TraceTogether data will be used with utmost restraint, say ministers Balakrishnan and Shanmugam in Parliament

Police will access TraceTogether data to help investigate only very serious crimes, Parliament told

COVID-19 contact tracing programme to be stood down when pandemic ends

By Tham Yuen-C, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 6 Jan 2021

The data collected by TraceTogether will be used with utmost restraint, two ministers said yesterday, as they underscored the importance of maintaining trust in the contact tracing system to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Even though the police have the powers to access the data for criminal investigations, they will do so only for very serious offences, such as murder, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam told Parliament.

Also, the police can obtain the data only directly from the person's phone or the TraceTogether token, Dr Balakrishnan said.

Their remarks come after Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Tan affirmed, in response to a parliamentary question, that TraceTogether data is not precluded from provisions under the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) that allow the police to access data needed in criminal investigations.

This had sparked criticism, with some pointing to remarks made in June by Dr Balakrishnan, who oversees the Smart Nation drive, that TraceTogether data would be used "purely for contact tracing, period". "Frankly, I had not thought of the CPC, when I spoke earlier," he admitted yesterday.

He added that he was mindful of the trust reposed in the Government, adding that the cooperation of Singaporeans and their willingness to use TraceTogether have been key to Singapore's fight against Covid-19.

"The reason I asked Speaker's permission to make this clarification is precisely because of this. If there's disquiet, if there's uncertainty, we must answer it, and I must answer it openly, transparently," he said.

Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh said it was important to clarify the issue, noting it had caused consternation. He and Workers' Party MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) also said TraceTogether should be widely adopted in the interest of public health.

Citing that 78 per cent of people here have chosen to download the TraceTogether app or collect the token, Dr Balakrishnan said the Government was conscious of the need to protect the personal privacy of these users, and had built it into the design of the program.

He assured Singaporeans that the app collects only Bluetooth proximity data and not GPS location data, and said: "The TraceTogether app and the token were not designed to allow any government agency to track the user."

But TraceTogether data is not exempt from the provisions under Section 20 of the CPC, said Dr Balakrishnan, noting that it would not be reasonable to say that certain classes of data should be "out of reach of the police", especially if they could potentially give leads on, say, terrorism activities and save lives. He disclosed that TraceTogether data had been used in a murder case.

If data is not used in such instances, it would not sit well with Singaporeans at large, added Mr Shanmugam. He also said that the police would delete the data if it was no longer needed for use in court or for trial purposes.

Dr Balakrishnan also said that when the pandemic is over, the TraceTogether programme would be stood down, and much of the data would be deleted.

He said the Ministry of Health may retain epidemiological data, but that it should be stripped of identifying details.

He added: "We do not take the trust of Singaporeans lightly. We cannot prevail in the battle against Covid-19 if Singaporeans did not trust the public health authorities, and the Government of Singapore...

"I want to again assure Singaporeans that your confidence is not misplaced. We will protect your privacy."

RIE 2025: Singapore to invest $25 billion in research, innovation and enterprise over next 5 years

Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 Plan includes a programme to help nation respond nimbly to future infectious diseases

By Audrey Tan, Science and Environment Correspondent, The Straits Times, 12 Dec 2020

A $25 billion plan charting Singapore's research landscape was launched yesterday, a critical investment that will help the country emerge stronger from the shadow of Covid-19 while ensuring that it shores up its defences against future threats.

This includes a national research programme to help Singapore respond nimbly to future infectious diseases.

The pandemic has accelerated technological trends and structural changes that will reshape the global economy, and has thrown up new challenges for societies, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said yesterday during a virtual press conference to lay out the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 plan.

"Science, technology and innovation will be critical to overcoming Covid-19 and in enabling us to emerge stronger," added Mr Heng, who also chairs the National Research Foundation (NRF).

The $25 billion is equivalent to around 1 per cent of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP). This proportion has remained relatively constant over the years, and puts Singapore's public investment into research on a par with other small advanced economies such as Sweden and Denmark, said NRF.

One-third of the budget will go towards basic research, whose benefits may not be immediately obvious. The five-year blueprint will focus on four key areas - health, sustainability, the digital economy and manufacturing, with firm support for basic research.

The scope under each domain will be expanded to meet the broader spectrum of national needs, said Mr Heng.

