Debated in Parliament on 7 May 2018.
The Ministry of Communications and Information’s (MCI's) mission is to connect people to community, the Government and opportunity. In support of our Smart Nation vision, MCI will grow the digital economy, strengthen Singaporeans’ digital readiness, and secure our cyberspace. MCI will also enhance Government communications and develop our libraries of the future.
In a future increasingly shaped by digital technologies, Singapore must harness these changes to create opportunities for all. To that end, MCI will strengthen the Infocomm, Media and Design (ICMD) sectors as growth multipliers for Singapore. We will implement the Infocomm Media Industry Transformation Map and deepen our capabilities in digital technologies to grow the sector and create exciting new jobs. We will strengthen our media sector so that we can continue producing high-quality and inspiring content. We will forge ahead with the Design 2025 Masterplan to leverage design as an enabler of innovation and business transformation.
A stronger ICMD sector will enable Singapore to accelerate digital transformation across the economy. We will expand our small and medium enterprises (SMEs) Go Digital programme to help our SMEs ride this new wave of growth, and develop more targeted Industry Digital Plans. MCI will also launch the Open Innovation Platform to promote innovation and enterprise.
We will prepare Singaporeans for a more vibrant, innovation-driven digital economy. We will ramp up the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) efforts to equip more Singaporeans with relevant skills. We will launch Digital Leadership programmes to groom the next generation of leaders in digital transformation.
Singapore’s digital economy will be supported by world-class infrastructure and regulations. We will improve connectivity with the 5th generation (5G) of mobile technology and increase international data flows. We will ensure our regulations remain fit for purpose, including the Broadcasting Act and the Personal Data Protection Act.
We will introduce a Digital Readiness Blueprint to enable all Singaporeans to fully participate in and benefit from digital opportunities in their everyday lives. We will do more to help disadvantaged and vulnerable communities, such as seniors and the low-income, use digital technology. We will look into developing a basic digital access package and setting up touchpoints in the community to provide basic one-on-one assistance on using digital devices and accessing digital services. We will help Singaporeans build information and media literacy skills so that they are able to discern, evaluate and manage information in an increasingly complex digital environment. This will also allow Singaporeans to guard against the proliferation of falsehoods. We will also partner schools to equip students with coding, computational thinking and digital making skills to develop the next generation of future-ready Singaporeans.
We will continue to keep our cyberspace secure, for it is the foundation of a Smart Nation. Our National Cybersecurity Strategy sets out a comprehensive approach to do so. We will implement the Strategy to strengthen our critical information infrastructure and develop our cybersecurity ecosystem. We will also grow our international partnerships, as cyber threats do not respect geographical boundaries. We will continue to contribute to multilateral efforts to develop cyber norms and work with international partners to drive the development of cybersecurity standards for emerging technologies.
Even as we encourage Singaporeans to embrace digital technologies to improve their lives, we must be on guard against threats and risks that propagate through such technologies. One such threat is deliberate online falsehoods, which threaten our multiracial society by sowing discord, exploiting fault lines and undermining public institutions. Apart from building Singaporeans’ info-literacy skills, we will leverage technology to swiftly respond to such threats, including building up the Government’s “Factually” platform.
In light of an increasingly complex communications landscape, we will develop a whole-of-Government Communications Roadmap to transform Government communications capabilities and leverage technology to improve the way the Government engages different age groups and communities. Public Service Broadcasting will focus on local content reflective of our rich cultural heritage and delivering it through traditional and digital platforms.
We will do more to engage Singaporeans better. Singaporeans at all levels will have an opportunity to voice their views and suggestions. We will continue to expand our pool of community, youth and professional partners to widen our outreach to niche communities. We will also hold Listening Points in new areas to reach out to more segments of the population.
Our libraries are national treasures, providing inclusive social spaces that foster lifelong learning. We will continue to build our Libraries of the Future and conduct more programmes to make every Singaporean an active library user. The National Library Board mobile app already brings our libraries to our fingertips; we will continue to digitalise more library services so that they are even more user-friendly. The National Archives celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. We will leverage this Golden Jubilee to help Singaporeans uncover gems in our collections and better understand our shared history.
Next year, we also commemorate the Singapore Bicentennial, the 200th anniversary of Sir Stamford Raffles’ landing on Singapore. Beyond looking at the 200 years from 1819, the Bicentennial will go back a further 500 years to the 14th century to appreciate the context of Singapore’s evolution leading up to 1819. It is an opportunity to reflect on our rich history, appreciate our transformation into a global city, and reaffirm the values that will take us forward as a sovereign nation. The Singapore Bicentennial Office will work with community and corporate partners to organise events that bring Singaporeans along this shared journey.
PAPERCUTS