this connection, financial institutions often have significant funds. Also, inflation would degrade the deterrent effect of a fixed financial penalty. As such, how often will the range of financial penalties set out in the Bill be amended?

Lastly, Mr Speaker, Sir, will there be exceptions where the statutory protection will not be in effect, even with the absence of wilful misconduct, negligence, fraud or corruption?

I support the provision of Statutory Protection from Liability clauses in the Bill. This will encourage mediators, adjudicators and dispute resolution employees to conduct their duties with greater confidence and autonomy, which are important for successful mediation.

In conclusion, Mr Speaker, Sir, as a top financial services centre and fintech innovation hub, we must stay ahead of the various challenges and developments in the industry. Singapore has built up a strong global reputation for reliability and resilience. This remains unwavering even in the face of recent global crises.

Swarths of capital and data from all over the world flow through our nation every day. We must continue to review our legislation on a regular basis to ensure that they remain robust and adequately comprehensive to support developments in our finance sector. I support the Bill.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang.

Sir, this Bill consolidates and increases MAS' powers. In doing so, it empowers MAS to take a comprehensive sector-wide approach to risk management and enforcement action.

I thank MAS for holding a public consultation in preparation for this Bill in January 2020 and for incorporating some of the feedback into the Bill. I have three points of clarification to raise.

My first point is on the checks and balances against MAS' issuance of prohibition orders (POs). The Bill allows MAS to issue POs to persons based on MAS' fit and proper criteria. POs are extremely powerful. They restrict things as significant as shareholdings and as granular as business activity. They can end livelihoods and shut down companies. Given the drastic nature of this enforcement action, it seems fair that MAS should, at least, explain the basis of such actions.

My question is this: why does the Bill not require MAS to publish an explanation for its imposition of POs? Clause 11 requires MAS to only give notice for and publish the PO. But it is entirely optional for MAS to explain its decision. In my view, MAS should be required to explain the rationale of its decision. It should, at least, state the category of fit and proper test criteria that the person has failed. To begin with, it seems only fair that we tell people why they are being punished. In addition, it would strengthen the mechanisms of accountability.

The Bill imposes two checks on MAS' issuance of POs. First, MAS is obligated to hear out the subject of the PO. Second, the person can write an appeal to the Minister for Finance. In both cases, the process of justice would be strengthened if the person knows what he is being punished for. For example, if MAS explains that its PO is being issued due to a person's lack of financial soundness rather than due to dishonesty, that person could then present relevant evidence to the contrary.

My second point is also about accountability in the issuance of POs. Appeals are one key accountability mechanism for POs. The Bill requires that the Minister considers the written report of the appeal advisory committee when deciding on these appeals. Can the Minister share why the committee's written report is not required to be published for the public?

The committee has broad disruptive powers. They can summon anyone to give evidence on oath and to produce any documents deemed necessary. The committee's work thus affects not only the person issued the PO but also, potentially, a whole array of other people. Given the extensive impact of the committee's work, it is not clear why their report should be shrouded in secrecy. Publication of their written report would provide important context on the Minister's decision and ensure that these inquiries are held in a professional and appropriate way.

My final point is on notices provided to financial institutions for POs issued and varied. MAS has stated that it will directly notify a person who is subject to the PO as well as the person's employer of the PO issued. Can the Minister clarify whether MAS will also notify the individual's employer if the individual's PO is later varied?

In addition, how will MAS help ensure that financial institutions are notified in a timely manner when their service providers are issued a PO or have their PO varied? After all, financial institutions, typically, conduct due diligence checks on their service providers only at specific junctures. Until they conduct such checks, they may not know that their service providers have been issued POs or have had their POs varied. It will be helpful to financial institutions if MAS can ensure PO issuances and variations are promptly communicated to financial institutions.

Sir, notwithstanding these clarifications, I stand in support of the Bill.

Minister of State Alvin Tan.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Members who have shared their views on the Bill and for their support for it. Members' comments and queries can be categorised into a few buckets and I will address them in turn.

Mr Don Wee, Mr Saktiandi Supaat, Mr Yip Hon Weng and Ms Janet Ang have raised questions on the scope of regulation of digital assets. Let me deal with these collectively.

MAS adopts a technology-neutral regulatory approach that focuses on the nature of the activity and the risks involved. VASPs, or what we term as digital token service providers in Singapore, DT service providers, are, therefore, regulated, based on the type of activity they conduct.

Correspondingly, where DT service providers deal in digital payment tokens, this could be a payment activity under the Payment Services Act. Where they deal in or provide financial advice on capital market products, their activity would fall under the Securities and Futures Act (SFA) or the Financial Advisers Act (FAA).

These Acts are periodically reviewed to ensure that they remain fit-for-purpose and are in line with international norms.

In most cases, DT service providers that incorporate or establish a place of business in Singapore do so to provide DT services in Singapore. They will be subject to the laws in Singapore. Similarly, foreign DT service providers that provide DT services in Singapore will also be subject to the laws in Singapore.

Some of these businesses may also provide services in foreign markets and they would be expected to adhere to the rules that apply in the foreign markets where they operate. For instance, DT service providers that provide services in relation to capital market products in foreign countries would be subject to the rules imposed by the capital market regulators in the foreign countries concerned.

MAS has cooperation arrangements with foreign regulators to ensure effective cross-border regulation. This approach is similar to the regulation of traditional capital market products that are not tokenised. It is, generally, not necessary to impose additional requirements on a business that is created and operating in Singapore if it does not provide services in Singapore.

Nonetheless, we recognise that there may be reputational risks to Singapore in respect of DT service providers created in Singapore but that provide DT services overseas – for instance, those involved in digital payment token or cryptocurrency activities, if they are found to facilitate money laundering activities.

It is for this reason that the new rules, which primarily relate to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing requirements, are proposed in the FSM Bill. I would highlight that the FSM Bill also contains provisions that enable MAS to impose requirements across the financial sector to address money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF) risks.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked whether MAS has considered carving out DT service providers from licensing and regulation under the FSM Bill if they are already regulated in another jurisdiction which enforces the FATF standards. Ms Janet Ang raised a similar question as well. There may be differences in the implementation and enforcement of these standards even as countries accept and adopt the enhanced FATF standards. DT service providers created in Singapore but providing their services outside of Singapore still pose reputational risks to Singapore. Hence, regulating this group of DT service providers under the FSM Bill for ML/TF risks will mitigate these reputational risks.

Nonetheless, in response to comments made by Mr Saktiandi Supaat, Ms Janet Ang as well as Mr Louis Chua who had also asked about the scope of regulation, it is not the intention of MAS to subject a DT service provider who is regulated under another Act administered by MAS, to regulation under the FSM Bill, in respect of the same DT services. Where the DT service provider is already regulated by MAS under the Payments Services (PS) Act, the SFA or the FAA, for provision of DT services, such an entity does not need to be additionally licensed under the FSM Bill.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat spoke also on the need to protect local consumers and markets from risks stemming from digital tokens, including those provided abroad, other than ML/TF risks. Ms Janet Ang also raised concerns over the speculative nature of digital tokens and the need to educate the public. These are all valid concerns.

MAS has repeatedly warned the public on the risks of investing in digital tokens, such as digital payment tokens or cryptocurrencies, which would include the commonly known Bitcoin, for example. The prices of such digital payment tokens are not anchored on any economic fundamentals and are subject to sharp speculative swings.

Nonetheless, MAS is aware that there will continue to be people who choose to take these risks. MAS is monitoring the adoption of digital payment tokens in Singapore and will consider if user protection measures are needed. However, even with user protection measures, it is just not possible for laws to protect against investment losses, especially for consumers who choose to seek investment opportunities overseas or online.

Thus, consumer education and awareness remain key, as the best defence is a discerning public. MAS and relevant Government agencies have been and will continue to raise public awareness, including advising the public to not deal or invest with unregulated entities or investment products.

On Mr Louis Chua's suggestions relating to marketing activities of digital payment token service providers, MAS has issued guidelines in January this year outlining that digital payment token service providers should not market their services in public areas in Singapore, or engage third parties, such as social media influencers, to do so. They can continue, however, to promote their services on their own corporate website, mobile applications, or official social media accounts. However, they must not portray the trading in digital payment tokens in a manner that trivialises the associated risks. And this complements our continued consumer education efforts I mentioned earlier.

Mr Derrick Goh and Mr Yip Hon Weng asked if MAS will consider regulating non-fungible tokens (NFTs) given its rising popularity and its susceptibility as a vehicle for money laundering. NFTs, in its current form, are often digital representations of arts and other collectibles, which are not financial products subject to MAS regulation. As I have earlier mentioned, the FSM Bill will cover digital tokens that are either: one, a digital payment token; or two, a digital representation of a capital markets product. So, any digital token that meets the characteristics of a digital payment token or a capital market product could be subjected to regulation by MAS.

In response to Mr Don Wee's point on the need for agencies to better identify criminal activity in this space, MAS has increased surveillance of the digital tokens sector, to identify suspicious networks and higher-risk activities for further supervision, and they have established clear procedures with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) for collaborative enforcement action. All DT service providers must monitor transactions and file suspicious transaction reports with the Suspicious Transaction Reporting Office.

To more effectively combat cryptocurrency scams and crimes, the SPF established the Cryptocurrency Task Force in 2018 to monitor the cryptocurrency landscape and also to develop and improve operational procedures in the investigation and seizing of cryptocurrencies and establish working relationships with overseas law enforcement agencies, industry professionals and academic experts in cryptocurrencies. The Cryptocurrency Task Force works closely with MAS and has links with the Association of Crypto Currency Enterprises and Start-ups Singapore (ACCESS), which is a Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Industry Association.

SPF also works with the various cryptocurrency exchanges based locally and abroad to investigate cryptocurrency crimes. SPF takes a serious stance against any person who may be involved in cryptocurrency scams and crimes and perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Mr Louis Chua then also asked about the progress of licence applications for digital payment token (DPT) service providers under the PS Act. MAS has received over 580 licence applications to date and has completed the review of close to half of these applications thus far.