For instance, research into manufacturing will now also include studies into the air and sea links that connect Singapore with the rest of the world, while urban solutions and sustainability will now include research into the new challenges posed by climate change.

Health and biomedical sciences have been expanded to human health and potential to address a key national priority - a rapidly ageing population, Mr Heng noted. "We seek to bring the best out of every individual by focusing on improving prenatal and early childhood development, learning outcomes in children and adults, and the health and contribution span of our seniors."

Besides the four areas, there will be $3.75 billion set aside for "white space" research, up from $2.5 billion in RIE2020. This is funding dedicated to new or emerging areas of research that may arise and is open to proposals from all agencies.

The commitment underscores the importance of research even during difficult times, said NRF chief Low Teck Seng.

During the current crisis, the scientific community in Singapore rallied even during the early stages of the pandemic, pivoting away from their original research areas and applying their expertise to Covid-19.

"Investments in science and technology are an investment in the future," said Professor Low, noting that such investments could also provide good jobs for Singaporeans, and enhance and contribute to the nation's GDP growth.

For instance, investing in water technologies had not only helped this water-scarce nation overcome its resource constraints, but also built a thriving industry.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the scientific mindset is critical. "The scientific mindset - exploring the world and understanding it rationally and empirically - is crucial to Singapore. This is true not just in R&D work, but more fundamentally to the ethos of our whole society."

PM Lee, who chaired the RIE Council meeting on Thursday night, added: "Our continued investments in R&D will sustain our competitiveness and bolster our status as a tech and innovation hub."

Singapore launches TraceTogether mobile app to boost COVID-19 contact tracing efforts

Singapore develops smartphone app for efficient contact tracing
By Hariz Baharudin and Lester Wong, The Straits Times, 21 Mar 2020

A contact-tracing smartphone app has been launched to allow the local authorities to quickly track people who have been exposed to confirmed coronavirus cases.

Dubbed TraceTogether, the app can identify people who have been within 2m of coronavirus patients for at least 30 minutes, using wireless Bluetooth technology.

"This is especially useful in cases where the infected persons do not know everyone whom they had been in close proximity with for an extended duration," the app's developers, the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), said on its website launched yesterday.

While use of the app is not compulsory, those who use it have to turn on the Bluetooth settings in their phones for tracing to be done.



They also need to enable push notifications and location permissions in the app, which is available on the Apple App and Google Play stores.

If a user gets infected, MOH will be able to quickly find out which other users he has been in close contact with. This, in turn, allows for easier identification of potential cases and helps curb the spread of the virus.

TraceTogether's developers said the app is meant to complement contact-tracing methods and allow for the identification of people who were in close proximity with an infected person more efficiently.

There is currently no target for the number of users for the app.

The Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) said yesterday that users have to give explicit consent to participate in TraceTogether and for their mobile number and data to be used for contact tracing.

"When requested by MOH, users can send their TraceTogether logs to facilitate the contact-tracing process. Up to that point, the authorities, including MOH and GovTech, have no knowledge of the user's TraceTogether data," said SNDGO.



Official contact tracers will provide a code that users can match with a corresponding verification code on their app. Once authenticated, users will get a PIN that allows data to be submitted.

Contact tracers will also not ask for any personal financial details or request that money be transferred over the phone.

When users are contacted by contact tracers, they will then be asked to share their data logs. If they refuse, they may be prosecuted under the Infectious Diseases Act.

TraceTogether developers said that keeping the app running all the time will not drain a phone's battery significantly.

The only data that is collected by the Government through this app is the user's mobile number, which is kept so that the MOH can contact users quickly if they were in close proximity with an infected case.

The app also does not collect or use a user's location data but only records who they might have been close to.



Similar apps have been said to be successful in helping turn the tide against the coronavirus in some countries.

People in South Korea know quickly when a new coronavirus case is found in their neighbourhood through a government alert sent to their mobile phones that includes details such as the case's age, gender and travel history.

The country's efforts have helped it significantly reduce the virus' spread: Over the past two weeks, the number of new cases being reported daily there has dropped dramatically, from a peak of 909 on Feb 29 to 74 on Monday.

