Volume 94 Tuesday No 35 28 February 2017

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES

OFFICIAL REPORT CONTENTS

Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time

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7. Enhancing Capabilities to Care for Children with Autism (Mr ) 2 8. Multi-lingual Guide on Appointing Lasting Power of Attorney (Ms K Thanaletchimi) 3 9. Deciding between Pedestrian Overhead Bridges and Pedestrian Crossing (Ms ) 4 10. Bus Regularity Following Implementation of Bus Service Reliability Framework (Mr ) 5 11. Crimes Committed by Persons who Act on Behalf of Companies (Mr ) 6 12. Handling of Arson Attacks in MRT Trains (Mr Desmond Choo) 6 14. Medical Chits from Doctors not in Company-assigned Panel (Ms K Thanaletchimi) 8 16. Tree Inspections and Liability for Damages Related to Falling Trees (Mr ) 9

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ENHANCING CAPABILITIES TO CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

7 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how is the Ministry enhancing the capabilities of caregivers and parents to care for children with autism; (b) how are pre-school teachers provided with the requisite training to teach children with mild autism; and (c) how can the community play a role in helping autistic children to learn.

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder may have needs that range from mild to severe. For those with moderate to severe needs, they are referred to the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC). EIPIC provides learning and therapy intervention for 0 to 6 year olds at risk of moderate to severe disabilities, including Autism. EIPIC services are currently available at 19 Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWO) centres located across Singapore. EIPIC centres train and involve parents and caregivers in the intervention for their child. This equips parents and caregivers to better care for their children with special needs, and the child also benefits when the intervention continues at home. In addition, children in EIPIC may also attend pre-school for education, inclusion and childcare. In such cases, the EIPIC centres will work with the child’s pre-school teacher on strategies and tips on how best to engage the child in the classroom and in activities. The Ministry of Social and Family Development, with the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), has worked with training institutes and educational providers such as Ngee Ann Polytechnic in rolling out specialised training such as the Specialist Diploma in Early Childhood Learning Support (SDELS), and the Advanced Diploma in Early Childhood Intervention (Special Needs) (ADESN), to equip EIPIC teachers, Learning Support Educators (LSEds) and classroom teachers in pre-schools with the necessary skills to support children with a range of developmental needs. Learning Support Educators provide targeted short-term intervention for children with mild developmental needs, and guide pre-school teachers in integrating these children in the classroom setting. The community has a crucial role to play in supporting children with special needs. Children with special needs should be accommodated in community activities and play settings, so that they can learn and grow together with typically developing children. The inclusive playgrounds in our community are a good example where accommodations enable interaction 3 between children with special needs and their typically developing peers. Such inclusions pave the way for the community to become more open and supportive towards children with special needs and their caregivers. Corporate and individual contributions, coupled with a grant from the Care & Share Movement, were used to fund the five inclusive playgrounds built by NCSS. These playgrounds were the fruits of a very successful 3P (public, private and people) collaboration. We hope that there will be many more such partnerships and collaborations in building inclusive facilities, or creating inclusive settings. In the education system, the Ministry of Education seeks to enhance integration between students in mainstream and Special Education (SPED) schools by facilitating meaningful and purposeful interactions between these two groups of students. Under the MOE’s satellite partnership model, some SPED schools practise ‘social integration’ with their mainstream partners. Others like Pathlight School allow their students to join their mainstream peers in class. The satellite partnerships enable students in SPED schools to remain integrated with the larger community. We will like to encourage corporates and community agencies and groups to actively create opportunities for better integration and inclusion of children with special needs, through the infrastructure or programmes they put in place, or the activities they organise. Our society can do more to enable these children, like any other child, to realise their true potential as they become integral members of society. Back to Contents MULTI-LINGUAL GUIDE ON APPOINTING LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY

8 Ms K Thanaletchimi asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether a simple guide in various languages has been produced to assist Singaporeans who are in need of a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) to sign up for it; (b) whether a comparative study has been done on the extensiveness of Singaporeans seeking LPAs compared to other developed nations; and (c) what measures are there to safeguard the public from errant lawyers who facilitate LPAs.

