This is why Singapore needs opposition parties in Parliament

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Because the PAP MPs will never ask sensitive (sensitive to the PAP, that is) questions that Singaporeans want to ask.

In the years since CECA was signed, did any PAP MPs raise the issues of the terms of the CECA agreement, too many foreign talent flooding into Singapore, how many Singaporean PMETs lost their jobs to the foreign influx of PMETs?

Would the PAP government release more data if the opposition had not continue to nip at the issue?

Misunderstandings over Ceca could have been nipped in the bud if Govt released more data earlier: Pritam​

Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh also asked about strengthening the enforcement arm of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices.

Hariz Baharudin

July 6, 2021

SINGAPORE - The misunderstandings and unhappiness over the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ceca) could have been addressed and nipped in the bud if the government had released more information earlier, suggested Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh.
The Workers' Party chief made this point on Tuesday (July 6) during the debate after Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng gave ministerial statements on Singapore's free trade agreements (FTAs) and foreign manpower policies.
He noted that in 2016, fellow WP MP Mr Leon Perera had asked the Manpower Minister for the number of Intra-Corporate Transferees (ICTs) working in Singapore through Ceca. The response was the ministry does not release data on the breakdown of foreign manpower by nationality.
In February, the Government disclosed that the number of ICTs working in Singapore was around 5 per cent of all Employment Pass holders, in response to Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai.
On Tuesday, Dr Tan revealed that ICTs from India accounted for 500 of the 4,200 transferees in 2020.
Said Mr Singh: "If this information had been made known earlier, it does occur to me whether a lot of the misunderstanding, the reaction we see on Ceca could have been addressed and actually nipped in the bud.

"And so I hope the Government understands that with more information, actually, we can hold the line better in terms of some of these discussions moving into a realm of xenophobia and so forth."
Mr Singh was referring to misconceptions that have swirled around Ceca and how it purportedly allows the unconditional entry of Indian professionals into Singapore, which have been linked to an undercurrent of resentment toward immigrant Indians.
One point of unhappiness was over ICTs - overseas employees at an MNC who have worked for at least a year in the company, before being posted to a branch or subsidiary in Singapore.
Companies that want to fill a role with an intra-corporate transferee are exempted from the Fair Consideration Framework requirement that requires firms to advertise jobs on MyCareersFuture.sg, before submitting EP and S Pass applications. But the transferee still has to meet the prevailing work pass criteria before they are allowed to work in Singapore.
In their statements, both ministers debunked the various false claims surrounding Ceca.
Responding to Mr Singh, Mr Ong said the Government is not always at liberty to disclose data, some of which is classified or secret. He agreed that it is better to provide some information promptly.
"And especially, as you say, when it concerns issues like racism or xenophobia, it's much better to quell it early," said Mr Ong.
Mr Singh also asked about strengthening the enforcement arm of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep), an issue he had raised in Parliament last August.
Dr Tan replied that MOM is reviewing its existing frameworks, and such a suggestion was not something that only the WP had made.
He said a number of MPs, including Mr Patrick Tay (Pioneer) and Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC), have floated this too.
"The assurance I want to give to the House, to everyone who has raised it and who's concerned about this, is to allow myself, together with a team… (and) tripartite partners to go deep, look at all the different implications, (and) look at also the various options that we have to see how we can strengthen it," said Dr Tan.

 

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No PAP MPs ever raise these in Parliament before. It takes an opposition party member to table this in Parliament.

Ceca chapter on movement of persons not used as bargaining chip: DPM Heng​

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said he was "terribly troubled" by the PSP's approach to Ceca.PHOTO: GOV.SG

Justin Ong
Political Correspondent

July 6, 2021

SINGAPORE - Clauses in the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ceca) on the movement of natural persons were not used as a bargaining chip in settling the free trade pact, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Tuesday (July 6).
He was responding to Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai during a debate on ministerial statements that ministers Ong Ye Kung and Tan See Leng had delivered on free trade agreements (FTAs) and foreign manpower policies.
As chief negotiator for Ceca, which was signed in 2005, Mr Heng recalled that his Indian counterparts were "very keen" on the chapter in question.
"They said, 'What do we get?' Well, I said no... you have a population that's over a billion; Singapore has a population of, at that time, probably about 3 odd million. And I said we will be easily swamped, so we must have very strict agreements on this," Mr Heng said. "I never let go, and we got what we needed."
Chapter 9 in Ceca, on the movement of natural persons, pertains to temporary entry for individuals into both countries.
It has been highlighted as part of criticisms of Ceca paving the way for Indian professionals to take jobs from locals. The Government has repeatedly clarified that nothing in Ceca interferes with its ability to regulate immigration and foreign manpower.

Mr Heng said that leading up to negotiations in 2005, he was occupying a supervisory role as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. But their Indian counterparts had deemed the agreement important enough to involve a permanent secretary of their own.
That was how he ended up being the chief negotiator for Ceca, said the Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies.
"I can tell you the amount of homework I had to do to look at how we can come to an agreement. I went to different parts of India because there were objections from every part of India, from business groups to states," he added.
Mr Heng said he was "terribly troubled" by the PSP's approach to Ceca, and took issue with Mr Leong saying he hoped the Government had the people's interests at heart.
"Why do we negotiate free trade agreements and why do we do this public service if it's not with the interest of people at heart?" Mr Heng asked.
"And why do I spend three years of my life doing that agreement? So please be reasonable and don't mislead Singaporeans."
He also rebutted Mr Leong's suggestion that the education system had failed to produce enough local talent for the workforce, noting t the World Bank had ranked Singapore best in the world in educating its people; and that university cohort participation rates had increased from 20 to 40 per cent.
"So please do not go around thinking that we have not put in enough effort," said Mr Heng.
"I think, Mr Leong, you will better serve Singaporeans if you help Singaporeans understand how changes are taking place so quickly, and you must help to encourage people to upgrade and learn new skills, and work to support our unions in forming company training committees and job security councils and the like, in order to raise the ability of Singaporeans to compete."
He stressed the importance of bringing in the best people to work with locals, to help Singaporeans excel in new tech, innovation and digital realms.
"Please do not get stuck in the old world and think that we can excel all on our own," Mr Heng added. "Let us have an open attitude to work with countries around the world who are willing to cooperate and work with us."

 

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Have not heard of one PAP MP that say CECA is not good for Singaporeans.

PSP 'fully supports' FTAs, but disagrees that Ceca offers net benefits to S'poreans​

Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai said his party, the PSP, is not against FTAs.PHOTO: GOV.SG

Yuen Sin

Jul 6, 2021

SINGAPORE - The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) fully supports free trade agreements (FTAs) and is reassured to know that Singaporean interests are taken care of when they are negotiated, but disagrees that the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ceca) offers net benefits to Singapore at this stage, Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai said.
Setting out his party's position after a protracted debate with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung in Parliament on Tuesday (July 7), Mr Leong said the PSP will have to further explore "whether Ceca has contributed to the influx of some of the PMETs into Singapore in relation to our overall foreign talent policy".
The NCMP was speaking after ministerial statements on FTAs and foreign manpower by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, a former trade negotiator, and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng.
Following the speeches, Mr Ong had repeatedly sought to pin the PSP MPs down on whether they agreed that FTAs are fundamental to Singapore's economic survival, and that Ceca does not allow a free flow of Indian professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) into Singapore.
To this, Mr Leong said his party is not against FTAs. "We know the importance of the FTAs for Singapore as an open economy and especially as a small city state. However, what we are concerned about is what price we are paying," he said.
For instance, he had read about how Singapore does not have many bargaining chips when it comes to negotiations - "so the implication is that we may have to be a bit more relaxed with the movement of people".

He then asked if the movement of people, referred to in Chapter 9 of Ceca, is used as a bargaining chip when Singapore is negotiating FTAs.
Responding, Mr Ong said he had earlier explained why the allegation that Singapore has used the freedom of movement of people as a bargaining chip and was "giving away our rights for immigration" is untrue, and pressed Mr Leong on whether he and his party agreed with this.
"After all the explanation, (if) you still come to that conclusion, then I say this: Number one - PSP, you're against globalisation, you're against FTAs, even though I've gone to great lengths to explain that this is the bedrock of Singapore's economic survival.
"Number two - you are really not taking back the falsehoods and the allegations... you do feel that the FTAs and Ceca, despite our explanation, let in Indian professionals freely into Singapore," he said, calling on the PSP to prove him wrong otherwise.

