Committee of Supply – Head R (Ministry of Law)

The Chairman: Head R, Ministry of Law. Mr Murali Pillai.

Impact of COVID-19 Legislation

Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head R of the Estimates be reduced by $100".

Since the pandemic hit us, the Ministry of Law spearheaded the implementation of a slew of legislative measures aimed at helping small and micro-businesses. Through the measures, many of which were introduced as Bills on Certificates of Urgency, these businesses were able to obtain relief that allowed them to conserve on cashflow and be protected from legal action.

Measures included the Temporary Relief for Inability to Perform Contracts, Rental Relief Framework, Simplified Insolvency Programme and the Re-align Framework. Like with most pieces of legislation, these are dry names but for matters vital to our economic and personal lives.

They mean the difference between a state of uncertainty and precariousness, and one of dignity and purpose. They have made a difference for large groups of people – not just owners of small businesses, but the many workers employed in these businesses and companies.

For parents, they mean the difference between paying attention to their children's education and future, instead of worrying about food on the table; for tenants, rental relief meant they could focus on rethinking their business and relying on their landlords as trusted partners. For those who need to wind up their business, through the heartache and emotional difficulty of letting go a dream, there is the assurance of simplicity and speed.

These are not the subjects of headlines, but they are common sense writ hard into law – due to the pandemic, circumstances have changed, and not due to the fault of any party. While contracts are ordinarily written as a means to hold people fast to their promises, these COVID-19 legislative measures allow a common understanding and the general principles for re-negotiation. These require parties to work a basis of mutual trust in mutual gains, rather than a position that one party is trying to gain advantage over the other.

The COVID-19 legislation is an extraordinary effort to make law bend to the realities, and to compensate for exogenous factors such as misfortune, bad luck and in this case, a global pandemic.

The hon Minister for Law, in a memorable speech made last year in this House, informed how within just nine days, his Ministry, with the help of Government agencies, the hon Attorney-General and his officers from the Attorney-General's Chambers and private sector professionals and lawyers, came together, conceptualised the support framework and drafted the legislation.

People in the know will acknowledge the superb quality of the legislation which had to be drafted from scratch. The team members behind the legislation, no doubt, made personal sacrifices so that Singaporeans facing an almost certain financial ruin and uncertainty will get a reprieve instead. We should not forget their contributions.

With almost a year has past, since the implementation of the first COVID-19 legislation, this may be an opportune time to recount the efficacy of and the feedback received on these measures. Have they worked as the Minister had anticipated? As we are not out of the woods yet from the economic effects of the pandemic, what further legislative measures can we anticipate in the future?

Also, is it time that we think of having a framework legislation that can be employed swiftly when the next crisis hits us? In this regard, please allow me to share a situation that happened recently in Texas, US as reported in a New York Times article dated 20 February 2021.

As Members may know, a winter storm knocked off Texas power grid and froze natural gas production. This affected millions of Texans. As a result, electricity prices, which was tied to wholesale prices and market-driven, spiked astronomically. Some Texans had to pay up to 70 times what they usually pay for the utilities.

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We must ensure that we have legislative levers to be able to move swiftly to prevent such instances from happening in Singapore. I look forward to the hon Ministers' responses to my queries. I beg to move.

Question proposed.

The Chairman: Mr Murali Pillai.

Modernising Probate Processes

Mr Murali Pillai: I am obliged, Mr Chairman. Sir, I have been pushing for the modernisation of probate and administration processes since the COS debate in 2017. The hon Minister responded then stating that the matter is under review by the relevant agencies. In the Straits Times article published in July 2017, it was reported that only 10%-15% of Singaporeans have made wills. Even for allowing for an increase in the percentage in the three years plus that has passed, by international standards, this is rather low. In contrast, it was reported that in 2017, the corresponding figure in UK is more than 40%.

The trouble, anxiety and financial difficulties caused by the lack of a will, especially when the breadwinner dies, is real.

The low numbers present an opportunity for us though to modernise the processes spelt out in the Wills Act enacted 183 years ago.

