Committee of Supply – Head N (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Multilateral Cooperation on COVID-19

Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head N of the Estimates be reduced by $100."

Last week, I spoke during the main debate on the threat of COVID-19 and at that time, it had just about started emerging in other countries. Singapore has had a relatively well-managed situation, with the majority of our cases making recovery and no fatalities to date – though of course, this may still happen as we still have a few people in intensive care.

Worldwide though, COVID-19 is now spreading like wildfire. Just today, CNA reported that the global COVID-19 death toll now exceeds 3,000, with 88,0000 people infected worldwide across 60 countries. South Korea has now become the biggest nest of infection outside China, with more than 4,000 cases in total. In Japan, the prefecture of Hokkaido has declared a state of emergency following an identification of at least 63 cases and two deaths. The US, which only recently reported its first cases, has now also had its first death from COVID-19 in Washington state, and there are fears that there may be a larger number of undetected cases, who may in turn unwittingly spread the disease.

Closer to home, our ASEAN neighbours are also dealing with the COVID-19 threat. Thailand has reported its first death and there are 42 cases recorded. This is the second death in ASEAN. There was an earlier one in the Philippines. Malaysia has a small number of cases and Indonesia has not detected any yet. However, part of the reason for this small number in some of these countries may have been because they are unable to do the large-scale testing that Singapore has engaged in. I was corrected – Indonesia has two cases.

While there are many things that divide us, dealing with the COVID-19 threat may be one way for all of us to come together. Singapore's way of dealing with COVID-19 has won praise from the World Health Organization. And Bloomberg has recently described Singapore's response as the litmus test for dealing with COVID-19. This may be an opportunity for us to render help and expertise to other countries when dealing with this threat. Of course, only upon their request.

Could the Minister share whether Singapore is working with ASEAN and the international community to deal with the COVID-19 threat?

Question proposed.

Mobilisation Efforts for COVID-19

Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar): Chairman, the current COVID-19 outbreak is a global concern that has widespread public health and economic implications. As an open economy and international trade hub, Singapore is experiencing a significant impact from the outbreak. We also have many Singaporeans living and working overseas who have been affected.

How has MFA been mobilised to support Singapore's inter-agency efforts to combat COVID-19? Would the Ministry share with us how it had managed during the various evacuation efforts and the challenges it faced? What lessons have we learnt from this experience?

Does MFA see a need to increase our ground presence in more territories overseas so as to provide better support for Singaporeans living and working there? Does MFA foresee that it would have to initiate similar evacuation exercises in other countries should the outbreak worsen and spread to more countries?

Bilateral Relations with Malaysia

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers for Education and Minister for Social and Family Development (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim): Mr Chairman, several bilateral issues with Malaysia took a turn in end-2018, such as on the maritime and airspace fronts. While a number of these issues appear to have made progress, other issues still require discussions from both sides. This includes key connectivity projects such as the Singapore-Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System Link and the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail. These are projects that will benefit both our peoples and that I hope will proceed on track expeditiously. It is also notable that our Health Ministries have quickly set up a Joint Working Group to collaborate on tackling the COVID-19 situation across our borders.

The political situation in Malaysia has evolved rapidly in recent days. Yesterday, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was sworn in as the eighth Prime Minister of Malaysia. As Malaysia's closest neighbour, we have a long-term vested interest in Malaysia’s stability and prosperity, as any developments there will inevitably impact Singapore in many ways.

I would like to seek an update on the developments in Malaysia, the progress of key bilateral issues and how Singapore can step up our relations with Malaysia in the longer term.

Raw Water from Johor

Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Sir, like all Members of this House, I had to file my Committee of Supply cuts before the onset of the political imbroglio that unfolded in Malaysia over the course of the last week. I filed this cut amongst other reasons, in view of the comments made over the course of the last year both in Singapore and Malaysia about pollution and water security issues surrounding the abstraction of raw water in Johor, an issue that affects not just Singapore but Malaysia too.

On pollution, since 2017, there have been seven incidents affecting the Johor River which shut down the PUB's Johor waterworks, disrupting the supply of raw water to Singapore. That arose because of illegal discharges within the water catchment area from industries such as chicken farms and palm oil mills in particular and pollution in general.

Separately, Singaporeans and Malaysians would also recall the shutting down of schools in Malaysia arising from pollution in Sungei Kim Kim in Johor last year. Questions have also been raised in this Parliament about the safety of water supply and air quality, questions which would be far more immediate and pressing for our friends in Malaysia and specifically, Johor.

Separately, the issue of the price of water sold to Singapore has also come to the fore strongly over the course of the year with the matter discussed on Malaysian talk shows and unsurprisingly, in the Malaysian parliament too.

3.30 pm

Sir, this matter of the price of raw water is a genie that is not going back into its bottle anytime soon. This is especially so since various Malaysian states already charge more for raw water to their own fellow Malaysians. For example, in September last year, Water Watch Penang raised concerns about the neighbouring state of Perak offering to sell its treated water to Penang at 70 sen per 1,000 litres. The matter is coming to head because Penang draws water from Sungei Muda, a river shared with the state of Kedah and it is estimated that the river can only cater to Penang's demand until 2025. In Johor, senior Malaysian leaders also shared last year that by the second half of this year, Johor's water reserve threshold will drop down to zero, and alluded that Malaysia would have to look after the interests of Malaysians first. More broadly, the Malaysian National Water Services Commission has proposed that Malaysian states should look to increase water tariffs by 10% to 20%.

Sir, these developments, and the matter of greater water insecurity in Malaysia is likely to bring the headline figure we purchase raw water from Johor for 3 sen for every 1,000 gallons – in the political spotlight, more so than ever before. The fact that Singapore has in turn locked the low price of treated water sold to around 11 sen per 1,000 litres and supplied more water to Malaysia than required under the existing water agreement – is likely remain a footnote.

Singapore has a lot of experience in water collection, treatment, supply and separately, waste management, including the discharge of effluents. The rising water security issues in Malaysia provides an opportunity to consider how both Singapore and Malaysia can look to reduce the prospect of our water agreement as a potential source of strain in our relationship. For Singapore, water from Malaysia is cheaper to treat than desalinated water. Is there scope for greater cooperation between Singapore and Malaysia in this regard?

Relationship with Indonesia

Mr Vikram Nair: Chairman, Indonesia is the most populous country in ASEAN and the largest economy. Ever since the formation of ASEAN, we have had strong relations with Indonesia at all levels, from government-to-government, between the defence forces and at the people-to-people level.

In October last year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong mentioned at a press conference at the Istana that Singapore’s relations with Indonesia are in "good shape" and there is an "excellent relationship of trust and cooperation" built with President Joko Widodo, which has meant that both sides have prospered during the latter’s term in office. This was said during Mr Widodo’s two-day visit to Singapore for the Singapore-Indonesia Leader’s Retreat.

At the people-to-people level, I also agree that relations are good and strong and over the last two decades of my working life, I have dealt with many Indonesia clients and cases and with many investments by Singapore companies in Indonesia as well as Indonesians making investments in Singapore.

However, there were a number of outstanding bilateral issues that have made the news over the last year. This has included differences between us in the administration of the regional air space, particularly the Riau Islands Flight Information Region (FIR) as well as military training. What is Singapore’s approach to some of these outstanding bilateral issues with Indonesia, such as the management of airspace and military training?

Relations with Indonesia

Mr Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade): Indonesia is a key player in our region and important partner for Singapore. We are certainly one of the largest foreign investor in the country. Can the Minister update us on the overall state of bilateral relations with Indonesia, and how Singapore is engaging the second Jokowi Administration as well as the regions beyond Jakarta?

Prime Minister Joko Widodo has said that he is ready for more cooperation with Singapore, including in human development, tourism and industry. By the end of Mr Jokowi’s second term in 2024, Indonesia is targeted to have a growth of 6%. But it is not just about the numbers. Singapore needs to see beyond economic ties and see how we can forge a common future with our neighbours in the region. What can we do, and how we can better prepare ourselves for this deeper engagement?

Bilateral Relations with Brunei

Mr Chong Kee Hiong (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Chairman, Brunei and Singapore are the two smallest nations by geographical size in the ASEAN region. Due to many similarities, we have built up a special relationship over the years.

Since our early days of nation building, positive interactions between the two countries at every level, up to the highest echelons of leadership, have paved the way for many areas of cooperation. Every year, we continue to have a steady stream of high-level visits to and from Brunei. These help to maintain the deep personal and institutional ties between the two nations. The Currency Interchangeability Agreement and our strong defence cooperation underpin the robust ties between Singapore and Brunei.

As one of Brunei's largest trading partners, there is room for further collaboration between our private sector and Brunei. This is particularly so as Brunei is in the process of diversifying its economy. During President Halimah’s visit in May 2018, she mentioned that possible areas of cooperation included eco-tourism, aquaculture and financial technology. The President also witnessed the signing of two pacts to strengthen financial co-operation between our two countries. Could the Ministry share an update on the progress in these areas of interest?

Against the background of increasing geopolitical uncertainty and various regional and global challenges, what areas of cooperation are we exploring to strengthen our special relationship and bring mutual benefits to our people?

Bilateral Cooperation with USA

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministers for Culture, Community and Youth and Transport (Mr Baey Yam Keng): Mr Chairman, Singapore and the US established official diplomatic ties in 1966. Since then, we have enjoyed deep and long-standing relations. More importantly, the relationship has been based on substantive cooperation across many areas, particularly in the economic and defence/security sectors.

