Governance & integrity — Topics

19 Sep 2023

Ensuring Safety and Well-being of Children Enrolled in Preschools

Dr Wan Rizal asked about immediate measures to protect children, how the Ministry is preventing similar incidents in other preschools, and steps to hold school management accountable for alleged child abuse.
The Minister referenced a prior reply from 18 September 2023 regarding investigations into alleged mistreatment at a preschool chain, directing further details to the Official Report.
The debate highlights government accountability and the need for proactive safeguards in preschools following abuse allegations.

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19 Sep 2023

Approvals Granted to Foreigners to Purchase Landed Properties under Residential Property Act 1976

Leong Mun Wai asked for data on approvals granted to foreigners to buy landed properties since 2013 and whether their sources of funds are investigated before approval.
Mrs Josephine Teo responded that multiple ministries will address such queries comprehensively in a Ministerial Statement on anti-money laundering in October.
The response defers detailed answers on specific approvals and fund investigations to the upcoming official statement.

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19 Sep 2023

Plans for Improving ECDA's Oversight of Staff and Management of Preschools and Childcare Centres

The Minister for Social and Family Development clarified that plans to improve ECDA's oversight and reporting policies were addressed in a previous parliamentary reply dated 18 September 2023, as referenced in the Official Report.
The discussion focuses on enhancing ECDA's ability to detect and deter child abuse or misconduct, with an emphasis on maintaining effective oversight of staff and management at preschools and childcare centres.
Strengthening reporting policies, including measures to encourage and protect whistle-blowers, was noted as a key component of the strategy to improve accountability and child safety.

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19 Sep 2023

Reports of Breaches of Section 33 of Early Childhood Development Centres Regulations 2018

Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked the Ministry for Social and Family Development for the number of breaches of Section 33 of the Early Childhood Development Centres Regulations 2018 reported in the past three years and how the Ministry uses this data to improve practices across centres.
Masagos Zulkifli B M M directed the question to the official reply provided on 18 September 2023 regarding investigations into alleged mistreatment at a preschool chain, which covers the data and systemic improvements.
The debate focuses on transparency and systemic enhancements in early childhood centres based on reported regulatory breaches.

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19 Sep 2023

Length of Time Member of Parliament S Iswaran will be Absent from Parliament

Pritam Singh asked the Prime Minister for an update on how long MP S Iswaran will be absent from Parliament.
Chan Chun Sing, responding for the Prime Minister, stated that Iswaran was granted leave of absence due to an ongoing investigation.
The Prime Minister’s Office declined to provide a specific update, citing the need to avoid prejudicing the investigations.

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19 Sep 2023

Loss of Pay for Middle-rank and Senior Civil Servants Interdicted from Duty while Assisting with Investigations

Civil servants interdicted from duty during CPIB or SPF investigations are placed on half-pay, with a monthly cap of $8,500.
If found innocent, the withheld half-pay is restored; if found guilty and dismissed, the withheld pay is forfeited.
The half-pay received during interdiction is not recovered, and these rules apply uniformly across all civil service ranks.

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19 Sep 2023

Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act 1962

Hazel Poa moved to introduce a Bill to amend the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act 1962, allowing Parliament to authorize back payments for MPs suspended pending a legal outcome.
The amendment was proposed to ensure fairness for MPs who might be found innocent after a long suspension and to avoid wasting taxpayers' money if an MP is ultimately found guilty.
The Speaker called for a vote on the motion, and after Members expressed "Aye" and "No," the "Noes" prevailed, resulting in the motion being negatived.

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19 Sep 2023

Consideration of Matters regarding Member of Parliament, and Suspension of Member

The Progressive Singapore Party (PSP) proposed suspending MP S Iswaran's duties and parliamentary allowance during corruption investigations, arguing it would protect public funds and uphold integrity, with back pay if he is cleared.
The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and other members opposed this, emphasizing the presumption of innocence and that suspension requires proven misconduct, warning that the motion would set a dangerous precedent and undermine due process.
The House passed the government's motion to await investigation outcomes before deciding on Iswaran's case, while rejecting the PSP's suspension motion, which was seen as premature and targeted.

