Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698831421481.pdf (Singapore)
FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE ___________________ FIRST SESSION ___________________ ORDER PAPER MONDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 2023 No.

81 12 noon 1 *1.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will review the need for SG Arrival Card for returning Singaporeans and residents; (b) whether the information obtained from the health declaration are significant to support public health surveillance efforts; and (c) whether such information can already be obtained from data captured in the immigration and other Government systems.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information regarding the Ministry’s review of SPH Media Trust (SMT) following their admission of falsification of circulation data (a) what are the terms of reference of this review; (b) when did this review begin and when will it be completed; (c) what have the findings been so far; (d) whether the report will be made public; and (e) what are the conditions under which public funding to SMT will be removed or reduced.
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information with regard to the alleged inconsistencies in circulation data at SPH Media Trust (SMT) (a) what is the status of the internal investigation and when will the detailed findings be made public; (b) what are the immediate corrective actions taken; and (c) how will this affect the Government’s long-term commitment to SMT.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information with regard to the overstated reporting of newspaper circulation data by SPH Media Trust (SMT) (a) what is the breakdown of discrepancy in circulation numbers for each of SMT’s publication titles; (b) what is the extent to which the vernacular language publications are affected; (c) whether there will be a fuller audit to cover the period of review prior to September 2020; and (d) how will the results of the audit and other investigations affect the Ministry’s committed funding of SMT in the future.
No.

81 *5.

*6.

*7.

*8.

*9.

6 FEBRUARY 2023 2 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the Ministry will require SPH Media Trust (SMT) to disclose (i) the reasons why the inconsistencies in the daily circulation numbers of SMT's publications took a long time to be discovered and made public and (ii) what is being done to strengthen governance over such matters; and (b) how will these inconsistencies impact the Government's commitment to fund SMT.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Ministry has reviewed (i) the duration which SPH Media Trust conducted the practice of over-printing, double counting of circulation numbers and then destroying these copies (ii) the impact of such practice on digital circulation (iii) the effect of this practice on its financial statements and if it was deemed material, including when it was a listed company and (iv) the undertaking of regulatory actions against current or former employees and board directors for any breaches.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) when was the Government first made aware that Singapore Press Holdings Limited had inflated its circulation numbers; (b) whether the circulation numbers cited in the Ministerial Statement on 10 May 2021 were accurate; (c) when did SPH Media Trust (SMT) provide the Government with its internal report; and (d) whether the Government will present SMT’s internal report and SPH Media Holdings Board’s audit committee’s report to Parliament for scrutiny.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information in light of the inconsistencies in the daily circulation numbers of SPH Media Trust (SMT)'s publications, whether the Ministry will require SMT to disclose (i) the length of time for which circulation figures are falsified and (ii) if and when action had been planned to be taken by SMT and for public disclosure to be made had the news of the falsification not been released by an alternative media outlet.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what was the source of the figures cited on 10 May 2021 in Parliament that SPH's newspapers' circulation had grown by 5% and The Straits Times’ circulation had grown by 20% from 2017 to 2020; (b) how much bearing did this data have on the Government’s decision to fund SPH Media Trust (SMT); and (c) whether the Minister still considers this data reliable in light of recent admissions by SMT.

*10.
*10.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information regarding the recent overstatement of SPH Media Trust (SMT)’s circulation numbers for its publications, whether the Ministry has reviewed the impact of SMT’s position with advertisers.

No.

81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 3 *11.


Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the inflation of circulation numbers has had any material impact on Singapore Press Holdings Limited’s or SPH Media Trust's financial metrics, such as gross revenue and gross profit; and (b) how will this affect the valuation of the company.

*12.
*12.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information what is the Ministry’s assessment of the impact of the falsification of past circulation figures by Singapore Press Holdings, including the timing and manner in which the news was made public, particularly on public confidence and the credibility of SPH Media Trust’s current products.

*13.
*13.

Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) how does the Government determine the quantum of taxpayer subsidies allocated to SPH Media Trust each fiscal year; and (b) whether these subsidies are contingent on (i) qualitative and (ii) quantitative metrics and outcomes, respectively.

*14.
*14.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what actions will be taken against SPH Media Trust (SMT) to hold it accountable for the inconsistencies in the reported daily circulation data; and (b) whether there will be a review to the Government’s previous announcement that it will fund SMT and provide up to $900 million in funding support over the next five years.

*15.
*15.

Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information what is the outcome of the Ministry’s review of its funding for SPH Media Trust (SMT), in light of the findings in SMT’s internal review of circulation numbers of its publications.

*16.

Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Government will adjust the grant given to SPH Media Trust (SMT) as the Government’s commitment to fund SMT is predicated on inflated circulation data.

*17.
*17.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) how will the Ministry review its formula to fund SPH Media Trust in light of the inconsistencies in circulation data; (b) to what extent will this review be shared publicly including the names of individuals who are found to have engaged in deceptive behaviours and the relevant follow-up actions taken.

*18.
*18.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether individuals involved in initiating and perpetuating the inflated circulation figures in SPH Media Trust have been referred to the Police for further investigation; and (b) if so, how many have been referred to the Police for further investigation.

No.

81 *19.

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6 FEBRUARY 2023 4 Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether artificial intelligence (AI) technologies such as ChatGPT are expected to affect student coursework and open-book assessments and, if so, how; (b) what challenges and opportunities exist in the educational and skills landscape due to the rise of such AI; and (c) what is being done to inculcate life skills, soft skills, and other competencies so that human workers can remain competitive and relevant amidst a landscape encompassing international competition and AI advancements.
Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether there are cases of cheating among students in schools and Institutes of Higher Learning in relation to the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT; and (b) what measures are put in place to detect plagiarism.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry is studying the trend of the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology among international student bodies to cheat in exams and assignments; (b) whether similar instances have happened locally; (c) how does the Ministry plan to address this issue in Singapore’s education system; and (d) how will the Ministry guide educators to harness the use of AI to enhance learning while ensuring that students do not misuse AI technology for cheating or any other unethical behaviour.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Education what are schools doing to prevent potential abuses of artificial intelligence chatbots such as ChatGPT.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Prime Minister with regard to the stern warnings issued to six former staff of Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited (a) whether the reasons for issuing stern warnings in lieu of prosecution for offences punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1960 can be elaborated upon; and (b) what is the assessed reputation damage to Singapore arising from the case.

*24.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Prime Minister regarding CPIB's decision not to prosecute six former employees of Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited (KOM) due to evidentiary difficulties (a) whether the statement of facts which KOM agreed to as part of a plea agreement with the United States Department of Justice and the admissions made in the United States proceedings by KOM's former legal counsel who is based in Singapore were considered; and (b) if so, why were these considered as insufficient in overcoming the said difficulties.
No.

81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 5 *25.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Prime Minister what specific difficulties were faced by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau in considering whether to prefer charges against the officers of Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited (KOM) over corrupt payments from KOM to Petrobas and Sete Brasil in Brazil from 2001 to 2014, despite KOM’s admissions under both the Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the US Department of Justice and the Brazilian leniency agreement.

*26.
*26.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Prime Minister why the statement of facts contained in the Deferred Prosecution Agreement concluded between Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited with the United States Department of Justice dated 22 December 2017 is not considered sufficient, available, and appropriate evidence of the six former senior management staff’s culpability for them to be charged with corruption in Singapore.

*27.
*27.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Prime Minister what information or evidence can be given to reassure the public that the decision not to prosecute the six former staff of Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited involved in the S$73 million bribe payments case has nothing to do with their connections and that this is not an example of cronyism.

*28.
*28.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Prime Minister whether other agencies apart from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and Attorney-General’s Chambers, have been consulted on the issue of the appropriate action to be taken on former staff of Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited who are involved in bribe payments and, if so, what are those views.

*29.
*29.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Prime Minister based on investigations into the Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited corruption case conducted by CPIB (a) what are the offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1960 (PCA) that were considered for prosecution for the six individuals; and (b) what is the maximum penalty for these offences under the PCA.

*30.
*30.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Prime Minister in deciding against prosecuting the six individuals involved in the Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited corruption case (a) what weightage has been given to the various relevant factors such as the culpability of each individual, the available evidence and what is appropriate in the circumstances; and (b) whether this is consistent with the Government’s political commitment and leadership and a culture of zero tolerance against corruption.

No.
No.

81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 6 *31.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Prime Minister regarding CPIB's investigation of six former employees of Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited (KOM) for the bribery of Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobas) officials (a) whether KOM’s parent company then, any officer of the parent company at the material time or any other entity or person was investigated for facilitating the bribery of Petrobas officials under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1960; (b) if so, what are the findings from the investigations; and (c) what is the conclusion from these investigations.
*32.

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau's investigations into the bribery scheme by Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited (KOM) to obtain contracts from Petrobas and Sete Brasil in Brazil from 2001 to 2014 show that, apart from the six persons issued warnings by the Bureau, there were officials higher up the hierarchy of KOM who were aware of, or were wilfully ignorant of, the bribery scheme before or during its lifespan.

*33.
*33.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Prime Minister since 2000, how many (i) warnings (ii) stern warnings and (iii) prosecutions have been initiated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.