All applications go through a rigorous application process. Applicants will know that MAS sets a high entry bar and commits time and resources to engage the applicants and scrutinise the applications, making sure that they are able to meet the required standards for managing ML/TF and technology risks before we approve their applications. Applications that do not meet the standards or are incomplete will, naturally, need more time to review.

Mr Louis Chua also asked about the travel rule or the value transfer requirements in MAS' Notice PSN02 applicable to DPT service providers. MAS will impose similar AML/CFT requirements to a DT service provider licensed under the FSM Bill.

Mr Louis Chua asked whether MAS would be inundated with transaction data, given the threshold of $1,500 to obtain certain information of the originator and beneficiary in a value transfer. Contrary to Mr Louis Chua's understanding of the travel rule, there is actually no requirement for the originating DPT service providers to report this information to MAS. Rather, they are required to relay the information to the beneficiary DPT service providers, for them to also conduct necessary screening for nefarious actors. The threshold of $1,500 is also aligned to the international standards for such cross-border transfers.

Ms Janet Ang also asked if there is a regulatory gap, as financial advisory services related to digital payment tokens offered outside of Singapore will be regulated under the FSM Bill, but the same service offered in Singapore is not regulated under the PS Act. These financial advisory services are provided more often for capital market products and, in this respect, the FSM Bill places the same AML/CFT requirements on them as if they had been offered in Singapore. As for digital payment tokens, we will continue to study whether there is a meaningful presence of service providers that solely provide these advisory services. Where entities provide these services along with other regulated services, such as dealing in, or facilitating the exchange of DPTs, they are already scoped into the PS Act.

I will next move on to the second bucket which is questions that Members raised related to technology risk management (TRM).

Mr Derrick Goh asked how MAS will weigh the accountability on FIs should negligence fall on the part of their cloud service providers, considering that many FIs have no ability to audit such providers. MAS expects FIs to perform adequate due diligence on all third parties they engage. FIs remain responsible for any disruption that results from their service providers' negligence. And in determining the action to take against an FI, MAS will assess the impact of the breach, the extent to which necessary controls had been implemented to manage the outsourcing risk as well as to comply with MAS' requirements and remediation efforts.

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked how often the maximum penalty of $1 million per breach of a TRM requirement will be meted out for TRM lapses. He mentioned that, with inflation, a fixed financial penalty might not be a good deterrent. He also asked how often the financial penalties would be amended.

In the event of a breach of TRM requirements, MAS will assess the breach to determine the appropriate course of action. A maximum of $1 million could be imposed by the Courts for each breach of MAS' TRM requirements. This means that where there are multiple breaches, the penalty that could be imposed by the Courts on the FI could be higher. This new maximum penalty is a significant increase from the current penalties under the various Acts administered by MAS.

In addition, MAS has the powers to take other supervisory actions, including requiring FIs to set aside additional regulatory capital until adequate measures have been put in place to address the control lapses or deficiencies. The financial penalty, coupled with the flexibility to impose additional supervisory actions, strikes a balanced approach which signals the importance of having robust TRM without being overly excessive for smaller FIs which Members have also asked about. As with other Acts which MAS administers, MAS will review and adjust the penalty framework under the FSM Bill, as necessary.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat suggested that MAS consider requiring prospective licensees to present adequate cybersecurity plans as a condition for granting licences.

Currently, when MAS assesses an application for a licence, MAS already considers factors, such as the adequacy of the applicant's cyber hygiene measures, data protection controls and the level of compliance with MAS' TRM guidelines. Applicants that do not meet the requisite requirements will be rejected or given a conditional approval and such applicants will, eventually, still need to meet the requirements before they are allowed to offer their services.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat also referred to the PDPC's regulatory approach which considers the culpability of the offender when determining the appropriate enforcement actions. In accordance with MAS' current practice, MAS will take into account the nature of the breach of the TRM requirement, the specific circumstance of each case, the culpability of the offender and then calibrate supervisory action to ensure that they are appropriate and fair.

Assoc Prof Jamus Lim cited the rising trend of scams and the need for a consumer protection law to ensure that FIs do more to protect consumers. The points he raised are not directly related to the Bill but I will briefly address them here.

On the issue of combating scams, MAS, MCI and MHA have made three Ministerial Statements on 15 February this year to explain how the Government is undertaking a comprehensive approach to counter the threat of phishing scams.

For the financial sector, Minister Lawrence Wong had elaborated at length on the measures by MAS and the banking industry, including measures that retail banks had implemented immediately and further measures which would be implemented to strengthen banks' ability to deter, detect and combat phishing scams. Minister Lawrence Wong also highlighted that MAS was working with the industry to review the use of SMS to deliver one-time-passwords (OTPs) and also develop a loss-sharing framework to ensure an equitable sharing of losses for scams, based on the extent to which parties have fulfilled their responsibilities. For the sake of time, I will not repeat the points here.

On the experiment relating to PayNow, it is stated in the PayNow scheme rules that transaction signing, through the use of OTPs or other two-factor authentication methods, is required for transactions above $1,000. All banks offering PayNow are required to adhere to this. Where a customer has installed and then activated a digital token in his or her mobile banking application, the digital token performs transaction signing in the background of the application, a process that is not obvious to the customer. MAS will reach out to Assoc Prof Jamus Lim to seek clarity on the facts relating to the PayNow experiment and the instance of the credit card limit being exceeded.

On Assoc Prof Jamus Lim's points in support of a consolidated legislation to address consumer protection, let me clarify that there is no conflict between MAS' supervisory mandate and its role in consumer education and protection. MAS recognises that the core role of the financial sector is to serve the economy, businesses and consumers. To do so, public confidence in financial services and FIs must be safeguarded. MAS sets out both prudential and business conduct standards for FIs, and expect them to operate safely and deal fairly with their customers. Both reinforce public confidence in FIs and the services that they provide.

MAS has been able to effectively implement these standards and expectations through a mix of legislation, legally binding regulations and notices, as well as guidelines that are specific to the activities and risks in the different segments of the financial sector. This approach ensures that the requirements are relevant for the said regulated activities. For instance, banks are required to implement IT controls to protect customer information from unauthorised access and also the contravention of which can attract penalties.

Where consumers find themselves in a dispute with an FI that cannot be settled, MAS has provided consumers an avenue to seek recourse at a low-cost independent dispute resolution body – I mentioned yesterday in the FSM Bill – the Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre Ltd (FiDReC). Given these, there is no need to have a single consumer protection law for financial services.

But I want to assure the Member that MAS continues to place a high priority on consumer education and protection. The functions that Assoc Prof Jamus Lim spoke of under the Market and Business Conduct Department continue to be taken up by the Market Conduct Policy and Consumer Issues Divisions.

I will next move on to the prohibition order (PO) framework, of which we received many questions from Members.

Mr Derrick Goh asked how proximity will be assessed in determining whether a person has a nexus to the financial industry and whether staff from an FI’s service provider will be subject to a PO. Proximity will be assessed in light of the policy objectives of this new PO powers, namely, to protect the financial industry, customers and investors against persons who have demonstrated, by their misconduct, that they have the potential to cause harm to, or are unsuitable to take up certain roles, activities and functions in the financial industry for which they are prohibited. In response to the example raised by Mr Derrick Goh, outsourced service providers who are individuals, such as those who work for IT vendors and ecosystem partners such as e-commerce platforms, may be subject to a PO.

MAS recognises that outsourcing arrangements are becoming increasingly prevalent, but also complex, and MAS must be able to issue POs to service providers who have demonstrated by their misconduct that they have the potential to cause harm to the financial industry. Whether a PO will be issued or not always depends on the specific circumstances of a case.

Mr Derrick Goh acknowledged that the basis for streamlining the disparate grounds for issuing POs under the SFA, FAA and Insurance Act into a single fit and proper test is sound – so, thank you for that. But he also sought clarification on whether there will be retrospective application of the single fit and proper test for persons with past misconduct that might not have been caught under the three Acts. If so, Mr Derrick Goh also asked whether the PO would commence from the point of misconduct.

Under this Bill, the new PO powers can be applied to misconduct that took place before the Bill comes into effect. However, the single fit and proper test is not, in substance, a new test but rather, as Mr Derrick Goh acknowledges, streamlines the existing disparate grounds under the three Acts into one single test, based on MAS' guidelines on fit and proper criteria. Thus, if a person's past misconduct would not have been caught under any of the three Acts, it is unlikely that MAS would assess that that person is not fit and proper under the new powers.

MAS will also continue to apply the old PO powers to cases where Notices of Intent to issue the prohibition order have already been given to the individual. In response to the second question, the present position and the position under the Bill is that a PO will take effect on the date the PO is issued by MAS. A PO will not commence from the point of misconduct.

Mr Louis Ng asked why the Bill does not require MAS to publish an explanation for the imposition of POs, as it is only fair that people are being told why they are being punished. To clarify, before issuing any PO, MAS will always issue a Notice of Intention to a person informing them that MAS intends to issue a PO against him or her. This Notice of Intention will set out all the material facts and grounds on which MAS has determined that a person is not fit and proper. There is, hence, no unfairness as the person will be fully aware of the basis for which MAS intends to issue a PO against him or her. In any case, the person is given the opportunity to respond by sending representations to MAS. MAS will carefully consider such representations before making its decision whether to issue a PO against the person.

Mr Saktiandi Suppat asked if an individual's previous PO can be purged from the records after a specific period of time. Currently, the only public "record" of POs issued may be found on MAS' "Enforcement Actions" webpage, where all enforcement actions are published for a period of five years, except POs that are of a longer duration than five years. Therefore, where POs are of a shorter duration, the information on the PO will remain on the webpage for a period of five years from the date of publication. Where the PO is longer than five years, the information on the PO will be removed when the PO expires. Effectively, this means that information on POs will not remain on MAS' "Enforcement Actions" webpage forever and will be removed from the webpage after five years for POs with a duration shorter than five years, or after the PO expires, where the PO is longer than five years.