Our economic links are robust. In 2019, the US was Singapore’s third largest trading partner in goods and top trading partner in services. The US is Singapore’s largest source of foreign direct investment. Conversely, Singapore is the US' fourth-largest Asian investor after Japan, China and the Republic of Korea.

There were several high-level exchanges in 2019. Prime Minister just met President Donald Trump in September last year. It is their fourth meeting since Mr Trump took office three years ago.

Twenty-nineteen also marked a key milestone in our defence relationship. A Protocol of Amendment signed between Prime Minister and President Trump extended the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding, which covers US access to Singapore military facilities, for another 15 years.

Given our mature and multi-faceted links with the US, how has MFA sought to deepen cooperation between Singapore and the US?

The US today has been quite different since three years ago, with a current President who is very different from his predecessors. Its role in the global landscape is also changing with very different dynamics. I hope MFA could enlighten the House on how Singapore has been responding, and the way forward.

Relationship with USA and China

Mr Vikram Nair: Chairman, Singapore has had long-standing relationships with both the US and China. These are now the two largest economies in the world and the two biggest powers. The US has been a good friend since our independence, playing a key role in our defence relations and bringing security to the region, along with investment and trade.

In relation to China, Singapore started investing heavily in China long before China reintegrated into the world economy, and places like Suzhou Industrial Park are a testament to the long-standing and deep ties and cooperation between our countries.

While our relations with both great powers are good, US-China relations have been difficult in recent times. There has been rivalry on multiple fronts, including over the South China Sea, the trade war that has started with the imposition of tariffs against each other and even the challenge over the 5G network, with Huawei being blocked from the US.

Singapore has traditionally sought to maintain good relations with the US and China. How can Singapore balance relations with the two major powers against this backdrop of intensifying rivalry?

ASEAN

Mr Charles Chong (Punggol East): Mr Chairman, being part of a multi-national organisation such as ASEAN certainly makes sense for Singapore in 1967 when as a small nation we could leverage on being part of a larger grouping to make our voice heard and our concerns known on the world stage. Cooperation and collaboration with our closest neighbours was also something that was and continues to be beneficial for Singapore.

Indeed, the US State Department's assessment of ASEAN is that ASEAN commands far greater influence on the Asia Pacific trade, political and security issues than its members could achieve individually and all of the ASEAN member nations, this was particularly true of Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s. However, given that things have moved on since then and given the differing rates of economic and social development within the group, I would like to ask the Minister to what extent to which ASEAN continues to be strategically important to Singapore, in particular, could the Minister elaborate as to some key initiatives which keep ASEAN relevant to today's world and to Singapore as a Member? It is also well known that ASEAN operates on the basis of decision-making by consensus. While this has its benefits in that the bloc will be agreed by any decision it makes, this can also come at a cost on the progress on matters which may be considered by some to be more controversial. Now, would the Minister clarify if this policy is something that can or will be looked into to make ASEAN more nimble, more able to adapt and to address matters of concern more expeditiously.

Tap onto Opportunities Afforded by ASEAN

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Nee Soon): Chairman, can MFA provide an update on key ASEAN's progress and developments in the past year, including updates on issues such as upholding ASEAN centrality; developing the Code of Conduct for South China Sea; and fostering the ASEAN common market?

Amidst the climate of major power rivalry and weakening multi-lateralism, ASEAN continues to be an effective driver for multi-lateralism which has underpinned the prosperity and peace in our region.

And for Singapore and our trading partners, ASEAN is an important source of economic potential. How can Singapore best tap onto the opportunities afforded by ASEAN?

ASEAN and Regional Cooperation

Dr Teo Ho Pin (Bukit Panjang): Mr Chairman, over the last 50 years, ASEAN has provided an excellent platform for its member countries to cooperate to achieve political stability and economic growth in the region. Many dialogues and exchanges have resulted in strong and friendly bilateral and multi-lateral relations among its member countries. At the same time, free trade agreements have facilitated economic cooperation and growth in various countries. These efforts have benefited and improve the quality of life for people in ASEAN member countries through the benefits yielded through economic interdependence.

Sir, in 2015 the ASEAN Economic Committee (AEC) was established to further boost economic cooperation among ASEAN member countries to serve its growing population of 630 million people. By 2030, 60% of the population will be middle-class and thus ASEAN will be the fourth largest single market in the world after United States, China and the European Union.

Sir, there is a need to expedite and increase business interactions among companies in the ASEAN region. As a financial and business hub, Singapore can consider hosting more ASEAN trade exhibitions and conferences. These can be CEO networking sessions, business development opportunities, sharing and skills training for future growth industries. These business interaction opportunities can be expanded to the Asia-Pacific region.

Sir, I wish to ask Minister to provide updates on first, Singapore's efforts in engaging ASEAN and its member countries on economic cooperation; second, the status of the Regional Comprehensive partnership (RCEP).

The Chairman: Order. I propose to take a break now.

Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House.

Mr Speaker: Order. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 4.05 pm.

Sitting accordingly suspended

at 3.45 pm until 4.05 pm.

Sitting resumed at 4.05 pm

[Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair]

Debate in Committee of Supply resumed.

[Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair]

Head N (cont) –

The Chairman: Miss Cheryl Chan.

Regional Engagement with Key Partners

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling (Fengshan): Chairman, Sir, the pace of change had taken speed like no other in the past decade and even more so, in recent years. This is not only a result of globalisation but also technological disruptions, adaptability to changes and dynamics in geopolitical situations. The world today is interconnected in many ways. The recent COVID-19 has shown just how one key aspect, the disruption of supply chain, can have global impact on trade.

Despite the intense connectivity between countries on many fronts, there are signs of bifurcation and turbulence constantly seen globally. Amidst growing uncertainties in our region, it is important that we keep our engagement with key regional and strategic partners outside our immediate neighbourhood and forge closer links with countries that share similar strategic perspective as us and will offer economic and other opportunities for cooperation.

As Singapore continues to be heavily dependent on trade and partnerships, we need to renew our efforts in maintaining relationships and explore new areas of cooperation with different countries. For instance, Singapore shares close people-to-people ties and multifaceted cooperation with Japan and the Republic of Korea. With Australia, we also share similar views on the importance of an open rules-based and inclusive multilateral system. Further, there are opportunities for cooperation with India, which is also a growing market in Asia with tremendous economic potential and promising democratic dividends.

In this regard, I would like to ask how MFA intends to strengthen our engagement with such key partners in the region to ensure that Singapore remains a relevant stakeholder.

Helping Repatriate Rohingyas

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Two years ago, I was at the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh and listened to horrific stories of women being raped and how they watched their babies get stabbed to death. I held the hand of a little girl who was shot and she showed me her bullet wound. A young man showed me a video of the dead bodies of his entire family of seven. He watched them get slaughtered.

Two years later, all these are still fresh in my mind. What I have heard has scarred me for life and made me question my faith in humanity. But more than anything, it has scarred the Rohingyas for life and they desperately need help. This is not a political issue and we are not interfering with domestic affairs. This is a humanitarian disaster and we can and should provide help to over a million refugees.

As Deputy Prime Minister Heng said, "As the world builds walls, Singapore must go against the tide and build bridges". The Rohingyas need this bridge now. They need a way out of the huge wall built around them.

I understand there is a need for an independent assessment of the situation in Rakhine state by the Rohingyas themselves before they will consider any repatriation. I hope ASEAN can help facilitate this and Singapore can ensure it is discussed at ASEAN meetings. I am also willing to volunteer to help with any on-site assessments.

Sir, we need to remember that, "There is no us or them. Only us. One human family connected in ways we sometimes forget".

Relations with Malaysia

Dr Chia Shi-Lu (Tanjong Pagar): Chairman, Malaysia and Singapore are close neighbours bound by geographical, historical, cultural and family ties. We have always been highly interdependent and our Government agencies, business entities and people have maintained their close connections through economic cycles and changes in both regional and global politics. There is substantial trade and co-investments between our two countries. For example, an estimated 250,000 commuters cross the border at the Causeway daily, and in addition, we have more movement via the Tuas Second Link and also by air.

I would like to ask MFA for an assessment of our bilateral relations with Malaysia, particularly in the light of its recent political changes with the swearing in of its eighth Prime Minister just yesterday. Would the Ministry provide an update on areas of cooperation and the progress of projects we are pursuing together? What are some of the challenges that we face? What efforts are we making to expand and deepen our engagement with Malaysia, such as building ties with the various Malaysian states?

Deepening Relationship with ASEAN

Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio): Chairman, with the global pivot to Asia, it is more important than ever for Singapore to deepen her relationship with ASEAN countries beyond the immediate neighbours. While ASEAN nations share core values, we are quite different in terms of our political backgrounds, population profiles, cultures and geography. Nevertheless, we are highly interlinked in many areas, including trade, economic and military cooperation. We also work together to overcome common environmental and security challenges.

The Government has announced the Asia-Ready Exposure programme and set the "70-70" target to increase our youths' exposure to ASEAN. I am confident they will be well-prepared to carry on our work to promote inter-governmental and private sector cooperation within ASEAN.

Would the Ministry share an update on recent work and future plans to deepen our relationship with ASEAN countries?

International Community and Cybersecurity

Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Mr Chairman, as we all know, the world is becoming even more interconnected through information and communications technology (ICT) especially when 5G technology is embraced and the use Internet of Things (IoT) devices becomes de rigour.

Many hon Members of Parliament have cautioned against the corresponding risk of catastrophe occurring in the event the computer systems, particularly those that control critical information infrastructure, such as power, water and transportation networks, are hijacked by states, terrorist groups or criminal organisations.

