Singapore to raise taxes as govt spending increases: PM Lee Hsien Loong at People’s Action Party Convention 2017

PM Lee highlights need to invest in economy, infrastructure and social safety nets
By Joanna Seow, The Straits Times, 20 Nov 2017

Singapore will be raising its taxes as government spending on investments and social services grows, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday.

"(Finance Minister) Heng Swee Keat was right when he said raising taxes is not a matter of whether, but when," he said at the People's Action Party (PAP) convention.

PM Lee was referring to Mr Heng's remarks during his Budget speech earlier this year, where the minister outlined how spending on healthcare and infrastructure will rise rapidly, and spoke of the need for new taxes or higher tax rates.



He told some 2,000 party members that "well before that time comes, we have to plan ahead, explain to Singaporeans what the money is needed for, and how the money we earn and we spend will benefit everyone, young and old".

The spending on Singapore's economy, infrastructure and social safety nets is necessary, and is a vote of confidence in the country's future, said PM Lee, who is the PAP's secretary-general.

Just as older generations saved and invested, this generation must "plant trees in order that our sons and daughters, and their sons and daughters, will be able to enjoy the shade", he added.

Economists said a rise in the goods and services tax (GST) could be in the works. It was last raised in 2007 by two percentage points to 7 per cent.

New HDB Resale Portal from 1 Jan 2018 to cut resale flat transaction time by half to 8 weeks

HDB to halve time taken for resale transactions
Upgraded portal from next year will make it easier to file applications, check eligibility
By Rachel Au-Yong, The Straits Times, 20 Oct 2017

The time it takes to buy or sell a resale flat will be cut from 16 weeks to about eight from next year, with a revamped HDB resale portal.

Part of the country's Smart Nation push, the upgraded portal will also reduce the number of appointments needed to complete a deal from two to one, and will tap the Housing Board's (HDB) trove of resale transactions to do away with most professional valuations.

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said in a blog post yesterday that the new platform is "an example of how digital technology can be applied in practical ways to streamline existing processes and make citizens' lives more convenient".

Yesterday, HDB announced the changes to its resale portal, promised during March's debate on the National Development Ministry's budget.

It will go online on Jan 1, and make it easier to file applications and conduct eligibility checks.

The one-stop service will mean that buyers and sellers' financial documents can be uploaded and verified online, thus requiring only one appointment to sign the final legal documents.

Currently, the first appointment is for working out how much sellers will receive from the sale and assessing buyers' financial plans.

Buyers and sellers will also save time by having all the eligibility checks - such as for housing grants or whether they are within a neighbourhood's ethnic quotas - available on one page, instead of having to look up multiple e-services spread across the HDB website.

The updated portal will minimise the need for buyers and sellers to manually key in their data, as it will pull in common information used by government services, such as names, identity card numbers and addresses, for the relevant forms.

The HDB will also do away with valuations for most flats, eliminating the need for professional valuers to inspect a flat, thus speeding up the process. Instead, buyers will get the HDB to approve the proposed price of the flat directly.

Enhanced Screen for Life starts 1 Sep 2017; 1.8 million Singaporeans to get letters on cheap health screening

Those eligible pay $5 at most to get tested for up to five diseases

By Salma Khalik, Senior Health Correspondent, The Straits Times, 31 Aug 2017

Letters are being sent out in batches to 1.8 million Singaporeans aged 40 years and older, inviting them to go for health screening for up to five diseases by paying $5 at most. All the letters will be sent out by the year end.

The Enhanced Screen for Life, announced by Senior Minister of State for Health Chee Hong Tat during the parliamentary debate on his ministry's Budget in March this year, starts tomorrow.

Under it, all eligible people can be screened for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Woman can be screened for cervical cancer, and people aged 50 years and older can test for colorectal cancer.

The screening, which is free for pioneers, costs $2 for those with the Community Health Assist Scheme card, and $5 for others. The screening includes a consultation with a doctor when the results are known, and can be done at more than 1,000 general practice clinics in the scheme.

Mr Chee told The Straits Times: "The aim of enhancing Screen For Life is to encourage Singaporeans to go for regular health screening, so that any problems can be detected early and better managed with appropriate intervention.

