Governance & integrity

• Ms. He Ting Ru raised a question regarding whether a local single family office linked to individuals sanctioned by the US received tax incentives under the family office tax incentive scheme.
• The Prime Minister's representative, Gan Kim Yong, stated that the question would be addressed in the next parliamentary sitting on 5 November 2025.
• The discussion will include similar parliamentary questions and will reference data on sanctioned individuals operating tax-exempt family offices in Singapore.

• The Leader of the House, Ms Indranee Rajah, raised concerns about contradictions in statements made by the Leader of the Opposition, Pritam Singh, regarding Mr Noor Deros's attendance at a meeting, specifically whether he "gate-crashed" it or was invited.
• Pritam Singh clarified that he initially stated Mr Deros had "gate-crashed" the meeting based on his understanding at the time, but later acknowledged that Mr Deros was invited by an ustaz, which contradicted his earlier claim.
• Singh confirmed that while Mr Faisal Manap may have known of Mr Deros, other Workers' Party candidates did not, leading to Singh's characterization of Deros as a "nobody."
• The debate highlighted the importance of accurate representations in Parliament, particularly concerning sensitive topics like race and religion, and the implications of using terms like "gate-crashed."
• Both parties agreed on the need for clarity and accuracy in statements made in Parliament to avoid misleading the public and to maintain the integrity of parliamentary discourse.

• Gerald Giam raised concerns about the regulations governing rail operators when they deviate from maintenance schedules recommended by train manufacturers.
• He questioned whether the Ministry of Transport would review SMRT's waiver approval system following a report indicating that waivers may be granted without proper justification.
• Jeffrey Siow referenced a previous written reply that addressed the regulatory oversight of rail operators' safety decisions, indicating that the issue has been previously discussed in Parliament.

• The debate focused on the key factors contributing to significant lapses and irregularities reported by the Auditor-General's Office (AGO) in recent years.
• Challenges in overhauling systems to prevent future lapses were discussed, highlighting the complexity and scale of government operations.
• The Government is committed to improving operations, addressing identified gaps, and enhancing governance through cross-agency coordination and professional training.
• The importance of transparency and accountability in the auditing process was emphasized, with a commitment to communicate rectifications to the public to strengthen trust.

• Mr. Chua Kheng Wee Louis inquired about the financial and non-financial support provided by the Economic Development Board for a Swedish car R&D office in Singapore and the existence of clawback penalties after its closure.
• Minister Gan Kim Yong responded that companies receiving government support must achieve specific economic outcomes, and there are mechanisms in place to reclaim subsidies if these outcomes are not met.
• The government cannot disclose specific details about individual companies due to confidentiality and commercial sensitivity.

He Ting Ru asked the Prime Minister for details on complaints regarding traditional elections advertising (TEA) rules during the 2025 General Elections. The Elections Department received 2,561 reports of possible TEA violations, with investigations confirming that 1,840 warranted further action. Notifications for rectification were sent for 1,595 reports before Cooling-off Day, while 245 reports on Polling Day were not notified due to weather conditions, leading to direct removal of 88 TEA after verification. In total, 227 TEA were removed by the Elections Department during the election period.

He Ting Ru raised concerns about whether promotional materials featuring grassroots advisers would violate election advertising rules during the 2025 General Elections if the advisers are also candidates. Chan Chun Sing clarified that any promotional materials aimed at electoral success would be considered election advertising and must adhere to the rules. The determination of whether pre-existing displays with photographs of advisers constitutes election advertising depends on their context and intent; materials promoting ongoing support for the adviser may be classified as election advertising. However, banners unrelated to elections, like welcome messages or festive greetings, are unlikely to be seen as election advertising.

Ng Shi Xuan questioned the eligibility and selection criteria for host organisations in the GRaduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) Programme and whether recent retrenchments would affect their eligibility. Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked about plans to audit employers using traineeship grants to ensure they do not displace existing employees and inquired about the establishment of a public debarment list for exploitative firms. Nadia Ahmad Samdin sought clarification on how the Ministry ensures meaningful training in the Global Talent Ready Programme and what measures are in place to evaluate the quality of the traineeship experience. Tan See Leng referred to a previous response given on 23 September 2025 addressing these inquiries about graduate employment and the GRIT programme.

Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Prime Minister about annual management costs as a percentage of assets for Temasek Holdings over the last five years and performance indicators for three new wholly-owned entities. Indranee Rajah responded that previous records on management costs can be referred to in the Hansard. She explained that the new entities will manage different segments of Temasek's portfolio, and the Board will be held accountable for achieving long-term returns. Temasek will continue to publish the net returns of its total portfolio after deducting fees and expenses.

Gerald Giam Yean Song questioned the Prime Minister about the reasons behind the rejection of 2,734 postal votes, representing 45% of total postal votes, during the 2025 General Election, and whether measures are being taken to reduce this rate. Chan Chun Sing explained that the rejection was due to issues like illegible postmarks, mismatched signatures, and damaged envelopes. The Elections Department plans to enhance outreach efforts to educate voters on proper procedures to ensure their ballots are counted. Suggested improvements include using consistent signatures, posting ballots early, affixing postage stamps for better postmarking, and utilizing express airmail for timely delivery.

Saktiandi Supaat questioned the Prime Minister about the measures being taken to enhance financial governance, procurement practices, and IT controls in light of the Auditor-General's Report for FY2024/2025. Lawrence Wong responded that the Government is addressing the findings by improving public sector officers' knowledge and capabilities through updated training programs focusing on financial and IT management. He mentioned that IT controls and monitoring are being enhanced, with agencies required to regularly assess risks and implement appropriate safeguards. Agencies are actively working to address past audit findings by identifying root causes, rectifying gaps, and tightening internal controls, with internal auditors overseeing the implementation of corrective actions and sharing best practices across public agencies.

Xie Yao Quan asked the Prime Minister about the potential deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) by the Auditor-General's Office (AGO) to improve contract management and procurement within Ministries and Government agencies. Indranee Rajah responded that the AGO uses a risk-based approach in audits, employing digital tools and AI to analyze procurement trends and detect irregularities. The AGO plans to share its digital tools and risk indicators with public agencies and is trialing new AI tools to enhance audit capabilities. The Government is exploring AI applications to improve financial governance, procurement, and contract management across various agencies.