Volume 94 Monday No 21 11 July 2016 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SINGAPORE OFFICIAL REPORT CONTENTS Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time Page 28 Recent Spate of Residential Fires (Mr Desmond Choo) 1 30 Cases Filed since Enactment of Protection from Harassment Act (Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan) 1 31 Percentage of Five- and Six-year olds Enrolled in Pre-schools (Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar) 2 36 Efficient Deployment of Buses during Train Breakdowns to Minimise Disruption to Commuters (Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong) 3 37,38 Segregating COE Bidding for Different Categories of Car Buyers (Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Mr Lim Biow Chuan) 4 39 Government’s Engagement of Ride-sharing App Companies and Private Car Hire Drivers (Mr Ang Hin Kee) 5 41 Promoting Safer Workplace Culture given Spate of Worker Deaths (Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef) 5 42 Difference between Workmen and Non-workmen in Employment Act (Ms K Thanaletchimi ) 7 43 Free Replacement of Identity Cards for Selective Cases (Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan) 9 45 Impact of Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High-speed Rail on Jurong East Region (Ms Foo Mee Har) 9 47 No Claim Discount on MediShield Life for Elderly without Claims in Three Years (Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye) 10 49 Inclusion of SAF Camps in Smoking Ban (Assoc Prof Randolph Tan) 11 50 Clarification of Alleged Cooling-off Day Violations (Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong) 11 52 Price-Quality Method for Tender Evaluations (Mr Zainal Sapari) 13 53 Review of Criteria for Working Mother’s Child Relief Claims (Mr Zainal Sapari) 14 55 Schools Conducting Academic Assessments Immediately after Holidays (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) 15 56 Number and Costs of Household Surveys (Mr Png Eng Huat) 16 58 Government’s Efforts to Raise Awareness for Business Opportunities Offered by Multi- national Corporations (Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng) 16 59 Traffic Accidents Involving Foreign-registered Vehicles (Dr Tan Wu Meng) 17 60 Impact of Relaxation on Car Loan Restrictions and Raising of Car Park Charges on Building of Car-lite Society (Mr Ang Wei Neng) 18 61 Coverage for Third Party Claims under HDB Fire Insurance Scheme (Mr Gan Thiam Poh) 19 63 Local Employees Covered under Portable Medical Benefits Options Eligible for Higher Tax Deductions (Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong) 20 64 Payment of CPF Contributions and Workfare Income Supplement to Prison Inmates and Disabled Adults (Mr Desmond Choo) 21 65 Regulations for F&B Outlets to Display Calorie and Nutrition Information on Menus (Mr Zaqy Mohamad) 22 69 Cycling for Students (Dr Lim Wee Kiak) 23 70 Impact of Starting Train Operations Later on Sundays on Workers (Ms K Thanaletchimi ) 23 71 Extension of Free MRT Travel to Ease Peak-hour Travel (Mr Gan Thiam Poh) 24 72 Automatic PR Status for Foreign Spouses of Singapore Citizens with One Singapore Citizen Child (Ms Tin Pei Ling) 25 74 Enforcement Actions against Cluttering of Common Space at HDB Flats and Estates (Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef) 25 76 Incentives and Grants to Help Construction Companies Manage Labour Costs (Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang) 26 79 Making Overhead Pedestrian Bridges Elder- and Disabled-friendly (Mr Png Eng Huat) 27 80 Police Guidelines for Handling Complaints of Noise and Neighbour Disputes in Condominiums (Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling) 27 81 Home Protection Scheme for All HDB Flat Owners with Outstanding Home Loans (Mr Gan Thiam Poh) 28 82 Take-up Rate for 2-room HDB Flats (Mr Png Eng Huat) 29 83 Investigation into Engine Fire on SQ368 (Mr Yee Chia Hsing) 29 84 Making Traffic Lights Crossing at Junctions Safer for Pedestrians (Dr Chia Shi-Lu) 30 86 Provision of Vehicle's Certificate of Insurance to Drivers of Private Hire Cars (Mr Ang Hin Kee) 31 RECENT SPATE OF RESIDENTIAL FIRES 28 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many residential fires happened in the first four months of this year; (b) whether this is higher or lower than the number of residential fires reported over the same period of the last two years; (c) what are the main causes of the recent residential fires; (d) what is SCDF doing to increase awareness on preventing residential fires; and (e) what percentage of homes currently own a fire extinguisher. Mr K Shanmugam: There were 955 residential fires in the first four months of 2016, about 6% and 10% lower than the same period in 2015 and 2014 respectively. About 98% of the residential fires this year are small-scale fires which did not result in casualties. About 50% of these fires were caused by the indiscriminate disposal of lighted materials, such as lighted cigarettes and charcoal embers, down the rubbish chute or into rubbish bins at common areas. Unattended cooking, which accounted for about 20% of the recent