LiveMotion on Pritam Singh, CPF Life, Indonesian baby trafficking ring on Parliament's agenda today

Question time ends

Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng wraps up question time, and we resume the debate on the Singapore Sports Council (Amendment) Bill.

Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) speaks first.

Parliament discusses NZ's smoke-free generation law

Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC) asks if the Health Ministry has reviewed the impact of New Zealand’s smoke-free generation law and its potential appropriateness and effectiveness in Singapore’s context.

Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam notes that New Zealand has withdrawn plans for the law, and says her ministry will continue to monitor international developments and learn from the experiences of other countries in the area of tobacco control.

Noting that the United Kingdom had announced similar plans in 2023, she says the authorities here have concerns about how the implementation will be carried out.

"We are continuing to be open to this. We will announce if there are any movements in this front," she adds.

David Hoe asks if MOE would consider relocating popular schools for social mixing

Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC MP David Hoe asks if the Education Ministry would consider periodically relocating popular schools to neighbourhoods with different housing and socioeconomic status mixes to better align school access with the principles of meritocracy and social mixing.

Education Minister Desmond Lee rises to respond to him.

MSE exploring initiative to minimise food supply disruptions during animal disease outbreaks

The Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment is exploring an arrangement with New Zealand that can maintain consistent food supplies during animal disease outbreaks.

Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, shares this in response to questions by Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio GRC), who had asked about the Strategic Food Partnership with New Zealand.

Established in October 2025, the partnership is meant to help both countries collaborate on food security.

Ms Fu says the initiative being explored involves expanding the existing regionalisation arrangements. These arrangements allow Singapore to receive supplies of food from unaffected regions in New Zealand during a disease outbreak. It currently covers pathogenic avian influenza and could be expanded to cover other animal diseases such as African swine fever, among other things, she says.

MOM in last stages of finalising CPF Lifetime Retirement Investment Scheme: Tan See Leng

The Ministry of Manpower is in its final stages of finalising the CPF Lifetime Retirement Investment Scheme, first proposed in 2016.

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng says his ministry is in the process of studying how some features can be incorporated, given that some time has passed since the scheme was first recommended and the markets have also evolved.

He adds that the construct of the product would take into account different weightages on global equity versus bonds.

He is responding to Mr Shawn Loh (Jalan Besar GRC) who suggested that delaying the scheme's implementation may deprive CPF members of an option to take risks to earn higher expected returns.

Dr Tan says those who wish to invest their CPF savings for potentially higher returns can already do so through a number of low-cost funds under the CPF Investment Scheme.

He adds that the ministry must be “very mindful” and carefully study the impact of the proposed adjustments to the CPF system.

The penultimate objective has always been “to safeguard adequate retirement, or retirement adequacy”. Hence, striking an optimal balance between risk and return is quintessential, he says.

Dr Tan cites, as an example, the market turbulence and investment headwinds in recent years.

Investors who wish to liquidate their investment for retirement needs during a market downturn would have experienced a significant drop in their asset value, he says.

While it is good to be able to time the market properly, in reality, looking forward is a more difficult endeavour, he notes in response to Mr Loh’s question.

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

54 cases of groomers accused of causing harm to pets over past 3 years

The National Parks Board has investigated 54 cases of groomers accused of causing harm to pets over the past three years, says Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan.

He shares this figure in response to questions by Ms Jessica Tan (East Coast GRC). She also asks if the Animal and Veterinary Service would consider making it compulsory for pet groomers to provide CCTV recordings in areas where pets are handled or housed.

Her questions follow a case last October where a dog died after it was sent to a pet shop for grooming and was reportedly left unattended.

Mr Tan says the ministry is reviewing the regulatory regime for pet sector activities, including pet grooming businesses, under the ongoing review of the Animals and Birds Act. This includes considering whether to include requirements for CCTV recordings.

The ministry is also reviewing the appropriate penalties for animal welfare and cruelty offences, including those that apply to animal-related businesses, he adds. 

MSF engaging families affected by Indonesian baby-trafficking ring

An investigation into an alleged Indonesian trafficking ring that has been sending babies here has thrown some adoptive families into turmoil, and Workers' Party MP Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC) is highlighting their plight in the House today.

For some of these families, the processing of citizenship applications for their adoptive children has been delayed. Ms Lim asks how many approved adoptions are being reviewed and whether the problem can be resolved expeditiously.

Answering her questions, Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming says he is unable to comment on the number of cases, given the ongoing investigations by the Indonesian authorities.

But he adds that his ministry has been engaging affected families to provide more information on the processes, and to address their concerns as more information becomes available.

“We are also working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that cases are reviewed expeditiously, while safeguarding the welfare and best interests of the children involved,” he adds.

In a supplementary question, Ms Lim says she has constituents affected by this situation.

“They have already been caring for these babies for more than a year, and this uncertainty is a torture to them,” she says.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH

HDB received 240 cases of feedback regarding condensation and mould in 2025: Sun Xueling

Senior Minister of State for National Development Sun Xueling says that in 2025, HDB received about 240 cases of feedback on condensation and mould on walls and ceiling, arising from neighbours’ use of air-conditioners.

Responding to Ms Jessica Tan (East Coast GRC), she suggests that flat owners should keep rooms well ventilated to minimise mould growth, and consider the use of mould-resistant paint as a preventative measure.

Ms Tan says she is seeing more residents with such problems “and the challenge for residents is that they can't do anything because it's coming from the neighbour’s unit”. She asks that HDB consider mandating wall or ceiling enhancements for people if they intend to use their air-conditioners continuously.

Ms Sun says HDB can consider issuing an advisory to residents on the proper usage of air-conditioners.

ST PHOTO: TAN CHU YI

Parliament begins

We start question time today with Ms Jessica Tan (East Coast GRC) who asks about mould in HDB blocks. She wants to know how many cases HDB has come across where the continuous use of air-conditioning has caused condensation and mould in a neighbouring unit.

The LO’s powers, privileges and duties

As Leader of the Opposition (LO), Mr Pritam Singh has been given certain parliamentary privileges.

He has the right to ask the lead question to ministers on policies, Bills and motions, and has more time than regular MPs for his speeches (40 minutes – the same amount of time as political office-holders).

He also gets a monthly allowance that is double that of an elected MP, or $385,000 a year, and an additional allowance to hire up to three additional legislative assistants, on top of the allowance that all MPs receive to hire one legislative assistant and a secretarial assistant.

The LO has also been given a secretary to support him administratively with parliamentary business, and an office and the use of a meeting room in Parliament House.

The Government said in 2020 it had decided on these duties and privileges after considering other Westminster parliamentary systems which have a formal LO designation, such as Australia and Britain.

Mr Singh has other duties as LO. These include leading the opposition in presenting alternative views and scrutinising the Government’s positions during parliamentary debates, being consulted on the appointment of opposition MPs to select committees, and being called upon to attend official state functions.

To enable him to carry out his duties, he receives confidential government briefings on select matters of national security and external relations, and will be briefed in the event of a national crisis or emergency.

None of these are provided for in the Constitution or Parliament’s Standing Orders.