Digital & technology — Topics

7 Nov 2023

Usage and Cost of Maintaining Wireless@SG System

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim requested data on Wireless@SG's unique logins and resident versus non-resident usage over the past ten years, along with its annual maintenance costs and potential phase-out plans.
Mrs Josephine Teo explained that Wireless@SG provides a unified platform for free Wi-Fi in public spaces, with an average of 1.8 million monthly unique logins from 2018 to 2022, 98% of which were by residents.
She noted that while IMDA offered initial funding and may provide periodic support, the main costs for deployment and maintenance are borne by operators and venue owners, making the system sustainable as long as venues see value in offering free Wi-Fi.

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7 Nov 2023

Micro-enterprises in Exercise and Education Sectors Supported by IMDA's Data Protection Essentials Programme

Mrs Josephine Teo stated that IMDA's Start Digital programme has supported about 1,320 companies in the education sector and 220 in the exercise sector, while the Data Protection Essentials programme received over 100 applications since April 2022, with four from the education sector and none from the exercise sector.
Over 40% of DPE applicants are micro-SMEs, and 50% have successfully implemented the service, with the rest at various implementation stages.
IMDA is collaborating with sector champions, such as the Committee for Private Education, to promote the DPE in the education sector and plans to encourage SMEs in the exercise sector to adopt the programme to protect personal data and build customer trust.

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7 Nov 2023

Including Disputes Involving Billing-on-Behalf Services in IMDA's Alternative Dispute Resolution Scheme

Ms See Jinli Jean asked why disputes over billing-on-behalf services, such as App Store purchases, are excluded from IMDA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Scheme and whether they could be included.
Mrs Josephine Teo explained that the ADR Scheme only covers licensed telecommunications and media services, and billing-on-behalf services are excluded because they fall outside IMDA’s regulatory mandate.
She noted that consumers can still seek resolution for such disputes through other avenues like the Consumers Association of Singapore and the Small Claims Tribunal.
The debate highlighted the limitation of IMDA’s authority and the availability of alternative dispute resolution options for non-licensed services.

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7 Nov 2023

Coverage of Shared Responsibility Framework Against Phishing Scams

Ms Sylvia Lim asked about banks' compliance with the four anti-scam duties under the Shared Responsibility Framework (SRF) and the number of phishing scam cases involving potential breaches by banks in the past two years, as well as the average and median losses for victims.
Lawrence Wong, for the Prime Minister, explained that the SRF assigns a "waterfall" of accountability where financial institutions (FIs) and telcos are primarily responsible for compensating victims if they breach duties, with customers only bearing losses if both parties fully discharge their duties.
MAS estimated 15,000 phishing scam cases from 2021 to mid-2023, with an average loss of about $3,900 per case, but does not currently track cases involving potential FI breaches—this will be monitored under the SRF going forward.
The government noted that while phishing scams have risen, their proportion of total scams has declined, and average losses have decreased by 20%, with banks also offering discretionary goodwill payments beyond the SRF framework.
The SRF is part of broader measures to combat scams, including bank initiatives and MAS oversight, with ongoing efforts to enhance security for all customers, including seniors with limited digital literacy.

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7 Nov 2023

Ensuring Banks' IT Infrastructure to Prevent Service Disruptions

Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Prime Minister how MAS will ensure banks' IT infrastructure has fail-safe and redundancy measures to handle surges in demand, following recent DBS and Citibank disruptions linked to data centre failures.
Lawrence Wong, responding for the Prime Minister, stated that the question had already been answered in a previous parliamentary reply regarding banking service disruptions.
He directed reference to the Official Report of 06 November 2023, which covers costs, lessons, and further safeguards from recent digital banking service disruptions.

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7 Nov 2023

Update on Lamppost-as-a-Platform Project

The Lamppost-as-a-Platform (LaaP) trial, which began in late 2017 to test mounting sensors on lampposts in areas like Geylang, one-north, and Punggol Northshore, has concluded and shown that large-scale rollout is not practical due to new, more cost-effective technologies like mobile sensors and fuel cells.
The trial yielded positive outcomes, including the development of data exchange platforms and governance models that enable government agencies to share sensor data, contributing to smart city ambitions.
The government plans to continue adopting an agile approach for innovative projects, allowing for quick scaling, pivoting, or discontinuation of technologies as needed to transform Singapore's environment.