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19 Sep 2023

Suspension of Member

Hazel Poa moved a motion to suspend Minister Iswaran for the remainder of the parliamentary session, citing his suspension from duties, an ongoing corruption investigation, and the need to prudently use taxpayers' money while allowing for back pay if he is cleared.
The motion contrasts with the Government's motion to only consider the matter later, arguing that maintaining the status quo allows an MP under investigation to continue receiving full allowances without performing duties.
During clarification, the Leader of the House questioned the legal basis for suspension, leading to a debate on whether the motion was a specific case targeting Iswaran or a broader principle for any MP under investigation for serious crimes.

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19 Sep 2023

Consideration of Matters Regarding Member of Parliament

The Speaker ruled that debates must not discuss ongoing CPIB or police investigations into any MP's personal conduct, as this could prejudice proceedings and will be deemed irrelevant.
The Leader of the House moved a motion affirming high integrity standards for MPs, fair handling of those under investigation, and deferring action on MP S Iswaran until investigations conclude.
She criticized NCMP Hazel Poa's motion to suspend Iswaran as targeting his MP allowance without clear principles, noting other MPs under investigation have not been suspended.
The Leader urged decisions based on general principles rather than individual cases, warning against exploiting the situation for political ends and calling for consistent standards across parties.
The Speaker then allowed Hazel Poa to present her motion, initiating joint debate on both motions.

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19 Sep 2023

Technical Issues with Electronic Registration System for Polling that Resulted in Removal of Voter Names from Registers of Electors

The Singapore government identified a technical issue in the 2020 General Election’s electronic registration system where approximately 1,093 voters were inadvertently removed from the registers due to a software glitch that failed to capture some NRIC scans, which has since been addressed with a new system for the 2023 Presidential Election.
The Elections Department (ELD) confirmed that the 2023 Presidential Election experienced minor connectivity issues without cyber interference, and it has implemented measures such as sending individual notifications to non-voters to verify their status and prevent future recurrence.
Ministers emphasized that the margin of error from the registration issue is minimal compared to election result margins and assured that the ELD will improve reliability and resilience through better system specifications, stress tests, and ongoing enhancements.

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18 Sep 2023

Annual Expenditure on Advertising Costs for Content Featuring Political Officeholders for Social and Mainstream Media

The government spends a substantial amount on paid communications materials but does not track spending based on whether political officeholders are featured.
The majority of these paid communications do not feature political officeholders, and no annual breakdown is available by ministries or media type.
This lack of specific tracking means figures on advertising costs for content featuring political officeholders for social and mainstream media cannot be provided.

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18 Sep 2023

Police Officers Charged on 11 August 2023 for Criminal Breach of Trust-related Offences

Two police officers were charged on 11 August 2023 for criminal breach of trust by a public servant, with investigations starting on 13 July 2020 for Mohamed Bin Mohamed Jalil and 17 October 2020 for Mohamad Danial Bin Mohamad Nazali.
Mohamed Bin Mohamed Jalil was interdicted on half-pay from 16 July 2020 and Mohamad Danial Bin Mohamad Nazali from 22 October 2020, consistent with similar cases.
The interdiction on half-pay applied during the investigation period, but specific salary cut percentages or additional disciplinary actions were not detailed in the response.

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18 Sep 2023

Law Enforcement Officers Found Guilty of Corruption or Bribery-related Misconduct

Over the 2013 to 2022 period, 18 law enforcement officers were convicted of corruption or bribery-related offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Of the 18 convicted officers, seven were from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and seven were from the Singapore Police Force.
One officer from the Land Transport Authority was convicted, while none from the Central Narcotics Bureau were convicted during this period.