"Together with healthy eating and regular exercise, this is part of our collective efforts to keep Singaporeans healthy and lower the risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases."

ITE Work-Learn Technical Diploma programme to start in April 2018

Work-study scheme will offer up to 120 places across four courses
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 26 Jul 2017

Graduates from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) can, for the first time, take up a new diploma awarded by the institution, starting from April next year.

The Work-Learn Technical Diploma programme, first announced in Parliament in March, will allow them to work and study at the same time. Up to 120 places across four courses - marine and offshore engineering, mechanical and electrical services supervision, rehabilitation care, and security systems engineering - will be offered for the first intake.

Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung announced details of the new technical diploma yesterday at the ITE graduation ceremony, likening it to an apprenticeship stint.

"Trainees will develop skills mastery through hands-on training and practice, grounded in deep knowledge of their employer's operations," he said. "With this knowledge, they will be better placed to become masters in their trade, and rise through the ranks."

The programmes will last 21/2 to three years, with 70 per cent of the curriculum time set aside for on-the-job training.

In his speech, Mr Ong also said more ITE graduates have been able to find jobs, and their salaries have gone up over the years.

Citing the latest ITE graduate employment survey last year, he told the 711 graduates at the ceremony that almost 87 per cent of their seniors had secured jobs within six months of graduating last year, up by 3.5 percentage points from 2015.

From 2012 to last year, the median salaries of ITE graduates also increased by 20 per cent from about $1,500 to $1,800, and for the first time, the median starting salaries of graduates who finished national service reached $2,000.

"The overall signal is that your skills continue to be valued by employers, and the upward trend will likely continue, so long as we keep the training focused and relevant, and our students continue to be eager to learn," said Mr Ong.

HDB helping young couples get their flats sooner with two new options; BTO projects with shorter waiting time & additional sales mode, Re-Offer of Balance Flats

Get flat faster under two new schemes
By Ng Jun Sen, The Straits Times, 20 Jul 2017

A total of 1,000 Build-To-Order flats in Sembawang, Sengkang and Yishun will be made available to home buyers quicker, with a wait time of 2½ years compared with the typical three to four years.

They will be put up for sale in the second half of next year, and buyers can begin collecting their keys between the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021.

In a statement yesterday, the Housing Board said this is aimed at helping young couples get their flats faster.

This is achieved not by speeding up the construction. Instead, HDB will begin building the selected projects before the flats are sold. This is unlike the usual process where they are built to order, that is, after they have been bought.

A tender for this batch of 1,000 flats will be called this month. Construction is expected to start at the end of the year.

Another measure to reduce the wait for home buyers is the doubling of the number of times a year when they get a shot at buying unsold units from previous sales launches.

A new sales mode, known as the Re-Offer of Balance Flats (ROF), will pool unsold units from past Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises. ROFs will take place every February and August. This is on top of SBFs, which are alongside BTO exercises in May and November.

The first ROF will take place next month, with 1,394 units. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to select and book a flat if there are available units. At least 95 per cent of the units will be set aside for first- timer families.

"This will help those with more urgent housing needs and/or are less particular about location and attributes to have quicker access to a flat," said HDB.

The two measures were first announced during the debate over the Ministry of National Development's annual budget in March.

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said in a blog post yesterday: "I hope the wider range of options and more regular offer of flats will help home buyers find a home that best suits their needs."

NTUC Returners Programme: Help for PMETs who return to work after career break

NTUC to match 'latent talent pool' with firms offering job trials
By Joanna Seow, The Straits Times, 14 Jul 2017

Mothers and other professionals who took a break from the workforce can look forward to getting more help to restart their careers.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is trying out what it calls a Returners Programme to match economically inactive professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) with companies offering paid job trials.

These trials will lead to a permanent position if both parties agree, labour MP Desmond Choo said in a Facebook post yesterday, calling on employers to join the initiative.

The out-of-work PMETs are a "latent talent pool" who may have years of experience from their former careers, he said. "Additionally, they have also gained newfound perspectives and strengths - such as resourcefulness, resilience and heightened multi-tasking abilities - during the time they spent on personal commitments," he said.

