Parliamentary Q&A for January 2019 Sittings

IMPACT OF PROGRESSIVE WAGE MODEL ON EMPLOYMENT

Leon Perera asked if there were studies that showed the impact of the Progressive Wage Model on employment numbers in the cleaning, security and landscape sectors.

Josephine Teo said that the real median gross wages of full-time resident cleaners, security guards and landscape maintenance employees increased by 32%, 36% and 16% respectively between 2011 and 2016. Local unemployment rate was at 3% and employment rate at 80%.

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PLANS FOR MORE EDUCATION AND CAREER GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS

Faisal Manap asked if more specialised education and career guidance (ECG) counsellors would be brought to schools, and how parents were involved in the ECG curriculum.

On Ye Kung said that MOE had deployed 97 ECG counsellors to schools as of end 2018, focusing on improving curriculum. There were no plans to increase the number of ECG counsellors. Schools regularly engaged parents to raise awareness of, and means to discuss educational and career options with their children.

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MONITORING OF AMBIENT AIR QUALITY AT CIVIL AND MILITARY AIRPORTS

Dennis Tan asked if the ambient air quality at civil and military airports and the vicinity was monitored and tracked for pollutants like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxides, sulphur oxides, particulate matter and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). If so, he asked if the data could be made publicly available.

Masagos Zulkifli said that civil and military airports were part of the 5 zones monitored through a network of five national air quality-monitoring stations. The ambient concentration of VOCs is continuously monitored, with the criteria pollutants reported on an hourly basis as the Pollutants Standard Index (PSI). The hourly PSI readings are on the NEA and haze websites, as well as on myENV app.

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AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE ON BASIC NEEDS

Leon Perera asked for the latest figure for the Average Household Expenditure on Basic Needs (AHEBN) for all available household sizes by number of persons.

Chan Chun Sing said the AHEBN was estimated to be about $1,300 in 2017 for a four-person household, and correspondingly lower for smaller households.

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DESIGN AND INSTALLATION REQUIREMENT FOR MANHOLE COVERS IN NEW ESTATES

Daniel Goh asked what guidelines were available for the design and installation of manhole covers in new estates, and if noise reduction was required for vehicular driveways with interlocking pavers.

Lawrence Wong said that manhole covers needed to be structurally sound and fit for purpose, fit properly, and should emit minimal noise. In the few instances of noise complaints, it was due to poor fit of the manhole cover, and usually resolved by HDB working with town councils to clear the manhole of debris, replacing or grinding the cover for a better fit.

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REQUIREMENT TO DISPOSE PRIVATE PROPERTY

Faisal Manap asked about the requirement to dispose private property within six months of purchasing a non-subsidised or resale flat. He requested for the number of cases of property in Singapore and overseas that have been disposed, appeals received with how many approved, and the basis for the approvals.

Lawrence Wong said that slightly over 5,000 households had disposed of their private properties. About 1,200 households appealed to retain their property, with 300 appeals approved after considering owner’s share in the private property, and the reasons why the private property cannot be recovered for their own use.

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COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT G20 SUMMIT IN BUENOS AIRES

Sylvia Lim asked to what extent the Government agreed that the multilateral trading system was falling short of its objectives and that there was a need for World Trade Organisation reforms.

Chan Chun Sing said that Singapore welcomed the G20’s commitment to strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth, as well as the pledge to improve a rules-based international order that can effectively respond to a rapidly changing world.

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USE OF MEDISAVE TO PAY FOR PARENTS’ HEALTHCARE COSTS

Faisal Manap asked for the number of people using their Medisave to pay for their parents’ healthcare cost; and the median withdrawal value in the last 5 years.

Gan Kim Yong provided the details in the table below.

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BALANCES LEFT IN CPF MEMBERS’ MEDISAVE ACCOUNTS ON THEIR DEMISE

Daniel Goh asked for the median, average and range of balances left in Medisave accounts in the last 5 years when CPF members passed on.

Gan Kim Yong said about half of Singaporeans aged 65 and above had about $5,500 or less, while half had $4,000 or less left in their MediSave Account on demise aged 85 and older between 2013 and 2017. He provided the details in the table below.