Committee of Supply 2020 Debate Highlights

Less rhetoric, more robust actions is the Singapore way, says Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin
By Linette Lai, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Mar 2020

Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin is sometimes asked to view clips of parliamentary debates overseas, showing fistfights or speeches that are eloquent, humorous or sharply satirical. "But I ask myself, after this, what is next? What then do we do?" he told the House yesterday, as he stressed the importance of translating rhetoric into action.

In contrast, MPs' speeches in Singapore are often "substantive and heavy", Mr Tan said. Some may be challenging to sit through, or could benefit from more flair and panache. But such speeches also feature "solid, down-to-earth ideas, plans and execution, and not just creating beautiful castles in the air", he said. They also give a sense of how the Government intends to address Singaporeans' concerns, and realise their collective vision.



In a speech capping the nine-day debate on Budget 2020, Mr Tan noted that last year's edition centred on killing the "sacred cow" of secondary-level streaming. This year, he quipped that the Budget debate included "Mandai Zoo, River Safari and Jurong Bird Park" as MPs and ministers highlighted various creatures when debating about food security, disease outbreaks and environmental conservation.

There were Impossible Meat satay and gyoza, Aedes in the war on dengue, and the Raffles' banded langurs that monkeyed around in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, he added, bringing smiles to faces.

But all this talk is just "small slivers of a bigger whole... Nothing is too trivial not to be addressed (by the MPs)," Mr Tan said. He noted that Singapore has learnt lessons from the coronavirus outbreak, a point also made by Leader of the House Grace Fu in her round-up.

Although the virus has generated fear and anxiety, it has also shown the community at its best, Ms Fu said. Larger businesses are stepping up to help smaller ones, while community groups and companies have banded together to help the needy.

The challenges Singapore faces will be "increasingly complex and unexpected". But if citizens work together - as they are doing in the current outbreak - problems can be turned into possibilities, she added.

She listed four themes in this year's Budget that will shape Singapore in the years to come: forging a resilient nation, establishing a city of possibilities, creating opportunities for all, and building a caring and cohesive community.

"I am heartened to hear the theme of partnerships come through strongly in our debates," said Ms Fu, who is Minister for Culture, Community and Youth. "The momentum is clear. Singaporeans can and want to play a bigger role in shaping Singapore."

Mr Tan noted that one criticism of the Government is that it spends on the future and, therefore, has less to spend on the present. "We all know the common complaint that Singaporeans may have," he said. "Why do you not care for me today? I've got problems today."

But this approach allows Singapore to do what it is doing in the current outbreak, he said.

"With our prudence and savings, we are able to fund and deal with this event... Imagine if we decided to spend more, save less. It is far easier to be popular than to be prepared."

Beyond all the "political bluster", Mr Tan saw a strong unity in approach from MPs on both sides. It is the people's support that allows Parliament to have the courage to take "the more difficult, but yet perhaps the more correct path".

"This support will not and does not exist if there is no sense of unity and no sense of togetherness, which is why the idea of Singapore Together is really so precious," he added. "It is not just a slogan, something that we just mouth off in Parliament. There are actually things that we can do."

Total Defence Day 2020: Government to ensure minimal retrenchments as Singapore deals with COVID-19, says Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen

Govt to work with unions to keep retrenchments to minimum
By Lim Min Zhang, The Straits Times, 15 Feb 2020

As Singapore's economy is hit by the coronavirus crisis, the Government will ensure that retrenchments are kept to a minimum, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.

"Even as we deal with the viral outbreak, we must ensure that our economy can function to keep jobs and livelihoods for Singapore," he said in his Total Defence Day message yesterday.

"The Government will work with companies and unions to ensure that retrenchments are kept to a minimum, if at all."



Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had said earlier that the Government will unveil a support package at Budget 2020 to help businesses affected by the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19.

In his message, Dr Ng recounted how, in 2003, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) had caused sickness and death. The fear of being infected gripped citizens everywhere, tourists stopped travelling and people stayed home, he said.

As a result, jobs were lost and retrenchments went up.

"In some countries, this fear created distrust and divided people. But in Singapore, we rallied through Total Defence, stayed united, overcame the SARS crisis to emerge intact and stronger," he said.

The national defence framework has to come into action again against the coronavirus, Dr Ng said.

