Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698839253972.pdf (Singapore)
THIRTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE FIRST SESSION ORDER PAPER MONDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2018 No.

58 11.00 am 1 QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* *1.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development what is the Ministry's position on the dating platform TheSugarBook which targets young females and whether the Ministry will be taking steps to address the possible harm and exploitation that such young females could be subjected to.

*2.
*2.

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development what measures are in place to protect teenagers and young persons from online platforms such as TheSugarBook that aim to capitalise on their emotional or financial vulnerabilities and exploit them sexually.

*3.
*3.

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development whether online platforms such as TheSugarBook are legal in Singapore and what actions will be taken to ensure vice activities do not proliferate through such a channel.

*4.
*4.

Ms Rahayu Mahzam: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) in the past five years, what is number of maintenance applications submitted to the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents; (b) whether there has been any significant increase or decrease in the number of applications made over the years; and (c) what percentage of the applications are resolved by mediation.

*5.
*5.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether the flood prevention systems will be able to prevent flash floods similar to those that occurred on 8 January 2018 after the completion of the drainage upgrades in 2019; (b) what are the guiding principles used to determine the drainage capacity needed in an area; and (c) whether these include balancing the potential collateral damage versus the investment cost.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 2 *6.
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources with regard to the flash flood on 8 January 2018 at Bedok North Avenue 4 (a) whether the ongoing enhancement drainage works at Bedok Canal was one of the reasons that limits the water capacity that can be stored or discharged through the canal during heavy downpours and high tides; (b) if so, what are the interim measures to prevent potential flash floods at this area until enhancement works are completed in 2019; and (c) what measures are in place to ensure the public living and working near any canals are alerted before possible water overflow occurs.
*7.

Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what current mechanisms are in place to notify motorists of impending flash floods in order to redirect traffic from affected areas; and (b) whether such mechanisms are can be further enhanced to achieve broader and more effective notifications.

*8.
*8.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what caused the heavy flooding at the nine locations in the eastern part of Singapore on 8 January 2018; (b) whether each location has a history of flooding; (c) whether existing drainage works is a cause; (d) what measures have been taken to assist members of the public who were affected by the flooding; and (e) what measures will be taken to prevent similar flooding.

*9.
*9.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources how does PUB ensure that existing drains and canals are kept free of debris that have potential to create constrictions or bottlenecks, so as to alleviate flooding.

*10.
*10.

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: To ask the Minister for Transport whether there are plans to make it a requirement for bicycle-sharing companies to collectively invest in and construct bicycle docking stations, particularly around housing estates, to mitigate the current problem of having their shared bicycles strewn around untidily or causing obstruction.

*11.
*11.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Transport whether enforcement action will be taken against hirers of rental bicycles who dump the bicycles in an indiscriminate manner.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 3 *12.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the geo- fencing and incentive/disincentive elements in the bike-sharing operators' mobile applications have addressed the indiscriminate parking of bicycles; (b) what more can be done to compel the operators to make more investments to unilaterally clear indiscriminately parked bicycles expeditiously; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider subsidising agencies such as Town Councils and commercial establishments to remove or report such bicycles.
*13.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what has been the take-up rate for the Off-peak Monthly Travel Pass for persons with disabilities and senior citizens; (b) why was it discontinued without prior notice; and (c) whether there are plans to provide cheaper off-peak or weekend travel options to encourage senior citizens to stay active.

*14.
*14.

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the reason for scrapping the $40 monthly unlimited off-peak travel pass for senior citizens; (b) how many seniors are affected by the scrapping of the pass; and (c) what percentage of seniors have switched to buying the $60 Senior Citizen Monthly Concession Pass.

*15.
*15.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Education (Schools) (a) what is the current capacity and take-up rate of after-school student care centres; (b) how does the Ministry continuously ensure that student care remains affordable; and (c) whether there are plans to set minimum operating standards for after-school care.

*16.
*16.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Education (Schools) (a) whether the Ministry monitors the number of student activities in schools that involve co-payment by students; and (b) of such activities, what proportion is (i) compulsory (ii) on an opt-out basis and (iii) on an opt-in basis but with 50% or more of eligible students participating.