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UPDATE ON INVESTIGATION INTO KEPPEL CORRUPTION CASE

Dennis Tan asked for an update on the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau investigation of the Keppel Offshore & Marine corruption case and the actions taken against Singaporeans that were involved.

Indranee Rajah said a request for Mutual Legal Assistance has been sent to foreign authorities to obtain evidence for the investigation, adding that AGC can only assess the case and respond after the investigation is complete.

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INSPECTION FREQUENCY FOR MATURE TREES IN PARK

Daniel Goh asked about the inspection frequency for mature trees in parks, and if the inspection regime should be reviewed given recent changing climate conditions and tree failures.

Lawrence Wong said trees were inspected every 12 to 24 months, with in-depth annual inspections for internal decay of trees more than four metres wide since 2016. With changing climatic conditions, storm-vulnerable species were replaced with hardier trees, and trees were regularly pruned to improve their structure.

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UPDATE ON EFFORTS AND PROPOSED MEASURES TO REDUCE SUGAR INTAKE AMONGST SINGAPOREANS

Daniel Goh asked if studies had been conducted on the efficacy and impact of the four proposals to ban high-sugar drinks, and what weight public views would carry in the solicitation of feedback.

Gan Kim Yong said that the Government was not aware of studies that directly compared the four proposals’ efficacy and impact. However, he noted that the proposals were not mutually exclusive and they often reinforced each other in promoting healthier choices.

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FACTORS THAT CAUSED RECENT INCREASE IN PRICE OF EGGS

Daniel Goh asked for the cause of the increase in the price of eggs over the past six months and whether profiteering was a factor.

Chan Chun Sing said that while the local retail price had increased around 4% due to the increase in prices of some import sources, import prices from other sources had remained stable or declined. He added that there was no substantive information at present to conclude that the recent rise in egg prices was caused by anti-competitive practices.

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SAFEGUARDING WELFARE OF DETAINED YOUTHS IN PLACES OF DETENTION AND JUVENILE REHABILITATION CENTRES

PART 1

Sylvia Lim asked how the Government ensured that conditions of detention or residence, promoted rehabilitation for youths residing in places of detention and juvenile rehabilitation centres established under the Children and Young Persons Act.

Desmond Lee said that as far as possible, youth offenders were diverted away from the youth justice system altogether through diversionary programmes such as the Enhanced Streetwise Programme for youths.

PART 2

Sylvia Lim asked what oversight mechanisms and grievance procedures existed to safeguard the welfare of detained youths in homes.

Desmond Lee said that there were stipulated standards of care, and a Review Board comprising apppinted professional volunteers to review the living conditions in the homes. Residents may raise concerns directly to members of the Review Board during visits, or to the management of the homes. They may also deposit a letter into a secure letterbox that is accessed only by selected personnel.

PART 3

Sylvia Lim asked whether past reviews of violent incidents in the Singapore Boys Home had identified any contributory factors for the occurrences.

Desmond Lee replied that MSF worked closely with the Home Team departments to learn from past incidents in order to strengthen policies and processes. There have also been infrastructural enhancements, such as installations of duress alarms.

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REGULATION OF CHIROPRACTIC INDUSTRY

Leon Perera asked about regulatory guidelines or standards applicable to the chiropractic industry, whether customers could find recourse from MOH when there are disputes, and whether there was an ongoing process to bring the industry under further regulation.

Gan Kim Yong said that chiropractic services were currently not licensed under the Private Hospital and Medical Clinic Act. There was also no statutory legislation to regulate chiropractors. However, they are subject to provisions under the Medicines (Sales and Advertisements) Act. Complaints in this area can be sent to MOH, with recourse for other disputes through CASE.

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SINGAPORE-MALAYSIA RELATIONS

Pritam Singh asked whether there was sensing if Malaysia was sincere in resolving the various bilateral issues with Singapore on a win-win basis.

Vivian Balakrishnan said following discussions with Malaysian officials, both sides concluded that it was important to keep the attitude of trying to solve, and not aggravate, problems.

