Hansard, Tuesday, 7 January 2025

President’s Concurrence with Resolution on Government Securities and Treasury Bills The President has on 21 November 2024 concurred with the following resolution on Government Securities and Treasury Bills passed by Parliament on 12 November 2024:

President’s Concurrence with Resolution on Government Securities and Treasury Bills "That this Parliament, in accordance with Article 144(1)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, resolves that a higher amount of S$1,515,000,000,000 be specified for the purposes of section 11(2) of the Government Securities (Debt Market and Investment) Act 1992."

President’s Concurrence with Resolution on Government Securities and Treasury Bills [Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information The following question stood in the name of Ms Tin Pei Ling –

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 1 To ask the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether an individual’s NRIC number is considered confidential requiring privacy protection; (b) if not, how does the Personal Data Protection Act reconcile with this; and (c) what measures are put in place by the Government to protect sensitive or personal identifiable information data.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 2 Ms Usha Chandradas asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information how does the Ministry intend for its new standards regarding the appropriate handling of NRIC numbers to be applied across different sectors including public agencies, private enterprises and non-profit organisations.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 3 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether NRIC, being data from which an individual can be identified as defined under the Personal Data Protection Act, shall be expressly excluded from the Act; (b) to date, how many complaints have been made to the Personal Data Protection Commission that is related to NRIC data being used or collected wrongfully and what actions are taken; and (c) what are the measures taken to mitigate against the risks of identity theft and scams from the use of NRIC which will be publicly available.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 4 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether the Government’s move to unmask NRIC numbers can pose a risk in the rise of NRIC-related scams especially among elderly; and (b) how will the Ministry proactively combat NRIC-related scams, considering that public education takes time to be effective.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 5 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) how will the Ministry update and strengthen guidance for private organisations on their authentication and verification processes to safeguard against identity theft in light of new policies to unmask NRIC numbers; (b) what additional measures will be introduced to reassure the public and mitigate heightened concerns about susceptibility to scams and identity theft; and (c) how will the Ministry enhance public education efforts and promote best practices in personal data protection amidst the evolving digital landscape.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 6 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information how will the Government ensure that Singaporeans are not exposed to the risks of scams and identity thefts arising from the unmasking of NRIC numbers.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 7 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) what was the process by which the internal circular that was issued by MDDI, instructing Government agencies to stop using unmasked NRIC numbers in new business processes and services, was drafted and circulated; (b) when was it circulated; and (c) whether full text of the circular can be made public.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 8 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether the Ministry will take into consideration Singaporean's concerns about their NRIC number being publicly available before making any further decision on the unmasking of the full NRIC number; and (b) whether the Ministry will respond to concerns from cyber security experts that NRIC numbers can be used by bad actors to trick victims into believing they are authority figures or to commit crime.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 9 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether the Ministry was closely involved in the new ACRA Bizfile project conceptualisation and implementation; (b) whether the Ministry had raised any concerns regarding data protection and privacy prior to the project go-live; and (c) whether the Ministry can share its plans for any upcoming projects or initiatives where the unmasking of NRIC numbers is being considered.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 10 Mr Ong Hua Han asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) what is the timeline for the Government’s public education efforts about the purpose and safe handling of NRIC numbers; (b) how is the Government supporting healthcare and financial institutions in the shift away from NRIC numbers as a method of authentication; and (c) what additional steps can be taken to protect potential scam victims during this transition period.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 11 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether the Ministry can provide the details of the circular issued to agencies to cease further planned use of masked NRIC numbers in new business processes and services; (b) whether sufficient clarity has been given to agencies to implement this new move; and (c) whether the circular addresses the readiness of the public to treat NRIC numbers as non-private unique identifiers.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 12 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) what is the rationale for phasing out the use of masked NRIC numbers; (b) whether the full availability of NRIC numbers to the public will pose security risks or individual privacy issues; and (c) whether private sector practices on the use of NRIC numbers are aligned with the Government’s latest policy position.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 13 Mr Xie Yao Quan asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information what is the compressed timeline for (i) consultation with the private sector and updating of guidelines on the appropriate use of masked NRIC numbers and (ii) public education on the use of full NRIC numbers as a unique identifier.