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7 Nov 2023

Lessons from 14 October Disruption to Banking Digital Services

Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Prime Minister for lessons learned and future safeguards following the digital banking service disruptions on 14 October 2023.
Lawrence Wong, for the Prime Minister, indicated that the response had already been provided in a prior parliamentary reply on 6 November 2023, referencing an official report on costs, lessons, and further safeguards.
The debate highlighted the need for robust systems to prevent future disruptions and the government's commitment to enhancing the resilience of digital banking services.

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7 Nov 2023

Hardware Tokens as Option for Bank Customers to Enhance Security of Online Banking

Sylvia Lim asked which retail banks in Singapore have phased out hardware tokens and whether the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) should mandate their availability to enhance online banking security.
Lawrence Wong, speaking for the Prime Minister, stated that major local and foreign banks in Singapore, including DBS, OCBC, UOB, Maybank, and HSBC, still offer hardware tokens upon customer request, so MAS does not need to mandate their provision.
He noted that hardware tokens are not foolproof, as they can still be compromised through phishing where users are tricked into sharing one-time passwords with scammers.
MAS is collaborating with the banking industry to strengthen online banking security and has directed banks to adopt authentication methods more resistant to both phishing and malware attacks.

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7 Nov 2023

Requiring Private Clinics and Hospitals to Routinely Update Patient Data on National Electronic Health Record System

The Ministry of Health plans to introduce a Health Information Bill to mandate licensed healthcare providers, including private clinics and hospitals, to submit key health information to the National Electronic Health Record system, with phased implementation starting end-2025.
A main challenge has been that private healthcare providers often lack IT systems compatible with the NEHR, which the government is addressing through the Early Contribution Incentive scheme offering one-time funding support since December 2022.
If the bill passes, the ministry will proceed with a timeline to phase in mandatory participation from private healthcare providers to achieve comprehensive integration of healthcare records.

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7 Nov 2023

Developing Indigenous Capabilities for Artificial Intelligence Solutions

The government affirmed Singapore’s strong AI research base and active industry collaborations, stating that while indigenous capability is valuable, it is not necessary to own all technologies, citing examples like the aerospace sector where Singapore thrives without developing aircraft.
In response to questioning, the government clarified that its approach is a balanced combination of leveraging foreign foundation models and building local capabilities, with initiatives like the SEA-LION project to develop region-specific AI models in a phased manner.
The government highlighted ongoing efforts to support AI innovation and talent development, noting that more details on scaling up foundation model plans will be announced later this year, while acknowledging the need to address data confidentiality concerns with foreign large language models.

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7 Nov 2023

Ensuring Government's Shared Responsibility Framework for Equitable Sharing of Losses in Bank Scams Offers Adequate Protection

The Shared Responsibility Framework introduces a "waterfall approach" where financial institutions and telcos are prioritized to compensate victims of phishing scams if they breach their anti-scam duties, with customers only bearing losses if both entities fulfill their obligations.
The framework applies specifically to unauthorised transactions from phishing scams, excluding authorised transactions like those involving deep fakes, which rely on consumer vigilance and separate bank goodwill policies, though ongoing consultations may expand coverage to include malware scams.
Concerns were raised about the adequacy of consumer protection, particularly regarding physical hardware tokens for elderly customers with limited digital literacy, with authorities committing to streamline token access and incorporate public feedback into future framework updates.

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6 Nov 2023

Recent Outages of Digital Services Affecting Banks and Essential Platforms and Steps to Reduce Impact

Miss Cheryl Chan asked what more can be done to ensure service providers maintain minimal services during disruptions and have business continuity plans to prevent negative impacts on the public and private sectors.
Mrs Josephine Teo highlighted existing regulations for critical information infrastructure and sector-specific oversight by agencies like the Cyber Security Agency, Infocomm Media Development Authority, and Monetary Authority of Singapore.
The Government is studying the need for stronger security and resilience measures for data centres, considering risk-calibrated regulation aligned with international standards.
It is recognized that regulation alone cannot eliminate outages, so industries and enterprises must also take steps to mitigate risks and maintain service continuity.
Entities like banks, telcos, and digital service providers are encouraged to ensure continued delivery of important services to maintain consumer confidence during disruptions.

