Governance & integrity — Topics

12 Sep 2022

Parts 4 to 7 of Foreign Interference Countermeasures Act

Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Home Affairs about the timing for Parts 4 to 7 of the Foreign Interference Countermeasures Act to take effect for politically significant persons and political donations, and whether compliance advice would be issued.
K Shanmugam responded that the Ministry of Home Affairs aims to bring the provisions related to Politically Significant Persons into force in 2023.
The Ministry will notify Politically Significant Persons in advance to allow them sufficient time to prepare for compliance.

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2 Aug 2022

Plans to Recover Overpayments of SkillsFuture Singapore Agency Grants from Service Provider

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim inquired about plans to recover overpayments of SkillsFuture Singapore agency grants, replace the outsourced service provider, and bring grant management payments in-house.
SkillsFuture Singapore has taken immediate corrective action, contacting affected parties for recovery and attributing lapses to wrong declarations and manual processing errors.
SSG will tighten audits, reduce reliance on declarations and manual processing, and consider the service provider's past performance when awarding a new contract.

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2 Aug 2022

Follow-up Actions on Findings of Junior Doctors Being Pressured to Under-record Working Hours

Minister Ong Ye Kung stated that healthcare institutions use electronic logging and surveys to monitor junior doctors' work hours and well-being, and MOH Holdings reviews indicators like late-night transport claims to detect potential under-reporting.
No systemic under-reporting of working hours has been found in public healthcare institutions based on available data and feedback, and a confidential whistleblowing channel exists for reporting workplace issues.
MOH Holdings is studying alternative methods to collect data on doctor work hours to further enhance monitoring and address concerns about junior doctors being pressured to under-record their hours.

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2 Aug 2022

Compliance with 72-day Timeline for Publication of Notices of Award for Emergency Procurements

Murali Pillai asked about compliance with the 72-day rule for publishing award notices under emergency procurement, reasons for non-compliance, and remediation steps.
Lawrence Wong acknowledged that while most agencies followed guidelines, less than 5% of COVID-19 related procurements had award notices published beyond 72 days due to high workload and manpower constraints.
Agencies conducted internal checks, published the delayed notices as soon as possible, and verified there were no other wrongdoings.

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1 Aug 2022

Independent Investigation and Review of Hiring Practices of Professors at Autonomous Universities

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim requested the Ministry of Education to consider an independent investigation into professor hiring practices at Autonomous Universities.
Chan Chun Sing affirmed that Autonomous Universities already have rigorous due diligence processes, including multi-level reviews and verification of credentials through referees, third parties, and networks.
He added that universities verify candidates' publications with journals and publishers and will act on new information, such as rescinding offers or terminating employment.

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1 Aug 2022

Number of Fraud Cases and Amount Defrauded Since Inception of SkillsFuture Programmes

Leong Mun Wai asked about the annual expenditure and the number of fraud cases and amounts defrauded since the inception of SkillsFuture programmes.
SkillsFuture Singapore was established in 2016 and provides about $700 million in annual subsidies to individuals and companies.
Since 2016, there have been three unrelated fraud cases with a total defrauded amount of about $42 million.
One of these cases involved a criminal syndicate in 2017 that defrauded $40 million.
The Ministry of Education, through SkillsFuture Singapore, coordinates and drives the implementation of the national SkillsFuture Movement.

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1 Aug 2022

Strengthening Oversight of Project Consultants Assessing Cost Reasonableness of Contract Variations

Murali Pillai questioned whether MHA implemented additional steps following AGO’s similar finding for HDB and what further measures will strengthen oversight of project consultants assessing cost reasonableness of contract variations.
K Shanmugam stated that the audited MHA projects were completed before AGO’s 2021 HDB findings, and MHA has reminded officers to follow procurement guidelines and shared best practices through engagement sessions.
MHA noted multiple layers of safeguards, acknowledged that human error and misconduct cannot be fully eliminated, and emphasized increasing use of technology to detect anomalies while continuing process reminders.

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1 Aug 2022

Release of Race-based and/or Community-based Data to Members of Parliament

Pritam Singh asked whether the Government would release race-based or community-based data shared with community leaders to MPs, even on a confidential basis, and if not, why.
Edwin Tong Chun Fai stated that public agencies publish a wide range of race- and community-based statistics to inform policy, but not all such data is publicly available due to previous explanations and case-by-case assessments of public interest.
He listed examples of publicly available ethnic breakdowns in education, housing, health, income and employment, and other social areas like religion, marital status, children, and language spoken at home.

