Digital & technology — Topics

3 Feb 2020

Financial Literacy of Adults in Singapore and Trend in Past Decade

The government reports that Singaporeans' understanding of basic financial concepts has improved over the past decade, with a growing recognition of the link between risk and return, though many still feel uninformed about investing and delay planning for their future.
Initiatives like the MoneySense program take a multi-pronged approach to raise financial literacy across different life stages, helping citizens make prudent decisions on savings, investments, insurance, and retirement while avoiding scams.
Digital finance offers benefits like greater convenience and accessibility but also exposes consumers to higher-risk products, requiring stronger financial literacy and updated regulations to manage cybersecurity and consumer protection.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore has been evolving policies for e-payments, digital investment advisory, and the upcoming digital bank licenses to promote innovation while ensuring fair, ethical, and transparent use of data and technology.

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3 Feb 2020

Prosecution of Social Media Impersonation Cases

Ms Rahayu Mahzam questioned the Minister for Home Affairs on the prosecution status, investigation timelines, and anti-scam measures related to the 672 social media impersonation cases reported in the first 11 months of 2019.
The Minister highlighted that most scams originated from overseas, making prosecutions difficult due to the use of false identities and cross-border complexities, with no prosecutions so far despite some investigations being concluded.
The Anti-Scam Centre has improved fund recovery from 4% to 35% by quickly freezing accounts and working with local and foreign banks, while also coordinating with social media companies like Facebook to combat scams.
Public education is emphasized as the key defense, with police issuing advisories to raise awareness about scam methods and prevention advice.

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3 Feb 2020

Ensuring Third Party Contractors in Government Projects Adopt High Cybersecurity Standards

Mr Desmond Choo asked how the Government ensures third party contractors adopt high cybersecurity standards and make cybersecurity competency a key criterion for awarding contracts, following a personal data breach at the Ministry of Defence.
Teo Chee Hean stated that third party contractors handling personal data must implement cybersecurity and data protection measures, with penalties for breaches under contractual terms or the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).
The Government has adopted recommendations from the Public Sector Data Security Review Committee to strengthen oversight of third party contractors, including incorporating data security requirements into contracts and conducting regular audits.
Investigations into the recent MINDEF data incidents involving third party vendors are ongoing, and GovTech will work with MINDEF to identify gaps and address them across the public service and its vendors.

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6 Jan 2020

Access to Government eGazette Limited to Paid Subscription and Five-day Archive

Leon Perera questioned why the Government eGazette limits free access to the past five days and requires a paid subscription for archives, seeking the rationale behind the arrangement.
S Iswaran explained that the system has been managed by Toppan Leefung under a non-exclusive licence since 1998, with paid subscriptions allowing Toppan to recover its investment in operating the eGazette platform.
He noted that most eGazette documents are legislation, which remain freely accessible 24/7 via the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ Singapore Statutes Online website.
The Minister announced that, following a review, all eGazette publications will be made freely accessible to the public without charge by the end of January 2020.
This policy change aims to improve public access to government notices in the digital age, aligning with the broader goal of easier information availability.

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6 Jan 2020

Timeline and Guidelines for Regulation of Crypto Derivatives Exchanges

Saktiandi Supaat asked if MAS will set a timeline to regulate non-approved exchanges and issue guidelines for financial institutions offering crypto derivatives to retail investors.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam responded that MAS regulates crypto derivatives only on Approved Exchanges, avoiding broader regulation to prevent misleading confidence and wider retail access.
MAS has issued circulars requiring financial institutions to provide risk warnings, limit advertisements, and collect additional margins for retail investors, though these do not cover unregulated overseas platforms.
MAS continues to warn the public about crypto risks, collaborate with media, and monitor evolving international standards through active participation in global discussions.

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6 Jan 2020

Virtual Private Network Tokens and Info-communications Equipment Reported Lost or Stolen by Ministries and Government Agencies in Past Five Years

From 2017 to 2019, an average of 182 pieces of ICT equipment, including about 55 VPN tokens, were reported lost or stolen annually by government agencies.
All lost or stolen ICT equipment cases are reported to the Police, and user accounts and VPN access are disabled immediately upon reporting.
Government devices are secured with encryption or password protection, and there have been no known instances of unauthorized access to government systems due to such losses.

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6 Jan 2020

Impact of and Preventive Measures Following Incidents of Personal Data Lost to Hackers

The PDPC recorded 34 private sector hacking incidents from 2017 to 2019, while the public sector reported seven incidents in the same period.
Approximately 1.55 million individuals were affected in 2018, largely due to a major health sector breach, with 83,000 affected in 2017 and 900 in 2018.
Organizations must comply with the PDPA or public sector governance laws, conduct due diligence on software providers, appoint and train Data Protection Officers, and may apply for a Data Protection Trustmark.