Among other things, Mr Ong had said in his speech that nothing in Ceca states that Singapore must unconditionally let in PMEs from India.
[FULL] Ministers Ong Ye Kung, Tan See Leng address Parliament on FTAs, Ceca

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If the PSP agrees on the importance of FTAs and Ceca, and withdraws their allegations about Ceca, the People's Action Party government and the PSP can have a "meaningful debate" when the PSP tables a motion on FTAs and Ceca in a future parliamentary sitting, Mr Ong added.
To this, Mr Leong said that the two statements - on FTAs being fundamental to Singapore's survival, and Ceca not allowing the free movement of people - require more debate and study by him and his fellow NCMP Hazel Poa.
"Hazel and I, we are for FTAs. And having heard that the jobs and livelihoods of people are not being used as a bargaining chip, we are very reassured that... Singaporeans' interests are being taken care of," said Mr Leong.
"However, whether Ceca has contributed to the overall influx of nationals from that country , I think we need to study a bit more," he added.
His party will have to examine the figures provided by Dr Tan and Mr Ong to look at the share of Indian PMETs in the overall PMET workforce, among other things, before it can make a final conclusion on whether Ceca is truly beneficial for Singapore, he said.
Mr Ong thanked Mr Leong for agreeing that FTAs - including Ceca - are fundamental to Singapore's economic survival. "At least that is a common ground that we have established."
He also said he understands that the PSP agrees that Chapter 9 is not being used as a bargaining chip, and called on it to withdraw its allegations that Ceca has led to the unfettered flow of Indian professionals into Singapore.
Mr Leong said that his remarks had been misinterpreted.
"What I've said is that we fully support FTAs, we know that that's important for Singapore, and we appreciate the point that we are not using the movement of people as a bargaining chip in the negotiation of the FTAs.
"But as to whether Ceca has contributed to the influx of some of the PMETs into Singapore in relation to our overall foreign talent policy, we have to explore that. And we don't agree that Ceca is net beneficial to Singapore at this stage."
Mr Ong remarked that Mr Leong seemed to be "waffling".
"Yes, no, yes, no, it's quite hard to catch. I take it that you are not withdrawing your allegation. And so be it... We have to leave it as such," said the minister.
"It is regrettable because generations of FTA negotiators worked very hard to make sure our interests are protected, and this is not a backdoor, this is not an avenue for any professional from any country to enter Singapore with a free hand," he added.

 

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This came after Non-Constituency MPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa from the Progress Singapore Party had asked for the nationality profile of work pass holders and their dependants from China, India, the United States and Australia. Ms Poa had requested for more data on the jobs commonly held by these same nationalities.

Indian EP holders nearly doubled to 25%, driven by digital economy growth, not due to Ceca​

The increase in proportion of Indian EP holders has been driven by the growth of Singapore's digital economy, rather than the result of more favourable treatment, said Mr Tan See Leng.PHOTO: GOV.SG

Calvin Yang
Correspondent

Jul 6, 2021


SINGAPORE - The proportion of Employment Pass (EP) holders from India doubled to 25 per cent last year, from 14 per cent in 2005.
This was driven by the rapid growth of Singapore's digital economy, rather than the result of more favourable treatment for Indian EP holders due to the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ceca), Manpower Minister Tan See Leng told Parliament on Tuesday (July 6).
"As every sector seeks to be digitally enabled, their need for tech talent has grown significantly," he said, emphasising that Singapore currently does not have enough locals to fill the jobs available. In the infocomm sector alone, 6,000 jobs remain unfilled.
Another major source of technology talent is China, he said, but with the country producing many unicorns - start-ups worth at least US$1 billion (S$1.34 billion) - and having its own demand, many Chinese professionals are staying put.
Dr Tan noted that between 2005 and last year, the proportion of EP holders from China had been relatively stable.
The top nationalities that comprise around two-thirds of Singapore's EP holders have been consistent since 2005 - namely, those from China, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Britain.

The statistics on the foreign workforce here were provided by Dr Tan in a ministerial statement.
He said that the Government usually does not publish such detailed statistics for foreign policy reasons.
"I am not aware of any country that reports at that level of granularity requested. Nevertheless, we recognise that if misconceptions continue to spread, in spite of all our attempts to address them in many other ways, even more damage will be done," he said.
This came after Non-Constituency MPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa from the Progress Singapore Party had asked for the nationality profile of work pass holders and their dependants from China, India, the United States and Australia. Ms Poa had requested for more data on the jobs commonly held by these same nationalities.

All work pass holders in Singapore have to meet the same criteria before they are allowed to enter the labour market, stressed Dr Tan, adding that there is no differentiation based on nationality.
He also noted that India, whose talent continues to look outwards, is currently the largest country of origin for international migrants. Last year, it accounted for 18 million international migrants, up by 10 million from 2000.
The country has become the second largest source of immigrants in the US and the third largest in Britain, both of which are heavily invested in building tech capabilities.

​

"Given our relative shortage of manpower, even if the workers don't come from India, they will come from somewhere else," Dr Tan pointed out.
"The point I think we should ask ourselves is this: Are they helping us to grow our economy, and create better Singaporean jobs? The answer is yes."
Yet, it is not surprising that the increasing concentration of foreign workers has caused some social frictions and anxiety to Singaporeans, he noted. "In some ways, this is understandable... because these EP holders are transient."
Apart from some who settle down and become Singapore citizens or permanent residents, most EP holders work for a few years and either return home or move on elsewhere, he added.
Acknowledging that this is an area that has to be constantly monitored and managed, he said Singapore experienced a similar situation in the 2000s, when the share of Chinese nationals in the foreign workforce here rose significantly, before tapering as China's growth took off.
Dr Tan said the Government regularly reviews and updates work pass policies.
"We have to bring in the talent and the skills to keep our economy growing, while tracking that the number of foreigners in our midst stays at a level we are able to cope with, and manage the social frictions that will arise from time to time," he added.
"This is a series of trade-offs. It is not going to be a once-off adjustment, but it will be a constant balance that we have to continuously monitor and get right."
Dr Tan said the Government does monitor the concentration of nationalities at the company level. The threshold percentage of a firm's workforce from a single nationality is a criterion for the Fair Consideration Framework watch list.
In putting firms on the watch list, his ministry looks at whether firms have a high concentration of foreigners from a single nationality source, in addition to a high share of foreign professionals, managers, executives and technicians relative to their industry peers. There are currently about 400 firms placed on the watch list.
Today, salary is mainly relied on "as a gatekeeper" to select complementary talent because it is easy to administer, but the Government has been exploring refinements to the EP framework to ensure a strong Singaporean core, complemented by a diverse foreign workforce.
More details will be shared later, he added.

 

[bobby]

Does it matter if it CECA or not....doubling of Ah Nehs EP holders is a real concern regardless.

 

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Lee Hsien Yang and Hazel Poa ask why data was not provided for certain Parliamentary Questions of PSP​

We were told that these Parliamentary Questions would be answered via the Ministerial Statement, but unfortunately the government did not provide the data requested, she said.

Photo: YouTube screengrab - Lee Hsien Yang, Hazel Poa

AUTHOR Obbana Rajah
DATE July 9, 2021

Singapore — Two days after Ministerial Statements on CECA and FTAs were read in Parliament, NCMP Hazel Poa asked why some questions she asked were not answered.
Her Jul 8 Facebook post with the questions was shared by Progress Singapore Party (PSP) member Lee Hsien Yang.
In her post, Ms Poa shared that she raised the following queries:
– From 2005 – 2020 how many DPs and LTVPs were issued to relatives of China, India, USA, Australia that are E-Pass and S-Pass holders
– From 2005 – 2020, how many nationals were issued E-Pass, S-Pass, Work Permits and LOC from China, India, USA and Australia
– Proportion of Nationals from China, India, USA, Australia by industries and the types of jobs that are commonly held by them
– Breakdown of number of E-Pass, S-Pass and Work Permit Holders by industry
Ms Poa then wrote: “We were told that these Parliamentary Questions would be answered via the Ministerial Statement, but unfortunately the government did not provide the data requested”.