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 14 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information what steps will be taken by the Government to ensure that the private sector will move away from using NRIC numbers as a means of authentication.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 15 Mr Xie Yao Quan asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information whether the Government will consider (i) stepping up enforcement actions (ii) encouraging or mandating entities to adopt other measures such as conducting audits and (iii) enhancing punitive actions against entities in the private sector for the non-compliance and improper use of NRIC numbers as a form of authentication.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 16 Mr Xie Yao Quan asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) why has the public service accepted and promulgated the masking of NRIC numbers in past years; (b) what has caused the change in thinking; and (c) whether all Government services will be reviewed for the possible use of other identifiers in lieu of unmasked NRIC numbers going forward, given the latest position that not using masked NRIC numbers does not mean unmasking all currently masked NRIC numbers.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 17 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether, prior to 9 December 2024, the Personal Data Protection Commission had issued any directives to organisations against the use of NRIC numbers to authenticate an individual’s identity or as default passwords; (b) if such directives were issued, how did the Ministry ensure their enforcement and compliance during this period; and (c) how many organisations, including banks and large insurers, continued using NRIC numbers for authentication or default passwords despite these directives.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 18 Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information as NRIC numbers are being used by many organisations including financial institutions to authenticate identity (a) what measures will be taken to ensure that security enhancement of Government systems are made before discontinuing with the masking of NRIC numbers; and (b) what measures will be taken to reassure and address Singaporeans' concerns about the cybersecurity risks associated with the unmasking of NRIC numbers within the Government.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 19 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether any sanctions will be imposed on ACRA or its officers for the exposure of Singaporeans’ NRIC numbers through its Bizfile portal in December 2024; and (b) whether the continued exemption of Government agencies from the obligations of the Personal Data Protection Act needs to be reviewed.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 20 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information whether the proposed change in policy to treat NRIC numbers as equivalent to the full names of individuals is justifiable.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 21 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information in respect of the decision to unmask NRIC numbers (a) whether the Government has considered the data security implications of full NRIC numbers being made readily available; and (b) what is the Government’s assessment of the risk of NRIC numbers being potentially used to unlock large amounts of information relating to the individual.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 22 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) what inter-Ministerial consultations were conducted prior to the decision to unmask NRIC numbers; (b) when was the decision taken to unmask NRIC numbers; (c) how does this policy align with international best practices on personal data protection; and (d) what measures are being taken to ensure that other personal identifiers can remain secure.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 23 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information with the move to unmask NRIC numbers (a) how will services such as telecommunication providers and banks be required to authenticate the identity of legitimate consumers moving forward; and (b) what is the timeline for updating the Personal Data Protection Commission’s 2018 guidelines that govern the collection and protection of NRIC numbers.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 24 Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information with regard to the Government’s intention to change the practice of masking NRIC numbers, (a) how can citizens understand the implications if their NRIC numbers were to be utilised by bad actors; and (b) why was the use of NRIC as an identifier versus authenticator in the private sector not considered earlier as a requirement to amend, given the strong push towards a digital-first society.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 25 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) when was the Ministry’s circular that sought to change the practice of masking NRIC numbers dated and communicated to Government agencies; (b) when did the Ministry determine that such a change was necessary and begin planning for it; (c) whether any whole-of-Government discussions took place before and after the issuance of the circular; and (d) how many other agencies, apart from ACRA, misread or misunderstood the circular.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 26 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) what were the specific incidents that led the Government to form its view that masking NRIC numbers gives one a false sense of security; (b) how long ago did the Government adopt this stance; and (c) what will the Government do to restore public trust from the pre-emptive move by ACRA’s Bizfile ahead of a full and proper public consultation.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 27 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether the loss of individuals’ identification numbers through the actions of private organisations is still considered a data breach under regulation 3(1)(a) of the Personal Data Protection (Notification of Data Breaches) Regulations; and (b) if so, whether such private organisations will be penalised according to regulations before the unmasking of NRIC numbers by ACRA took place.