Volume 94 Monday No 22 15 August 2016 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SINGAPORE OFFICIAL REPORT CONTENTS Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time Page 10. Ministry's Purchase of Document Generator System and Efforts to Integrate System with Existing Platforms (Mr Png Eng Huat) 1 11. Co-ordination between LTA and ICA for Toll Collection at Land Checkpoints (Er Dr Lee Bee Wah) 2 12. Makeshift Brothels in Heartland Areas like Punggol and Woodlands (Mr Christopher de Souza) 2 20. Reasons for Increase in Rates at HDB and URA Car Parks (Mr Alex Yam) 3 23. Breakdown of Revenue and Expenditure for Operating HDB and URA Car Parks (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) 4 28. Government Oversight of Contracts for Healthcare Workers Recruited for Public Healthcare Institutions through Private Agencies (Ms K Thanaletchimi ) 6 29. Election Reporting by Mainstream Media on Cooling-off Day (Mr Chen Show Mao) 6 30. Regulator's Decision for Same-sex Kiss Scene in Musical (Mr Kok Heng Leun ) 7 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. Supply, Demand and Pricing of Water (Mr Seah Kian Peng and Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye) 7 38. Sectors Covered under Industry Transformation Programme (Mr Zaqy Mohamad) 12 44. Review of Government's Demand Aggregation Contracts (Mr Zainal Sapari) 13 45. Assistance for Bereaved Families on Administering Deceased's Estate (Dr Tan Wu Meng) 14 46. Qualifying for Maternity Protection under Child Development Co-Savings Act and Employment Act (Ms Tin Pei Ling) 15 47. Recourse for Employers of Foreign Domestic Workers with Mental or Critical Illnesses (Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan) 16 49, 50. Better Detection and Management of Child Abuse Cases (Mr Christopher de Souza and Ms Sun Xueling) 17 51. Impact on Rice Supply Given El Nino Effect and Weather Changes (Mr Chen Show Mao) 18 53. Number and Profile of Children Who Do Not Attend Pre-school (Miss Cheng Li Hui) 19 54. Impact of Compulsory Education Act on Enrolment for Primary School (Dr Lim Wee Kiak) 20 55. Efforts to Tackle Phone Scams (Mr Saktiandi Supaat) 20 56. Recruitment of Singaporeans in Police Force (Dr Chia Shi-Lu) 21 57. Ensuring Commuter Safety during Power Outages and Train Breakdowns (Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong) 22 58. Communication of Information about Safety and Emergency Features to Commuters (Assoc Prof Randolph Tan) 23 59. Government Construction Projects Awarded to Local and Foreign Engineering Companies (Er Dr Lee Bee Wah) 23 60. Increasing Singapore's Organ Transplant Rate (Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong) 24 61. Reasons for Recent Occurrence of a Cluster of Tuberculosis Cases (Dr Lily Neo) 26 63. Estate Upgrading Programme for Private Estates (Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai) 27 64. Co-ordination of Works Required for Telephony, Gas and Utilities Supply Services under Estate Upgrading Programme (Dr Tan Wu Meng) 28 65. Mandatory Autism Testing for Babies (Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry) 29 66. Help for Growing Companies as Workforce Tightens (Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng) 29 67. Take-up Rate for Partnerships for Capability Transformation Scheme (Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng) 30 69. Standardised Internal Processes for Financial Institutions in Monitoring and Handling Potential Anti-money Laundering Cases (Ms Sylvia Lim) 31 70. Impact of Private-hire Car Companies' Demands on COE Premiums (Miss Cheng Li Hui) 33 71. Inclusion of CPF Contribution in Calculation of Public Transport Affordability (Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong) 34 73. Student Drop-out Rate after Completion of Primary School Education (Dr Lim Wee Kiak) 35 75. Means Testing for Medifund across Restructured Hospitals and Specialist Centres (Dr Tan Wu Meng) 36 76. Tender Evaluation Method in Procurement of Manpower Services at Restructured Hospitals and Institutions (Ms K Thanaletchimi ) 37 77. Review of Rice Stockpile Scheme Given Extreme Weather Changes (Mr Chen Show Mao) 38 81. Employment of Stay-at-home Mothers in Public Sector (Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan) 38 83. Private Hire Driver's Vocational Licence for Permanent Residents and Work Permit Holders (Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong) 39 84. Lowering Threshold for Permissible Noise from Vehicles at Expressways near Residential Areas (Mr Liang Eng Hwa) 40 85. Preventing Youths from Purchasing Sexual Services (Mr Zaqy Mohamad) 40 86. Take-up Rate by Students for Spanish as Third Language (Mr Darryl David) 41 87. Increasing Public Education and Penalties to Encourage Heavy Vehicle Drivers to Use Correct Lanes (Mr Zainal Sapari) 41 88. Referral by Private General Practitioners of Non-emergency Cases to Government Accident and Emergency Departments (Mr Desmond Choo) 43 90. Construction of Portable Ramps at Entrances to Old HDB Flats (Mr Ang Hin Kee) 43 91. Complaints of Second-hand Smoke from Neighbours at HDB Flats (Mr Gan Thiam Poh) 44 92. Extending Non-smoking Zones in Selective Public Areas in Punggol (Ms