Digital & technology — Topics

15 Feb 2022

Multi-pronged Approach by Government, Telcos and Banks to Combat Phishing and Credit Card Scams

Members of Parliament Christopher de Souza and Jamus Jerome Lim raised questions about the government’s, telcos’, and banks’ collaborative efforts to address phishing and credit card scams, including the percentage of unauthorized transactions and recovery rates.
The Prime Minister’s response indicated that these issues would be addressed in upcoming Ministerial Statements by the Ministers of Finance, Communications and Information, and Home Affairs.
The debate highlighted a multi-agency approach involving the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Singapore Police Force, telcos, and banks to combat scams.
Specific concerns were raised about implementing additional safeguards beyond one-time passwords for credit card transactions, such as mandatory notifications for anomalous transactions.

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15 Feb 2022

Strengthening Enforcement and Public Education

The Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams coordinates efforts across government agencies and private sector partners to combat scams, with a focus on enforcement, public education, and leveraging technology like the ScamShield app and the Anti-Scam Centre, which has frozen thousands of accounts and recovered significant funds.
Challenges in enforcement include the transnational nature of scams, reliance on overseas cooperation, and difficulty in recovering funds transferred abroad, as illustrated by the OCBC phishing scam where investigations involve local and international collaboration.
Public education is emphasized as critical, with targeted campaigns like "Spot the Signs. Stop the Crimes" and initiatives for specific age groups, while MAS is developing an equitable loss-sharing framework between banks and customers to enhance accountability and security.

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15 Feb 2022

Combating Online Phishing and Spoofing Scams

The Minister emphasized that scams like the OCBC incident exploit human psychology through deception rather than cyberattacks, using communications channels such as SMS, calls, and emails to scale and speed their operations.
Upstream measures include blocking scam websites and calls, with telcos and agencies working to enhance detection, such as using AI and crowdsourcing public reports to disrupt scammers’ reach.
To combat SMS spoofing, a registry for alphanumeric Sender IDs is being implemented, requiring banks and government agencies to register, with potential future mandates for all users to prevent impersonation.
Public vigilance and education are critical, supported by tools like ScamShield and initiatives like the Digital for Life Movement, which aim to build digital resilience and cybersecurity awareness across society.
A multi-layered ecosystem approach involving banks, telcos, government, and individuals is necessary to address evolving scam tactics, despite costs and convenience trade-offs, to maintain trust in digital transactions.

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15 Feb 2022

Bolstering the Security of Digital Banking

The government is adopting an ecosystem approach to combat digital banking scams, involving banks, telcos, law enforcement, and consumers, following the OCBC phishing scam that affected 790 customers and caused $13.7 million in losses.
Immediate measures include removing clickable links in bank communications, delaying new token activation, lowering transaction notification thresholds, and setting up 24/7 dedicated call centres to assist customers.
Longer-term strategies focus on enhancing fraud surveillance with AI, enabling instant transaction blocking, introducing additional customer confirmations for high-risk actions, and accelerating the shift to mobile banking apps.
MAS and the Payments Council are developing a framework for equitable loss-sharing between banks and customers, to be published for public consultation within three months.
Public education and enforcement efforts are being strengthened, with a call for constant vigilance as scams evolve in sophistication and cannot be entirely eliminated.

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15 Feb 2022

Update on Discussion with SPH Media Trust on Funding Support Measures to Ensure Sustainability in Competitive Media Industry and Limited Local Market

The Government will provide up to $180 million annually for five years to support SPH Media Trust's digital transformation, with funds allocated to technology, digital talent, and sustaining vernacular newsrooms.
Key performance indicators will track reach, engagement, and resilience, with half-yearly progress reports and a review after five years to ensure accountability and effective use of public funds.
Editorial independence will be maintained, as funding does not influence content, and the government emphasizes that trust and audience reach are the basis for support, not political interference.

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15 Feb 2022

Increasing Penalty for Those Who Circumvent Anti-SMS Spoofing and Do Not Call Registries

Multiple MPs asked the government to increase enforcement and protections against SMS scams, including questions on registry adoption, prosecution cases, and solutions like AI and cross-border cooperation.
The Minister for Communications and Information sought to address these questions during ministerial statements, indicating a coordinated government response is forthcoming.
The debate highlighted concerns about phishing scams via SMS, bank payouts to victims, and the need for measures to prevent complacency and deter scammers.
There were calls for data on bank call centre ratios and guidelines on waiting times to improve customer support during fraud incidents.