residential fires, is the second main cause. A large number of residential fires can therefore be prevented with better awareness of fire safety at home. To increase awareness, the SCDF actively promotes fire safety and public education messages through community-based programmes and initiatives. Residents participate in fire drills at Emergency Preparedness Day Events, and learn emergency preparedness skills such as operating a fire extinguisher when they take part in the Community Emergency Preparedness Programme. The SCDF also disseminates fire safety advisories to homes, and regularly collaborates with grassroots organisations to include articles on fire hazards and fire safety tips in their newsletters and magazines. The SCDF does not monitor the percentage of homes that currently own a fire extinguisher. Fire extinguishers are sold by private vendors who are not required to report their sales to the SCDF. However, the SCDF encourages each household to be equipped with a fire extinguisher to be prepared for fire emergencies. This message is regularly emphasised through SCDF’s community-based initiatives as well as in fire safety advisories. Back to Contents CASES FILED SINCE ENACTMENT OF PROTECTION FROM HARASSMENT ACT 2 30 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Law since the coming into force of the Protection from Harassment Act until 31 May 2016, what has been (i) the total number of cases filed, mediated and resolved (ii) the total number of cases involving workplace bullying/harassment (iii) the total number of cases involving sexual harassment and (iv) the total number of cases involving workplace sexual harassment. Mr K Shanmugam: The Protection from Harassment Act ("the Act") was introduced to strengthen harassment laws and provide a range of criminal sanctions, civil and self-help remedies to better protect people from harassment and related anti-social behaviour. Cases filed under the Act are managed with a view to assist parties to explore ways to resolve the issues effectively and promptly without proceeding to trial, including the use of counselling and mediation. The Act took effect on 15 November 2014. According to the State Courts, as at 30 April 2016, 203 applications for Protection Orders have been filed. This includes applications by victims of sexual and workplace harassment. However, the State Courts does not track the specific number of cases for each type of case. Of the 203 applications filed, 32 cases were sent to the State Courts Centre for Dispute Resolution for mediation as at 30 April 2016. 63 Protection Orders and 55 Expedited Protection Orders have been granted. 73 applications were withdrawn. Out of the 63 Protection Orders granted, 38 were granted by consent, constituting more than half of the orders that were granted. This suggests that a good number of cases were resolved amicably. The remaining applications have either been dismissed or struck off, or are pending resolution as at 30 April 2016. Back to Contents PERCENTAGE OF FIVE- AND SIX-YEAR OLDS ENROLLED IN PRE- SCHOOLS 31 Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what percentage of five- and six-year old Singaporeans and permanent residents are enrolled in half-day or full-day pre-school; and (b) for children who are not enrolled in pre-school, what actions are taken on the parents or guardians and what are the reasons given for not enrolling their children in pre-school. 3 Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: In 2015, over 90% of Singaporean and permanent resident children aged five to six years were enrolled in half-day or full-day pre-schools. Some Singaporean and permanent resident children may not attend pre-school due to their family’s circumstances. For example, there are those who are living overseas, or whose parents prefer other options for their child’s development. By age six, close to 99% of Singaporean children would have had some pre-school experience. We recognise the importance of the pre-school years in a child’s development, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. As such, ECDA works actively with the community to reach out to Singaporean children who are not attending pre-school by age five. Our community outreach partners conduct home visits and work closely with the family to overcome some of the barriers to the child’s pre-school participation. KidSTART, a new initiative announced at Budget this year, will further enhance efforts to reach out to and ensure children from low income and vulnerable families have early access to appropriate health, learning and developmental support, including attending quality pre-school. We will pilot KidSTART in the second half of 2016. Back to Contents EFFICIENT DEPLOYMENT OF BUSES DURING TRAIN BREAKDOWNS TO MINIMISE DISRUPTION TO COMMUTERS 36 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry (i) monitors whether sufficient buses are deployed at each affected MRT station during breakdowns and whether these buses are deployed efficiently enough to minimise disruption to commuters; and (ii) takes these two factors into consideration in evaluating the performance of the operators.