*17.
*17.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs with regard to the recent theft of large quantities of fuel from Pulau Bukom (a) whether the petrochemical companies' security and governance processes require tightening, especially in sensitive areas such as Pulau Bukom and Jurong Island; and (b) how is the Ministry working with the petrochemical companies to ensure that hazardous and flammable materials do not fall into the wrong hands.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 4 *18.


Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the police will favourably consider an application to collect signatures for the purposes of a parliamentary petition on any given matter in a public place; and (b) how and at which public venues other than Speakers' Corner can citizens legally make arrangements to sign a parliamentary petition as the parliamentary Standing Orders require a physical signature.

*19.
*19.

Ms K Thanaletchimi: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether all the public healthcare institutions have adopted skills, experience and competency-based remuneration rather than one based primarily on academic qualification; and (b) whether there is a willingness by these institutions to have a timeline to break away from the existing glass ceiling, with human resource policies driven by skills recognition especially for new recruits instead of academic qualifications alone.

*20.
*20.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health with the introduction of the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) (a) how will the Ministry safeguard the confidentiality of the records as data leaks can affect a patient's employability and career prospects; (b) what security measures will be put in place to ensure that not every employee in a clinic has access to the records; and (c) what measures are put in place to prevent data breaches.

*21.
*21.

Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how is retirement adequacy determined and what are the cost indicators that are used to determine it; (b) how many Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) recipients who are above 55 years old are assessed to have retirement adequacy; and (c) whether the WIS has helped low-wage workers to have retirement adequacy.

*22.
*22.

Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) as of December 2017, what is the number of residents placed under the Silver Support Scheme (SSS); and (b) what is the number of SSS recipients who are also receiving financial aid from the Social Service Offices.

*23.
*23.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for National Development in light of the recent cases of falling trees (a) whether NParks will consider increasing the frequency of tree inspections, particularly in high density population areas; and (b) what action does NParks recommend pedestrians and motorists take when they become victims of fallen trees.

*24.
*24.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for National Development what are the causes of the recent sharp rises in the popping and cracking of floor tiles at some HDB flats and how does HDB assist residents faced with such situations.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 5 *25.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development what are the avenues available for owners of landed properties to gain access to construct or treat any adjoining party walls.

*26.
*26.

Mr Ang Hin Kee: To ask the Minister for National Development beyond verbal persuasion, what are the interventions available to the Ministry and channels accessible to members of public to turn to in instances where owners of landed properties find difficulties to seek cooperation of their neighbours to conduct works involving any adjoining party walls or fence.

*27.
*27.

Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) (a) what is the progress of the Economic Strategies Committee's target set in 2010 to double the number of local enterprises with revenue of over S$100 million to 1,000 enterprises by 2020; and (b) whether this target needs to be reviewed or new indicators be formulated to determine the growth and success of our local enterprises.

*28.
*28.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) (a) how will the substantial emissions from the new coal gasification plant on Jurong Island align with our climate change commitments and our declaration of Year of Climate Action; and (b) how does the Government decide on business opportunities versus environmental concerns and international commitments.

*29.
*29.

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) whether the Government agrees with the recent criticisms of the Industry Transformation Maps expressed at a pre-Budget roundtable organised by the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants on 9 January 2018 and how the Government is responding to these criticisms.

*30.
*30.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Government is actively considering measures to regulate computer or mobile games that may promote elements of gambling.

*31.
*31.

Mr Ganesh Rajaram: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether he can provide an update on the securing of broadcast rights for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics; (b) whether the rights have been secured and, if not, why, given that the event is just over two years away; and (c) whether there is a danger of Singaporeans missing out on watching the Games.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 6 *32.


Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether there is a widening class divide amongst the population and, if so, what plans does the Ministry have to bridge such gaps.

*33.
*33.

Ms K Thanaletchimi: To ask the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) whether the Ministry will consider introducing joint industry- driven cluster training centres within the vicinity of various industrial estates to add convenience for workers and employers and encourage more employers to send their workers for bite-sized training.