As part of social defence, everyone has to practise good hygiene and stay away from others if sick, he urged. "At the same time, we must show empathy and compassion to help those who are infected or under quarantine."

Psychological defence has to be strengthened to withstand the ups and downs from the virus outbreak, he added.

Daily life can go on with sensible precautions, such as washing one's hands and keeping them away from the face, he said.

Singaporeans also have to guard against digital threats such as false information during this period, he added.

The minister said digital defence, the latest pillar of Total Defence, was a timely and necessary addition as dealing with the virus outbreak has shown.

False information about the disease or messages to incite hatred against any group do much harm, he noted. "We must never let these 'drums' - distortions, rumours, untruths, misinformation and smears - be heard, lest they sow discord, divide our people and ultimately weaken our will to defeat the outbreak and defend Singapore."

Total Defence Day is commemorated on Feb 15 every year - the day Singapore fell to Japan in 1942, which was followed by 31/2 years of Japanese Occupation.

Digital defence was added last year as the sixth pillar of Total Defence. Economic, social, psychological, military and civil defence make up the other five pillars of Total Defence.

Dr Ng also said the country's civil and military defences are "in good working order".

He offered his condolences to families of victims who have suffered, and saluted front-line staff, such as doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who treat patients daily.

As Singapore marks Total Defence Day, he said he has every confidence Singaporeans will again rally and win the fight against the coronavirus. "If we maintain that resolve, with each Singaporean committed to doing their part, then Singapore can continue to be a shining example for many years to come."



In a Facebook post yesterday, President Halimah Yacob said this year's Total Defence has a poignant significance, as Singapore is currently dealing with a national and global health crisis.

"It is a timely reminder on the importance of strengthening our social and psychological defence to rally our nation together in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak," she wrote.

Data security review for Singapore's public sector: 5 key recommendations

All govt agencies to take steps to safeguard personal data; measures to be in place in most systems by end-2021
By Hariz Baharudin, The Straits Times, 27 Nov 2019

The Public Sector Data Security Review Committee has made recommendations in five key areas for entities that handle public sector data to adopt, following a comprehensive inspection of 336 systems in 94 agencies.

The Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Wednesday (Nov 27) that the Government accepts these recommendations. They will be rolled out in 80 per cent of its systems by the end of 2021, with a deadline of end-2023 for full implementation.

The five key recommendations are:

1) PROTECTING DATA AND PREVENTING IT FROM BEING COMPROMISED

- Government agencies to collect data only when necessary and limit their retention period.

- Minimise devices which hold data by allowing file access only on secured platforms. Use data only for tasks that require the data, and giving selective access.

- Enhance how data use is monitored through digital watermarking and checking how data moves through the network.

- Detect suspicious activity, through e-mail data protection tools and data loss protection tools.

- Protect stored data by making it unusable and unreadable even if stolen.

- Protecting the data when it is being distributed through password protection and encryption, as well as distribution through secure channels.

2) DETECTING AND RESPONDING TO DATA INCIDENTS

- Establish a central contact point for public to report government data incidents.

- Set up the Government Data Office to monitor and analyse security incidents.

- Designate the Government IT management committee as the central body to respond to large-scale incidents that involve multi-agencies.

- Install a framework for all public agencies to notify individuals affected by data incidents promptly.

- Have a standard process for post-incident inquiry for data incidents and share takeaways across all agencies.

3) RAISING COMPETENCIES AND IMPROVING THE CULTURE OF DATA SECURITY

- Specify roles for groups of officers involved in management of data security.

- Ensure all public officers are regularly updated on data security considerations through an annual training programme.

- Inculcate a culture of excellence around sharing and using data, and cultivate an environment conducive to open reporting of data incidents.





4) ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DATA PROTECTION

- Install organisational key performance indicators for data security.

- Hold top leadership of all public sector organisations accountable for installing strong organisational data security practices.

- Ensure accountability of third party handling government data by amending the Personal Data Protection Act to cover Government vendors and non-public officers who mishandle personal data.

- Publish government policies and standards relating to data protection and update this annually.

5) SUSTAINABILITY

- Appoint the Digital Government Executive Committee to oversee public data security.

- Set up the Government Data Security unit to drive data security efforts in the public sector.

- Deepen the Government's expertise in data protection technologies.

