Digital & technology — Topics

1 Nov 2021

Social Services and Plans to Keep Seniors Meaningfully Engaged Despite COVID-19 Restrictions

The Ministry of Health is supporting partners to pivot senior engagement to virtual platforms, with agencies like the Council for Third Age and Eldercare Centres moving activities online while the SG Digital Office trains seniors in digital skills.
The Silver Generation Office introduced tele-engagements and helplines for tele-befriending and counselling, alongside AIC’s hotline for eldercare information, to support vulnerable seniors remotely.
For essential face-to-face interactions, safe management measures allow social, recreational, and befriending services to continue at Senior Care Centres and Active Ageing Care Hubs.
The government emphasizes that family support remains a key pillar in keeping seniors engaged and safe, complementing community and government efforts.

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1 Nov 2021

Help for Less Digitally Savvy Singaporeans to Use Community Development Council E-vouchers

The Ministry, through CDCs and partners like GovTech, has rolled out a new digital CDC Vouchers Scheme with extensive onboarding support for merchants, including trained ambassadors, business advisers, and outreach to merchant associations.
For less digitally savvy residents, assistance is available at Community Clubs, RC/RN centres, and through SG Digital Ambassadors, with printed vouchers as an option and step-by-step guides in multiple languages.
The scheme aims to reduce paper use and improve convenience by moving to e-vouchers, supported by trials and feedback from users, hawkers, and merchants.

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1 Nov 2021

Measures to Prevent Forgery of Witness Statements and Dependence on Single Police Officer's Submission of Witness Statements

The Minister outlined that statements recorded by an Investigation Officer are reviewed by supervisors, with field book entries checked regularly, and the Attorney-General’s Chambers provides an additional layer of scrutiny to ensure credibility and reliability.
Technological solutions such as real-time electronic signatures and future full digitalization with locked statements are being implemented to reduce errors and prevent tampering, though the Minister acknowledged that individual misconduct cannot be entirely prevented.
The Minister emphasized that the court process holistically examines all evidence, including forensic data and CCTV, making it unlikely for forged statements to materially affect outcomes, as confirmed by AGC’s review of the reopened coroner’s inquiries.

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5 Oct 2021

Prohibit Organisations from Storing Scans of Identification Documents Longer than Necessary in Light of MyRepublic Data Breach

Gerald Giam questioned whether the government would prohibit organisations from storing scans of identification documents like the NRIC beyond what is necessary for identity verification, citing the MyRepublic data breach.
Josephine Teo responded that the PDPA already requires organisations to stop retaining personal data, including ID scans, once it is no longer needed for legal or business purposes.
She noted that telecommunication licensees must retain subscriber identification records for at least 12 months after service termination to aid investigations into fraud or criminal acts.

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5 Oct 2021

Proposal to Establish Portal to Make Available COVID-19-related Public Health Data for Scrutiny and Analysis

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked whether the Ministry of Health would establish a portal to make available COVID-19-related public health data for scrutiny and analysis as Singapore moves to "living with COVID" and reduces routine data publication.
Ong Ye Kung responded that the question was addressed in a prior oral reply on 4 October 2021, referencing an update on government decisions and protocols as Singapore transitions to the endemic stage.
The response points to official reports detailing measures for quarantine orders and support for vulnerable groups, indicating that the matter has been considered within broader policy announcements.

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5 Oct 2021

Use of NRICs in Applications for Phone and Telecommunication Services and Measures to Safeguard Consumers' Personal Data

Mr Gan Thiam Poh raised concerns about the use of NRICs in telecommunication services, asking about measures to protect user data, the possibility of using alternative IDs like driver’s licenses, and imposing penalties for data breaches.
Mrs Josephine Teo explained that telcos are required to collect NRIC or other IDs for identity verification to combat fraud, and that organizations must implement safeguards like encryption and access controls under PDPA guidelines.
She noted that PDPA has been strengthened with enforcement powers, breach notification requirements, and rights for civil action, and that Myinfo is being promoted to reduce reliance on physical documents.

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5 Oct 2021

Replacement of Stolen NRICs at Nominal Fee

Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked if residents whose NRICs were stolen in third-party data breaches could replace them at a nominal or discounted fee.
K Shanmugam explained that NRIC numbers are permanent identifiers and cannot be changed even after theft, but additional verification measures like OTPs and biometrics are used to prevent identity fraud.
ICA considers the reason for loss when deciding whether to waive replacement fees for stolen NRICs.