Mr Choo, NTUC's spokesman on women and family matters, added that employers may need support to implement workplace practices and schemes to attract and retain the new hires. He said he hopes the Manpower Ministry, which NTUC is in discussions with, will give funding support to employers who offer permanent positions to those who successfully complete the job trials.

Second Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo also voiced support for the programme on Facebook, saying her ministry is looking into supporting companies which offer job-sharing opportunities.

The Straits Times understands NTUC's U Family unit has been approaching employers for the pilot run of the scheme since early this year, after the labour movement mooted the idea in its recommendations for this year's Budget. It also holds networking sessions for PMETs and potential employers.

2017 GST vouchers and Medisave top-ups for 1.57 million Singaporeans

$1.2 billion in GST vouchers, Medisave top-ups
By Lee Min Kok, The Straits Times, 28 Jun 2017

Around 1.57 million eligible Singaporeans will be notified of their GST vouchers (GSTV) and Medisave top-ups for the year, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday.

This year's vouchers and top-ups will cost the Government $1.2 billion. About 1.37 million Singaporeans will get up to $500 in GSTV - which comprises up to $300 in August and a one-off special payment in November.

They are encouraged to update their payment mode to direct bank crediting at www.gstvoucher.gov.sg, as cheque payments take two weeks longer to process.

As for Medisave top-ups, some 450,000 Singaporeans aged 65 years and above are eligible to receive them. Each will get up to $450 in August. Pioneers will also receive their Pioneer Generation (PG) top-ups of $200 to $800 next month. In addition, Singaporeans born on or before Dec 31, 1959, and do not receive PG benefits will receive a Medisave top-up of up to $200 this year and next year.

The top-up this year is expected to benefit 520,000 Singaporeans and will be credited in August.

Households are also set to receive a permanent increase of between $40 and $120 to the annual U-Save rebate - given every three months to help offset utility bills directly - from next month. Following the increase, the rebate will cost about $265 million and benefit about 880,000 HDB households.

There is also an extension to the one-off service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebate. It will be raised by half a month across all flats. This means around 880,000 eligible HDB households will get 1.5 to 3.5 months of S&CC rebate this year, depending on flat type.

$5 health screening for 1.8 million Singaporeans: Letters out from August 2017

Singaporeans can be screened for up to five conditions under enhanced Screen for Life programme that starts in September 2017
By Salma Khalik, Senior Health Correspondent, The Sunday Times, 16 Apr 2017

Letters will start going out in August to the 1.8 million Singaporeans who are entitled to a health screening for $5 or less, under the Enhanced Screen for Life programme that starts in September.

With the invitation letter, they can call any of the more than 1,000 general practice clinics on the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) to fix a date to screen for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, cervical and colorectal cancers.

All Singaporeans aged 40 years and older are eligible. The $5 covers tests and, should any prove positive, a consultation with a doctor. The 400,000 Pioneers get the screening for free, while those with the CHAS card pay just $2. Without the subsidy, it costs about $100.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) hopes that by making it both cheap and convenient, more people would find out if they are suffering from chronic medical problems or the two cancers.

Mr Zee Yoong Kang, Health Promotion Board's (HPB) chief executive officer, said: "It is good practice for everyone, even if you feel healthy, to go for regular health screenings so that you can detect any health conditions early, and manage the condition well."

Today, many people here who suffer from chronic ailments are not aware of it, so they do not take steps to keep them under control, leading to major health problems.

The MOH thinks about a third of diabetics are not aware they have this disease that, uncontrolled, could lead to kidney failure, blindness and amputations.

Similarly, many people who have high cholesterol and blood pressure levels also do not know of them, since there are no symptoms in the early stages. But uncontrolled over time, they raise the risk of getting heart problems and stroke. Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer for men, and second in the list behind breast cancer for women.

Letters will go out to the more elderly first because they are more likely to suffer from chronic medical conditions. An HPB spokesman said: "Screening them early enables these Singaporeans to seek treatment and manage their conditions early."

