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Gerald Giam calls for transparency in $18 billion defense budget; Defense Minister says audits ensure accountability

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During the Committee of Supply debate for Budget 2023, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC, Mr Gerald Giam, called for more detailed information on the budget expenditure for the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).

“MINDEF’s total expenditure in FY2023 is projected to increase 5.6% over FY2022, on top of an 11.3% increase from FY2021 to FY2022. While I understand the need for military secrecy, can MINDEF minimally provide the estimated expenditure for each of these four items? This is common practice in public budget estimates in other territories, including Taiwan, Latvia, and Finland, all of whom face real and existential threats,” said Mr Giam in his speech on Friday (24 Feb).

He also highlighted the importance of more thorough scrutiny of MINDEF’s budget and expenditure to maintain public confidence in the allocation of the $17.97 billion, which is the highest allocation among all the Ministries, towards achieving its mission.

Mr Giam also expressed his pride in serving his full-time National Service (NS) and completing all his Operationally Ready NS cycles. He acknowledged the need to maintain a strong and credible SAF to effectively defend Singapore, and emphasized that more thorough scrutiny of MINDEF’s budget and expenditure will help maintain public confidence in the allocation of the S$17.97 billion budget towards achieving the ministry’s mission.

In response, Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen said that MINDEF has a necessary tradeoff between accountability and full transparency, as detailed information can compromise national security.

He emphasized that the ministry is subject to independent audits by the Auditor General’s office, which conducts deep dives into processes to ensure accountability and prudence in spending.

“We have strong internal controls to ensure expenditures are within stipulated reference costs, adhering to rigorous standards when dealing with large-scale projects. Although there is a trade-off between accountability and full transparency, Singaporeans can see where the dollars are going,” said Minister Ng.

The Public Accounts Committee can request additional information after examining Auditor-General’s Office(AGO)’s audits, as it did in this case. With strong internal controls, the ministry ensures that expenditures are within stipulated ranges of reference costs, and procurement processes adhere to rigorous standards, said Minister Ng.

It should be noted that the current Auditor General is Ms Goh Soon Poh, who was appointed to her new role in January 2019 and is the wife of Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How.

When asked in Parliament, Minister Chan Chun Sing said, “The audit process generally does not involve political office-holders. There is no conflict of interest generally, between AGO and the ministries it audits. Where there is a potential conflict of interest, there are specific processes to manage these, just as in any professional organization.”

Purchases of F35B fighters and submarines

During his response to Mr Giam, Minister Ng also announced that MINDEF will acquire eight more F-35B Joint Strike Fighters, bringing the total fleet to 12 of the jets by the end of this decade. The acquisition will support the progressive drawdown of Singapore’s aging F-16s, which will retire from the mid-2030s, he added.

“This means that at steady state, the RSAF will operate the F-35 and F-15 fighter planes, the most advanced in the region,” said Minister Ng.

In January this year, a Lockheed spokesperson said that an F-35B — just the airframe and mission equipment — costs US$78.3 million to US$80.9 million (S$105.7  million to S$109.2 million).

It was also reported last December Mdm Ho Ching, the spouse of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, launched two Singapore submarines made by German ship builder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) in Kiel.

The submarines are the second and third of four customised Type 218SG submarines built by TKMS for the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), and they are expected to be in active service by 2024.

According to a report from militaryleak.com, the Type 218SG is a class of submarines with air-independent propulsion (AIP), which can allow for superior underwater range and durability, and a minimal rate of instability and thermal signature. This greatly expands the strategic advantage of AIP submarines.

The initial deal for the first two submarines was valued at €1.6 billion (S$2.3 billion), including logistics and crew training, the report added.

On 16 May 2017, Ng Eng Hen announced an order of two more Type 218SG submarines for a total of four. The first Type 218SG submarine, named RSS Invincible, was also launched at Kiel on 18 February 2019 and started its sea trials in September 2020.

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Parliament

Minister Shanmugam rejects request for detailed information on visa-free visitor offences: Cites bilateral considerations

Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam rejected Workers’ Party MP He Ting Ru’s request for detailed statistics on visa-free visitors involved in crimes, citing bilateral concerns. He affirmed current screening measures are sufficient, with no plans for an electronic travel authorisation system.

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On 10 September 2024, Minister for Home Affairs and Law, Mr K Shanmugam, refused to provide detailed information requested by Workers’ Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Sengkang GRC, Ms He Ting Ru, regarding visa-free visitors involved in criminal offences in Singapore.

Ms He had asked for statistics on how many visa-free visitors had been arrested or identified as persons of interest for criminal activities from 2021 to June 2024, along with a breakdown of offences by type, number, and country of origin.