The minimum duration for enforcement actions to remain on the "Enforcement Actions" webpage is, therefore, five years. And the duration is fair, because it takes into account: one, the need to send a deterrent message to others that the misconduct justifying the enforcement action – for example, for breaching MAS-administered laws – is a grave matter; and two, the period of five years is also broadly consistent with the period after which a conviction for an eligible crime could also be spent under the Registration of Criminals Act.

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked if a person has been placed on a watchlist or issued something of equivalence to our PO by an overseas jurisdiction, would they be issued a PO here by default. A PO will not be issued by default. While this is a factor that MAS will consider in applying the fit and proper test, MAS will consider all the circumstances of the case, including the facts surrounding why such a person has been placed on a watchlist or the equivalent of a PO, before deciding whether to issue a PO.

Mr Yip Hon Weng also mentioned that a person issued with a PO may be prohibited from becoming a substantial shareholder of an FI. In this context, he also asked whether it will be an offence to wilfully assist the PO individual to evade the PO. The answer is: this could amount to an offence. And to be clear, it is an offence for a person who has been issued a PO to contravene the PO. If a third party assists this person to contravene the PO, then the third party could also be liable for abetting the commission of the offence.

Mr Louis Ng has sought clarification on whether MAS will notify the individual's employer if his PO is varied and how MAS will help to ensure that FIs are notified in a timely manner if their service providers are issued a PO, or have their PO varied. MAS will notify the individual's employer if a PO is issued, and then, correspondingly, also notify an individual's employer if their PO has been varied. MAS will send out these notifications concurrently with the issuance of a PO or a varied PO. This is to ensure that the individual's employer is informed in a timely manner. MAS will consider whether and how to notify FIs if their service providers have been issued a PO or have their POs varied.

Mr Derrick Goh asked if existing and incoming foreign talent will be subject to the same due diligence as that of local staff and, if so, whether clearer guidelines on the background checks for foreign talent would be issued. This is because misconduct in non-regulated but critical functions may not be captured in overseas registries.

Insofar as POs are concerned, the "due diligence" and "background checks" that would have to be conducted by an FI, whether under the current framework or the new framework, is to ensure that they do not hire individuals who have been issued a PO by MAS to perform the roles or activities that have been prohibited. This applies to both foreign and local employees. FIs can check the MAS' "Enforcement Actions" webpage or write to MAS to enquire whether a particular individual has been issued a PO by MAS.

Mr Derrick Goh also mentioned that the Bill has broadened the scope for MAS to issue POs covering activities beyond MAS-administered Acts, including serious misconduct in activities, such as fund management, risk and technology management, which were previously not covered.

To this end, Mr Derrick Goh has also asked what the severity thresholds for misconduct are, how proportionality of prohibitions is assessed and how culpability for misconduct would be assessed across the ranks, from junior staff to senior management. To clarify, while the Bill does broaden the scope for MAS to issue POs, handling of funds, risk management and administration of critical systems are areas that have an important impact on the soundness and integrity of our financial sector and MAS does exercise regulatory oversight over such areas. MAS has set standards of practice for these functions through the issuance of regulations, notices and guidelines.

On the question of what the threshold of severity is, or how serious the misconduct must be before a PO is issued, MAS will, generally, take into account factors, such as: one, the harm caused or risks posed by the misconduct; two, whether the misconduct was one-off or continued over a period; three, the reasons why the person carried out the misconduct; and four, public interest and policy considerations.

On how proportionality of the prohibition is assessed, if Mr Derrick Goh is asking how the duration and scope of a PO is determined, one can expect that the more serious the misconduct is, the longer the duration and wider the scope of the PO are likely to be. Ultimately, each case will be assessed on its own merits, its own facts, taking into account factors that I mentioned previously.

Finally, being in senior management would not automatically mean a longer or shorter PO period, though, in some cases, the fact that a person was in a senior position and, therefore, a position of higher authority and greater responsibility, may increase his culpability and, therefore, the duration of a PO.

To respond to Mr Saktiandi Supaat's question on whether an FI would be able to "shift" the regulatory burden to its service providers when employing the defence to show that it had taken all reasonable steps to ensure compliance that it has not employed, directly or indirectly, or used the services of a person against whom a PO has been made, there will be no "shift" in the regulatory burden as FIs are still, ultimately, responsible for checking that their service providers' relevant employees, who directly or indirectly undertake key functions for or on behalf of the FIs, have not been issued with POs prohibiting them to do so. For an FI to avail itself of the defence, the FI must, minimally, show that they have performed due diligence checks on the employees of its service providers, for example, again, checking the MAS' "Enforcement Actions" webpage.

Mr Yip Hon Weng also shared that it is not difficult for seasoned fraudsters to set up businesses here and cheat customers, which calls for a more proactive enforcement of our laws. This is in line with what the PO powers are trying to achieve, by pre-emptively and comprehensively keeping known bad actors out of our financial industry.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat then asked whether, in addition to the current publication of formal regulatory and enforcement actions taken by MAS on its "Enforcement Actions" webpage, MAS intends to create and maintain a public register of POs. This is something that MAS could consider implementing in future, once the new PO powers take effect under the Financial Services and Markets Act. For now, the search function on the "Enforcement Actions" webpage may be used by any FI or its agent, to check if a PO is currently in effect against a person. Alternatively, there is also an option for the FI or its agent to contact MAS to obtain records of the POs issued against the person, upon payment of a fee. There is, hence, sufficient means for an FI to determine if an individual has been issued with a PO.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat then spoke on the need for clarity in the form of MAS guidance on the specific scope of POs issued in the newly-extended areas. He also asked for data on the number of persons who had previously been issued with a PO and who have thereafter returned to the financial sector. Clauses 6 and 7 of the Bill sets out clearly the scope of POs which may be issued, which are to prohibit unsuitable persons from certain roles, activities and functions. There is no ambiguity here on the maximum possible scope of a PO.

In summary, the more serious the misconduct is, the longer the duration, the wider the scope of the PO is likely to be. Nevertheless, as MAS has mentioned before in its response to the public consultation, MAS will be issuing guidelines to provide greater clarity on how the new PO powers will be used. MAS does not monitor whether persons who have previously been issued with a PO return to the financial sector after the PO expires.

To be clear, a PO only bars an individual from taking up specified roles, functions and activities in the financial industry. An individual is free to take up employment in the financial industry in areas or activities that are not covered by the PO or even outside the financial industry. An individual may choose to find employment in the areas prohibited by the PO when the PO expires. And in such a scenario, it is then up to their prospective employers to determine independently whether or not to hire such a person.

Mr Derrick Goh has noted that an appeal to the Minister on MAS' decision to issue a PO must be referred to an Appeal Advisory Committee selected from an Appeal Advisory Panel (AAP). He asked about the considerations for ensuring the independence of the AAP and Committee. He also asked whether, in addition to the right of appeal to the Minister, a person may bring his appeal to the Court. On the first question, the members of the AAP will be appointed by the Minister from the financial industry and the public and private sectors, and will have strong credentials which attest to their good judgment and ability to discharge their duties professionally.

The AAC will comprise any three members from this panel. Under the existing regulations governing appeals to the Minister for PO purposes, the AAC is obliged to declare the nature and extent of all of their conflicts of interest or potential conflicts of interest to the Minister. If the Minister is satisfied that any AAC member is unable to discharge his duties effectively because of any conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest, the Minister may replace the AAC member. This will also be the process in appeals to the Minister under the new Act.

On the second question, a person will be afforded the right to appeal to the Minister under the new Act. This avenue of appeal under the new Act is consistent with the existing practice under the SFA, FAA and IA. However, if a person has exhausted his right of appeal to the Minister and remains unsatisfied with the results, he may still pursue other legal processes which he may be entitled to.

Mr Louis Ng asked why the AAC's reports are not published publicly. He suggests that, first, this would provide important context on the Minister's decision and, secondly, ensure that the AAC exercises its powers professionally and appropriately.

On the first aspect, the Minister is not bound by the recommendations in the AAC's report but, rather, exercises his own discretion in deciding on the appeal. The Minister may agree with some of the AAC's assessments while disagreeing with other aspects. He may consider other factors outside the AAC's report. Thus, publishing the AAC's report may not be all that helpful and may even be an inaccurate reflection of the Minister's considerations.

On the second aspect, as mentioned in response to a previous question by Mr Derrick Goh, the members of the AAP, from which the AAC is constituted, will be appointed by the Minister and will have strong credentials which will attest to their good judgement and ability. If the AAC in any way exercises its powers improperly, the parties can always include this in their submissions, which the Minister will consider.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat also asked when the new PO regime under the FSM Bill will be brought into effect. This is a matter which MAS is considering carefully. MAS is, currently, preparing for the new PO regime to commence and also intends to give the industry time to prepare for the new PO regime, which includes understanding how the new provisions will be applied. MAS will announce the specific date in due course.

My third bucket is a short one. It is on the provision of statutory protection for personnel of the operator of an approved dispute resolution scheme. Mr Yip Hon Weng asked if there will be exceptions to this.

For statutory protection to be accorded, the mediator, adjudicator or employee must have acted with reasonable care and in good faith. This will have to be determined, based on the facts and circumstances of each case.

Finally and lastly, there are a whole host of different inquiries which I will bucket into this last segment. Ms Janet Ang asked broadly about MAS' plans to enhance the skills and competencies required in the financial services ecosystem.

MAS works closely with the industry, such as the Institute of Banking and Finance, to develop the workforce in the financial sector. To seize opportunities for growth, we are always on the lookout for new growth drivers, including from the digitalisation wave. To meet the new job demands, we also have multiple training pathways to reskill and upskill our financial sector talent.

Ms Janet Ang and Mr Louis Chua asked broadly about central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

As Ms Janet Ang mentioned, MAS recently collaborated with the BIS Innovation Hub Singapore Centre and several other central banks on a project known as Project Dunbar to explore a common platform for cross-border interbank payments using CBDCs. Very briefly, Project Dunbar proved that financial institutions (FIs) could use CBDCs issued by participating central banks to transact directly with one another on a shared platform.