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1 Aug 2022

Actions Taken by SkillsFuture Singapore in light of Lapses in Disbursement of Grants

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) is recovering an estimated $4.22 million in overpaid grants due to inaccurate declarations and manual processing errors, and has implemented a new IT system to verify eligibility using government data to prevent recurrence.
SSG is addressing a $43 million variance in Skills Development Levy (SDL) collection from 2015-2020 through a risk-based approach, with plans to launch a new IT system by mid-next year and engage employers to reconcile and collect outstanding payments.
Accountability will be enforced, with individuals found negligent facing action, and SSG is reviewing business rules, the SDL Act, and contract terms with service providers, while working with GovTech to enhance systems and ensure grants for legitimate lifelong learning continue uninterrupted.

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1 Aug 2022

Petition

Non-Constituency Member Leong Mun Wai presented a petition from five residents of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 Blocks 562-565 regarding the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), alleging lack of transparency and unfair treatment.
The petition calls for a comprehensive review of SERS, including independent evaluation of sites, public disclosure of intended land use, and relocation priority for affected residents within the vicinity.
It requests waiver of the Resale Levy, full reimbursement of stamp and legal fees, and ex-gravita payments for renovation costs adjusted for inflation in all future SERS exercises.
The petitioners seek a moratorium on SERS until a review is completed and its findings are deliberated by Parliament.
The Deputy Speaker referred the petition to the Public Petitions Committee following parliamentary procedure.

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5 Jul 2022

Review of Measures to Ensure Circumstances Leading to Unauthorised Clearance of Kranji Forest Do Not Recur

Minister Gan Kim Yong reported that a system-level review led by Permanent Secretary Joseph Leong found existing land clearance systems sound but made further recommendations, which agencies are implementing.
Four individuals have been charged under the Parks and Trees Act and Wildlife Act for the Kranji incident, with JTC officers accused of providing inaccurate information, and criminal proceedings are ongoing.
JTC has established a Construction Regulatory Compliance Unit and an Environmental Planning and Design Unit, extended digital monitoring to land clearance, and formed a Biodiversity and Environmental Advisory Panel to strengthen oversight.
The Sungei Kadut Eco-District project will transform the industrial estate with green spaces while balancing development and conservation, with works resuming after regulatory approvals.

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4 Jul 2022

Update on PA's Further Checks on AGO Report for FY2020/2021 and Findings of External Consultant on PA's Governance System and Oversight Functions

PA conducted a full audit of contract variations and overpayments at Our Tampines Hub and Heartbeat @ Bedok, found lapses due to human oversight, and initiated disciplinary proceedings against relevant officers while assisting police investigations.
An external consultant reviewed PA’s governance and found the lapses were not systemic beyond the two projects, but PA agreed to implement measures to improve procurement and contract management processes.
PA has recovered overpayments for Heartbeat @ Bedok and is working to recover amounts for Our Tampines Hub, while also addressing other outstanding contractor claims.
PA will progressively implement the consultant’s recommendations, including enhancing oversight and reviewing organisational structures to strengthen governance.

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4 Jul 2022

Steps to Enhance Anti-corruption Education Especially among Singaporean Youths

The government reaffirmed incorruptibility as a core national value, noting Singapore’s consistent top rankings in global corruption indices and its unique standing in Asia.
The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) conducts wide-ranging preventive education, including targeted initiatives for youth such as picture books, animated videos, badge programmes, web games, and e-books co-created with students.
CPIB works with schools, the community, and media to enhance the relevance and reach of its anti-corruption messages, emphasizing collective responsibility beyond law enforcement alone.
The government highlighted CPIB’s 70th anniversary as a milestone to acknowledge the dedication of its officers in maintaining Singapore’s clean governance.

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4 Jul 2022

Outcome of MUIS-directed Review of Financial Transactions between Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah and Irsyad Trust Limited

MUIS initiated an audit in April 2021 to review the financial transactions between Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah and Irsyad Trust Limited from 2013, aiming to identify any fraudulent or illegal activities.
Based on preliminary findings, MUIS lodged a Police report in July 2021, and the audit is still ongoing alongside Police investigations.
The Minister is unable to disclose further details at this stage due to the ongoing investigations.
Follow-up actions will depend on the outcomes of the MUIS audit and Police investigations, which are not yet concluded.
The review is part of MUIS's oversight to ensure accountability and compliance in financial dealings involving the Madrasah and related entities.