With the technological advancement we have made since, we should be able to provide options for Singaporeans to execute digital wills, ensuring that the wills are kept securely and acted upon upon the death of the testator in accordance with his or her wishes. At the same time, the probate and administration processes can be updated to make it fuss-free for applicants by leveraging on the Government's archive of key documents, maybe even in lieu of court applications.

I will be grateful if the hon Minister please provide an update on the efforts to modernise and simplify the probate and administration processes by leveraging on IT.

COVID-19 Temporary Bills – Excellent Moves

Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): Sir, the response by MinLaw to the pandemic through the series of Bills and legislation displayed how MinLaw, along with the relevant agencies, are in tune with the ground. The response was timely, effective and I commend it. In short, they were excellent legislative moves. This included legislation to assist tenants in the payment of rental.

Having said that, small landlords need to be helped too because the rental relief given to tenants can be overly onerous on them. While many landlords have diversified income, many rely heavily on the rental yield as retirement income. To be subject to the rental relief, an additional rental relief scheme places a heavy burden on landlords running SMEs who do not have the same capacity as larger companies.

Access to Justice for the Vulnerable

My second cut, Sir. The pandemic has shown us our common humanity and has not differentiated between the affluent and the vulnerable. Having said that, it has certainly placed vulnerable people in an even more precarious situation, and often they do not have the same means to let their voice be heard in Court.

How does MinLaw intend to provide more support and create more channels for the vulnerable to have access to justice?

We should not have too high a barrier to entry to allow anyone equal access to the Courts. Nevertheless, neither must we become overzealous about providing funding for the defendant to criminal cases such that the process would be abused. Everyone should have access to the courts to bring rightful claims and to properly defend themselves.

Access to Justice for Vulnerable Groups

Mr Raj Joshua Thomas (Nominated Member): Chairman, criminal legal aid is available through the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS) administered by the Law Society Pro Bono Services (LSPBS), which is co-funded by MinLaw. The legal fraternity has been supportive of this scheme, with many volunteer lawyers participating actively.

Notwithstanding, there is still a need to enhance access to justice and to improve the provision of criminal legal aid for deserving accused persons who do not have the means to afford their own lawyers. I note that the Minister for Law said in Parliament last year that MinLaw was conducting a review of criminal legal aid, including the possibility of setting up a Public Defender's Office.

Various measures had been rolled out in the past year to assist businesses with their legal troubles amidst the pandemic. However, individuals who may have lost their jobs or had their livelihoods affected by the pandemic will also need help with legal representation if they inadvertently fall afoul of the law.

In this regard, I would like to ask the Minister for Law how does MinLaw intend to provide more support for enhancing access to justice for vulnerable groups, especially given the impact of COVID-19, and if there is an update on MinLaw’s review of criminal legal aid, including when MinLaw expects the review to be completed?

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang): Chairman, the crises brought on by COVID-19 has contributed to significant worldwide increases in domestic violence cases. Many studies have highlighted the acute vulnerabilities particularly faced by single mothers, foreign domestic workers and foreign spouses. The most vulnerable are children, who do not have the knowledge and means to escape from the clutches of their abusers. The situation is much more complex when the perpetrators are the care-givers and the cases go unreported.

Domestic violence goes beyond the family but also include intimate partner violence and violence against other vulnerable groups like foreign domestic workers and the elderly. A research study on intimate partner violence and the Global Financial Crisis in the United States found that unemployment and economic hardship were related to abusive behaviour.

How does MinLaw intend to provide more support for enhancing access to justice for vulnerable groups? In particular, are there any plans to enhance current protection for elderly persons, persons with mental or physical disabilities, or young children, especially in situations where the perpetrator was the primary care-giver? Would the Ministry consider the replacement of the definition of "family violence" in the Women’s Charter with "domestic violence" to include intimate partner violence and violence against others in a household notwithstanding the lack of any familial relationship? After all, violence is violence, whether inflicted on a spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend or a partner.