This has the potential to reduce reliance on intermediaries and, correspondingly, the costs and time taken to process cross-border transactions, and is part of the journey that MAS has been embarking on with the industry and other central banks over the few years to explore the potential benefits and feasibility of adopting wholesale CBDC for global payments.

Order. Minister of State, may I ask if you will be going on further?

Just a few more lines, Mr Speaker.

You have one and a half minutes left. If you can wrap up within one and a half minutes, then I will not ask the Leader to extend.

Yes, I will wrap up within one and a half minutes.

Thank you.

The details and conclusions of the project, you can find on the BIS website.

Ms Janet Ang also mentioned that it would be useful for MAS to publish the clarifications and discussions that arose during the consultation process. MAS has published on its website the responses of the feedback. So, you can find them on our website.

Finally, Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked whether the FSM Bill is the first step in a broader exercise to rationalise Singapore's regulations on a financial sector-wide basis. MAS regularly reviews its Acts to ensure —

Order. Leader. Just on the safe side, let us extend.

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 48(8) to remove the time limit in respect of Minister of State Alvin Tan's speech?

I give my consent. Does the Leader of the House have the general assent of hon Members present to so move?

[(proc text) Hon Members indicated assent. (proc text)]

[(proc text) With the consent of Mr Speaker and the general assent of Members present, question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]

[(proc text) Resolved, "That the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order 48(8) in respect of Minister of State Alvin Tan's speech." – [Ms Indranee Rajah] (proc text)]

[(proc text) Debate resumed. (proc text)]

Minister of State Alvin Tan.

Thank you, Leader. Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is a chunky Bill; I am almost at the end.

I was about to say that the MAS regularly reviews its Acts to ensure that the regulation of the financial sector continues to be efficient and effective. It is possible that some of the existing powers in various MAS-administered Acts may be harmonised in the FSM Bill in the future if MAS is of the view that such an approach would enable it to address financial sector-wide risks more effectively. With this, I beg to move, Sir.

Any clarifications?

[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]

[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]

[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Alvin Tan]. (proc text)]

[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]

Minister Josephine Teo.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That this House endorses Paper Cmd 15 of 2022 on 'White Paper on Singapore Women's Development' as our whole-of-nation plan of action to collectively advance Singapore women's development to build a fairer and more inclusive society, where women and men partnering each other as equals can pursue their aspirations freely and to the fullest."

Sir, this is the first time that the Government has presented a White Paper on Women’s Development for Parliament to debate. This fact alone is significant.

But more than that, before embarking on this Paper, the Government had initiated a year-long series of nationwide Conversations on Women's Development involving Singaporeans from all walks of life. It did so even as our nation battled a formidable virus which precipitated the worst recession since Independence. This fact is also significant.

The White Paper may have been prepared by the Government but it speaks with the voices of Singaporeans who care deeply about women.

At the start of our debate, I would like to thank the many partners who have journeyed with us in the past year and a half. They include the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO), the NTUC Women and Family Unit, the PA Women's Integration Network, organisations like Daughters of Tomorrow and Dads for Life.

Some of our partners are here today. May I invite hon Members to join me in showing them our sincere appreciation. [Applause.]

We thank each and every one of the participants in the Conversations. You shared your views candidly in the spirit of advancing women's interests. You spoke from your hearts. The Government listened and we heard you. In response, we have put together the first-ever White Paper on Singapore Women's Development, which Parliament will now debate.

How shall we proceed? Where do we begin?

We must begin by recognising that Singapore women have already triumphed over great adversity and made significant progress in so many ways.

Up till a hundred years ago, women were mostly confined to domesticity. Sons had priority for education and parents decided on their children's marriages. Some women suffered the indignity of being traded like property. As a teenager living in 1930s Singapore, my paternal grandmother, my popo, bore witness to the early winds of change.

For example, about 700 brothels were closed after the Women and Girls Protection Ordinance was passed by the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlement. In 1932, the same Council banned the sale of young girls to rich families as "mui tsais". Women could no longer be deemed chattel, to be bought and sold.

During the war, many brave and enterprising women did their utmost to help their families and friends survive the cruel ravages of war – rape and murder, persecution and hunger, and untold personal tragedies. There were many heroes – and heroines, too, including Elizabeth Choy.

After the war, women contributed to the rehabilitation efforts, setting up associations and mutual help groups.

Soon after we attained self-government, the women of Singapore achieved a historic triumph. On assuming office, almost the first thing the new PAP Government did was to pass the Women's Charter in 1961.

The Charter institutionalised the rights and responsibilities of men and women in marriage and ensured the protection and welfare of women in Singapore. It also paved the way for greater protection from dangers like family violence and sexual offences. More importantly, it changed the perception of how women should be treated in society and at home. It gave women more autonomy in the roles they took up, fundamentally altering the social compact of its day.

Back then, only one in three women were literate. But schools for girls established by missionaries, activists, businessmen and intellectuals had already shown what women could do if only we educated them as well as we did men. The trailblazers included Aisha Akbar, who, in 1950, won a scholarship to enter the Trinity College of Music in England. She was only 20 then, and the first in Singapore to be awarded a music scholarship without having already qualified as a music teacher. Ruth Wong, the first woman principal of the Teachers' Training College who later became the founding director of the present-day National Institute of Education (NIE). She helped to transform the teaching profession and uplifted the education system, benefiting generations of girls and boys.

Free primary education starting in 1960 helped many more Singapore women triumph through education, achieving far more than basic literacy. Today, for every young man enrolled in University, there is a young woman.

In education alone, we, women, hold up half the sky. We also proved that, with education, we could triumph at the workplace and impact the lives of many others.

Take, for example, Sudha Nair. She happens to be here today. Sudha studied social work in NUS. Her education led her to start Singapore's first family violence specialist centre, the Centre for Promoting Alternatives to Violence (PAVE). Even today, PAVE offers valuable services in counselling, public education, research and advocacy.

Then, there is Juliana Chan, a Singaporean scientist who holds four US patents. Driven by her passion to enhance science communications, Juliana founded the Wildtype Media Group, which has become Asia's leading STEM-focused media company behind publications, such as the Asian Scientist Magazine and Supercomputing Asia.

We also have Huda Hamid, a businesswoman and social entrepreneur, who has helped single mothers and women from low-income households become financially independent. Huda was one of six winners of the 2020 Young Social Entrepreneurs Global Programme.

More women have now taken on jobs previously dominated by men and stepped up to leadership roles. Like Sudha, Juliana and Huda, they have proven themselves the equal of their male colleagues.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope you will agree that the women in this Chamber – on both sides of the aisle, the Government as well as the Opposition – have shown the same, too. Never before in our history have we had so many women in Parliament as we do now; and I sincerely believe Parliament is the better for it.

In the past decade, we have continued to make good progress for Singapore women. Women are now better protected against harms and sexual offences, through the Protection from Harassment Act and Penal Code.

Women are now better recognised for their contributions in the economy. Our adjusted gender pay gap has further narrowed, halving to around 4% over two decades. Among chief executive officers, women remain a minority, but we are encouraged that Singapore has more than double the global average.

Caregivers of the elderly and children, majority of whom are women, are now better supported. More facilities and higher subsidies have been made available. Schemes, like Silver Support and the matching of CPF top-ups, help them in retirement.

Women are living even longer than before. By 2020, Singapore women's life expectancy had reached 86, surpassed only by two countries – Switzerland and Japan.

And, of course, we now have a woman as our President. As many people noted in the recently released SPH Media book on Singapore’s battle against COVID-19, President Halimah has been a pillar of strength throughout this crisis. She stayed on top of things and struck a balance on difficult decisions, such as tapping into our national reserves.

By any measure, Singapore women's development has reached a very high base. As a result, we may have felt no urgency to further strengthen the position of women in our society. This Government, however, thought otherwise.

As I mentioned earlier, almost the first thing the PAP did when it first formed the Government was to pass the Women's Charter.

Last year was the 60th anniversary of the Women's Charter. We believed it was timely to renew the pledge our founding leaders made so many years ago, to further elevate the position of women in Singapore.

This is because, even as we were fighting hard to battle the pandemic, we remembered the daily battles women may still face: the battle with time to fulfil multiple roles and responsibilities; the battle for recognition of the challenges women and girls face, much more than men and boys; the battle with sexual predators who, having been tamed in analogue Singapore, now rear their ugly heads in our digital world; the battle with social expectations on what work we do, what chores we share, what words we say and even what clothes we wear; the battle within ourselves as to how much of "us" to give and how much to save for self-care.

To help women advance, we must not shy away from dealing with these battles.

On the contrary, we must always see the progress of women as a journey without end, where every achievement is a foundation to aim for new highs. In every generation, we have a duty to find new ways to uplift women. If half of humanity does not progress, how can the rest of humanity?

But where should the weight of our efforts now lie?

Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to advance a proposal for Members to focus the debate on two key elements of the Motion: first, how to further catalyse collective actions; and, second, how to further promote equal partnership between women and men.

In all likelihood, these two lines of effort are the most challenging. Yet, they are also where we have the best hope to really move the needle for our women. I believe this from the bottom of my heart. Let me explain why in Mandarin.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Like many young working mothers, I struggled with guilt. How could I forgive myself if my child became sicker while I was away on a work trip? How could I forgive myself if my children fell far behind in school or became delinquent because I was not around often enough to guide them?

At the same time, I also wondered if my boss would notice my divided attention. Would opportunities be redirected because it was assumed I was no longer interested or up to the challenge?

Last year, when my 82-year-old father suffered a fall and was hospitalised, my mother, herself nearly 80, became his sole caregiver. How could I forgive myself if she, too, became ill from exhaustion?

Questions like these trouble women all the time. I am in no way unique. Almost all the women would find it difficult to balance their family and career at some stage in life.