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18 Sep 2023

Rationale in Determining Polling Stations Based on Voters' Addresses at Last Revision Date of Registers of Electors

The Elections Department assigns voters to polling stations based on their addresses recorded in the Registers of Electors as of the prescribed date (1 June 2023 for the 2023 Presidential Election), ensuring consistency and certainty for election planning.
The law mandates a two-week public inspection period for the Registers, during which voters can submit claims to update their particulars, with extensive outreach efforts made to inform the public.
After the inspection period, a Claimant List is published for objections, and the Registers are certified with no further changes allowed until the next revision, to provide clarity for candidates and voters.
The current two-week period is deemed reasonable, and voters are encouraged to promptly update their NRIC details to ensure future Registers reflect accurate addresses for nearer polling stations.

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18 Sep 2023

Random Audit Checks of Registers of Electors

The Prime Minister outlined the Elections Department's existing procedures to ensure only eligible voters are issued ballot papers and all votes are counted, noting that non-voter lists are published after each election for public inspection.
The government identified that 1,093 voters were inadvertently removed from the registers for the Presidential Election 2023 due to possible errors in the electronic registration system introduced in GE2020, where NRIC details might not have been fully captured if officials did not properly reset the system between scans.
In response to the issue, the Elections Department has implemented a new electronic registration system for PE2023 that eliminates the need to press a button between scans, and will henceforth individually notify voters on the non-voter list via mail and SG Notify in Singpass to verify their status and restore names if needed.

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18 Sep 2023

Probe into Suspicious Zakat Transactions at Al-Istiqamah Mosque

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim queried how suspicious zakat transactions at Al-Istiqamah Mosque were detected, the number and total value involved, and the measures to ensure proper accounting at the mosque and other centres.
MUIS detected the suspicious cash transactions on 19 June 2023 and is unable to disclose further details due to ongoing police investigations.
Governance rules and standard operating procedures for cash and digital zakat payments are in place, with regular training, audits, and reviews to maintain compliance.
Al-Istiqamah Mosque has temporarily suspended over-the-counter zakat collection, and MUIS will review and strengthen SOPs after the police investigation concludes.
MUIS encourages zakat payers to use cashless methods where possible to enhance security and accountability.

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18 Sep 2023

Probe into Doctor who Paid Ambulance Services to Divert Patients to Him, Resulting in Delayed Treatment and Death of a Patient

Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo asked the Ministry of Health to investigate a doctor who paid ambulance services to divert patients to his clinic, which led to delayed treatment and a patient's death, and questioned whether such referral fees are a widespread practice.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung confirmed that the specific case has been under investigation by the Singapore Medical Council for professional misconduct since August 2021 following complaints.
The Ministry stated there are no other reported cases of doctors making gratuitous payments to private ambulance operators for patient referrals.
The Singapore Medical Council’s Ethical Code prohibits fee-splitting and any payments for referrals, emphasizing that doctors must act in patients' best interests.
Breaches of these guidelines can lead to disciplinary action, including removal from the professional register.

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18 Sep 2023

Lessons from Incident where 10,000 Voters in Tanjong Pagar Received Two Poll Cards

The Elections Department explained that a contracted printer mistakenly mailed test print poll cards alongside actual ones, affecting 9,822 voters in Tanjong Pagar GRC due to human error, but all affected voters could still vote correctly as their polling stations were accurate.
ELD will implement new measures, including requiring the printer to tighten internal quality assurance to prevent mailing test prints, joint checks to destroy test poll cards before production, and sampling audits to ensure print accuracy matching registered voters.
No voter was unable to vote due to the duplicate poll cards, as identification was verified via NRIC or passport, and ELD assured it will work with the printer to strengthen safeguards for future elections.

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18 Sep 2023

Queries into and Lessons from Recent Billion-dollar Money Laundering Case

Multiple MPs raised pointed questions on the S$1 billion money laundering case, querying how such offences occurred despite robust laws, the effectiveness of suspicious transaction reports, and the adequacy of checks on high-risk individuals and properties.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs indicated that a comprehensive Ministerial Statement would be issued in October to address the wide-ranging queries across ministries, covering anti-money laundering framework enhancements, international cooperation, and public education.
Concerns were highlighted regarding the potential impact on Singapore's reputation as a wealth management hub, the need to balance anti-money laundering measures with business facilitation, and comparisons with other jurisdictions' regimes.

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