Parliament
PM Lee defends Ministers amidst bungalow rental allegations, professes integrity of Singapore’s political system
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong asserts his confidence in Ministers K. Shanmugam and V. Balakrishnan, following a corruption probe revealing no misconduct. He emphasized the clean wage policy and personal choice in living arrangements for Singapore’s ministers.
When queried by Pritam Singh, Leader of the Opposition, if there could be a better way to handle similar situations in the future, PM Lee noted that the issue of ministers instructing civil servants wasn’t public knowledge until it was disclosed in the report.
“My view is he (Mr Shanmugam) could have done it a different way. He could have done it this way. He has given the House the reasons why he did it this way.I think those are cogent reasons, which I accept.” said PM Lee.
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SINGAPORE — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has firmly expressed his unwavering confidence in Ministers K. Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan following comprehensive investigations by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, which found no evidence of criminal activity or improper conduct.
The allegations revolved around the Ministers’ rentals of black-and-white bungalows from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA).
The Prime Minister stood to defend this practice in Parliament on Monday, stating that as long as the rental process is conducted properly and all procedures are adhered to, there is no wrongdoing.
“Ministers in Singapore are paid a clean wage – realistic, competitive, but clean. Therefore, where ministers decide to live, whether they want to rent, whether they want to buy, these are personal choices,” PM Lee reading from his prepared script in response to the question from Ms Denise Phua, MP for Jalan Besar GRC.
The investigations were initiated following weeks of public speculation about the circumstances surrounding the rental of the bungalows at 26 and 31 Ridout Road by Home Affairs and Law Minister Shanmugam and Foreign Minister Balakrishnan.
The subject elicited 23 oral questions and 6 written questions from Members of Parliament ahead of this week’s sitting. However, questions from the MPs were superficial as the reviews from CPIB and SM Teo were only released last Wednesday after the deadline for MPs to file their parliamentary questions was over.
PM Lee’s initial reaction, upon hearing about the Ministers’ rentals, was one of confidence in their integrity. “I had every confidence that my ministers and the SLA officials who dealt with them would have done the right things and handled the rentals properly,” he said.
However, following continued public interest and the Ministers’ request for an independent investigation, PM Lee tasked the CPIB to conduct a formal investigation.
This decision was made in spite of his firm belief in the Ministers and the system, with an intention to definitively establish if there was any corruption or wrongdoing.
PM Lee’s aim was not just to legally establish the lack of any wrongdoing, but also to ascertain whether there was any misconduct or impropriety beyond the law.
He appointed Senior Minister Teo to review the SLA’s processes and probe into potential preferential treatment or privileged information disclosure.
PM Lee addressed criticisms about SM Teo’s independence for this investigation, stating that while corruption and wrongdoing are dealt with through independent processes like a CPIB investigation, “ethics and standards of propriety” are the Prime Minister’s responsibility.
The Prime Minister used the discussion to underline the Government’s and the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) commitment to maintaining stringent standards of integrity and propriety.
Mr Pritam Singh, the leader of the opposition and Secretary General of the Workers’ Party, queried PM Lee on the scope of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) investigation.
Mr Singh wanted to clarify whether the CPIB was directed to examine the ministers’ adherence to the code of conduct.
PM Lee responded that the CPIB was instructed to probe any potential criminal or corruption offenses, necessitating a thorough investigation of all facts related to the case.
He added that though the code of conduct wasn’t the focus, it was indirectly examined due to the overlap with the issues at hand.
He then noted the role of SM Teo’s review in complementing the CPIB’s investigation, by further establishing the policies, backgrounds, and overall operation of the system.
Subsequently, Mr Singh raised the issue of ministers requesting personal use information from civil servants.
“It is quite incongruous in the eyes of many for a minister to be asking a civil servant. Details which pertain to information for personal use. I think this is the crux of the issue and when people intersected with the ministerial code of conduct and let your letter of prudence, does the Prime Minister not agree that actually that is this is an issue that has been flagged out and that there is a better way to address a problem of a similar nature when it crops up?” said Mr Singh and queried if there could be a better way to handle similar situations in the future.
In response, PM Lee noted that the issue of ministers instructing civil servants wasn’t public knowledge until it was disclosed in the report.
“My view is he (Mr Shanmugam) could have done it a different way. He could have done it this way. He has given the House the reasons why he did it this way.I think those are cogent reasons, which I accept.” said PM Lee.
At the conclusion of the nearly six-hour debate, SM Teo stressed the underlying issue of equity and fairness. He spoke on the importance of a clean government, upholding integrity among those in public service, and the PAP’s commitment to building an inclusive and progressive society.