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 28 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) in the last 12 years, how many organisations have been investigated and fined under the PDPA for disclosing NRIC numbers; (b) what is the total quantum of fines collected; (c) whether there is any public concern about the fines previously levied and, if so, what is the Government’s response to such concerns; and (d) what is the projected cost of the public re-education campaign to desensitise citizens to information that organisations were previously punished for disclosing.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 29 Mr Sharael Taha asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) when is the policy to discontinue the use of masked NRIC numbers in new business processes and Government services planned to be implemented; (b) what plans does the Ministry have on educating the public regarding the policy change and the rationale behind the change; (c) whether public concerns on the policy change will expedite the initial public education plans; and (d) how will the Ministry address concerns regarding the potential misuse and abuse of unmasked NRIC numbers by scam syndicates.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 30 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) what are the Government’s and statutory boards’ obligations in relation to citizens’ personal data under the Public Sector Governance Act and their own internal rules; (b) whether ACRA’s release of unmasked NRIC numbers between 9 and 14 December 2024 breached any of these obligations; (c) what recourse does an affected individual have if there is a breach; and (d) what other actions will be taken to hold those involved in the release of the unmasked NRIC numbers accountable.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 31 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) for what period has ACRA’s Bizfile online portal allowed searches to readily access an individual person’s NRIC number; (b) whether the Government has assessed the additional risks of identity theft and scams when NRIC numbers are readily searchable digitally such as via the Bizfile online portal; and (c) how is Bizfile’s public access, ease and rapidity of search considered against the whole-of-Government approach towards the handling of NRIC numbers as personal data.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 32 Mr Don Wee asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what are the reasons for allowing ACRA's Bizfile platform to display full NRIC numbers of individuals searchable by name; (b) how does this align with Singapore’s data protection policies under the Personal Data Protection Act; and (c) how will the Ministry ensure that Government platforms do not prematurely launch features that may lead to privacy and cybersecurity concerns without adequate public and industry consultation.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 33 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what are the reasons for ACRA’s decision to implement a feature that allows public access to full NRIC numbers despite established guidelines on data protection and privacy risk considerations; (b) how does the Government reconcile ACRA’s approach in treating NRIC numbers as a public identifier with Singaporeans’ expectations of privacy and the risks of identity theft; and (c) whether the Ministry will conduct a comprehensive review of all Government portals to ensure compliance with data protection best practices.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 34 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether there are processes and checks in place for inter-agency coordination before a new initiative, like the refreshed ACRA Bizfile portal, is rolled out; and (b) whether the Ministry has considered that a publicly searchable database of all Singaporeans’ names and their NRICs can pose a risk or cause distress to people.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 35 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether ACRA has taken into consideration the likely public concerns and reactions with regard to NRIC numbers being searchable on the Bizfile portal when deciding to allow the unmasking of NRIC numbers on the portal; and (b) whether ACRA is aware of the prevailing public understanding that NRIC numbers should be treated as private and confidential.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 36 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance for Singaporeans whose NRIC were unmasked on ACRA’s Bizfile portal between 9 December 2024 and 13 December 2024 (a) what is the Government’s assessment of the likely risks and exposure that any of their NRIC numbers may have actually been accessed and downloaded by malicious actors for scams or onward sale during that period; and (b) if so, whether the Government is prepared to provide suitable compensation or remedy to such individuals.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information 37 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what is the exact number of unique NRIC numbers that were available to be viewed publicly on the ACRA Bizfile portal between 9 and 13 December 2024; (b) how many distinct users have conducted searches that returned these numbers; and (c) whether ACRA will contact individuals who have had their NRIC numbers returned in the results to inform them that their details have been disclosed and to educate them about the potential misuse and heightened scam risks.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information Question No 1.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information Mr Speaker, Question Nos 1 to 37 in the Order Paper today relate to the Government policy on National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers and the recent incident where the numbers were disclosed on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) BizFile Service.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information The Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo and the Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah have given notice that they will be delivering Ministerial Statements on these topics tomorrow, 8 January. As their Ministerial Statements will be addressing the issues raised in these Parliamentary Questions (PQs), I ask your leave for these PQs to be deferred for answer via the Ministerial Statements on 8 January.