We have already seen examples of such situations occurring. The effects of such sabotage may be felt globally too given that a significant part of the global economy is driven by digital services. There is, therefore, a clear need for the international community to come together to take steps to protect this space against such threats.

Senior Minister Teo recognised this need at the Singapore International Cyber Week 2019 conference on 1 October 2019. He said as follows, "Difficult as it is, we need more dialogue and cooperation among governments and the private sector to help us to find better solutions to build a shared future, deal with sophisticated cyber threats and strengthen trust and confidence in the digital systems that we have come to depend on."

I am very heartened to note that Singapore is doing its part to promote cooperation and increase preparedness within the international community and our region. This again was highlighted in Senior Minister Teo's speech. For example, Singapore is a member of the United Nations Group of Government Experts (UNGGE) which was set up in 2004 aimed at forging a common set of norms and rules of cyberspace amongst UN members. Not only that, Singapore helped to organise cybersecurity exercises, such as the ASEAN Computer Emergency Response Team Incident Drill involving ASEAN countries and its Dialogue Partners. Last year, we saw the set-up of the ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence.

May I ask for an assessment of the state of cooperation within the international and regional community at this point? How better prepared are we in safeguarding Singapore's cybersecurity arising from the same?

Singapore's Paris Agreement Commitment

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers for Health and Home Affairs (Mr Amrin Amin): Increasingly, we are seeing the impact of climate change everywhere, through sea level rise, warmer temperatures and more frequent natural disasters. The 2018 Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on the effects of global warming of 1.5°C concluded that at the current warming rates, this 1.5°C threshold will be breached between 2030 and 2052, and that the current ambition level of countries' climate pledges is insufficient and only consistent with a 3°C warming pathway.

Despite the urgent need for the international community to work together and ratchet efforts to reduce emissions, many countries have yet to fully implement the obligations or table sufficiently ambitious climate pleasures as called for under the Paris Agreement. Some have chosen to withdraw from the Agreement entirely.

In view of this, I would like to ask MFA how Singapore is fulfilling its commitments under the Paris Agreement. What role can Singapore play internationally to shore up regional and global support for the Paris Agreement.

Threat of Terrorism

Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah): Mr Chairman, Singapore is a member of the global coalition to defeat ISIS. There have been a number of successful operations in recent years against ISIS and its leadership. Notwithstanding, terrorism unfortunately continues to happen in various forms and places around the world. Counter-terrorism is a cross-border and crossed jurisdiction effort. It requires a strong intelligent sharing network amongst countries, particularly cooperation arrangements between frontline law enforcement and security agencies and like-minded countries forging strong alliance to fight the threat, often via multilateral and bilateral platforms.

Can I ask the Minister to share on MFA's role and efforts in helping to secure Singapore from the threat of terrorism?

4.15 pm

Middle East Relations

Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Mr Chairman, in spite of political turmoil in some parts of Middle East, Singapore has continued to maintain multilateral ties with the region. There are some Singapore companies in the Middle East as well and we have always warmly welcomed visitors from the region for the purpose of medical tourism, travel and so forth. But early this year, rising tensions in the Middle East had resulted in MFA issuing a travel advisory to citizens not to remain in or travel to Iraq and Iran. Could MFA provide an update on the status of developments in the Middle East, as well as our key engagements with the countries in the region? What other partnerships can we develop with the Middle East countries as they diversify beyond oil as an economic driver?

Update on Singapore-China Relations

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs and National Development (Ms Sun Xueling): Chairman, China has been Singapore's largest trading partner since 2013 and Singapore is China's largest foreign investor. The government-to-government projects between the two countries offer opportunities for mutual learning and mutual benefit.

The China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (CSIP) celebrated its 25th anniversary recently and is moving beyond its brick-and-mortar industrial park beginnings. With developments in professional services, intellectual property management and financial services, the CSIP has the potential to bring its successful model to third party countries. This is also aided by the listing of China-Singapore SIP Development Group, which would provide a platform for fund-raising, allowing it to finance further growth beyond Suzhou and China, and into ASEAN under the Belt and Road initiative.

The Tianjin Eco-city also now features 8,200 registered companies and over 100,000 people living and working in its 30 sq km area. The next step for the Tianjin Eco-city is to further invest into being a smart city and be a showcase for sustainable development. Its model can then be replicated in the neighbouring areas and bring much benefit to local development.

The China-Singapore Chongqing Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity offers Singapore an opportunity to plug into China's Belt and Road initiative while also bringing benefits to the western region of China.

However, recent developments arising from COVID-19 have thrown supply chains worldwide into disarray. Anecdotally, firms in Singapore which have partners and parts of the supply chain based in China have experienced work stoppage and difficulty in moving products in and out of China.

How is Singapore working with China to manage the impact arising from the COVID-19 outbreak so as to minimise disruptions to trade and commerce? Are there specific areas for cooperation, given the existing government-to-government projects? Technology and medical advancements can contribute towards the diagnostics, tracing and treatment of COVID-19. Are there areas in science and technology where Singapore and China can collaborate to collectively address the threats fro COVID-19?

At the 15th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation, Singapore and China have inked nine agreements. This ranged from customs twinning to a smart city project in Shenzhen to a youth internship programme. Will the outbreak of COVID-19 derail these plans?

This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore. There are new opportunities for both countries to seek together and also, new challenges that need to be addressed. What are our plans to commemorate the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between Singapore and China? Also, can the Ministry share about new areas of bilateral cooperation?

Multilaterialsm

Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines): As a highly connected small city state, Singapore is vulnerable to regional and international upheavals. And as a small state, multilateral institutions and platforms that underpin a rules-based international order are critical to ensuring a level playing field for all countries.

The world is going through a complex transition. The strategic balance is shifting. More countries are keen to enhance their international roles. And they are competing fiercely for influence. At the same time, the global consensus on the benefits of globalisation has eroded and support for multilateralism has declined. In many countries, nationalist, isolationist, and protectionist sentiments have intensified. These sentiments have reshaped their domestic politics and given rise to inward-looking and nativist policies.

The result, ultimately, is a more polarised world. In such an uncertain global climate, how much importance should our foreign policy place on multilateralism?

Singapore-China Relations

Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson): Twenty-twenty marks the 30th anniversary of Singapore-China's formal diplomatic relations. Our two countries have come a long way, achieving many important milestones, whilst enduring moments that tested the strength and depth of our relations.

Over the decades, our economies developed our unique capabilities and character. We invest in each other significantly and enterprises from Singapore and China are also venturing out together. At the people-to-people level, interactions are frequent, ties are warm; we encourage our youths to learn more about each other’s culture through exchanges and internships.

Looking ahead, we expect global headwinds and uncertainties. Internally, Singapore is also preparing for our political leadership transition over the next few years. As such, what is the plan for Singapore’s younger leaders to build on our current strong relations, to deepen their relations with Chinese leaders? How might our bilateral relations evolve and what can we expect in the nature of our future collaborations? How would these affect Singapore's place in the world?

Outreach Efforts

Ms Joan Pereira: Digital technology has transformed our communication modes in unprecedented ways. Today, digital platforms have become the new "mainstream" – many individuals are shifting to social media channels and closed-messaging apps to get real-time news and communicate with others. This development has traversed geographical language, ethnic, cultural and income boundaries.

Government agencies can harness the power of digital platforms to raise public awareness and understanding of their policies and gather feedback. The immediate and borderless nature of digital platforms also present an opportunity for MFA to reach out to Singaporeans at home and abroad in a timely manner, especially in the event of major incidents and for foreign policy decisions that have impact on Singaporeans.

As digital platforms continue to evolve, Government agencies need to introduce new ways to share content in order to better engage and connect with Singaporeans. Good communication and productive interaction will help build confidence and trust. For foreign policy, this is particularly the case. Singaporeans need to have a better understanding of the macro picture, the objectives of our foreign policies, and even the constraints we face. These are important with the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation online.

What are MFA’s efforts to engage Singaporeans on the fundamentals of Singapore’s foreign policy? How has MFA's outreach efforts developed?

Cultural Diplomacy

Mr Terence Ho Wee San (Nominated Member): Chairman, cultural diplomacy. In today's uncertain geopolitical landscape, soft power is key for small countries like Singapore; cultural diplomacy offers a human way for countries to see eye to eye and build meaningful, strategic and sustained cultural partnerships with other nations.

For instance: Singapore and Australia have agreed to strengthen cultural cooperation by building on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Arts and Culture that both countries signed in June 2015. We have established an Australia-Singapore Arts Group to increase collaboration between our artists, arts groups and cultural institutions. MFA and MCCY jointly established a fund of up to S$5 million over a period of five years to support Singapore artists, arts groups and performers to profile their works in Australia. As this MOU is going to expire soon, are there any plans to further it?

This year also marks Singapore and China’s 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Both countries signed nine agreements, which covered areas like customs clearance, intellectual property management, education, innovation and communications, as well as smart city development and exchange views on 'excellent' state of relations, back in October last year. Despite the current evolving COVID-19 outbreak, are there any plans in the second half of 2020, to consolidate a list of arts and culture events to mark the 30 years of relationship?

On this note, I would like to highlight that our arts and culture groups have been flying our flag overseas proud and high. Through cultural diplomacy, Singapore can project global influence and enhance relations with our foreign partners. Therefore, I urge the government to explore further – and perhaps turn the signing of MOU with our foreign partners into concrete and solid action plans, an instrumental role in expanding Singapore's cultural soft power to increase our presence and space.