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9 May 2022

Update on Cheating Cases at 2020 Part B Bar Examinations and Steps taken to Eliminate or Minimise such Cheating Cases

Ang Wei Neng sought updates on the 11 cheating cases from the 2020 Part B Bar Examinations, asked if any cheating was detected in the 2021 Bar Examinations, and requested details on steps taken to prevent or minimise cheating.
K Shanmugam indicated that the matter had already been addressed in prior parliamentary replies published on 9 May 2022, specifically in relation to Questions 3, 4, and 5.

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9 May 2022

Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill

The Bill updates the disqualification criteria for MPs, the President, and members of the CPA and PCMR by raising the fine threshold from $2,000 to $10,000 to account for inflation and align with current sentencing practices.
It extends disqualification to convictions from any foreign court (not just Malaysia) for offences that would be punishable in Singapore, and removes the outdated exception for Commonwealth countries in citizenship-related disqualification.
The amendments apply retroactively to convictions meeting the new criteria, and passed with overwhelming support in Parliament, reflecting a balance between maintaining high standards for public office and ensuring broad democratic participation.

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9 May 2022

Law Students Found Cheating in Bar Examinations and Steps to Address Public Concerns

The Minister for Law addressed parliamentary questions about cheating by trainee lawyers in the 2020 Bar examinations, stating that the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE) has introduced remote proctoring and found no further cheating cases, while the 11 involved are required to repeat courses or exams and face delayed admission to the Bar pending court review.
The Minister emphasized that cheating is a serious breach of honesty for fiduciary officers of the court, with admission decisions resting with the High Court considering views from the Attorney-General, SILE, and Law Society, while cautioning that discussions must be limited due to pending cases.
Parliamentarians sought information on historical cheating incidents and steps to address public concerns, with the Minister clarifying SILE had no prior findings of such cheating and noted safeguards were added post-COVID, while rejecting the notion of unconditional second chances but acknowledging the need for proportionate penalties.
Additional suggestions included conditional calling with community service, but the Minister stressed these are matters for the Attorney-General, Law Society, and courts to decide rather than government policy.

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4 Apr 2022

Use of TraceTogether Data for Criminal Investigations

Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Home Affairs about the use of TraceTogether data in criminal investigations, specifically the number of cases, categories under the Seventh Schedule of the COVID-19 Act, and any inadvertent use outside the Schedule.
Minister K Shanmugam stated that the Police have only requested TraceTogether data once for a murder case in May 2020, which was discussed in Parliament in February 2021.
The Minister confirmed that TraceTogether data has not been used for any criminal investigations since that single request, neither for offences under the Seventh Schedule nor for offences outside it.

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4 Apr 2022

Itemised Breakdown of COVID-19-related Government Expenditure

Lawrence Wong stated that MOF has been publicly releasing COVID-19 spending breakdowns on various platforms and through annual Budget Statements, with detailed commitments for FY2020 and FY2021 already available via parliamentary responses and the Estimates Committee report.
The FY2020 spending breakdown includes $13.8 billion for public health, $73.5 billion for livelihoods, and $10 billion for direct social support, with actual spending lower than initial estimates due to unused loan capital, which was later addressed in FY2021 packages.
FY2021 spending has just concluded, with final audited figures expected by the third quarter of 2022, and overall COVID-19 expenditure for FY2020 and FY2021 is projected to align closely with the August 2021 Estimates Committee report.
Breaking down COVID-19 expenditure by object classes (e.g., manpower, operating expenses) is not practicable because these categories cover multiple government functions beyond COVID-19, but outcome assessment reports are available on MOF’s website.

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10 Mar 2022

Clarification by Minister for Education

The Minister for Education, Mr Chan Chun Sing, admitted that inaccurate information provided by two JTC officers led to errors in his previous parliamentary statements about land clearing at Kranji Road and Kranji Close.
Investigations found that unauthorized clearing occurred on a larger area than initially reported, with some payments made for unapproved work, and that JTC officers knew about the clearing earlier than stated.
Police investigations have concluded, and the matter has been referred to the Attorney-General’s Chambers; the Minister emphasized that the findings are based on Police views and could be contested in court.

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