Governance & integrity — Topics

4 Nov 2019

Requirement for Temasek and GIC to Observe Policy of Rotating Engagement Partners of Their External Auditors

Leon Perera asked whether Temasek and GIC rotate their external audit engagement partners after a set period.
Temasek rotates its audit engagement partners every five years, aligning with SGX requirements for listed companies.
GIC is audited by the Auditor-General, an independent constitutional body, rather than commercial auditors.

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4 Sep 2019

Government Documents Accessible on NAS Archives Online

Leon Perera asked what proportion of government documents over 25 years old are on the NAS Archives Online and what proportion of declassified documents are publicly accessible, to which the Senior Minister of State replied that while 2 million records are in custody, only 160,000 metadata entries are currently online due to national security and privacy constraints.
Perera further questioned whether declassified documents already on the NAS platform could be made freely accessible without requiring written permission, raised the possibility of periodic reviews to release older documents over time, and asked for the definition of a "researcher" for access purposes.
The Senior Minister of State responded that the government aims to increase publicly viewable documents, is prioritizing declassification with training for agencies, and noted that the definition of a researcher is based on common understanding and the NLB Act, while encouraging public requests for access.

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2 Sep 2019

Update on Training Accident Death of Corporal First Class Liu Kai

Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked whether any persons should be held responsible for the training accident death of Corporal First Class Liu Kai and if disciplinary or legal proceedings would be taken.
Ng Eng Hen stated that MINDEF cannot provide a reply because police investigations into the death have not yet been concluded.

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2 Sep 2019

Update on CAD's Investigation of Chairman and Management of Swiber Holdings and Related Companies

Dennis Tan Lip Fong inquired about the completion status of the CAD's investigation into Swiber Holdings' chairman and management, potential charges, and the expected timeline if ongoing.
K Shanmugam confirmed that police investigations into Swiber Holdings and its subsidiaries are still ongoing and declined further comment.

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6 Aug 2019

Consideration to Make Government Financial Statements Available Online

Pritam Singh asked if Government Financial Statements could be made available online and why they currently are not, while Heng Swee Keat explained that these statements are prepared annually for submission to the President and Parliament, with physical access available in the Parliament Library and Lee Kong Chian Reference Library.
Heng noted that the Ministry of Finance extracts and publishes relevant information from the Financial Statements in the Budget Book and online documents to make them easier for the public to understand.
He confirmed that the government will continue to review and update how it releases and publishes information on government accounts.

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6 Aug 2019

Assessment of Risk for Unlisted Assets in Portfolios of GIC and Temasek Holdings

Leon Perera questioned how the Government reviews the risk of unlisted assets in GIC and Temasek portfolios and what ensures realistic valuations.
The Second Minister for Finance confirmed that unlisted assets are valued at investment and regularly updated using industry standards and independent audits, with no issues raised by auditors.
Leon Perera suggested publishing conservative cost-based valuations alongside current methods to better reflect realisable value.
The Minister replied that current accounting standards are already conservative, with impairment tests and market tests ensuring reasonable valuations.

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5 Aug 2019

Phasing Out Announcement of Names and Registration Numbers of Voters on Polling Day

Png Eng Huat asked if the practice of announcing voters' names and registration numbers would be phased out with e-registration, citing discreet verification on screen in multiple languages.
Chan Chun Sing responded that the law requires election officials to call out the voter’s name and serial number to enable polling agents to verify eligibility against their registers.
This announcement process is separate from e-registration and ensures only assigned voters receive ballot papers at specific polling stations.
There are no plans to change this procedure even after implementing e-registration.

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5 Aug 2019

Checks in Integrity of Work Permit, and Employment and S Pass Systems

Mr Png Eng Huat asked if any forensic review was conducted on the Work Permit and Employment/S Pass systems from 2011 to 2017 due to a lack of reviews of IT vendor staff activities during that period.
The Ministry of Manpower reviewed available logs from 2018 onward and found no unauthorized activity, and now conducts monthly reviews.
The Ministry has implemented system segregation, access controls, and session recordings for administrators since 2011, with no unauthorized activity detected, so a forensic review was not warranted.