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6 Nov 2023

Plans to Mitigate Speculative Behaviour and Volatility in Property Market

Mr Derrick Goh inquired about the Government's plans to address speculative behaviour and prevent circumvention of ownership rules via digital real-estate tokens.
Minister Desmond Lee stated the tokenisation industry is nascent and has not yet introduced volatility or rule circumvention.
The Government is monitoring the situation and will adjust policies to ensure a stable and sustainable property market.

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6 Nov 2023

Checks for Obstruction of Road Signs by Tree Growth

Joan Pereira asked whether tree inspections check for road sign obstruction by tree growth and how the Ministry ensures signs remain visible for road user safety.
Desmond Lee stated that NParks trained arborists inspect trees every 6 to 24 months and check for sign obstruction, pruning trees as needed to improve visibility.
NParks is also developing an AI visual tool to identify foliage obstructing road signs, supplementing existing inspection and maintenance practices.

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6 Nov 2023

Impact of Recent Leak of Personal Data at Academy of Medicine Singapore on Ministry of Health's Operations and Data Security

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi questioned whether the September 2023 personal data leak at the Academy of Medicine Singapore affected the Ministry of Health’s operations and data security due to shared clinician information across public and private sectors.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung confirmed the breach did not impact MOH’s operations or data security, as there are no system connections or government data shared between MOH and AMS.
The incident was reported to the Personal Data Protection Commission Singapore, with investigations currently ongoing.

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6 Nov 2023

Implementation of Online ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance

Since the implementation of online ComCare SMTA applications via SupportGoWhere, about 13% of applications have been submitted online, with the proportion expected to rise.
The online system allows 24/7 access, auto-populates data via MyInfo, enables direct document submission and status tracking, and reduces manual work for both applicants and SSO officers.
Developing the portal cost about $1.5 million, and it is estimated to save clients and SSO officers over 10,000 and 9,000 manhours respectively since launch.

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6 Nov 2023

Programmes to Educate Parents on Associated Risks of Cyber-addiction Among Youths and Guidelines for Conducive Home Environment

Edward Chia asked the Ministry of Education to expand parent education programmes on cyber-addiction risks and to provide home environment guidelines.
Chan Chun Sing emphasized the critical role of parents in guiding children’s digital use and noted that schools collaborate with parents through resources, expert insights, and Parent Support Groups.
The Ministry is working with other agencies under the Interagency Taskforce for Mental Health and Well-being to develop a Parents’ Toolbox to help manage children’s device use safely.

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6 Nov 2023

Privacy Concerns Over ERP 2.0 System's New On-board Unit

Ms Hany Soh raised privacy concerns about the ERP 2.0 system's new on-board units, which use Global Navigation Satellite System to reveal real-time driver locations, and asked how the Ministry for Transport would address these issues.
Chee Hong Tat, speaking for the Minister for Transport, stated that strict safeguards govern data collection, usage, and storage, with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) using only anonymised or aggregated data for traffic management and transport planning.
He added that vehicle-specific data would only be used for payments, charges, and enforcement, such as addressing non-payment of Electronic Road Pricing charges.

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6 Nov 2023

Safeguarding Personal Data Under Next-generation ERP System

Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked about data safeguards and government access to driver journey data under the next-generation ERP system.
Chee Hong Tat stated that the new ERP on-board units are designed with high security and encryption, using anonymised data for traffic management and specific vehicle data only for payment and enforcement.
The Land Transport Authority follows strict government data security standards, with penalties for unauthorised disclosure or improper use of information.

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6 Nov 2023

Data Collection of Next-generation ERP System

Hazel Poa asked if the next-generation ERP system would collect vehicle data when vehicles are outside Singapore.
Chee Hong Tat, on behalf of the Minister for Transport, confirmed that the ERP 2.0 system will not collect data outside Singapore.
The response directly addressed concerns about data collection beyond Singapore's borders.

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