Singapore needs laws to tackle foreign interference in domestic matters: Law Minister K. Shanmugam

Such interference is an age-old affair, but the Internet has revolutionised this, he says at RSIS Conference on Foreign Interference Tactics and Countermeasures
By Adrian Lim, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 26 Sep 2019

Singapore needs laws to counter any foreign attempts to influence its domestic politics and public opinion, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam said yesterday.

Pointing out that foreign powers have all along sought to interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries, Mr Shanmugam said the Internet has revolutionised this process.

Such interference can be even more deadly than military force in undermining a country's politics and stability, and every state has the right to protect its national security, he said.

In Singapore's case, its laws should give the Government powers to tackle foreign interference attempts through targeted, surgical interventions, and to investigate and respond expeditiously to hostile information campaigns.

It must also have the power to get information in order to investigate the provenance of content, to see the extent to which it is foreign influenced and respond appropriately, he added.

Such legislation needs to be able to deal with a diverse range of threats, such as the flow of funds, and interference during and outside election periods, Mr Shanmugam stressed.



When it comes to addressing hostile information campaigns online, it cannot be left to technology companies to regulate themselves, he told a conference on foreign interference tactics and countermeasures organised by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

"We may also need to consider how we restrict foreign participation in the leadership of specific organisations... that are closely involved in our political landscape," he said. "This is similar to our position on foreign participation in cause-based public assemblies and processions."

In his 45-minute speech, Mr Shanmugam outlined examples of how foreign interference has taken place at home and globally, including in the 2016 United States election.

He also spelled out the various methods which foreign interference can take, such as the use of diplomatic channels to subvert and interfere with other states.

The media can also be used, such as via secret funding and control of the publications, and in other cases, having agents use the cover of journalists themselves.

States have also been known to target cause-based movements in other places, mobilising activists in order to advance foreign countries' interests, said Mr Shanmugam.

He noted that foreign interference has been turbo-charged because of the Internet and the almost limitless possibilities it has opened up.

Hostile information campaigns can identify the "protest potential" of any population of the target country, he said. The campaigns seek to create protests which deepen divisions among different groups, and get people to distrust institutions.

But it is the combination of online hostile information campaigns, and offline activities, such as foreign-controlled media and agents of influence, that is extremely toxic and powerful, said Mr Shanmugam.

He cited the example of how this took place in Ukraine, where a foreign country built a narrative that the government was fascist and corrupt. He also cited how online campaigning and falsehoods during the vote on Brexit played on people's anti-Muslim and xenophobic sentiments.

"All that hasn't happened in its full glory in Singapore. But it can happen. Some of it has happened," he said.



The minister said there are attempts to combine the different approaches of foreign interference, and outlined how a group of local activists met Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad last year to urge him to bring democracy to Singapore. Two of them - historian Thum Ping Tjin and freelance journalist Kirsten Han - also started New Naratif, which is funded by a foreign foundation and has received foreign contributions.

He also noted that The Online Citizen website has employed foreigners to write almost exclusively negative articles on Singapore matters, including inflammatory pieces that seek to fracture social cohesion.

"Foreign interference is an age-old threat which has adapted to modern technology," he said. "This is an issue of sovereignty and national security. The governments have to lead from the front, and we need to ensure that we have the right tools to fight this threat".

Shangri-La Dialogue 2019

China, US must avert conflict or fallout will be damaging, says Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
World economy may be hurt unless the two sides can settle their differences, he says
By Rahul Pathak, Associate Editor, The Straits Times, 1 Jun 2019

A lack of strategic trust is at the heart of the mounting tensions between China and the United States, making it hard to resolve their differences.

But going down the current path would be a serious mistake on both sides, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The entire world's economic growth may take a hit, major international problems could stay untackled and the benefits of globalised markets lost, he said last night in his keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

"We should therefore do our utmost to avoid going down the path of conflict and causing enmity on both sides that will last for generations," he told an audience of defence leaders that included US Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan and China's Defence Minister Wei Fenghe.

Both countries have recently imposed tariffs on each other's products, but PM Lee indicated that the problems ran deeper.

"If both sides treat their trade dispute purely on its own merits, I have no doubt their trade negotiators will be able to resolve it," he said.