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5 Aug 2019

Rationale for Inability to Recover Overpayment Amount for Contract Variations in National Gallery Development Project

The Ministry explained that the $13 million was a waiver of penalties for delays, not an overpayment, and was part of contract variations necessary for a complex project involving two monuments.
The Minister clarified that the Auditor-General’s finding about recovering the amount was due to it being too late, not fraud, and the Ministry’s audit found no need for major recoveries.
The National Gallery Singapore is enhancing its financial and procurement processes following the audit, with the Ministry working to implement recommendations from the Auditor-General.

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8 May 2019

Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill

Supporters argued that the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill (POFMA) is necessary to combat harmful online falsehoods that threaten public interest, social harmony, and national security, with safeguards such as judicial oversight and corrective directions instead of outright censorship.
Opponents expressed concern that the Bill grants excessive power to ministers, potentially chilling free speech and enabling the government to suppress criticism, especially during elections, by acting as both judge and jury.
The government clarified that the Bill’s powers are narrower than existing laws, provide rapid response mechanisms with appeal avenues to the courts, and are intended to target falsehoods—not opinions—with accountability to Parliament and the public.

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8 May 2019

Remuneration Cap for Key Management Staff of Fifth Schedule Companies like GIC and Temasek Holdings

The Government does not impose a remuneration cap on key management staff at GIC and Temasek, as their boards independently set pay based on performance and industry benchmarks to attract talent and encourage prudent risk-taking.
The Finance Ministry does not disclose specific remuneration packages for top executives, focusing instead on holding boards accountable for the entities' long-term performance and overall returns.
Both GIC and Temasek use a performance-based remuneration system that includes long-term incentives, with their annual reports showing creditable performance under challenging market conditions.

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7 May 2019

Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill

The Minister for Law defended the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill (POFMA), arguing it narrows existing executive powers by focusing only on false statements of fact and provides greater judicial oversight through a fast, inexpensive appeal process to the High Court.
He outlined the global threat of online falsehoods weaponized by state actors, commercial interests, and political groups to erode public trust and destabilize societies, citing examples from the UK, US, and other nations as a rationale for the legislation.
The Workers' Party opposed the Bill, contending that the executive should not be the initial arbiter of falsehoods and expressing concern that broad definitions and subjective Ministerial discretion could chill free speech and be subject to abuse.
Nominated Member Irene Quay supported the legislative intent but proposed amendments to clarify key definitions, expedite the appeals process in primary legislation, and establish an independent oversight council for greater accountability.
The government maintained that the current approach balances the need for swift action against falsehoods with safeguards, rejecting the proposed independent council in favor of accountability through Parliament and the Courts.

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6 May 2019

Public Agencies’ Exemption from Personal Data Protection Act

Public agencies and officers are governed by the Public Sector (Governance) Act and Instruction Manual 8, which criminalize unauthorized data disclosure and impose fines or imprisonment for breaches.
Additional laws like the Official Secrets Act and specific sectoral acts further deter irresponsible data handling, while internal disciplinary actions can be taken for negligence.
Regular audits and compliance checks under IM8 enforce specific security measures, with agencies required to address gaps and have their actions tracked to completion.
A dedicated committee is reviewing and recommending enhancements to data security policies to keep pace with technological advances and maintain public confidence.

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6 May 2019

ACRA’s Oversight of Auditors whose Audit Opinions of Listed Companies Found Wanting

Under the Accountants Act, ACRA’s Public Accountants Oversight Committee inspects public accountants for compliance with Singapore auditing standards and can impose sanctions such as additional inspections, work reviews, service restrictions, or suspension or cancellation of licenses, with disciplinary outcomes published online.
ACRA plans to amend the Accountants Act later this year to expand audit inspections to audit firms and apply sanctions for firms’ lapses, thereby holding them to higher accountability.
While regulatory measures aim to ensure audit quality, ACRA emphasizes that directors, audit committees, management, the accounting profession, and investors all share responsibility in maintaining financial reporting standards and assessing company risks.