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14 Feb 2022

Plans to Support SPH Media Trust in Digital Transformation

Miss Cheryl Chan asked if the Government has plans to support SPH Media Trust in digital transformation and specific areas of support.
Mrs Josephine Teo confirmed the Government's commitment to support SPH Media Trust in areas like digital innovation and capability development.
MCI will provide a detailed update to Parliament shortly on the specific plans.

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14 Feb 2022

Aviation Safety Concerns Arising from Push for 5G Technologies and Mitigation Measures in Place to Ensure Safety in Singapore's Airspace

Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked about aviation safety concerns from Singapore’s 5G push and any mitigation measures.
S Iswaran stated that CAAS is coordinating with telecom regulators and airlines to assess potential impacts, with no reported interference so far.
The 5G frequency band in Singapore (3.45–3.65 GHz) is far from aircraft radio altimeter frequencies (4.2–4.4 GHz), lowering interference risk.
5G base stations in Singapore have low power emission levels, and live trials have shown no significant interference.
CAAS will continue monitoring the issue to ensure aviation safety in Singapore’s airspace.

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14 Feb 2022

Cost of Legal Technology Platform Initiative and Target Take-up Rate Amongst Lawyers

The Government has set aside about $11 million for the first two phases of the Legal Technology Platform Initiative, with roughly half incurred to date.
The platform is targeted to onboard 1,300 users from small and medium-sized Singapore law practices within the first three years after its launch in Q2 this year.
Grants are being explored to help early adopters defray subscription costs for the platform and integrated solutions.

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14 Feb 2022

Usage and Effectiveness of ScamShield in Blocking Scam Calls and Making App Available to Android Users

Gerald Giam asked about the current user base and effectiveness of the ScamShield app, its unavailability to Android users, and plans for public education.
K Shanmugam stated that the questions will be addressed in upcoming Ministerial Statements by Lawrence Wong, Josephine Teo, and Desmond Tan.
The debate highlighted concerns over the limited availability of ScamShield to Android users and the need to boost its adoption.

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14 Feb 2022

Update on Lamppost-as-a-Platform Project

The Lamppost-as-a-Platform (LaaP) project is in two trials, with the first in Geylang and One-North nearing completion and the second in Punggol Northshore starting in April 2022, assessing technical and business feasibility.
GovTech has found it technically feasible to mount sensors on lampposts and design shareable infrastructure, but large-scale rollout will only begin when suitable cost-effective use cases are identified to form anchor demand.
Data sharing between public agencies under LaaP is governed by the Public Sector (Governance) Act and the Government Instruction Manual, which regulate data management and penalize unauthorized disclosure or misuse.
The Punggol trial will explore compact integrated designs for new sites and test residential use cases like playground monitoring, with a full approach decided after evaluation in 2023.
The project aims to enable agencies to share infrastructure and data efficiently, avoiding duplication, with international peers still in early testing stages without city-wide implementations.

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14 Feb 2022

SMS Phishing Scams on Bank Account Holders and How Rapid Digitalisations in Financial Sector Could be Achieved without Compromising Security Against Potential Frauds and Scams

Sitoh Yih Pin inquired about the status of investigations into recent SMS phishing scams on bank accounts and the preventive steps regulatory authorities plan to take.
Liang Eng Hwa asked about lessons learned from the scams and how rapid digitalisation in the financial sector can proceed without compromising security against fraud.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam stated that the Prime Minister’s questions would be addressed through upcoming ministerial statements by Lawrence Wong, Josephine Teo, and Desmond Tan.

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14 Feb 2022

Requirement for Online Service Providers to Insert Advisories on Severe Penalty for Posts Relating to Illegal Drugs and Their Trafficking into Singapore

Gan Thiam Poh asked if online service providers could be required to insert advisories on posts about illegal drugs, highlighting the drugs' harmful effects and the severe penalties for trafficking into Singapore.
Josephine Teo affirmed Singapore’s strict zero-tolerance policy, noting that the Misuse of Drugs Act criminalizes trafficking and unauthorized import/export, including facilitation via digital means.
The Infocomm Media Development Authority blocks websites promoting illegal drugs, while social media platforms have policies against such content and users can report problematic posts.
Singapore’s strategy includes preventive drug education through the Central Narcotics Bureau, which offers programs, toolkits, and community advocacy to raise awareness and discourage drug use.
The government complements regulatory measures with public education to enhance vigilance against online drug-related content and support the anti-drug cause.