*34.
*34.

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: To ask the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) how successful has the SkillsFuture initiative helped (i) recent university graduates in securing employment that they have stayed in for at least one year (ii) older university graduates aged at least 35 years old in 2017 and who had left their jobs or been retrenched to secure employment thereafter, in the same industry they were in and in a different industry respectively.

*35.
*35.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Finance (a) in 2017, how many Singaporeans and foreigners contributed to the Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) respectively; (b) what is the profile and income bracket of those contributing to the SRS; and (c) whether the Ministry has any plans to review the tax-relief provision under the SRS.

*36.
*36.

Ms Sun Xueling: To ask the Minister for Finance whether the Ministry will consider issuing Government bonds or project level bonds to finance mega infrastructure projects like Changi Airport Terminal 5 and Tuas Mega Port.

*37.

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Health whether local online marketplace or auction platforms are allowed to sell drugs such as antibiotics that require a doctor's prescription and, if disallowed, what is the Government doing to enforce the law.

*38.
*38.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs how many prosecutions, convictions and investigations have been carried out under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act and under which categories of trafficking are these carried out.

*39.

Mr Ganesh Rajaram: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether he can provide an update on the arrests and subsequent investigation into the possible misuse of funds at National Football League club Tiong Bahru Football Club.

No.
No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 7 *40.


Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Law whether the CPIB will conduct a thorough investigation of the business affairs of Keppel Offshore and Marine Ltd (KOM) to ascertain whether, besides the arrangements KOM had entered into with Zwi Skornicki for the provision of bribes to secure contracts in Brazil, KOM had also, during the same period, entered into any arrangements with any company or agent to provide bribes to secure its other contracts elsewhere in the world.
*41.

Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for Manpower what is the reason for the Employment Act not mandating that medication costs for outpatient treatment be borne by employers.

*42.
*42.

Ms K Thanaletchimi: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how many reports of workplace abuse and harassment have been respectively reported to the Ministry in the past five years; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider making it mandatory for employers to report all incidents pertaining to workplace abuse and harassment and incorporating this obligation into the Workplace Safety and Health Act.

*43.
*43.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry will consider putting a minimum number of years before a development project can qualify for an en bloc collective sale; (b) how many developments that are less than 30 years old have undergone en bloc sales in the past three years; and (c) whether the Ministry considers this to be a waste of resources.

*44.
*44.

Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for National Development regarding the roof structures on sheltered walkways outside buildings, whether the Ministry will consider re-designing these structures to mitigate the waterfall effect created on both sides during heavy rain and strong winds.

*45.
*45.

Ms Rahayu Mahzam: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how is the assessment made to determine which education, healthcare or service provider is included in the list of approved institutions for the use of the Child Development Account (CDA); and (b) whether there are any plans to expand the categories of usage and/or the list of approved institutions.

*46.
*46.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development whether his Ministry will designate a lead agency to manage complex cases of children with special needs from dysfunctional families who present serious behavioural issues impacting on them, their family members and their neighbourhood.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 8 *47.


Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the current number of active individuals in the Community Volunteer Programme; (b) what is the support given to them should they be verbally or physically abused by members of the public while carrying out their duties; and (c) whether NEA can equip these volunteers with body cameras to record their interactions with the public.

*48.
*48.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) for each year over the past five years, how many instances have occurred of MRT or LRT trains (i) undergoing irregular and sudden acceleration and (ii) train doors closing without warning; and (b) whether there is any mechanism for collating data on such incidents if they are not reported by commuters.

*49.
*49.

Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the current percentage of bus stops with cantilever shelters; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider constructing more of such bus stops to protect passengers boarding and alighting from the buses during raining periods.

*50.
*50.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Prime Minister with the advent and drive towards the use of artificial intelligence and autonomous machines, whether new laws and regulations will be promulgated or existing ones reviewed to ensure we address the issues of ethics, morality, provision of kill switches as well as liability.