Legal Aid for Economically Vulnerables

Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Chairman, during the debate on the Parti Liyani’s case, the Minister for Law has mentioned the possibility to increase legal aid for the economically vulnerable. We would like to know what is the progress in setting up the Public Defender’s Office? In the interim, what is being done to beef up the Enhanced Criminal Legal Aid Scheme to increase the availability of criminal legal aid to the economically vulnerable applicants.

Access to Justice

Dr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong): Mr Chairman, I have met Clementi residents who have serious medical conditions. Sometimes, this means having to move in with family members. But this has implications for means testing. One of my residents is ill – visually impaired, on dialysis. Because of his condition, he moved in with a family member, for care-giving support. The family member is still working. But because of this, he does not qualify for legal aid. The means test looks at household income. My resident told me he faces an invidious choice – stay with a family member who can provide care-giving support or choose to stay separately without the family member as care-giver in order to maintain his means test access to legal aid.

Sir, each case turns on its merits, on its details. But I am sure there are other families in Singapore facing the same dilemma. They should not have to choose between having a family member as care-giver staying together and falling on the wrong side of the means test assessment. Our agencies mean well and I hope we can continue finding ways to support families in such challenging unfortunate situations.

Law Awareness and Enhancing Accessibility

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio): Chairman, often, access to justice is not something people think about until they are in need of a just and timely legal outcome. Often, when the need strikes, they are at a loss and this could be during a time where there is family violence, death or trauma. I am glad that the Ministry is evaluating the considerations for a potential Public Defender's Office and support the efforts to make legal information more accessible. For example, the iLab Chatbot or the My Legacy website in beta testing phase.

However, digital solutions may not be useful for elderly or less tech-savvy Singaporeans. Planning for end-of-life issues can be very sensitive.

I would like to ask for MinLaw's plans to make legal aid more accessible to persons from all walks of life, and if it can consider simplifying the process for family members to deal with the estate of a deceased Singaporean, as many may not appreciate the difference between a grant of probate and a letter of administration, or understand when they can apply to the Public Trustee for assistance.

Easier Access to Legal Knowledge

Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee): Chairman, I would first like to declare that I am the Co-Chairperson of the Law Society Pro Bono Services’ Community Legal Clinics Committee.

Former Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong in his foreword for the fourth publication of the Singapore Association of Women Lawyer (SAWL)’s "You & the Law" said: "It is said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. But, in the case of the law, a little knowledge of one’s rights, duties and responsibilities goes some way to empower him or her a more confident person in his or her daily life."

I fully agree with his honour. The increase in scam cases and the helplessness faced by individuals when he or she losses their loved ones unexpectedly, made me realise that upstream education is always important. Prevention is always better than cure.

Over the years, organisations such as SAWL and the Law Society of Singapore have respectively published books, written in plain language, for members of the public on various topics of Singapore law relevant to everyday life, imparting easy-to-understand legal knowledge and information into the hands of every man in the street.

Separately, we have also seen agencies such as the Office of the Public Guardian providing step-by-step guide on their website to enable Singaporeans have a better understanding on the importance of doing Lasting Power of Attorney.

And since the circuit breaker, the Law Society Pro Bono Services have been sharing a series of "Know the Law" webinars on YouTube and its Community Legal Clinics have also begun providing legal advice to residents in need via virtual platforms.

It would therefore be helpful if the Ministry can consider working with these agencies and stakeholders to build up the digital infrastructure, with the goal of enabling more people to have better basic knowledge on common legal issues, such as consumer rights and estate planning; and seek for legal advice when necessary via virtual platforms.

Dispute Resolution

Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): Sir, in my work as a Member of Parliament, I regularly come across cases involving disputes between neighbours. Frequently, this involves either a neighbour who makes too much noise in the middle of the night or a neighbour who places his personal plants, bicycles, beyond the common shared space in the corridor. Sometimes, the quarrel arose over minute matters, which then escalate into vulgar language being used or thrown at each other.