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6 May 2019

Move to Allow Casino Operators’ to Increase their Approved Gaming Area

The government allows Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa to expand their gaming areas to support a larger non-gaming investment package, arguing that gaming revenue makes the integrated resorts commercially viable and will attract more tourists and create jobs.
Ministers state that the land cost for expansion is set by the Chief Valuer at fair market value without a public tender, based on longstanding policy for strategic investments, and project the overall expansion will contribute $500 million annually to the economy.
The government highlights that the problem gambling rate among residents has decreased and that it consulted key stakeholders, including the National Council on Problem Gambling and community groups, before approving the expansion, with commitments to strengthen social safeguards.

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1 Apr 2019

Measures to Prevent Healthcare Insurance Fraud

MOH monitors MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plan claims, working with insurers to identify suspicious patterns and referring potential criminal cases to the police.
The Singapore Medical Council enforces ethical guidelines that prohibit doctors from letting financial considerations influence clinical judgement, with disciplinary action for violations.
MOH urges doctors, healthcare staff, patients, insurers, and the public to report suspected fraud to MOH, SMC, or the police.

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1 Apr 2019

Singapore Medical Council's Appeal against its Disciplinary Tribunal's Sentence on Dr Soo Shuenn Chiang

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh questioned how a confidential medical memo, falsely obtained by a patient’s brother, was accepted by the court for a Personal Protection Order application.
Minister K Shanmugam stated that courts make independent decisions and reasons would be in a judgment, but no findings were made on whether the memo was admitted or relied upon in granting the PPO.
The Disciplinary Tribunal noted there was no clear evidence the PPO was granted due to the memo’s disclosure, only that it was produced in the application.
Family Justice Court proceedings are held in camera, and no grounds of decision have been issued, leaving no public facts on the memo’s admission or reliance.
The Singapore Medical Council is appealing the DT’s decision, which may allow the court to review the memo’s procurement and its role in the PPO grant.

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1 Apr 2019

Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill

The bill aims to prevent the communication of false statements of fact online and suppress support for such communication in Singapore.
It seeks to safeguard against the use of online accounts for spreading false information and manipulating information.
The bill also enables measures to enhance the transparency of online political advertisements.

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1 Apr 2019

Concerns over Tender and Eventual Award of Patrol Boat Contract to ST Marine

The Ministry of Finance explained that debarment from government contracts only applies when corruption convictions are linked to government contracts, as its purpose is to protect government interests from direct harm, not to duplicate court punishment.
ST Marine was awarded the patrol boat contract despite past corruption convictions of former executives because the offenses were in the private sector, involved individuals no longer with the company, and the company itself had no convictions.
The notice of award was published within the required 72-day period, with an initial date error on the GeBIZ website promptly corrected.
The Minister clarified that while debarment focuses on government-related cases, procurement committees can holistically assess a company's track record, including private sector corruption, for risk evaluation.
The debate highlighted that debarment is administrative and not punitive, with the government considering whether to review the policy to include private sector corruption in debarment considerations.

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1 Apr 2019

Role of Personal Data Protection Commission in Investigating Blood Donors' Data Leak

The Personal Data Protection Commission is investigating the private IT vendor Secur Solutions Group for the HSA data leak and will take enforcement action if a breach of the PDPA is found, while a separate government review is examining HSA's data security practices.
Public agencies are not exempt from accountability; they are governed by the Public Sector (Governance) Act and other regulations, which impose comparable or higher data protection standards, and citizens can lodge complaints with GovTech or seek civil action for breaches.
A Public Sector Data Security Review Committee has been convened to comprehensively review and strengthen data security practices across all government agencies, with findings due by 30 November 2019.
The Minister emphasized that penalties focus on individual officers rather than financial fines on agencies, as the latter would burden the public purse, but reputational damage and accountability measures serve as significant deterrents.
Investigations into the HSA leak are ongoing, including the source of unauthorized access and the extent of data exposure, with the government committed to transparency and incorporating best practices to enhance data security.

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