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6 Jan 2020

Collaboration amongst Government Agencies to Test and Share New Technologies

Ministries and agencies collaborate through a citizen-centric approach, such as the "Moments of Life" initiative, which bundles digital services into one channel for citizens.
Horizontal platforms like the Government Technology Stack and SingPass are developed to share software, data, and secure services across agencies, with examples like drones-as-a-service and business use of SingPass.
In-house capabilities are pooled through Centres of Excellence (e.g., GovTech for ICT, JTC for infrastructure), which set standards and share best practices, supported by learning circles and workshops.
Public-private partnerships are fostered via platforms like IMDA's Open Innovation Platform and A*STAR's National Robotics Programme to match problem solvers with challenges and drive R&D.
The public sector aims to collectively leverage technology to serve citizens, improve city living, and enhance economic competitiveness through innovation with industry and researchers.

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6 Jan 2020

Regulating or Educating the Public on Digital Marketing Practices for Unhealthy Products Such As Junk Food and E-cigarettes

Prof Lim Sun Sun asked whether the Ministry of Health plans to regulate digital marketing of unhealthy products like junk food and e-cigarettes targeting youths, if it collects demographic data on such marketing, and if it will consider public education campaigns to inform young consumers.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong stated that regulations on marketing unhealthy products apply to both digital and non-digital media, with a ban on advertising tobacco products including e-cigarettes online and existing controls on unhealthy food marketing to children through codes and guidelines.
The Ministry is exploring closer monitoring of digital marketing and agrees with Prof Lim’s suggestion to educate young consumers about such marketing strategies, working with partners.

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6 Jan 2020

Impact of Recent Data Leaks on Confidential Operations of MINDEF and SAF

The Minister confirmed that two separate incidents—a data leak at ST Logistics and a ransomware attack at HMI Institute—compromised personal data of 2,400 and 98,000 MINDEF/SAF personnel respectively, but both were confined to vendor systems and did not affect MINDEF’s own systems or classified military information.
MINDEF was notified of the ST Logistics phishing attack on 10 October 2019 and confirmed the data leak on 13 December 2019, with affected personnel informed from 21 December 2019; the HMI incident was discovered on 4 December 2019, with MINDEF alerted on 9 December 2019 and personnel notified from 21 December 2019.
MINDEF has strengthened vendor oversight by including personal data protection clauses in new contracts and working to apply them to existing contracts, and will implement a framework based on PSDSRC recommendations and a tiered cybersecurity framework with stricter standards and potential audits for vendors handling sensitive data.

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6 Jan 2020

Trend of Impersonation Scams in Last Three Years

The number of impersonation scams in Singapore has risen over the last three years, with increasing financial losses across three main types: China officials impersonation, social media impersonation, and tech support scams.
While victims were previously evenly distributed across age groups, recent years show a shift, with young adults below 30 targeted more in China officials impersonation scams, and the elderly and young both vulnerable to tech support scams.
The Ministry, through the Police and National Crime Prevention Council, conducts public awareness campaigns, operates a dedicated helpline and website, and collaborates with grassroots groups to educate and protect the public, especially the elderly.

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6 Jan 2020

Obligations Placed on Digital Advertising and Internet Intermediaries under Code of Practice for Transparency of Online Political Advertisements

The Minister explained that the Code of Practice requires digital and internet intermediaries to display disclosure notices on political ads and maintain a database, drawing from international practices to enhance transparency and accountability.
Sylvia Lim agreed with public disclosure but questioned why the Code applies to all online ads, not just potentially fake ones, and raised concerns about the POFMA Office accessing detailed ad records even if the content is not false.
The Minister clarified that the Code applies broadly under POFMA, with ad records kept by intermediaries to enable action if needed, similar to practices by platforms like Facebook, and dismissed concerns about the Office using records to uncover political strategies.

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6 Jan 2020

Measuring Public Interest Threshold and Maintaining Public Trust under Protection From Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Framework

The Minister explained that the public interest threshold under POFMA is determined by Ministers based on advice from officials, focusing on the falsehood itself and the public interest, not the identity of the person or entity spreading it, and noted that recent actions against politically affiliated individuals were coincidental and not indicative of future patterns.
The Minister emphasized that POFMA responses consider multiple factors including the virulence and impact of the falsehood, not just virality, and that alternative mechanisms like public statements or education are also used to address falsehoods proportionately.
The Minister acknowledged limited monitoring resources but confirmed some effort to track false content, primarily focusing on egregious cases, whether flagged by reports or proactive checks, and stated that actions are targeted and proportional to maintain public trust.
Anthea Ong raised concerns about the perception of partisan bias in POFMA applications and questioned why more non-partisan falsehoods in the public interest were not addressed, highlighting the need for greater transparency and a central listing of all issued directions to uphold public trust.