Part of the answer lies in additional legislative safeguards to uphold fairness at the workplace and also to uphold a more inclusive workplace. The White Paper promises that.

Part of the solution lies in providing better support to caregivers. The White Paper promises that, too.

But these efforts taken by the Government can only go so far. No law or tripartite guidelines can dictate the norms in a family, or the detailed practices of workplaces.

Had my husband not stepped up as an involved father, had my brothers not stepped in to provide relief to my mother, had my father and father-in-law not given their blessings, I could not have continued to work with relative peace of mind, let alone stepped into public life with a degree of confidence.

Throughout my working life, I was blessed to have bosses like Lim Swee Say and ex-Chairman of EDB Philip Yeo who made room to accommodate personal passions and circumstances.

Twenty years ago, in the months following the birth of my twins, my former boss Lee Yi Shyan gave permission for me to work from home, long before telecommuting became a formalised policy and telecommunications infrastructure was mature.

I will never forget the trust and the spiritual and practical support I have received from my bosses.

(In English): Sir, this is why I firmly believe men's support for equal partnership with women is so important.

It is also why I firmly believe collective action, beyond what the Government will do, is essential. We can put in place legislation on workplace fairness. But the lived experiences of working women depend on the understanding and support of employers and colleagues. While many Singapore women are empowered by caregiver support, some will continue to be constrained by cultural preferences held by society and even themselves.

Therefore, more than being a comprehensive plan of action by the Government, the White Paper is a clarion call for each and every one to take action – take action in our homes, our workplaces, our community, our relationships; take action to recognise women's achievements as society's achievements; take action to pursue women's progress as part of society's progress.

Mr Speaker, I have spoken about the many triumphs for women in Singapore. Standing in the Chamber today, these triumphs ring louder than ever.

In December 1965, when the Parliament of Independent Singapore first sat, there were only two active women out of 64 Members. Today, women occupy 30 out 103 seats, a nine-fold increase in percentage terms.

Just as our predecessors have laid the foundations for women to succeed, we, too, must build new scaffoldings for future generations of women to thrive. This White Paper reaffirms our shared vision of a fairer and more inclusive society.

This will only happen when men and women partner each other as equals in every domain. It depends on how we, as family members, share in caregiving and act as role models for our children. It depends on how we, as a community, signal our protection and respect for our women. It depends on how we, as employers, empower women colleagues to dream bigger and fly higher.

Women in Singapore can continue to triumph, not through our words, but our deeds. This is our collective mission. For this reason, I call on everyone to give it our fullest attention and support. Mr Speaker, I beg to move. [Applause.]

Minister Masagos Zulkifli.

Mr Speaker, it is with great honour that I speak in support of the Motion to advance the progress of Singapore women.

Since Independence, Singapore women have made tremendous progress. Minister Josephine Teo shared about the many remarkable Singaporean women who have laid the foundations of our society. Allow me to share about one woman who has made a great impact on social work development.

Across the island, MSF provides a key line of social support in our local communities, enabling families to bounce back – achieving stability, self-reliance and social mobility. This is through a network of 48 Family Service Centres (FSCs). This all started with Ms Thung Syn Neo. She was a pioneering social worker, a giant in the profession. Syn Neo spearheaded the formation of the very first FSC in 1978 in the then-Ministry of Social Affairs. We owe Syn Neo our gratitude for laying the foundations of our FSCs, which have uplifted and strengthened thousands of Singaporean families to this day.

Mr Speaker, the tremendous progress made by our women that we see today did not occur by chance. This was the outcome of the Government’s intentional efforts to steward the progress of Singapore women, decade after decade, because we believe in a fairer and more inclusive society, where men and women are equal, valued members of our society.

My Ministry and the many Ministers that came before me, have been at the forefront of this endeavour. We have led the charge, legislatively, and through our policies and programmes; nudging at times, and earth shaking at times.

I was proud to share how far we have come at the G20 Ministerial Conference on Women’s Empowerment in Italy last year. Developing countries had problems providing access to education for their girls, and developed countries complained how their girls were still stereotyped to be educated for roles like teaching and nursing, and few were in STEM. When I shared that, in Singapore, less than 1% of our children did not complete 10 years of education, and that our girls were free to choose their own education pathways, including STEM, the room fell silent – I think in disbelief – that we have achieved both of these.

But we should now move from quantitative achievements to one where the quality of development is our focus, which is why we launched the year-long nationwide Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development. We pressed ahead, even amid the pandemic, and organised 160 Conversations. Nearly 6,000 participants, representing wide segments of society, responded to the call and joined us, sharing with us their hopes and aspirations of our women. I was also glad to see many men participating in the Conversations – some of whom are in the Gallery today – because, in the next lap, we can only achieve this goal if we work together, men and women, in a whole-of-society approach.

One of whom said, and I quote, “Men and women both play a part in shaping the society. If we all start to do the right things, the future generation will not have to go through what we went through. We should start now while we still can.” This is one of the big conclusions of the Conversations: the collective responsibility that we, as a society, including we, men, must play, if we want to advance our women’s progress.

We must begin with challenging mindsets. This means forging new societal norms – one that is based on respect and partnership. Because only then can we progress further, to truly empower both men and women to pursue their aspirations freely and fully. This requires collective commitment – individuals and families, people, private and public sectors, all segments of society, to step up and walk the talk. In this respect, I believe that we, men, can make a difference for our women and, in the process, for ourselves. Thus, my appeal to all men. We can step up, we can do more and we should. Be role models, not only in words, but also in deeds.

Because we must believe in equal partnership between men and women, with respect as its cornerstone. I want to state very clearly that this is not a zero-sum game. From time to time, such beliefs or misperceptions come up, whenever we talk about advancing women’s progress. This is simply not our way. Our approach is not about asserting the rights of one over another.

As men, we have a big part to play to encourage equal partnership. In our homes, as fathers, it is our responsibility to teach our sons what it means to respect all women, starting from a young age; instil in them the right values and be role models ourselves through our actions, for them to grow to be gentlemen.

Our children are social learners of the world, watching our every attitude, word and action. They model after us and assimilate perceived social roles. More tangibly, we can play a much bigger role in sharing the weight of caregiving. We need to pitch in more. Some have, and many more can. Because, in a partnership, we can build on one another’s strengths and be better together, for our children and generations to come. I echo what Bryan Tan, who leads the Centre for Fathering, wrote in a recent commentary that says, and I quote, "Fathers are not 'substitute mothers'" and that "marriage is an equal partnership", unquote.

Allow me to share Saiful’s story. We have cited it in our White Paper, but I thought it is worth reiterating. Seven years ago, Saiful left his job in the creative industry to be a stay-home dad and the need arose because they had a young child in the family. While Saiful’s wife continues to work, she is always there supporting him. Her presence enables him to overcome the challenges that he faces. Saiful’s story is inspiring for two reasons. First of all, not only did he challenge the traditional gender expectations and norms; second, it shows us that when men and women partner together, we become better as one.

We honour and respect our women because it is the right and moral thing to do, and this is not something new or just a feature of modern society. Respecting our fellow women is a natural evolution from our values, because we have been nurtured to honour, love and respect the most important woman of our lives – our mothers. We can identify this in an Asian society like ours, culturally or religiously.

The Chinese know the devotion of Mencius’ Mother, how she single-handedly raised Mencius after her husband passed away, and Mencius’ deep honour and respect that he carried for his mother. One account described the great length and extent that he went to bury his mother and to mourn for her when she passed away. When asked, he said that "the devotion that one owes one’s mother should be expressed fittingly at all times, and certainly through her funeral and mourning rites".

From the Ramayana, the Indians cherish Rama who was banished for 14 years to live in the forest by his mother Kaikeyi to make way for his half-brother, Baratha, to become the King. And he dutifully left the city in obedience to his mother.

Malay/Muslims take lessons from Islam. When the Prophet was asked who a person should honour the most, or give the best treatment to, he replied, "his mother". And when asked again, "then who?", he said again, “his mother”, and again the third time, "his mother". Only at the fourth time did the Prophet say, "his father".

In honouring our mothers, it shows we are also taught to cherish and honour our wives, sisters and daughters. It is why we honour our Singapore women. As families, as a society and as a nation, we are stronger when our women, every woman, can flourish and realise their aspirations and their potential. Thus, we must be part of the solution.

And we will build upon this as a society – in workplaces, at home and in our community. At workplaces, our women contribute to a diversity of values, perspectives and capabilities. Having more women in leadership roles helps to catalyse robust governance and better stewardship of organisations. I am glad that women’s participation on Singapore boards is almost 20% in Top 100 listed companies and reaching 30% in Statutory Boards and Top 100 IPCs today.

MSF will continue taking a multi-stakeholder approach that empowers stakeholders to collectively address underlying root causes. For instance, the Council for Board Diversity raises public awareness of the importance of women on boards and works with corporates to develop a pipeline of board-ready women. This would be more effective than setting mandatory quotas, which does not address root causes of the issue that have to do with culture and tradition.

Over the years, we have also greatly increased support for our caregivers. In Singapore, strong families form the bedrock of our society. They are a key pillar of strength and our first line of support, providing unconditional love and support, through the ups and downs of life, such as that of our caregivers. Their role is irreplaceable but there will be those who need more support, beyond that from one another. We recognise their contributions to our families and society, and we will support them. Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam will elaborate, including the enhanced Home Caregiving Grant that would better help with caregiving costs.

Through the enhanced Silver Support Scheme and the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, we have also boosted the retirement incomes of Singaporeans, including caregivers, who may not have a chance to earn higher incomes during their working years.

We have also made major moves to make quality preschools more accessible and affordable to families to enable working parents, especially mothers, to pursue their career aspirations with peace of mind. By around 2025, eight in 10 Singaporean children can have a place in a Government-supported preschool. These are just some of the many Government-led initiatives to support caregivers and their families.

But the Government cannot do this alone. The community has an important role to play, too. Caregivers can benefit from strong community support, especially fellow caregivers who share similar experiences and can offer practical and socio-emotional support. Allow me to share Richard's story, which is also featured in the White Paper.

