Singapore's COVID-19 Response

Order read for Resumption of Debate on Question [20 March 2023].

"That this House expresses gratitude to all in Singapore who contributed to the nation's fight against COVID-19; affirms the Government's effort to learn from the experiences of the last three years; and, to that end, endorses Paper Cmd 22 of 2023 on 'Singapore's Response to COVID-19: Lessons for the Next Pandemic'." – [Mr Lawrence Wong].

Question again proposed.

Mr Speaker: Miss Cheng Li Hui.

12.00 pm

Miss Cheng Li Hui (Tampines): Mr Speaker, I was working in the oil and gas industry in 2009 when H1N1 happen. I had about 400 direct workers on the island and totaling about 1,400 direct-hire foreign workers in the company.

Many of us do not remember that there was contact tracing then, too. We learnt some lessons. When an engineer in another refinery contracted H1N1, the workers that he spoke to the days before had to go into self-isolation. Then, the workers in that dormitory room who were working in my jobsite, had to go in as well. Workers who took the same transport from jobsite, also went into isolation and it was tough to plan our work.

The ideal situation would be for the workers in the same dormitory to work in the same jobsite. But that is not possible as there will be new hires, resignations and change of jobsites due to work the requirements every week. Human Resources (HR) staff would see which dormitory had spaces and put workers there. It was not an easy job, as sometimes, there may not be enough man-year entitlement (MYE) and they will send experienced workers back and re-hire them when MYE is available, but that dorm spot would be filled by other new hires.

There is probably no ideal, practical solution because every situation is unique in its own way and we cannot have systems that can dynamically adjust all the time. However, most businesses will try their best to make things work. They have to, because their businesses depend on it.

Some initiatives work only in theory, but in reality, can impose a lot of friction and we may be better off not having some of these solutions in the first place. Hence, businesses must speak up in trade and business dialogues. Because sometimes, not only are the desired outcomes not achieved, there can also be serious unintended consequences.

Thankfully, the H1N1 outbreak was nowhere as extensive or disruptive as COVID-19 was. So, right after that period, I rented a brand new 500-pax dormitory in Senoko and also planned the construction of our own dormitory. I was very clear. We needed better conditions for our workers and be prepared for the next virus and even isolation rooms for chicken pox and flu.

For the new dorms that we were building, it was initially for 900 persons. New rules set in when we were submitting for approval, and it was finally approved only for 804. We wanted to factor in the possibility of quarantine by building shared toilets between two rooms, but that would end up building a dormitory for lesser than the 804 persons approved. The sums began not to add up and did not seem to make any business or efficiency sense.

Businesses have to decide how much contingency is needed. The more we did, the more we managed the risks downwards, the higher the cost. Cost pressures for businesses are real. Is it worth spending $X million for a scenario that may or may not happen?

This is not unlike how we can be under-insured sometimes. It is when we are hit by a major illness that we wished we had purchased the insurance when we could.

Dealing with the pandemic is no different. If we leave it to businesses, their efforts to prepare will be patchy and that is where the Government needs to step in. But there must be discussions with the businesses in order to realise the real impact of these policies. If we are not careful, it can affect our competitiveness vis-à-vis the region.

With hindsight, it is always easy to critique and say that one should have done this or that. But the reality is, every crisis is likely to be different. And what we learnt and put in place in the aftermath, may not be wholly applicable in a new pandemic.

When COVID-19 struck, I was no longer in the process industry but was involved in some work on the ground as a volunteer. I am grateful to the many people who responded to my Facebook call for mask-making in March 2020 and we received thousands per week.

On the first day of the circuit breaker, I was outside Mustafa Centre. The streets were empty, except for the hundreds queuing for food handouts by charities, hotels and one hawker even provided fresh fruit juices.

The workers were stranded, as their flights were cancelled and they were staying in units above the shophouses in the area. They had no masks and they did not know where to get them. We gave them care packs with handmade masks.

After that, I volunteered with Crisis Relief Alliance as the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) had given each Non-Government Organisation (NGO) a list of dormitories to visit. There are many Purpose-Built Dorms and it is critical to leverage on these NGOs and other volunteer groups to assist MOM and the authorities to visit them, evaluate the conditions, assess the risks and also to ascertain what the needs might be.

For me, being a volunteer was the fastest way to get the masks to the dormitories and even for the dormitories I could not visit, I used the headcount in the spreadsheet and threw bags of required masks over the gates. Many workers gave thumbs up and friendly waves from their windows.

I salute the doctors, nurses, MOM officers and volunteers who went into the dorms in the early days. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and N95s masks were in short supply, the seriousness of COVID-19 was unclear, there was a lot of fear. Even as we drove from dorm to dorm, PPE and masks could not be taken off for fear of contamination. But there was a strong sense of duty, as we moved from room to room to check on workers' mental health and hygiene.

I remember pulling open one huge metal door of a shed to see a COVID-19 case sitting on his bed with heavy equipment all around him. He was all smiles and said he was okay. He said he had to be considerate to the other people in dormitory and he will stay there until there is ambulance available for pick-up. Everyone in all the dorms were super grateful for the 50GB SIM card provided by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). The workers could watch movies and kept in touch with their friends and loved ones.

I had great empathy for Malaysian workers in dorms as they chose to stay here because of the Movement Control Order (MCO) but were met with circuit breaker. Many of them did not have smartphones. So, even simple things like watching YouTube or ordering Grab food and other transactions were not available for them. I posted on my Facebook and residents donated food rations at my Tampines Town Council office for them.

In the outreach work, there were so many officials we met on the ground and they were professional in their efforts and tried to do as much and as quickly as possible. The patience and forbearance of the workers are to be highly commended too. It was clear that the foreign workers were aware of what was happening back in their homes and were glad that they were working in Singapore where they were largely treated fairly and reasonably looked after.

At the local level, I am grateful to our Town Council staff and workers who helped with all the additional work that was suddenly required. Disinfecting blocks when residents were infected, replenishing hand sanitiser bottles in every lift, enhancing the hygiene regime and many more. They gave residents peace of mind.

Lastly, I want to recognise the People's Association (PA) staff who worked long hours distributing masks, sanitisers, tokens, temporary relief fund applications and many more. They were frontliners and were afraid too. They facilitated the first masks distribution without wearing masks nor have sanitisers for the pens that everyone was using to acknowledge collection. Some did not visit their extended families even after circuit breaker because of their exposure to the many relief schemes.

My own sense is that there is much that our Government can and should do in any pandemic. We need to be better, faster and to prepare in "peacetime" before the next outbreak occurs. But having been involved in the work, it is also quite apparent to me that the Government cannot do everything. It is not possible to cater for the surge needs now in anticipation of future pandemics – it would be prohibitively expensive for everyone. We, as a society and community, need to stand up and take action. NGOs should also come forward. This is how a whole-of-society effort is mobilised to deal with a crisis.

This was seen during COVID-19. We need to give thanks for these efforts by so many and we must not also take this for granted. We can and should have table-top exercises to refresh relationships and connections, establish some standard operating procedures (SOPs) and ensure that everyone is on the same page and to, perhaps, even practise these mock exercises for various plausible pandemics.

To be fair to ourselves, despite the mistakes and inadequacies we see, when you take a few steps back, you would realise that relative to so many other countries, we have done pretty well. Please give ourselves a pat on the back. Most importantly, let us all give a great big shout-out to all our frontline, middle-ground and backroom colleagues who have gone many extra miles in the past few years.

The cycle continues. We must now begin to prepare for the next contingency. Change what we must, tweak what is needed and maintain what continues to make sense.

Mr Speaker: Ms Denise Phua.

12.09 pm

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): Sir, I fully support the Motion put forth by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance on Singapore's COVID-19 Response.

Singapore's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, while not perfect, is one of the best in the world. For those of us who have had loved ones suffer or even pass away in other countries due to a lack of access to vaccination and proper healthcare, we can appreciate how well the Singapore Government has fared. However, I am glad that the White Paper not only highlighted what we do well, but also where we fall short and how we can improve in the future.

Today, I wish to focus on how we can better support Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in future pandemics.

First, on the commendable efforts to support the disabled. Whilst the pandemic has affected many, PwDs and their families have been hit harder. Nonetheless, there are commendable sparks of great work being done.

SG Enable, the main disability hub of Singapore, started a dedicated COVID-19 resource page on its Enabling Guide website. Together with Mediacorp, it facilitated C.A.R.E. – or the Care initiative – to provide cooked meals, financial assistance, respite and essentials distribution.

The amazing support by Temasek Foundation throughout the pandemic is well-known. Additionally, Temasek Trust partnered the five Community Development Councils (CDCs) to launch a $4 million CDC-Temasek Trust Lifelong Learning Grant, to provide learning support in the form of devices and training courses, especially for those affected by COVID-19.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) also worked closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH), Health Promotion Board (HPB) and the special education (SPED) schools, to run school-based vaccination centres for those who are still in schools. It learned from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) pandemic and actively included students from SPED schools in its suite of measures to protect them.

Dr Lim Hong Huay and her husband, infectious disease specialist Dr Leong Hoe Nam, Eden School, SuperHero Me, an arts movement, and Lien Foundation, developed an educational resource package to empower children and older PwDs. There are many other commendable efforts in Singapore.

Elsewhere, in other countries, I have been informed by disability volunteers and caregivers about some good practices in the disability space during the pandemic. In one country, PwDs were prioritised to be vaccinated with other vulnerables in Phase 2, after the health professionals. PwDs were also earlier included in the home vaccination programme. They can also get vaccination jabs whilst sitting in a familiar car, in car drive-throughs in one country. PwDs were also given priority lanes in the bigger vaccination centres. Those with needs can request for vaccination and the use of private calm rooms to avoid meltdowns. Such were the best practices I hear from other countries and I think those are some things Singapore can refer to in our future planning.

What can we do to better support PwDs more effectively in future pandemics? I have three suggestions.

Firstly, it is essential to adopt a universal design approach so that the vulnerable including the disabled are included upstream. This should happen at the strategic Inter-Ministerial Task Force (MTF)-level and at the highest operations level. So, not downstream. Upstream.

The dedicated Centre for Public Health and the Forward Planning Team, announced by Deputy Prime Minister Wong yesterday, must include an arm to look into the key vulnerable groups, such as the disabled, the young and the elderly.

It is crucial to recognise that the well-being of the vulnerable cannot be solely delegated to just one Ministry or dependent on the kindness of others – piecemeal stop-gap measures. The voices of the vulnerable should be designed to be heard at the highest level upstream and not downstream.

Secondly, we need to include outreach to the disabled in the mainstream communications channels, such as television, newspapers and useful GovTech WhatsApp updates that other residents receive daily. Many individuals are unaware of how to access disability hubs, such as SG Enable, and there may also be barriers, such as language and information technology (IT) proficiency.

During the pandemic, we have heard of desperate parents who were also worried what the quarantine arrangements of their children would be, should the children get infected.

For adults with disabilities above age 18 who need supervision and escort, many of their families do not know where to turn to, to appeal for special needs measures, such as being accompanied by a familiar adult before and during vaccination. Neither was it clear that they have options to be vaccinated either at a centre or at home – not to mention the car drive-throughs that I talk about in another country.

Whenever such cases come to my attention, I had often approached and relied on the kindness of public servants and office bearers, such as Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam to point me in the right direction. But outreach has to be more systemic and affected parties need to be confident enough to have their needs heard and responded to.

Thirdly, we need to develop a playbook for inclusive pandemic policies and practices at the national level. Besides involving Government agencies, such as the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and SG Enable for the disabled, there must be a platform to actively engage and consult with disability agencies and advocates to ensure that the unique needs and perspectives of the disabled, their caregivers and their community are highlighted.

We need to tap on mainstream practices, wherever possible, and communicate clearly and widely. For instance, in matters, such as applying for caregiver escort and supervision during vaccination and quarantines; and in offering the younger disabled options, such as public community vaccination centres; mobile home-based vaccinations and even, if possible, vehicle drive-through centres.

Set up a dedicated hotline staffed by human beings that is accessible for the major disability groups and their families. Identify and learn from best practices elsewhere. Allow for flexibility where reasonable – at school, at work or at public places – because not all disabilities and support needs are the same.

So, universal design, including the disabled; upstream, not downstream. Include outreach via the mainstream communications platforms. Develop a playbook for inclusive pandemic policies and practices for the future.

In conclusion, Sir, Singapore has done the best it could under the challenging circumstances brought about by COVID-19. Like many others, I feel so blessed to be in Singapore for a time such as this. With hindsight, let us better include the voices of the disabled and their proxies, such as their families and advocates, so that we can better support persons with disabilities in future pandemics. Let us all work together to ensure that no one, indeed, is left behind.

Mr Speaker: Mr Raj Joshua Thomas.

12.16 pm

Mr Raj Joshua Thomas (Nominated Member): Mr Speaker, Sir, the pandemic response was a massive effort by all quarters of Singapore society. Many Members have expressed appreciation to various segments, including our healthcare workers, our private and people sectors, our own citizens doing their part in their own way. In my speech, Sir, I would like to express gratitude to our public servants.

It has often been mentioned in this debate that, with hindsight, everything is clear. With hindsight, it is easy to criticise. And criticism, taken correctly, including self-criticism, lends itself to identifying weaknesses, improving capabilities and doing better in the future. This is what the White Paper does.

But as the hon Minister of State Sun Xueling said yesterday, it is the actions of the man in the arena, when he is in the arena with dust, sweat and blood on his face, that determines the outcome of the battle.

Furthermore, in this battle, the gladiator was blindfolded because we were dealing with an enemy of which little was known. So, it should not be unexpected that there was a good amount of shifting and adjusting as we understood more and even some backtracking in some cases.

I thought I should share my experience as a trade associations and chambers (TAC) representative of an essential service during the pandemic, who worked with various Government bodies.

The security industry operated throughout the pandemic, with officers being deployed on-site even during the circuit breaker. Our numbers were fairly large, with over 40,000 workers going to their workplace every day.

There were significant measures imposed on these workers as well as their employers, who had to ensure that the proper procedures were implemented on the ground; that PPE was made available; and that they complied with administrative requirements imposed by the Government.

For example, during the circuit breaker, employers had to seek approval from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) for quotas for the number of workers who could be deployed on site. These had to be sought and updated on a daily basis, with the names of the workers on site provided. It proved to be an administratively onerous and unwieldy system.

This and other impositions, presented an administrative burden on employers who had to juggle manpower constraints and day-to-day operations that had changed rapidly due to new requirements in access control, like temperature taking, with a genuine desire to protect their workers and to comply with Government regulations.

The agencies I worked with, in particular, were Enterprise Singapore, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and MTI, and at varying levels of staff seniority. I have several observations working with these Government bodies in respect of an essential service industry deploying a large manpower base.

First, I found that these agencies made considerable effort to reach out to explain the new measures, to provide updates and, where necessary, to carry out Zoom briefings. During the circuit breaker, I received updates almost on a daily basis. As a result of all the information coming to my TAC, we were empowered to ourselves send daily updates to our members. These communications involved not only information on the measures to be taken on the ground but also schemes that were concurrently being rolled out, like the enterprise financing schemes and support for digital solutions by IMDA.

Second, the officers whom I was liaising with were very responsive. The White Paper mentioned that Enterprise Singapore received over 200,000 calls in 2020 alone. I understand that Enterprise Singapore officers from all departments and at all seniorities were roped in to man the lines. I will confess, Sir, that probably not an insignificant number of these calls were made by my own TAC staff.

The officers I was liaising with were also easily contactable by phone, WhatsApp messages and Zoom. Furthermore, they were also contactable and working day and night, weekday and weekend.