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: Since the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) came into effect on 1 March 4

2010, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) under my Ministry has made available various resources to guide interested individuals in making their LPAs. These include a guidebook on the LPA, guidebook for donees and a Step by Step Guide to completing the basic LPA form, which is supplemented by a video guide. Most of these resources are available in all four official languages. I encourage interested applicants to review these resources from the OPG website when preparing their LPA applications. As at 31 January 2017, 35,926 LPA applications have been received by the OPG, accounting for about 1% of the total Singaporeans and Permanent Residents population aged 21 and above. As Singapore’s MCA is modelled after England and Wales, we looked at the United Kingdom for a quick comparison. In England and Wales, about 4% of their eligible population have made an enduring power of attorney or LPA. Similarly, about 3% of Scotland’s population have done so. While these figures are higher than in Singapore, it should be noted that these jurisdictions started much earlier than us, some even as early as 1986. My Ministry recognises that we still have some way to go in getting more Singaporeans to plan ahead and make an LPA. Hence, I would like to reiterate that the application fee waiver for Singapore Citizens making an LPA Form 1 has been extended till 31 August 2018. We hope that more will take advantage of the fee waiver to pre-plan for ourselves and give our families peace of mind in future. We will also continue to increase awareness on the LPA. LPA certificate issuers, who are professionals from the medical and legal sector, perform an important safeguarding role in the whole process. The professional is required to see the donor and has to, in his professional opinion, ensure that the donor understands the purpose and content of the LPA, and that he is not forced to make one under pressure or duress. The certificate issuer does so by signing off on the LPA Form. OPG also takes a serious view of breaches made by certificate issuers and will not hesitate to bring them to Court or report them to their professional bodies if they do not conduct their duties in a proper manner. If anyone has knowledge that a certificate issuer had not carried out his duties properly, he may inform the OPG or alert the respective professional bodies so that the matter can be looked into. Back to Contents DECIDING BETWEEN PEDESTRIAN OVERHEAD BRIDGES AND 5

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING

9 Ms Sun Xueling asked the Minister for Transport what are the planning parameters to decide on where and when to build pedestrian overhead bridges and what are the cost-benefit considerations to decide between building a pedestrian crossing versus a pedestrian overhead bridge.

Mr : Our preference is to build at-grade crossings, rather than pedestrian overhead bridges, as they are barrier-free and more convenient for the elderly, families with strollers and persons with disabilities. However, there are instances where at-grade crossings are dangerous, for example, across major roads with fast-moving traffic, or may cause serious traffic congestion. In such cases, we will provide pedestrian overhead bridges. Back to Contents BUS REGULARITY FOLLOWING IMPLEMENTATION OF BUS SERVICE RELIABILITY FRAMEWORK

10 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether bus regularity has improved following the implementation of the Bus Service Reliability Framework (BSRF); (b) how much incentives have been paid and how much penalties have been received; (c) what are the feedback received and whether commuters' travel experience have improved; and (d) whether there is a need to fine-tune the framework three years into its implementation.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Bus Service Reliability Framework (BSRF) was introduced as a trial for 22 bus services in February 2014, and expanded to another 23 services in December 2015. We observed less bus bunching for these services. In the assessment period from December 2015 to August 2016, bus service regularity had improved for all 45 services. There was a 20% reduction in average additional wait times. A total of $3.4 million was paid out in incentives over this period, and no penalties. Based on the experience of the trial, we have tightened the baseline standard and decided to incorporate the BSRF within the bus contracting model. For 108 services for which we implemented BSRF from September 2016, we have observed a 15% reduction in average additional wait times. Any incentive or penalty will be paid out after a year’s performance. 6

Back to Contents CRIMES COMMITTED BY PERSONS WHO ACT ON BEHALF OF COMPANIES

11 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will consider introducing an offence for commercial organisations that fail to prevent the commission of economic crimes such as bribery, fraud and money laundering by persons who act on their behalf such as employees and contractors.

Mr K Shanmugam: Singapore takes a tough stance on economic crimes, such as bribery, fraud and money laundering. Our rates of economic crimes have been low. We are consistently ranked among the least corrupt countries. Commercial organisations, such as companies, are also liable under the law if they commit these economic crimes, or abet the commission of these offences by their employees, contractors, or any business partners. There have been cases in the past where companies were charged for such offences. The current legislative and regulatory levers we have to take action against errant companies are adequate. At this point, there is no need for a further specific provision to penalise a company for failing to prevent a crime from taking place, where the company did not commit and did not abet committing the crime. To ensure that companies adopt good corporate governance practices, the Companies Act imposes various obligations on company directors who provide stewardship of companies. In addition, the Code of Corporate Governance sets out corporate governance best practices for listed companies to comply with or explain any deviation from these practices. Back to Contents HANDLING OF ARSON ATTACKS IN MRT TRAINS

12 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how are the Home Team and public transport operators prepared to handle arson attacks in the MRT trains; (b) how can the public be involved to support Home Team's efforts; and (c) how can Singapore's readiness to respond to attacks in our public transport system be enhanced.