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5 Oct 2021

Take-up Rates for Digitalisation, Productivity and Succession Schemes for Hawkers in Past Three Years

Leon Perera asked for three-year take-up rates of hawker digitalisation, productivity, and succession schemes broken down by ethnic and age groups, and whether the Ministry tracks digitalisation progress by ethnic and age groups.
Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked if the Ministry tracks commission costs of food delivery platforms and the number and percentage of hawkers who have taken up Food Delivery Support Packages.
Grace Fu Hai Yien reported that 39 aspiring hawkers joined the Incubation Stall Programme and nearly 400 participated in the Hawkers’ Development Programme from 2019 to 2021, with 70% below 50 years old.
Over 700 hawkers used the Hawkers’ Productivity Grant, with more than 70% above 50 years old, and as of July 2021, more than 4,000 adopted e-payment while about 1,400 applied for the Food Delivery Support Scheme, with two-thirds aged 50 and above.
The Ministry does not track participation by ethnicity, and efforts include zero-commission models and outreach by Digital Ambassadors to support hawkers in digital adoption.

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5 Oct 2021

Measures to Prevent Personal Information from TraceTogether Usage from Being Hacked

Gan Thiam Poh asked about the risks of personal information from TraceTogether being hacked and the measures to prevent such attacks.
Mrs Josephine Teo explained that TraceTogether data is encrypted, stored locally on devices, and deleted after 25 days, with uploads to government servers only when legally required.
Measures include encrypted databases, field-level encryption or hashing of identifiers, logged and monitored access, and annual penetration testing of systems.
The COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act imposes penalties of up to $20,000 fine or two years’ imprisonment for unauthorized disclosure or misuse of contact tracing data.

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5 Oct 2021

Review of Fraudulent Credit Card Transactions Involving Diversion of One-time Passwords Prior to September 2020

Dr. Tan Wu Meng questioned if a retrospective review would be conducted for fraudulent credit card transactions involving SMS OTP diversion before September 2020, as banks have already addressed 75 confirmed cases from September to December 2020.
The Minister confirmed that while no cases prior to September 2020 have been confirmed, banks are reviewing all disputes and new reports, and customers will not bear losses if they protected their credentials, emphasizing collective responsibility among banks, customers, and authorities.
Measures include banks enhancing fraud surveillance, telecoms implementing safeguards to block SMS diversion, and ongoing efforts to educate consumers and review authentication methods, with the Payments Council working to clarify liabilities and responsibilities.

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4 Oct 2021

Efforts to Prevent Hateful or Inciteful Speech or Action Being Communicated or Distributed

The Singapore Government has strict legal frameworks, including the Broadcasting Act and Penal Code, to prohibit hate and offensive speech and enforce the removal of such content to protect social cohesion.
The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) addresses falsehoods that can fuel hate speech, while the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act enables swift action against online religiously inflammatory material.
Beyond regulations, initiatives like the Digital for Life movement and Media Literacy Council promote respectful online behavior and civil discourse through education and community partnerships.

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4 Oct 2021

Take-up Rate of IMDA's Pre-approved Cybersecurity Solutions among SMEs and Efforts to Increase Awareness on Importance of Cybersecurity among SMEs

More than 5,000 SMEs have used IMDA's pre-approved cybersecurity solutions under the SMEs Go Digital programme since its 2017 launch.
The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) is developing enterprise toolkits tailored for SMEs to promote good cybersecurity practices, set for launch later this month.
CSA is also creating a SG Cyber Safe Trustmark to help customers identify enterprises with strong cybersecurity measures.
The government encourages all SMEs to utilize these initiatives to enhance their cybersecurity posture.

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4 Oct 2021

Volume and Value of Cashless Payments by Platforms and Updates on Progress and Sign Up Rate for Singapore Quick Response Code in Last Three Years

In the last three years, PayNow and PayNow Corporate showed strong growth with doubled transaction value and volume in 2020 and robust growth in early 2021, while credit/debit card transactions remained stable and digital wallet use increased.
The Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) expanded from about 42,000 merchant acceptance points in 2019 to at least 260,000 points today, covering around 75% of merchants in Singapore.
Over 150,000 merchants across various sectors, including hawker stalls, now accept SGQR, with the Hawkers Go Digital initiative promoting adoption in heartlands.
In August 2021 alone, 11,600 stallholders in hawker centres, coffee shops, and canteens made nearly two million e-payment transactions worth $18.3 million, with over 94% via SGQR.
The government has established an interoperable infrastructure to enable multiple payment providers to offer safe, simple, and secure e-payment solutions, with continued efforts to drive convenient and low-cost payments.