I have also come across cases involving hoarders who accumulate junk in the flat and, in the process, block the common area causing fire hazard to the neighbours. It is also a hygiene issue as there may be cockroaches and rats that would come through the house.

Frequently, we ask HDB staff, we ask Town Council staff and sometimes even Grassroots leaders to help by mediating between the involved parties. But the dispute between neighbours are very difficult to resolve. Many of them refuse to attend mediation at the Community Mediation Centre.

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The final option is to refer parties to the Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal or CDRT. But from feedback, many residents are reluctant to go that step. Many do not think that mediation would solve their dispute. They also think that going to the Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal would not solve their dispute. They continue to suffer in silence and the resentment festers.

And sometimes, even after resolving the matter at the Tribunal, the problem does not go away. The hurt and resentment remains as egos are hurt.

The Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal has been in place since 2015. May I ask whether Ministry of Law has done any assessment of its effectiveness to help resolve the disputes? This is especially for cases where the neighbour can be very unreasonable, or what sometimes, the newspaper refers to as "neighbours from hell".

After a case is resolved, is there any tracking of the case? I am concerned that sometimes, the CDRT may consider a case as closed when the Tribunal makes an Order. But the dispute remains in the community. Parties remain at loggerheads with each other. And when I visit them as Minister of Parliament, they would each bring their source of complaints to me. So would an order, would a mandatory order for counselling help mitigate the tension between the parties? This may be similar to a family court order for parties to go for counselling before a Police Protection Order (PPO) application.

May I also seek an update about cases under the Prevention of Harassment Act (POHA)? Has the specialist court been set up for the protection from harassment? Has there been many cases against doxing filed in the courts since POHA was amended? Has Ministry of Law made any assessment about the effectiveness of POHA since the Act was amended in 2019?

The Chairman: Mr Gerald Giam.

Resolving Neighbour Disputes

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Neighbour disputes are some of the most thorny issues in public housing estates. Residents often contact the police, HDB, town councils or the Ministers of Parliament to seek assistance. Avenues like the Community Mediation Centre (CMC), or Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal (CDRT), are available, but many residents seem less keen on using them, because of perceived administrative hurdles or perceived ineffectiveness. Can there be a more streamlined, efficient and effective process available to residents at the first instance?

The CMC could be that avenue, but it first needs to be given more resources and more teeth.

First, when a resident chooses to lodge an application for mediation, the CMC should mandate that both parties be present at the mediation. It should not be voluntary. Second, the CMC should be staffed with full time, professional mediators to mediate cases. This can also help boost their authority in the eyes of the disputing parties. Third, agreements must be binding on all parties. If violated, the complainant should be able to use it to file a case with the CDRT for a fast track application for an injunction. And fourth, the Government should publicise the CMC more, so residents know that they can contact the CMC before they call the police or HDB to settle their disputes.

I believe that if these proposals can be implemented, the CMC will provide a more streamlined avenue for residents to seek a resolution to their disputes and relieve the burden of mediating these neighbour disputes on agencies like the Police.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer): May I have permission to take all my three cuts?

The Chairman: Yes, please.

Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal Updates

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: First cut is on the updates on the CDRT. Since the set up of the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal, I wish to ask the Ministry of Law how many cases have been filed, how many heard, how many cases mediated and how many resolved annually.

Also, what actions, if any, has the courts or complainants taken when offending parties after the tribunal order still continue to perpetrate and breach the order.

I also ask the Ministry of Law to elucidate on how the CDRT can better ensure the efficient and effective resolution of CDRT complaints as there are more situations of work from home and resulting in more neighbourly disputes and some of these disputes cannot be resolved via the voluntary mediation via Community Mediation and so on, and whether such mediation can be made compulsory.

Protection from Harassment Act Updates

Second cut on updates on the POHA. Since coming into force in November 2014, can Ministry of Law provide an update on the number of cases filed and mediated? Among all the POHA cases filed, what is the breakdown on the types of those involving community or neighbours, how many are online harassment, how many are sexual harassment and how many are workplace harassment.