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Mr K Shanmugam: Our Home Team Departments and the Public Transport Operators (PTOs) are prepared to deal with emergencies in MRT trains, including fires. In the event of a fire, the automatic fire detection system in the train will be triggered to alert the station staff and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). There are established procedures to evacuate commuters to safety and to deal with different situations, regardless of whether the fire occurs when the train is at the station or on the tracks. Upon arrival, the SCDF will put out the fire, rescue and provide medical assistance to the injured, while the Police will maintain law and order. The Home Team Departments and the PTOs conduct regular exercises to validate and familiarise ground officers with such emergency response protocols. The cause of the fire may be deliberate. In the evening of 10 February 2017, a 60-year old man tried to hurl a lit Molotov cocktail into a packed Mass Transit Railway (MTR) train in Hong Kong. The incident resulted in injuries to commuters and disruption to the MTR’s services. Arson attacks such as these, whether the act of a criminal or a terrorist, call for a heightened level of vigilance and preparedness. The Police formed the Public Transport Security Command (TransCom) in 2009 to conduct security patrols of our public transport system, including our MRT trains and stations. TransCom officers are trained to look out for suspicious persons and approach them for further checks. They are also the first line of response to any security incidents in the public transport system. The community plays an important role in our efforts to fight terrorism on a sustained basis. SGSecure was launched to sensitise, train and mobilise Singaporeans to play their part to prevent and deal with a terrorist attack. The Home Team has developed advisories and applications to equip and prepare our community in the event of an attack. These include: (a) The "Run, Hide, Tell" advisory which guides the public on how to respond when an attack occurs. (b) The new SMS71999 platform to allow the public to SMS the Police if they see something suspicious. (c) The Police@SG app’s i-Witness function which enables users to point, shoot and send information on major incidents and crime to support Police’s investigation. (d) The "Improvised First Aid Skills" advisory which teaches the public how to use everyday items to help administer first aid to injured persons in the event of an attack. 8

(e) The SG Secure E-learning package which allows the public to carry out e-learning at their own pace and pick up useful survival skills to stay vigilant, cohesive and resilient. Since the launch of the SGSecure movement, MHA has been working closely with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the PTOs to equip frontline staff with knowledge and skills to respond to a terror attack. The PTOs currently train some of their staff in first aid, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of the automated external defibrillator (AED). The PTOs also support SGSecure’s public awareness efforts by putting up relevant safety advisories, such as Run-Hide-Tell and Improvised First Aid Skills in MRT stations. Video messages that remind commuters to be vigilant are also broadcasted at the station platforms and in the trains. The Home Team will continue to work with the PTOs to build on the current training and outreach initiatives, including conducting exercises that enhance their preparedness in the event of a terror attack. One such example was Exercise Heartbeat which involved one of the PTOs conducted in September 2016 at Bishan Bus Interchange and Junction 8. Back to Contents MEDICAL CHITS FROM DOCTORS NOT IN COMPANY-ASSIGNED PANEL

14 Ms K Thanaletchimi asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether all companies recognise medical chits from Singapore-registered doctors when an employee seeks medical care from clinics outside the companies' panel of doctors; (b) in the last three years, how many cases have been reported where an employer has deducted the salary of an employee when the medical chit is from a registered doctor who is not from the company's panel of doctors; and (c) how does the Ministry handle such cases.

Mr : Under the law, employers are to provide paid sick leave when an employee covered by the Employment Act is issued a medical certificate (MC) by a Government or company-approved doctor, and to bear the costs of the medical consultation. Notwithstanding this, many employers go beyond the statutory requirements by granting paid sick leave for MCs issued by any registered doctor. In the last three years, no cases of salary deductions related to unrecognised MCs have been filed in the Labour Court. There is no statutory or contractual breach in such cases. However, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has received a yearly average of about 15 queries 9 of this nature. This number has not increased. Employers should ensure that their panel of approved doctors are accessible to their employees. Under extenuating circumstances, such as a medical emergency, employers are urged to exercise flexibility to provide paid sick leave when the employee seeks medical attention from a doctor who has not been approved by the company. Employees who require assistance can approach MOM, or the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management from April 2017. Back to Contents TREE INSPECTIONS AND LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES RELATED TO FALLING TREES

16 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the regular inspections of trees are done by NParks staff or outsourced to a landscape company; and (b) whether the public liability insurance by NParks covers damages due to natural causes.

Mr : Trees under NParks’ purview are regularly inspected by NParks’ Certified Arborists. Inspections are not outsourced to landscape companies. Beyond regular inspections, NParks prunes trees to make them more resistant to storms. NParks also substitutes storm-vulnerable species like the Albizia with hardier trees. This comprehensive tree management programme has been effective in reducing the number of tree incidents by more than three-fold since 2001. Having said that, trees can fall despite our best efforts. When accidents happen due to natural causes, NParks’ public liability insurance only covers claims where NParks is shown to be negligent. If NParks has exercised its duty of care in keeping to its tree management regime, the insurance will not pay out as NParks would not be culpable for circumstances beyond its control. Back to Contents

Office of the Clerk of Parliament Singapore, 28 February 2017