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PREVENTING DISRUPTIONS AT CHANGI AIRPORT CAUSED BY DRONES

Dennis Tan asked what measures were in place to prevent or stop drones from operating in the vicinity of our airports and affecting flight operations and schedules.

Lam Pin Min said that Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) were prohibited from flying within 5 km of any airport in Singapore without a permit. Law enforcement officers also conducted regular surveillance patrols around the airport and respond to sightings of unauthorised UAS. There were also counter-measures to deal with safety and security threats posed by UAS.

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REASON BEHIND IMPROPERLY STERILISED EQUIPMENT AT TAN TOCK SENG’S DENTAL CLINIC AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES PUT IN PLACE

PART 1

Leon Perera asked what measures were currently in place to ensure the proper sterilisation of dental instruments in public and private clinics; and what training was being done to ensure staff compliance with the sterilisation process in licensed healthcare institutions.

Amy Khor said there were standard operating procedures in place to ensure that these processes were completed properly and that there were at least three layers of checks. Staff who perform sterilisation processes would have to undergo proper training and assessed on competencies before performing such functions. In addition, staff are regularly sent for further training and re-assessments in order to maintain their competencies.

PART 2

Leon Perera asked how often were audits or checks conducted in public and private dental clinics.

Amy Khor said that the public healthcare institutions conduct routine internal audits on various critical functions, such as the sterilisation process and workflow. Such internal audits may take place as often as once every six months, with findings typically shared at learning platforms, and improvements and recommendations made system-wide.

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PROGRESS OF EFFORTS TO UPLIFT PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY

PART 1

Sylvia Lim asked about the progress of efforts to uplift the private security industry, and the challenges in doing so.

Sun Xueling said that the government was making good progress, citing developments on the demand side and the technology side.

PART 2

Sylvia Lim asked how the Government intended to enforce the enhanced regime in the Private Security Industry (Conduct) Regulations.

On enforcement, Sun Xueling stated that first time offenders would generally be given warnings though the Police now has the flexibility to impose a composition fine if a security officer repeatedly or egregiously breaches the Code of Conduct. Licence suspension or revocation, and prosecution would be considered only in the most severe or recalcitrant cases.

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REVIEW OF ELECTRONIC GAME LOOT BOXES AS FORM OF GAMBLING

Leon Perera asked if electronic game loot boxes were being reviewed as being a form of gambling, as seen in some other jurisdictions.

K Shanmugam said that whether loot boxes were considered a form of gambling under the Remote Gambling Act depended on whether there were in-game facilities that allow players to convert game credits or any in-game items to real-world money or merchandises.

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UPDATE ON EPISODE WHERE QUARTZ WAS USED FOR COLUMBARIUM NICHES INSTEAD OF MARBLE

PART 1

Dennis Tan asked in respect of the supply of 8,600 quartz (instead of marble) niches when the niches were relocated from Mount Vernon Columbarium whether NEA had verified that the contractors have fulfilled all contractual requirements during delivery/installation.

Masgos Zulkifli said that NEA is closely monitoring the progress of the replacement works and will ensure that the contractor fulfills its contractual obligations.

PART 2

Dennis Tan asked in respect of the supply of 8,600 quartz niches what punitive action would be taken against the contractors, and whether the contractors were required to provide refunds or compensation where affected families do not accept a marble replacement.

Masgos Zulkifli said that the contractor would bear the costs required to make good on what should have been delivered. NEA has withheld payments to the contractor pending the completion of the replacement works, and would also be claiming against the contractor for any difference in price between the quartz and marble plaques.

The contractor had reached out to the affected families with the offer of a replacement marble plaque and re-installation at no cost to the family.

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GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE TO THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY INTO THE CYBER ATTACK ON SINGHEALTH’S IT SYSTEM

Png Eng Huat asked what the government was going to do to assure and alert victims about the danger of loss of privacy and financial loss.

S Iswaran said the government was monitoring the Dark Web to see if data has emerged, while SingHealth had reached out to patients to inform and advise. Patients could also approach SingHealth if they have any queries as well. The government had also issued an advisory on appropriate cyber hygiene habits.