"But if either side uses trade rules to keep the other down, or one side comes to the conclusion that the other is trying to do this, then the dispute will not be resolved, and the consequences will be far graver than a loss of GDP (gross domestic product)."

The result, he said, would be a more troubled and divided world.



In the 45-minute speech, PM Lee touched on South-east Asia's history to show how its countries thrived after integrating into the world economy.

But his focus was on the more immediate issue of globalisation coming under siege on account of strains in the US-China relationship, which he called the most important in the world.

While smaller countries like Singapore had no choice but to strengthen multilateral institutions, they, like others, were wondering what the future holds, he said.

He said there is no strategic inevitability about a US-China face-off. "But at the same time, if such a face-off does happen, it will be nothing like the Cold War," he said, referring to the long-drawn struggle between the US and the former Soviet Union, which had sought to export communism to the world.

On where a conflict between the US and China could end, he noted that it took 40 years for the Soviet bloc to collapse, under the pressure of enormous defence spending.

"It is highly improbable that the vigorous Chinese economy will collapse in the same way," he said.

China was not capable of taking down the US either.

"Even short of outright conflict, a prolonged period of tension and uncertainty will be extremely damaging," said PM Lee, as issues such as the Korean situation and climate change could be tackled only if both China and the US participated.

"In economic terms, the loss will be not just a percentage point or two of world GDP, but the huge benefits of globalised markets and product chains."



He said China had extensive economic and trade links with the rest of the world, unlike the Soviet Union, whose dealings were largely confined to its own bloc.

In fact, many of the US' major allies in Asia, including Singapore, have China as their largest trading partner, and they all hope that the US and China will resolve their differences. "They want to be friends with both," he said.

While the consequences of such a conflict were grim, its roots also ran deep. The US saw China as a strategic competitor that had taken advantage of it for too long, while many in China saw the US as trying to thwart its legitimate ambitions.

"The fundamental problem between the US and China is a mutual lack of strategic trust," PM Lee said.

"This bodes ill for any compromise or peaceful accommodation. But to go down the present path would be a serious mistake on both sides."



Leaders in both countries also faced powerful domestic pressures as attitudes hardened and neither side wanted to appear weak.

"But ultimately, it is in the interests of both the US and China to reach such an accommodation and to persuade their domestic publics to accept it," he said.

While smaller nations like Singapore could work together to deepen economic cooperation, he said US-China ties would still define the tenor of international relations for years to come.

"In our own generation, we must work together to maximise the chances that countries will have the wisdom and courage to make the right choices," said PM Lee.

Singapore Fake news law passed by Parliament on 8 May 2019

Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill was passed with 72 Members saying "yes", all nine Members from the opposition Workers' Party (WP) saying "no"
It is not a political tool but about shaping a society that keeps lies out, says Shanmugam
By Tham Yuen-C, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 9 May 2019

After a marathon two-day debate that stretched late into last evening, Parliament passed a comprehensive piece of legislation to combat fake news.

The proposed law is not a political tool for the ruling party to wield power, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam, but is about shaping the kind of society that Singapore should be.

Summing up the often fractious debate on the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill, he painted a picture of a society in which lies are kept out and there are honest debates among people based on truth and honour.

"(Debates) should be based on a foundation of truth, foundation of honour, and foundation where we keep out the lies, that's what this is about. It's not about the Workers' Party or the PAP or today, it's about Singapore," he said responding to the 31 MPs who spoke during the debate on the draft law aimed at protecting society from fake news that harms public interest.

At around 10.20pm, the Bill was passed with 72 MPs saying "yes", nine Workers' Party (WP) MPs saying "no", and three Nominated MPs abstaining.

WP chief Pritam Singh, whose party had strenuously objected to the new law for giving ministers too much powers, had called for a division in which each MP's vote is recorded. The opposition party wanted the courts, instead of the ministers, to be the arbiters of falsehoods, and accused the Government of creating a self-serving law that can be abused to quash critics.

Rebuttals came from many of the People's Action Party (PAP) MPs as well as Communications and Information Minister S. Iswaran, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung and Mr Shanmugam, who stressed that a minister's decision under the new law is subject to court appeal and judicial review.

The new law is designed to give the Government the tools to deal with falsehoods on the Internet that can go viral in a matter of minutes and cause untold harm, said Mr Shanmugam, who spent much of his speech addressing WP MPs' claims.