After the PSP has accepted the challenge to debate employment policies and the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ceca), they sought further information from the Government to prepare for the debate. Subsequently, they would decide on a suitable time to file a motion.
In Parliament last month, Mr Shanmugam said there have been “several canards” about Ceca.
“If anyone here believes that Ceca is a problem, put it up for a motion, debate it openly and let’s hear whether Singaporeans benefit or lose from it.
“I’m looking at you, Mr Leong,” he added then. “I invite you to put up a motion to debate Ceca. You know that most of what is said about Ceca is false.” /TISG

 

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Govt must take some responsibility for misinformation about Ceca, says Pritam Singh​

Mr Pritam Singh urged the Government to release more information to better inform public debate on the issue.PHOTO: GOV.SG

Tham Yuen-C
Senior Political Correspondent

SEP 15, 2021

SINGAPORE - In a strong criticism of what he described as a "reactive" policy towards communication, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh on Tuesday (Sept 14) said the Government has to take some responsibility for the misinformation swirling about the India-Singapore free trade agreement (FTA).
Emotions had been simmering on the ground long before the Progress Singapore Party had latched onto the issue of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with India (Ceca) and foreign employment, added Mr Singh (Aljunied GRC), who is the Workers' Party (WP) chief.
The Government's refusal to release data and answer questions of national relevance earlier had allowed people's misunderstandings to fester, and falsehoods to proliferate, he said.
Calling for a change of culture in communication, Mr Singh, who has pushed for freedom of information laws in the past, urged the Government to release more information to better inform public debate on the issue.
"The Government needs to reflect on its own omissions and resistance when it comes to providing data and information, and how it ought to take some responsibility for the groundswell of misinformation about Ceca," he said.
Mr Singh was speaking during the debate on two motions surrounding Singapore professionals, managers, executives and technicians and the competition they face from foreigners.

One was filed by PSP Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai, and the other by Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.
In a 30-minute speech, Mr Singh set out his party's stand on FTAs and Ceca.
It is undeniable that FTAs have encouraged investment and created jobs and opportunities for both Singaporeans and foreigners, he said.
He also noted that there have been some elements here and abroad that have used Ceca as a dog-whistle, masquerading racism for genuine economic concerns.

The WP abhors and denounces racism and xenophobia, he stressed.
But Mr Singh said it was fair to ask if the Ministry of Manpower had regulated work passes in the best way possible, adding that the WP does not take it as a given that Singapore's pro-trade policies will guarantee good jobs for all Singaporeans.
Parliament: Pritam Singh on WP's position on FTAs and Ceca | Sept 14

In fact, some groups have ended up worse off, he said, pointing to the sandwiched class, workers who lack skills and lower-income Singaporeans.
For these groups, there was a perception that the playing field is uneven, and some have directed their anger at foreigners of Indian ethnicity who have become more visible and taken up well-paying jobs here, he said.
"Ordinary Singaporeans do not delve into the intricacies of free trade agreements. Instead, they look around and come to conclusions based on what they perceive and experience," added Mr Singh.
"If Singaporeans have not for years been seeing foreigners occupying well-paying jobs while qualified Singaporeans are unemployed or underemployed, we would not be talking about this today."
Mr Singh noted that this influx of foreign workers and permanent residents from the mid 2000s had bothered former prime minister Goh Chok Tong, who had stepped down as prime minister by then.
In the second volume of Mr Goh's biography, Standing Tall, he had said that he was "surprised and annoyed" and had told Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong so.

Citing this, Mr Singh said: "If a former prime minister whose job was not directly threatened or been taken away by a foreigner can say he was 'surprised and annoyed', how much more so for a Singaporean who has experienced such fear of, or even actual loss of their livelihood?"
He warned that these feelings of insecurity and dislocation can shake Singapore's national cohesion.
Giving suggestions on how to address these sentiments, Mr Singh said the Government would have to communicate more and much better on foreign employment.
He noted that WP MP Leon Perera had asked in 2016 about the number of intra-corporate transferees - foreign employees brought in from the overseas offices of multinational corporations - allowed into Singapore through Ceca.
But the Government had "simply refused to answer a question of national relevance for which data was readily available".
"Is this acceptable? Can Singaporeans be blamed for assuming that the numbers must have been so huge that the Government saw fit not to reveal them?", he said.
He added that the release of the figure earlier this year, during a parliamentary debate on FTAs and Ceca, had achieved the opposite effect.
Parliament: Pritam Singh's 5 suggestions on how to ensure job security for S'poreans | Sept 14

The figure of 500 given was for last year, after the onset of Covid-19, and it raises the question of what the figures for the earlier years were, he said.
While more information has been given in the course of addressing the issue in the past months, "the Government's release of information on such matters would likely continue to be reactive and when it suits the Government, rather than proactive and when it suits the people", Mr Singh added.
He warned that this could leave the door open for external parties to exploit the foreigner-local issue to compromise and destroy Singapore's psychological defences, particularly in the face of the ongoing cold war between the United States and China.
"Particularly for an issue as sensitive as this, the default position of the Government should be to release more information and explain the situation."
He also made four other suggestions, including: tracking the extent of skills transfer from foreigners to locals and reporting it as a key performance indicator for each sector; introducing fixed-term employment passes that can be renewed only if a company can prove that its Singaporean workers have benefited from skills upgrading; tracking skills-related underemployment; and setting up a permanent Parliamentary Standing Select Committee dedicated to scrutinising the issue of jobs and foreign employment.

Other WP MPs weigh in​

Speaking after him, Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC) urged the Government to take the opportunity to re-think the way it manages and discusses the local-foreigner issue.
She noted that countries around the world are grappling with immigration and its impact on the economy and society with nativist politics on the rise.
"Too easily have immigration and migrants become convenient bogeymen, just like Ceca and our FTAs appear to have done, often against all data that suggest otherwise," she said.
She cautioned against taking a polarising approach that dismisses legitimate concerns as "xenophobia" and "racism", and decries support for greater international movement of labour as "sell-outs".

To bridge the gap between locals and foreigners, it is not just Singaporeans who have to adapt to having foreigners in their midst, but foreigners must also play their part in integrating into the communities they live in, said Ms He.
She questioned the People's Association's initiatives in this regard, and said that the discontent exhibited by some locals suggest that the PA will have to redouble its efforts.
Mr Perera, meanwhile, questioned if the assumptions underlying some of Singapore's policies should be relooked, for instance, the belief that Singaporeans will be absolutely better off if companies are attracted to set up shop here and allowed to bring in foreigners to fill cutting-edge jobs.
He noted that the Government has often said that this will lead to good jobs being created for Singaporeans, but noted that a large population of foreigners places burdens on scarce resources of land and other areas such as healthcare capacity.
It also runs the risk of entrenching work cultures that disadvantage Singaporeans in the longer-term.
Mr Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC), a founder and director of a local IT solutions and consulting company, said that while many good jobs had been created in the infocommunications and technology (ICT) sector, the admission of many entry-level foreign ICT professionals over the past 20 years and the commoditisation of skills such as computer programming has put downward pressure on wages.

Coupled with the perception of crony hiring and discrimination against locals, this had made many Singaporeans stay away from the ICT industry in favour of other sectors, leading to a dearth of local talent in this industry, he added.
He also said that Singapore should have started a bigger push to encourage more students to study IT two decades ago and urged the Government to train ahead of demand for future ICT jobs.
WP MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC), meanwhile, noted that while FTAs were generally beneficial, they should be reviewed from time to time to evaluate if such agreements have been detrimental to the job prospects of local PMETs.
He also called on the Government to institute a freedom of information initiative that will guarantee the full release of accurate and complete trade, production, and labour market data, pertaining to the study of Singapore's FTAs.

Amending of motions​

Mr Singh proposed that Mr Wong's motion be amended to reinforce the importance of "correcting course and adjusting or changing policies going forward" to address Singaporeans' anxieties.
Among the proposals were for a new clause to be added calling on the Government to proactively release information on jobs and employment prospects of Singaporeans.
Ms He, meanwhile, proposed amendments to Mr Leong's motion, but this was disallowed by Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin, who deemed that the amendments would change the meaning of the motion.
The changes proposed by Mr Singh did not go through in the end, with the majority of MPs voting against it.
The WP MPs present eventually voted against both Mr Wong's and Mr Leong's motions.

 

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Police officers in Parti Liyani's case neglected their duties: Shanmugam​

The officers involved in Ms Parti Liyani's case have both been issued financial penalties. PHOTO: ST FILE

David Sun
Correspondent

Feb 14, 2022

SINGAPORE - The police officers who were involved in the case of Ms Parti Liyani were found to have neglected their duties and fallen short of expectations.
This was revealed by Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam on Monday (Feb 14) in response to a question raised by Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, an MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC, in Parliament.
Mr Zhulkarnain had asked for an update on the internal investigations.
Mr Shanmugam said both the investigation officer (IO) and his supervisor had neglected their duties, resulting in lapses.
He listed three lapses that were found.
The first was that the IO did not visit the scene of crime to promptly carry out investigations and gather evidence, contributing to a break in the chain of custody for some exhibits.
The second was that the IO did not properly verify some of the claims made by parties during the investigation.