*34.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Prime Minister regarding the recent case where the CPIB issued stern warnings to six former employees of Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited for bribery offences (a) what is the Government’s response to concerns that the penalty is too light, as some offenders have been jailed for much smaller sums of money; and (b) in view of the multinational nature of the alleged transactions, what measures can be taken to improve the deterrence and prosecution of such cross-boundary corruption.
*35.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Prime Minister how will the decision not to prosecute the six individuals who were involved in the Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited corruption case in Brazil likely to affect the reputation of Singapore and Singaporean companies for having a policy of zero tolerance towards corruption.

*36.
*36.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether the decision not to prosecute the six individuals who are involved in the Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited corruption case in Brazil represents a departure from the Government's stated stance of zero tolerance towards corruption; and (b) whether the said decision will have an impact on deterring Singaporeans at home or abroad from committing corrupt acts in a manner that makes prosecution similarly difficult.

No.

81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 7 *37.


Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether zero tolerance on corruption remains to be the Government’s position; and (b) if so, whether the decision to issue stern warnings to the six individuals who were formerly senior management staff of Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited involved in the bribery case undermines that position and signals a lack of political will to stamp out corruption.

*38.
*38.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Prime Minister what is CPIB’s policy in determining the circumstances in which it will investigate foreign bribery cases involving Singapore citizens as provided for in Section 37 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1960.

*39.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Prime Minister in light of the conditional warning in lieu of prosecution against six former senior management staff of Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited over bribe payments, whether the Government will consider amending the Prevention of Corruption Act 1960 to expand the powers of the CPIB to facilitate investigations outside of jurisdiction and the available penalties to include compounding offences with profit disgorgement or restitution for appropriate cases.
*40.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Manpower in view of the recent workplace fatalities involving hoisting operations (a) what are the measures in place to ensure that such operations are carried out safely for the workers involved; and (b) how many safety inspections relating to hoisting works has the Ministry conducted in 2022 and what are the key findings from these inspections.

*41.
*41.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Manpower pertaining to the Heightened Safety Period (HSP) which started in September 2022 for workplaces and is due to expire on 28 February 2023 (a) whether the Ministry intends to extend the HSP; and (b) if not, why not.

*42.
*42.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in view of the recent finding of wrongful arrest by the High Court, whether the Police will consider reviewing its operating procedures to minimise such occurrences in the future.

*43.
*43.

Mr Abdul Samad: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) to date, how many Singaporeans have benefitted from the various support programmes such as the Career Support Programme, Professional Conversion Programme and Capability Transfer Programme respectively; and (b) how much has been spent on the successful take-up rate of each programme relative to their respective budgets.

No.

81 *44.
6 FEBRUARY 2023 8 Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the implications of the collapse of the Sun Cable project on Singapore's green targets and clean energy aspirations; (b) whether the Ministry is exploring the possibility of reviving the project or similar initiatives; and (c) what insights and lessons can be gleaned from the collapse of the Sun Cable project to be applied to future clean energy projects and initiatives to ensure their successful implementation and completion.
*45.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry with the current state of the Sun Cable project (a) what are the implications to Singapore’s ambition to import low carbon electricity; (b) whether Singapore has made actual financial investment into the project; and (c) what considerations are in place to assess the commercial risk and project execution of such future projects.

*46.
*46.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the implications of the collapse of the Sun Cable project on Singapore's renewable energy targets; (b) whether the Ministry has studied the reasons for the collapse; and (c) if so, whether similar risks apply to other regional renewable energy grid projects that Singapore has committed to.

*47.
*47.

Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether anti-mould paint is a standard feature for HDB flat exteriors especially for flats built near humidity sinks, such as rivers, forested areas, reservoirs and sea fronts; (b) what rectifications are available for flats that face premature growth of mould; and (c) whether the Ministry will revise the Singapore Standard SS345 on specification for algae resistant emulsion paint for decorative purposes.

*48.

*49.
*48.

*49.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the deterioration of HDB building facades resulting in recent complaints can be attributed to changes in weather and climate conditions; (b) what are the potential safety risks that the Ministry is monitoring; and (c) how will the Ministry review and adapt construction and maintenance codes and standards to cope with the change of climate in the long term.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what percentage of HDB BTO flats are affected by mould formation before the end of the six-year exterior painting warranty period; (b) how often does the mould recur; (c) whether there are any health risks associated with prolonged exposure to mould; and (d) whether there are any predisposing factors which make certain blocks more susceptible to mould formation and what is being done to counteract them.

No.

81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 9 *50.


Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what are the reasons that some HDB developments are more susceptible to mould; and (b) what preventive treatments does HDB undertake.

*51.
*51.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether there is a need to review the standards of paint work on buildings or infrastructures to prevent the effects of moulding; and (b) whether there is a need to update the maintenance practice for buildings that are near the coastline or along waterways.

*52.
*52.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in light of the recommendations in the Third Report of the Public Accounts Committee (a) has the Ministry begun the audit of the $72.3 billion in COVID-19 spending for financial year 2020 and 2021; (b) if so, when will the findings be released; and (c) whether the Ministry intends to engage the Auditor-General's Office (AGO) to audit this spending as it was not covered in the thematic audit by the AGO.

*53.
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in dealing with alleged offenders with disabilities, especially those with less than full mental capacity (a) what challenges does the Police face in ensuring smooth and fair investigation; (b) what are the selection criteria for the volunteers in the Appropriate Adult Scheme; (c) how are their suitability and competencies assessed; and (d) what proactive communication efforts are made with families, schools and charities associated with these alleged offenders to assure them of the support that will be provided.
*54.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what is the current total number of Chinese clan associations; (b) whether the Government tracks the growth or decline in the number of such clans and their membership; (c) if so, what has been the trajectory over the past 10 years; and (d) what are the Government’s current efforts and plans to support clan associations in preserving the culture and heritage of Chinese Singaporeans.

*55.
*55.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether there are any current plans to promote greater learning and use of dialects by Chinese Singaporeans.

*56.
*56.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what measures will the Ministry propose to close the pay gap between ITE, polytechnic and university graduates over the course of their careers; and (b) how does the Ministry plan to engage with employers to address pay disparities among graduates in the workforce.

No.

81 *57.
No.

81 *57.

6 FEBRUARY 2023 10 Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry will consider collecting data on the pay gap between ITE, polytechnic and university graduates over the course of their careers; and (b) if so, what steps will the Ministry be taking.

*58.
*58.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how does the Ministry support religious organisations in countering radical views, both online and offline; and (b) whether the Ministry reviews possible areas of cooperation with religious organisations regularly to identify and help those at risk of self-radicalisation.

*59.
*59.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the factors considered when determining the availability of obstetrics and gynaecology or paediatric care services in public hospitals; and (b) whether the Ministry has considered implementing more of such services in public hospitals situated in areas with a higher concentration of younger families, such as Sengkang and Punggol.

*60.
*60.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the rule to prevent private property owners from buying HDB resale flats for 15 months after selling their private property has impacted (i) the HDB resale market and (ii) the rental market as private owners will now have to rent a flat to sit-out this 15-month period before they can buy a HDB resale flat.

*61.
*61.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Government can provide an update on (i) the number of private property owners who are given a waiver of the 15-month wait-out period after selling their private property before they can buy a HDB resale flat and (ii) the reasons for providing these private property owners with this waiver.

*62.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry in light of the layoffs in the tech industry recently (a) whether the bursting of the dot- com bubble in the early 2000s presents any lessons to guide our approach towards the tech industry today; (b) what are the new opportunities and challenges in maintaining our position as a tech hub; (c) does the Ministry consider it a cyclical issue; and (d) if so, is there a medium to long term response for the sector’s outlook and demand for resources.
*63.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether there is an increasing trend of borrowing by migrant domestic workers (MDWs) from licensed and unlicensed moneylenders; (b) whether new measures to curb borrowing by MDWs will be considered; and (c) how can the Government work with employers, non-governmental organisations and employment agencies to better educate MDWs, especially new MDWs, on prudent financial management and the risks and implications of borrowing money.

No.
No.

81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 11 *64.

Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) when does LTA intend to begin work on the Silver Zone at Bedok Reservoir Road as originally announced on 5 March 2020; and (b) whether these works can be carried out in conjunction with the construction of the cycling path network at the same stretch of road so as to minimise inconveniences to residents.

*65.
*65.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) under what circumstances will sheltered linkways be approved for construction if they are not close to major transport nodes and key amenities; and (b) whether residential estates that consist largely of elderly profiles be favourably considered for sheltered linkways to be constructed.

*66.
*66.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the considerations for the lifting of all COVID-19 measures including mask wearing on public transport and in healthcare facilities; and (b) when will the Government do so.

*67.
*67.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how often does the Ministry review the sentencing framework for scams-related crimes; and (b) whether heavier penalties under the sentencing framework for scams- related crimes can be considered for a deterrent approach.

*68.
*68.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for National Development whether HDB has considered providing to prospective buyers of resale flats, on request, a history of known repairs effected on the unit, including those effected by town councils through their integrated estate management systems.