If not already monitored, can I request that the figures be closely monitored and published regularly so that we know the exact magnitude of the various forms of harassment including the extent of workplace harassment and bullying as well as the prevalence of sexual harassment in workplaces.

I also ask the Ministry of Law to elucidate on the POHA Court and how this court can better ensure the efficient and effective resolution of harassment complaints.

Enforcement and Publication of Employment Claims Tribunal Judgments

My third and final cut, enforcement and publication of Employment Claims Tribunal Judgment and Orders. The Employment Claims Tribunal now has jurisdiction to adjudicate both salary-related disputes as well as wrongful dismissal claims, making it more convenient for parties to resolve employment disputes via a single forum.

However, an Employment Claims Tribunal judgment that is not satisfied would still need to be enforced in the same manner as an Order made by a District Court. This would involve detailed processes set out in the Rules of Court pertaining to the filing of relevant forms, documents as well as the payment of court fees. A worker who has successfully obtained a judgment may thus still be subject to a protracted enforcement process. Workers’ lack of knowledge of the workings of our courts system exacerbates this problem.

There is thus a need to simplify and expedite the enforcement mechanism to facilitate workers’ recovery of monies. One suggestion in the context of an insolvent company, is that the Ministry of Manpower can advance money to pay part of the worker’s unpaid wages and then stand in place of the worker as a preferred creditor to recover the advanced monies upon distribution of the insolvent company’s assets.

With the Employment Claims Tribunal having jurisdiction to adjudicate both salary-related disputes as well as wrongful dismissal claims, it now hears more cases.

Having a deeper understanding of the rulings of the Employment Claims Tribunal would benefit not just practitioners and lawyers, but claimants and respondents too, when they have to present their respective cases. Past decisions of the Employment Claims Tribunal would be extremely useful as a source of reference and precedence and should thus be made available. For a start, I would like to suggest that the more landmark and instructive judgments can be selectively published for the benefit of all.

Supporting Law Firms' Transformation

Mr Raj Joshua Thomas: Sir, I declare my interest as a practicing lawyer. Sir, when law firms adopt technology, they will increase their efficiency of processes and cut costs, improve accessibility and transparency for users of legal services and strengthen the resilience of legal service providers.

The Ministry of Law had set overall vision and blueprint for technology and innovation for law firms with the launch of the Technology and Innovation Roadmap in October 2020. The Ministry of Law has also introduced technology adoption initiatives such as Tech Start for Law and Tech-celerate for Law.

However, law firms have generally been quite slow to adopt technology, preferring to rely on traditional means of work and a manpower heavy modus operandi.

I would like to ask what is the progress made so far by law firms in adopting technology, pursuant to the Ministry of Law's initiatives like Tech Start for Law and Tech-celerate for Law, and what more is the Ministry of Law planning in 2021 to further encourage adoption of technology by law firms?

Separately, Sir, with Singapore's stellar reputation as a legal hub, it would be prudent for us to encourage our law firms to expand overseas. Our larger local firms like Allen & Gledhill and Rajah & Tann, already have a well-established presence overseas. Our SME law firms should also be looking at expanding especially because they are located in an international arbitration and mediation hub. In particular, our law firm SMEs should look at least in the first instance, at doing work in our region.

The Ministry of Law has been proactive with programmes like Lawyers Go Global, and the China Ready Programme for lawyers. However, given that travel restrictions due to COVID-19 are likely to affect these programmes, which typically saw Singapore lawyers making overseas trips, we may have to find new ways to support our firms' internationalisation aspirations and activities.

In this regard, I would like to ask the Minister for Law, how does the Ministry of Law intend to support law firms to internationalise and capture more work from the region?

Support for Small- and Medium-sized Firms

Ms Rahayu Mahzam (Jurong): Twenty-twenty was a challenging year for many and the legal sector was not spared the effects of the pandemic. In particular, when the circuit breaker was implemented, lawyers had to quickly adjust and adapt to work from home, make alternative arrangements to meet and communicate with clients, and then to have court sessions online. The sector had to quickly adapt and accelerate the adoption of technology.