Richard left his job 22 years ago to care for his father who had cancer. Things became challenging when his father then developed dementia. His father would sometimes get violent with him and people around him. Fortunately, Richard received support from his neighbour and benefited from caregiver support programmes by the Caregivers Alliance Limited. Now, Richard gives back and volunteers with them to help other caregivers find strength and solve the issues that they are facing. Richard's story is significant.

Firstly, I am encouraged that we are seeing more men like Richard playing a bigger role in caregiving. Like I said earlier, men must play their part in shaping societal norms towards a more equal partnership between men and women.

Secondly, Richard's story shows us the power of community support where caregivers benefit from one another's experiences and supporting one another through practical and socio-emotional support. Minister of State Low Yen Ling will speak more about this.

I would also like to add that even as our society progresses, there are still persons who experience violence. Let me state categorically that all forms of violence cannot and will not be condoned by our society.

Protecting women from violence and harm requires partnership across all spheres of society between men and women. Minister Shanmugam and Minister of State Sun Xueling will elaborate more on this.

Finally, it is timely and apt to consider a meaningful way to reflect the enduring importance of Singapore women's development in our society.

At the closing session of the Conversations, the Prime Minister had announced that the Government had taken on board a proposal from the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO) and will dedicate a public garden to honour, celebrate and recognise the contributions of Singapore women.

I am pleased to announce that we have identified Dhoby Ghaut Green, which is located in the heart of the city, for the garden. The Government will work with community partners and the wider public to design and develop the garden. [Applause.]

The Prime Minister will also launch a travelling "Celebrating Singapore Women" exhibition on 22 April. The roving exhibition will celebrate our journey on women's development. It also aims to build awareness and ownership of the action plans amongst Singaporeans from various walks of life. Mr Speaker, in Malay, please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In Singapore, we believe in equal partnership between men and women, with respect as its cornerstone. We honour and respect our women because it is the right and moral thing to do. This is an integral part of our cultural values, because we have been nurtured from young to honour, love and respect the most important woman of our lives – our mothers. Muslims draw lessons from our religion. Just as we honour our mothers, we are also taught to cherish and honour our wives, sisters and daughters.

As men, we can and should step up to do more to support our Singapore women. For instance, we can play an active role in caregiving for our children and elderly. We should also support our women as they pursue their aspirations at the workplace and in society. As families, as a society and as a nation, we become stronger when our women are given the opportunity to flourish and realise their full potential.

(In English): To conclude, the White Paper is just the start of a decade of work. There will be many more conversations and action plans to come. It is a decade-long plan of action and commitment by MSF, the Government and key partners, which we will carry to fruition.

We will build a culture of respect and partnership between men and women and across all spheres of society. This is what will take us forward in the next bound. I would like to extend our sincere invitation to all Members, including those from the Opposition, to come join us in our endeavour to advance Singapore women's development towards a fairer and more inclusive society. [Applause.]

Ms Yeo Wan Ling.

Mr Speaker, Sir, as I celebrated International Women's Day (IWD) last month with my sisters, constituents and unionists, I was greatly inspired by the women from all walks of life sharing what it meant to break the gender bias, smash glass ceilings and reach for the stars.

If we take a look around, we will realise that we are surrounded by so many inspirational Singaporean women. In one IWD panel, I met with four such inspirational women with very, very diverse life stories.

Chef Judy is a successful chef and, after a very painful divorce, she used the baking skills she learned from her very supportive ex-mother-in-law to become a successful cafe and baking school business owner.

Gwendolyn has a degree in political science and is also thriving as a Rota commander and firefighter.

Cheryl struggled with mental health and is now a beauty queen and passionate advocate for mental wellness.

Sophia left her job to focus on raising her young family but, in the midst of it, upskilled herself and is now the proud owner of a very fulfilling business of supplying wedding flowers.

These stories and achievements of our ladies reflect the strength and determination we possess as we strive for excellence. This is, in part, made possible by the considerable improvements and opportunities, protection and safety nets that Singapore has developed over the years – evident in the increase in women graduates and women employment, along with the growth of women in leadership and board positions.

However, in our efforts to honour our women who #breakthebias, our actions need to continually reflect the inherent challenges that women continue to face in our society, communities and families. With this, I welcome the 25 very far-reaching recommendations made in the White Paper.

If our laws and policies are to reflect the standards we, as a society, desire, then this House must continue to look to pursue choices that seek to achieve a fairer and more inclusive society where both men and women, as equal partners, are free to chase their aspirations to the fullest.

The NTUC recognises its pivotal position in spearheading efforts to achieve greater gender equality in Singapore and has, through the decades, been a progressive and relevant voice for our women, from the women's programme under Mdm Yu-Foo Yee Shoon to the Women's Development Secretariat led by Mdm President Halimah Yacob to its current incarnation, the NTUC Women and Family Unit.

Indeed, the creation of a more inclusive society does not differentiate on gender and relies, first, on the ability to provide equal opportunities for women.

Today, our women are flourishing in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), IT, entrepreneurship, services, manufacturing and our choices are often limited only by our interests and passions.

However, our work is far from being completed. Apart from developing favourable policies that elevate women in the workforce, the Labour Movement sees the pertinent need to widen the field for women by re-imagining and refreshing our career choices.

In addition to the promotion of STEM careers, the NTUC Women and Family Unit has identified even more opportunities and market gaps in critical but neglected professions that are traditionally dominated proudly by women, such as dressmakers and nannies. Together with the Labour Movement's ecosystem partners, we have started the process of refreshing and professionalising such occupations and have piloted place and train programmes in these sectors.

The Labour Movement recognises that our Singaporean women often play the role as the primary caregiver in our families and thus have been advocating since the 1990s on flexible work arrangements (FWAs) as a workplace norm. We welcome and support the White Paper's recommendations on FWAs. Beyond new tripartite guidelines on FWAs, we call on employers to take steps to ensure fairness in the appraisal and performance management of workers on FWAs. Workers must be clear about their duties, expectations and deadlines when they are on FWA.

Women go through many seasons and we recognise that women at different points of their lives would leave, enter or re-enter the workforce. Many face difficulty re-entering the workforce after an extended hiatus as there is a mismatch in expectations and support between employers and women returners.

The Labour Movement has sought to bridge this gap by providing training and mentoring that women can leverage to give themselves a leg up. The Labour Movement, through the NTUC Women and Family Unit's Women Supporting Women mentorship programme, grants women at all levels, including PMETs, access to women mentors who provide support and guidance, allowing our women to have a better landing when they are returning to the workplace or even to pursue better and shinier pathways at work.

I witnessed the journey of some 50 mentees who benefited from this programme and I would like to share the experience of one Ms K.

A single mom to three young children, Ms K quit her job five years ago as she was constantly taking childcare leave to take care of her young children. When she joined the programme, she was taken under the wing of unionist sister Daphne Ng from the Singapore FinTech Association. This six-month journey together culminated in sister Daphne recommending Ms K to a full-time role that provided flexible work arrangements (FWAs), which catered both to Ms K's caregiving and professional needs.

Such success stories have spurred the Labour Movement to bring the Women Supporting Women mentorship programme to more local communities. The Labour Movement welcomes the White Paper's recommendations on using mentorships to augment opportunities for women to re-enter the workplace.

Mr Speaker, Sir, while the NTUC has pioneered actions that look to create opportunities and provide support for women to enter and re-enter the workforce, we also recognise the need to enhance our measures to protect women from workforce harassment and discrimination.

Earlier this year, a survey conducted by the Women and Family Unit and the PAP Women's Wing revealed the worrying trends of gender discrimination that our women of today face at their workplaces. Not only did the report show that women perceive that they are disproportionately facing workplace discrimination, it also highlighted the prevalence of a lack of company know-how and policy against such workplace discrimination and harassment. This is, in particular, amongst companies that do not enjoy the abundance of resources and manpower.

The NTUC has, hence, started to look to channel efforts into enhancing the protection of SME workers by engaging our employers in dialogues, talks and webinars, whilst providing shared HR resources that work to prevent workplace discrimination and to protect whistle-blowers within reason. We are committed to equipping our SMEs and companies with better standard operating procedures (SOPs) that can help to create discrimination- and harassment-free workplaces.

NTUC has long championed actions to address discrimination in the workplace. We were party to drafting the tripartite guidelines on non-discriminatory job advertisements that were issued in 1999. We co-led the formation of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) in 2006 to promote fair and equitable employment practices as well as to provide an avenue for workers to report such unfair practices on them. TAFEP, subsequently, formulated the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices in 2007, which has helped guide companies in adopting fair and merit-based employment practices.

NTUC has also been advocating for measures to level the playing field between Singaporeans and foreign workers for opportunities since 2011. These were implemented in the form of the Fair Consideration Framework and the National Jobs Bank in 2014.

More recently, in 2021, the PME Task Force driven by NTUC and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) called for strengthening enforcement against errant companies adopting unfair practices, such as by empowering TAFEP to impose penalties on recalcitrant companies and putting in place safe whistle-blowing policies and procedures to combat discrimination in the workplace. We are heartened that these calls made by NTUC will be reflected in the move to enshrine the TGFEP in law.

As we look forward to proposals by the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness at the end of 2022, we will continue to safeguard the safety of women workers and help employers create a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment.

From the time I have stepped into this House, I have seen the concerted effort of our nation and this House in supporting the development of women in Singapore. While we have made progress over the years, NTUC has identified multiple significant challenges that women continually face as they pursue their career aspirations. NTUC believes that one's gender should never be an obstacle or a hindrance in the workforce and we will make every effort to provide opportunities and resources that work towards championing our women and the workplace. Mr Speaker, I support the White Paper and the Motion. [Applause.]

Mr Melvin Yong.

Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the recommendations made in the White Paper on Women's Development. Many Members of the House are speaking today on this very important topic and I will focus my speech on jobs. Specifically, the need to provide women with equal opportunities at the workplace, so that we can support their aspirations to have both a fulfilling family life and a rewarding career.