My third observation was that not only were they contactable, but that they were also working actively to address our concerns and many accommodations were made on the fly.

I mentioned earlier, one of the more administratively onerous requirements during the circuit breaker the employers faced – the need to seek approval from MTI for the headcount quotas of on-site workers.

Employers had urgently approached my TAC that they had received approvals for headcounts far less than what they had requested for. For example, an employer providing security services and access control at Government quarantine facilities and dormitories, had requested for a headcount of 580 but was only granted approval for 268. Another employer that was providing services to foreign embassies' data centres and dormitories, requested for a quota of 729 but was granted approval for only 409.

This meant that these companies did not have approval for the headcount they needed to carry out the very measures that had been rolled out and that were required by the Government and what their clients had engaged them for.

Of course, I understood that this portal and the system had been rolled out for all Singapore companies. But for employers on the ground, receiving such a reduced quota was extremely frustrating and shocking. What made it more difficult was that helplines could not give them a definitive solution as to how to increase the allocated headcount, other than to submit an appeal through the GoBusiness platform. Because these quotas were given on a daily basis, employers had literally no time to react or to wait for appeal results. Even worse, some of these appeals resulted in less headcount being approved or just a marginal increase.

To add to these troubles, MOM also rolled out an SGWorkPass app for foreign workers at the same time. Many workers who were approved on the MTI platform appeared not to be approved in the SGWorkPass app at the same time. We raised these issues with MHA and Enterprise Singapore and asked for them to urgently look into it.

The consequence of complying with these quotas was that many sites would be left with no security and many measures, like temperature taking and access control, would not have been fulfilled because the vendors that were supposed to carry these out, simply did not have the required number of approved headcount.

Very quickly, MHA informed us, and we subsequently informed our members, that security officers who were not yet approved on the SGWorkPass app could continue to be deployed while MHA sorted out the backend approvals with MOM. Both MHA and Enterprise Singapore also assured us that security officers could still be deployed, while MHA and Enterprise Singapore worked with MTI on the headcount approvals.

All this, Sir, was done on a Sunday – specifically, 3 May 2020. Eventually, my TAC worked with MHA and MTI, even down to the headcounts for individual employers.

These, Sir, are examples of precisely the shifting and adjusting that were being done by our public servants as the situation unfolded, as feedback was coming in and as it became apparent that changes had to be made to some of the Government's requirements.

The security industry, because we have seen the successful effects of our feedback, and I, personally, come out of this pandemic experience with a greater appreciation and respect for our public servants.

Public servants, like Mr Dhruv Ang from Enterprise Singapore, who actively reached out and acted as a coordinator for us across various Government agencies. Mr Jonathan Mark Capel from MHA, who swiftly and tirelessly supported our companies and their operational needs. Mr Albert Tsui and Mr Robbie Poo from MTI, who worked with us on the headcount quotas.

Sir, I named these officers who helped us to get through the pandemic, because we often look at our Public Service as a faceless, nameless, monolithic organisation. But, Sir, it is made up of individuals, many of whom have contributed so much to the pandemic response effort and who have made a real difference.

The hon Member Liang Eng Hwa mentioned yesterday and commended the considerable effort by Government officers to secure vaccines and masks. If we look at the sheer scale of Government intervention, including for businesses and jobs, the effort put in by our Public Service must have been herculean.

From implementing the Jobs Support Scheme, which dispersed almost $30 billion to tens of thousands of businesses; to more targeted schemes, like the Hawkers and Heartlands Go Digital programmes and the Food Delivery Booster Package; or efforts to help SMEs with their leases – behind all these initiatives are our public servants, who had to conceptualise these schemes, think about the details and what they were trying to address; how to execute them and then actually executing them and adjusting accordingly – of course, under the able leadership of the MTF. This would have taken tremendous hard work under trying and urgent conditions.

Let us also not forget our diplomats overseas, many of whom were stationed in countries where the pandemic situation was far worse than in Singapore. They remained in these foreign countries to provide assistance to Singaporeans and to help them get back home.

Sir, there are not many countries that can so quickly roll out so many schemes so effectively and have the ability to adjust and change, as required. I am strongly of the view, Sir, that one of the things that we should take back from our COVID-19 pandemic experience is the robustness of our Public Service and confidence in its ability to respond and serve in any future crisis. In this regard, I would like to express my gratitude to all our public servants who worked hard and were instrumental in getting us through the pandemic.

Sir, finally, I would also like to commend the hon Leader of the Opposition and the Workers' Party for its position that, in a crisis, it would seek unity of purpose and support the Government of the day's efforts to deal with the crisis, instead of opportunistically seeking political mileage. This ensures that the Government will be able to focus on dealing with the critical and urgent issues in the crisis, without being distracted by political challenges and considerations. It will also help to bring our people together instead of sowing division. The Workers' Party's stance on this is patently responsible and it is the type of politics that we want to see in Singapore.

This is a position that Mr Pritam Singh had expressed at the start of the pandemic and I am heartened that he has repeated it in this debate. It gives me confidence, Sir, and it should give all Singaporeans confidence that, in times of crisis, we will unite as a country, as a society and as a polity.

Mr Speaker: Dr Wan Rizal.

12.28 pm

Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar): Mr Speaker, I applaud Singapore's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, as reviewed in the White Paper. In my speech today, I aim to support the White Paper, while highlighting a few areas – our healthcare workers, teachers, mental health and asatizahs.

Sir, it is important to take a moment to thank the frontline workers who have been instrumental in our success in mitigating COVID-19. Healthcare workers, in particular, have been on the frontline of this battle, working tirelessly to provide care and support to those who need it most. Their selflessness, dedication, hard work and sacrifice have inspired us all and we owe them a debt of gratitude.

However, there were reports of healthcare workers being subjected to verbal and physical abuse, online and offline; harassment and discrimination, due to fear and misinformation surrounding the pandemic. Such abuse is unacceptable and significantly impacts the mental health and well-being of our healthcare workers who were under immense pressure during the pandemic.

Therefore, I am glad that the Tripartite Workgroup for the Prevention of Abuse and Harassment of Healthcare Workers recently shared a set of recommendations that includes a zero-tolerance approach, effective reporting and escalation protocols and a support structure to report abuse and harassment. I hope that the recommendations can be implemented soon and practised, as we create a new norm. Let this be a new norm where abuse and harassment have no space in our society.

Sir, the pandemic significantly impacted the education system and our teachers were at the forefront. To me, they are as good as frontliners. I applaud the Government's stance to keep schools open and ensure that education continues.

Our teachers more than rose to the occasion to ensure that learning continued even under tremendous pressure. They had to quickly adapt to new teaching methods and find ways to engage their students in a challenging and constantly changing environment. They have demonstrated resilience and dedication to their students' education, ensuring that the next generation of leaders can thrive in a post-pandemic world.

During the pandemic, the sudden shift to online learning and the need to adopt new teaching methods became a burden to some teachers, especially when the Singapore Student Learning System (SLS) broke down intermittently. Parents became anxious and when the system failed, the teachers became anxious and came under pressure too. In that regard, we should consider setting up multiple online learning platforms, similar to SLS but different. Much like food resilience, we now want to have education resilience.

Training for both teachers and students should continue and we must encourage the usage of Home-Based Learning (HBL) as a new norm, especially for Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). This will sufficiently prepare our systems and human capabilities, if and when any other pandemic strikes.

Sir, teachers also shared how administrative duties, like attendance and contact tracing, bogged them down. Regardless, they understood the importance and went on to do any other additional jobs and duties. The Government must provide support and resources to teachers to help them navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic.

One resource available are actually the parents. This is where the parent-school relationship becomes important. We could enlist parent volunteers to help with the administrative or additional duties during a pandemic.

Thus, it is important that we begin to continually engage and recruit parents beyond the minimal service hours. Get them more involved in activities, like school games or events, and participate in pandemic scenario exercises.

Sir, the pandemic not only affected physical health, but also profoundly impacted the mental health of Singaporeans. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression and stress, due to factors like social isolation, economic uncertainties and health-related factors.

I thank the Government for taking steps to address the mental health needs of Singaporeans, such as the formation of the Inter-Agency COVID-19 Mental Wellness Taskforce in October 2020 that later developed strategic recommendations for intervention and support.

Sir, the pandemic created barriers to accessing mental health care, with lockdown measures leading to the closure of some facilities and limited availability of services. We must identify ways to ensure such support continues during a high-anxiety period like the pandemic.

First is the formation of what I call a "Mental Health Community Emergency Preparedness Teams" comprised of residents, somewhat like the Community Emergency and Engagement committees that we now have in our community. In terms of emergency, the mental well-being circles must be able to transform, step up and take on bigger roles. This peer network must also leverage technology to connect residents online, so that the first level of mental health support is provided and remains accessible during a pandemic.

Second, is the creation of a central mental health op-centre to be activated only during the pandemic, to allow accessibility and channel to the many available resources that we have in the community. Sir, in Malay, please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for all Singaporeans. We have now left the pandemic behind, and we have progressed safely.

In the national struggle against COVID-19, the Malay/Muslim community made some important adjustments. Our asatizah, led by the Mufti and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) played an important role in our community. They calmly and astutely provided much-needed counsel during a difficult and unprecedented period.

Sir, here, I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Mufti, the asatizah and MUIS for their leadership. Our religious leaders, after consulting with the Ministry of Health (MOH), had proactively provided guidance on how we can make adjustments to our religious life in order to be safe from COVID-19.

These include the closing of mosques before the circuit breaker period; the postponement of congregational prayers; the postponement of the Haj; and being unable to visit our parents and loved ones during the Hari Raya celebrations; as well as the limited prayer space in mosques.

I am grateful to the community for being understanding about the challenges at that time, supporting the decisions taken and cooperating with safe management measures to protect Singapore from the COVID-19 outbreak.

Sir, we have emerged from this epidemic, as one Singapore.

As a stronger and more united people, and most importantly, one that is more caring towards each other. We made the necessary adjustments and showed a strong sense of togetherness, regardless of age, race or religion to overcome this epidemic as one nation.

In closing, I would like to express my deepest gratitude once again to all the those at the frontline, including our health workers, teachers and asatizah. With that, I thank you.

Mr Speaker: Mr Edward Chia.

12.36 pm

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah): Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion. The White Paper on the COVID-19 Response is a fair assessment of how Singapore performed in its fight against COVID-19 and candidly stated certain areas to be improved, which I will elaborate upon in my speech today.

First, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the healthcare workers, frontline essential workers and all those who have worked tirelessly to keep our communities safe during these challenging times. Your dedication, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to the well-being of our society, have not gone unnoticed and we extend our heartfelt appreciation to every one of you.

As we reflect on the past few years, it is important to acknowledge the challenges we have faced as a nation. In particular, I would like to address three areas that we could have done more to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.

First, the need to build more resilient housing, especially for low-resourced and vulnerable households. Challenges in our housing structures and capabilities, especially in the case of 1- and 2-room flats, became even more apparent during the implementation of the Home Recovery Programme (HRP).

The HRP was made the default mode for managing COVID-19 cases, from 15 September 2021. Fully vaccinated individuals aged 12 to 50 years, with no or mild COVID-19 symptoms were advised to recover at home, without needing to visit a hospital or a community care facility. The transition proved frustrating for many Singaporeans. Some were unable to get through to MOH's hotline for instructions, while others who were not suited for home recovery faced delays in conveyance to recovery facilities.

For our resource-low households, particularly those living in 1- and 2-room flats, these challenges were amplified and experienced more acutely because of their space constraints.

During the Delta wave, our strategy pivoted from "zero-COVID-19" to "living with COVID-19". With the re-characterisation of the virus as a disease mild enough to recuperate at home, the directive that followed was for infected individuals to self-isolate within the confines of their homes.

However, for those living in 1- and 2-room flats, where there is only one bathroom and multiple dwellers share the same bedroom, self-isolation proved almost inconceivable and this drastically increased the risk of other household members contracting the virus. Having multiple members of a resource-low household contract COVID-19, leads to greater financial insecurity, as compared to middle- and higher-resource households.

While their ability to work is compromised, resource-low families often do not have access to work-from-home (WFH) alternatives and rely on a smaller pool of savings to tide them through periods of no work.

As a Member of Parliament of Zhenghua, I have first-hand experience of the challenges faced by such families, especially those living in our public rental flats. I was in constant communication with residents and appealed to the MOH team who did their best, given the situation, to assist them.

The limitations of our present homes in protecting residents in the face of a pandemic, especially in the case of 1- and 2-room flats, justifies a re-think of our minimum housing standards. Taking into account the challenges faced by households living in 1- and 2-room flats, due to constraints in living space, what must be done to fortify all housing types to ensure that they are resilient in future pandemics?

Secondly, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for businesses to work closely with the Government to ensure that essential services are not disrupted. During the pandemic, many businesses in Singapore worked with the Government to manage migrant workers' inflows at dormitories. This helped to ensure that essential services continued to be delivered.

Particularly, associations, such as the Dormitory Association of Singapore Limited (DASL), contributed significantly to managing the unprecedented situation in the dormitories. Were there useful lessons learned from these partnerships with DASL and the Singapore Contractors Association and has MOM put in place measures to better prepare for the next pandemic?

It is crucial to work with the trade associations (TAs) on pandemic response and establish pandemic-related SOPs and communication channels. This way, TAs will be ready with a pandemic response and there will be a clear line of communication with the Government to ensure the efficient cascading of information, both ways.

To tackle the possibility of such similar pandemics where the speed and scale of virus spread becomes unprecedented, is the Government looking to prepare pre-emptive policy coordination in the present state? Will these be included as one of the workstreams of the dedicated centre for public health and forward planning?

Lastly, I have received feedback from the business community that the Jobs Growth Incentive (JGI) rolled out during the pandemic to save jobs and spur hiring were, unfortunately, beset with instances of disbursement delays. In particular, Phase 5 of the JGI payout has caused some administrative pain for companies. Businesses shared that the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) conducts random checks to verify employment numbers. These checks involve specific documents, like employment details of certain employees, hours worked, work schedules and pay slips, and such reviews take up to six months.

In a particular case, since June 2022, no payouts for Phase 5 onwards have been made, although information for those phases have been asked for by IRAS and reviewed. This means that the review has taken close to 10 months. Upon further enquiry, IRAS was not able to provide the status updates and was not clear on whether the company was eligible for payouts or not. When asked about the delays, IRAS cited manpower shortages as the reason for the longer review, rather than any cause for concerns with the company's documentation.

Sir, businesses continue to be cash flow-driven and delays in payouts can make or break companies, especially in these cost-inflated times. Can the Government work towards ensuring that the disbursement process is better streamlined and efficient, without compromising on the necessary checks and balances?

This must certainly be challenging for civil servants involved too, so I do understand the operational constraints. So, any solution has to include the organisation being adequately resourced. It is important that these support measures are effective and accessible to businesses, when they need it the most. Therefore, I look forward to the review and some proposed pathways to making this better for all.

In conclusion, I have highlighted three important areas of focus in Singapore's response to COVID-19: first, ensure that our homes are resilient in the face of future pandemics and that resource-low households are safeguarded; two, work closely with TAs to prepare for future pandemics; and lastly, expedite the disbursement of Government support for businesses to save jobs and spur hiring.

Mr Speaker: Mr Melvin Yong.

12.44 pm

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas): Mr Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of the Motion. The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented crisis that has impacted the entire world. Our lives have been upended and we have had to learn to adapt to a new normal.

