sitting_date large_string | section_idx int64 | paragraph_idx int64 | speaker_raw large_string | section_title large_string | section_type large_string | parliament_no int64 | session_no int64 | text large_string |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012-09-10 | 0 | 0 | Mr Speaker | Estimates Committee | OS | 12 | 1 | Order. I wish to inform hon Members that under the provisions of Standing Order No 102, I have on 27 August 2012 nominated Dr Janil Puthucheary and Mr Png Eng Huat to be Members of the Estimates Committee in place of Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim and the former Member Mr Yaw Shin Leong respectively. The nomina... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 0 | Dr Lily Neo | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | 1 Dr Lily Neo askedthe Prime Minister (a) how is the Singapore Interbank Offered Rate (SIBOR) set by Singapore banks; (b) whether the system is robust and whether it requires better governance; (c) what is the possibility of a SIBOR-rigging incident happening in Singapore; and (d) what is the impact of the London Inter... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 2 | Ms Tan Su Shan | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | 2 Ms Tan Su Shan asked the Prime Minister what is the Ministry's position on the appropriateness of the Singapore Interbank Offered Rate being used as a benchmark in the setting of loan pricing in Singapore. |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 3 | The Senior Minister of State for Education and Information, Communications and the Arts (Mr Lawrence Wong) | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | (for the Prime Minister) : Mr Speaker, Sir, I am taking this Question on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). And with your permission, I will take Question Nos 1 and 2 together. |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 5 | Mr Lawrence Wong | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | The London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is an important interest rate benchmark that is used by market participants globally, including in Singapore, to directly price financial products or, indirectly, as a reference when setting interest rates. As an international financial centre, we host many global banks that t... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 6 | Mr Lawrence Wong | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | So, for us, the SIBOR is currently set by 12 participating banks, and published by the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS). Prior to 11.00 am every business day, each participating bank submits the interest rate at which it could borrow Singapore Dollars in the interbank market, at tenures ranging from one month to... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 7 | Mr Lawrence Wong | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | As SIBOR is a measure of the cost of borrowing Singapore Dollars in the interbank market, banks have found it to be an appropriate benchmark to price their Singapore Dollar-denominated loans. Such loans include commercial term loans and residential property loans. Besides SIBOR, it is possible to peg contracts to other... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 9 | Mr Lawrence Wong | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | In line with the investigation into LIBOR, regulators in several jurisdictions are looking into how key market interest rate benchmarks have been set by banks. MAS is doing the same in Singapore, and has directed banks that are on the ABS' rates contributing panels to conduct independent reviews to verify the integrity... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 10 | Mr Lawrence Wong | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | MAS is also working with ABS and the Singapore Foreign Exchange Markets Committee (SFEMC) to review the SIBOR-setting process more fundamentally. The review will take into account what SIBOR is used for, how it can be strengthened, whether proposed changes are resilient to future changes in market structure, as well as... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 11 | Dr Lily Neo (Tanjong Pagar) | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | Mr Speaker, Sir, three supplementary questions, please. May I ask the Senior Minister of State whether SIBOR should be left to the Association of Banks Singapore (ABS) to decide, or should it be overseen by MAS instead? Secondly, is the Senior Minister of State concerned that the rates may be skewed in view of the fact... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 12 | Mr Lawrence Wong | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Member for the questions. I think these are very relevant questions which we are studying. The first point to make is we should look at the broader context of how SIBOR came about, or how LIBOR came about. These are price-discovery mechanisms for lending and borrowing between banks, and so... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 13 | Mr Lawrence Wong | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | That was the historical context of how these rates evolved. Over time, these inter-bank rates also came to be used for other purposes – for loans to corporates, to individuals. And so, there is a case for stronger governance or for strong supervision over how these rates are being set. That is why we are now in the pro... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 14 | Mr Lawrence Wong | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | Whether the rates may be skewed, whether we should use actual rates rather than nominated rates – these are all part of the considerations which we want to look at to see how fundamentally SIBOR can be strengthened. How can there be better transparency in the rate-setting process? How can there be use of actual data? I... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 16 | Dr Lily Neo | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | Thank you, Mr Speaker. May I ask the Senior Minister of State whether it is correct to say that the method used to set SIBOR is similar to the one used for LIBOR? The US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has said that the LIBOR system is structurally flawed and is a major problem for financial systems and for confi... |