Cultural diplomacy can help to broaden and deepen our bilateral relations with other countries at the people-to-people level. I will like to suggest that the government could consider deploying MFA resources in taking charge of the arts and culture in mission, such as a Culture Attaché or in other words, a culture diplomat. It makes for deeper and more direct relationships with our friends in the region. This helps to strengthen our networks with our foreign partners, strengthen Singapore’s position as a valuable collaborative partner. We are a small country and must allocate our resources well – yet also have an effective network of overseas missions. We seek to bring the voice of Singapore Arts to the world.

The Chairman: Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Dr Vivian Balakrishnan): Mr Chairman, Members of this House, I will start with a quiz. Which two Ministries are asking for less money this year, than last year?

Twenty-nineteen was a busy and eventful year for MFA. This year will be no different. I wish to address three key aspects of our foreign policy today. These are: first, looking after Singaporeans overseas; second, managing relations with our immediate neighbours; and, third, engaging major powers, specifically the US and China.

MFA's mission is to uphold Singapore’s independence and sovereignty; and advance the interests of Singaporeans, at home and especially, overseas.

Today, more Singaporeans than ever before are living, working and travelling overseas. This means more Singaporeans will occasionally run into trouble overseas – be it personal crises, epidemics, natural disasters or political unrest.

I have personally met Singaporeans who have lost loved ones in tragic overseas incidents or been released from detention overseas, and most recently, Singaporeans returning from Wuhan, the epicentre of COVID-19. All these Singaporeans have shared with me, that when the chips are down and when they are in a moment of great distress, what is most comforting is to hear that familiar Singapore-accented voice. The human touch made all the difference. These Singaporeans are so grateful to the Foreign Service officers who go beyond the call of duty to reach out to fellow Singaporeans at the point in need. They know we will leave no Singaporean behind. This is a 24/7 commitment – and I do want to express our deepest appreciation to all our consular officers all over the world, who are doing this.

It is telling that this year's MFA debates began with questions from Mr Vikram Nair and Ms Joan Pereira on COVID-19. New cases are occurring daily across the globe. Singaporeans, understandably, are concerned about their well-being and their loved ones. As Prime Minister Lee highlighted in his televised address on 8 February 2020, this is also the time for Singaporeans to pull together in solidarity.

While the focus is on containing and overcoming the crisis at home, we must do our best to take care of Singaporeans abroad affected by the travel restrictions or indeed, are at risk of exposure to the virus themselves.

Members will know that we launched two flights in late-January and early-February this year to Wuhan to bring our people home. There were a total of 266 Singaporeans and their family members from Hubei Province in China who returned. This was a major, delicate whole-of-Government operation. MFA worked closely with MOH, MOT, MHA, several other agencies and with the airline Scoot to arrange the flight repatriations and quarantine measures for our returning Singaporeans – for their safety and for the larger population.

Whilst many people were trying to leave Wuhan, it is noteworthy that our pilots, flight crew, nurses and MFA consular officers volunteered to fly into the epicentre of the epidemic. They accepted personal risk. They went beyond the call of duty to bring fellow Singaporeans home.

These officers themselves had to be quarantined for 14 days, separated from their family members. Their service, their personal sacrifice should be recognised and commended. I believe this was a display of the Singapore spirit at its best, tested and proven in a time of crisis. [Applause.]

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Diplomacy was also crucial. Our Embassy in Beijing had to coordinate closely with the Chinese government at the centre and with the Hubei provincial government to arrange these repatriation missions.

I will be very frank. Our decision around that same time to impose travel restrictions on travellers from mainland China was not an easy one. Our paramount consideration was to protect public health in Singapore. After all, we are a densely populated city-state and we are an international transportation hub. We did not want to import nor export infection. These stringent measures were necessary to prevent the virus from spreading here. These measures, I should add, were not directed at any specific country, nationality or race, but we recognised that this could impact our bilateral relations with China.

We therefore gave China a "heads-up" before making the public announcement and we made a special effort to explain why we had to do this. When I spoke to a senior Chinese leader recently, he conveyed China's understanding of the actions that we had taken due to the unique circumstances faced by Singapore. I think his exact words to me was, "我们可以理解你们的特殊情况".

He expressed his gratitude for our efforts to support China during this crisis. We sent testing equipment and test kits which were developed in Singapore to Wuhan. We also sent personal protective equipment and other medical supplies that were needed because of the sheer scale of the challenges that they were facing in Wuhan. The Singapore Red Cross has raised more than $6 million for the affected communities across China, and we have been working together with the international community to address this emerging global epidemic – and some people would say, pandemic.

Two weeks ago, I was in Vientiane for a Special Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) and a Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers Meeting. We reaffirmed the importance of openness, decisiveness and cooperation to collectively address the crisis.

When I stood here a year ago, I said peace and stability for our immediate neighbourhood are absolutely essential. Well, recent events just in the last one week have underlined this imperative. As our closest neighbours, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei will always be of special importance to us.

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim asked about our relationship with Malaysia. Members will know that our ties with Malaysia are deeply rooted in history, the people-to-people ties and business links. More than 300,000 people cross our land links daily for business, work and other reasons. The causeway is one of the busiest cross-border road-links in the world. Both countries, Malaysia and Singapore, are each other's second-largest trading partner and also important investment partners for each other. More personally, many of us seated in this Chamber will have family members or relatives who are Malaysian or who live in Malaysia. We therefore have long-standing and broad-ranging relations with Malaysia.

Over the years, we have worked with successive Malaysian governments for the mutual benefit of both countries. Members would be aware, of course, of the on-going major political developments just across the Causeway last week. We congratulate Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on being appointed Malaysia's eighth Perdana Menteri. In fact, Prime Minister Lee telephoned him yesterday to convey his congratulations personally.

We look forward to Prime Minister Muhyiddin forming his new cabinet soon. He has not announced it yet but we know many of the personalities who are potential cabinet members and we know them from our prolonged engagement over decades and we wish them sincerely all the very best. We hope we will continue to have a constructive, mutually beneficial relationship with Malaysia and we look forward to resuming the discussions on the on-going issues and projects, which Members are all aware of.

We have always sought a win-win approach in the many areas where we have common interests, such as the Singapore-Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System (RTS) and the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail (HSR). These are mutually beneficial projects for both countries. But after the Pakatan Harapan government took office in May 2018, Members will recall that these projects were delayed. When that happened, Singapore could have enforced our legal rights and we could have sought full compensation from Malaysia. But in the spirit of constructive bilateral cooperation, at Malaysia's request, we agreed to temporarily suspend both projects through formal agreements and we gave Malaysia time – time to review their position and to propose amendments to what both sides had in fact agreed to contractually before.

However, these major infrastructural projects cannot be suspended indefinitely. At some point, we do need to decide whether to proceed or not.

We look forward to hearing from Malaysia on these two projects in particular in the coming months.

At the same time, we have continued to have a constructive discussion on the maritime boundary delimitation. Members will recall the problems that we had last year. We have been able also to advance other areas of cooperation, including Iskandar Malaysia, more recently, setting up a Joint Working Group between our Ministries of Health on COVID-19.

Mr Pritam Singh has asked for an update on the bilateral issues in particular, on the 1962 Water Agreement (62WA).

Singapore's position, a long-standing position which successive Foreign Ministers have reiterated is that Malaysia has lost the right to review the price of water under the 62WA, and we had told Malaysia this, as early as 2002, when Singapore last negotiated with Malaysia on water as part of a package deal. Malaysia cannot unilaterally revise the price of water. Our legal position remains unchanged.

Then-Prime Minister Mahathir had raised with Prime Minister Lee on several occasions his desire to revise the price of raw water sold to Singapore. Malaysia subsequently made proposals on a new price for raw water. In the spirit of bilateral cooperation, but without prejudice to our position that Malaysia has lost the right of review, we have been willing to listen to and to discuss Malaysia's proposals on the basis that there must be a balance of benefits for both sides.

I have in fact had some preliminary discussions over the past couple of months over two meetings with my then-Malaysian counterpart, Dato' Saifuddin Abdullah. I believe we met in December 2019 and January 2020.

We made it clear to Malaysia that any review of the price of raw water sold to Singapore will also mean a review of the price of treated water sold to Johor. Both sides must also discuss the yield and the quality of the water from the Johor River, so as to ensure that Singapore can continue to draw our entitlement of 250 million gallons per day of raw water under the 62WA for the remaining 41 years of the Water Agreement.

We have also been concerned for a very long time about the yield and quality of the water from the Johor River. Mr Pritam Singh in fact referred to the recurrent episodes of pollution.

The Malaysians have built two major water treatment plants which are drawing water from the Johor River upstream of Singapore's PUB Johor River Waterworks. The Malaysian water treatment plants' abstraction from the Johor River, in addition to Singapore's entitlement of 250 million gallons per day, has caused the total abstraction to exceed the Johor River's sustainable yield. In addition to that, there have been recurrent pollution incidents in the Johor River.

These developments have forced the PUB Johor River Waterworks to shut down temporarily on multiple occasions, and I say that with the benefit of experience from my time in MEWR.

Singapore has raised these concerns with successive Prime Ministers of Malaysia on many occasions. Prime Minister Lee previously raised them with Datuk Seri Najib Razak and also with Tun Mahathir Mohamad. In fact, the 1990 Water Agreement, which is a supplement to the 1962 Water Agreement, was the result of prolonged negotiations between Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Tun Mahathir. I believe those negotiations in fact began in 1982. Members may not be familiar with the additional fact, which is that Tan Sri Muhyiddin played a key role as the then-Menteri Besar of Johor. Emeritus Senior Minister Goh was just sharing with me just now that in fact the two of them had a final round of negotiations in what was then the NOL Penthouse.