The third lapse was the supervisor not providing sufficient guidance.
The minister said the officers had done their jobs under difficult circumstances, facing workload challenges due to a manpower shortage in the police force.
"I have sympathy for the situation that they find themselves in," he said.
"They have, however, fallen short of expectations."
The officers have both been issued financial penalties in the form of a fine and a number of months of increments foregone.
The minister added that the IO had been under intense pressure, handling many on-going investigations, prosecutions and conducting arrest operations.
"I have spoken before about the workload challenges that police IOs face," said Mr Shanmugam.
"The only way to deal with this is to increase police's headcount. We have not solved this issue yet. This is a difficult problem, and not easily solvable, given the general manpower shortage."

 

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Budget debate: Tan See Leng urges Leong Mun Wai to not undermine cohesiveness with data requests​

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng (left) said NCMP Leong Mun Wai's requests for employment data differentiating between original and new citizens as well as permanent residents would create societal rifts. PHOTO: MCI

MAR 4, 2022

SINGAPORE - Manpower Minister Tan See Leng on Friday (March 4) called on the Progress Singapore Party's Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai to not hurt Singapore's cohesiveness by constantly requesting employment data that differentiates between original and new citizens as well as permanent residents (PRs).
Doing so would create societal rifts, the minister said in response to Mr Leong during the debate on the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) budget.
"I urge Mr Leong - have a care," said Dr Tan. "Please don't undermine the cohesiveness we have painstakingly built over the years. And please ask people who share your point of view to also have a care for the rest of us."
Mr Leong had criticised what he saw as MOM's reluctance to differentiate employment data by categories of "original citizens", "new citizens" and PRs, and the decision to "lump all the figures" under one grouping of "locals".
"We do not have a clear picture of how policies have affected each category of people," he said, adding that the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) had previously disputed figures Dr Tan had provided in July last year on job creation for locals.
In a ministerial statement then, Dr Tan said the number of local professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) had grown by more than 380,000 from 2005 to 2020.
But during a September parliamentary debate on two motions on jobs and foreign talent policies, the PSP's other NCMP Hazel Poa contended that a portion of these jobs could have been due to PRs taking up citizenship and foreign workers becoming PRs.

On Friday, Mr Leong repeated this argument, saying most of the 380,000 increase was "not a real increase" as it would have been due to new citizens and PRs.
"If we truly want the foreigners to complement the Singaporean core, then MOM must ensure that Singaporean jobs are not being threatened," he said.
During his speech where he announced new policies such as a points-based framework for Employment Pass applicants, Dr Tan also addressed Mr Leong's points by using the same phrases that Finance Minister Lawrence Wong did in his Budget round-up speech on Wednesday.

"We get the sense that the persistent requests coming from him for more information are red herrings. They are distractions from the key problem at hand," said Dr Tan, who is also Second Minister for Trade and Industry.
Mr Wong had made similar comments in response to requests from the Workers' Party for revenue and expenditure projections as they debated the upcoming goods and services tax (GST) hike.
Dr Tan pointed out that in his July ministerial statement, he had already shared that the majority of local PME growth over the past decade had gone to Singaporeans born in Singapore - and had repeated this in Parliament in September.

"But Mr Leong persists in drawing these divisions, asking for statistics splitting between original citizens, new citizens and permanent residents," said Dr Tan.
"I've also alluded, at that particular point in time, that as a society, we should not constantly be drawing such lines.
"Many of our new citizens and PRs share family ties with Singaporeans, or they've studied; they've worked; they've contributed and they have also lived here for some time," he added.
"They contribute to our strengths as a society and as an economy. Singapore is an immigrant nation - and openness is one of our society's core strengths that has defined who we are."
Added Dr Tan: "Singapore is, and Singapore will always be, committed to remaining open to foreigners who complement our local workforce and who are able to add vibrancy to Singapore's economy."

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Disclosing breakdown of employment data figures will help prevent social division​

Mar 10, 2022

I find Manpower Minister Tan See Leng's contention that the disclosure of employment data by categories of original citizens, new citizens and permanent residents would hurt social cohesiveness arguable (Leong Mun Wai urged to not draw divisions among S'poreans, March 5).
It seems a bit far-fetched to assume that residents in Singapore are not mature enough to handle such statistics and will develop ill-feelings which may lead to social division.
Mr Tan's preference to categorise these three groups as "locals" is puzzling in view of the fact that he disclosed in his ministerial statement last July, and in Parliament in September, that "the majority of local professional, management and executive (PME) growth over the past decade had gone to Singaporeans born in Singapore" (Jobs created for local PMEs outstrip rise in EPs in finance, infocomm: Tan See Leng, July 6, 2021, and Bigger rise in local PMET employment and wage growth despite foreign PMETs: Tan See Leng, Sept 14, 2021).
I would thus have expected the minister to take the opportunity to disclose the statistics to disabuse Singaporeans of the notion circulating in social media and in public discourse that most jobs had gone to new citizens and permanent residents.

Ang Ah Lay

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Explain delays in issuing insurance fair practice guidelines​

MAR 9, 2022

I am heartened to read that the Monetary Authority of Singapore expects to begin consultations on proposed guidelines for insurers to adopt fair and responsible practices with regard to people with disabilities and those with mental health conditions (Budget debate: Consultations on insurance fair practices guidelines by end of this year, March 4).
Insurance discrimination on the basis of disability or mental health condition can seriously affect the ability of the most vulnerable among us to access healthcare and achieve financial security (Govt help needed to tackle insurer bias against autism, Sept 17, 2020).
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires state parties to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in the provision of health and life insurance. Singapore ratified the convention in 2013.
However, I am troubled that Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam did not explain the reasons for the Government's delays in issuing these guidelines in his written parliamentary reply.
This is despite the fact that Workers' Party MP Leon Perera had specifically asked for the reasons for the delays in his parliamentary question.
The Government first announced that it was planning to issue these guidelines "within the next two years" in a report to the UN's Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that was submitted in late 2016.
Subsequently, in 2020, it informed the same UN committee that it would develop the guidelines by last year instead.

A year later, the Government now says that it will begin consultations by the second half of this year.
The Government should explain the reasons behind the multiple delays in developing these guidelines.

Daryl Yang Wei Jian

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Jamus Lim and Alvin Tan spar over response to cost-of-living issues​

Workers' Party MP Jamus Lim (left) and Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan in Parliament on July 5, 2022. PHOTOS: GOV.SG

Hariz Baharudin
Assistant News Editor

July 6, 2022

SINGAPORE - Prices of food, transportation and energy here have been going up so fast that Singapore is now facing a cost-of-living crisis, said Workers' Party MP Jamus Lim on Tuesday (July 5).
He added in Parliament that the situation has gone beyond an inflation problem, and stressed that the Government must do more to help.
"When the prices of what we eat, getting to work, and keeping our homes and businesses running are all rising rapidly, this isn't an inflation problem any longer," he said.
"It is a cost-of-living crisis. It is therefore incumbent on policymakers to do what they can to alleviate the pain felt by the people."
Associate Professor Lim (Sengkang GRC) suggested several ways this could be done, including strengthening the Singapore dollar and spending more funds to support those who need it the most.
In response, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan said that the Government plans and executes its fiscal policies for the long term, but maintains dexterity to zoom into details that matter on the ground to Singaporeans as well as local businesses.
Its approach focuses on strong job creation and wage growth as the best ways to help Singaporeans tide over the current economic difficulties, and on making sure that the country has sufficient resources to tackle long-term challenges.

"This mindset and bias towards action have allowed us to weather storms and seize opportunities throughout our history. This is the hallmark of our government," he said.
"This is our commitment to Singapore, and we will continue to do our utmost to deliver on this commitment. Especially in these challenging times."
Mr Tan added that there is a need to recognise the global nature of price pressures that Singapore is facing.

The sharp rise in food and oil prices since the fourth quarter of last year principally reflects the effects of serious disruption of global supply, including the Ukraine conflict, he said. “It is inevitable that some of these price increases will affect our economy.”
On strengthening the Singapore dollar, Prof Lim said that doing so will reduce the cost of imported goods and services. A stronger currency could lower domestic inflation as well, given how so much of what is consumed here is imported.
He added that there is ample evidence that such strengthening is affordable, given how standard metrics for comparing the under and overvaluation of the Singapore dollar suggest that it is significantly undervalued.
Doing so could be as simple as ceasing interventions that restrain Singapore's exchange rate, and allowing foreign exchange markets to work, he said. "This is a luxury that precious few countries can afford, but one that we can leverage now."