However, all Singaporeans aged 40 years and older should get their invitation by the end of this year. There is no time limit for them to get screened at the subsidised rate.

Did Budget 2017 do enough to help SMEs prepare for the future?

By Chia Yan Min, Economics Correspondent, The Straits Times, 3 Apr 2017

Companies across all industries have had to grapple with the onslaught of disruptive technologies, but small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have probably been hit the hardest.

Sandwiched between established multimillion-dollar companies and nimbler, more innovative start-ups, SMEs often lack the resources or know-how to take advantage of new technologies or the digital economy.

In addition, many Singapore SMEs are already struggling to stay afloat amid a slowing economy, which has been weighing on sales and profit margins even as high costs continue to bite.

Amid these challenges, did Budget 2017 do enough to help SMEs?

WHY DO SMALLER FIRMS NEED HELP?

SMEs - defined by the Ministry of Trade and Industry as companies with annual sales turnover under $100 million, or employing fewer than 200 workers - are the beating heart of Singapore's economy.

There are nearly 190,000 local SMEs, making up 99 per cent of enterprises here and contributing nearly half of the gross domestic product.

SMEs also employ about 70 per cent of Singapore's workforce, making them crucial to the functioning of Singapore's economy and a key driving force behind growth.

This is why the bulk of government efforts to raise productivity and encourage companies to adopt new technologies are targeted at SMEs.

In recent years, SMEs have been hard-hit by the lacklustre pace of economic growth amid a broader global slowdown. The Singapore economy spent much of 2016 in an extended funk, gradually picking up speed only in the last three months of the year.

The economy expanded a modest 2 per cent last year, which also saw the highest number of retrenchments since the global financial crisis in 2009.

The gloomy outlook weighed heavily on SMEs - a quarterly index released in December by the Singapore Business Federation and DP Information Group showed that SMEs were pessimistic about the first six months of 2017 and expected a reduction in both turnover and profitability.

This comes on top of rising business costs such as rent, and a tight labour market which makes it tough for companies to hire and retain talent.

These short-term woes often leave cash- and resource-strapped SMEs with little time to consider long-term strategies. But it is becoming increasingly imperative for companies in all industries to restructure and transform to keep up with the rapid pace of technological change.

Innovation cycles are now shorter and new technologies can supersede entire industries even as they create new opportunities.

What's being done to prepare Singaporeans for jobs of the future

By Joanna Seow, The Straits Times, 27 Mar 2017

Have you ever imagined yourself creating a complex machine part or even a human windpipe on a screen, then seeing it take on physical form right before your eyes?

Or leading a team of tireless workers who need to be reprogrammed once in a while?

These are jobs already being done by 3D designers and robot coordinators. Not many people have the skills to do these jobs yet, because they have not been around for long.

At least not in a big way.

But in the economy of the future, you can expect more jobs like these to be created.

Jobs will change too.

While it is hard to identify the specific skills students and workers need to acquire to keep up with these changes, one skill that will come in handy is the ability to continually learn new things.

As Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say said earlier this month, as businesses transform, more old jobs will be destroyed. But new jobs will be created and existing jobs will be transformed too.

What this means for workers is that instead of staying with a single employer for life, it will be common to move through multiple employers - and take on multiple careers - throughout one's working life.

"Each time we move from one career to another career, we will have to learn new skills and adapt to a new environment to regain our employability, time and time again," Mr Lim said.

Understandably, many workers are worried about adapting to these changes, and concerned about how their livelihoods will be affected.

With robots and advanced computer programs helping do jobs ranging from delivering room service to providing financial advice, workers in some industries are already feeling the heat.

But technology also creates new products, such as 3D printing for companies to make prototypes quickly rather than outsourcing this process, and jobs, such as for rapid prototyping technicians.

Jobs will disappear. But better-quality ones will be created.

For example, in advanced manufacturing, some 23,000 jobs are forecast to be displaced over the next seven years, but more than 22,000 new jobs are expected to be created.

These new jobs will pay on average 50 per cent more than those lost, a recent study by Boston Consulting Group found.

SKILLING UP FOR NEW JOBS

However, these changes wrought by technology and other forces also mean the job market will go through some labour pains.