This 1990 Water Agreement led to the construction of the Linggiu Reservoir that was completed in 1993 to ensure the sustainable abstraction of our entitlement of 250 million gallons per day of raw water from the Johor River. Had Malaysia exercised the right to review the price of water in 1987 as provided for by the 1962 Water Agreement, Singapore might then have made different investment decisions to develop the Johor River, including the Linggiu Dam.

In recent years, we have made further progress. Malaysia built a barrage along the Johor River at Kota Tinggi in order to keep seawater from intruding upstream and affecting the abstraction of water from the Johor River. Again, Members of the House may not realise how shallow Johor River is. The seawater from the Straits comes all the way up to Kota Tinggi. But anyway, this barrage helped. The barrage became fully operational in March 2017 but, let me be frank, much more needs to be done and to be done urgently.

Johor's own water needs are increasing as its economy and as its population grow. Already from time to time, Johor's own supplies have run short and the State has had to impose water rationing and buy additional treated water from PUB. In fact, during periods of drought, there have been occasions when they have bought more than four times their entitlement because they needed the additional water. Even in normal times, they buy more than three times their entitlement under the Water Agreement. PUB, out of good will, has continued to provide this additional treated water to Johor at the same price of 50 sen per thousand gallons.

This is out of goodwill and this again illustrates the interdependence and how these arrangements have actually been of mutual benefit to both sides.

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The steps need to be taken and taken now to protect the Johor River from pollution and to enhance the yield of the river and to manage the total amount of water being drawn from the river. Singapore and Malaysia could otherwise end up in a very difficult situation down the road, especially in dry weather conditions. And if you believe, as I do, that climate change will make the situation worse.

If Johor is unable to fulfil its obligations to provide us with 250 million gallons of raw water, as stipulated by the Water Agreement, this will have grave consequences. It would undermine the sanctity of the 1962 Water agreement. It will severely damage our bilateral relationship. Members will recall that the 1962 Water Agreement is guaranteed by Malaysia as part of the Separation Agreement in 1965. And this is the sacred document on which we draw our Independence.

In order to head off such an eventuality, Singapore has been prepared to hold discussions with Malaysia on these matters related to the 1962 Water Agreement upfront without prejudice to our legal position. We are even willing to discuss the possibility of Singapore sharing the cost of pollution control measures and new schemes to increase the yield of the Johor River since this is important for both sides. We are, therefore, negotiating with Malaysia on these issues in good faith to explore a practical, durable and mutually beneficial solution for both sides. So, I think Mr Singh's comments just now are entirely consonant with the position that we are taking.

However, if despite our best efforts Singapore and Malaysia are unable to reach an amicable outcome on these issues through negotiations, then Singapore is prepared to resolve them through arbitration on terms mutually agreed to by both countries. This is like how we have successfully resolve other bilateral issues in the past. This is what Prime Minister Lee and Tun Mahathir agreed at the 9th Leaders' Retreat in April last year.

I have explained all this in some detail so that both Malaysians and Singaporeans will appreciate and we are taking a consistent, a constructive and a mutually beneficial approach to the development of water infrastructure in Johor. Both sides have benefited from these arrangements and need to continue cooperating effectively and urgently to meet the future challenges.

But, ultimately, water is but one issue out of many bilateral areas of cooperation and we must not let any single issue colour the overall positive and multi-faceted relationship we should look ahead to see how we can cooperate and resolve issues for mutual benefit and for the benefit of future generations. We, therefore, hope that when Prime Minister Muhyiddin's cabinet is formed, we will be able to pick up where we last left off and continue our discussions on the outstanding important matters, including water.

Let me turn to Indonesia. Mr Vikram Nair and Mr Seah Kian Peng, both asked asked about Singapore's relations with Indonesia. With Indonesia, our deep and multi-faceted relationship is rooted in the belief that cooperation is beneficial for both sides. We convene an annual Leaders' Retreat between our Prime Minister and the Indonesian President and these retreats involve many cabinet members on both sides. Singapore remains the largest investor in Indonesia with strong economic cooperation and our security agencies maintain close and regular contact. However, there are issues that arise from time to time.

As the two leaders announced at the Leaders' Retreat last year, Singapore and Indonesia have agreed on a framework which provides a sound and comprehensive basis for discussion on two sensitive issues – the management of our Flight Information Region and military training. This framework sets out the core principles and considerations concerning these two issues. On the basis of this framework, discussions on these two issues are proceeding separately but concurrently. No deadline has been set for the conclusion of these talks. We will address these issues in accordance with: first, international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, International Civil Aviation Authority Rules, ICAO rules and provisions; second, respect for Indonesia's sovereignty over its territory; third, respect for Singapore's long-standing rights to conduct military training in accordance with UNCLOS; fourth, the long-term needs of Changi Airport.

So, this will be a major round of work for our negotiators and we will update the House accordingly in the future.

For Brunei, Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked about our bilateral relationship. Well, our long-standing special relationship is built on strong strategic trust at the Leaders’ level, and the pillars of strong defence cooperation and the Currency Interchangeability Agreement. You will remember that the Brunei dollar and a Singapore dollar are interchangeable. We are working together to explore new areas of cooperation, for example, agri-food cooperation and FinTech, while also continuing to deepen our ties between the younger generation of leaders on both sides. We continue to explore opportunities for younger Singapore leaders to engage the younger generation of Brunei leaders through platforms, such as the annual Young Leaders' programme.

Let me now turn to major power relations. If you look beyond our immediate neighbourhood, Singapore continues to be vulnerable to the vicissitudes of a rapidly-evolving and uncertain global environment in the throes of a digital revolution.

Mr Baey Yam Keng’s asked on the mature and multi-faceted links between Singapore and the US. Well, these links reflect the vital role that United States has played in this region for both security and economic development over many decades.

A rules-based global order with free trade and flow of investments has been a formula for peace and prosperity across the globe for more than seven decades since the end of the Second World War. Singapore, in particular, has been a clear beneficiary, like many other emerging economies in our region. Therefore, we continue to believe in upholding international law and a global rules-based system, even as we recognise that some of these rules will need to be updated to suit a rapidly evolving multi-polar world.

Although this is a presidential year in the United States, the US continues to maintain its ties with our region. Prime Minister Lee met President Donald Trump in New York last September and you will recall from the earlier discussion, signed a renewal of the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation between our two countries. The US had intended to convene an ASEAN-US Special Summit in Las Vegas next week and Prime Minister had agreed to go. However, the meeting has now been postponed because of the COVID-19 situation.

We look forward to resuming the interactions at a high-level when the situation improves. The US has major equities in our region – and particularly in Singapore. It bears repeating that Singapore’s largest investor – let me put it the other way. The largest investor in Singapore is the United States of America. In 2018, the United States' investment stock in Singapore stood at S$289 billion, making us in fact the largest recipient of US FDI in Asia.

Let me turn to China. Since opening up 40 years ago, 改革开放 by Deng Xiaoping, China has undergone tremendous growth and transformation. In fact, it has been the biggest beneficiary of globalisation and free trade.

Our government-to-government (G-to-G) projects in Suzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing are icons of success that reflect Singapore’s complementary role at various phases of China’s spectacular development and even though we are so small, Singapore has been China’s largest foreign investor since 2013. Minister of State Sam Tan will elaborate on our bilateral cooperation with China later.

Mr Vikram Nair has highlighted the need for us to maintain good relations with both the US and China.

Actually, the key variable is the relationship between the US and China and that determines how the rest of us will have to arrange our affairs. Members will be aware that both the US and China signed what they call a Phase One trade deal in January this year, but frankly, thornier issues between them have been left to phase two and we hope that both countries can continue to make progress on this front, but more fundamentally, a trade deal, even a comprehensive trade deal, between them will not resolve all the strategic contradictions between the US and China.

Going forward, both sides must make strategic choices. The US has to decide how to deal with China. It can work with China in the global order, get China to participate within a rules-based system and compete with China on a fair basis or the US can strive to remain the dominant power in all arenas, in all areas at all costs and seek to arrange international rules so as to limit China's power and influence.

On China’s part, as China seeks to increase its influence globally, China has to decide whether it wants to be a benign superpower, welcomed and respected by other countries, including the US and projecting soft power. If so, China must be willing to make adjustments to participate within the international rules-based system and give space to others, especially other small countries. There should be room for all countries, big and small, to have their interests represented fairly. Doing so will reflect China’s enlightened and inclusive view of its own long-term interests, and enhance China’s standing and influence in the world.

However, if China does not give sufficient attention to the interests and concerns of other countries and is not sufficiently restrained in wielding its growing strength, then it may get its way on the international stage in the short term, but in the long term, this will seed resentment and pushback. This is not in the interests of China or the rest of the world.

The strategic choices of the US and China will shape whether the two superpowers reach a mutual understanding and foster a stable global order where the rest of us will have peace and prosperity and fair opportunities. Or they could end up at odds with each other and leave other countries scrambling to avoid the fallout. This would be a big step backward for humanity, not only because every country will be less secure and less prosperous, but also because it will be a more troubled and less stable world, as mutual suspicions and anxieties build up. It will be much harder to deal with global issues like climate change and even public health emergencies, not least the on-going COVID-19 outbreak.

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Southeast Asia has long been a theatre of major power competition. This is not new. While Singapore may find ourselves squeezed in the middle, we must avoid choosing sides. Instead, we must find ways to deepen and enhance our cooperation with both China and the US, including in new areas of mutual interest, and encourage all parties to act in accordance with international law.