Let me start by laying out the challenges faced by women at the workplace. Women face headwinds at every stage of their professional careers. Early on, while studying and choosing which career path to take, some hesitate to jump into male-dominated sectors, such as those in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industries. Women also face challenges when they find out that they are expecting a child. Some tell me that they worry about being penalised in their appraisals when they go on maternity leave. Others shared with me that they had to suspend their job search because employers do not seem to want to hire someone who will need to take months off soon after being employed.

For mothers who chose to leave the corporate world temporarily to care for their children and are looking to return to work, it can be daunting to return to a workplace that has changed significantly in the time that they were away. Many women also struggle to find opportunities to earn additional income while being a full-time homemaker or primary caregiver to their children and their elderly parents.

For our young millennials, they have a vastly different outlook on what work-life harmony is, as they are more educated and have higher levels of career confidence. Many of them are rightfully ambitious and want to shine on the global stage, but do we have the right structures in place to support their aspirations?

To address these challenges, I will focus my suggestions on three areas: jobs at home, jobs closer to home and jobs away from home.

First, let us provide better support to women, especially those with caregiving responsibilities, who wish to continue working from home. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that it is possible for some categories of workers to telecommute full-time. I am, therefore, heartened that the Government has committed to entrenching FWAs as a workplace norm and to introduce new Tripartite Guidelines on FWAs by 2024 to ensure that employers consider FWA requests fairly and properly.

But we can, and should, accelerate the implementation timeline. While I understand that it takes time to engage the industry and ensure that there is consensus on the Tripartite Guidelines, we should strike when the iron is hot – in Chinese, we call this 打铁趁热 – and roll out the guidelines when many employers are still fresh from having the majority of their workforce telecommuting.

We should also support the aspirations of enterprising women who start home-based businesses to supplement their household income, while being a full-time caregiver or homemaker. During my house visits, I have met many enterprising "mumpreneurs" in Radin Mas who have started their festive cookie businesses, bakers who specialise in customised cake designs, and one woman who even started her own trading company right from the comfort of her own living room!

I hope that the Government, trade associations and self-help groups can provide better support to help aspiring home-based entrepreneurs kickstart and grow their businesses. One good example of a self-help group is Project Cookoh, a community effort that helps housewives in Jalan Kukoh start their own home-based business. Project Cookoh mentors mumpreneurs, subsidises the cost of cooking classes and provides an online platform to help the women market their products. We plan to start a similar programme in Radin Mas later this year.

To help more aspiring mumpreneurs, I hope the Government can introduce a Home-based Business Grant to help defray the start-up cost of equipment and tie up with schools, such as SHATEC, to provide subsidised training courses for baking, cooking and safe food preparation, for example.

Second, I believe we can do more to help women find jobs that are closer to home, so that they can better balance their work and role as a caregiver. In Radin Mas, we partnered the Singapore Manufacturing Federation to launch the Jobs Closer to Home programme in 2021, to help women with caregiving responsibilities find jobs that are within five kilometres of the constituency, or a few bus stops away from home. This has been particularly helpful for single mothers, as they often hesitate to take on jobs in locations that require long travel time. I hope that the Government, through our Community Development Councils and working with the NTUC, can scale the Jobs Closer to Home programme nationally and help employers tap into a ready pool of women who wish to work for companies that are based near their homes.

Third, let us better support the aspirations of our millennial women. According to a survey conducted by PWC, 71% of millennial women aspire to take on a global role. However, Mercer's 2020 Worldwide Survey on International Assignment Policies and Practices found that only 20% of the global expatriate workforce is made up of women. This disconnect between aspiration and reality is concerning. In many companies, going on international assignments and having extensive global experience is a precondition to reach senior management levels. A persistently low participation rate of women in international assignments will, ultimately, affect gender equality at the leadership level.

Good mentorship is, therefore, vital to provide women with the assurance to venture overseas for their postings. One good example can be found in the Financial Women's Association (FWA). FWA has a deep pool of successful women in the financial industry who contribute their time by mentoring younger women in the sector. Many of FWA's mentors have gone through overseas stints and their mentees are able to approach them for advice on how to overcome challenges and flourish from such opportunities. I hope that with EDB's support, more professional associations and industry partners will create such mentorship programmes to help our millennial women professionals go global.

Finally, regardless of whether they are working at home, close to home, or far away from home, we need to tackle the discrimination faced by pregnant women professionals. MOM is in the process of enshrining the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP) into legislation and I hope that the Act will state unequivocally that employers cannot penalise female employees or reject a perfectly qualified jobseeker simply based on pregnancy.

Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the White Paper on Women's Development marks an important milestone in Singapore's never-ending journey towards ensuring an equal and inclusive society. As a community, we can do more to support the aspirations of our Singaporean women to have both a fulfilling family life and a rewarding career. Sir, I support the Motion.

Ms Poh Li San.

Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore is a city where human resource is scarce and the supply of talent and skills is not commensurate with our required demand. With our ageing workforce and inability to recruit and retain competent resources, the risk of an unsustainable economy and a rise in inequality may increase. So, are we doing enough in this competitive and fast-evolving global economy? Are our institutional mindsets adjusted to attract more Singapore women to have a more significant role in our workforce?

We have made some progress in the development of women since the passing of the Women's Charter some 50 years ago. We can do much more. The role of today's women is no longer just about gender equality, preconceptions or biases but diversity, inclusion and the social development of communities and families. The White Paper on Women's Development is timely, with its recommendations in empowering women to play a bigger role in more economic sectors and to helm leadership positions across various industries.

Over the past decades, several organisations have successfully tapped talents from the female workforce. They have provided women with opportunities to excel in the workforce and such opportunities provided the path to senior roles. More opportunities must be provided to women in predominantly male organisations and companies.

I am passionate about the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and one area that our women can contribute to would be our defence sector. Recent conflicts around the world have reminded us starkly that we cannot depend on anyone else to protect ourselves, our nation. In reference to a Straits Times article published in February 2016, in the next 50 years, the number of male Singaporeans between 15 and 24 years old is expected to halve. The numbers are pretty alarming. The percentage of the total women service personnel in the SAF is only about 7%. Should we be seriously considering more Singaporean women to be part of SAF?

When I joined SAF as a helicopter pilot in the Air Force some 25 years ago, there were only five women pilots in the entire Air Force and we were limited to flying transport planes and helicopters. Since then, the rules have changed. There are, currently, more women pilots and they are flying mean machines like the F15SG Eagles and F-16 Falcons. Some of these women pilots are even helming the fort as Squadron Commanders.

Similarly, there are breakthroughs made in various combat units in the Army and the Navy. SAF's efforts to continue to attract and retain women and placing them in frontline combat roles are very encouraging. However, we will have to do more in attracting women to be part of our defence team. It has been more than 35 years since the very first combat servicewoman was recruited and I am looking forward to the Minister for Defence's assessment of the progress in this regard, specifically on the measures to increase the proportion of servicewomen and progression pathways for our women.

Women have made some progress over the years in the Singapore Police Force. From just 10 Policewomen in 1949 to 19%, of which 16% are in senior leadership roles. This is a 50% increase from 2011. Women Police officers can play a key role in enhancing the security and safety of our society, especially when the nature of crimes has evolved and technology has enhanced our ability to conduct surveillance and crime prevention. Let us try to bring up the percentages of women Police officers.

If physically and mentally demanding roles in the SAF and SPF have made progress in the representation of women over the years, employers, such as the Civil Service, Statutory Boards and MNCs should also set an example by recruiting more women.

In fact, some Nordic countries had implemented gender quotas in their parliaments and in the board room. These practices can assist in expediting the progress of women.

Where there is a shortage of talent and keen competition to recruit and retain capable staff in the sunrise and fast-growing sectors, such as sustainability and IT, companies should look beyond their usual hunting grounds and tap half the manpower talent pool in the female population as a solution to their problems. You may like to know that in the early days of the United States' space programme, all the "human computers" were women. These are the staff at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) who performed highly complex mathematical calculations for aviation experiments and, subsequently, spaceflights. So, have no misconception that women do not have the IT aptitude.

I am in agreement with the White Paper's recommendation to encourage and support women to choose and excel in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) industries, which have been predominantly male, until recent years.

I am currently employed in the aviation sector and women make up only 3% of chief executives, compared with more than 10% in many other industries. We can do better.

Women's low representation in STEM careers has been described as a "leaky pipeline". In our Primary and Secondary schools, girls often perform as well as the boys in science and mathematics. But as they progress to the tertiary level, fewer opt for STEM subjects, especially when it comes to engineering and computer science. Only 55% of the women who graduated with STEM degrees or diplomas pursued related careers, compared to 70% of men. We need to look into this. A women's contribution can only further assist in the field of engineering and science.

I also agree with the recommendations made in the White Paper to enhance equality in the workplace. It is important to make a concerted effort to encourage our young women to chase their dreams and develop their fullest potential in their careers without any hesitation and with the fullest support. As the Paper has pointed out, mindsets about what jobs are appropriate for which gender will need to shift.

It is crucial to showcase the wide and diverse range of possibilities and opportunities for women. Over the years, many trailblazing women have paved the way for our younger women and provided them the much-needed inspiration and confidence to achieve their goals that will, in turn, help Singapore to progress.

Mr Speaker, I would like to say a few words in Malay.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Earlier in my speech, I mentioned the progress made by the Singapore Police Force in women’s development over the past decades.

One pioneering female officer in the Police force is Mdm Zuraidah Abdullah. She joined the SPF in 1986, helmed several command positions in operations and training and was the first woman to achieve the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police.

Beyond the Police Force, Mdm Zuraidah was also the chairperson of the Malay Heritage Foundation and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of self-help group MENDAKI after her retirement from the SPF. Mdm Zuraidah was also inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame in 2014 to honour her achievements.

I am heartened that outstanding women have been given accolades like Mdm Zuraidah. The stories of these outstanding women have inspired younger women to challenge themselves and excel beyond their predecessors.