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14 Feb 2022

Control Systems in Place to Ensure Proper Oversight and Governance of Public Service Officers from Hybrid Modes of Working

The Government affirmed that high standards of oversight and governance are maintained across all work modes, with existing controls applied and enhanced for hybrid work to mitigate risks in financial and data processes.
Specific measures include access controls for remote system access, automated payment processes with electronic invoicing, network analytics for conflict-of-interest checks, and post-disbursement audits using data analytics to detect anomalies.
To strengthen cyber and data security, mandatory annual cybersecurity training, best practice guidelines, dedicated agency security officers, and independent audits of ICT systems are implemented for hybrid work environments.

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14 Feb 2022

Approval Process for Subsidised Home Broadband Internet Connectivity for Low-income Households from 2020 to 2021

Over 11,000 low-income households received subsidised broadband from April 2020 under Home Access 3.0, with application processes streamlined to remove the need to submit supporting documents like NRIC and income copies.
Applications can be made online or via hardcopy, and all applicants can check their status on an online platform using SingPass, with hardcopy approval letters provided as an additional confirmation.
As of December 2021, one ISP (MyRepublic) allowed remote activation via hotline, while the other (M1) initially required in-person submission of hardcopy approval letters but will introduce call-in activation from March 2022.

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14 Feb 2022

Administration of Muslim Law (Amendment) Bill

The Bill aims to modernise the Administration of Muslim Law Act by allowing digital processes for the Syariah Court and Registry of Muslim Marriages, including remote proceedings and e-filing, to improve efficiency and service delivery.
It introduces provisions to streamline divorce procedures, such as enabling the Syariah Court to authorise the first set of hakam to pronounce a divorce if the husband refuses, and delinking divorce registration from fee payment to prevent abuse.
The amendments extend support for Muslim families undergoing divorce, aligning with the Women’s Charter by allowing the Syariah Court to advise parents to secure children's attendance at support programmes, prioritising the child's best interests.

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14 Feb 2022

Enhancing Security of Digital Banking Following Recent Scams

Multiple MPs raised urgent questions about helping scam victims, enhancing digital banking security, and reconsidering the use of one-time passwords following recent phishing scams targeting bank customers.
Concerns were voiced about the need for better consumer protection, including a review of liability frameworks, mandatory SMS sender ID registries, and 24-hour hotlines for reporting fraud.
Ministers are set to deliver statements outlining government actions, including regulatory reviews, cooperation with banks and telcos, and public education efforts to combat scams and restore confidence in digital banking.

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12 Jan 2022

Statistics on and Outcome of Public Complaints Received Each Year Since Enactment of Prevention of Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act

Since POFMA’s enactment in October 2019, the POFMA Office received 22 public complaints in 2019, 435 in 2020, and 345 in 2021.
Most reported content was not actionable under POFMA, as it consisted of opinions or criticisms rather than false statements of fact.
Only nine pieces of public feedback led to seven POFMA directions being issued, indicating a low conversion rate from complaints to formal actions.

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12 Jan 2022

Phasing Out TraceTogether and SafeEntry and Reducing Functionality of TraceTogether to be Used Purely as Mode of Displaying COVID-19 Vaccination and Test Status

Member of Parliament Leon Perera asked the Minister for Health about plans to phase out TraceTogether and SafeEntry and to reduce TraceTogether’s function solely to displaying COVID-19 vaccination and test status.
Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung indicated that the question had already been addressed in a prior oral reply on 10 January 2022.
The relevant response was recorded in the Official Report concerning the necessity of TraceTogether and SafeEntry given updated COVID-19 protocols.

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12 Jan 2022

Revisions to Design and Technology for On-Board Units for Next-Generation Electronic Road Pricing System and Measures to Ensure Compatibility with Latest Technology and Consumer Preferences

The Ministry highlighted that the On-Board Unit design balances accurate charging, security, interoperability with existing systems and global navigation satellite technology, and that surveys were conducted to understand motorists’ preferences for installation and display.
The Ministry is exploring the option of using smartphones as display screens for the On-Board Unit and will engage industry partners to implement this.
The next-generation Electronic Road Pricing system is built on open standards and a modular design to allow future updates, and it uses global navigation satellite technology to ensure long-term compatibility with evolving technology and consumer preferences.

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