*69.
*69.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether he can provide an update on the National Arts Council's (NAC) busking scheme in terms of (i) the number of buskers registered under the scheme over the last three years (ii) the locations where the buskers are currently allowed to perform and (iii) the support measures that are provided to the buskers by the NAC.

*70.
*70.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how many reports has the Committee Against Profiteering received since the Committee was reconvened in March 2022; and (b) how many of these reports are substantiated.

*71.
*71.

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how many cases of unjustified price increase on the pretext of GST increase have been received by the Committee Against Profiteering since July 2022; (b) since March 2022, how many of these cases have been taken to task eventually; and (c) whether the number of cases is expected to rise with the GST increase going live in January 2023.

No.

81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 12 *72.


Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what training is provided to officers involved in the enforcement of the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 2006 and Wildlife Act 1965; and (b) whether they are trained in species identification.

*73.
*73.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development what percentage of shark's fin shipments undergo sampling and DNA analysis to ensure that there are no Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Appendix I species of sharks in the shipment.

*74.
*74.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the Ministry follows any protocol when recurrent spending is expensed as part of development expenditure from designated development funds versus when it is expensed directly as part of ongoing expenditures.

*75.
*75.

Mr Abdul Samad: To ask the Minister for Defence what are the current popular vocation choices indicated amongst full-time national servicemen for their deployment under the preference indication scheme.

*76.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether any review has been done on (i) the prevalence of ageist language in job advertisements and (ii) the impact in any of these advertisements on discouraging older workers from applying.

*77.
*77.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the expected number of tourist arrivals in the next three years; (b) whether the Ministry expects any change in the mix of tourist arrivals; and (c) whether Singapore’s manpower resource is adequate to cope with any increase in tourist arrivals.

*78.
*78.

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for National Development given the aging local population (a) what are the measures taken to ensure that there will be sufficient Community Care Apartments or senior-friendly public flats that are combined with care services; (b) how many of such flats will be completed in 2023 and 2024; and (c) what is the current waiting time for these flats upon successful application by the seniors.

*79.
*79.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) in the past five years, how many cases of illegal vehicle modifications have pertained to (i) motorcycles (ii) passenger cars (iii) light goods vehicles (iv) heavy vehicles and (v) any other vehicles respectively; and (b) of which, how many cases are detected by (i) routine vehicular inspections (ii) enforcement by LTA officers and (iii) any other methods respectively.

No.

81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 13 *80.


Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) in each of the last five years, what is the number of traffic accidents occurring on expressways; (b) how can the number of such traffic accidents be reduced; and (c) in the event of an accident along the expressway, how can the impact on other motorists caused by the traffic jams be minimised.

*81.
*81.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the process for applying for an increase in occupancy cap for HDB flats can be streamlined for situations where a tenant occupying a room by himself or herself would like to bring in a related tenant, for example, due to marriage.

*82.
*82.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether there are plans to work with religious organisations to adopt greater use of technologies in the monitoring and surveillance of their premises.

*83.
*83.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Education (a) how many (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools are supported only by roving student welfare officers (SWO); and (b) in each of the past five years, what is the total number of primary and secondary school students supported by the roving SWOs.

*84.
Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the total number of Sigma brand lifts installed in our public housing estates; (b) how has Sigma performed in lift maintenance and service follow-ups since the tender restriction imposed on Sigma was lifted in 2020; and (c) for Sigma lifts that were installed in public housing estates and which keep breaking down despite obligatory maintenance, how will the Ministry take the company to task and will the Ministry consider increasing the budget to replace these lifts earlier.
*85.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how many motorcycles have been (i) purchased and (ii) rented by Malaysian work pass holders over the past five years; and (b) whether there has been a change in trend in this segment of the motorcycle demand.

* Members may postpone their Questions to a later sitting day if their Questions are not reached by the end of Question Time (QT).
For such Questions, Members may email to parl_cop@parl.gov.sg in advance a postponement notice that will be effected after QT.

Members must submit their notices to the Clerk within one hour after the end of QT (SO 22(3)).

Questions will be given a written answer if no such notices are received by the Clerk within the stipulated time.

No.

81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 14 AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLIC BUSINESS Introduction of Government Bills 1.

Prime Minister: Presidential Elections (Amendment) Bill.

2.
2.

Prime Minister: Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill.

3.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment: Resource Sustainability (Amendment) Bill.

4.

Minister for Health: COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Amendment) Bill.

5.

Minister for Health: Healthcare Services (Amendment) Bill.