Today, I would like to pay a special tribute to our workers in the air, sea and land transport sectors. They have collectively kept Singapore connected, kept Singaporeans moving and ensured that we continued to have access to essential goods and services – right from the very beginning and throughout the pandemic. Our transport workers showed up to work every day, despite the uncertainties surrounding how deadly and contagious the virus could be. They set aside their fears and kept our airways open, our sea lanes flowing and our buses and trains moving for all of us.

As a transport unionist at the frontline, I have witnessed first-hand how the Government, the unions and our corporations, come together to overcome crisis after crisis and emerge stronger together. Amidst the many uncertainties throughout the pandemic – new COVID-19 clusters, new virus variants, travel bubbles forming and popping – what was certain for the tripartite partners was that we knew that we had each other’s back. Let me elaborate.

I start with aviation. The pandemic severely disrupted the global economy. But the aviation industry, a vital part of global connectivity, had to keep moving. Despite having a high risk of contracting the virus, our air crew and those working at our airport worked tirelessly and selflessly to ensure that all flights coming through Singapore remained safe and secure. They worked long hours; sacrificed personal comfort, having to don cumbersome PPEs; and put in extra efforts to uphold the highest standards of safety, sanitation and service on board our flights and at the airport. They did so to transport essential supplies and to bring back our loved ones stranded far away, when global travel came to a virtual standstill.

One example is Jessica Chua, a stewardess with Scoot, who was among the crew that was deployed on a flight to Wuhan in February 2020, to deliver humanitarian assistance from the Singapore Government and to return over 170 Singaporeans and their family members back home to Singapore.

Soon after, the magnitude of the impact of the pandemic set in and many aviation workers were faced with the sobering prospect of an uncertain future. But the tripartite partners were quick to step in. The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) worked closely with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore to launch the Enhanced Training Support Package to help companies retain and reskill their workers instead of retrenching them. NTUC's Job Security Council also worked closely with the Public Service Division to place more than 4,000 aviation workers on secondary employment in areas, such as healthcare and public transport.

Sir, throughout the pandemic, our aviation workers have shown us what it means to be resilient. During the Ministerial Statement on aviation recovery in October 2020, I had asked the Minister for Transport why Singapore Airlines (SIA) was operating flights to countries that Singaporeans were not allowed to travel to. The Minister explained there were some flights, although the load factor is low, that SIA would continue to fly to maintain a minimum connectivity network, to maintain our presence in those markets. So, even though the load factor is low, the Government would support SIA to continue these flights and to mount cargo flights so that our supply chain is not affected.

Sir, it is the foresight of such policy decisions and the resilience of aviation workers like Jessica Chua and many others that Singapore’s aviation sector has rebounded as quickly as it has, allowing Changi Airport to regain its crown as the world’s best airport at the 2023 World Airport Awards. SIA was also named Airline of the Year last month by Air Transport World and ranked top global airline by Fortune magazine in its February issue.

Next, let me extend my appreciation to all the seafarers and port workers who bravely continued their work during the pandemic, often against all odds, to ensure that our supply chains remained operational during the most challenging of times.

When global air passenger demand evaporated almost overnight, the demand for cargo increased exponentially. Unseen and unheard, our maritime workers worked around the clock to ensure that essential goods and services continued to flow into Singapore during the pandemic.

Sir, seafarers and port workers have always played a critical role in global trade and commerce, but the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed just how essential their work really is. Without our maritime workers, we would not have had the medicine, food, fuel and other vital supplies that we needed to navigate the pandemic. Our maritime workers helped to keep our economies running and our communities fed and provisioned, even as the rest of the world was brought to a standstill.

But our seafarers did not have an easy time during the pandemic. They endured unimaginable hardships and uncertainty. They risked infection and severe illness. Many were stuck onboard their ships for months due to travel restrictions and border closures, unable to return home to their families and loved ones. Yet, they persevered to keep our global supply chains open.

In response, Singapore's tripartite partners established a world-class floating Crew Facilitation Centre and a $1 million Singapore Shipping Tripartite Alliance Resilience Fund to facilitate crew changes to take place in Singapore, helping hundreds of thousands of seafarers to return home safely. Such efforts were vital in ensuring the safety and welfare of our maritime workers while keeping supply chains open, even during the worst of the pandemic.

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to acknowledge and thank the many land transport workers who have been silently working to keep our country moving during the pandemic, including during the circuit breaker period.

Sir, our bus and rail workers and our taxi and private hire drivers put their lives on the line every day to provide us with safe transportation services. Every time they interact with passengers, they are exposed to the risk of contracting the virus. Despite taking precautions, such as wearing masks, using sanitisers and maintaining social distancing, they remained at high risk of exposure. Yet, they persisted in discharging their duties.

The risk of infection is real, which was evident when the highly transmissible new Delta variant started spreading rapidly at our bus interchanges. At its peak in September 2021, we had more than 100 bus captains down with COVID-19, impacting normal bus services.

Non-infected bus captains were worried. Will they get the virus too and will they pass it to their family members at home? But instead of staying away, they worked extra hours and stood in for their quarantined colleagues. The tripartite partners also came together to enhance infection control measures at all bus interchanges. The COVID-19 clusters were eventually closed in October that year, slightly less than two months after the first cluster was detected.

Additionally, public transport workers were constantly facing the challenges of enforcing mandatory mask wearing and social distancing policies. They were often subjected to verbal and physical abuse from passengers who simply refused to follow these regulations. It was, therefore, a huge disappointment when the number of abuse cases against our bus captains jumped from 26 cases in 2018, to 50 in 2020.

In quick response, the National Transport Workers’ Union rallied the public transport operators and the Land Transport Authority to take a firm stance against abusive passengers. The tripartite partners signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to provide public transport workers with guaranteed legal support to pursue civil action against their abusers beyond criminal prosecution. The signal was clear and the number of abuse cases against bus captains fell sharply the following year in 2021.

Sir, we must also not forget the contributions made by our delivery riders. Throughout the pandemic, they were instrumental in ensuring that we could get our food and other basic supplies, even when we were in home quarantine. Many hawkers, too, relied on their services to stay afloat, especially when dining-in was prohibited. To all our delivery riders out there, thank you for bridging the vital last-mile gap, rain or shine.

In conclusion, COVID-19 has been the greatest test that our generation has seen. Many unsung heroes have come together to ensure that we emerge stronger from the pandemic. Today, I place on record our sincere appreciation to the many men and women who work in the transport industry, for keeping Singapore connected and keeping all of us moving even during the darkest of times. May their contributions be remembered by all of us, always. Sir, I support the Motion.

Mr Speaker: Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad.

12.56 pm

The Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower (Mr Zaqy Mohamad): Mr Speaker, the speeches by Members of the House have allowed us to reflect on our nation’s fight against COVID-19 and the lessons to prepare us for the next pandemic.

It was slightly more than three years ago when we first heard about a cluster of severe pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China. No one could have imagined the prolonged impact that this would have on the world, our society and our economy.

Being in the Ministry of National Development (MND) and MOM at the onset of the pandemic, I witnessed how sectors, like construction, faced the risk of collapse if we did not intervene early to address disruptions to supply and foreign manpower; and business distress due to the pandemic and global border control measures.

I also vividly remember Prime Minister Lee's speech on our commitment to our migrant workers, for their role in building Singapore over the years. It was a powerful one – our migrant workers will be paid their salaries and that we will provide medical care and treatment that they need.

It was a bold and inclusive commitment that resonated and was very much appreciated by the workers. Members may recall seeing many videos of thanks from our migrant workers on social media then. During my rounds visiting the dormitories and in meetings, the High Commissioners and Ambassadors from our migrant workers' home countries conveyed their nations' appreciation for our efforts. Our swift actions and commitment showed Singapore to be a reliable and trusted partner.

Our migrant workers play an important role in building and maintaining Singapore’s infrastructure and I would like to reiterate our appreciation for all their contributions to Singapore and their trust, patience and understanding during the pandemic, as we worked to keep them safe during COVID-19 and manage the evolving situation.

Through this journey, we all learnt to be adaptable and resilient in overcoming the challenges before us. We rallied together – our people, the Public Service, private companies and civil society – to put the interests of our nation and others before our own and came through, as one united people.

In my speech, I will elaborate on managing the impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry; standing up emergency accommodation facilities for migrant workers and supporting their health and well-being; ensuring that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) maintained a high level of operational readiness; and adapting to adjustments to religious life by the Malay/Muslim community.

Mr Speaker, our built environment sector was one of the worst-hit sectors by the pandemic. Almost all construction work came to a halt during the circuit breaker period. Even after work resumed and the dormitories declared cleared of COVID-19, companies had to adjust their operations and adapt to new requirements, such as safe management measures (SMMs) at worksites. Companies faced manpower shortages, as they were unable to bring in new migrant workers, due to travel restrictions and border measures. And these led to project delays and significant cost increases to the sector.

Given the unprecedented challenges faced by the built environment sector, the Government intervened in a significant way. We introduced a $1.36 billion Construction Support Package to help companies ease back into work safely after the circuit breaker period and this came on top of the general support measures for all sectors.

We also provided companies with multiple rounds of Foreign Worker Levy rebates and waivers, as well as wage subsidies via the JSS. This relieved some of the burden from manpower costs and helped preserve jobs in the sector, including for locals.

We recognised that some companies would be unable to meet their contractual obligations and previously committed timelines, with the work stoppages and delays due to COVID-19. As such, we introduced the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, or COTMA, provisions to provide relief for defaulting parties, by putting in place a moratorium, during which legal obligations relating to inability to perform contractual obligations due to COVID-19 could not be enforced.

COTMA also provided a defence against claims for contract breaches, including liquidated damages in such instances. A universal Extension of Time of four months was granted for construction projects, to account for the circuit breaker and time taken to clear the dormitories.

We also recognised the need to ensure that no single party in the built environment value chain bore a disproportionate cost burden, arising from delays due to the pandemic. Hence, we inserted provisions in COTMA to facilitate equitable sharing of non-manpower prolongation costs and foreign manpower cost increases between project parties.

We also supported developers and end-users, such as home buyers. Developers whose projects faced construction delays could seek relief on the date of delivery of possession. Home buyers who were affected by extended delivery dates, could similarly seek reimbursement from the developer, for qualifying expenses.

Our TAs also played a pivotal role in addressing the acute manpower shortages. The Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL), Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI) and Association of Process Industry (ASPRI) took the lead to pilot a tightened end-to-end process to bring migrant workers into Singapore safely.

This initiative involved integrating the testing of workers at dedicated onboarding facilities in their home countries, with protocols for them to stay safe from infection.

I thank SCAL, ASMI and ASPRI for their herculean effort in coordinating across multiple local and foreign companies in the healthcare and hospitality sectors and working closely with various public sector agencies, to facilitate the safe inflow of workers.

The pilot's success allowed us to scale up further to meet the manpower needs of the construction, marine and process industries, while safeguarding public health and our healthcare capacity.

The lessons learnt and experience gained from these initiatives will help to minimise future manpower disruptions in the next pandemic.

Today, our construction activities are now close to pre-COVID-19 levels. Firm formation and cessation numbers also point to a stable situation. I thank our TAs and all members of the built environment sector for their understanding, support and resilience, which has made this recovery possible.

The strong partnerships that we have forged over the past three years and the can-do spirit to overcome challenges will go a long way in preparing us for the next pandemic. Ultimately, what COVID-19 has taught us is that we need to transform the built environment sector towards greater resilience and productivity.

The Minister for Manpower had elaborated on the fight against COVID-19 in the dormitories yesterday and areas where we could do better.

To protect our migrant workers and reduce COVID-19 transmission within the dormitories, we brought together public agencies, private companies and NGOs to identify and stand up emergency accommodation facilities. Put together, they came up with adaptable and innovative solutions, often under tight timelines and resource constraints.

We repurposed a wide range of facilities into safe emergency accommodation facilities. These included cruise ships, floatels, hotels, as well as retrofitted state properties, such as multi-storey carparks, vacant schools and vacant HDB blocks. We also used port land and exhibition spaces, such as the Tanjong Pagar Port and Singapore Expo. We even used a vacant en bloc site, the former Chancery Court condominium, offered by the Far East Organisation.

Moving on to another group of partners, I will always be thankful for the support from our NGOs in providing care and support for our migrant workers throughout the pandemic.

I recall our many meetings and dormitory visits during the pandemic, where I felt heartened by their tireless efforts, especially during circuit breaker. They came together to forge new partnerships and coordinated efforts on the ground to meet the needs of our migrant workers in different ways.

The Migrant Workers' Centre, for example, quickly kickstarted initiatives to distribute masks, hand sanitisers, soap bars, shampoos, dental kits and other key essential items to all migrant workers in the dormitories, including those in smaller factory-converted dormitories and construction temporary quarters (CTQs).

We also had medical volunteers from NGO HealthServe, who helped to supplement the efforts of our medical teams on the ground.

As an inter-racial, inter-religious and inter-cultural organisation, Hope Initiative Alliance (HIA) played an important role in ensuring that the spiritual needs of our workers were met. They organised congregational prayers and religious services for our workers of different faiths in the dormitories and recreation centres. When workers were unable to return home during their festive holidays, HIA helped to spread cheer by distributing festive care packs and meals. Many of their volunteers came from Christian groups and I remembered them coming at 4.00 am in the morning to deliver breakfast during Ramadan and this was at the height of the pandemic in 2020.

If I had to share all our stories together on the ground, we would be here for quite a while. So, just let me just acknowledge our other NGOs who had made a difference in the lives of our migrant workers and helped as sounding boards for some of our policies and these include the development of the improved dormitory standards over the last three years.

Thank you, COVID-19 Migrant Support Coalition, Crisis Relief Alliance, Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, It's Raining Raincoats, My Brother SG and The Salvation Army, for all your support.

Miss Rachel Ong spoke about how we should continue our close working relationship with our NGOs to sustain their outreach within the migrant worker community. The Alliance for Migrant Workers Support (AMWS) was initially set-up as an engagement platform with our NGOs during COVID-19. Moving forward, the AMWS will continue to be an important platform for us to come together to discuss how we can better support our migrant workers, work to improve policies affecting them as well as to build our capabilities to better coordinate the distribution of resources and respond quickly in the next pandemic.

The Minister for Manpower spoke yesterday on how the Government stood up the Inter-Agency Task Force and brought in the SAF and the Home Team to manage the COVID-19 situation in the dormitories. Despite the risks involved, we saw the unwavering dedication of these officers, including those deployed as part of the Forward Assurance and Support Teams (FAST). Allow me to share two inspiring examples.

Singapore Police Force (SPF) officer Station Inspector (SI) Sheik Ismail volunteered as a FAST officer at the S11 dormitory@Punggol, which saw the largest COVID-19 cluster. SI Sheik made sure that the workers' needs were met, helping them to talk to their employers about their salaries, ensuring that they stayed connected with their families and assisting them to remit money back home. What struck me was that SI Sheik went beyond the call of duty to lend a listening ear, taking the time to understand their fears and encouraging them to focus on their hopes and dreams.

Corporal (NS) Vinod, a Combat Medic with the 2^nd Combat Support Hospital, was deployed to the EXPO Community Care Facility. He supported the operations to plan, monitor and deliver care to affected migrant workers. He shared that his In-Camp Training (ICT) has been "the most meaningful one" for him. He felt a strong commitment to "fight a different kind of war" in a hall filled with thousands of migrant workers with COVID-19.

Against an enemy that threatened to instil fear and destroy our way of life, Singaporeans from all walks of life, the Public Service, private sector, NGOs, volunteers and national servicemen, have indeed come together to "fight a different kind of war", each playing their part through Total Defence.