(In English): Over the years, we have seen more women athletes excelling in sports. At the recent Tokyo Olympics, out of our 23 national athletes fielded, 17 were women. Similarly, of the 10 competitors for the Paralympics, there were six female representatives. I am hopeful that more women national athletes will make Singaporeans proud.

The media and entertainment industry has an impact and plays a vital role in the amplification of women in society. Often times, women are portrayed second to men and that stereotyping is blindly amplifying certain biases.

Not all women are Bond girls whose sole responsibility is to wait for their handsome male hero to come home to them or behave like the female protagonist in constant distress, as portrayed in Korean drama "Crash Landing on You".

I certainly hope the next Bond star will be a female lead and more female being portrayed as heroines in dramas. We need to reshape the archaic perceptions of how women are portrayed in our society. Our local media must work towards shifting the narrative by placing equal emphasis between men and women by sharing aspirational stories with a positive reflection of fairness and inclusivity for all genders and races and not just for the rich or powerful. We must curate positive stories that will inspire and amplify the right values.

Other than the media, public events and fora featuring female speakers, discussing issues that are of concern to the women community are important informal ways for women to share their experience and learn from one another. In Sembawang West, women corporate and community leaders attend our annual SG Women's Festival event to share their experience and discuss best practices in areas, such as career, financial planning, health and wellness, caregiving and sustainability. These platforms help to create informal interest groups and build a support ecosystem for women. To add, the SG Heroines Award, CNA Women Award and Her World Women of the Year Award are important recognitions that inspire and rally women communities to do more for the society.

I support the White Paper's proposal to develop career mentorship and networking opportunities for women. We need more professional and informal women bodies to recruit, retain and network with women in the various sectors. For instance, the Women Aviation International SG chapter was set up in March 2021 to encourage more young women to join the aviation sector. While it is an initiative started by women for the benefit of other women, there is sincere support from our male counterparts who understand the need to attract and retain the best talents into this industry. Being a participant in their programmes, I am heartened by the support from agencies and companies, such as the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore) and Airbus Singapore, for example.

Mr Speaker, I would like to speak in Mandarin for the next segment.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Since both men and women contribute in the workforce, it is necessary for the Government to provide better facilities for homecare. I fully support the call in the White Paper for more equality in the family and society, because caregivers themselves also need to rest and be cared for.

I am glad to note that access to affordable and quality preschool facilities will be enhanced. I urge the Ministry to pay special attention to estates with many young families and provide adequate childcare facilities.

Likewise, in ageing estates, the Ministry must ensure senior day-care centres are easily accessible and affordable. With a rapidly-ageing population, we can expect more demand for migrant domestic workers to assist with caregiving for seniors. As of 2020, there are almost 250,000 migrant domestic workers in Singapore. This is not sustainable for the nation in the long run.

We will need to provide more and better institutional care and community support for seniors so that their children can go to work with peace of mind. People should also be better informed about geriatric care and the community support system available.

(In English): Working women tend to juggle one too many roles at home and at work. Prolonged periods of heavy loads can be draining on their own physical and mental health and may even cause burnouts. At a certain phase, they may have to prioritise familial responsibilities, like caregiving for young children or aged parents and take a break from their jobs. I trust that the Government will consider providing incentives to encourage MNCs, and especially SMEs, to introduce a sabbatical system not just for women but for both genders. Women, actually, do care about the men's welfare as well.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to Minister of State Sun Xueling, Minister of State Low Yen Ling, Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mazam, members of the PAP Women's Wing and Young PAP, as well as to many others who had contributed towards the White Paper on Singapore Women's Development. I am confident that the recommendations will drive significant improvements in the decades ahead and enable more women in Singapore to hold up half the sky, while the men hold up the other half.

On a personal note, as we chart our new way forward together, I hope to see more women representation in the Cabinet with more than just a mere 15% made up of only three women and 17 male Ministers. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to conclude my support for the Motion.

Ms He Ting Ru.

Mr Speaker, when moving the Motion on Empowering Women last year, I spoke about how we stand on the shoulders of those who forged the way before us and how we must continue to build on the progress that women have made to get us to where we are today. I spoke about society and the economy at large and how they benefit from greater equality for women.

Finally, I talked about the personal: how just two generations prior, my grandmother had to fight hard just to be allowed to go back to school for a meagre two more years before she was once again shut up at home and asked to wait to be married off. I also shared my hopes that my sons would grow up in a fairer society and do their part to ensure that women and girls are not only given equal opportunities to forge their chosen paths in life, but that they will also be respected as equals and see outcomes that are on par with those for boys and men.

All these remain relevant today with the release last week of the White Paper on Singapore Women's Development. The Conversations on Singapore Women's Development were launched in September 2020 with sessions taking place through the year that followed. The year 2021 was also designated the year of celebrating SG women with its attendant events and activities.

Yet, despite being over a year in the making, the White Paper was released barely a week ago, leaving Singaporeans with precious little time to go through the White Paper and consider its recommendations before the issues contained within are debated here in Parliament. There was just not enough time for my residents to provide feedback on the over 100 pages of its contents.

Contrast this with the no less consequential population White Paper which was released on 9 January 2013. That 41-page long paper was debated and passed in Parliament a month later on 9 February.

The seeming haste raises questions about whether the rushed timeline is necessary, or even beneficial to public debate and understanding. An invitation for full and rigorous public scrutiny is one of the key tools for managing and countering misinformation and disinformation, and goes a long way towards dispelling unwarranted and unwelcomed conspiracies.

That said, I am happy to see the paper acknowledging that a whole-of-nation approach has to be taken. The Workers' Party supports the spirit of the Motion and the White Paper's overarching goal of achieving a fairer and more inclusive society. However, we believe improvements can be made. My colleagues and I will address some of these during the course of today's debate.

To start, the White Paper specifically targets Singapore women. I feel we can do better: the principles and aspirations contained within the paper should form a blueprint of what we, as a society, stand for and what we value, no matter who you are. Additionally, the protections and aims should apply to all women in Singapore, regardless of nationality or status. My colleague Mr Leon Perera will elaborate further on these issues.

Moving on to the gender wage gap. The latest publicly available study conducted in 2018 and published in 2020 by MOM showed that there was still an adjusted wage gap of 6%. The White Paper mentions that the adjusted rate has dropped further to 4.3% in 2020, with the unadjusted median gender pay gap being 14.4%. While this pay gap is on the decline, it, nonetheless, still exists and I hope we will go beyond the points suggested in this White Paper to close the gap. Our efforts at reducing this pay gap must persist until women in Singapore achieve equal pay to their male counterparts for equal work.

We also need to ask about what the adverse effect the pandemic and our recovery from it has had on the gender wage gap and the effect of the chronic under-valuing and under-paying of jobs that are traditionally the preserve of women. These include nursing, caring, and teaching. Millions of us in lockdown around the globe found out first-hand how critical these workers are for the functioning and well-being of our economies, societies and families.

The real gender wage gap also should take into account the number of women who do not "lean in" to seek higher paying jobs, promotions or careers, due to reasons, such as a lack of confidence, familiarity or just plain discomfort with what is seen as "too male" environments. My colleague, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, will speak more on this.

Additionally, the 2020 MOM study asks but does not answer why such segregation exists. It mentions data from two years with a 16-year gap – 2002 and 2018. This does not give us a good picture of the problem. We, therefore, repeat the call from our manifesto that employers with 10 or more employees should be required to report to MOM the gender pay gap for the same job description. This information must be made publicly available, in aggregate form. Only with such publicly available basic data on a regular basis, could we have a better idea of the problem and move to close the gender wage gap. This will help employers increase access to a wider talent pool, enhance the diversity of their workforce and better attract and retain capable workers.

Unfortunately, the adverse impact on women's purchasing power does not stop at the gender pay gap. There has been more attention in recent years given to the study of the phenomenon of what is known as the "pink tax", loosely defined as producers and providers charging more for the same products and services once these are marketed at women. A study commissioned in 2015 by New York City found that women's products cost 7% more than similar products for men and that women paid more in every industry studied. Back home, a study by the Sunday Times of 10 retailers found women paying more for half of them. It appears that such gender-based pricing penalises women for, well, being women!

The scope of this phenomenon and whether it is actually justified warrants a study in Singapore. Women also bear a disproportionate share of unpaid labour, both tangible and "invisible" in the form of the mental load, because it is still usually the woman who is expected to oversee the smooth running of our households. The burden is also on her shoulders to ensure that the children are watered and fed, and that she not only has to coordinate the schedule, but is also expected to take time off work to attend to medical and other appointments of their dependants. The Member for Aljunied, Mr Gerald Giam, will speak more about what we can do to ensure that our unpaid caregivers – both women and men – are recognised and supported.

It is no wonder that there are also increasing recognition and data showing that women are disproportionately affected globally by rising costs of living – because they start from a weaker economic position that is exacerbated by all the factors mentioned above. We have, in this House, spoken at length about climate change and its effect on Singapore, yet I note that in an article earlier this year, UN Women wrote, "the climate crisis is not 'gender neutral'. Women and girls experience the greatest impacts of climate change, which amplifies existing gender inequalities and poses unique threats to their livelihoods, health and safety."

Such climate-driven inequalities do not affect only developing nations, but also high-income ones, such as Singapore. I also cannot help but notice that most of the jobs in the traditional energy sectors are almost entirely male-dominated. The green transition, therefore, represents a chance for us to ensure that women are well and justly represented in these new "green jobs" and we must work to ensure that the gender gap in STEM skills does not prove to be a barrier to greater gender equality in a low-carbon future.

The White Paper, too, would like us to challenge these stereotypes, to push women to take leadership roles and to support entrepreneurship. Indeed, removing barriers to female entrepreneurship will not only drive national economic growth, but also contribute to empowering women to be financially self-sufficient. The establishment of the Singapore Women Entrepreneurs Network by SBF last September is a welcome step to create a community of support for existing female entrepreneurs.