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IMPACT OF CAUSEWAY JAMS ON BUSINESSES IN SINGAPORE

Leon Perera asked how the recent Causeway jams have impacted businesses in Singapore and what measures were in place to reduce the extent and impact of such jams in future.

Chan Chun Sing replied that ICA regularly released notices to anticipate jams so businesses can make appropriate arrangements to avoid or prepare for them.

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PERCENTAGE OF LAND COST IN ACTUAL PRICES OF BTO FLATS CONSTRUCTED IN 2016 AND 2017

Faisal Manap asked for the percentage of the land cost out of the actual cost price for a three-room, four-room, and five-room type Build-To-Order flats constructed in 2016 and 2017.

Lawrence Wong replied that land cost was about 60% of total development cost. He confirmed that this cost was paid by HDB to SLA.

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MEASURE TO PREVENT MALAYSIAN VESSELS FROM ENTERING SINGAPORE WATERS

Dennis Tan asked if steps had or would be taken to prevent any further Malaysian Government vessels from entering Singapore waters besides the vessels, which were currently within such waters.

Ng Eng Hen replied that the two foreign ministers had set up a working group to discuss ways to de-escalate the situation. He added that the Police Coast Guard and Navy would continue to protect Singapore waters.

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PROPOSAL TO PROMOTE USE OF GENERIC DRUGS IN PUBLIC HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS

PART 1

Leon Perera asked what measures were in place to promote the use of cheaper and clinically equivalent generic drugs in public healthcare institutions, whether the Ministry tracks what proportion of the volume of all drugs prescribed are generics, and if so what was the figures for the last five years.

Lam Pin Min replied that MOH introduced a basket of clinically, cost-effective generic drugs in 2017 which was regularly reviewed and updated, and MOH practices automatic substitution at the point of drug ordering. He added that in 2017, the usage of the generic drugs in the basket has increased from 87% in 2013 to 99%.

PART 2

Leon Perera asked if were there plans to monitor the extent to which branded versus generic drugs were prescribed in healthcare institutions, if generic drugs were more prominently displayed at pharmacies, and if sometimes prescribed at the same price as the branded version without the patient’s awareness.

Lam Pin Min replied that the drugs, which the National Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee assessed, had high spending and high utilisation in the public healthcare institutions. He added that generic options at retail pharmacies were up to business models of the respective pharmacies, but MOH encourages group purchasing of drugs to reduce private sector drug costs.

PART 3

Leon Perera asked if there is an online resource available for patients to check the prices of generic versus clinically equivalent branded drugs.

Lam Pin Min replied that he was unaware of an online resource for drug comparison, but would provide an update.

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REVIEW MEDISHIELD LIFE’S CLAIM LIMITS TO ADDRESS GAPS

PART 1

Pritam Singh asked if the MOH review was in line with the spirit of the MediShield Life Review Committee report, to determine if the amount of premiums collected was just right, and have greater transparency on reserve requirements.

Edwin Tong replied that claims limit referred to how many bills MediShield Life was designed to cover and looking at the healthcare cost in tandem with that. He added that the adequacy ratio ensured longer-term sustainability of the fund. He also added that the adequacy ratio and claims limit were separate issues.

PART 2

Leon Perera asked if MediShield Life’s adequacy ratio benchmarked to be similar or in the same range as the healthcare insurance schemes worldwide.

Edwin Tong replied that the adequacy ratio was not benchmarked to other schemes worldwide, but there were comparable ratios that were looked at to determine and assess what the adequate ratio would be.

PART 3

Leon Perera asked if there were any pertinent common characteristics in 10% of MediShield bills, which fall above the claim limit where the difference was more than $230, and if public healthcare staff would inform patients that MediFund assistance was available if their bills exceed the claim limit.

Edwin Tong replied that the bills falling out of the 10% were largely made up of complex cases, with many not passing the means test for subsidies. He also added that counsellors and medical social workers would advise on the patient’s Medifund accessibility.

Read the full exchange here.