There was no way to guarantee that the courts would be able to respond within hours each time a falsehood needed to be dealt with, he added. He also stressed that the Bill narrows the scope of the Government's powers, instead of broadening them.

"There is no profit of any sort, including political profit, in trying to allow these lies to proliferate and damage our infrastructure of fact. It will damage our institutions and, frankly, no mainstream political party will benefit from it.

"It will damage any party that wants to consider itself mainstream and credible. You've seen what happens in the US, you've seen what happened in the UK, the centre gets hollowed out, it's the extremes that benefit," he said.



MPs had asked for clarifications on technical aspects such as how the law defines falsehoods and public interest, and also raised practical concerns like whether people who inadvertently forward fake news will run afoul of the law.

Mr Shanmugam stressed that orders to put up corrections or remove content would mostly be directed at technology companies.

The man in the street who does not purposely manufacture falsehoods to undermine society need not fear, he added.

During the debate yesterday, Mr Ong addressed the concerns of academics, some of whom had sent him a letter last month about their fears that academic work would be caught under the law.



He said their main concern was that the law would be abused to stifle political discourse "because not all researchers are just researchers, they may also be activists". He assured them that criticism based on facts and not falsehoods would not come under the new law.

Mr Iswaran, meanwhile, spoke about how the Government was fighting the fake news scourge from other fronts, such as working with technology companies on a code of practice that will prevent their platforms from being misused to ramping up media literacy through education.

"Ultimately, our first and most important line of defence against online falsehoods is a well-informed and discerning citizenry, equipped with the tools to combat online falsehoods," he said.

Digital Defence to be Singapore's sixth pillar of Total Defence; MINDEF to recruit 300 cybersecurity experts, opens cyber training school

Addition of new pillar after 35 years signals the threat posed by cyber attacks and disinformation
By Hariz Baharudin, The Straits Times, 15 Feb 2019

The Republic will introduce digital defence as the sixth pillar in its national defence framework Total Defence, signalling the threat cyber attacks and disinformation pose, and the importance of cyber security.

It is the first time a new pillar has been added to the framework since it was launched 35 years ago.

In his annual Total Defence Day message yesterday, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen stressed that cyber-security threats and disinformation are a serious danger to Singapore, and emphasised the need to be vigilant against them. "Security threats can be real and physical like terrorism or, just as damaging, can come through the cyberworld."

"Malicious malware can cripple our systems. Fake news can cause racial riots and divide our people," added Dr Ng in his message, which was uploaded on Facebook.

The digital defence pillar will be officially launched today by Communications and Information Minister S. Iswaran, who is also the Minister-in-charge of Cyber Security. It joins the other five pillars of Total Defence: military, civil, economic, social and psychological defence.

In his speech, Dr Ng reiterated that the purpose of Total Defence Day, which falls on Feb 15, is to remember the Japanese Occupation.

On Feb 15, 1942, the British surrendered Singapore to the Japanese, who occupied the country until Sept 12, 1945.

"Our parents and grandparents suffered in the 3½ years of deprivation and humiliation that followed.

"We remember those events of the Japanese Occupation to teach every new generation of Singaporeans about the price of failure to defend this country," he said.

Total Defence was launched in 1984 as a national defence initiative to rally all citizens behind the Singapore Armed Forces during wartime. It was also envisaged to build a sense of determination for Singaporeans to defend the country under all circumstances.

The framework has since undergone reviews and changes, but this is the first time a pillar outside of the original five conceptualised is being added.

Total Defence is now contextualised to address new threats, and applied to address non-military challenges too, such as economic recessions, pandemics and natural disasters.

Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing also commemorated Total Defence Day yesterday at an inaugural Maritime Nation Forum held at the Singapore Maritime Gallery.

After leading a pledge recitation, he held a dialogue with about 100 forum participants on the challenges that Singapore faces as a maritime nation.

He noted that it was the first time professionals from the maritime industry, Republic of Singapore Navy servicemen and tertiary students were coming together to mark Total Defence Day.

Emphasising the importance of the national defence framework, he said: "When there are external pressures on our country to give in to external demands, Singaporeans must continue to be psychologically resilient and stay together to keep Singapore strong."