One of the key lessons from the pandemic is the importance of adaptability and the resilience of our infrastructure. The unprecedented scale and prolonged nature of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in overwhelming demand for quarantine housing and temporary accommodations.

Learning from this experience, public sector agencies are working to identify suitable facilities to meet possible crisis scenarios and better safeguard and operationalise sites for emergency needs. This includes exploring developing dual-use facilities to serve both peacetime and crises functions.

One way to do this is by retrofitting available and suitable state properties to be able to pivot from peacetime to crisis use when necessary. An example is the Quick-Built Dormitory at Sengkang West. It is currently used for new migrant workers to undergo residential onboarding and medical examination when they first arrived in Singapore. In the event of a pandemic, the Onboard Centre can be quickly converted into a dedicated facility for newly-arrived workers to serve their Stay-Home Notice.

Public sector agencies will also explore with private sector owners to potentially utilise a wide variety of private infrastructure for emergency housing. These include chalets, hotels, serviced apartments and exhibition spaces. One such example was how D'Resort@Downtown East was used as a Government Quarantine Facility.

The two new migrant worker dormitories that MOM will be operating in partnership with the private sector, will have enhanced liveability and adaptability features for both peacetime and future disease outbreaks. For example, there will be larger recreation spaces, such as multi-purpose and sports courts, which can be repurposed as medical facilities.

We are also looking at strengthening the resilience of key food distribution facilities, such as the Jurong Fishery Port and Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre, against future emergencies and pandemics, as raised by Mr Saktiandi Supaat.

The Singapore Food Agency is carrying out upgrades to enhance the security, surveillance and access control systems of our key food supply facilities. This would allow for better contact tracing, in the event of a future disease outbreak and support the enforcement of control measures. Businesses should also continue to review and keep their business continuity plans relevant, to ensure supply resiliency at the company level.

Even as we continue to enhance the adaptability of our infrastructure, we need to maintain strong partnerships across the people, the private and the public sector. This will be instrumental to enable us to meet demands for quarantine housing and temporary accommodations in the next pandemic.

Let me take this opportunity to also address some of the matters relating to our workforce and workplaces during COVID-19, which were mentioned in some of the Members' speeches.

One concern was on the necessity of Workforce Vaccination Measures (WVM), raised by Ms Hazel Poa and Mr Yip Hon Weng. At that time, the virus was mutating and new variants, which were highly transmissible, were emerging; while time was needed to assess whether these new variants also put infected persons at a higher risk of severe disease. This was when we were still grappling with Omicron, by the way.

Unvaccinated individuals, especially those who are older, would have put themselves at risk of infection at the workplace. We were concerned that infected, unvaccinated individuals could be at risk of severe illness. There could also be significant added strain on our healthcare system.

The Government, therefore, decided that there was a need to put in place stronger measures at the workplaces to protect vulnerable and at-risk groups. These measures complemented the public health measures in the community, such as the vaccination-differentiated safe management measures (VDS).

In the Advisory on COVID-19 Vaccination at the Workplace, the tripartite partners made it very clear that dismissal is a last resort and employers should try to allow unvaccinated workers to work from home, including through redeployment. Following the lifting of the Workforce Vaccination Measures, Workforce Singapore (WSG) and NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) had reached out to and offered employment assistance to such unvaccinated employees. Unvaccinated individuals can also approach WSG or e2i, if they require further assistance.

The lifting of the Workforce Vaccination Measures followed the relaxation of the VDS in April 2022. With the full lifting of the VDS in October 2022, if an individual feels that an employer is making vaccination-differentiated requirements without genuine occupational needs to do so, he or she may approach MOM or the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices for assistance. Since October 2022, there has only been a handful of complaints.

For the broader workforce, a key lesson from the pandemic is developing a strong Singapore Core and complementing it with a diverse foreign workforce, to ensure the resilience of our businesses and our economy. This was a point that Mr Saktiandi Supaat spoke about as well. Due to border restrictions during the pandemic, the total number of foreign workers fell from about 1.4 million in December 2019 to about 1.2 million in December 2021. However, the number has since recovered to pre-COVID-19 levels, as border restrictions were relaxed and employers tried to catch the upswing of economic recovery.

Even as we strengthen the complementarity of our foreign workforce and continue to attract global talent, international investments and companies, our focus on strengthening the Singapore Core in our workforce will remain.

We have developed Industry Transformation Maps and Jobs Transformation Maps, which include strategies to prepare our workers for higher value-added jobs in each sector. We have in place an ecosystem of programmes and schemes to prepare workers for jobs of the future, such as the Career Conversion Programmes and SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme. We have also put in place various programmes to increase the global and regional exposure of locals to enable them to take up leadership positions in global firms.

By combining and complementing local and foreign expertise, we can grow the pie for Singapore and provide more good opportunities for all.

Mr Speaker, I spoke earlier about how the SAF contributed to Singapore's fight against COVID-19 in the dormitories. At the same time, more than 7,000 SAF personnel were deployed across operations – ranging from contact tracing, call centre operations, logistical support to medical operations.

While our nation grappled with and were fully focused on overcoming COVID-19, Singaporeans can be assured that the SAF kept up our security operations and maintained a high level of operational readiness to keep us safe from external threats. Critical SAF operations, such as maritime security, air defence, protection of key installations and counter-terrorism, continued round-the-clock even during the pandemic.

Our servicemen had to train in challenging conditions arising from pandemic restrictions. These conditions tested the SAF's grit, tenacity and resilience. But our people adapted quickly and quickly rose to the challenge.

To minimise infection risk, SAF implemented strict health and safety measures. These included vaccination, cohorting, safe distancing, reduction in training group sizes and COVID-19 testing regimes. Some personnel performing critical operations had to isolate themselves in camps and bases for days, to ensure that they were free from infection before they could start their duties. For many, this also meant sacrificing time away from their family and loved ones.

This made celebrations like Mother's Day during the circuit breaker period slightly different for our servicewomen.

Major Doris Sam, for example, an RSAF Air Warfare Officer, was isolated in base with her unit to ensure they were free from infection and could continue to safeguard Singapore's skies. This was the first time she was apart from her two-year-old toddler, Atlas, over a prolonged period. Despite the sacrifices required, Doris, like many fellow sons and daughters of Singapore, stayed true to her mission and continued to defend our home.

With the gradual easing of restrictions, the SAF progressively resumed training, often operating under conditions more strenuous than before the pandemic.

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, the Singapore Navy participated in the SAF's first overseas training since the onset of COVID-19. This was for the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, a multinational naval exercise.

The crew of the RSS Supreme embarked on one of their longest sails – 67 consecutive days on board the ship travelling across the Pacific Ocean. No shore leave. Vaccines were not available at that time, so they were in a COVID-19-safe bubble and had no interactions with anyone else apart from their fellow crewmates. The ship was reconfigured with Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capabilities in the event that someone turned positive. Fortunately, the entire crew tested negative throughout their deployment and successfully completed the exercise.

One of them was Weapons Systems Cluster Chief Military Expert 3 (ME3) Suresh Subramaniam, a father of three. ME3 Suresh told me that he was thankful for his wife's support and assurance on the home front.

The SAF is grateful for the support from spouses and families of our servicemen and women, who also shared the belief on the need to uphold high standards of training amidst COVID-19 in the defence of Singapore to ensure our sovereignty and our way of life.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many groups who also kept Singapore going in different ways.

One such group is our public transport workers, as mentioned by Mr Melvin Yong earlier. They braved the virus every day to keep public transport services running. Some workers also volunteered to come back to work on their rest days to cover colleagues who were sick, especially when COVID-19 clusters were emerging among bus captains.

Taxi drivers supported the conveyance of travellers on Stay-Home Notice to their accommodation and COVID-19 positive patients to and from healthcare facilities.

Employers too, played their part. Public transport operators – SBS Transit, SMRT, Tower Transit Singapore and Go-Ahead Singapore – adjusted shifts to ensure that their workers had sufficient rest while minimising impact on commuters.

At the height of the pandemic, platform operators and their workers also provided much-needed services: point-to-point transport, food and goods delivery.

The Government had earlier accepted the recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers to strengthen protections for platform workers, such as in areas of financial protection in case of work injury and for housing and retirement adequacy.

I echo Ms Janet Ang and Mr Melvin Yong's tribute and thank our public transport workers and operators, platform workers and operators, workers in the air and sea transport sector and many others in our fight against COVID-19. This was a whole-of-society effort, one filled with sacrifice, dedication and duty.

Mr Speaker, moving on to the Malay/Muslim community.

Our Malay/Muslim community, too, played an important role. The community had to adjust to the closure of mosques and suspension of congregational prayers, which Mr Sharael Taha and Dr Wan Rizal spoke about. While in circuit breaker, the community also had to observe Ramadan and Hari Raya away from their loved ones.

With the month of Ramadan upon us in just two days' time, there is much to be grateful for to be able to observe and pray together without COVID-19 restrictions.

I recognise that it has not been easy for the Malay/Muslim community or the Muslim community in general, including our religious leaders, because of the sacrifices needed over the past three years to battle and to overcome COVID-19. I thank our Malay/Muslim community for making adjustments to their religious and cultural practices and staying united with fellow Singaporeans to keep our country safe. Speaker, I will deliver the next segment in Malay.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] For many Muslims, the circuit breaker phase had been a very difficult period. We could not perform religious practices and obligations, such as our congregational Friday prayers. We also had to suspend prayers and other activities that were typically conducted during Ramadan, such as Terawih prayers at mosques.

But the community quickly adapted ─ performing their congregational prayers at home with their family. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) also introduced online religious resources, such as SalamSG TV to support home-based Ramadan activities. In retaining traditions, the community also turned to online means to convey their well-wishes to family and loved ones for Hari Raya.

In 2020 and 2021, we also had to defer the annual Haj for Singaporean pilgrims. Singapore was among the first countries to do so, before other countries made similar decisions. This included Saudi Arabia who announced that the Haj would be limited to domestic pilgrims only, in order to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Many pilgrims were saddened by this decision, especially because of the very long waiting time to perform the Haj. But the community understood the need to do so as it would not only protect our pilgrims, but those around them as well.

These measures would not have been possible without strong religious leadership of the Mufti, the Fatwa Committee and our asatizah, as well as the strong partnerships within the community.

Our religious leaders were astute in assessing the health risks and adjusting religious practices to the prevailing COVID-19 situation. These were difficult decisions that needed courage during our most trying moments to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

Our religious leadership benefitted from the close partnership with our Muslim healthcare professionals, through the Malay/Muslim COVID-19 Working Group. This Group advised MUIS in developing the necessary precautionary measures and communicating the scientific reasons behind them to the general public.

For example, Dr Norhisham Main, the President of the Muslim Healthcare Professionals Association, alongside the Mufti, explained the closing of mosques and other changes to the community's socio-religious norms from a medical perspective during an interactive online talk show.

Through these adjustments, the community has shown its progressiveness – one that is able to make adjustments to their religious life, without compromising on religious tenets. I am proud that the community played an impactful role through a strong sense of citizenry, as displayed in our fight against COVID-19. Such contributions are important, particularly in our multi-cultural, multi-religious society.

I am also heartened that their contributions have been recognised by the international community as well.

Last year, our Fatwa Committee under our Mufti’s leadership was conferred the Al-Qarafi Award by the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide under the Dar al-Ifta in Egypt, for their leadership and contributions in guiding the community through the pandemic. This is more than just an award for Mufti and the Fatwa Committee, but also a recognition to the community who responded well to the adjustments that had to be made.

I am glad that the community continues to apply the lessons learnt and good practices from the pandemic. This builds our resilience, which will come in handy as we face future challenges.

For example, many mosques continue to offer multiple Friday prayer sessions. This was initially introduced in response to the reduced size for congregational prayers, but now provides more flexibility on the timing for individuals to perform their prayers.

In a few days, the Muslim community will enter the month of Ramadan. Three years ago, we observed Ramadan during the circuit breaker period. Since then, the community has overcome many things. As we return to normalcy, let us continue to build on the gotong royong spirit that we demonstrated during the pandemic, to build a united and resilient Singapore.

(In English): Mr Speaker, in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's national broadcast on 7 June 2020, just as Singapore emerged from the circuit breaker, the Prime Minister addressed Singaporeans that we faced "the crisis of a generation" and also expressed his hope that "an even stronger and better Singapore will emerge from this crisis".

Three years later and on this side of the crisis, I believe that this holds true. We can be heartened by how our people have shown resilience, adaptability and unity throughout the pandemic. I am confident that the lessons we have learnt will put us in good stead for the future and prepare us for the next crisis.

In June 2020, at the start of the pandemic, I began my speech on the Supplementary Budget with a verse from a song by the legendary band, Queen. That verse was, "Your every day is full of sunshine. But into every life, a little rain must fall."

Today, I would like to close this chapter with another verse, this time from another legendary band, The Beatles. It goes this way. You can also imagine Deputy Prime Minister Wong playing his guitar, strumming in the background. "Little darlin', it's been a long, cold, lonely winter. Little darlin', it feels like years since it's been here. Here comes the sun. Here comes the sun, and I say, it's alright." [Applause.]

Mr Speaker: Mr Mark Chay.

1.29 pm

Mr Mark Chay (Nominated Member): Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to join this debate on Singapore's COVID-19 response.

Before I start my speech, I would like to take a moment to reflect on those who were lost to the effects of COVID-19. May those close to them find solace and the departed rest in peace.

The world has undoubtedly changed in the past three years. We were forced to embrace technology, to connect and transact digitally when we physically could not. We, somehow, became familiar with the Greek alphabet. We learnt to survive on frozen chickens. And through the pandemic, Singapore faced a formidable challenge and rose to the occasion, displaying a side of the nation that is compassionate and caring for its fellow man.

I would like to speak on three areas from the White Paper on Singapore's Response to COVID-19.

First, on support for businesses, workers, and jobs. The JSS helped businesses address the financial challenges of COVID-19. It provided wage subsidies so employers could keep employees on the payroll and retain their jobs, even as the commercial sector took a hit.

The JSS also enabled the sports and fitness industry to press pause, re-evaluate and reimagine how sports and fitness businesses should run. Through the Enterprise Innovation and Capability Development Grant, SportSG provided the sports and fitness industry with a way to incorporate innovative technology into their businesses to remain resilient during this challenging period. It was a necessary step for the industry to take.

The JSS clarified which industries were considered essential and non-essential during the pandemic.

It was apparent that in times of crisis, the sports and fitness industry is non-essential. However, I do believe that the industry has a significant role in Singapore's journey towards living with COVID-19.

The pandemic presented the sports and fitness industry with an opportunity to redefine itself, encompassing not just events production companies but also sports academies, social sports and recreation clubs, fitness clubs, boutique gyms and freelancers. This realisation has been valuable in equipping the industry for success moving forward.

Second, the MTF has responded proactively to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their work is commendable and they have consistently kept Singaporeans updated with the situation. The MTF has taken a data-driven, scientific approach to the ongoing crisis. I especially appreciate the co-chairs and members for diligently using their "head and heart" strategy to make decisions that affect us all. We are incredibly thankful for their hard work and dedication, especially during these trying times.

Third, Singapore strived to ensure that vulnerable groups were supported during the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous initiatives were put into place, with financial assistance, job retraining, counselling services and additional subsidies being provided by both the Government and NGOs. The collective effort is a testament to our society's dedication to helping those in need during difficult times.

Sir, please let me share some stories of our Team Singapore athletes and their activities during COVID-19.

Former national sprinter, UK Shyam and other athletes initiated a cause to donate laptops to students from lower-income families. With the help of Engineering Good and the Singapore Golf Association, more than 1,000 laptops were collected and $20,000 was raised.