*51.
*51.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Prime Minister what policy principles and legal frameworks are being developed to update Singapore's governance and laws to address the issues arising from autonomous algorithms and devices.

*52.
*52.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information since the introduction of the Personal Data Protection Act (a) how many complaints have been received against illegal moneylenders who make unsolicited telephone calls, or send unsolicited fax, SMS messages and e- mails; and (b) what is the procedure to lodge complaints against these unsolicited communications.

*53.
*53.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information what measures are being taken to ensure Singapore is well-positioned to be a global centre for data housing and the provision of value-add services for data.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 9 *54.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) (a) what is the current percentage of full-time ITE students being able to secure internships and part-time jobs to add value to their training throughout their course; (b) how does ITE's Career Services Centre help place ITE students in internships; (c) what measures are in place to expand internship opportunities for ITE students; and (d) how many ITE graduates eventually work in the industries that they have been trained for.
*55.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Education (Schools) whether there are any Ministry rules, directives or operating principles that prohibit primary or secondary schools from inviting Members of Parliament (MPs) from any party, or Nominated MPs, as speakers at events.

*56.
*56.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how is the trend among foreign students applying for permanent residency in the last 10 years; (b) what is the percentage of success; and (c) how many stayed on and continued to work in Singapore and subsequently take on citizenship.

*57.
*57.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will (i) conduct a review of the sufficiency of the Fire Code and effectiveness of fire safety measures following the HDB fire in Toa Payoh on 10 January 2018 and (ii) consider including in the Fire Code additional requirements such as the installation of central fire alarm systems and the provision of fire extinguishers at every HDB block.

*58.
*58.

Mr Yee Chia Hsing: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry considers the cost of implementing various workplace safety practices when introducing them and whether there is a reasonable cost threshold beyond which the proposed practice is deemed too costly or impracticable.

*59.
*59.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Tailgating Detection System (TDS) will be able to detect motorcycles where the motorcyclists ride on the pavement to avoid paying parking charges; and (b) whether the video recording function of the system can be enhanced to ensure the safety of pedestrians, including strollers and those on wheelchairs, who encounter such motorcyclists.

*60.
*60.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development how does HDB determine what qualifies as over-crowding in HDB flats and whether Minimum Space Standards, or similar objective criteria, can be published to improve transparency.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 10 *61.


Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the number of Singaporeans who have been subject to Casino Exclusion Orders over the past five years; (b) whether programmes in place to guard against problem gambling are adequate; and (c) whether the Ministry intends to increase the casino entry levy of $100 for Singaporeans.

*62.
*62.

Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider requiring all buses to be fitted with steps that are lower or can be lowered so that the distance between the last step and the bus stop curb can be closer for the safety of alighting commuters.

*63.
*63.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether there are any plans to manage the large number of heavy vehicles travelling along Fort Road; and (b) what are the measures to improve safety for other road users on this road.

*64.
*64.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Prime Minister (a) what are the key projects that are being carried out to cut inefficiency across Ministries; and (b) whether the Smart Nation office has a timeframe for getting inter-agency work to be reduced in time and effort by using technology.

*65.
*65.

Mr Yee Chia Hsing: To ask the Minister for Education (Schools) whether the Ministry can consider having a different fee scale for non-citizen students whose parents are also non-citizens vis-á-vis non-citizen students where at least one parent is a Singapore citizen.

*66.
*66.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Education (Schools) (a) from 2010 to 2016, how many students have been diagnosed with dyslexia before formal schooling age; (b) what percentage of these students continue to be educated in mainstream schools; and (c) what are the factors taken into consideration when deciding whether to exempt students with dyslexia from taking a second language as a subject.

*67.
*67.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs since the formation of the Home Team Career Transition Office (a) what is the percentage of retired officers who are assisted in finding new employment; (b) how has the Ministry developed new ways to prepare retiring officers for new careers; and (c) whether the Ministry is working with the Public Service Division to redeploy such officers within the Civil Service.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 11 *68.
Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry monitors the number of abandoned dogs each year; (b) whether historically, the abandonment rates are higher in the Lunar Year of the Dog and the subsequent year; (c) whether there are plans to work with animal welfare groups to reinforce the message of responsible adoption and pet ownership in view of the upcoming Lunar Year of the Dog; and (d) whether there are plans to work with these groups to deal with any hikes in abandonment numbers to ensure the welfare of the dogs, public health and safety.
*69.