“This is important so that we can build a system with a strong foundation, which will help to bring in good people to continue to serve in government, to take Singapore further forward,” said SM Teo.
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Parliament
Workers’ Party to question Govt on Mobile Guardian breach and entry of extremist preacher in upcoming parliamentary sitting
In the 9 September 2024 parliamentary sitting, the Workers’ Party will raise questions on the Mobile Guardian breach, which affected 13,000 students, and the entry of extremist preacher Amir Hamza. Other key topics include housing affordability and the costs of the Founders’ Memorial.
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In the upcoming parliamentary sitting on 9 September 2024, the Workers’ Party (WP) Members of Parliament will focus on key issues such as housing affordability, cybersecurity, national security, and public expenditure.
The topics raised reflect the party’s attention to areas affecting Singaporeans’ daily lives, public safety, and the management of government resources. (read PQs here)
Housing Affordability and Policies
Housing remains a priority, with multiple WP MPs addressing questions on the topic. Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis is seeking details from the Minister for National Development regarding HDB loan-to-value ratios and HDB resale price trends over the past five years. This aims to provide insights into the challenges faced by first-time homebuyers.
Additionally, Ms Sylvia Lim will question why some Build-To-Order and Sale of Balance flat applicants are restricted from selecting flats in projects with later booking dates, seeking clarification on policies that may limit buyers’ choices.
Cybersecurity in the Education System
The recent breach of the Mobile Guardian app, which impacted 13,000 students, is another key focus. Mr Gerald Giam will question the Ministry of Education on how many students were affected, the extent of data loss, and recovery measures.
This follows a Reddit user’s claim that the vulnerability had been highlighted months before the breach. The Ministry confirmed receiving the tip-off but stated that the reported breach had been patched, although the informant refutes this in a subsequent Reddit post.
Ms He Ting Ru will also address the Ministry of Education, asking how it plans to involve parents more actively in managing their children’s devices following the security breach and the removal of the Mobile Guardian Device Management Application.
National Security and Extremism
Mr Pritam Singh is questioning the Minister for Home Affairs about the entry of Bangladeshi preacher Amir Hamza, who delivered a sermon in Singapore on 9 August 2024, asking if he is on any watchlist in the possession of Home Team security agencies.
Hamza was able to enter the country under a different name, raising concerns about the effectiveness of Singapore’s security measures.
He had publicly announced his intention to enter Singapore on his Facebook page with the date and location specified.
Transparency in Public Events
In another area, Mr Gerald Giam will question the Ministry for Culture, Community and Youth on the People’s Association’s criteria for inviting elected MPs to Resident Network-organized events, asking for details on how equal access is ensured for MPs from all parties
Costs of the Founders’ Memorial
Public expenditure will also be under scrutiny, as Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asks for information on the development and annual operating costs of the Founders’ Memorial. The S$235.6 million project has sparked public debate over the use of taxpayer funds, with critics questioning whether such a large sum is justified for a national monument.
Defense
About 580 National Servicemen disrupted annually for university studies from 2018 to 2022
In response to a parliamentary question by WP MP Gerald Giam, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen disclosed that about 580 full-time NSFs were allowed university disruptions each year, between 2018 and 2022.
Notably, about 520 opted for local institutions, while the other 60 pursued studies abroad.
SINGAPORE: Annually, from 2018 to 2022, approximately 580 full-time national servicemen (NSFs) were granted disruptions to pursue university studies, as revealed by Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen.
Among these disruptions, 520 NSFs chose to attend local universities, while 60 embarked on overseas academic pursuits, marking a distinctive trend within the sphere of National Service (NS) commitments.
Dr Ng was responding to a Parliamentary Question presented by Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song, a Member of Parliament from the Workers’ Party, on Tuesday (19 Sep).
Mr Giam sought clarification on the number of full-time NSFs who were granted disruptions for overseas studies, the proportion of Government scholarship holders among them, and the rationale behind allowing these disruptions.
In his written response, Dr Ng elaborated that the majority of disruptions, approximately 70%, pertained to NSFs who had enlisted later than their peers.
This aligns with the policy of ensuring that each cohort commences their university studies in the same academic year, necessitating disruptions for these later enlistees.
Around 27% of the disruptions were allotted to NSFs pursuing medical studies, preparing them to serve as SAF Medical Officers during their NS.
Public Service Commission (PSC) scholars make up the remaining 3% or an average of 19 NSFs. This follows a long-standing practice since 1967 to attract top talent into the public sector.
Dr Ng emphasized that all NSFs are required to complete the remainder of their full-time NS after the disruption period.
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