Explanation and Impact of Policy Change on Full NRIC Number and Further Measures on Public Education and Protection of Sensitive Identifiable Information This will cover Question Nos 1 to 37. I give my consent.

Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme's Improvements for Residents in Newer Housing Precincts and Key Towns 38 Mr Don Wee asked the Minister for Transport (a) how will the $900 million Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme improve public bus connectivity for residents in newer housing precincts along Keat Hong Close, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 7 and Keat Hong Link; and (b) whether direct bus connectivity will be provided to key towns such as Teck Whye and Jurong East Central in particular.

Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme's Improvements for Residents in Newer Housing Precincts and Key Towns Mr Speaker, Sir, I appreciate the context of the hon Member Mr Wee's question, as in his constituency, there are a few new Build-To-Order (BTO) developments, including Keat Hong Verge which was completed in 2023, and there is one new BTO development Keat Hong Grange that will be completed in 2026. And the raison d'etre of the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP) is to serve precincts which are further away from town centres and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations.

Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme's Improvements for Residents in Newer Housing Precincts and Key Towns Residents living along Keat Hong Close, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 7 and Keat Hong Link are currently served by eight bus services and Keat Hong Light Rail Transit (LRT) station, providing connectivity to major transport nodes and key amenities. Over the last few years, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been increasing the bus services in tandem with the estate’s growth, with new connections to amenities and MRT stations in Choa Chu Kang and nearby towns. These include changes to bus services 301, 983 and 991. More recently, supplementary service 983M was introduced in March 2024 to provide a direct connection to the cluster of schools at Teck Whye Crescent.

Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme's Improvements for Residents in Newer Housing Precincts and Key Towns Brickland residents also have direct access to Jurong East Central by taking service 188. To access amenities such as Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic and Teck Whye market, they can take services 172 or 991 to Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1 and continue with a short walk or transfer to service 307.

Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme's Improvements for Residents in Newer Housing Precincts and Key Towns LTA will continue to engage community stakeholders as we review our bus services under the BCEP.

Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme's Improvements for Residents in Newer Housing Precincts and Key Towns Mr Don Wee.

Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme's Improvements for Residents in Newer Housing Precincts and Key Towns Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I have one supplementary question for the Minister of State. I thank the Minister of State for his positive update. I also thank LTA for improving the bus connectivity as well as the road safety of my Brickland residents over the past four years.

Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme's Improvements for Residents in Newer Housing Precincts and Key Towns I have been receiving a lot of feedback from residents staying around Keat Hong Close. They feel that the connectivity can be improved upon because it is a closed loop and there is only one bus service that plies through Keat Hong Close. So, I wonder if a specific, thorough review can be conducted to improve the bus connectivity for residents staying around Keat Hong Close.

Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme's Improvements for Residents in Newer Housing Precincts and Key Towns Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the hon Member for his endorsement of LTA's work to serve his residents better as far as transport is concerned. In relation to Keat Hong Close, we are happy to work with him to see how we can improve connectivity. I would give him the assurance that LTA will engage community stakeholders to review the bus services under the BCEP, particularly when new precincts come up.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites 39 Mr Sharael Taha asked the Minister for Manpower (a) in light of the number of workplace fatalities in 2024 and the implementation of the Safety Time-out in November 2024, how effective has this measure been in raising safety awareness within the industry; and (b) what additional steps can the Ministry take to further enhance safety awareness and ensure compliance with workplace safety regulations.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites 40 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Manpower with regard to the spike in workplace fatalities in the construction section in the second half of 2024 (a) how many active construction sites participated in the Safety Time-out called by the Ministry in November 2024; (b) whether the Ministry has analysed if there were any specific reasons behind the sharp rise in workplace fatalities; and (c) how does the Ministry intend to address this concerning trend.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites 41 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Manpower (a) of the 15 construction workplace deaths in the second half of 2024, how many have involved companies that have been allowed to resume work after only completing general safety reviews following earlier serious incidents; (b) whether the Ministry will automatically require external safety audits and specific structural changes to be implemented before work can resume at sites with fatalities given this stricter approach have successfully reduced deaths during the 2022 heightened safety period; and (c) if not, why not.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to take three oral Parliamentary Questions (PQs), Question Nos 39, 40 and 41 in the Order Paper for 7 January 2025, together. In addition, I will address two oral PQs scheduled for the Sitting on 8 January 2025 by Mr Patrick Tay1 and Mr Louis Chua. These five PQs relate to construction workplace fatalities. I will respond to these questions together, so that I can give a comprehensive reply.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites Please proceed.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites Mr Speaker, of the 14 construction worksites where the fatalities occurred in the second half of 2024, nine were issued with stop-work orders because their safety management systems were found to be inadequate, posing imminent danger to their workers. These worksites were required to undertake measures, such as reviewing their safety management systems, before they can resume work. None of the 14 incident worksites had previously been issued with stop-work orders.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites I share the Members' concern about the increase in workplace fatalities, especially in the construction sector. While the sector’s Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) performance is better than those of many developed countries like Japan, we are not yet on par with top performers such as the Netherlands. There is certainly scope for our construction sector to do better.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has continued to tighten our enforcement efforts for the construction sector. In 2024, more than 3,000 inspections were conducted, targeting key concerns such as Working at Height, Vehicular Safety and Struck by Falling Objects. More recently, we instituted a Safety Time-out in November 2024 to refresh workers’ awareness of WSH practices and reinforce the importance of adhering to safety protocols.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites To improve industry-level WSH outcomes, the Multi-Agency Workplace Safety and Health Taskforce (MAST), which includes partners such as the Ministry of National Development (MND), Building and Construction Authority (BCA), and the WSH Council Industry Committees, has also introduced several measures to enhance WSH standards in the construction sector. These include: (a) subjecting all public construction projects to the Safety Disqualification Framework, which temporarily bars contractors with poor WSH performance from tendering; and (b) requiring all construction worksites with contract values of $5 million and above to install video surveillance systems. The requirement for external safety audits to be conducted following serious lapses remains in effect after the Heightened Safety Period. To strengthen accountability at the leadership level, we have also instituted measures such as requiring Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and board directors in the higher-risk sectors, including construction, to attend the Top Executive WSH Programme.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites Overall, our fatality rate has fallen over the years, averaging 1.1 per 100,000 workers, and is among the top performers worldwide. However, construction fatalities remain over-represented in Singapore with almost half our fatalities coming from the sector. So, the companies and the workers in the sector can certainly do better. On our part, we will monitor the progress of the measures implemented this year to further improve safety and accountability.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites I urge all employers and workers to remain alert as we approach the Chinese New Year period, which is typically a time when companies face time pressures to complete projects. MOM will continue with enhanced enforcement efforts during this period. We must not compromise on safety. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every worker returns home safely.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites Mr Sharael Taha.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. While I appreciate the Senior Minister of State's reply on the multi-agency approach for the Safety Time-out, my question is more on the effectiveness, or at least, increasing the effectiveness of the Safety Time-out. In the MOM website, during a Safety Time-out, companies are strongly urged to review their risk assessment and debrief their workforce.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites Can I suggest that during the Safety Time-out, companies are required to review their risk assessment, their safety management system and required to acknowledge that they have done so, especially at the leadership level, whether it is from the directors, and within the companies, flow it down, with their workers acknowledging that they have been debriefed and they are sure of the safe practices that are required?