Mr Tan said Singapore's central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), takes several factors into account when it comes to the exchange rate.
Strengthening this rate cannot fully offset global prices without causing immediate negative consequences on growth, and therefore, the labour market, he warned.
He said this is why many advanced central banks are guarded in the speed and the extent to which they will raise interest rates.
"Monetary policy action in and of themselves have attendant spillover effects that must be taken into account in the uncertain challenging economic environment. Therefore, a judicious blend of tight monetary policy and targeted supportive fiscal policy that is carefully calibrated is most appropriate," he said.

Singapore maintains a stable macroeconomic environment so businesses and households can make economic decisions with confidence, said Mr Tan.
He noted that a core tenet is Singapore’s exchange rate-centred monetary policy, which has helped the country manage inflation.
“During this period of rising inflationary pressures, MAS has pre-emptively tightened monetary policy since October last year. This longstanding policy has directly helped dampen imported inflation,” he said.
For instance, while global food commodity prices increased by an average of 25.4 per cent year on year over the first five months of 2022, domestic food prices increased by an average of 3.6 per cent year on year over the same period, he noted.
He also cited how even as global energy prices rose by 27.5 per cent, energy-related components in Singapore’s consumer price index, which include the cost of electricity, gas and petrol, increased by 13.6 per cent year on year between January and May.

Another point Prof Lim made was that policies involving Singaporeans on fixed incomes have to be adjusted.
He said that for such people, who include retirees drawing from their Central Provident Fund (CPF) accounts or needy families on the Government's ComCare financial assistance scheme, inflation can be devastating.
"An elderly person spending $20 a day may now be able to buy only one prata instead of two for breakfast, be forced to skip their afternoon tea, or order two instead of three items of cai png (mixed rice)," he said.
"And what's worse, this diminished consumption will be with them for the rest of their lives, even when inflation has returned to normal rates, because elevated prices do not automatically come back down even when inflation disappears."

While financial markets can and do adjust returns to reflect higher inflation, this is not the case for those locked in fixed-income streams, added Prof Lim.
He suggested that ComCare assistance be raised permanently and universally by a "margin that reflects the excess inflation experienced by families for this year".
He also suggested that the Government roll out a temporary increase in CPF interest rates of around 2 percentage points for a six-month period, which would be consistent with the increase in inflation and could be funded by increasing the returns paid on Special Singapore Government Securities (SSGS).
SSGS are non-tradable bonds issued to the CPF to meet its investment needs for Singaporeans' retirement.
Mr Tan said that Singapore's current round of combined fiscal and monetary policy responses are expected to contain medium-term inflation without significant loss of output or inadvertently add to the underlying tightness of the economy.
When it comes to financial assistance programmes, inflation is one of many factors that the Government takes into account, he added.
"On indexing financial assistance payments to inflation, the Government regularly reviews our schemes to take into account needs and affordability. Inflation is one of many factors taken into consideration," said Mr Tan.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

(From top left to right) Chow Yew Yuen, Tong Chong Heong, Tay Kim Hock, former, (From bottom left to right) Kwok Kai Choong, Choo Chiau Beng, Jeffery Chow

SINGAPORE — The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) have said that they will not name the six former senior management staff of Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited (KOM) who were issued stern warnings over offences punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

CPIB made a press statement on Thursday (12 Jan) about the stern warnings issued to six former senior executives of KOM after close to five years of its investigations after consultation with AGC.

The offences relate to bribe payments to officials of Brazilian state-owned corporation Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras), pertaining to rigs-building contracts which Petrobras and/or its related companies had awarded to KOM.

Six former executives were determined to have been implicated in the scheme through investigations by the United States’ Department of Justice (DOJ), as documented in the plea agreement signed by KOM.

According to the admissions and court documents, beginning by at least 2001 and continuing until at least 2014, KOM conspired to violate US’ Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by paying approximately US$55 million in bribes to officials at the Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras, and to the then-governing political party in Brazil, in order to win 13 contracts with Petrobras and another Brazilian entity.

KOM and its related entities, including KOM USA, are said to have earned profits totalling approximately US$159.9 million from the P-61 project.

CPIB was reported to have arrested six former executives from KOM in Feb 2018 following the DoJ’s investigation. The six were subsequently let off on bail, and the matter was then referred to the AGC to decide if charges were to be filed.

Individuals investigated are not named​

Back in 2018, Members of Parliament from the Workers’ Party (WP) filed Parliamentary Questions over KOM soon after CPIB, and AGC served a conditional warning to KOM on 23 December 2017 for corruption offences punishable under Section 5(b)(i) of the PCA.

Of the many questions, one was why the identities of the Singaporeans involved in the bribery case cannot be named.

Answering on behalf of the Minister for Law, K Shanmugam, Ms Indranee Rajah said:

The Government’s position is very simple. The Government deals with the Government’s actions. So, the Government’s actions are that when investigations are on-going, we do not disclose the identities of people being investigated. What other people may say outside, what other information may be floating outside, what other comments may go on in social media, that is separate.
But as the Government, as an investigation authority, the Government does not disclose names of individuals who are being investigated. And we are not alone in that. All civilised jurisdictions which observe the rule of law uphold that principle simply because, as I have mentioned earlier, we do not want to prejudice either the investigations or the persons being investigated, depending on how the investigation might turn out.

Who might be the six who have been issued stern warnings?​

While the Singapore Government has not named the six who were issued stern warnings over the offences, details contained within an attachment of the plea agreement between DoJ and KOM and reports on the court hearings in Brazil might help to shed some light on the issue.

The attachment listed details of six executives who were part of DoJ’s investigation.

KOM Executive 1, a citizen of Singapore whose identity is known to the United States and KOM USA, was a senior executive of KOM from 2002 to 2014.

KOM Executive 2, a citizen of Singapore whose identity is known to the United States and KOM USA, was a senior executive of a wholly-owned, Singapore-based subsidiary of KOM in or about and between 1989 and 2009 and a senior executive of KOM in or about and between 2013 and 2017.

KOM Executive 3, a citizen of Singapore and legal permanent resident of the United States in or about and between 2002 and 2013, whose identity is known to the United States and KOM USA, was a senior executive of KOM USA in or about and between 2002 and 2011 and a senior executive of KOM in or about and between 2011 and 2017.

KOM Executive 4, a citizen of Singapore whose identity is known to the United States and KOM USA, was an executive at KOM in or about and between 2002 and 2017. He was an executive at KOM USA in or about and between 2011 and 2017.

KOM Executive 5, a legal permanent resident of the United States since 2015, whose identity is known to the United States and KOM USA, held executive positions at multiple KOM subsidiaries in Brazil in or about and between 2003 and 2017. He also held an executive position at KOM and at KOM USA in or about and between 2012 and 2017.

KOM Executive 6, a United States citizen whose identity is known to the United States and KOM USA, held various senior positions in the legal department of KOM in or about and between 1990 and 2017.

Names revealed in report on court hearings​

And although the six were also not named by DoJ, a report by Bloomberg in 2016 on the court proceedings at a Brazilian court over the bribery case shed light on the matter.

The Consultant who assisted KOM in bribing the Brazilian officials was identified as Zwi Skornicki.

Skornicki also reportedly told the court that five Keppel executives were involved. They are:

1. Chow Yew Yuen, then-current Keppel Offshore & Marine CEO
2. Tong Chong Heong, former senior executive at Keppel Corp
3. Tay Kim Hock, former CEO of Keppel Fels Brasil
4. Kwok Kai Choong, then-current CEO at Keppel Fels Brasil
5. Choo Chiau Beng, a former Keppel Corp CEO and former non-resident ambassador to Brazil

Portfolio of the six executives involved in the US DoJ investigations​

Using the details in the plea agreement, it can be ascertained that the six unnamed executives are those who have been identified in the Bloomberg report.
Chow Yew Yuen was the CEO of KOM from 1 February 2014 to 20 March 2017. He was with the company for 36 years and first joined Keppel FELS in 1981 as a project engineer. Over the next decade, he worked in various departments and rose through the ranks to become the president of Keppel AmFELS and later the president of Keppel O&M USA.

Tong Chong Heong was the CEO of KOM from 1 January 2009 to 31 January 2014. Tong has served as Executive Director on the Keppel Corporation Board since 1 August 2009 and the Chairman of Keppel FELS Brasil SA; and Senior Executive Director of Keppel Corporation Limited.

He was also appointed Chairman of Keppel Integrated Engineering (KIE) previously on 3 August 2009 after serving on the KIE board since 1999.

After stepping down as CEO, he was appointed senior adviser to KOM and Keppel Infrastructure boards. Mr Tong was conferred Singapore’s Public Service Medal in August 1999.