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Government has studied different retirement village models; (b) whether any of these are suitable for the ageing cohorts in the next decade; and (c) how land development and zoning regulations can be adjusted to promote the building of retirement villages.

*70.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what are the current educational programmes on the safe and considerate use of bicycles, electric bicycles and powered mobility devices (PMDs) available in all pre- schools, schools, tertiary, and other educational institutions; (b) whether such programmes are compulsory in all schools and institutions; and (c) whether the Government intends to expand the coverage of such programmes to help create a safe and considerate culture for the use of these devices.
*71.

Mr Ang Hin Kee: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the LTA has regulatory powers to enforce that third party booking apps such as Grab and Uber are required to share timely information such as safety and condition of their vehicles fleet; (b) how are personal particulars of commuters and drivers protected; and (c) what are the preventive measures to ensure that the safety and data of both commuters and drivers are not compromised.

*72.
*72.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Education (Schools) (a) how has the promotion of dialects helped improve the learning of Mandarin among students so far; and (b) whether the Ministry has done any study to monitor improvements in grades for students taking Mandarin.

*73.
*73.

Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many cases of spalling concrete happening after the defects liability period has the HDB received for flats that have undergone the Home Improvement Programme (HIP); and (b) whether the HDB will consider additional support or subsidies for flat owners in such cases as flats age and the integrity of structural materials such as ceiling reinforcement bars deteriorate.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 12 *74.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB will review the Lift Upgrading Programme for units that do not have lifts serving them, particularly for (i) those that are technically feasible but are not eligible due to the funding cap (ii) flats approaching 28 years and existing lifts need to be replaced; (b) how many and what proportion of the total ineligible households are these categories; and (c) how many affected households has the HDB helped to move out of their homes owing to mobility issues in the past five years and what proportion of affected households does this represent.
*75.

Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for National Development what is the number and percentage of flats that are built up to 1986 and eligible for Home Improvement Programme (HIP) but have not been approved for the programme yet; and (b) what is the timeline set to complete HIP for this batch of flats.

*76.
*76.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Prime Minister in light that cryptocurrency trading via exchanges is banned in China and soon to be banned in South Korea (a) what is Singapore's stand on the possibility of a similar ban here; and (b) how is the Ministry dealing with the possibility of the use of cryptocurrency to escape taxation and other money laundering activities.

*77.
*77.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Prime Minister whether any action is being considered to ban the trading of bitcoin currency or cryptocurrency and what measures will be taken to protect consumers against making losses from investing in unregulated currency.

*78.
*78.

Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether plans are in the pipeline to further educate investors on the risks of investing in cryptocurrency; (b) whether assessments are done on how a collapse of the cryptocurrency market can affect Singapore; (c) what measures does the Ministry have to deal with any such collapse; and (d) whether there are plans to reconsider the setup of a regulatory framework.

*79.
*79.

Ms Sun Xueling: To ask the Prime Minister (a) what are the manpower gaps in quantum computing, big data and artificial intelligence; (b) whether upskilling of professionals in the local financial sector will be sufficient to provide the talent needed for these fields; and (c) whether there are plans to bring in foreign skilled professionals to complement our local professionals.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 13 *80.


Asst Prof Mahdev Mohan: To ask the Prime Minister in light of reports that Singapore banks have provided loans to multiple coal power projects totalling more than US$2 billion over the last five years (a) whether these investments have any impact on the Government's proposed measures to reduce carbon emissions including that of a carbon tax; and (b) whether the banks will be required or encouraged to make public pledges to restrict lending to such projects.
* Members may postpone their Questions to a later sitting day if their Questions are not reached by the end of Question Time.

The postponement forms are available at the Chamber entrances.