National tennis player, Shaheed Alam, created "Project Love", which provided meals for migrant workers during Hari Raya through fundraising efforts.

Our Silat athletes, Sheik Ferdous, Sheik Farhan and Nurul Suhaila, started an initiative called "Sayang Sayang Fund".

"HopeFull" is a project spearheaded by golfer Jen Goh that provides resource kits for children and youths from disadvantaged backgrounds. Members of the sporting community took part in monthly engagements with beneficiaries, including virtual interaction sessions and delivery of kits. They also organised fundraising drives as well as packing and distributing food/care packs to vulnerable groups.

Also, 25 Team Singapore athletes collaborated with the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) during the circuit breaker, to mentor kids from Crest Secondary School through their Circuit Breaker Buddy programme.

And, of course, Speaker, as President of Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) and the SNOC Athletes' Commission participated in the "You'll Never Walk Alone" by ComChest campaign, which raised funds for children at-risk, persons with disabilities, persons with mental conditions, vulnerable seniors and families in need.

Indeed, when our athletes could not compete or train, I am proud that they used their platforms to show resilience in a different way, inspire Singapore and used sports as a force for greater good.

Sir, Singaporeans have shown tremendous strength and resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with the profound economic disruption caused by global lockdowns, Singaporeans took rapid action to contain the virus and protect their fellow citizens. Despite the daunting challenges brought on by COVID-19, Singaporeans have embraced the circuit breaker and other SMMs with courage, resilience and a collective sense of responsibility. From reducing foreign worker density to closing schools and workplaces, citizens across all sectors have come together to prioritise safety for their fellow countrymen and women.

Singaporeans' strength and resilience are remarkable, proving that unity can produce tremendous positive change even amidst a crisis, that people from all walks of life can come together and contribute to the fight against this global crisis. In such times, it is an incredible reminder of what we can do – we are united, SG United in solidarity. The lessons learned from this pandemic will help prepare our nation for any crisis in the future. With this knowledge, determination, tenacity and hope for brighter days, Singaporeans are ready to face whatever comes next. And to that, I say, "Majulah Singapura!"

Sir, I would like to commend Opposition Leader Pritam Singh's comments yesterday that the Workers' Party would support and not undermine national efforts in times of crisis. This is deeply encouraging and underscores our responsibility as Parliamentarians, to work together for Singapore and Singaporeans.

Sir, at this juncture, I would also like to offer my sincere gratitude to our frontliners, our healthcare professionals and public servants for their courage and devotion over the past three years. They volunteered themselves to be on the frontlines, while everyone else stayed in the safety of their homes. They persevered through these trying times to save as many lives as possible. They put their own safety at risk to protect us and fought tirelessly, going above and beyond what was required of them.

With that, Speaker, I support this Motion put up by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Finance Minister that this House expresses gratitude to all in Singapore who contributed to the nation's fight against COVID-19, reaffirms the Government's effort to learn from the experiences of the last three years and to that end, endorses Paper Cmd 22 of 2023 on "Singapore's Response to COVID-19: Lessons for the Next Pandemic".

Mr Speaker: Ms Poh Li San.

1.38 pm

Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang): Mr Speaker, Sir, COVID-19 is known to be the most dangerous pandemic in more than a generation. Together with my fellow Parliamentarians, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all Singaporeans who have stepped forward and done their part to assist Singapore during the crisis.

Our nation's founding father Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his team understood the importance of building up substantial national reserves for rainy days. Their vision saved Singapore, in more ways than one, during the pandemic. For a nation of 5.5 million people, $72.3 billion was spent to ensure that our economy will come through and survive the pandemic. These reserves provided our Government the ability to work fast and speed up purchases of essential supplies and vaccines. On top of that, Deputy Prime Minister Wong and his team was able to roll out essential assistance schemes to businesses for employers and the self-employed.

Needless to say, it is now time to replenish our reserves, in order for future generations to have that advantage during their rainy days. This White Paper captures the lessons to be learnt and as a nation, we know we must always be better prepared for the next crisis.

Singapore cannot be totally dependent only on a task force to resolve problems during a pandemic. We must look into preparing Singaporeans to manage daily concerns on the ground.

There were many groups of Singaporeans who made significant contributions during the pandemic. I would like to specifically acknowledge the contributions of two groups and, at the same time, highlight the realities facing us should we encounter another pandemic.

The outbreak in the migrant worker dormitories during the early months of the pandemic was at a near-tipping point, as the virus could have spread rapidly into the rest of our society. Not many are aware that there were about 200,000 migrant workers staying in more than 40 dormitories across the island. Our military and Police services took control, contained and stabilised the situation. The Joint Task Force (JTF) was quickly set up to contain the cases within the migrant worker dormitories. There were no vaccines then and these officers risked their own health and safety to be on ground. Some even contracted COVID-19.

During the circuit breaker, some officers had to stay in a hotel for fear of passing the virus to their families. Our nation depends on the SAF and SPF to protect us and to restore order.

Here is the reality. Will we still have these well-trained military and Police personnel during the next pandemic? Attitudes have been more distinct due to the fast-changing times that we live in. Younger Singaporeans are also re-evaluating their priorities. We need to be able to attract good people to join and maintain excellence in our military and Police services. Not to add fuel to fire, we do have an expedited falling birth rate.

The second group of people will be our grassroots network and volunteers. This network was built-up over the past five decades. This extensive and close-knitted network was able to help affected residents very quickly. They were responsible for distribution of masks, sanitizers, TraceTogether tokens and care packs, and so on.

Again, how do we ensure that we are able to continue having such support? How can we strengthen our grassroots networks and volunteerism, especially amongst the younger Singaporeans?

Mr Speaker, I would also like to speak up for three groups of Singaporeans who have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. While no fault of theirs, they have been severely or permanently impacted by the COVID-19 policies and restrictions. I hope to be able to appeal for more assistance to help these Singaporeans.

The mRNA vaccine is a very new technology and a small number of people developed severe reactions as a result of administering it. The first group consist of Singaporeans who suffered permanent injuries or deaths after taking the mRNA vaccines.

A resident residing in Sembawang West constituency lost her husband and brother due to heart attacks soon after they were administered the first dose of mRNA vaccines. Within a short span of time, she and her children had to deal with the sudden grief of losing of two loved ones. Coping with financial difficulties under such sad circumstances is extremely tough.

There were other examples of Singaporeans who suffered severe reactions, such as strokes, severe rash breakouts and so on. They shared their experiences with me during my Meet-the-People Sessions and house visits. It was also reported that a nurse was hospitalised for five months and was handicapped after recovery.

There may not be many such cases and there is not anyone to blame. However, we have to acknowledge what these innocent Singaporeans had to go through, how their families have been permanently affected and how much they had to suffer. Unfortunately, some of them did not receive any Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme compensation, for various reasons cited by MOH. They trusted the vaccines to protect themselves from the COVID-19 virus but, unfortunately, instead of being protected, they suffered. I hope the Government will look into ways to assist Singaporeans who had to go through such a painful experience.

The second group will be the workers and companies in the construction sector.

During the outbreak, strict SMM were imposed at the worksites. Workers had to be transported everywhere they went. Meal breaks were carefully scheduled and migrant worker dormitories had to be drastically reduced in capacity.

All these regulations changed how construction companies operate and productivity diminished due to the restricted construction work processes. As a result, many construction projects, including various Build-To-Orders (BTOs), were severely delayed.

Many workers left the construction industry during the pandemic. Many who left are not returning. There is now a real shortage of workers. The construction companies had to increase the salaries of workers quite significantly to avoid bigger financial losses arising from delays in project completion. In fact, some large-scale local construction companies, such as Greatearth, could not survive the cost pressures and had to close.

Many local companies are still struggling with the massive financial losses incurred during the pandemic. The rising costs of materials, utilities, fuel and high Certificates of Entitlement prices for their vehicles are not helping them to gradually recover. I do hope the Government will try to provide even more assistance to the local construction companies during this vital recovery phase.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I declare my interest as an employee working in Changi Airport. The third group that I would like to mention are workers and companies in the aviation industry.

Changi Airport was a ghost town when the borders were closed. At one point, our air hub's passenger traffic fell to less than 0.5% of pre-COVID-19 traffic. There used to be some 50,000 staff employed in Changi Airport pre-COVID-19. About one-third of the staff lost their jobs or got redeployed to other sectors. During the pandemic, the aircrew suffered significant pay cuts and some had to switch careers – like one airline pilot, Johnny Tan, who had to sell durians instead of being able to fly a plane.

In response to the fluid situation during the pandemic, the border control measures had to change every now and then. Airport staff working in the transit areas had to don PPEs, as they faced the highest risks of contracting the virus from arriving passengers. Similarly, aircrew risked their own health and safety, serving passengers who could be COVID-19-positive.

We are now almost back to pre-COVID-19 days, but our recovery has a different set of challenges. Over the last 10 months, passenger numbers rebounded from 2% to 80%. Companies are struggling to find staff who can be trained quickly in order to deal with the sudden surge. With the opening of the Chinese border, manpower demand will further increase. Manpower is a major problem. In addition, companies operating in Changi Airport will have to deal with the increase in utility cost, fuel cost, salaries, GST, carbon taxes and so on.

Changi is one of our most important strategic assets and being Skytrax's Best Airport comes with a price. That only means that we have to deliver and confront the challenges facing the aviation sector.

Mr Speaker, no country is immune to the trials and tribulations caused by the pandemic and the rapid-changing world. I hope that Singaporeans who have saved us from COVID-19 are celebrated, that we will continue to have such individuals to serve Singapore; and that the inadvertent impact and hardship suffered by various groups of Singaporeans will be addressed. I support the Motion.

Mr Speaker: Minister Ong Ye Kung.

1.49 pm

The Minister for Health (Mr Ong Ye Kung): Mr Speaker, Sir, 1,711 – this is the number of people in Singapore who had died of COVID-19 infections as of 31 December 2022 and as reported in the White Paper.

MOH estimated an additional 2,000 deaths over the course of the pandemic – that is above the expected number of deaths based on pre-pandemic trends. These individuals, not recorded in the official death toll for COVID-19, might have died of undiagnosed COVID-19 infections or COVID-19 could have worsened some underlying conditions, leading to their deaths.

All in, over 3,700 deaths, estimated – most of them older, with co-morbidities, underlying illnesses, many unvaccinated and they are most affected by COVID-19 infections. We will never know the exact number or all the names and the faces of every victim of this pandemic crisis.

Never had Singapore gone through a crisis that inflicted such a heavy toll on the lives of our fellow men and women since Independence. I think nothing even comes close. This is, indeed, the crisis of a generation.

And behind every passing, there were family members, loved ones, doctors and healthcare workers doing their best to comfort them, to save them. At MOH and, I am sure, in this House, we mourn their deaths and extend our deepest condolences to their families.

COVID-19 placed lives and livelihoods in very stark contrast – or, maybe more aptly put – it put in contrast your desire to survive and live vs what is the purpose of living.

This same challenge was faced by every country, every region, which is: how do you navigate out of this dangerous conundrum, regain your normal lives while protecting the lives of your people as much as possible?

Every country and region faced this challenge. And every one took their own or its own path – some by choice, others forced by circumstances. I would say how each country or region faired in this COVID-19 common challenge, essentially, boils down to the following three judgement calls.

First, whether through our decisions and, in the early stages of the pandemic, we effectively made hospitals the singular defence against the virus. Here, past experiences mattered.

Many countries in Europe or the Western Hemisphere – the Americas – deal routinely with influenza, including very severe winter seasons. The influenza playbook – they used that and it was proven to be inadequate for COVID-19. So, the virus spread widely, hospitals effectively became their singular defence, which became overwhelmed, leading to many deaths.

On the other hand, places like Singapore, South Korea, China, we had seen "ghosts" before. We had seen SARS and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). We had the processes and capabilities in place and then we moved quickly to contain our initial outbreaks with stringent border measures, testing and isolation of cases, tracing and quarantining of individuals.

So, we used our entire public health arsenal and we succeeded in preventing our hospitals from being overwhelmed, especially in the initial stages of the pandemic before there were vaccinations.

If there was one thing the Prime Minister constantly reminded the MTF chairs, it was this golden instruction – protect our hospitals' capacity – and we took it all very seriously. Because when the entire weight of the country's health rests on hospitals, even if that was not the intention, it will not just be COVID-19 patients that die, but everyone who needs urgent medical attention can die.

In many countries, this was what happened. Doctors had to turn away patients who were very ill and they were all just waiting along the corridors. When a hospital bed or ventilator became available, the doctor had the heart-wrenching task of deciding – who do I save?

This judgement call – the careful husbandry of our hospital beds before the great majority of our population was vaccinated – is the primary reason why Singapore kept our COVID-19 mortality rate low.

The second judgement call has to deal with vaccination coverage. Most countries rolled out national vaccination programmes and they achieved varying levels of coverage and then resilience.

Those, if Members remember, were confusing times, because the vaccines were new and anti-vaxxers were out in full force, spreading falsehoods and half-truths to persuade people to avoid vaccinations. I know of friends who do not want to take the vaccines. But I think it is one thing to have a personal preference, and quite another to make it into a public campaign because that affects other lives.

I had to exercise my authority under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) when I judged that a circulating falsehood was misleading people into avoiding vaccines. The law was designed for such occasions, especially when lives are at stake.

It is worth stating in this House, again, that the weight of global evidence clearly shows that COVID-19 vaccines are effective and safe. Our latest MOH data shows that during the Omicron waves of 2022, vaccines lowered the probability of severe disease and deaths for the elderly by more than five times.

Do COVID-19 vaccinations have side effects? Definitely, they do. Dr Lim Wee Kiak, my colleague, always says, if a medicine has effects, it can have side-effects. A medicine without side effects has no effect.

We were clear and transparent and published the incidence of side effects every quarter. The incidence of severe adverse effects for the vaccines has been low – typically, five to seven per 100,000 – and a great majority recover on their own, without even going to the hospital. So, the benefits far outweigh the risks.

Fortunately, the great majority of Singaporeans and the public trusted our recommendations to take the vaccines. We achieved over 90% vaccine coverage and I thank the Workers' Party for supporting this very pivotal national effort to vaccinate our population.

This is our collective judgement, as a people, to achieve high vaccination coverage. And this is the other big reason why we could minimise the number of deaths due to COVID-19.

Then came the third judgement call – the tricky one – which is, having achieved high population immunity, when should we open up?

For many countries in Europe and America, after the virus had spread widely, with many people infected and many deaths, their population immunity was actually high and they could afford to open up early. So, in the course of the pandemic, many people also urged MOH and MTF – can you quickly open up like other countries in the West, in Europe, in the Western Hemisphere?

The desire is understandable, but they overlooked the key difference between us and them. They paid the price in human lives, which we refused to pay. We, along with a small handful of countries, managed the situation tightly, contained the spread of the virus and used the time to vaccinate as many people as possible.

Then, came a time to open up and you had to switch from one set of rules to another. You had to switch playbooks – from Queen to The Beatles, from a zero-COVID-19 policy to something closer to managing a bad influenza season. This was a major psychological leap for doctors, MOH and the society.

Countries adopted different timetables to this reopening. I think Australia probably went first. They took the first step, followed by Singapore. China only recently opened up.

Looking back, in all three decisive moments of judgement, I think we, collectively, made the right calls. Despite this, COVID-19 has been a humbling experience. We have a duty to learn from the crisis and ensure that those whose lives were lost to COVID-19, did not pass in vain. It will not be in vain. We have translated the trials and tribulations of the pandemic into six areas of improvements, to better prepare Singapore for the next pandemic.