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites I thank the Member for his question. Indeed, the Safety Time-out that was done was voluntary because this was meant to complement MOM's enforcement efforts overall. In terms of effectiveness, a Safety Time-out on its own is not going to be the panacea to solve the fatality issues. Having said that, we have also done more extensive measures, all introduced just last year, for example, requiring companies with projects above $5 million to put video surveillance systems. That has put a lot of companies on notice because they know that if something happens, there is record, there is video surveillance that is there as evidence for MOM to investigate. That has deterred many companies in terms of making sure that all processes and protocols are in place.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites The other things which I mentioned earlier on include, we have now required CEOs and board directors in industries – not just construction but others as well – to refresh themselves to be very familiar. So, the accountability is not just at the worker level, but at CEO and board level, so that they cannot say, "I didn't know. My safety officer was already hired to do this." Accountability starts from the top.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites Within the construction sector, one of the key changes we also made in terms of the disqualification criteria was, for example, in the past, we only made the contractor and the two levels of sub-contractors accountable. Since last year, we have also now made it so for the contractor and all levels of sub-contractors accountable as well. So, there is none of this old business of telling us, "This was some sub-contractor down the line, I have no sight, no visibility". You have to be accountable for all your sub-contractors down the line.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites We have made some measures, apart from just the Safety Time-out, that we think should enhance the safety protocols and procedures in the construction sector. We worked very closely with MND and BCA on this. I think one aspect would also be how we transform the sector, which MND and BCA are playing a very important role in this too, in terms of making our construction processes more productive, more safe. Today, you can see many of them performing quite well. Some of them have gone beyond just video surveillance and to include video analytics into the surveillance systems which are able to proactively predict or pre-empt some of these unsafe things in workers' conduct.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites Overall, I think we have to not just rely on Safety Time-outs, but on the whole suite of measures that we introduced last year. And give us time, because it has been about six months or so for some of these measures and they need time to permeate and for us to evaluate their effectiveness. I assure Members that we are doing all we can, but the industry will also need to respond, and so, give them time to do so.

Effectiveness of Workplace Safety Time-out at Construction Sites Mr Melvin Yong.