Sun Xueling) 45 93. Enhancing Last-mile Connectivity with Shelters to Link Commercial Buildings to MRT Stations and Bus Stops (Mr Darryl David) 46 94. Pay-as-you-bid System for COEs (Mr Zainal Sapari) 47 95. Special Needs Children in Mainstream Schools (Ms Sun Xueling) 47 96. Prevention of Shop Thefts by Youths (Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye) 48 97. Re-designing Home Team Jobs (Mr Desmond Choo) 49 101. Using Forensics Data Analysis to Curb Recalcitrant High-rise Littering Culprits (Ms Tin Pei Ling) 50 102. Easing Congestion and Traffic Bottlenecks on KPE (Ms K Thanaletchimi ) 51 104. Number of Offenders Arrested for Loan Sharking and Illegal Money Lending Activities (Mr Gan Thiam Poh) 52 106. Update on Implementation and Take-up Rate of Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (Mr Gan Thiam Poh) 53 108. Approval Process for Flat Owners Subsidies under HDB’s Goodwill Repair Assistance Scheme (Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap) 53 MINISTRY'S PURCHASE OF DOCUMENT GENERATOR SYSTEM AND EFFORTS TO INTEGRATE SYSTEM WITH EXISTING PLATFORMS 10 Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for Manpower with regard to the Report of the Auditor-General for FY15/16 on the Ministry's purchase of a Document Generator System (DGS) (a) whether there is a provision made for the integration of a DGS in the original specifications for the $27.49 million Foreign Domestic Worker System (FDWS); (b) who advised the Ministry to procure the additional DGS at a cost of $432,407; and (c) who are the suppliers of the FDWS and DGS. Mr Lim Swee Say: In 2012, MOM initiated a multi-year project to redevelop our IT systems for the processing of all work pass types comprising EPs, S Passes and Work Permits (covering FW and FDW). We called a tender in 2013 for phase 1 of the project covering the FDW system (FDWS). The scope included a common document generator system (DGS) to handle the high volume of correspondences (letters, notices, advisories etc) not just for FDWs but across all the work pass types. The phase 1 tender, excluding the DGS, was awarded to Thoughtworks in 2014. The DGS was separately awarded to NCS as NCS had proposed a software product that was more scalable and hence could be used by the entire work pass IT system for all the work pass types. However, as the project progressed, we discovered that more time was needed to fully integrate the common DGS with the FDWS. This would potentially delay the launch of FDWS and consequently incur additional cost as we would have to extend the use of the existing IT system. Hence, on balance, we decided to adopt a custom-built solution offered by Thoughtworks for the FDWS alone at no additional cost to us. The custom-built solution was suitable as the FDWS has a lower volume of correspondences. FDWS went live starting from December 2014 with the full launch in December 2015. Although the common DGS was not used for the FDWS, we will be using it in the subsequent phases of the IT redevelopment. It will be used to handle the higher volume of correspondences for the EPs, S Passes and other Work Permits as originally intended. Hence, the common DGS procured in phase 1 of the project will be put to good use in subsequent phases of the project which will start in 2017. 2 Back to Contents CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN LTA AND ICA FOR TOLL COLLECTION AT LAND CHECKPOINTS 11 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport (a) why is there a lack of inter- agency co-ordination between LTA and ICA in implementing toll collection at the Causeway checkpoints; (b) whether it is a standard procedure for LTA to monitor and review its projects to look for weaknesses; and (c) whether there is communication to LTA officers at all levels on the requirement of interfacing with other Government departments and agencies. Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) had coordinated on the current process which relies on LTA officers stationed in the secondary clearance area to enforce against tolls and fees evasion. This allows ICA officers to focus on immigration and security screening. Having reviewed this process together with ICA, we believe that it can be improved. The two agencies are now jointly studying the feasibility of lifting the drop-arm barriers at the ICA immigration counter only after tolls and fees have been paid. This is not a straightforward exercise, as there are concerns such as ICA officers potentially being distracted by this new responsibility and speed of immigration clearance, that have to be addressed. I assure the Member that LTA regularly reviews its processes to enhance the effectiveness of its operations, and in collaboration with other agencies where needed. Back to Contents MAKESHIFT BROTHELS IN HEARTLAND AREAS LIKE PUNGGOL AND WOODLANDS 12 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what steps are being taken by the police to deal with makeshift brothels being set up in secluded areas within heartland areas like Punggol and Woodlands; and (b) whether investigations have been undertaken to determine whether there have been any women or girls who are victims of human trafficking at such locations.