Members must submit their notices to the Clerk within one hour after the end of Question Time.

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

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT 1.

Minister for Home Affairs: Criminal Reference on City Harvest Church Matter.
ORDERS OF THE DAY Economic Expansion Incentives (Relief from Income Tax) (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

1/2018] – (Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade)) – Second Reading.

Cybersecurity Bill [Bill No.

2/2018] – (Minister for Communications and Information) – Second Reading.

Enterprise Singapore Board Bill [Bill No.

3/2018] – (Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry)) – Second Reading.

Public Utilities (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.


4/2018] – (Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) – Second Reading.

Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

5/2018] – (Minister for Home Affairs) – Second Reading.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 14 MEMORANDUM Matter proposed to be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment (SO 2(8)(b)).

Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok) : Power Imbalance in Contracts Involving Small Businesses.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.


QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Prime Minister whether an inter-Ministerial committee can be set up to look into better integration of all social classes in Singapore.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether the income gap between different income groups has widened in the past 10 years; and (b) whether there are any plans by Government to continue to ensure the income gap between different income groups will not cause social divide and ensure social harmony and social mobility for Singaporeans.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Government can review and allow the use of Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) monies for the purchase of Singapore Savings Bonds.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Prime Minister (a) what are the measures in place to ensure all cashless transactions originating in Singapore are encrypted and secure; and (b) what are the contingency plans in place in the event of network breakdowns and power failures.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether the No Wrong Door (NWD) policy introduced in 2004 and the First Responder Protocol (FRP) introduced in 2012 are practised by every Government agency; and (b) how do these two policies ensure public service officers are empowered to fully resolve the public's issues instead of finding the quickest solution to pass the issue on to another agency.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry keeps track of e-scooter owners and whether it will consider banning them from owning e-scooters when they continue to flout regulations after repeated warnings and fines.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 15 7.

8.

9.

10.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Transport when will the major road-widening works along Clementi Road between Jalan Anak Bukit and the Ayer Rajah Expressway be completed.
Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the current number of private hire cars on the road; (b) whether there will be further regulatory requirements for private hire cars and drivers; and (c) if so, what will these requirements be and the timeframe for implementation.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how were the passengers who were onboard the trains involved in the Joo Koon MRT- train collision compensated for their injuries, medical expenses and other loss and damages suffered; and (b) which party is responsible for footing these expenses and damages.
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how many incidents of sexual harassment on public transport have been reported each year in the last five years; and (b) whether the public transport operators are required to implement a public safety policy with strategies to keep public transport free of sexual harassment.

11.
11.

Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how many workers earning below $2,000 in monthly gross salary have received Annual Wage Supplements (AWS) in the last three years; and (b) what efforts are being made to encourage employers to give AWS to their workers.

12.
12.

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower over the past one year (a) how many Singaporeans have undertaken mid-career switch programmes such as Professional Conversion and Place and Train; (b) of them, how many are retrenched PMETs and discouraged unemployed workers; (c) how many of were eventually successful and secured a job; and (d) what are the reasons for those who did not get accepted into the programmes.

13.
13.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) in each of the last three years, what is the number of claims under the Work Injury Compensation Act that are workplace-health related; and (b) what is the total amount claimed.

14.

Dr Chia Shi-Lu: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information regarding the security flaws which place wi-fi devices at risk (a) what is the impact on our free public wi-fi service Wireless@SG; and (b) what measures are being taken to protect users.
No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 16 15.

Mr Ang Hin Kee: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the past three years, what is the number of vehicular accidents which occurred overseas involving Singaporeans; (b) whether the issuer of the International Driving Licence is required to advise drivers of the precautions needed in different destinations; and (c) what other measures is the Ministry considering to reduce the incidences of driving accidents involving Singaporeans overseas.

16.
16.

Mr Ang Hin Kee: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many visitors to Singapore drive around during their stay and get into traffic accidents; and (b) whether the numbers are significant and a cause for concern.

17.

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs how many Singapore citizens currently have home addresses in Johor Bahru registered on their identity cards.