The development of technology in legal practice has been in the horizons for some time now, but the pandemic obviously gave a hard nudge to the sector and hastened the progress. This did not just mean that lawyers had to learn new skills to manage their practice with new technology. It also meant that they had to contend with potential competition, with the advent of artificial intelligence and the development of online platforms for lay persons, which inevitably meant less dependence on lawyers.

To be clear, I am not suggesting that we should not allow for these developments just so as to preserve the lawyers' relevance in society. I believe these advancements are important and necessary and we should always look at platforms and opportunities to make the law accessible to the public.

However, lawyers from small- and medium-sized firms may face more challenges than others in pivoting and developing their practice into one that is relevant to the times and to seize opportunities in areas of growth.

My question is therefore, how can the Ministry help lawyers from small- and medium-sized firms stay relevant and continue to thrive in the changing legal landscape?

I believe there are two areas which the Ministry could look into.

One, the support for adoption of technology and two, training and development programmes that could empower lawyers from these films by building substantive knowledge on different fields where there is potential growth.

At the opening of legal year 2021, the president of the Law Society of Singapore, Senior Counsel Mr Gregory Vijayendran, made reference to the dialogue with the Ministry of Law on a technology platform in a pipeline and a promising initiative of effectively Plug and Play Technology Solutions. May I ask for an update of this discussion?

Could we enhance our support for technology adoption? Some of the adoption may require customization to suit the needs of the firm. It may take the lawyers some time to learn the platforms or standard solutions and some more time to build a customised solution for their set-up. Lawyers from small- and medium-sized firms may not have IT staff or teams to support them with this. Would it be possible to create an entity with such firms could avail themselves to technology consultancy services to help develop the IT infrastructure? In addition, would there be sustainable funding or grants to support these firms with the developments?

On the second area, could we enhance the platforms available to the lawyers from the small- and medium-sized firms to give them more exposure to new and developing fields of work? Aside from exposure, could there also be opportunities for lawyers from these firms to develop specialisation and deep knowledge for a particular field so that they could potentially develop a boutique practice in a specific area of growth?

Currently, lawyers are required to accumulate continuing professional development points and attend various training sessions. However, these sessions may not be sufficient to develop specialised skills. It may be helpful if the lawyers could be supported with a training and development programme that could help them pivot and succeed in a new and growing field.

Future-proofing the Legal Sector

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang): COVID-19 may just be the catalyst of change for our legal profession. Due to COVID-19, legal courts have undergone speedy digitisation. Virtual hearings are now being undertaken. Last week, I just finished an international court trial with a presiding judge in London. With the new changes and challenges faced by the legal profession today, how is the Ministry of Law equipping practitioners, firms and law students for the future?

Separately, Singapore Academy of Law’s Future Law Innovation Programme called FLIP, had aimed to drive innovation and adoption of new technology amongst law firms in Singapore. I would like to ask the Minister, are there any updates on FLIP or similar programmes to spur innovation and technology among law firms and practitioners in Singapore?

Mediation and Arbitration in Singapore

Mr Sitoh Yih Pin (Potong Pasir): Mr Chairman, I have shared my view with this House on promoting Singapore on an international disputes resolution hub, particularly, in the areas of mediation and arbitration.

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I also filed a Parliamentary Question recently and am pleased to note that the Singapore Convention on Mediation, also known as the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation, which entered into force on 12 September 2020, now has 53 signatories, including the world's two largest economies, the United States and China, and other large Asian economies such as India and South Korea. This is a significant milestone.

Sir, the Singapore Mediation Centre, SMC, has also performed extremely well over the years. Based on information from its website, the SMC is said to have mediated more than 4,800 matters worth over $10 billion since its launch in 1997. About 70% of SMC mediated cases are settled, with 90% of those cases settled within one day.