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4 Oct 2021

Protection for Bank Customers against Attacks Which Hijack Messages or Passwords and Misrepresent Banks

Joan Pereira asked the Prime Minister about protections for bank customers against sophisticated attacks that hijack messages or passwords or misrepresent banks, as well as measures customers can take to safeguard their credentials and how to identify trustworthy online services.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, responding for the Prime Minister, indicated that the question would be addressed in his reply to a subsequent question filed by Dr Tan Wu Meng.

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4 Oct 2021

Mitigating against Unintended Effects of Unsupervised Over-consumption of Digital Content amongst Younger Students

The Ministry of Education enhances the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum to teach safe and healthy online usage through scenario-based learning while encouraging parental collaboration to manage children's device use at home and providing Cyber Wellness resources via platforms like the MOE Parent Kit Website.
Cyber Wellness lessons focus on nurturing responsible digital citizens, teaching students to seek help from trusted adults for issues like cyber bullying and online harassment, and for secondary students, schools can set and customize screen time limits to prevent over-use under the National Digital Literacy Programme.
MOE collaborates with community partners such as TOUCH Community Services to empower parents with digital and parenting skills, promoting a whole-of-society effort to inculcate healthy online habits and mitigate unintended effects of over-consumption.

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4 Oct 2021

Public Sector and Companies' Readiness to Deal With Ransomware Attacks

Mrs Josephine Teo highlighted a significant rise in ransomware incidents in Singapore, with cases increasing from 21 in 2018 to 89 in 2020 and 68 reported in the first half of 2021, reflecting a global trend of escalating cyber threats.
The government advises against paying ransoms, as it does not guarantee data recovery and may encourage further attacks, instead emphasizing prevention through good cyber hygiene, regular software updates, strong passwords, and proactive monitoring.
Businesses and public agencies are encouraged to adopt robust recovery measures, including offline backups of critical data and regular practice of incident response plans, while the public sector employs a tiered approach to cybersecurity involving prevention, monitoring, and business continuity.
The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore is developing initiatives like the SG Cyber Safe Programme, Cybersecurity Toolkits, and a Trustmark to help enterprises, especially SMEs, improve their cybersecurity posture and resilience against ransomware.
The government is committed to empowering businesses with resources and information, stressing that cybersecurity is a collective effort requiring participation from all enterprises to safeguard Singapore’s digital ecosystem.

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4 Oct 2021

Reducing Duplication of One-stop Online Platforms Developed for Mental Wellness

Dr Wan Rizal questioned why a new one-stop mental health portal is being developed instead of building on existing platforms and how it will differ from them.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung explained that the new portal aims to provide a trusted, curated source of reliable mental health information amidst the confusion of current online resources.
The portal will be developed on the existing HealthHub platform and does not intend to reduce the number of information sources but to consolidate credible content.

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4 Oct 2021

Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill

The government, led by Minister K. Shanmugam, introduced the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill to counter online hostile information campaigns and foreign influence through local proxies, citing growing threats from state actors and the need to protect Singapore's sovereignty and political processes.
The bill grants authorities powers to designate individuals and entities as Politically Significant Persons (PSPs), issue directives to remove or label content, and demand information from platforms, with appeals handled by a tribunal rather than the High Court, sparking concerns over judicial oversight and potential abuse of power.
Workers' Party MPs proposed amendments to increase transparency, narrow the scope of "political ends," and shift appeals to the High Court, while the government agreed to some changes but defended the bill's necessity, balance, and alignment with international practices.

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14 Sep 2021

Grants for Content Creation to Assist SMEs Transitioning to Digital Market

Christopher de Souza asked whether grants can be provided for content creation to help SMEs transition to digital markets and remain competitive.
Josephine Teo stated that the government supports SMEs through programs like SMEs Go Digital and the Productivity Solutions Grant, which can cover content creation and digital marketing costs.
Additional support includes pre-approved digital solutions for e-commerce, free Start Digital Packs for new SMEs, and grant-backed B2B/B2C platforms for market expansion.
The government is continuously reviewing and updating these schemes to ensure they meet the evolving needs of SMEs.

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14 Sep 2021

Protection of Patient Information by Private Healthcare Providers

Joan Pereira inquired if private healthcare providers should be mandated to follow MOH's data protocols and only use approved IT systems to protect patient information.
Ong Ye Kung explained that both public and private healthcare institutions are already regulated under the PHMCA and PDPA to safeguard medical records, with MOH conducting regular audits to ensure compliance.
MOH has issued Healthcare Cybersecurity Essentials guidelines to guide providers in establishing comprehensive safeguards covering IT, processes, and personnel, and will continue updating the regulatory framework to enhance data protection.

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