18.
18.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the progress on hardening and protecting our public spaces against terrorist incidents using vehicles; (b) how are commercial operators contributing to the protection efforts; and (c) what are the future plans to design public spaces with security factored in.

19.
19.

Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the non- chronic illnesses that outpatients are largely treated for; and (b) what is the average cost of medication for such outpatient treatments over the last two years.

20.

Ms Sun Xueling: To ask the Minister for Health in the past five years, (a) what is the number of elderly aged 65 years and above who lived alone; and (b) what is the number of elderly found dead in their homes while living on their own.

21.
21.

Ms Sun Xueling: To ask the Minister for Health for each of the last three years, what has been the proportion of (i) births registered and (ii) deaths registered for those aged 65 years and above, in private versus public hospitals.

22.
22.

Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether it is appropriate to name ElderShield as such when enrolment into the scheme starts at the age of 40; (b) whether the monthly payout of $300 and $400 for up to 60 and 72 months respectively is sufficient for a person meeting the criteria of severe disability; and (c) over the last decade, how many people have opted out of ElderShield.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 17 23.
Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the current number and percentage of pensioners under the Fixed Amount on Ward (FAW) medical benefits scheme who have withdrawn their Medisave completely; (b) what is the current number and percentage of pensioners under Co-payment on Ward (CPW) medical benefits scheme who have not met 30% of their cohort's applicable Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS); and (c) whether CPW pensioners can withdraw the excess amount above their required BHS from their Medisave accounts.
24.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) when will the industry transformation map for the offshore marine and oil and gas industries be ready.

25.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) (a) how are students in the Institutes of Higher Learning involved in learning more about Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs); and (b) what are the future plans to expose students to the ITMs that are relevant to their field of studies.

26.
26.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development whether there is a plan to increase the supply of executive condominiums in the next five years on confirmed list of land sales and what is the projected number of such units for each year.

27.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how much Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) fees and Qualifying Certificate (QC) extension charges have been paid by developers each year since the rules were implemented; (b) how many unsold residential property units have been subjected to both ABSD fees and QC charges, categorised by years of vacancy as at 31 December 2017; and (c) what is the projected number of unsold residential property units that will be subjected to these fees and charges in 2018.
28.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the current number of citizens, PRs and foreigners in Singapore who own (i) one (ii) two (iii) three to ten and (iv) more than ten private residential properties respectively; and (b) how many of them also own a HDB flat.

29.
29.

Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for National Development how many HDB blocks does the Ministry project to redevelop under the Selective En- Bloc Redevelopment Scheme over the next 10-20 years when many HDB flats will have less than 60 years left on their leases and progressively lose their value until the lease run-out date.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 18 30.


Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry has evidence pertaining to whether land subsidence is taking place in Singapore; (b) if so, what are the future consequences of this; and (c) what policy actions are being planned to mitigate these consequences.

31.
31.

Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the cost of the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) for Hougang SMC, excluding the cost- sharing by residents and the town council; and (b) what is the amount paid by residents of Hougang for this town-wide LUP.

32.
32.

Mr Zaqy Mohamad: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether there are any updates on the proposed location and timeline for the building of a new hawker centre in Choa Chu Kang; and (b) when will the Ministry complete its study and announce the timeline for all remaining hawker centres that are part of this initiative.

33.
33.

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Education (Schools) how many Singaporean students currently commute from homes in Johor Bahru to Singapore to attend classes at primary, secondary and pre-university levels.

34.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad: To ask the Minister for Education (Schools) (a) whether the number of primary school vacancies in Chua Chu Kang is sufficient given the influx of new BTOs in the Keat Hong area, particularly for applicants seeking a school within 2 km of their home; (b) what proportion of primary 1 school applicants living in Keat Hong division have been able to secure a school within 2km of their homes; and (c) what is the current waiting list of Southview Primary School, Concord Primary School and Chua Chu Kang Primary School.
35.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) (a) in the past five years, what is the number of female students taking up engineering courses at the ITE, polytechnic and university levels; (b) how many of these female graduates eventually took up engineering jobs; and (c) whether the Ministry has any plans to encourage more female students to take up engineering courses.