Sir, for the rest of my speech, I will go through each of these areas. The White Paper had mentioned them briefly but I will elaborate.

First, we will strengthen our hospital capacity.

Our healthcare system was severely tested during the pandemic. At one point, we were monitoring bed availability, capacity, caseloads almost by the hour, to detect any signs of imminent collapse. Fortunately, we had the SMMs in place; we had high coverage of vaccinations, which protected our hospitals.

At that time, many questions were asked, including in this House: why did we not plan for more hospital capacity in anticipation of the pandemic crisis? At that time, I was asked: if we did, we could have relaxed the SMMs.

This would not be a realistic course of action. To illustrate, even with vaccinations and SMMs, at the peak of the Delta wave in 2021, we had almost 1,300 patients hospitalised, 140 in ICU. If we had relaxed the SMMs, the number, I think, would have easily doubled, probably tripled.

This is equivalent to three or four full general hospitals set aside as spare capacity during peacetime, waiting for a surge and then be deployed. So, it is just not realistic to set aside so much spare capacity.

So, we should not size the healthcare system to take on the full brunt of the next pandemic. This pandemic has taught us that true resilience must not come from just adequate infrastructure, but also from our social resilience – our collective behaviour.

That said, with delays in our infrastructure development due to COVID-19 and rising hospital workload post-crisis, our healthcare system today is less resilient than ideal. Dr Wan Rizal and Mr Gerald Giam raised concerns in this area, which I agree with, especially the stress that it is giving our healthcare workers.

Our public hospital bed occupancy has risen, from a pre-COVID level of 87.6% in 2019, to 93.1% in 2022. It has gone up by almost six percentage points. This is largely driven by patients staying longer in hospitals. From an average of 6.1 days in 2019, to seven days in 2022. So, that increase alone explained for all the increases in occupancy.

Why is that so? Because we are seeing more older patients with complex conditions and they need to stay longer in hospitals. So, the percentage of senior patients aged 65 and above has risen from 39% in 2019 to 43% now, that is, 2022.

Many of them are frail and with co-morbidities and we also found an increasing number being hospitalised because of other viral infections. Not COVID-19 but other viral infections, respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia.

We cannot rule out that this could be after-effects of being infected with COVID-19 for some, or it could be a rebound of other forms of infections post-crisis and, during the crisis, suppressed. Once masks are removed, we go back to the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) Green, they rebounded. It may also simply be a result of our population ageing very rapidly.

As I have explained to this House, MOH is doing many things to address this. I will not repeat them today and this includes the recent announcement to strongly protect our healthcare workers against abuse and harassment.

However, a post-crisis initiative, which I have yet to explain, is the Transitional Care Facilities (TCFs).

TCFs are for medically-stable patients from public hospitals waiting for long-term care arrangements, such as going to a nursing home or going for home care. During the pandemic, we set up 500 TCF beds across five sites operated by five private sector healthcare providers.

The TCFs have proven to be very useful. They are very well-utilised and it is as good as adding 500 more beds to our acute hospitals.

We have, therefore, decided that TCFs will become a medium or even long-term feature of our healthcare system. We will retain the current facilities, including continuing to use Changi Expo Hall 9 primarily as a TCF. We have about 200 beds there. I thank MTI for sacrificing some exhibition space for MOH.

Today, we do not have a TCF in the West and we will start one there in the next few months, in close proximity to the Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. We will also continue to expand the community and step-down care sector, such as community hospitals and nursing homes.

Now, let me move to the second area of improvement, which is, we will boost our pandemic preparedness and response. This means having the capability to quickly understand what this virus or pathogen we are dealing with is, and then what actions to take.

When dealing with any infectious disease, we, generally, need to understand six key characteristics in order to formulate the right response. COVID-19 really helped us boil down to these six important characteristics.

One, how it spreads – for example, between persons in close proximity; or is it airborne through aerosol. Two, the length of its incubation and infection periods. Three, R₀ or reproduction number, which is a measure of its infectiousness. Four, how deadly it is. Five, who are the vulnerable groups? For example: is it seniors, children, or both? Spanish flu, for example, affects young children especially. And six, how to treat and prevent it.

Without good answers to these six basic questions, we will be fighting in the dark and, most likely, end up fighting the last war. As Dr Tan Wu Meng and Mr Yip Hon Weng have pointed out, we need strong public health scientific and research capabilities to quickly assess these key characteristics.

That is the objective of PREPARE. It stands for the Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness and Response that I launched in November last year. This is our national epidemic R&D plan and a major initiative arising from the crisis.

It will also strengthen our international pandemic research partnerships – to build a network of partners and allies to play our part in strengthening global surveillance of emerging pathogens.

We will leverage the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID). GISAID played an instrumental role during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a global non-profit platform for open sharing of genomic data of viral pathogens and, today, it is the world’s largest repository of SARS-CoV-2 sequences. Singapore will work closely with GISAID, and they have established a base here in collaboration with A*STAR.

After we understand the characteristics of a dangerous pathogen, what do we do with the information?

Having gone through SARS, H1N1 and the various phases of COVID-19, we have developed a range of responses. The characteristics of the pathogen will determine our response.

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned this briefly in his opening speech yesterday, but let me elaborate a little. Mr Speaker, Sir, can I show a chart on the screen please?

Mr Speaker: Please do. [A slide is shown to hon Members. Please refer to Annex 1.]

Mr Ong Ye Kung: We can plot pathogens on a graph. In this chart, the horizontal axis measures transmissibility and the vertical axis measures severity. It is a simplified way of measuring the six characteristics that I spoke about.

So, Members will notice at the top right-hand corner what looks like a durian or explosion, that is Disease X – the disaster that we dread, where the pathogen has high transmissibility and high severity and is deadly.

And if you move to the left, you will notice the red dot, that is SARS, with high mortality but low transmissibility. So, when you encounter something like that, it favours a strict containment approach – with extensive contact tracing, chase down, isolate every case, until the virus is eventually wiped out, which we did.

As for COVID-19, which is the blue dot, you will notice there is a blue dot near the red dot connoting SARS, called COVID-19 wildtype, that is the initial COVID-19. When it first appeared, the wildtype strain is slightly southwest from SARS. This is why in the early phases of the pandemic we treated it like SARS and adopted a zero-COVID-19 policy.

But over time, COVID-19 mutated. As it mutated, it became Delta, became Omicron BA.1, now we have got XBB, XBB1.5, 1.9. They are constantly moving to the right, meaning they are more transmissible.

But, with vaccination, we do not just let them move to the right, we also make them move down and suppress the severity of these strains. So, you see the blue dots now moving down closer to the green dot where influenza is. So, overall, with vaccinations, later variants are closer to where influenza is on the vertical axis, which is why we are then able to open up and move towards living with the virus.

So, using this framework, what happens when a new pathogen of concern emerges in future?

We may have to respond quickly with appropriate border and domestic SMM measures, to minimise infections and to buy time.

Then, with good science and the local and global capabilities I just described, we hope to quickly ascertain key characteristics of the pathogen, where it lies on the graph, and then determine the right responses. Concerted efforts to develop and secure effective vaccines and therapeutics will proceed in parallel.

The third area of improvement is MOH will restructure to strengthen our organisation. This is something we also did in the wake of SARS outbreak in 2003.

MOH put in place a pandemic preparedness plan involving the primary care sector, which evolved into today's Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPC) Scheme.

Polyclinics and PHPCs served as our first line of defence – to test and treat COVID-19 cases, they support home recovery, they also administered vaccinations and helped in surveillance efforts. So, contrary to what Mr Leon Perera said, our family doctors actually have been and will continue to make an immense contribution during the pandemic and for healthcare in future.

We set up the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL). It conducts laboratory surveillance of infectious diseases and aids in outbreak investigations. When COVID-19 first emerged in Wuhan, it was the scientists from NPHL who designed the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19, two days after the scientists in China shared the genome sequencing with the world.

We established the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, which opened its facilities in 2019 and it provides high standard of infectious disease clinical management.

These organisational enhancements after SARS, built up capabilities that helped us respond to COVID-19. Given what we have learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic, we should, once again, review our organisation structure to better prepare ourselves for the next pandemic.

The one big lesson this time is that we need to rely on a wide repertoire of responses. As I had explained in the chart earlier, each pathogen has unique characteristics needing different responses. In fact, COVID-19 shifted around the chart, requiring us to change playbooks along the way.

Specifically, for a severe but less transmissible disease like SARS, we need an individual-centric approach, comprising testing, isolation, tracing, quarantining, that is precise, accurate and as error-free as possible.

For less severe but highly transmissible pathogens like the Delta or Omicron variant, it becomes almost impossible to contact-trace and isolate, especially as the disease increases and spreads exponentially. It is also of no use insisting on gold-standard accuracy and precision.

Instead, we need to manage the exponential growth of infected persons, through population-wide interventions: mask wearing, Antigen Rapid Test tests in the community, self-testing, self-quarantine for those who are exposed and home recovery for those with milder symptoms.

The individual-centric clinical approach versus the population-based public health approach, they are actually not mutually exclusive. In fact, they complement one another and we adopted both during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. We should institutionalise both sets of capabilities for the long-term and be able to deploy both with flexibility and dexterity in future pandemics.

To do so, we will set up a new Communicable Diseases Agency, or CDA, under MOH. It will oversee disease preparedness, prevention and control, surveillance, risk assessment and outbreak response. This new agency will consolidate the relevant public health functions that, today, reside in MOH, National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) as well as the Health Promotion Board. The National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) is a critical national resource and will be transferred to the CDA.

The CDA will maintain oversight of the clinical facilities in NCID. Many countries, such as South Korea, UK and US, they have similar set ups. They, too, after the COVID-19 crisis, are also reviewing their organisational set up.

In addition, MOH will separately retain a permanent Crisis Strategy and Operations Group, or CSOG, in the Ministry. CSOG was established during the pandemic and grew steadily as the pandemic progressed. It is the machinery behind all the pandemic-related operations that we are familiar with – contact tracing, home quarantine, conveyancing to isolation facilities, testing, vaccinations and home recovery. All this, coordinated and implemented by CSOG in MOH.

CSOG was staffed by officers from various Ministries, contract staff and also staff from industries affected by COVID-19. For example, we had quite a number of SIA pilots as well as cabin crew working in CSOG. Most of these staff have returned to their industries. As Ms Poh Li San said, it has rebounded from 2% to 80%. We lost all of them. We are sad to see them go, but we are happy that they are gone too because they are going back to their industries. So, the operations have scaled down greatly.

Nevertheless, we will keep a permanent CSOG force to maintain surge readiness for a mid-sized outbreak as well as other health emergencies. This includes preparing healthcare institutions to be crisis-ready. In peacetime, when there is no emergency, they help us operationalise Healthier SG, as the skillsets turn out to be fairly similar. It is not surprising, because they are both public health-focused.

In addition, we will set up a Healthcare Reserve Force, made up of ex-healthcare workers and volunteers. We will train and equip them to reinforce our operations during larger surges and they will complement the existing pool of SG Healthcare Corps volunteers.

Finally, we will change the title of the Director of Medical Services (DMS). Instead of DMS, he will be called the Director-General of Health, which more accurately describes his role as the main overseer of both clinical and public health of Singaporeans. This will take place after the changes to the Healthcare Services Act come into effect later this year. This House has already approved the changes.

With these changes, MOH will be organised to place greater emphasis on both clinical services and public health. They require different instincts, considerations, capabilities and skillsets. Both are important and critical, and will be institutionalised and built-up within MOH.

Let me now address a question that relates to public health measures, specifically, on the issue of masking. Mr Gerald Giam suggested that the Government was not forthright with the people, that was what I heard. That during the initial stages of the pandemic, we did not impose masking requirements, not because of public health reasons, but because we did not have enough mask supplies.

This is incorrect. In the initial stages of the pandemic, there was no clear understanding of the characteristics of the COVID-19 virus. We, therefore, aligned our policy to World Health Organization's (WHO's) recommendations, and WHO, even up to March 2020, maintained that: "a medical mask is not required for people who are not sick, as there is no evidence of its usefulness in protecting them."

The risk of shortage of masks for healthcare workers would put their lives in danger because they are at the frontline. Is it a serious concern? It was, but it was not the basis of the prevailing public policy on masking.

We aligned our policy with WHO. We reviewed and changed our masking policy in April 2020 – that was also when WHO changed its guidelines once the evidence on how the virus spreads became clearer. Particularly, there was now clear evidence that there was asymptomatic transmission via aerosol. Nevertheless, as acknowledged in the White Paper, the whole issue of masking is one area where our decisions could have been better. But no question that during this period, the Government was totally forthright with the people and told the people what we knew.

The fourth area of improvement is to update our laws. The Infectious Diseases Act, or IDA, is the principal legislation for the prevention and control of infectious diseases. It empowers MOH to take various public health actions for disease outbreaks, such as contact tracing, isolation of infected persons, testing of contacts or the disinfection of premises and so on.

The IDA also provides for the Minister for Health to declare a public health emergency in very grave public health situations. That will activate extensive powers for the Minister, such as controlling the movements and gatherings of people and imposing curfews.

While COVID-19 was a crisis and a serious threat, we did not declare a public health emergency. We wanted to restrict group sizes, but not to control the movements of people. We were not planning to impose curfews or invoke the Requisition of Resources Act to marshal resources.

In other words, the emergency powers under IDA were too blunt and heavy, compared to the public health measures and SMMs we needed at that time. So, instead, Parliament enacted Part 7 of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, or CTMA, to provide us temporary, complementary powers to IDA.

This ad hoc legislation allowed us to deploy a broad range of tools to tackle COVID-19 at multiple layers, without declaring a public health emergency and this House just extended Part 7 of CTMA for another year.

Ideally, we should review and amend the IDA. As it stands now, IDA envisages only two worlds of public health: peacetime or public health emergency, with no gradations in between. COVID-19 taught us that, in a prolonged pandemic, we can go through different phases. So, IDA must be amended to deal with a wider range of scenarios. It needs to be more future-proof. Once the amendments are tabled and if passed by the House, we can and we intend to rescind Part 7 of CTMA.

We will put forth the full proposal to the House later this year. Just to share some preliminary thinking, we envisage four public health situational tiers under the amended IDA.

The first tier is Baseline, which is a peacetime state. The second tier is Outbreak Management, where a pathogen of concern is detected and measures may need to be implemented urgently to manage disease outbreaks. These include contact tracing and quarantine, testing, border controls and masking. These will buy us time to understand the characteristics of the pathogen, the six characteristics that I mentioned.

The third tier is Public Health Threat, where more stringent, widespread and longer-term control measures and restrictions are needed. These include various SMMs and restrictions, up to and including a circuit breaker-like imposition.

Then, finally, the highest tier is Public Health Emergency, where very stringent measures, such as curfews and requisition of public health assets and manpower, may be effected.

When these changes come into effect, we can also use these four situational tiers to replace the current DORSCON colour coding. I think it is more intuitive to tell the public that there is an outbreak, a threat, or an emergency, as opposed to colours. And the law spells out what measures could take place under each situational state.

Will this, therefore, prevent the panic buying that we saw during COVID-19, when we changed DORSCON to Yellow and Orange? Some are already shaking your head. Indeed, not on its own. You just change colours to descriptors; there is no reason why panic will just disappear.

Whether a people panic during a crisis depends a lot on the information they are getting and whether they know what to do, to protect themselves and then contribute towards societal resilience. If people listen to rumours and they do not know what to do, then most likely they will rush to supermarkets and stock up on toilet paper and instant noodles – and Mr Seah Kian Peng will have a problem again.

Mr Speaker: Order. Leader.