Tay Kim Hock, was President & CEO of Keppel FELS Brasil S/A, President of FSTP Brasil Ltd, and President of the Administrative Council of BrasFELS SA from Jun 2000 to Oct 2007. Following that, Tay became Senior General Manager of KOM from Nov 2007 to Mar 2009.

He was Head Marine & Offshore Engineering of IMC Industrial Group from Jan 2010 to May 2012 and Director of Penguin International from 2012 to 2015. Straits Times had earlier reported that Tay was one of the six being arrested by CPIB in 2018.

Kwok Kai Choong was the CEO at Keppel Fels Brasil from 2007 to November 2017.

Choo Chiau Beng was CEO of Keppel Corporation from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2013. Before that, he was CEO of Keppel FELS from 1983 to 2008 and Chairman & CEO of KOM from 2002 to 2008. He was Executive Director of Keppel Corporation since 1983 and Senior Executive Director since 2005.

Upon his retirement on 1 January 2014, Choo was appointed Senior Advisor to the Board of Keppel Corporation.

In July 2014, Choo was appointed by the National University of Singapore (NUS) as Provost’s Chair and Professor (Practice) in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Department of Management and Organisation, NUS Business School.

Choo was formerly appointed as Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil in 2004 and has left the position.

As for the sixth executive, while not named by Skornicki, the news reported his name in the coverage of the case.

Jeffery Shiu Chow, a US citizen, was reported to have cut a deal to help prosecutors in their probe of Keppel and other former executives. Chow pleaded guilty on 29 Aug 2017 to conspiring to violate the FCPA as part of his deal to cooperate. He admitted to drafting contracts that were used to make bribe payments, according to court records.

He is a former senior member of KOM’s legal department and has worked in the legal department for over 25 years. Although a US citizen, Chow resides in Singapore.

 

[winnipegjets]

They committed wrongdoings and thus, at the least, be exposed for it. That the CPIB chooses not to prosecute is immaterial. They are guilty as stern warnings were issued to them. You do the crime, you face the consequence.
They should not be sheltered from the consequences just because they know some influential people in power.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Local IT grads can’t find jobs while engineers constantly transferred from India to work in SG under CECA​

by Correspondent

05 Feb 2023




It was reported in the local media on Saturday (4 Feb 2023) that IT graduates from the local universities are having a hard time finding tech jobs.
James Looi, a promising IT graduate from the Singapore Management Univerity (SMU) was good enough to have earned the coveted internships at GovTech, Grab and Shopee.
But five months ahead of his graduation last December, Mr Looi did not get any interviews despite applying for 20 tech jobs.
The only company that granted him interviews was tech company TikTok. Still, after seven rounds of interviews with the company, he was unceremoniously dropped.
Mr Looi said, “I was shocked, disappointed and helpless. I never considered the possibility I would graduate and be unable to find a (tech) job.”
Another graduate, who only gave his name as Mr Tan, was also disappointed. He graduated last December with a digital business degree and applied to several prominent tech companies but did not get any replies.
Mr Tan said, “My first choice would definitely be a career in tech, but the industry would need some time to rebound. I am now looking for jobs in banking and marketing, and hope to get back to tech after one to two years.”
Local graduates like Mr Looi and Mr Tan are among a slew of IT graduates fighting for jobs in the current tech downturn. Many tech companies, including Shopee, Facebook and Twitter, have been laying off people in recent times.

The present slowdown in the tech job market has certainly surprised many IT graduates, who had a 97.8 per cent overall employment rate back in 2021.
When contacted by the local media, the local universities said that they have career coaches to prepare students and graduates for their job search through mentoring and workshops.

Majority of team members from India​

Meanwhile, a source in the IT company, Cognizant Singapore, has told TOC that a number of IT staff were successfully transferred from India to the Singapore’s branch last year.
They were all given work passes by the Manpower Ministry to work here. TOC emailed Cognizant last November for a response, but to date, there has been no reply.
Indian IT engineers and managers were said to have been transferred to Singapore to work on projects which Cognizant has secured from clients in Singapore.
Under the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), intra-corporate transferees can be transferred from one country to another and work in that country for up to as long as 8 years.
Also, CECA gives preferential access for Singapore service providers and investors in the various sectors of interest: including engineering, banking, telecommunications and real estate development. Such access gives them more opportunities to expand beyond Singapore, MTI said.
In any case, it’s not known if the other India-based IT companies like Wipro, Infosys, TCS, etc are doing the same by constantly transferring Indian IT people to their Singapore’s branches to work here.

The source also confirmed with TOC that the majority of people in project teams are from India and that he is not impressed with the quality of those transferred from India to work here. In meetings, they tend to speak in Hindi among themselves, oblivious to the other non-Indian people inside the meeting, the source told TOC.
Indeed, according to a study in India, it has been said that 95% of engineers in India are unfit for software development jobs. And according to Quacquarelli Symonds’ (QS) ranking of universities in the world, the top 5 universities in India were ranked more than 150th:

• Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (World ranking 155)
• Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Mumbai (World ranking 172)
• Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), New Delhi (World ranking 174)
• Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai (World ranking 250)
• Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP), Kharagpur (World ranking 270)

In Singapore, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is ranked 11th, while Nanyang Technological Univerity (NTU)19th.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Reasons for funding SPH Media still valid; circulation issue doesn’t affect decision: Josephine Teo​

The Minister for Communications and Information said no public monies have been lost due to the circulation data discrepancies. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Tham Yuen-C
Senior Political Correspondent

Feb 6, 2023

SINGAPORE – The recent discovery of overstated circulation data at SPH Media Trust (SMT) will not affect the Government’s decision to fund the media company, as the reasons to help develop local newsrooms remain valid, said Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo.
She added that there is no change to the Government’s commitment to fund SMT by up to $900 million over five years.
The level of funding – to support SMT in digital transformation and capability development, and to sustain vernacular newsrooms – remains valid, she told the House, as there is a need to preserve local news media in the public interest amid severe disruption in the industry.
Mrs Teo also said circulation numbers of the company’s publications were not a key consideration in assessing the funding required for SMT’s transformation.
Her remarks in Parliament on Monday came in response to 26 questions filed by MPs. SMT, which publishes The Straits Times, among other publications, is facing public criticism after it emerged that an internal review found circulation figures for some of its publications had been overstated by about 85,000 to 95,000 daily average copies. The review covered data between September 2020 and March 2022.

Mrs Teo emphasised that no public money has been lost due to the discrepancies in circulation figures, as the Government had pledged to start funding SMT only in financial year 2022 – after the period covered in SMT’s internal review. The Government also had yet to disburse any funds to date, she said.
The reasons for funding SMT, aired and debated in Parliament in 2021 and 2022, remain as valid today, she said of the findings her ministry made after a review sparked by the circulation issue.

Local news outlets give voice to the Singapore identity and Singaporean perspectives, and also provide information people can trust to be accurate and objective, she said.
It has become even more important to ensure their survival at a time when the Internet has made it exceedingly easy for all kinds of information to reach and influence domestic audiences, Mrs Teo said.
“SMT’s internal review of circulation numbers reinforced our assessment that the media landscape had become highly unfavourable for news organisations, even if they had substantial reach and were trusted by the public,” said Mrs Teo. While this did not make it right for anyone to overstate circulation numbers, it reaffirmed the need for restructuring, she added.


But, she said, “SMT’s board and management must also be mindful of their public duties, their responsibility to maintain the public’s trust in their newsrooms and journalists, and the need to discharge these responsibilities in a diligent and timely manner”.
SMT had said in a media statement on Jan 20 that it had tasked its audit and risk committee to further investigate the matter and to commission legal advisers to help. The committee will report its findings to SMT’s board.
Mrs Teo said the board will have to share these findings with her ministry.
She also said that SMT will be held to account when it receives government funding.
In this regard, the Government’s focus is on readership and reach, which measure how many people read the publications, and not circulation, which measures how many copies are sold or distributed.

Mrs Teo noted that readership and reach are measured through surveys done by third parties, such as research agencies like GfK, external sources such as the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University, and the Government’s own surveys.
She added that there are safeguards in place in the Government’s agreement with SMT to ensure public funding is used in an accountable and responsible manner.
The key performance indicators (KPIs) the Government will look at to assess SMT’s performance include the total reach and engagement of the company’s products, especially on digital platforms, and also specific reach indicators for vernacular groups and young people, she said, noting that the indicators will determine the amount of funding.
These indicators and the company’s financial statements must be audited by independent external auditors before they are submitted to the Government, which can also conduct its own audits, she added.
SMT will also have to provide progress updates to the Ministry of Communications and Information on a half-yearly basis.
“Funding will be disbursed only if SMT provides satisfactory regular updates on where and how funding has been utilised, and future business plans. The Government will also review the funding quantum during the midterm and adjust KPIs and funding where necessary,” Mrs Teo said.