As I have previously stressed, we want to be friends with both the US and China. We hope wisdom and restraint will prevail on both sides. We do not want to be caught in their crossfire or be seen as taking one side or the other. Both the US and China must know that although we want to have good relations with both, we do not do things at their behest. Ultimately, we act in a principled way and we will only do what is in the best long-term interests of Singapore citizens.

Fifty-five years ago, our founding Foreign Minister, Mr S Rajaratnam, declared to this House that the "primary task of our foreign policy will always be to safeguard our Independence from external threats".

The sweat and toil of our predecessors has ensured we retain this Independence today – a very precious thing that we cannot take for granted. It means we, today, have freedom of action in both domestic and internal and international policy. It means we are no one's proxy, no one's stalking horse. It means that we are able to exercise our sovereign rights in a rules-based world order governed by international law. And it means our distressed citizens overseas have a country, a city-state and a home to come back to.

We must thus continue to invest a fair share of our resources in diplomacy, so that we have the capacity to protect our sovereignty and most importantly, keep Singapore and Singaporeans safe.

I thank Members of the House for your support of this mission although as I said earlier, we are actually asking for a little bit less money this year. [Applause.]

The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Maliki.

The Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman): Mr Chairman, thank you. Minister Vivian spoke on Singapore's relations with our immediate neighbours and the major powers. I would like to elaborate on our efforts to foster closer relations in the region. These efforts will help Singapore make friends, gain support at international fora and enable our companies to pursue economic opportunities abroad. They also enable us to work closely with our partners to address non-traditional threats, in order to keep Singapore safe and secure.

Let me first start to address ASEAN and its strategic importance to Singapore, which Mr Charles Chong, Mr Henry Kwek and Dr Teo Ho Pin had addressed in their speeches.

ASEAN continues to be a cornerstone of Singapore's foreign policy. It allows us to foster regional peace and security, so that we can pursue our strategic, economic and socio-cultural priorities.

Despite its diversity and member states' different stages of development, ASEAN's continued stability makes it an attractive platform for major powers to engage our region. This amplifies ASEAN's collective voice on the international stage.

Mr Henry Kwek asked about the progress of the negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). We completed the first reading of the Single Draft Negotiating Text for the COC last year and have started on the second reading. Our key concern remains the right to freedom of navigation and overflight as enshrined by UNCLOS. ASEAN's security platforms like the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting have also facilitated an effective and sustainable security architecture in the region.

ASEAN also serves as a channel to coordinate collective responses to regional crises. For example, through ASEAN's humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts, we are able to alleviate the situation in the Rakhine State. To reply to Mr Louis Ng's query, Singapore has contributed over S$1 million in bilateral humanitarian aid to Bangladesh and Myanmar. Through ASEAN, we support efforts to create conducive conditions for repatriation. For instance, the ASEAN Secretariat's Ad Hoc Support Team is building infrastructure and providing equipment for reception and transit centres in the Rakhine State. We will be ready to support future comprehensive needs assessments once repatriation commences. In the meantime, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered provisional measures in the case brought by Gambia against Myanmar. As a strong proponent of international law, we hope that all parties will respect the ICJ's decision.

ASEAN convened a Special ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting back-to-back with a Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting two weeks ago in Laos to look into ASEAN's collective response to COVID-19 and discuss how we can strengthen cooperation with China to address the outbreak effectively. Preparations are also underway for a video conference meeting between ASEAN and the EU to exchange information and best practices on COVID-19.

ASEAN's success in maintaining peace and security has given investors confidence to put money in the region and in Singapore. In 2018, total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into ASEAN amounted to some US$155 billion. This is up from US$42 billion in 2005. Intra-ASEAN trade remains strong, and has benefited Singapore. In 2018, Singapore was the largest exporter and importer of the region, accounting for 28.8% and 26.8% of ASEAN exports and imports, respectively. We also accounted for the largest share, which is 47.1%, of total trade in services. This has allowed us to position ourselves as a regional trading hub. ASEAN has also increased efforts to promote tourism in the region, such as through the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan and the annual ASEAN Tourism Forum. Visitor arrivals to ASEAN have increased markedly, reaching 135 million in 2018, an estimated 264% increase from 2005, and Singapore is consistently among the top ASEAN countries with highest visitor arrivals.

Going forward, we should continue to tap on ASEAN's potential as a burgeoning consumer market. By 2030, ASEAN is expected to be the fourth largest economy in the world. We should, therefore, continue to promote regional integration and deepen intra-ASEAN trade. One important component towards this goal is the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which we look forward to signing at the earliest opportunity. Singapore, as Country Coordinator of ASEAN-EU relations, is also leading efforts to advance an ASEAN-EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement and to restart the ASEAN-EU FTA negotiations.

Closer to home, it remains crucial that we continue to foster closer bilateral relations with our Southeast Asian neighbours. Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim and Mr Seah Kian Peng asked for updates on relations with Malaysia and Indonesia. I would like to take these two questions together in Malay.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Relations with our neighbours are strong and continue to expand steadily. We share extensive interdependencies with our two neighbours. In this regard, it is in Singapore's interest that our neighbours succeed, as a successful Indonesia and Malaysia is good for Singapore and the region.

It is normal for issues to crop up from time to time with our closest neighbours. How we go about resolving our differences is key. It is only by maintaining good overall bilateral relations and cooperating in areas of common interest on a win-win basis, and with mutual respect, that we are able to develop comfort and trust to discuss more complicated issues in a constructive manner.

Because of this, we have kept up close personal ties, with exchanges in visits at the highest levels. In 2019 alone, there were over 50 Ministerial-level visits and exchanges between Malaysia and Singapore. These exchanges allowed us to discuss a wide range of issues, including connectivity projects like the Singapore-Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link and Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail (HSR). I hope that we will be able to continue making progress on these mutually beneficial projects.

We should also continue to work closely with Malaysia through several bilateral platforms on other issues such as maritime boundary delimitation, the environment, economic cooperation and public health. The key is to find ways to sustain our historically excellent ties for future generations. In this regard, I believe that there are many opportunities for greater engagement and exchanges among our younger generation. This will strengthen the excellent people-to-people ties we already share.

Mr Chia Shi-Lu asked what steps we were taking to expand our engagement, including building ties with various Malaysian states. Beyond our relations with the Federal government, we want to strengthen our relationship with the various states in Peninsula Malaysia and with Sabah and Sarawak. In 2019, Minister Balakrishnan visited Johor, Kedah, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Terengganu. Over the past year, we had also received a large number of high-level incoming visits from state leaders and officials who are keen to engage our agencies, and more so, our economic agencies. These visits provide opportunities to deepen cooperation and build closer economic ties.

Minister Vivian had also spoken about our multi-faceted relations with Indonesia. Allow me to elaborate. Our economic cooperation continues to grow from strength to strength through flagship collaborative projects, including the Kendal Industrial Park project in Central Java and Nongsa Digital Park project in Batam. We have been Indonesia's top foreign investor since 2014. Both countries are among each other's largest trading partners. The updated Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement, which was signed during President Halimah's State Visit to Indonesia in February, along with our Bilateral Investment Treaty, will further increase two-way trade and investments, once the agreements are ratified. Such projects and agreements facilitate the creation of jobs and business opportunities on both sides. There is still room for us to do so much more together. For example, discussions are ongoing on ways to expand cooperation in investments, human resource development, infrastructure, tourism and the digital economy.

Beyond our close links with the central government, we also have regular high-level visits to Indonesian provinces, and established closer ties with the local leaders. President Halimah had a fruitful visit to Yogyakarta during her State Visit in early February. I visited Riau and Jambi last month, where I met various leaders, including the Riau Governor Syamsuar and the Jambi City Mayor Syarif Fasha. We will continue to engage Indonesia's regions widely, to open up opportunities for our businesses while deepening and broadening our people-to-people ties.

(In English): Mr Chairman, Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked how we can deepen our relationship with ASEAN countries. Apart from Malaysia and Indonesia, Singapore continues to closely engage and pursue collaborative relations with the wider Southeast Asian region. We have substantive and growing economic, defence and people-to-people ties with many of them. We are also exploring cooperation in many new areas. For instance, during President Halimah's State Visit to the Philippines in September last year, Singapore and the Philippines concluded eight MOUs that chart cooperation in emerging areas like data protection, data innovation and smart city infrastructure.

With Thailand, we have been exploring FinTech cooperation, like linking PayNow in Singapore with PromptPay in Thailand. This means people in Singapore and Thailand can send money to each other instantly using their mobile phone numbers.

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We have strong economic links with Vietnam too. Our seven Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks are doing well. Both sides are also strengthening cooperation in finance, digital technology and innovation, smart cities and energy.

Our agencies like Infrastructure Asia are working across the region to support sustainable infrastructure development and share best practices in areas like smart cities, urban mobility and water supply and sanitation. We are confident that cooperation in these areas would promote economic growth, social development and long-term stability in our region.

I am glad Mr Gan also mentioned increasing our youth exposure in ASEAN. With 60% of ASEAN's population below the age of 35, I agree that focus should be placed on strengthening linkages amongst our youth. The Singapore-ASEAN Youth Fund (SAYF) was set up in 2007 to promote greater interaction amongst ASEAN youth and an increased understanding of ASEAN culture. Singapore added S$5 million to the SAYF during our 2018 ASEAN Chairmanship to promote leadership development, community service and entrepreneurship amongst ASEAN youths.

Our engagement of regional partners also serves as an avenue of cooperation to tackle transboundary threats like cybersecurity, climate change and terrorism.