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6 Jan 2020

Measuring Public Interest Threshold and Maintaining Public Trust under Protection From Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Framework

Members of Parliament raised concerns about how the public interest threshold under POFMA is determined, whether Ministers should specify the public interest criteria met when issuing directions, and if a central listing of all POFMA directions should be created.
The Minister for Communications and Information responded that POFMA is applied proportionally to counter falsehoods that threaten public trust, with transparency through Ministry clarifications, avenues for appeal, and existing listings of directions on government websites.
Follow-up questions questioned the frequency of POFMA's use, the need for detailed public interest rationales per case, and whether the government monitors all fake news, to which the Minister emphasized the measured, situation-driven application of POFMA and limited resources for comprehensive monitoring.

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5 Nov 2019

Roll-out of 5G Telecommunication Services from 2020

The Minister outlined that 5G spectrum allocation is through a Call for Proposal which requires applicants to demonstrate resilient and secure network designs, including independent security testing of equipment against international standards.
Two nationwide 5G networks are planned to provide at least half of Singapore with 5G coverage by end-2022, with a focus on security and resilience as key criteria.
Additional millimetre wave spectrum is being allocated for two localised 5G networks to enable early business trials and services from as early as mid-2021, complementing the nationwide rollout.

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5 Nov 2019

Safeguards to Ensure Singaporean Youths are Protected Against Vice Activities Peddled Online

The Government employs a multi-pronged strategy that includes blocking vice websites, conducting enforcement operations against online syndicates, and proposing legal amendments to strengthen actions against such activities.
Public communication efforts are made to raise awareness and encourage reporting of online vice, with dedicated hotlines and digital platforms available for the public to submit information.
Educational programmes like the Cyber Wellness Education Programme and the Digital Media and Information Literacy Framework are in place to teach youths about online risks and safe internet practices.
Community and parental involvement is emphasized, with organizations like the Media Literacy Council providing resources to help youths and parents deal with inappropriate online content and predators.

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4 Nov 2019

Conventional Credit Assessment Method for Bank Loans

Mr Zainal Sapari questioned whether the policy and principles for bank loans based on conventional credit assessment methods should be reviewed to stay relevant amid changing business models.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, responding for the Prime Minister, highlighted that while new technologies like big data, AI, and unconventional data sources can improve risk management and customer outcomes, core credit risk principles and supervisory requirements remain essential.
He noted specific risks from using unconventional data or AI, such as potential biases and validation challenges, and emphasized the need for robust governance, transparency, and regular review of such models.
MAS has co-developed the FEAT Principles with the industry to promote fairness, ethics, accountability, and transparency in AI and data use, and expects firms to implement strong data and model governance frameworks.
MAS will continue to adapt its regulatory approach to foster innovation while safeguarding public confidence in the financial sector.

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4 Nov 2019

Smart Nation Initiatives in Singapore and ASEAN

Singapore has made significant progress in digital services, with SingPass Mobile now used by over 600,000 people and PayNow transaction values exceeding S$1 billion monthly, while the Moments of Life app has greatly simplified birth registrations and expanded to support seniors.
Digitalisation is boosting businesses and key industries, as seen in the streamlined GoBusiness Licensing portal and the construction sector's adoption of Integrated Digital Delivery, which improves efficiency and competitiveness.
Internationally, Singapore leads the ASEAN Smart Cities Network, having secured 40 project partnerships and received support from external partners like the US, Japan, and Australia through initiatives such as the ASEAN-Australia Smart Cities Initiative.
Singapore was ranked first in the recent IMD Smart City Index, reflecting positive public perception of the nation's smart city efforts, and the government aims to continue collaborating with citizens and companies to enhance lives and foster innovation.

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7 Oct 2019

MAS Guidelines and Regulations Governing Digital Advisors

Miss Cheng Li Hui questioned the need for stronger regulations to protect Singaporean investors, the adequacy of current MAS guidelines for managing technology and cyber risks by digital advisers, and the mechanisms for ensuring compliance.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, speaking for the Prime Minister, explained that digital advisers are regulated under the Financial Advisers Act (FAA) and subject to the same rules as traditional firms, with MAS issuing specific guidelines for algorithm-based advice and outsourcing.
MAS requires digital advisers to test and monitor algorithms, ensure staff competency, and undergo audits, while also supervising them through offsite reviews and onsite inspections to address risks.
The framework is deemed effective and subject to continuous review, with digital advisers remaining responsible for outsourced activities and adhering to technology risk management guidelines.

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7 Oct 2019

Services and Diagnoses that Can Be Made through Telemedicine

Joan Pereira asked the Ministry of Health to form a multi-disciplinary panel to review which medical services and diagnoses can safely be delivered via telemedicine, due to concerns about diagnostic risks.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong highlighted that telemedicine is an evolving field, with guidelines first issued in 2015 to ensure safe and appropriate care, requiring in-person visits when necessary.
In 2019, MOH established a regulatory sandbox to test new telemedicine models while safeguarding patient safety and understanding delivery challenges.
MOH has appointed a review committee comprising specialists, experts in informatics and ethics, and government representatives to refresh the telemedicine guidelines.
The revised guidelines, scheduled for release in 2020, will help shape how telemedicine is regulated in Singapore.

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