_______________________ Business Motion 1.


Leader of the House: SIMULTANEOUS DEBATE ON MOTIONS: That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, the Motions on “Affordable and Accessible Public Housing” and “Public Housing Policies” be taken together, and the debate on these Motions and on any amendment proposed thereto be proceeded with simultaneously as though the debate were on a single Motion.

2 4 ORDER OF THE DAY AND NOTICE OF MOTIONS (That marked • is Order of the Day) •1.
Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

1/2023] – (Minister for Sustainability and the Environment) – Second Reading.

No.

81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 15 2.

Minister for National Development: AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC HOUSING: That this House affirms the importance of keeping public housing affordable and accessible while protecting the interests of current and future generations of Singaporeans, and endorses the commitment of the Government to these twin goals.

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Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member) Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): PUBLIC HOUSING POLICIES: That this House calls upon the Government to review its public housing policies in order to deliver affordable and accessible HDB flats to all Singaporeans, strengthen the owner-occupation intent of public housing, protect retirement adequacy and keep public housing inclusive for every Singaporean of each generation.
2 4 MEMORANDUM Matter proposed to be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment (SO 2(8)(b)).

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah) : Strengthening Mental Wellness at the Workplace.

QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER 1.

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Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Prime Minister in each of the last five years (a) whether the Government has records of how many Singapore companies have been (i) investigated and (ii) found guilty of offences under foreign legislation such as the United Kingdom’s Bribery Act or other equivalents; and (b) if so, what is the breakdown for such figures.
Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Prime Minister whether the decision by CPIB to issue stern warnings to the former staff of Keppel Offshore and Marine Limited involved in bribe payments instead of prosecuting them was a unanimous one and whether there were dissenting views within CPIB; and (b) if so, what are those views.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Prime Minister whether examples of other similar cases of corruption where only warnings were issued can be provided for comparison.

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Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Prime Minister (a) what are the criteria used to determine whether a programme is regarded as an “optional enrichment programme” for the purposes of Child Development Account usage; and (b) whether after-school care programmes, especially those based within schools that have a substantial extended educational component, may be reconsidered as a form of approved expense.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs what additional measures beyond travel advisories are available to help Singaporeans equip themselves with life saving techniques and tips during their overseas trips.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in each of the past five years (a) what percentage of sexual assault cases have involved minors under the age of 16; (b) how many cases of sexual assault involving minors under the age of 16 are reported to the Police; (c) how many cases of sexual assault involving minors are committed by family members or relatives; and (d) how have these victims of sexual assault been supported.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in relation to complex and high dollar value white-collar crime cases investigated by the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) in the past five years (a) what is the average number of digital files that had to be reviewed for each case for the purpose of investigation; and (b) what investments in technology have been made to provide CAD officers with better tools to sort out digital material in accordance with relevancy, sensitivity and disclosure obligations under the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 and common law.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in relation to the 18,700 cases of white-collar crime that the Police investigated involving a total subject matter value of about $4.49 billion from 2017 to 2021 (a) what is the cumulative dollar value of assets that the Police have recovered; and (b) how much of this amount has been returned to the victims of such crimes.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in light of the reported delay of 18 minutes in accessing the fire incident site at Henderson Road on 8 December 2022 due to the blockage caused by a funeral wake tentage, whether the SCDF will be sharing with all funeral companies and Town Councils relevant details of the blockage and all lessons therefrom so that all stakeholders will benefit from the lessons learned and avoid the risk of recurrence.

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Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in light of recently reported incidents of unknown substances scattered or splashed on certain religious institutions, what are the measures in place to help safeguard the security and increase the awareness and preparedness of congregants and staff of our religious institutions, particularly in response to scenarios concerning chemical or potentially hazardous substances.

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Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Committee Against Profiteering has received cases of businesses using the Goods and Services Tax (GST) increase as a pretext for any increase in prices beyond the GST rate change; and (b) if so, what measures have been taken.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Transport what measures are in place to (i) ensure that all public transport operators provide adequate training to familiarise their staff and drivers with the rules and regulations to accommodate passengers with different types of disabilities and (ii) ensure that call centres and helplines are adequately staffed.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider providing public transport services past midnight on regular occasions, such as MRT and bus services on weekends so as to benefit late shift food and beverage (F&B) workers and enterprises, the F&B sector and night economy, as is being pursued in some other global cities.
Mr Abdul Samad: To ask the Minister for Transport what is the current number of Malaysian registered motorcycles that have been approved by LTA for riding in Singapore.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what are the likely reasons for the continuing increase in the number of armed robbery cases onboard commercial vessels in the Singapore Strait in 2022; and (b) whether any new measures have been taken by the Government on its part or in conjunction with neighbouring countries in the past year to stem the increase of such cases or to minimise their occurrence.
Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Transport regarding the prioritisation of pedestrian overhead bridges (POBs) for the installation of passenger lifts (a) whether the Land Transport Authority (LTA) should consider the demographic profile of the population in the vicinity, including the density of senior citizens and presence of senior citizen housing as relevant; and (b) whether LTA can prioritise the inclusion of the remaining non-lift POBs along Hougang Avenue 3 into its lift installation programme.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the current number of lorries approved to ferry passengers; and (b) in which years will the Certificate of Entitlement of these lorries expire within the next 10 years.

Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Education whether Principles of Accounts can be made a compulsory subject for all upper secondary students so as to improve Singaporeans’ financial literacy going forward.

No.

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Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Education among the officers who have left the Education Service in the last five years, what is the number of E, D, C-, C, C+, B and A grades last received by these officers, respectively.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Education with the advent of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence technologies readily available to students of all levels, what safeguards will schools and educators put in place to ensure the integrity of online exams and assignments.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether there is any update on the Community Guardian app piloted in June 2020 and supported by IMDA for the reporting of domestic violence cases and dispatching of social worker assistance; and (b) whether the app will be integrated with the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline and other similar resources.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development what considerations does the Ministry apply for the Early Childhood Development Agency to recognise educational qualifications obtained from foreign institutions, without the need to do a conversion course or take the Early Childhood Education diploma course.
Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development since the launch of the Office of the Public Guardian Online (a) what has been the uptake in applications for Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA); and (b) what proportion of LPA applications are made online.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Health what measures have been put in place by the Government to curb the rise in illegal vaping in Singapore.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Health in respect of the work of the cross-cluster Staff Well-being Committee relating to nurses (a) how is the Ministry monitoring the effectiveness of initiatives introduced, such as the system changes implemented by Chief Wellness Officers, counselling services, peer-support networks and staff support assistance plans; (b) what feedback has been provided to the Ministry on policy changes to improve the well-being of nurses; and (c) what steps has the Ministry taken on the policy feedback provided.
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) why the number of HDB flats completed in 2019 was 12,114 which is a lower number as compared to 17,556 HDB flats completed in 2018; (b) why the expected number of HDB flats completed in 2023 is flat compared to 2022: and (c) what is preventing HDB from increasing the number of completed HDB flats in 2023.

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Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB has entered into any agreement for the sale of HDB BTO or balance flats where a third party was liable to make the HDB loan repayments; and (b) if so, under what circumstances.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry plans to review the current occupancy limit of six foreign workers for all non-purpose-built accommodation that are not foreign worker dormitories, with the possibility of increasing the cap for housing based on the floor area of the accommodation.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for National Development in each of the past 10 years (a) what is the number of tenants who are (i) Singaporeans (ii) Permanent Residents and (iii) foreign passholders, renting from HDB flat owners; and (b) what is the number of tenants renting from HDB flat owners as broken down by age group.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) from 2010 to 2022, how much has the Ministry collected from the resale levy each year for HDB flats sold from or after 3 March 2006, divided into each subsidised housing type respectively; and (b) what is the forgone resale levy through waivers or reductions for each year and housing type respectively.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) from 2010 to 2022, how much has the Ministry collected from the resale levy each year for HDB flats sold before 3 March 2006, divided into each subsidised housing type respectively; and (b) what is the forgone resale levy through waivers and reductions for each year and housing type respectively.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information what safeguards exist to protect consumers when a virtual telco unilaterally terminates provision of mobile service in contravention of licence conditions.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the Government has independently audited the financial statements and other data provided by Singapore Press Holdings Limited as part of its due diligence process before making the decision to grant it public funding; and (b) if not, why not.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) which are the newspaper titles for which circulation numbers are inflated; (b) whether an external forensic audit will be held to determine if the circulation numbers are inflated beyond the review period of September 2020 to March 2022; and (c) if so, which other periods will be reviewed.