Cybersecurity is a growing concern, particularly for Singapore, which has one of the highest internet penetration rates in the world. Mr Murali Pillai asked how we could work with the international community to safeguard Singapore's cybersecurity. MFA works with Cyber Security Agency (CSA) and international partners to exchange information and promote best practices through active participation in platforms like the United Nations Group of Government Experts on cybersecurity issues and the United Nations Open Ended Working Group on Cybersecurity. We also launched the ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence in October 2019, which offers capacity building programmes for participants.

Climate change is also of serious concern. According to UN Environment, global temperatures could rise another 3.9 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, with catastrophic results. Although Singapore contributes only to 0.1% of global emissions, we will continue to actively address climate change as a responsible member of the global community. Mr Amrin Amin asked how we are fulfilling our Paris Agreement commitments. We will enhance our Nationally Determined Contribution and submit a long-term low emissions development strategy for 2050. As highlighted by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean earlier, achieving these goals require deep transformations in our industry, economy and society. We are heartened that there is a growing awareness of climate change among Singaporeans, especially our young. We look forward to working with the private sector and key stakeholders to achieve our climate goals.

The terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, New Zealand and the UK last year, as well as the recent attack in Germany, are grim reminders of what is a clear and present danger. In this regard, Mr Liang Eng Hwa raised a pertinent question on how Singapore secured itself from the threat of terrorism. It is important that we remain vigilant and continue to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation with our neighbours. Within Southeast Asia, there is robust defence and security cooperation through joint exercises, such as the Sulu-Sulawesi Straits Patrol and the Malacca Straits Patrol. We also make use of relevant platforms such as ASEAN's Our Eyes Initiative for defence officials to exchange strategic information on terrorism, radicalism and violent extremism.

Let me now move on to the situation in the Middle East. Though further away, our citizens visit the Middle East often, not only for work and education but to perform religious practices like umrah and the haj as well. Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about the situation and our key engagements there. The Middle East is an important global supplier of fossil fuels with many key shipping routes passing through the region. Any instability in the region will affect Singapore. We have thus been closely monitoring developments, which remain volatile. The dispute between Qatar and its four neighbours, for instance, has persisted for over two years. Singapore has good relations with all the parties involved and we hope that a resolution can be reached soon.

Given our position as a major maritime and oil hub, our economic growth could also potentially be impacted if maritime routes are disrupted. The incidents involving Iran and the US in the Strait of Hormuz earlier in January were therefore of particular concern given the risk of miscalculations, which could further spiral into conflict and affect regional stability. We hope that all sides will take steps to de-escalate tensions. No one will gain from a military conflict in the Gulf.

With regard to the complex and longstanding conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis, Singapore has taken a consistent and principled position. We support a negotiated two-state solution consistent with the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions and we welcome all efforts by the international community towards this end. The US recently released President Trump's vision for a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. However, this was rejected by the Palestinian side. We hope that both sides will return to direct negotiations towards a just and durable solution and refrain from any unilateral action.

While we watch the situation in the Middle East, we have not been deterred from expanding our political and economic space. We have kept up regular interactions with the Middle East at all levels. In February last year, we hosted an official visit by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and signed a joint declaration on comprehensive partnership. This represented a high-water mark in our relations with the United Arab Emirates, which remains our largest trading partner in the Middle East.

President Halimah Yacob also made a historic State Visit to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in November 2019. Looking ahead, Prime Minister Lee is scheduled to visit the region to attend the G20 Summit later this year. These political exchanges lay the groundwork for fostering stronger economic ties with the region. Our efforts are strengthened by the fact that Singapore is well-regarded in the Middle East as a development model. Our companies enjoy good brand recognition. They should continue to explore opportunities in the region.

On the temporary suspension of umrah visas by the Saudi Government as a precautionary measure in view of the COVID-19 outbreak, Singapore hopes that the suspension will be lifted in due course so that Singaporeans can proceed with their umrah in a safe and secure manner.

Mr Chairman, I conclude by reiterating that we should continue to deepen ties with our closest partners for peace and prosperity of Singapore and the region. We should intensify regional and international cooperation. By doing so, we will be better-equipped to secure Singapore's strategic interests in an increasingly uncertain global climate. Mr Chairman, I now turn the floor to my colleague, Minister of State, Sam Tan.

The Chairman: Minister of State, Sam Tan.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong): Thank you, Mr Chairman. I shall now elaborate on our relationship with China and our engagement of other key partners. Please allow me to do so in Mandarin.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China this year. Our links with China are longstanding, preceding the establishment of our diplomatic relations, with our founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew visiting China in 1976 and then-Senior Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping visiting Singapore in 1978. This exchange of high-level visits by our leaders set a strong foundation for our bilateral relations.

Mr Chairman, to Member of Parliament Sun Xueling's question on the state of Singapore-China relations, we have made good progress in many areas. Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat visited China last October in conjunction with the 15th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), which he co-chaired with PRC Vice Premier Han Zheng. Singapore and China had then signed nine bilateral MOUs and agreements, ranging from trade, finance, culture, the environment, and a youth internship exchange programme. Recently, Vice Premier Han suggested to Deputy Prime Minister Heng to include cooperation in public health as a new agenda item under the JCBC framework. Singapore is supportive of this, and we look forward to hosting Vice Premier Han’s visit to Singapore for the JCBC later this year. In addition to the JCBC, Singapore will continue to work with China through other high-level platforms, such as the Singapore-China Forum on Leadership and the Singapore-China Social Governance Forum.

Mr Chairman, economic cooperation is a key plank of our bilateral relationship. Since 2013, China has been Singapore's largest trading partner, and Singapore has been China's largest foreign investor. Apart from our three Government-to-Government projects, we have eight Provincial Business Councils, which facilitate more effective engagement and cooperation with Chinese provinces and municipalities. This brings me to Member of Parliament Tin Pei Ling's question on how Singapore’s younger leaders will deepen their relations with Chinese leaders over the next few years. Mr Chairman, Deputy Prime Minister Heng, as well as the Ministers-in-charge of our Government-to-Government projects and Provincial Business Councils, meet their Chinese counterparts regularly to jointly review these projects. Many 4G Ministers have also attended high-level events in China and Singapore, through which they built up rapport with Chinese leaders. Our 4G leadership will continue to strengthen the friendship and trust between our countries.

To Member of Parliament Sun Xueling's question on the impact of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak on our existing cooperation, while China has borne the brunt of the recent outbreak of COVID-19, Singapore has also been seriously affected by this global health problem. International cooperation is crucial to effectively combatting COVID-19, a disease which respects no boundaries. During this crucial juncture, China took decisive measures to prevent further spread of the virus, and cooperated with the international community, which allowed Health Ministries of many countries, including Singapore, to swiftly develop diagnostic tests and come up with appropriate measures to manage the outbreak together. China's transparent and sincere actions deserve praise and affirmation.

Mr Chairman, it is in troubled times that one is tested, and a friend in need is a friend indeed. It is vital for us to continue supporting China through these difficult times of combating the virus. On our part, the Singapore Government contributed S$1 million as seed funding to catalyse the Singapore Red Cross' public appeal to raise funds to help our Chinese friends, and donated medical supplies and diagnostic test kits to China. The Singapore Red Cross’ fundraising drive has received support from our trade associations and chambers, companies and local community organisations, as well as members of the public, and has raised more than S$6 million to date. These proactive fundraising efforts by our people amply demonstrated Singapore's spirit of providing assistance in times of need.

Looking to the future, we will continue to explore and develop new areas of cooperation with China, and leverage new opportunities, for our mutual benefit. We will also build on high-level exchanges, institutionalised frameworks, and concrete cooperation to further broaden and deepen our good bilateral relations.

(In English): Mr Chairman, please allow me to continue in English. It is also critical for us to keep up our engagement of regional and strategic partners outside our immediate neighbourhood. Allow me to address Miss Cheryl Chan's question on how MFA intends to strengthen our engagement of key partners in the region and also to ensure that Singapore remains a relevant stakeholder.

Sir, we enjoy close and multi-faceted cooperation with Japan. We had several high-level visits in 2019, including President Halimah's attendance of the Enthronement Ceremony of Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Lee's attendance of the G20 Summit. We look forward to maintaining the positive momentum of our exchanges this year. We continue to deepen bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest, such as infrastructure cooperation, smart cities and population issues.

With the Republic of Korea, Prime Minister’s visit last November, in conjunction with the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit, resulted in a number good outcomes in smart cities, intellectual property, cybersecurity and the expansion of Singapore-ROK air services.

Our relationship with India presents continuing opportunities for Singaporeans and our businesses. We are the largest foreign investor in India and many of our local companies have expanded there. India has also one of the largest number of foreign companies in Singapore.With both countries making strides towards digitalisation, our cooperation is expanding to cover new frontiers such as innovation, digital economy and FinTech.

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Australia is a like-minded partner for us. We are exploring new areas of cooperation to refresh our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). Our defence ties with Australia are also longstanding. This year, we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Singapore Armed Forces' training at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland. To assist the Australian Defence Force’s efforts to combat the bushfires in Australia, we deployed two Chinooks to work alongside them for a month.

Singapore and the EU share strong ties and are important economic partners. A major milestone was the signing of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA), the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement, as well as the EU-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in 2018, and the EUSFTA’s entry into force in November last year. We will continue to deepen our engagement with the EU leadership and also our ties with individual EU member states.

We will also continue to engage the UK post-Brexit. We have many existing bilateral arrangements that will remain in force and we are also working with the UK to ensure continuity by porting over the EUSFTA’s provisions through a Short Form Agreement.

In conclusion, Mr Chairman, I would like to underscore that Singapore’s continued success hinges on many factors, including maintaining a wide network of global partners and friends. We must continue to strengthen our ties with key partners while expanding our global outreach.