Asked by Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang GRC) what the Government will do to ring-fence its funds if the company’s internal review finds criminal wrongdoing, Mrs Teo said safeguards have been built into the funding agreement and can be exercised if necessary.
Several MPs wanted to know the Government’s next steps. Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang GRC) asked what the Government would do to ensure the overstatement does not happen again, while Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC) asked how the Government would restore trust in SMT’s publications after the episode.
Said Ms He: “People might be thinking, if the organisation goes to such lengths to falsify circulation figures such as even pulping newspapers, would we still be able to trust the content that’s delivered by these organisations?”
Responding, Mrs Teo urged MPs to wait until the company’s audit and risk committee finishes its investigations, adding that she would not prejudge the outcome.
She said that while SMT’s board is accountable to the company’s members, it also has “a responsibility to let the public know how (it intends) to proceed”.
Mrs Teo also made a distinction between SMT and Singapore Press Holdings Limited (SPH), saying that the discrepancy in data was discovered by SMT’s own internal review.
In 2021, then mainboard-listed SPH spun off its media business, which was then incorporated as SMT, a company limited by guarantee, on Dec 1 that year.

Many MPs also had questions on the details of SMT’s internal review, including how long the practice of overstatement had been going on and the financial implications of the inaccurate circulation data.
Non-Constituency MP Hazel Poa took issue with the manner in which SMT had handled the issue, and asked why the organisation had not broken the news of the discrepancies itself, given that the role of the news media is to “expose wrongdoing”.
Mrs Teo said their concerns are valid, and the questions should be addressed by SMT.
“The Government cannot speak on behalf of SMT, and it is premature for us to say more at this juncture,” she added, noting SMT’s ongoing investigations.
Acknowledging that the episode has affected SMT, including its newsrooms and journalists, she said SMT’s board will have to do what is necessary to rectify things if any problem is found and be transparent in how it will do so.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Five questions on SPH Media’s overstated circulation numbers​

Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo said the Government concluded that the reasons for providing public funding to SPH Media remain valid. PHOTO: MCI

Ng Wei Kai

Feb 6, 2023

SINGAPORE — Several MPs raised questions in Parliament on Monday about SPH Media’s overstated circulation numbers that came to light in January. Here are five questions Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo was asked and her responses.

Why did SPH Media not break the news itself?​

The news of SPH Media’s circulation issues was broken by an independent online publication rather than by the organisation itself, said Non-Constituency MP Hazel Poa of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP).
She asked Mrs Teo why this was the case, as one of the roles of a media organisation is to expose wrongdoing.
Mrs Teo said many things happen in an organisation each day, and it is up to the management to decide if and how an incident ought to be communicated, both within and outside of the organisation.
She noted that the review of circulation numbers was initiated by SPH Media, and that it was still under way when news of the overstated figures emerged. It has also convened a further review by its audit and risk committee to set things right, she added.
“Should the manner in which they communicated have been approached differently?” she asked. “I think that is a matter that SPH Media and the management and the board will have to consider.”

Has trust in SPH Media and its publications been broken?​

Workers’ Party (WP) MP He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC) asked if public trust in the company has been broken, and whether or not any steps will be taken in the interim to restore that trust.

She said: “If the organisation goes to such lengths to falsify circulation figures, even pulping newspapers, would we still be able to trust the content that’s delivered by (it)?”
In response, Mrs Teo reiterated that SPH Media is expected to share the findings of its audit and risk committee’s investigation with the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) once it is completed, and make the necessary rectification.
SPH Media has a responsibility to let the public know how it intends to proceed, and this responsibility is not lost on its management and board, she said.


“If there was any doubt that they did not take this matter seriously, I don’t see why they would have convened another review by their own audit and risk committee.”

Was there insufficient due diligence in deciding to provide SPH Media with public funding?​

Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai of the PSP said circulation data should have been part of the Government’s due diligence before it committed in 2022 to fund SPH Media up to $900 million over five years.
He noted that while the Government’s metrics for accountability of public funding to SPH Media are readership and reach, circulation data is an important area, and he questioned if there was inadequate due diligence by MCI.
In response, Mrs Teo said MCI conducted a review in January of the reasons for which it had committed public funds to support SPH Media’s capability development.

These included the intense competition faced by professional newsrooms as news consumption shifts online, the long-term public interest of preserving local news media, and the need to support vernacular news outlets to reflect Singapore’s multiracial make-up.
She said the Government concluded that the reasons for public funding remain valid, as does the level of funding.
“Should these be affected by the findings of the audit and risk committee? At this stage, it is too early to say – I will not prejudge,” she said.

Will there be any legal action taken against its employees or management?​

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang GRC) and Mr Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) asked if there could be criminal sanctions, civil liabilities or regulatory action taken against SPH Media’s employees or board.
Mrs Teo said that if there is any evidence that laws were broken, SPH Media Trust is obligated to inform the police. Until the audit and risk committee has completed its work, one should not prejudge the outcome, she added.
As for Mr Chua’s question on whether circulation revenues were impacted, that is the reason SPH Media has asked its committee to investigate the matter more fully, she said.
“Until they have completed their work and shared their findings, I think everything else that we say is speculative.”
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Reasons for funding SPH Media still valid; circulation issue will not affect decision: Josephine Teo
SPH Media tasks audit committee to look more fully into overstated circulation data

Were earlier circulation figures also overstated?​

Mr Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) asked if circulation figures reported by SPH Media before the period that was reviewed were accurate, and if the overstatement of circulation figures was a longstanding practice.
Mrs Teo said these questions are better addressed after the SPH Media committee completes its investigation and shares its findings.
“Keep in mind that these discrepancies were uncovered as a result of an internal review that was initiated by the SPH Media management in the first place,” she said in response to another question on circulation figures by Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang GRC).
“So I think it is clear that the intent of the SPH Media board as well as its management (is) to put things on the right footing, and we should support them in this process.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Did the CPIB put a serious effort and enough resources into the investigation?
Or were they instructed to do wayang kulit?

Insufficient evidence to prosecute those involved in Keppel O&M corruption case: Indranee​

Six former Keppel O&M employees were investigated for allegedly conspiring to give bribes to foreign consultants involved in the company’s business interests in Brazil. PHOTO: KEPPEL CORP

Natasha Zachariah
Correspondent

Feb 6, 2023

SINGAPORE – In the absence of key witnesses and sufficient evidence, a decision was made to issue stern warnings instead of prosecuting six former senior management staff of Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) over alleged bribe payments, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah in Parliament on Monday.
However, if compelling and new evidence surfaces, the public prosecutor (PP) can and will re-evaluate the decision, she added, stressing that Singapore’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption must be upheld in a manner that complies with the rule of law.
Responding to 17 parliamentary questions filed on the matter, Ms Indranee said: “Simply put, there is a lack of sufficient evidence, either documentary or through witnesses, which would establish any criminal charge beyond a reasonable doubt against a specific individual.”
Referring to a press statement that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) issued in January, Ms Indranee said the agency had done its best, including working with international partners to uncover evidence.
“CPIB conducted an in-depth investigation within Singapore, within the scope of its legal powers. However... the difficulty with this case is that several potentially key witnesses are not in Singapore, and CPIB has not been able to secure their cooperation or agreement to testify in Singapore. “
She added that both the CPIB and Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had done a careful and thorough review of the documents, including the deferred prosecution agreements and plea bargains, “and the public prosecutor has advised that those are insufficient to meet the burden of proof”.
CPIB made two fact-finding trips to Brazil in 2019. The AGC and CPIB also sent three mutual legal assistance (MLA) requests to Brazil to secure needed evidence, and an MLA request to another relevant foreign authority to interview other potential material witnesses.

“The contents and outcome of these MLA requests are confidential, but I can inform the House that they have either not yielded evidence that could be used to secure a conviction before our courts, or the responses have not been helpful in advancing the case,” said Ms Indranee, who is also Leader of the House.
There was also a foreign witness whose evidence in other proceedings could have been relevant to establishing the offences in Singapore, but the witness was unwilling – and cannot be forced – to provide evidence here, Ms Indranee added.
On Jan 11, the CPIB said the six former employees had been investigated for allegedly conspiring with one another to give bribes amounting to about US$55 million (S$72.8 million) to foreign consultants involved in Keppel O&M’s business interests in Brazil.