She also queried the consideration of enhanced screening measures and the possibility of introducing an electronic travel authorisation system similar to those in other jurisdictions.

In his written response, Mr Shanmugam stated that with over 150 countries on the visa-free entry list, it would not be practical or meaningful to publish crime statistics specific to visitors from these nations.

He added that doing so could carry bilateral implications and potentially send the wrong message to bona fide visitors from these countries.

Mr Shanmugam affirmed that Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) employs a risk-based, multi-layered approach to balance border security with traveller facilitation and assured that the current measures are sufficient. He reiterated that there were no immediate plans to implement an electronic travel authorisation regime, as it would increase inconvenience for visitors.

“We are satisfied with the current measures, and for now, do not see a need for an additional electronic travel authorisation regime. Also, such a regime will make visiting Singapore more inconvenient,” said Mr Shanmugam.

This response followed an oral reply delivered earlier that day by Minister of State (MOS) for Home Affairs, Ms Sun Xueling, who addressed a related question posed by Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Mr Leong Mun Wai from the Progress Singapore Party (PSP).

Mr Leong had expressed concerns about the potential rise in crime following the introduction of a 30-day visa exemption arrangement for Chinese nationals in February 2024. He specifically questioned whether the recent burglaries involving foreign syndicates had any link to this exemption and whether automated lanes at Changi Airport increased the risk of non-bona fide travellers entering the country.

Ms Sun refuted Mr Leong’s concerns, clarifying that there had been no increase in arrests among short-term visitors from China since the visa exemption came into effect.

She noted that the arrest rate of Chinese visitors had, in fact, decreased compared to the previous year. While acknowledging the involvement of some foreign nationals in criminal activity, she highlighted that the visa regime alone cannot eliminate all risks. Instead, ICA employs enhanced technology, such as biometrics and advanced data analytics, to screen travellers.

Ms Sun also emphasised the importance of the tourism sector to Singapore’s economy, generating S$27.2 billion in receipts in 2023 and employing over 71,000 workers. She argued that closing borders to prevent crimes would not be a viable solution, especially given Singapore’s competition with neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Thailand, which are also working to attract Chinese visitors.

Despite further calls from Mr Leong for additional security measures and tougher penalties for cross-border crimes, Ms Sun reassured that the government continually reviews its laws, including the Criminal Procedure Code and Penal Code, to address transnational crimes such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, and online scams.

She affirmed that Singapore remains vigilant in adapting its laws and measures to combat evolving criminal trends.

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Leong Mun Wai questions why NTUC leaders often come from the ruling party

During the Platform Workers Bill debate on 10 Sept, Mr Leong Mun Wai, NCMP from the Progress Singapore Party, backed WP MP Gerald Giam’s call for an independent NTUC. He expressed concerns about NTUC’s ties to the ruling party, questioning its independence given that its leaders are often from the PAP.

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SINGAPORE: Mr Leong Mun Wai, Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) from the Progress Singapore Party, voiced support for the Workers’ Party and its MP Gerald Giam’s call for an independent and non-partisan NTUC, separate from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).

During a parliamentary debate on the Platform Workers Bill on Tuesday (10 Sept), Mr Leong acknowledged that tripartism is a fundamental aspect of governance that all parties, including opposition ones, seek to foster.

He noted that unions naturally seek political power to effect change but expressed concerns about the extent of NTUC’s relationship with the ruling party.

However he questioned the level of NTUC’s independence from the government.

He pointed out that the NTUC’s secretary-general is often a minister or former minister and that many NTUC leaders come from the ruling party.

“Can you find another trade union in the world where the trade union chief is a minister? Are there any countries? Please let me know if there are,” Mr Leong asked, further noting that few opposition politicians are given appointments in NTUC.

“I think we are entitled to think that the independence of NTUC ought to be better than this.”

Earlier, PAP MP Christopher De Souza criticized MP Gerald Giam for using the term “tether” to describe the NTUC-PAP relationship, emphasizing that the NTUC operates through partnership, alliance, and solidarity rather than subordination.

In response, Mr Giam clarified that when he used the terms “tether” or “untether,” he meant that the NTUC and the PAP should be separate and independent organizations.

He sought to ensure that NTUC does not appear to be biased towards the ruling party.

Mr Giam also raised concerns about NTUC’s structure, particularly questioning why the Platform Associations need a Council of Advisors with the power to dismiss the Executive Council and why these advisors are predominantly PAP members or MPs.

He suggested that this structure indicates a lack of independence for NTUC.

The current NTUC secretary-general is Ng Chee Meng, a former PAP minister who assumed the position in 2018 and continues to hold it despite losing to WP’s new team in GE2020.

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