Debate resumed.

Mr Speaker: Minister Ong.

2.28 pm

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Thank you. I believe that with the experience of SARS, H1N1 and now COVID-19, the Government knows much better, what measures are necessary and appropriate; and the people of Singapore understand much better, what to do during a pandemic crisis. With that, there is a lower chance of having a panic.

The fifth area of improvement, we need to ensure that we have early access to efficacious vaccines for future pandemics. Without sufficient doses of vaccines, our mass vaccination strategy would have been a non-starter. So what if we are willing to take the vaccines, if there are no supplies? But securing vaccines is an art in itself, at best, an inexact science.

This is where the judgement I spoke about at the start of the speech, made all the difference. How the vaccine procurement decisions were made in the early stages of the pandemic, is an important story to be told in this House and we shall do it today. Spoiler alert – this story has a happy ending, as noted by Mr Liang Eng Hwa.

Despite our small size and despite the worldwide shortage, Singapore was the first country in Asia to obtain COVID-19 vaccines, enough for all our people. But we also paid a price. So, here was what happened.

During the early phase of the pandemic, we set up an inter-agency workgroup chaired by the Head of Civil Service and comprising senior officials from agencies, such as Prime Minister's Office (PMO), MOH, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Economy Development Board (EDB) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA), to develop our vaccine procurement approach.

Once they were formed, they immediately faced two challenges. First, COVID-19 was a new virus. Although several vaccines were concurrently being developed at that time, nobody knew which one would work. So, which one to buy?

Second, every country was clamouring for vaccines and there was limited manufacturing capacity to meet that demand. As a small market, we lack negotiating power. That has always been so. This would normally push us down the priority queue for delivery. The situation was worsened by supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic. But time was of the essence. So, how to secure assured and early deliveries for vaccines?

On the first question of what to buy, the workgroup recommended a portfolio approach. Do not put all our bets on one vaccine, but buy a selected number of vaccines across different technological platforms. This includes both mRNA and non-mRNA vaccines.

To identify the most promising candidates, the workgroup was advised by a panel of experts from the research institutes, hospitals and industry. Since we did not know which vaccine candidate would work and we had to buy several types – if one does not work, we must make sure the other one had enough volume to cover our population. Therefore, we needed to over-procure such that the combined volumes of all the vaccine candidates more than covered the population of Singapore.

On the question of how to secure assured and early delivery, we leveraged our relationships with the pharmaceutical companies and entered into advance purchase agreements with fixed delivery schedules and quantities. That made them bite and we entered into the agreements.

Then, to ensure quality and safety, all selected vaccine candidates were reviewed by HSA thoroughly before being authorised for emergency use in Singapore. The Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination provided a second layer of independent review and gave recommendations on how to optimise the use of the vaccines.

The first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines arrived in late 2020, Singapore being the first country in Asia to receive them. We rolled out the National Vaccination Programme shortly after, from December 2020 – again, one of the first few countries in the world to do so. I think only after the UK, US and maybe, Israel. The Moderna vaccine was added to the National Vaccination Programme in March 2021, and Sinovac and Novavax in October 2021 and February 2022 respectively.

While the mRNA vaccines were found to be highly-effective in protecting against severe COVID-19 infections, around the middle of 2021, we faced two new concerns.

First, there were early indications that vaccine protection could wane over time, especially amongst the elderly. So, boosters would be needed. We, therefore, procured additional vaccine doses to administer boosters to the whole population.

The second concern came up. New COVID-19 variants were emerging. There was a real possibility that one or more might break through vaccine protection and cause new major infection waves, causing many deaths or many cases of severe illnesses.

Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech therefore developed new bivalent vaccines that provide better coverage against the newer virus strains. In September 2022, we took the decision to make a clean switch to these new bivalent vaccines. The monovalent ones had to be stored away.

Looking back, today, if we can go back in time, given the uncertainties, the high stakes, what we knew, what we did not know and the challenges we faced, I think we would have done things the same way.

Because we secured safe and efficacious vaccines, delivered when we needed them most, Singaporeans took them with confidence, even with relief. I was relieved. When they arrived, I can take the vaccine and we were one of the first in the world. We built up our population immunity and achieved DORSCON Green today.

But there is a price to be paid. Because we deliberately over-procured to mitigate the uncertainty of the selected vaccine candidate not working and the possibility of supply chains being disrupted, there would be spare vaccine stock, which will expire.

Some months ago, MOH was asked by the media how many of our vaccines had expired. We could only reply that about 10% of our stock had expired because of confidentiality agreements that we have entered into with vaccine suppliers.

I would have preferred to be more transparent and forthcoming with the information. We have since discussed with the vaccine suppliers and they have agreed we can reveal the total value of the expired vaccines so long as we do not give further breakdowns of quantity that enable people to guesstimate or estimate the cost of each dose, which is what they are sensitive about.

So, these are the numbers. To date, expired vaccines are about 15% of the doses we ordered, with a total value of S$140 million. In the coming months, this is likely to rise to close to 25%, as more vaccines expire. After that, it should stabilise.

We had tried to donate our spare vaccines, but there have been no takers because there has been an oversupply of vaccines in the world. Manufacturers have ramped up their production capacity and demand has been going down as the pandemic stabilises. There are reports estimating that expired vaccines globally could range up to 500 million doses or more.

The expiry of unused vaccines was an insurance premium – the price we were prepared to pay to stave off the risk of catastrophic consequences.

What are these consequences? Let me illustrate.

Before vaccines were available, we had to resort to a circuit breaker in April 2020 to contain the pandemic. The two-month circuit breaker cost us around $11 billion in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) loss. We spent close to another $60 billion, over two financial years, to cushion the hardship for businesses and workers, not to mention all the heartaches and difficulties families had to go through.

Without vaccines, we would certainly have to resort to further circuit breakers during the Delta and Omicron waves in late 2021 and throughout 2022. But we did not have to; because the vaccines, we got them early and they protected us. More importantly, our approach averted many deaths due to COVID-19 infections and protected Singaporeans against that catastrophic consequence.

Let me now address a few questions regarding vaccines posed by Members yesterday.

Ms Hazel Poa thought that MOH favoured mRNA over other non-mRNA vaccines in our regulatory approval. Actually, she is mistaken. Several non-mRNA vaccines could not secure HSA's approval because of insufficient data on safety and efficacy, and we cannot compromise on our standards.

Ms Hazel Poa and Mr Yip Hon Weng also asked if VDS were too harsh on the unvaccinated. In a pandemic, measures can be harsh. The circuit breaker was harsh on everyone. The relevant question is, whether from a public health perspective, the measures are necessary and justified. We need to be mindful that while everyone should make their own medical choices, in a pandemic, individual actions affect not just yourself but also others around you.

When the vast majority chose to take the vaccine, they not only protected themselves but also their loved ones; they raised our collective resilience. As for those who did not take the vaccine, they do not just put themselves in danger and at risk, they also put others around them, including their colleagues at their workplaces, at risk. Hence, VDS was needed as a public health measure.

But we understand the hardship some of them have to go through. Some of them are allergic to the vaccine. Therefore, the moment we could step down VDS, we did so. More importantly, we must continue to be prepared in case a dangerous variant of concern emerges.

So, this is our vaccine strategy going into the future.

First, MOH will maintain and periodically refresh an adequate stock of COVID-19 vaccines, to allow continued protection of the elderly and vulnerable as needed and to facilitate a rapid response should there be a major or more severe pandemic wave.

Second, we will maintain a network of vaccination centres – primary care clinics, polyclinics and a baseline footprint of five to 10 Joint Testing and Vaccination Centres – even during DORSCON Green. With this, we will be able to administer a booster to all persons aged 50 and above and the medically vulnerable within three weeks, if necessary.

Third, we are negotiating agreements to secure early access to vaccines against other pathogens with pandemic potential. These might include new influenza and other respiratory viruses.

Fourth, we will invest in vaccine research and development like the PREPARE programme I spoke about earlier. One of our objectives is to establish how to quickly develop a working vaccine, based on either the mRNA or protein-subunit platform and bring it to clinical trials locally.

Fifth, through the Economic Development Board's (EDB's) efforts, we will be anchoring six vaccine manufacturing plants in Singapore. In response to Dr Tan Wu Meng, EDB will continue to engage other vaccine manufacturers to invest in Singapore, grow our biomedical sector capabilities and cement our position as a pharmaceutical hub of Asia.

Finally, we will continue to do our part to strengthen global health security and support fair and equitable access to vaccines. There is now a global effort to develop safe, effective vaccines within 100 days of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern being declared. MOH is actively contributing to that effort.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I will conclude with the last lesson – and that is to recognise that a crisis forces us to do or try new things. What we thought was not possible to do or would have taken years to implement were accomplished in a matter of months because we were pushed by the crisis. We were stretched and when released, will not rebound back to the old equilibrium. We will reach a new equilibrium.

For example, today, we are in a new era of flexible work arrangements. Our schools built up strong digital capabilities and all secondary school students today have their own learning devices because of COVID-19. I am sure Changi Airport will rebound to a new level of capability, post-crisis.

In healthcare, the changes are even more profound. During the crisis, public and private healthcare providers became connected by the same IT network. Everyone downloaded and got familiarised with healthcare apps. As pointed out by Ms Ng Ling Ling, telehealth became the norm. We became converts of preventive care as we became conscious of hygiene, got used to diagnostic tests, wearing masks and vaccinating routinely.

This is really what sparked Healthier SG. It is a strategy born out of crisis and will profoundly change the landscape for healthcare in Singapore.

The chapter on COVID-19 is a thick one in the story of Singapore, one with high drama, dark days, personal tragedy; as well as bright spots and many high points of courage, collective will and resourcefulness. The story featured so many men and women who fought to keep Singapore safe. I cannot name everyone but they are reflected today in the stories of some of their brethren.

Dr Tan Chee Keat at Ng Teng Fong Hospital, who was part of the team to develop a negative pressure isolation chamber used to intubate infectious COVID-19 patients and helped keep her team safe during dangerous procedures.

Dr Annitha Annathurai, who personally oversaw the set-up of medical operations at the S11 dormitory and helped calm and assure the migrant workers there, that they would be taken care of.

Mr Salman Imtiaz, a volunteer with the SG Healthcare Corps, who helped as a vaccinator with Raffles Medical Group while pursuing his undergraduate studies.

Ms Christine Joy Cordevilla Solacito, Senior Staff Nurse at Singapore General Hospital, who used her experience with MERS and Ebola to handle early COVID-19-positive patients from Wuhan, when she cared for ICU patients, administered chemotherapy in the isolation ward and delivered babies for the COVID-19-positive pregnant mothers.

Dr Wong Jiayi from Minmed Group, who became a father three times over during the pandemic – one pair is a twin. But he stayed at his post, leading vaccination centres, a regional swab centre, mobile vaccination teams and home recovery operations.

Captain Lee Jia Wei, who volunteered to care for migrant workers being isolated at Singapore Expo and, to protect his family, did not go home for 60 days and stayed at Changi Expo.

Ms Sandra Goh, a lead stewardess with Singapore Airlines, who was furloughed when borders closed, switched to become a Care Ambassador at a hospital and now she is a manager at the Specialist Outpatient Clinics at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. She told me she could transfer her skills from cabin to ward.

Mr Mahmod bin Mohd Yahya and Mr Humam Sufi bin Mohamed Ali, they are a driver-medic pair from Ambulance Medical Services Pte Ltd, who at the height of the pandemic, they worked 14-hour days for several weeks, making up to 16 trips a day to ferry patients to and from COVID-19 care facilities.

Mr Toh Guan Ru, one of my community volunteers, who, between the Institute of Technical Education and polytechnic, requested to work for MOH and handle home recovery cases. When he discovered that he did not qualify for the COVID-19 Resilience Medal because his stint was slightly short, he says, "It's okay. I am just proud that I was able to help."

I sincerely thank all of them and the hundreds of thousands who contributed.

We write the story to record suffering and sacrifice, but also the strengths and remarkable commitment on the part of so many to successfully overcome the crisis. We write to remember, but also to learn. If we do, then, in the next chapter, our hospitals and healthcare systems will be better, our laws more complete, our vaccines and medical supplies more secure. So, we write our next chapter, not knowing whether the world will dawn bright or dark, be hostile or friendly; but confident in ourselves that Singapore has become stronger through this crisis and we can stand taller to meet the next one. [Applause.]

Mr Speaker: Minister Gan.

2.48 pm

The Minister for Trade and Industry (Mr Gan Kim Yong): Mr Speaker, let me thank Members for their comments and suggestions on the After Action Review. Members’ support during the COVID-19 pandemic played a critical role in rallying fellow Singaporeans to battle against this crisis of a generation together as a nation. Many Members have also spoken about the unprecedented challenges the pandemic had brought and its impact on the economy and businesses.

Indeed, the world economy ground to a halt in 2020 and the Singapore economy contracted by 3.9% – our worst recession since Independence. Many businesses were affected by the pandemic.

First, they had to implement the various safe management measures, or what we now know as SMMs. Food and beverage (F&B) services, for example, had to observe the dining-in rules, from two to four to zero, to four to two and many changes; and implement the TraceTogether SafeEntry system, or TTSE – many of you have forgotten what they mean. Coupled with a weaker demand, their revenues fell as a result. Some businesses were also affected as their workers fell ill or had to be isolated. Some workers were stranded overseas and could not return to work, because the borders were closed.

On the other hand, those in our essential services sectors, such as those producing food and water, electricity and operating public transport, had to keep their operations going to meet the daily needs of Singaporeans even during the circuit breaker, braving the risk of COVID-19 infections.

Some businesses had to quickly pivot to new business models and new markets and embark on transformation and training to improve productivity and stay competitive.

Beyond coping with the pandemic, the private sector also contributed to our fight against COVID-19. They worked in the background to secure lifesaving essential supplies, operated the critical facilities or provided services for those infected with COVID-19. People-public-private partnerships played a critical role in helping us overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, I will elaborate on three key challenges that impacted our businesses, how we worked with industry partners to overcome them together and the lessons we learnt.

First, securing essential supplies and strengthening our supply chain resilience; second, preserving Singapore’s hub status and safely reopening our borders; and, finally, working with our industries to chart our road to recovery.

One of the earliest challenges we faced was securing essential supplies and strengthening our supply chain resilience. When countries across the world locked down their economies and closed their borders, production and transport lines were severely disrupted during a time when global demand for essential goods actually surged.

Mask supplies was a good example. Mr Gerald Giam asked why we did not have sufficient stockpiles of masks and local production capacity. Prior to the pandemic, masks were rarely worn outside of the clinical environment, even during SARS. Our national stockpile of masks was, therefore, maintained at a level that would be sufficient for the healthcare sector's needs. To supplement our stockpile, Singapore companies produced masks overseas as it is more cost-effective to do so.

Therefore, when we decided to require everyone to wear a mask whenever they left their homes, we had a problem. We were faced with an unprecedented situation where everyone in Singapore and around the world was suddenly looking for masks for daily use. In Singapore's case, we were looking at a utilisation rate of more than five million masks each day, around the number required by the public healthcare system for one month. That is 30 times more than our usual consumption.

We worked very quickly with the private sector, such as ST Logistics, to source for additional mask supplies from around the world. At the same time, we worked with industry partners, such as ST Engineering, to quickly set up surgical mask production capabilities here. The first batch of made-in-Singapore surgical masks was produced in February 2020. ST Engineering also stood up capabilities to produce the melt-down polypropylene filters in Singapore from January 2021. This made us less reliant on imports of this critical material and enhanced the resilience of our local mask manufacturing capabilities.