The money was then used to pay bribes to officials of Brazilian state-owned company Petrobras, pertaining to rig-building contracts that it or its related companies had awarded to Keppel O&M.
Under a global resolution led by the United States Department of Justice and involving Brazil and Singapore, a conditional warning in lieu of prosecution was issued to Keppel O&M for offences punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Keppel O&M paid a total fine of US$422 million and fulfilled all obligations under the conditional warning.
On why the six former staff were not named, Ms Indranee said CPIB does not reveal names unless individuals are charged in court, to avoid prejudicing the person’s right to due process, and avoid any presumption of guilt in the absence of formal findings.

She urged MPs who felt strongly about the matter to petition for change. However, she cautioned that it would be a major policy change and “it cannot only be for this case, it must be for all future cases”.
To Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim’s (Chua Chu Kang GRC) question on whether the Prevention of Corruption Act should be amended so the CPIB can conduct investigations outside its jurisdiction, Ms Indranee pointed out that other countries would not tolerate Singapore exerting its police powers beyond its borders, and vice versa.
“Members need to be realistic about what we can and cannot do. Singapore companies that operate overseas do so in myriad environments, where all kinds of business practices prevail. We cannot police all of them,” she said.
“However, what we can and should do is to insulate our companies, and our system against corruption.”
Addressing MPs’ concerns about how the case would affect Singapore’s reputation and zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, Ms Indranee said that there was no change to the policy.
“If subsequently new and compelling evidence comes up, the PP can and will re-evaluate the decision. The PP’s decision to issue stern warnings should be understood in that context,” she explained.
“Our zero-tolerance policy must be upheld in a manner that complies with the rule of law. The PP has acknowledged this, and this is exactly what the PP has done on the facts – to uphold the rule of law.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Issuing stern warnings to former Keppel O&M staff a balanced solution: Indranee​

Minister Indranee Rajah responds to questions in Parliament about the Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited corruption scandal. THE STRAITS TIMES

Natasha Zachariah
Correspondent

Feb 6, 2023

Issuing stern warnings to the six former management staff from Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited (KOM) was an “in-between” solution but the right thing to do, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah.
She was responding to a follow-up question from Workers’ Party MP Leon Perera (Aljunied GRC), who asked on what basis stern warnings were issued by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), given the insufficient evidence.
Ms Indranee said that a stern warning is given when one cannot give a complete clean bill of health, but at the same time does not have enough to clear the evidentiary hurdle.
“So you see, what are the choices: Do nothing at all, or bring charges when you know you don’t have sufficient evidence? Or is there something in-between? The stern warning device is the something in-between.”
She added that closing the investigation without doing anything would not have been the correct thing to do. “The stern warning device... it’s an expression of AGC’s position that we don’t think that you’re completely off the hook.”
Dr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong GRC) asked if the AGC did not pursue the case because it was an “uphill task in and of itself or outright impossible, given the available facts”.
Ms Indranee responded that the correct test is that there must be a reasonable prospect of obtaining a conviction, because there must be a certain threshold.

“Otherwise, if you just go around filing charges with insufficient basis, that would not make for a strong justice system. And that is the threshold that AGC feels that it is not able to get over in this particular case.”
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh questioned if KOM board at that time when the offences were committed had “constructive knowledge” - something that they could reasonably be expected to know - of corrupt payments being made to secure contracts in Brazil.
“If the question is whether the investigation included determining if there was constructive knowledge, the answer is if constructive knowledge is not an offence, then there’s no reason for CPIB to be investigating this,” said Ms Indranee.
She added that the CPIB investigates offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), and that is what it had done in this case. “Unfortunately, there’s insufficient evidence for them to mount a prosecution.”
Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok) asked if it was an opportune time to review Section 37 of the PCA - which describes the liability of Singapore citizens for offences committed outside Singapore - to include companies.
Ms Indranee replied that the Government’s general assessment is that the PCA does have sufficient powers, but it is open to suggestions if there is anything that can be usefully reviewed or improved.
She reiterated the Government’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
“We make sure that our laws are directed at ensuring that you have good corporate governance,” she said.
“So all the signals that we send as a government is to tell our companies, please do business properly. And of course, it’s incumbent upon those companies, not the Government, to ensure that their staff (and) their practices are clean and above board, and in accordance with proper governance.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Otherwise the PAP government will not instruct the HDB to ramp up the building of public housing

HDB to ramp up BTO projects, with 150 to be built at same time by 2025​

For many years before the pandemic, application rates for BTO flats were low and resale prices were soft but when Covid-19 hit, housing demand shot up. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Michelle Ng
Housing Correspondent

Feb 8, 2023

SINGAPORE - Singapore has ramped up its public housing programme to meet the current strong demand.
About 100 Build-To-Order (BTO) projects are currently under construction, and this will increase to about 150 concurrent BTO projects by around 2025, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee on Tuesday.
Responding to several MPs on why the Housing Board did not build more flats at a faster clip, Mr Lee said HDB is already “building aggressively and at large scale”.
“By contract value, this makes the HDB the largest housing developer and it also exceeds all the other private residential housing contracts combined by more than 50 per cent,” he said in a speech to close a 12-hour debate on affordable and accessible public housing that spanned two days, with 26 MPs speaking.
Mr Lee noted that HDB is not the only developer ramping up building and construction to catch up on Covid-19-related delays suffered in existing projects as the pandemic began to subside.
“Fiscal resources, foreign manpower and construction capacity are not without limits,” he said.
Mr Lee noted that some MPs, including Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, Workers’ Party (WP) MP Louis Chua and Progress Singapore Party (PSP) Non-Constituency MP Hazel Poa, have suggested that the Government has underestimated demand and under-built the supply of flats.


The Government has models that take into account marriages, births, deaths, income levels, economic conditions and other factors, but it is not a “perfect science”, he said. It also cannot account for sudden shocks and their impact on human psychology and market behaviour.
For instance, for many years before the pandemic, application rates for BTO flats were low and resale prices were soft but when Covid-19 hit, housing demand shot up, he said.
Mr Lee cautioned that the housing market is highly sentiment-driven and demand can suddenly appear, or disappear, overnight. He cited how housing demand fell after the Asian financial crisis struck in 1997, and HDB ended up with 31,000 unsold flats, which took more than five years to clear.

While the unintended oversupply meant that home buyers could walk in to buy ready flats in the early 2000s, others who bought flats just before the crisis ended up with negative equity.
“The many unsold flats represented a waste of taxpayers’ money. The holding costs incurred from holding the vacant housing stock are not inconsequential; money that could have been well spent on other uses in healthcare, education and other areas,” said Mr Lee.
He reiterated that public housing has to be kept affordable and accessible, not just for the current generation of Singaporeans but also future generations.
Cautioning against robbing future generations of land or fiscal resources by lowering BTO flat prices now, Mr Lee set out why the Government disagrees with the PSP’s proposals and its motion.
“We believe that we must maintain housing accessibility and affordability while keeping sustainability in mind, and uphold a culture of politics where we discuss hard truths and trade-offs in a transparent manner, even if these may not be popular,” he said.
PSP Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai had proposed that Singaporeans who buy a BTO flat and live in it their entire lives be exempted from paying for land costs. They would pay for land costs with accrued interest only when they sell their flats in the resale market.
Rebutting his proposal, Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah said the PSP scheme is effectively a “national prepaid rental with an option to buy” where the “user” pays rental upfront and has the option to own the flat by paying a deferred land cost.


On WP MPs Leon Perera and Gerald Giam’s proposal to peg non-mature estate home prices at three times the median annual household income, Mr Lee said the current ratio stands at around five for non-mature estates and around three or less for lower-income households.
Importantly, the vast majority use their CPF monies to pay their mortgages with little to no cash, which gives a sense that BTO flats are broadly affordable, said Mr Lee.
“While the (WP) proposal sounds attractive, it ignores the trade-off that far lower prices would attract even more flat applicants. It also does not address the windfall gains enjoyed by flat buyers, some of whom may be from the higher-income groups,” he said.
“How do you ensure the affordability of the resale market over time? That dogmatic proposal achieves none of that. And so, we think this is one-dimensional,” added Mr Lee

Mr Singh, who was the last MP to speak, proposed to amend Mr Lee’s motion to call on the Government to intensify its efforts to keep public housing affordable and accessible.
Concluding his speech, Mr Lee acknowledged that the public housing system is not perfect.
“There are things we need to improve today and tomorrow. But to say it is fundamentally, through and through, unaffordable and inaccessible and needs a radical change of the kind that (Mr Leong) is proposing together with his party, is something we cannot accept.”
Parliament later voted to pass Mr Lee’s motion. It rejected Mr Singh’s amendment and Mr Leong’s motion.