Layoffs last year rose to the highest level since the global financial crisis in 2009. Unemployment involving Singapore residents also crept up slightly.

Professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) are hit harder by the churn as it takes longer to train for a different job at these levels.

People who took a break from work, or who struggled to find a new job after being laid off, often have a hard time proving that they have the relevant knowledge and skills for a job.

Water price hike could have been better explained, but is necessary: PM Lee Hsien Loong

Water price must reflect scarcity, says PM Lee
Price hike necessary and unavoidable, but could have been better explained
By Charissa Yong, The Sunday Times, 26 Mar 2017

The water price hike is necessary to bring home the scarcity of water but more time could have been spent explaining the price increase before it was announced, so that people would not have been so surprised, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday.

But the increase is unavoidable, with water a strategic resource in Singapore, he added.

Commenting on the 30 per cent price hike announced last month, Mr Lee spoke about water's importance to Singapore's survival and said that it must be priced properly to reflect its scarcity.

Raising water tariffs, rather than taxes, is a fairer way to foot the bill needed to pay for investments in water infrastructure, said the Prime Minister at the completion ceremony of the revamped Pang Sua Pond in Bukit Panjang.

He also said the Government is looking at other ways to bring down the cost of producing water and encouraging conservation.

The hike is the first in 17 years.

About 40 per cent of Singaporeans disagreed with the price hike, according to a recent survey by government feedback unit REACH.

Yesterday, Mr Lee acknowledged that the hike has provoked a strong reaction from Singaporeans.

However, he stressed that water is fundamental to Singapore's survival, as he put forth the case for the hike.

Despite Singapore's four sources of water - Johor, the reservoirs, NEWater and desalination - the country will "never have the luxury of not having to save water, or to make every drop count", said Mr Lee.

He said that people now understand the issue better after a rigorous Parliament debate this month, during which ministers explained why the hike was necessary and what the Government was doing to help households cope.

For example, the increase is over two years, and lower-income families are given extra U-Save rebates so that "they actually have to pay very little", said Mr Lee.

He added that the Government is supporting research into new ways of making NEWater more cheaply, and encouraging big users of water such as industries to recycle more and use water more efficiently.

"But we also have to price water properly. Because it's scarce, and not cheap to produce, and consumers need to know how precious it is every time they turn on the tap."

Keeping Singapore's taps flowing in the quest for a robust water supply

Securing our next drop: Millions are being invested in producing and conveying water. Insight looks at Singapore's quest for a robust supply.
By Lin Yangchen, The Sunday Times, 12 Mar 2017

On a stretch of reclaimed land in Tuas, a water factory is taking shape. Singapore's third desalination plant, expected to be ready later this year, is one of several infrastructure projects in the pipeline to ensure a nation surrounded by water has enough to meet its needs.

At two older plants nearby, sea water is already filtered and passed through membranes to remove dissolved salts and minerals, as part of a process to get water fit to drink.

Singapore's fourth national tap - desalinated water - is part of a long, and often little-heard, story of this nation's quest for self-sufficiency in man's most valuable resource.

Tap one: Catchment areas were expanded, and new storm drains and reservoirs built over the years.

Tap two: Imported water, made possible through two agreements with Malaysia that Singapore leaders made sure were guaranteed in the 1965 Separation Agreement.

Tap three: NEWater - high-grade recycled water - launched in 2003 with two plants in Bedok and Kranji. Three more have since opened.

Tap four was turned on in 2005, with the opening of SingSpring desalination plant in Tuas made possible by advances in technology.

Today, NEWater meets up to 40 per cent of Singapore's water demand and desalination 25 per cent.

And plans are under way to boost capacity so both meet 55 per cent and 30 per cent of water needs respectively by 2060, before the second water agreement expires.

But the cost of operating and maintaining the water system has risen over the years, prompting the Government to review the price of water - and raise it by 30 per cent over two phases, this July and next.

It is the first price hike in 17 years.

The previous hike, phased in from 1997 to 2000, saw tariffs go up by 20 per cent to 100 per cent on a scale depending on usage.