2012-09-10 | 1 | 17 | Mr Lawrence Wong | Review of Singapore Interbank Offered Rate-setting Regime | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, the system is similar. We evolved in a similar way, and so our rate-setting system and processes are similar. But we have, over time, strengthened our own processes. As I mentioned, in 2009, ABS did a review and we did strengthen our own governance process. So, I would say that in the case of SIBOR, we have some ... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 0 | Er Dr Lee Bee Wah | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | 3 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for National Development regarding NParks' recent purchase of bicycles (a) whether the tender for the purchase of the bicycles was widely publicised; (b) why the Tender Committee did not reject the offers and call for a re-tender when options from only one vendor were received; an... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 1 | Mr Pritam Singh | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | 4 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Government discovered any discrepancies in the recent purchase of Brompton bicycles by NParks; (b) whether the Ministry has investigated the purchase for possible breaches of procedures and possible conflict of interest between the sole tende... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 2 | Mr Pritam Singh | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | 5 Mr Pritam Singh askedthe Minister for National Development with regard to the purchase of the Brompton bicycles, (a) what prompted the Ministry to initiate audit proceedings on the procurement process; and (b) what role did the online media, particularly the blog post on therealsingapore.com, play in (i) the Ministry... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 4 | Ms Foo Mee Har | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | 6 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for National Development regarding the recent purchase of the Brompton foldable bicycles by NParks (a) what budget was established for the purchase; (b) whether it was benchmarked to any reference price points; and (c) what was the variance, if any, between the budget and the eventua... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 5 | The Minister for National Development (Mr Khaw Boon Wan) | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 3 to 6 together, please? |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 7 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | I first knew of the NParks' purchase of 26 Brompton foldable bicycles on 22 June after reading an article in the Lianhe Zaobao . That day, I asked NParks to explain and address two key questions. First, why the need for foldable bicycles; and second, whether the procurement had been conducted properly. NParks replied ... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 8 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | On the first question, NParks explained that the use of bicycles would enable the park officers to cover more ground and complete more work each day than they could otherwise manage on foot. Their work-load has increased significantly over the last two years. For instance, an additional 50 km of newly-completed park co... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 9 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | They decided on foldable bicycles to give the park officers greater flexibility as they can use public transport to reach their various work locations. The alternative is for an office van to fetch them and the bicycles to and from their deployment sites each day, and that will be more costly. Moreover, some of the ins... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 10 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | NParks conducted a market study of foldable bicycles which would be durable enough to meet the demands of heavy usage of up to 40 km for each field inspection and have multiple gears to manage rough terrains. They also tried out several models, bringing them on public transport to assess their portability, compactness ... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 11 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | I was satisfied with NParks' explanation on their decision to introduce foldable bicycles for some of its park officers, to do their work more productively. |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 12 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | On the second question pertaining to the procurement process, NParks explained that they had followed the Government procurement procedures. An open invitation-to-quote (ITQ), based on a set of general specifications, was published via the Government Electronic Business (GeBIZ) system. All Government agencies are requi... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 13 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | NParks set aside a four-working day opening period for the ITQ, in line with the prevailing Government procurement rules then. When the quotation closed, NParks received two offers from one bidder: Brompton at $2,200 each and Bike Friday at $2,500 each. NParks proceeded to award the contract to the sole bidder for the ... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 15 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | While NParks had adhered to the procurement rules, I had some misgivings on the procurement outcome. Whenever a quotation or a tender attracts a single bidder, my instinct is to ask "why?" There must be many bicycle dealers out there. Why did they not take part? Will a longer opening period attract more competitive bid... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 16 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | That day, on 30 June, I tasked the MND Internal Audit Team to scrutinise this transaction to see if there were shortcomings and whether there were lessons which we could learn from this episode. The MND Internal Audit Team concluded its investigation on 20 July. It went through NParks' internal investigation report, in... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 17 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | Mr Pritam Singh asked about the role of the online media in our investigation. In any investigation, we look at all inputs, regardless of the source or the medium through which they are expressed. We, hence, welcome information, wherever they come from. In this specific case, the online media discussion made two observ... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 18 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | What was material to our decision to refer the case to the CPIB investigation were some disclosures by certain parties interviewed by the Audit Team. These critical facts were duly reported to the CPIB. |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 19 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | The CPIB investigations are still on-going. We should observe the due process of the law to allow all facts of the case to be surfaced in due course before passing any judgement. |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 20 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | Meanwhile, MND has tightened its procurement controls and introduced new measures to enhance oversight. In line with the procurement changes announced by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam last month, we have set seven working days instead of four, as the minimum opening period for the quotations called by ou... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 22 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | Let me stress that we do not and will not condone any wrong-doing. When we discover it, we will not flinch from taking the right course of action. But we must do so in a measured and reasonable way. In the pursuit of justice, we should always act and conduct ourselves in a manner that is dispassionate, balanced and fai... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 23 | Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon) | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, I would like to ask two supplementary questions. First, how was the budget of $2,200 determined? In my view, this is high. Second question, are there any other cheaper bicycles that can equally do the job? |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 24 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | As I have explained in the reply, the NParks officers involved in this purchase did some market research, checked out various models and ascertained their retail prices. And based on that, they made their decision or made a judgement call that $2,200 as the upper-bound of the budget would be adequate. Whether it is hi... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 25 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | Members may have read in the newspapers that I have been cycling, picking up an old hobby but with a purpose because I wanted to check out our park connectors. I have covered many stretches of park connectors by now. My sense is this – the different stretches of park connectors are of different nature and the needs for... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 26 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | I had problems with some of those stretches myself. But, more importantly, what convinced me about the need for foldable bikes is that I have seen some stretches where we actually had to carry the bicycles up the overhead bridges. It might be temporary but whatever it is, that is part of the design of the park connecto... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 27 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | So, I am convinced of the need for foldable bikes. Once we go in to foldable bikes, then again, there is a wide range. In fact, as I have cycled with my NParks colleagues, what I noticed was that many of them used their own bikes and when I checked with them, looked at their bikes, I found that their bikes are not chea... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 28 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | I have deliberately tried out various models of bicycles. I have tried simple bicycles. I have tried a fixed frame bicycle, unfoldable. I have tried two different brands of foldable bikes by now, with different capabilities. As I said, if the tender has attracted many more bids, the outcome might have been very differe... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 30 | Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied) | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | I would like to thank the Minister for his reply. According to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, in his reply to Member of Parliament Cedric Foo in this House last month, Deputy Prime Minister stated that competency in procurement procedures amongst civil servants has been a problem, and that delegat... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 31 | Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied) | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | What action has the Ministry taken to ensure that a similar incident will not occur in future? I ask this because Deputy Prime Minister Tharman mentioned that "the core of the clean and functioning procurement system lies on the active oversight and supervision within each Ministry and agency". It will be helpful if th... |
2012-09-10 | 2 | 32 | Mr Khaw Boon Wan | Tender and Evaluation Process for Bicycles Purchased by NParks | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, I thought that was already in my reply. |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 0 | Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | 7 Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts & Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) what are the sources of funding currently available to the Malay/Muslim organisations (MMOs); (b) how are the funds allocated to the various MMOs; and (c) whether there are plans to review... |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 1 | The Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim) | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | Mr Speaker, Sir, Malay/Muslim Organisations (MMOs) play an important role in uplifting and raising the achievement level of the community. One key source of funding for MMOs comes from the monthly contributions to the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF) via the CPF check-off scheme. Of the estimated $17.8 million ... |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 2 | The Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim) | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | MMOs, like any other charitable organisations, also rely on donations to run their programmes. The Government provides dollar-for-dollar matching grant for donations raised by Mendaki, AMP and the MMOs up to a yearly ceiling of $4 million. The matching cap to Mendaki is up to $2 million, AMP $1 million and the other MM... |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 4 | The Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim) | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | Donations and matching grant to Mendaki and other MMOs are channelled to the Malay/Muslim Community Development Fund (MMCDF) to support Mendaki and MMO-initiated projects. The MMO component of MMCDF is managed by Mendaki on behalf of the MMOs. The MMCDF Committee plays the role of ensuring that the funds are channelled... |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 5 | The Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim) | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, the current funding arrangement was put in place since 2001. Given the evolving and growing needs of the community, it is timely to undertake a review of the policy on the funding allocation for MMOs, with the objective of ensuring that funds continue to be channelled to priority areas and to MMOs that undertake w... |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 6 | Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio) | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, I thank the Minister for the reply. The Minister mentioned in his reply that there are reviews that will be made. Can the Minister please elaborate on the reviews that will be carried out, and how can it be ensured that the funds that are disbursed to the MMOs are really used according to the intended purposes? |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 7 | Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, on the second question, there