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6 FEBRUARY 2023 20 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) in the last five years, how many library books have been removed from public borrowing by the National Library Board (NLB); (b) what are the reasons for such removal and whether other measures such as labels for age appropriateness or advisory can be considered; and (c) what are the typical processes and relevant factors considered by NLB before deciding to remove such titles or publications from its repository.
Mr Sitoh Yih Pin: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether there are any updates pertaining to the Singapore Sports Hub takeover by the Government in December 2022; and (b) what are the plans for the Singapore Sports Hub following the takeover.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Manpower how does the Ministry ensure that employers have a proper protocol to follow when workplace accidents happen so that victims receive immediate care and family members are updated.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether he can provide a breakdown of the causes behind the high number of workplace fatalities in 2022.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry has a policy of allowing caregivers of elderly with severe dementia to hire more than one foreign domestic worker.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Manpower what additional measures are in place to ensure that employers maintain good safety protocols so as to prevent worksite accidents.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether he can provide an update on safety procedures for companies in higher-risk sectors such as construction.
Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Manpower what factors are considered by the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board in deciding whether to permit an appeal by a CPF member above 55 years old to make a partial withdrawal from his or her CPF Retirement Account to purchase a 2-room HDB Flexi flat on short lease.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Manpower since 2017 annually (a) how many healthcare workers received compensation under the Work Injury Compensation Act for injuries arising in the course of duty; and (b) what were the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile compensation amounts.

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81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 21 44.

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Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for Manpower in view of the high inflation rate that is expected to be prolonged, whether the current CPF Basic Retirement Sum will be adequate for retirement.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the current demand for additional dormitory accommodations for migrant workers; (b) what specific actions is the Ministry taking to increase the availability of dormitory beds; and (c) how is the Ministry engaging with the construction sector to understand and address post-COVID-19 challenges in implementing productivity measures to reduce the demand for dormitory accommodations by reducing reliance on manpower.
2022 S. L. 774 PAPERS PRESENTED Date Presented Air Navigation (101 – Unmanned Aircraft Operations) (Amendment No.

2) Regulations 2022 ..... 11 January 2023 S. L. 775 Air Navigation (91 – General Operating Rules) (Amendment No.
2) Regulations 2022 ..... 11 January 2023 S. L. 776 Air Navigation (Carbon Emissions and Reporting) Regulations 2022 ..... 11 January 2023 S. L. 777 Air Navigation (92 – Carriage of Dangerous Goods) Regulations 2022 ..... 11 January 2023 S. L. 778 Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods – Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2022 ..... 11 January 2023 S. L. 779 Environmental Public Health (General Cleaning (Amendment) Regulations 2022 Industry) ..... 13 January 2023 S. L. 780 Income Tax (Filing of Estimates of Chargeable Income) (Amendment) Rules 2023 ..... 13 January 2023 S. L. 781 Legal (Amendment) Rules 2023 Profession (Admission) ..... 17 January 2023 No.
81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 22 2023 S. L. 782 PAPERS PRESENTED - continued Date Presented Legal Profession (Foreign Practitioner Examinations) (Amendment) Rules 2023 ..... 17 January 2023 Parl.

16 Third Report of the Public Accounts Committee ..... 18 January 2023 Pres.

Co. 78 Pres.

Co. 79 Pres.

Co. 80 Pres.
Co. 81 Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Insolvency, Restructuring Dissolution and (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 37/2022] Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the SkillsFuture Singapore Agency (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 38/2022] Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights Skills Development Levy (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 39/2022] the on ..... 18 January 2023 ..... 18 January 2023 ..... 18 January 2023 Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Housing and Development (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 33/2022(Amended)] ..... 18 January 2023 S. L. 783 Singapore Armed Forces (Pensions) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 ..... 18 January 2023 S. L. 784 Singapore Armed Forces (Saver Plan) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 ..... 18 January 2023 S. L. 785 Singapore Armed Forces (Premium Plan) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 ..... 18 January 2023 S. L. 786 Singapore Armed Forces (Military Domain Experts Service) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 ..... 18 January 2023 S. L. 787 Charities (Accounts and Annual Report) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 ..... 19 January 2023 S. L. 788 Charities (Fund-raising Appeals for Local and Foreign Charitable Purposes) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 ..... 19 January 2023 No.
81 6 FEBRUARY 2023 23 PAPERS PRESENTED - continued 2023 Date Presented S. L. 789 Charities (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2023 ..... 19 January 2023 S. L. 790 Charities (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.

2) Regulations 2023 ..... 19 January 2023 S. L. 791 S. L. 792 S. L. 793 S. L. 794 Central Provident Fund (Self-Employed (Amendment) Regulations Persons) 2022 Central Provident Fund (Public Sector 2) Employees) Regulations 2022 (Amendment No.
Central Provident Fund (Revised Workfare Income Supplement Scheme) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 Provident Central (New Retirement Sum Scheme) (Amendment No.

4) Regulations 2022 Fund ..... 20 January 2023 ..... 20 January 2023 ..... 20 January 2023 ..... 20 January 2023 S. L. 795 Air Navigation (139 – Aerodromes) Regulations 2023 ..... 26 January 2023 S. L. 796 Air Navigation (91 – General Operating Rules) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 ..... 26 January 2023