Costs have gone up sharply since then. Last month, national water agency PUB said it cost about $500 million to run the system in 2000. By 2015, this had risen to $1.3 billion. This includes collecting used water, treating water, producing NEWater and desalination, as well as maintaining water pipelines.



WHAT PRICE, WATER?

As Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat and Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli reminded Parliament this month, the cornerstone of Singapore's water policy is the pricing of water on sound economic principles to reflect what is called its Long Run Marginal Cost (LRMC).

This reflects the cost of supplying the next available drop of water, which is likely to come from NEWater and desalination plants, and enabling investments in such plants.

Mr Masagos noted the first-year price of the first desalination plant, SingSpring, which opened in 2005, was 78 cents per cubic m. By comparison, the first-year price of the latest plant in Marina East, set to open in 2020, is $1.08 per cubic m - an increase of some 40 per cent.

"It is only through right pricing that we can have everyone valuing water as a strategic resource and consciously conserving it," he said.

Understandably, the price hike generated much discussion on the ground, prompting ministers to point out that, in reality, most businesses will see a rise of less than $1 a day, and for most households, a jump of less than $12 a month.

And at the start of a month-long water conservation campaign, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean pointed out that a 330ml bottle of water costing $1 from a supermarket will pay for 1,000 bottles of clean water from the tap after the full price rise.

It is a price comparable to that in major cities in developed countries with large rivers to draw from. It is also a price that makes possible considerable investments in the future.

What a cobra bounty says about unintended policy consequences

Even the most well-planned policy can end up with unintended consequences. But it's possible to anticipate them, and counter their effects.
By David Chan, Published The Straits Times, 11 Mar 2017

In colonial India, free-roaming cobras posed a danger to the public. British government officials hit on the solution: Offer a monetary reward to any local who brings in a dead cobra.

It appeared to work: Many dead snakes were presented, and the reward money was duly given out.

But soon, the government found out that people were breeding cobras to get the reward - and it dutifully ended the programme. Left with worthless cobras, the locals released them into the wild.

The policy had cost a small fortune; and instead of reducing the cobra population, the bounty probably increased it.

Every policy or programme planned can have intended and unintended consequences.

Another example: In America, some states have what is called "three-strikes laws" - where individuals can be given a very severe prison sentence when convicted for a third time, even if the third offence is relatively minor.

Studies showed that instead of being a deterrent, enforcing three-strikes laws led to an increase in violent crime, especially against law enforcement officers.

This was because of an unintended consequence - those who already had prior convictions would fight violently not to be arrested, especially for a third time.

The true stories of cobras and criminals illustrate the fact that policies can lead to outcomes directly opposite to what was intended.

Or they may, at the very least, result in some unexpected drawback even when the intended goal was partially achieved.

Budget 2017 Committee of Supply Debate: MOH, MCCY, MOT, MEWR, MSF

$75.1 billion Budget passed; Budget debate breaks six-year record with 545 questions filed
By Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 10 Mar 2017

The 2017 Budget debate ended yesterday with a record.

A total of 545 questions, or cuts in parliamentary parlance, were filed during the marathon debate - the most in six years.

It was also 9 per cent more than last year's 499 cuts, Leader of the House Grace Fu noted as she wrapped up the eight-day debate on the Government's financial plans for the year.

"This speaks to the scale of the challenges we face, and the dedication of the Members," she added.

Jobs, the economy and infrastructure topped MPs' concerns as the Budget was delivered amid an increasingly uncertain world economy affected by the rise of populism and protectionist sentiments.

Inevitably, the Manpower Ministry topped the list on total speech time for the cuts filed, followed closely by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The National Development Ministry and Education Ministry were not far behind.

The order reflects the overriding issues of today - helping out-of-work Singaporeans find jobs as layoffs hit a seven-year high and job vacancies dipped last year, and being ready for tomorrow.

Said Ms Fu: "Preparing for the future economy does not only involve our businesses and workforce, it requires our young and our city to be resilient and future-ready."

Both she and Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob seemed struck by how MPs from both sides of the House championed the cause of the worker.