is a committee chaired by a Member of the Board, Mr Salim Kader, that will review every project proposals by the MMOs, and to ensure that the project proposals fit into the overall thrust of Mendaki's work. Thus far, we have seen no reason to deny any of the project proposals because... |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 8 | Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | On the review, Sir, we recognise that many Malay/Muslim organisations, such as PPIS, 4PM, Muhammadiyah, have initiated many programmes and services to uplift the community and we recognise that these initiatives are commendable and are aligned with Mendaki's key thrust in the four areas that I have mentioned – educatio... |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 9 | Mr Zainudin Nordin (Bishan-Toa Payoh) | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | Supplementary question, Sir. Beyond the allocation of resources and funding, what else are we looking to strengthen the MMOs? And will capabilities and capacity building be looked at to meet with future challenges for the community? Also, about the renewal of leadership within the MMOs, is there anything for us to assi... |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 10 | Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, the MMOs are independent organisations. So, we are in no position to suggest otherwise how the leadership renewal should take place. But, obviously, in line with other renewals which are taking place in the overall Singapore society, we would encourage the Malay/Muslim organisations to review their own long-term ... |
2012-09-10 | 3 | 11 | Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim | Funding Sources for Malay/Muslim Organisations | OA | 12 | 1 | On the first point raised by the Member, apart from financial resources, Mendaki since 2002 or 2003 has started what we call the "policy forum" to allow a greater sharing of information and data with the Muslim organisations, so that they are in a better place to make an assessment of our challenges and, therefore, ref... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 0 | Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong – | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | The following question stood in the name of Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong – |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 1 | 8 | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether cycling is included in the Ministry's transport and infrastructure policy; (b) whether the Ministry has planned for the rising number of cyclists on the roads; and (c) whether a comprehensive and coordinated national strategy to promote cycling as a mode of transport will b... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 2 | 8 | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | 9 To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry has conducted a systematic study on how other developed cities with busy roads have integrated cycling into the traffic system with a coordinated network of lanes, road signages, road markings and traffic signals and, if so, what practical lessons have been drawn... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 3 | Dr Janil Puthucheary | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | 10 Dr Janil Puthucheary asked the Minister for Transport (a) what measures does the Ministry intend to adopt to increase the safety of cyclists and reduce the risk of accidents on the roads; (b) whether the Ministry foresees a greater proportion of Singaporeans utilising cycling primarily as a means of transport; and (... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 4 | Mr Yee Jenn Jong | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | 11 Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the outcome of the $43 million pilot programme undertaken by the Ministry since 2009 to design and construct dedicated cycling paths in the five selected HDB towns of Tampines, Pasir Ris, Taman Jurong, Sembawang and Yishun; (b) whether there will be a det... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 5 | Mr Nicholas Fang | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | 12 Mr Nicholas Fang askedthe Minister for Transport given the current regulations requiring motorists to undergo training and testing before being licensed to go on the road, whether it is possible to (a) put in place a similar requirement for all cyclists to undergo training and education on safe road use before being... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 7 | Ms Janice Koh | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | 13 Ms Janice Koh asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the number of reported traffic accidents between pedal cyclists and motorists each year since 2008; (b) how many such fatalities have resulted each year since 2008; (c) what are the main causes of such accidents; and (d) whether there is a need to re-conside... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 8 | Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | 14 Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Transport given the increasing number of cyclists on the roads (a) what are the Ministry's plans for improving road safety for cyclists; (b) whether a campaign will be mounted to change the attitudes of motorists towards cyclists and to condition motorists to look out fo... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 9 | Dr Lim Wee Kiak | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | 15 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Transport in view of the recent spate of traffic accidents including fatalities involving cyclists and motorists on Singapore roads (a) what measures have been taken in the last five years; and (b) what additional measures are in the pipeline to curb such injuries and loss of l... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 10 | Dr Janil Puthucheary | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | 16 Dr Janil Puthucheary asked the Minister for Transport (a) how many cyclists were killed in the last five years as a result of traffic accidents; (b) of these accidents, in how many cases were the cyclists deemed to be at fault; (c) whether the Traffic Police will consider publishing a list of cycling accident black ... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 12 | The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | (for the Minister for Transport) : Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 8 to16 together? |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 14 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, I thank Members for their questions on cycling. In recent years, recognising its increasing popularity, my Ministry has taken active steps to facilitate cycling as a mode of transport, starting with a $43 million pilot programme in 2009 to construct dedicated cycling paths in five selected HDB towns − Tampines, P... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 15 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | These plans take time to roll out but, already, we have provided 6.4 km of dedicated cycling paths in the first five cycling towns. By 2014, this will increase to well over 50 km in our HDB towns. In addition, LTA has recently provided 1.5 km of cycling paths along the perimeter roads of the new Gardens by the Bay, and... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 17 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | These cycling paths that we are building are dedicated off-road paths, allowing us to segregate cyclists from on-road vehicles, as well as separating pedestrians from cyclists. We are investing in such cycling paths as they are safer for cyclists of all proficiencies, cater to the most number of users, and are generall... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 18 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | We recognise that some cycling commuting trips are made between towns. For these less prevalent trips, we will look into linking up the intra-town cycling paths. Where appropriate, we will capitalise on the Park Connector Network, which will eventually allow us to achieve a larger, safe cycling network that can cater t... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 19 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | There have also been calls for the Government to do more for on-road cycling. In Singapore, land is a scarce commodity and, I dare say, road space is even scarcer. Most of our roads today are optimally sized for traffic conditions, and adding a dedicated lane for non-motorised traffic would require additional land, or ... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 20 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | LTA has studied many cities that have attempted to integrate cycling as part of their traffic systems. Every city has a different approach, influenced by factors, such as population density, quality of public transport, land availability, cycling culture, traffic speed, and so on. Some cities in China, Denmark and the ... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 21 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Ms Janice Koh, Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Dr Janil Puthucheary expressed concerns about traffic accidents involving cyclists. I share their concerns. The total number of reported fatal and injury accidents where cyclists are involved has declined by 17% between 2008 and 2011. Cyclists were found to be at least partly at fault... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 22 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Every fatality – cyclist, pedestrian or otherwise – is one too many, and I share Members' sentiments that we should minimise them. All road users, be they cyclists, motorists or pedestrians, need to play their part in this. The common causes of accidents attributable to cyclists or other road users include: failing to ... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 24 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Mr Nicholas Fang asked if the Traffic Police should require cyclists to undergo training and education on safe road use before being allowed to take to the roads. Since the profile of cyclists ranges from school children to senior citizens, from foreign workers to persons who pursue cycling as a sport, the Traffic Poli... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 25 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Motorists, during learner-driver training, are taught various safety considerations towards cyclists on the roads. Drivers are taught to give ample room to cyclists, especially when passing them. Drivers are also taught not to make sharp turns at corners, and to slow down and give way to vulnerable road users, which in... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 26 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | On the enforcement front, the Traffic Police will continue to maintain ground presence to ensure that cyclists and motorists abide by traffic rules. Firm action will be taken against those who display dangerous road behaviour, such as driving or riding without due regard to the safety of others. We also urge cyclists t... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 27 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Ms Irene Ng and Dr Janil asked about the penalties for errant motorists and cyclists. A driver who unintentionally causes the death of a person in a road traffic accident may be charged under the Penal Code or the Road Traffic Act, depending on the circumstances of the case and the degree of culpability. A convicted dr... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 28 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Similar considerations are applicable to other types of criminal offences where a death was unintentionally caused and where the person is also charged under the Penal Code. The Police periodically reviews its penalty framework for all offences, and will continue to monitor the situation carefully. |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 29 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Cyclists who flout traffic rules will be issued summonses. Depending on the circumstances, a cyclist may be offered a composition amount of $20 for the offences. In the case where a person was hurt, the cyclist may be prosecuted in Court under the Penal Code for endangering the safety of others by rash riding, and they... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 31 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | To sum up, we will continue to give priority to our efforts to develop off-road cycling paths to facilitate intra-town cycling. We will also review if we can do a little more on the infrastructure front to facilitate on-road cycling. Beyond infrastructure, it is also important for us to inculcate good cycling habits an... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 32 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | In the coming months, I intend to meet more of the different stakeholders to better understand their viewpoints and to see whether we need to review the approach that we have taken so far and the provisions that we have made to facilitate cycling in Singapore. |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 33 | Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Nee Soon) | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Mr Speaker, Sir, let me thank and congratulate the Parliamentary Secretary for his maiden reply in this House. |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 34 | Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Nee Soon) | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | I would like to ask a simple supplementary question regarding whether his Ministry would consider designating certain roads, especially on weekends and public holidays, for cycling. At least to reserve one lane, especially on roads that are less used in the catchment areas, such as Mandai or even in the Changi area. Th... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 35 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, I would like to thank the Member for the suggestion. As I am doing my engagement process today and beyond today, I will take that as feedback and suggestion. I will take note of this when we review our plan. |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 36 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | But, Sir, beyond providing space for our cyclists, motorists and pedestrians, what is important is for us to have a caring attitude, to develop a caring attitude amongst Singaporeans. Since my Facebook posting, I have received many views and suggestions from Singaporeans to improve road safety. I have also met cyclists... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 37 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | I mentioned earlier one death is one too many. In fact, I find that one injury is also one too many. Any death and accident affect that individual as well as their friends and families. It may affect their physical abilities. At the same time, it will also affect their friends, their livelihood, the way they live with ... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 39 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | With this attitude, it is important for us to see how we can develop, continue this journey of caring for one another. Sometimes, I think the people who are next to me are going to visit their loved ones, the person who is behind me going to visit their friends, meet their friends to have a good time, or to visit their... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 40 | Dr Janil Puthucheary | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | I would like to echo the congratulations to the Parliamentary Secretary, and ask a number of supplementary questions. In the engagement and the review of the process of looking at cycling, going forward, I wonder whether the Ministry might consider the priority. The framework, as explained, is to essentially segregate... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 41 | Dr Janil Puthucheary | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | The other question I have is with respect to fines. I do not advocate an increasingly strict enforcement regime to drive behaviour but I would ask if the Ministry would consider that some consistency in terms of the enforcement framework would be necessary. I give one particular example. The Parliamentary Secretary sai... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 42 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, I thank the Member for the good questions. As Members mentioned, cycling behaviour is affected by many, many things. We feel that one of the factors to provide safe cycling is to have separate off-road cycling lanes. Beyond that, we will continue to educate the public, not only the cyclists, but the motorists and... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 43 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | With regard to the enforcement regime, I take the suggestion by the Member and, as I mentioned in my answer, the Traffic Police and MHA are reviewing the enforcement regime. We are going to see how we can make it commensurate with the severity of the offences. |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 44 | Mr Nicholas Fang (Nominated Member) | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the answers. I would like to raise three supplementary questions. One of the first issues that we should look at that is affecting the discussion between cyclists and other road users today is the view of what cycling is meant to be. So far, in all your answers, you make it quit... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 46 | Mr Nicholas Fang (Nominated Member) | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | I would also like to thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the answers on the regulatory measures that can be implemented. I understand that the varied groups of cyclists mean that trying to put in place a cycling licence, for example, may not be ideal. But if you look at the amount of regulation that is put in place f... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 47 | Mr Nicholas Fang (Nominated Member) | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | And, thirdly, safety requirements, such as mandatory helmets or, perhaps, reflective vests or bands, could be put in place as mandatory for all cyclists. I understand they are not at the moment. Would the Ministry consider such a measure? |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 48 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Sir, I would like to thank the Member for his supplementary questions. He asked if we view cycling as an alternative mode of transport. Indeed, it is an alternative mode of transport, especially for the first and the last mile travel. We are encouraging intra-town travelling. And, in fact, if you look at the trend, th... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 49 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | We are also looking at how cyclists can travel from one town to another town – inter-town. In fact, yesterday, I just met a grassroots leader who shared with me that he cycles to work from Yishun to Loyang, even though he takes one hour. But he is a different type of cyclist in the sense that he said he uses all the in... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 50 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | We recognise such a phenomenon and, as I have mentioned earlier, in time to come, we will develop more cycling paths in the whole of Singapore. With new estates coming on board, it will be an integrated one, and we would certainly like to see how we can make it a more sustainable transport system in Singapore. We want ... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 52 | Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | With regard to the rules and requirements for cyclists, we are reviewing that, as what I mentioned earlier. We understand your point and it is important for us to understand that, if you look at cyclists, they range from the small kids to senior citizens, foreign workers and those who use it for sports. We are very min... |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 53 | Mr Speaker | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Mr Nicholas Fang, last question. |
2012-09-10 | 4 | 54 | Mr Nicholas Fang | National Strategy to Promote Safe Cycling on the Roads | OA | 12 | 1 | Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just one clarification, as to my first question: so, would the Ministry ever consider advocating cycling as an alternative form of transport, not just intra-town but from town to CBD, and actually encouraging that? That would change a lot of the way other road users view cyclists. People look at ... |
End of preview. Expand in Data Studio
No dataset card yet
- Downloads last month
- 9