36.
36.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) (a) what is the rate of default in the repayment of study loans taken out by foreign students from our banks and other local institutions in each of the past five years; (b) what actions have been taken to effect recovery against such defaulters; and (c) what is the rate of cases where full recovery has been made through such enforcement actions.

No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 19 37.


Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) in each of the last five years, what is the proportion of persons who obtained the WSQ Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (ACTA) had gone on to secure jobs as trainers of WSQ programmes within a year of obtaining their certificate.

38.
38.

Mr Sitoh Yih Pin: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPAs) have been registered by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) in 2016 and 2017 respectively; and (b) what further measures can OPG take to encourage more senior Singaporeans to execute LPAs.

39.
39.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development for each year from 2016 to 2017, what is the respective number of children born in Singapore who (i) do not have a father named on their birth certificates and (ii) have a father named on their birth certificates but the parents are not married on or before the date of registration of birth.

40.
40.

Ms Rahayu Mahzam: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) to date, what are the numbers of children and families in the KidSTART programme; and (b) what is the breakdown of the number of children benefitting from the different components of the programme.

41.
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development regarding children born to Singaporeans who were conceived through surrogacy overseas (a) how many of such children are currently residing in Singapore; (b) what percentage of these children are being cared for by married couples who may not be their biological parents; (c) whether these couples are legal guardians of these children; and (d) what options are available to these couples to secure the children's well-being.
PAPERS PRESENTED 2018 Date Presented Parl.

11 Second Report of the Committee of Selection ..... 11 January 2018 S.L.

407 Women’s Programme) 2018 Charter (Parenting (Amendment) Rules ..... 12 January 2018 No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 20 PAPERS PRESENTED - continued 2018 S.L.

408 Date Presented Road Traffic Registration (Amendment No.

7) Rules 2017 (Motor Vehicles, Licensing) and ..... 15 January 2018 S.L.

409 Road Traffic (Vehicular Emissions Tax) Rules 2017 ..... 15 January 2018 S.L.
410 (Public Road Traffic Service Vehicles) (Vocational Licences and Conduct of Drivers, Conductors, Trishaw Riders and Passengers) (Amendment No.

4) Rules 2017 ..... 15 January 2018 S.L.

411 Road Traffic Service Vehicles) (Amendment No.

4) Rules 2017 (Public ..... 15 January 2018 S.L.

412 Road Traffic (Taxi Service Operator Licence) (Amendment) Rules 2017 ..... 15 January 2018 S.L.
413 Third-Party Taxi Booking Service Providers (Registration of Registered Providers) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 ..... 15 January 2018 S.L.

414 Standards, Innovation Assessment) Regulations 2018 Productivity Board and (Conformity (Amendment) ..... 18 January 2018 S.L.

415 Diplomatic and Consular Relations (Permanent Court of Arbitration) (Amendment) Order 2018 ..... 19 January 2018 Parl.

12 Second Report of the Public Accounts Committee ..... 22 January 2018 Pres.
Co. 70 Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Public Sector (Governance) Bill [Bill No 45/2017 (Amended)] ..... 24 January 2018 No.

58 5 FEBRUARY 2018 21 2018 Pres.

Co. 71 Pres.


Co. 72 PAPERS PRESENTED - continued Date Presented Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Payment and Settlement Systems (Finality and Netting) (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 44/2017] Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Immigration (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 46/2017] ..... 24 January 2018 ..... 24 January 2018 Pres.
Co. 73 Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Moneylenders (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 48/2017] ..... 24 January 2018 Pres.

Co. 74 Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Supreme Court of Judicature (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 47/2017] ..... 24 January 2018 Pres.

Co. 75 Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Charities (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 49/2017] ..... 24 January 2018 Pres.
Co. 76 Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 50/2017] ..... 24 January 2018 S.L.

416 Income Tax (Substituted Rate for Withholding of Tax for Aircraft Charter Payments) Rules 2018 ..... 31 January 2018