The two sides also stood united behind Singapore's foreign policy goals, prompting Madam Halimah, who has been Speaker for four years, to remark: "There was a noticeable convergence of views from both the Government and opposition when it came to protecting our sovereignty."

Both women observed how some MPs were visibly moved when relating the hardships of Singaporeans seeking work.

"Tears were shed, not once but three times," said Ms Fu, referring to how Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say struggled to compose himself as he described the challenges a single mother with brain tumour overcame to land a job.

But the sittings were not without levity, and many chuckled when Madam Halimah said: "If only Members could learn to do away with long preambles and go straight to the point raised in their questions and clarifications, they would not need to deliver their speeches at breakneck speed."

It appears to be an annual problem. Thanking the MPs, the Speaker added: "It is your contributions and understanding that have made this debate outstanding in many respects... although at times my deputies and I had to intervene to remind you of your allotted time.

"Very gently, most times."

Budget 2017 Committee of Supply Debate: MOE, MND, MOF, MOM, MCI

Committee of Supply debate: Ministry of Education

Education focus shifts to students' strengths
More aptitude-based admissions in ITE, polys and unis; Direct School Admission tweaked
By Sandra Davie, Senior Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 8 Mar 2017

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has rolled out a string of measures to encourage students to play to their strengths and tweaked admission criteria to make this possible.

The Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme, seen by many parents as an entry ticket to top schools, will be changed to reclaim its original purpose - to recognise and nurture a diversity of talent in students.

Aptitude-based admissions will be expanded for the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics and universities.

Normal stream students in all eligible schools will be given the chance to study their stronger subjects at higher academic levels.

The changes were announced yesterday by Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng and Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung, who underlined a decisive shift across all levels of the system to focus on recognising a student's interest and aptitude in particular fields.



Mr Ng announced that, from this year, schools will discontinue the use of general academic ability tests to assess DSA applicants. Instead, they will consider talents in specific domains.

He also announced that, from next year, all secondary schools can set aside up to 20 per cent of their places for the DSA.

Currently those with MOE-approved niche programmes can reserve 5 per cent of their intake for the scheme.

Mr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong GRC) and Mr Edwin Tong (Marine Parade GRC) pointed out that, although the scheme was started in 2004 to broaden admission criteria beyond PSLE results, over the years, it has been used to get into premier schools that offer the Integrated Programme (IP).

Instead of being a pathway for students with talents in, for example, the arts and sports, it was being used by academically bright students to secure a Secondary 1 place even before they took the Primary School Leaving Examination.

Specialised independent schools and those offering the IP can continue to take in up to 100 per cent of their students via the DSA, although the MOE said IP schools on average take only 35 per cent of their students via the DSA scheme.

Mr Ng also announced changes for Normal stream students to help them build on their strengths.

From next year, Normal stream students will be able to take up subjects at a higher academic level from Secondary 1, instead of Sec 3.

"If they are good at something, we want to help them hone their strengths into deep knowledge and skills," said Mr Ng.



In a similar vein, Mr Ong announced the expansion of aptitude-based admission for ITE, polytechnics and universities "because we are simply better at doing something we like".

This year, some 15 per cent of the intake in universities will be aptitude-based. An early admission exercise will see a similar proportion of students securing a place in ITE, based on their strengths.

"Our post-secondary educational institutions today must have an additional mission - to uncover and develop diverse talents," said Mr Ong.

Budget 2017 Committee of Supply Debate: MINDEF, MHA, MFA, MTI, MinLaw, PMO

Committee of Supply debate: Ministry of Defence

Singapore strengthens cyber defence with new organisation
It will also bolster round-the-clock protection of networks, build force of cyber defenders
By Adrian Lim, The Straits Times, 4 Mar 2017

Singapore is setting up a new Defence Cyber Organisation (DCO) to bolster its defences against the growing threat of online attacks, as it moves to boost the round-the-clock protection of its military networks.

It will also build a force of cyber defenders - tapping national servicemen, both full-time and operationally ready men - who will lead the charge in this new battlefront.

These moves are vital in the light of the Defence Ministry's (MINDEF) disclosure earlier this week that the personal details of 850 NSmen and staff were stolen, a theft uncovered last month.