This shows that mediation is an effective dispute resolution mechanism and, it is with little wonder, that it has grown more popular over time, especially in commercial disputes. It is less contentious and, with an effective and experienced mediator, could even help previously warring parties find a way to collaborate commercially again, post-settlement. This, from a business perspective, is a very attractive proposition.

Sir, on the arbitration front, it is extremely heartening to see that the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, SIAC, has expanded its footprint overseas by setting up representative offices in key markets. In 2020, the SIAC opened its first representative office outside of Asia, in New York.

There are also many reputable international organisations and institutions such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center (WIPO AMC) and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution-American Arbitration Association (ICDR-AAA), which have set up offices in Singapore. These organisations and institutions will go a long way to complement our position as a dispute resolution hub.

Through this journey, sir, we have also developed world-class infrastructure to facilitate conducting dispute resolution in Singapore. Maxwell Chambers, launched in 2010, expanded to the adjacent Maxwell Chambers Suites in 2019, has tripled in size and now houses international dispute resolution institutions and practices with state-of-the-art hearing facilities.

It therefore appears that Singapore is well placed to capitalise on these developments and resources.

However, as this House is aware, the current COVID-19 pandemic has forced many countries around the world to impose strict travel restrictions. This could potentially derail Singapore's efforts in positioning itself as a leading international dispute resolution hub.

In the premises, I invite the Minister to share with this House the Ministry's larger strategic plans, especially in light of international COVID-19 travel restrictions, so as to continue to promote Singapore as a leading global dispute resolution hub to resolve international cross-border commercial disputes.

Hague Service Convention

Mr Murali Pillai: Mr Chairman, Singapore has forged a hard-earned reputation of being one of the most preferred dispute resolution centres in the world. Over the years, the Ministry of Law has introduced a slew of measures to improve her dispute resolution framework.

To further improve the framework, I suggest the Government consider acceding to the Hague Service Convention, which is the short form for the Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters. It is an old treaty that came into being in 1965. Its purpose is simple: to offer a reliable and efficient means of serving court documents from parties living, operating or based in another country.

The convention applies to service of process in civil and commercial matters but not criminal matters. Signing up for the Hague Service Convention will allow for service of judicial documents in civil matters abroad without the need to invoke time consuming and uncertain consular processes.

I would be grateful for the hon Minister's response to my suggestion.

Singapore's Intellectual Property Protection Regime

Mr Christopher de Souza: Sir, Singapore has a reputation for being a global city that attracts both individuals and corporations. In tandem with that reputation, we strive to provide a strong regime of intellectual property (IP) protection within our jurisdiction and have consistently ranked among the top in the world.

At this stage, I should declare that I am a lawyer who practises intellectual property law.

A strong IP regime provides an incentive framework in which innovation can be encouraged. However, IP protection can be a barrier in extreme circumstances such as what we currently face in the race for vaccines against COVID-19. Hence, we must find the right approach, calibrated to Singapore's context, to affirm companies and inventors that their IP is safe here and can be defended in the event a dispute arises out of IP rights such as patents.

Optimising Land Resources

When the pandemic was at its worst in Singapore and we needed temporary buildings to house our essential foreign workers, I must state on record that SLA did excellent in converting under-utilised buildings into temporary dormitories. I had the pleasure of working together with SLA officers and officers from related agencies on the conversion of the old Nexus International School in Ulu Pandan into a temporary dormitory.

This is the type of innovation that we should continue to promote and prompt agencies to maximise their venues of under-utilised plots land in land-scarce Singapore. We need to consistently review our usage of land and see how we can renew and optimise our land resources, whether it is for housing, sports and recreational activities or commercial and industrial purposes.

Digitisation Efforts of Singapore Land Authority

Mr Derrick Goh (Nee Soon): Mr Chairman, the Ministry of Law has already taken many steps in its digitisation journey. With the digital efforts undertaken across Government agencies, what plans does the SLA have in making available data platforms for businesses and individuals to make better decisions?

For documentation intensive processes, will SLA consider digitising more in these areas, such as conveyancing-related processes using smart contracts and distributed ledger technology?