Mr Chairman, I shall now turn over the floor to my colleague, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Tan Wu Meng.

The Chairman: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Tan Wu Meng, you have seven minutes. I take it that you want a little bit more time?

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Dr Tan Wu Meng): Mr Chairman, Sir, I take your indulgence.

The Chairman: Yes, please go ahead.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: Mr Chairman, Minister of State Sam Tan spoke about how we should strengthen bilateral ties with key partners. I will share about Singapore's efforts to uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system, while playing an active role in international fora. I will also share how we are engaging our fellow Singaporeans at home and abroad and helping fellow Singaporeans who need help overseas.

Mr Desmond Choo asked about multilateralism in the present global climate. Indeed, the deepening mood of nationalist, isolationist and protectionist sentiments in many countries is eroding support for globalisation and multilateralism. This matters for us because it can affect global norms on free trade and international law, both of which are integral to Singapore's survival as a small nation-state.

Indeed, Sir, trade is Singapore’s lifeline and crucial for our economy. It is needed to create opportunities for Singaporeans and Singapore businesses. By plugging into global value chains, specialising in areas where we have comparative advantage, our companies and workers can upskill, evolve and move up the value chain. So, we have consistently advocated for free and open trade, further regional economic integration and the rules-based multilateral trading system.

We also participate actively and constructively in multilateral fora, such as the WTO, APEC and G20, as convenor of the Global Governance Group. We promote engagement between the G20 and the wider UN membership. Singapore will continue to play our part to strengthen the foundations that underpin the global trading system. We firmly support the efforts to bring the WTO up-to-date so that it remains well-functioning, effective and relevant. We co-launched the WTO Joint Statement Initiative on Electronic Commerce to kick-start negotiations for rules governing e-commerce. We are also working with other WTO members to preserve the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism. This is crucial for us as it ensures global trade rules are enforced and any trade disagreements, if they happen, are resolved constructively.

Besides the WTO, Singapore continues to pursue bilateral and plurilateral economic agreements to safeguard our economic interests. For example, we signed an FTA with the Eurasian Economic Union last year and are negotiating FTAs with MERCOSUR and the Pacific Alliance. These will create more opportunities for trade and investment beyond Singapore's traditional markets.

Sir, Singapore also participates at multilateral platforms to protect and advance our interests. These platforms ensure that the development of international rules and norms reflects the concerns of all countries, big or small. Singapore has been a strong advocate for small states to play a bigger role at the UN and other multilateral fora. As Chair of the Forum of Small States, Singapore actively engages fellow small states to discuss common challenges and advance common interests.

We have also been contributing actively to the development of international rules. For example, we played a key role in shaping what is now known as the Singapore Convention on Mediation, which provides for cross-border enforcement of mediated settlement agreements. We also participate actively in a UN Intergovernmental Conference to negotiate a new international agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. And one of our own international law practitioners, Ms Rena Lee, is currently serving as President of this conference.

For the first time, Sir, Singapore is fielding a candidate to head a major United Nations body – the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). We are confident that our candidate, Chief Executive of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore Mr Daren Tang, has the right credentials to contribute positively to WIPO’s work. Daren also stands for Singapore’s longstanding commitment to a rules-based multilateral system, international cooperation and inclusive development. My colleagues and I wish him the very best at the upcoming elections over the next few days.

Sir, as a small island nation, we must keep growing our network of friends around the world to build goodwill for Singapore. We share our development journey with other countries through the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP). It was established in 1992 for Singapore to "pay forward" the assistance that we received from the international community in our early years of independence. Through SCP courses, we support other countries in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and managing global and regional challenges, such as infectious disease control, climate change and cybersecurity. We will work with our partners to incorporate COVID-19 content into our health-related SCP courses to help strengthen pandemic resilience in the region.

Mr Terence Ho asked about using the arts as soft power. Indeed, MFA works closely with MCCY to showcase our diverse arts and multicultural heritage overseas. MCCY has a cultural MOU with Australia, which has helped many of our performing arts groups presenting works at Australia's major arts festivals. Many of our overseas Missions also organise cultural events, such as film festivals and art exhibitions, to highlight a softer side of Singapore that people may not always associate us with.

Mr Chairman, Sir, foreign policy begins at home. And all of us have a collective stake as external developments can directly affect our future. We will, therefore, need the understanding of our fellow Singaporeans on our foreign policy decisions, especially when core national interests are at stake. Ms Joan Pereira asked about MFA's efforts to engage Singaporeans. Indeed, we are listening to young Singaporeans' views, ideas and concerns about the world while sharing about the policy challenges and trade-offs that we face as a small country. We have stepped up sharing sessions with young Singaporeans conducted by our retired experienced MFA ambassadors. And every Singaporean, by showing the world the best of us and what we stand for, can help grow our space in the world and help keep our little red dot shining.

Sir, MFA also engages Singaporeans through our consular work. Minister Vivian shared how MFA officers volunteered to fly into Wuhan to bring our fellow Singaporeans home during the COVID-19 outbreak. Colleagues in our Embassy in Beijing and our Consulates-General in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Xiamen have worked day and night to help Singaporeans in China during this period. Our Embassy in Tokyo assisted five Singaporeans who were on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked at Yokohama.

Sir, I want to take the opportunity to specially thank and commend our MFA officers who very often serve far away from home and loved ones. Your service and dedication help keep Singapore independent and sovereign, and help safeguard the interests of Singapore and our fellow Singaporeans wherever our people may be around the world.

Besides COVID-19, our Overseas Missions also kept close watch on regional developments and provided consular assistance to Singaporeans. Last year, when protests in Hong Kong were at the peak, we deployed MFA consular officers at Hong Kong airport to provide consular assistance to Singaporeans wanting to return home. Our officers were also on the ground to assist the next-of-kin of two Singaporeans who, unfortunately, lost their lives while kayaking off Mersing, Malaysia, in August 2019. MFA will continue doing our best to assist Singaporeans who get into difficult situations overseas.

We also use technology to make consular services more convenient. Our fellow Singaporeans travelling abroad can look forward to a simplified e-Registration process with personal particulars pre-filled by MyInfo. We also accept e-Payments, including PayNow, at our consular service centre and we will continue transforming and digitalising consular and immigration-related services for the public.

Mr Chairman, in conclusion, our foreign policy begins at home. And MFA, with the support of our fellow Singaporeans, will continue to pursue a foreign policy that serves the interests of Singapore and our fellow Singaporeans amidst an increasingly uncertain global environment.

The Chairman: We have a bit of time for clarification. Yes, Mr Louis Ng.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Sir, a clarification for Senior Minister of State Mohamad Maliki regarding the repatriation of the Rohingas. I understand the camps are ready and the reception area is ready as well. But I think there is an issue of trust here and that is why the Rohingas want to go back themselves to do an independent assessment. I am just wondering whether this can at least be discussed or put up as a topic in the agenda for the upcoming ASEAN Summit so that we can finally resolve this stalemate and move forward on this issue.

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: I thank the Member for the question. I fully appreciate his concern for those refugees who are affected. I think the ASEAN Foreign Ministers continue to look at some of these issues and we really want to facilitate the repatriation of the refugees back to where they are. But as Members are well aware of, it is also their concern about their own security and we have to make sure that the security is made available and they feel secure enough to go back. We will continue to work with our ASEAN partners to ensure that the situation is conducive enough for them to return.

The Chairman: Mr Vikram Nair.

Mr Vikram Nair: I thank the Minister for his speech earlier. I just want a little clarification or elaboration on what may happen with Malaysia because, typically, when an administration changes, notwithstanding they may have good relationships with us, they may have different priorities from the previous administration. Are there any projects that we think may slow down as a result of that and, if so, what could we do about that?

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: The Cabinet in Malaysia has not been announced yet. I do not want to prejudge the issue. But I will just make two points that we know all the people on the political scene in Malaysia. In fact, we have taken extra effort to maintain those links and to build that reservoir of goodwill and trust. So, let us keep an open mind.

The second point I want to make is the importance of consistency and a principled foreign policy. So, I hope this is a moment where Singaporeans will appreciate it is good to be boring and consistent.

The Chairman: Mr Louis Ng.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Thank you, Sir. Just to follow up again. I really do appreciate all the work that ASEAN and MFA are doing by providing a lot of assurance to the Rohingyas. But I think it would help if we just allow some of them to go back, do their own assessments and then they can tell the rest of the 1.2 million refugees in Bangladesh now that it is safe to return. Otherwise, it is going to be a stalemate. It would be back and forth and it has been two years since we talked about repatriation and there is still not a single one that is willing to go back.

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Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: I thank the Member again. I think the Member will appreciate that it is not up to ASEAN to allow them to go back. It is up to the Myanmar government to allow them to go back. And really, we want to encourage the stakeholders on the ground to understand such circumstances, especially also NGOs that are working on the ground.

What we do at the ASEAN level, I can assure you, is that at every Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the issue of the Rakhine state will always be discussed. And whatever the decision that is being made, we have to respect that it is a decision that the Myanmar government will have to take as and when they are ready to facilitate the process.

The Chairman: No one else wants to raise any clarification? In which case, Mr Vikram Nair, would you like to withdraw the amendment?

Mr Vikram Nair: I thank Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Senior Minister of State Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Minister of State Sam Tan and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Tan Wu Meng for giving us a comprehensive update on what our teams have been doing abroad. I think MFA is always a very good investment in money. It has I think one of the lowest budgets always and is even lower this year. So, a big thank-you to the team serving all across and carrying our flag. With that, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $450,109,100 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.

The sum of $11,500,000 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.