"We can expect more of such cyber attacks in the future," Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday when announcing the DCO in Parliament during the debate on MINDEF's budget.

Dealing with such security threats, including fake news, is increasingly important for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), which as a fighting force is relying more often on computer technology.

Cyber warfare is a growing phenomenon. Dr Ng cited Ukraine's power grid being hit by cyber attacks and, in the US presidential election, the computers of the Democratic National Committee were hacked by unknown sources to discredit its candidate Hillary Clinton.

Fake news inflamed ethnic and political tensions in Indonesia, prompting it to form an agency to counter cyber crime and fake news.

"Modern militaries can no longer choose to ignore these external threats through the digital front,'' said Dr Ng.

Explaining the make-up of the DCO, he said it is "at the highest level of our organisational hierarchy".

It will have four formations, each with different roles, including overseeing the cyber security of all defence agencies and building up cyber defence capabilities.

The DCO will be led by a deputy secretary and the formations by a colonel or a flag officer, who is either a general or an admiral.

It fortifies the military's past efforts at securing its cyber defence. These include the 2013 Cyber Defence Operations Hub, which gathers its cyber-security experts under one command.

The round-the-clock monitoring of the military networks will be carried out by two units of the Cyber Defence Group (CDG) formation.

They are the Security Monitoring Unit and Incident Response and Audit Unit, whose teams will identify and neutralise cyber threats.

Strategic approach to water-planning crucial: DPM Teo Chee Hean

It will ensure water remains available and affordable to every family in Singapore
By Toh Yong Chuan, Manpower Correspondent, The Sunday Times, 5 Mar 2017

Holding up a 330ml bottle of water which costs under $1 from a store, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said the same amount of money will pay for 1,000 bottles of tap water, even after the recently announced price hike.

That water is readily available here and at a price affordable to every family is testament to the planning and investments Singapore has made over the years.

The cost of water here is comparable to that in major cities in developed countries with large rivers and lakes to draw from, said Mr Teo, who explained the need for current and future generations to learn the value of water and understand how it is critical to Singapore's survival and independence.

Water from Malaysia now meets half the island's water needs. But Mr Teo noted how Johor's Linggiu Reservoir, which feeds into the Johor River from which Singapore draws its supply, is only a third full.

"This water source is under stress," he said. "So we must prepare, psychologically, to face water shortages if the Linggiu Reservoir dries up, and our reservoirs here also face a very dry year."

The price of water will rise by 30 per cent in two phases, from July 1, and the hike has drawn concern from residents and businesses.

Last week, three ministers explained in Parliament how water is a matter of national security, and has to be priced right to reflect its strategic importance and scarcity.

Yesterday, at the launch of Singapore's month-long celebration of World Water Day at Marina Barrage, Mr Teo put it more starkly.

"Our struggle to make sure our people have water, is the struggle for Singapore's survival and independence," he said. "To make sure that we could survive, preserve our independence and thrive, we have taken a strategic approach to planning for water supply."

This entailed planning early for future sources, and Singapore prepared well before its first water agreement with Malaysia expired in 2011. It included expanding catchment areas and building reservoirs where other cities would not have thought possible, including "this Marina Reservoir right in the middle of our city", he said, referring to the Barrage.

This was "so that we would not be held to ransom", he stressed. He pointed out that 2011 "passed almost unnoticed in Singapore" with no disruption in water supply, and no big price shocks.

Likewise, Singapore must make investments for 2061, when the second water agreement ends, added Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security. "For the 16 years from 2000 to 2015, we invested $7 billion in water infrastructure, or about $430 million every year. This will almost double to $800 million every year from 2017 to 2021... This will fund major investments in desalination and Newater plants, new and renewal of water pipes and pumps so that the fresh clean water flows into every home when we turn on our taps."

At the same time, middle- and lower-income households will continue to get help to offset the price hike, he added. For instance, a family in a four-room HDB flat will get $300 in U-Save rebates this year.

Describing the water story as the story of Singapore, one written and passed down by the pioneer generation, he said: "Water is precious. Water is survival. Water is life. Water is freedom and independence. Make every drop count."