Various homegrown textile and apparel companies, such as Ghim Li Group and Ramatex, also stepped forward to help produce reusable masks. Many of us would remember the masks with a Merlion logo in your 2020 National Day Parade pack, that was from Ramatex. A*STAR and the Nanyang Technological University also lent their expertise to develop reusable masks that were more effective at reducing COVID-19 transmission, but also more breathable and comfortable.

Besides ramping up our mask production, we also worked with various partners to distribute masks island-wide. The Government started distributing masks to all Singapore residents from as early as February 2020, with the support of the SAF and grassroots volunteers from the People's Association (PA). Temasek Foundation funded and led more of these distributions thereafter. Many of you would be familiar with the Temasek Foundation's StayMasked vending machines installed across the island. They distributed a total of more than 31 million reusable masks to Singapore residents by the end of 2021.

Besides masks, many Singapore companies also supported our efforts to keep our supplies of food and other essential items flowing by maintaining our supply lines. As we know, Singapore imports more than 90% of our food from overseas. We worked with our shipping lines, such as the Pacific International Lines, to deploy ships to ports in the region and beyond, at times at our request, to bring food supplies to Singapore.

When Malaysia issued a Movement Control Order in January 2020 and closed the land links with Singapore, we introduced strict "bubble-wrapping" arrangements for Malaysian cross-border delivery workers, to prevent cross-infection with locals when they deliver their supplies to Singapore.

We also worked with importers to diversify our import sources. During the pandemic, we secured new import arrangements for eggs, frozen vegetables and frozen chicken from Poland, red sea shrimps from Saudi Arabia, dried fruits from Uzbekistan and tomatoes from Türkiye.

We also established the Singapore-New Zealand Airfreight Project, or SNAP in short, in April 2020 to provide a secure, two-way "air bridge" to carry almost 140 metric tons of food supplies to Singapore and medical supplies back to New Zealand. Sixteen local food importers participated in this project and cargo flights by Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand flew these food supplies to Singapore.

Once supplies were brought in from abroad, many Singapore companies also played a part in managing our local distribution network from warehousing to retail shops. PSA International stepped up warehousing capacity to ensure we had sufficient space for our upsized stockpiles of essential goods.

Supermarkets, such as NTUC Fairprice, Sheng Siong and Dairy Farm International Retail Group, also worked very hard to keep our shelves well-stocked. For example, frontliners at Sheng Siong, Mr Sivakumar and Mdm Lee Cheng Hui, were involved in these efforts. At the height of the pandemic, they worked overtime everyday alongside their colleagues to replenish shelves as fast as possible and patiently explained the SMMs to their anxious customers. Mdm Lee also offered Mr Sivakumar the spare room at her home to stay in when borders closed, and he could not commute daily in and out of Singapore.

Mr Seah Kian Peng, in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer of NTUC Fairprice, also went out of his way to assure Singaporeans that we had enough supplies and that panic buying was not necessary. Many Members in this House did so, too, including Mr Speaker yourself.

Much work also went on behind-the-scenes to ensure that our shelves are restocked regularly. Trucks ferrying supplies from warehouses were coming into some supermarkets twice as frequently, at six to eight times a day.

The Government has employed a combination of strategies to enhance our supply chain resilience: first, diversification of imports; second, enhancing our local manufacturing capability; and finally, stockpiling. We have been doing this since before the pandemic. As Dr Tan Wu Meng, Mr Gerald Giam, Mr Liang Eng Hwa and Mr Saktiandi Supaat mentioned, the COVID-19 pandemic has only reinforced the importance of these strategies.

The Minister for Health, Mr Ong Ye Kung, earlier explained how we worked with commercial players to secure vaccines and how we will review regulatory levers to improve our response to future public health crises. As mentioned by Mr Saktiandi Supaat, these initiatives do come at a cost. We will work with the industry and our trade partners to find cost-effective solutions.

I would also like to encourage Singaporeans to support our diversification strategy by trying different sources of supplies, different brands when you go about doing your daily shopping. Strengthening our supply chain resilience not only helps us meet our domestic needs, but also helps Singapore strengthen our status as a business and trading hub.

Instead of resorting to protectionist measures during the pandemic, we continued to allow our manufacturers and distribution centres based locally to export goods to meet their obligations to their customers.

I join Mr Melvin Yong in thanking our transport workers, including our maritime workers. Indeed, because of their dedication, our ports remained open 24/7 amidst disruptions at major transport hubs elsewhere. Singapore played a critical role in ensuring that global supply chains continued to function. We remained the world's largest transhipment hub and our ports continued to rank first in various international maritime indices and rankings. This was due to the efforts of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the maritime industry, and tripartite partners who worked closely together to keep our ports open while facilitating crew changes safely. PSA Singapore handled record numbers of container throughput in 2021 and 2022.

However, people flows were significantly disrupted due to border restrictions overseas and here. These were complex decisions that had to be made urgently and we took a risk-based and calibrated approach to manage our borders.

At the beginning, we took some time before deciding to close our borders. This was an unprecedented decision that we did not take lightly. As a small and open economy, our connectivity is our lifeline. Border closures are also highly disruptive to businesses, travellers and families. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, we could have erred on the side of caution and tightened border measures earlier when there were signs of virus spreading across borders, even if there had not been any large infection clusters here.

As the pandemic persisted, we often had to adjust our plans, sometimes at short notice, to respond to new variants of concern and new COVID-19 waves that emerged overseas. The multiple delays in the launch of the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble, was a notable example. Thereafter, we decided not to call it a travel bubble anymore, because it kept bursting. [Laughter.]

One key concern we had in mind when we made decisions on border restrictions was ensuring that workers, especially those in essential services, could still enter Singapore while managing the potential risks of COVID-19 transmission.

When Malaysia introduced their Movement Control Order, a sizeable group of Malaysian workers who normally cross the border daily were faced with the dilemma of either staying in Singapore for work and be separated from their families, or potentially giving up their jobs and returning home. Businesses were also affected, with many at risk of critical manpower shortages.

We worked with our businesses to introduce several measures, such as the Periodic Commuting Arrangement and Reciprocal Green Lane, to address this problem. We also coordinated closely with our Malaysian counterparts to ensure that the implementation was as smooth as possible.

There were also other times when we erred too much on the side of caution, which created disruption and uncertainty for businesses and workers. For example, when we experienced spikes in local infections, we temporarily suspended the entry of foreigners and Long-Term Pass (LTP) holders, including work pass holders, into Singapore. This was to minimise the number of imported cases to avoid overloading our healthcare system.

But, as highlighted by Ms Janet Ang, these restrictions created significant difficulties for the LTP holders, some of whom endured prolonged family separation and disruption to their work. This also affected our global reputation as a hub and open economy and strained the manpower situation of our businesses and services.

As we learnt more from experience and understood more about the virus, we were able to strike a better balance and find ways to safely reopen our border. We unilaterally opened to general travellers in late 2020, but we did so gradually, for a handful of very low-risk countries. We regularly updated this list of countries, taking into account COVID-19 transmission trends.

When more than 75% of the Singapore population was fully vaccinated, we decided to pilot the Vaccinated Travel Lanes in September 2021. This allowed for a larger number of travellers to enter Singapore, as long as they were fully vaccinated.

I would like to thank Singaporeans, Singapore residents and businesses for adjusting to the frequent changes in our border restrictions, and for accommodating the inconveniences and uncertainties caused. These reopening efforts were also supported by our home-grown COVID-19 testing capabilities. The Diagnostics Development Hub worked closely with local medical technology firms MiRXES and Advanced Medtech Holdings to develop and scale-up FORTITUDE and RESOLUTE 2.0 COVID-19 test kits, which were also used to test incoming travellers.

Today, we have fully opened our borders. Passenger traffic through Changi Airport is expected to recover to pre-COVID-19 levels by 2024 and we are also making good progress on our long-term infrastructure projects, such as Changi Terminal 5 and Tuas Port.

Ms Poh Li San raised the need to support our aviation companies and workers as they continue on the road to recovery. Since the start of the pandemic, the Government has provided close to $2.5 billion of support towards the aviation sector's recovery. With the continued support of our industry partners and workers, I am confident that our status as a hub will grow from strength to strength.

The final challenge I want to touch on today, is how we worked with our industries to chart the road to recovery. When the pandemic struck, almost every sector of our economy was affected. Through the eight COVID-19 Budgets, the Government provided more than $72 billion of support for businesses and workers and these include:

(a) Enhancements to the Enterprise Financing Scheme and the introduction of the Temporary Bridging Loan Scheme, which helped small and medium enterprises address their cashflow difficulties;

(b) Enhancements to capability development grants, like the Enterprise Development Grant, Market Readiness Assistance and Productivity Solutions Grant, which helped businesses transform and enhance their competitive edge in preparation for recovery;

(c) Wage support for employers to help them retain their local workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the Job Support Scheme; and

(d) Support measures for businesses affected by the SMMs, such as the Rental Support Scheme and Small Business Recovery Grant. We also provided grant support to businesses, such as the nightlife establishments, to pivot to other business activities.

The Emerging Stronger Taskforce was set up to chart out our long-term response to the structural shifts in our economy arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The taskforce worked with partners from businesses, trade associations and chambers (TACs), unions, the Institutes of Higher Learning and the Government to form nine Singapore Together Alliances for Action (AfAs). These AfAs prototyped ideas to address industry challenges and the successful ones were then implemented across the industry.

One of the Singapore Together AfAs focused on Enabling Safe and Innovative Visitor Experiences. The AfA was co-chaired by Ms Kwee Wei-Lin, President of the Singapore Hotel Association and Mr Lee Seow Hiang, Chief Executive Officer of Changi Airport Group. It was supported by the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and the suppliers of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore, or NATAS.

The AfA's mandate was to pilot prototype arrangements for the safe resumption of large-scale international business events, design of safe itineraries for business and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) travellers, and deployment of digital enablers to facilitate a safe and seamless journey for visitors. These prototypes were piloted at TravelRevive in November 2020 and Geo Connect Asia in March 2021 – the first international travel roadshows to take place physically in Asia Pacific during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learnings from these pilots were then incorporated into more than 550 events, subsequently, under the Safe Business Events Framework and other strategically important events, such as the Singapore Airshow and the Singapore International Water Week.

Although the tourism sector was hard-hit by the pandemic, the efforts of the AfA and other industry partners helped the sector bounce back quickly from the pandemic when international travelling resumed. Notably, we also brought back the Formula 1 night race in 2022, which attracted more than 300,000 participants. This was the largest turnout since we first hosted the race in 2008.

As earlier mentioned by Ms Janet Ang, another scheme that gave the sector a boost during the COVID-19 pandemic was the SingapoREdiscover Voucher (SRV) scheme. More than 450 hotels, attractions and tour providers benefited from this SRV scheme. Many of these merchants seized the opportunity to adapt their products for the domestic market and boosted their revenues amidst this challenging period. I am sure many Members and your residents have enjoyed the SRVs.

Other segments of our economy that were particularly affected by COVID-19 were our heartland enterprises, retail and F&B sectors. They were the worst-hit by SMMs imposed on business operations. As Mr Seah Kian Peng and Ms He Ting Ru mentioned, the multiple changes and granular differentiations in SMMs for business operations caused uncertainty and disruption for their operations.

During the various phases of restrictions and reopening, some SMMs were overly calibrated. This made them difficult to operationalise and caused confusion to businesses and members of the public. As we learnt more from experience and received feedback from industry partners, we simplified our SMMs in the later stages of the pandemic. Striking a balance between mitigating the risk of infection and providing certainty and clarity to businesses and consumers.

For example, we simplified our SMMs into five core parameters: group size, mask wearing, workplace requirements, safe distancing and capacity. This allowed us to calibrate and communicate our SMMs more easily and clearly. Therefore, one important lesson we learnt – keep it simple, especially during a crisis.

I am glad that despite these disruptions, many of our businesses showed resilience amidst adversity. Many heartland enterprises accelerated their digitalisation efforts, as their physical storefronts and workplaces were closed. This helped them overcome the constraints of the SMMs and grow their businesses.

To date, I am happy to say that around 93% of our heartland enterprises have adopted e-payment solutions, which is almost 40% more than before the pandemic. Over two-thirds now have online presence, about 30% more. I am glad to hear from Mr Shawn Huang and other Members in this House about how digitalisation has benefited heartland enterprises in your constituencies.

We should thank the business advisors from the Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore and the digital ambassadors from IMDA's SG Digital Office for their hard work. Together, they conducted over 66,000 ground engagements with heartland enterprises on e-payment and online presence solutions under the Heartlands Go Digital programme.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked how we would sustain the momentum of these digitalisation efforts. Digitalisation is a journey without an end. We will launch a third phase of the Heartlands Go Digital programme later this year. This will tap on the expertise of new partners from the private sector and IHLs to help heartland enterprises develop capabilities in digital marketing and visual merchandising. Even though the worst of the pandemic is behind us, the Government will continue to work with our businesses as you progress along this journey of transformation.

Sir, let me conclude. The key lesson we learnt from the pandemic was that there will always be unexpected challenges that will surprise us. We do not know when the next pandemic will happen, or what future crises may be like. But the one thing we can be confident of and rely upon, is the Singapore Spirit – working together, trusting one another and looking out for each other like family.

We witnessed this Singapore Spirit, when staff from Scoot, Raffles Medical Group and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs risked their own personal safety to evacuate Singaporeans from Wuhan when the crisis first emerged.

When we face the worst crisis, we will see the best in Singaporeans. It is precisely this Singapore Spirit that will see us through future challenges that may come our way.

Many people also worked tirelessly behind the scenes to contribute towards our COVID-19 efforts, even taking up functions and responsibilities they were unfamiliar with. A total of about 10,000 individuals and teams from the people, public, healthcare and private sectors will receive the National Awards (COVID-19), in recognition of their contributions to our COVID-19 efforts.

The Meritorious Service Medal (COVID-19) was also awarded to three individuals whose unwavering commitment and exemplary leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic helped us safeguard lives and livelihoods and chart our road to recovery.

They are: Prof Kenneth Mak, Director of Medical Services at MOH. He is a familiar face to many Singaporeans due to his professional and calming presence at the MTF's press conferences. He led the efforts of the professional healthcare team in managing the crisis.

Mr Pang Kin Keong, Permanent Secretary of MHA, who chaired the Homefront Crisis Executive Group to execute our responses to the pandemic. He and his team of dedicated public servants, helped navigate Singapore safely through the storm.

Mr Tan Chong Meng, Lead for the Community Care Facilities (CCF) Taskforce, Temasek COVID-19 Workgroup, co-chairman of the Emerging Stronger Taskforce and Group CEO, PSA International. He coordinated many private sector efforts, including the setting-up of the CCFs and keeping our supply lines open.

However, in the end, it is not just individual efforts, but the whole society coming together that ensured that we would prevail. The best example that illustrates the importance of such people-public-private partnerships, is the setting up of the CCFs, where different parties came together quickly and worked together under a tight timeline, with very limited resources, to overcome unknown challenges and achieve a common mission.

Companies, like PSA International, Surbana Jurong, SingEx, Certis Cisco, ST Engineering, Parkway Pantai, Sheares Healthcare, Woodlands Health Campus and Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), worked as a team to set up the first 960 beds within record time at the Singapore Expo, which eventually expanded to around 8,000 beds.

RWS involved all its business units to also set-up and run other CCFs and recruited over 2,000 volunteers to ensure smooth operations. This benefited more than 34,000 COVID-19 patients. These companies and volunteers may not have worked with each other before. They have not met each other but they came together nonetheless, each offering their expertise and resources to ensure the smooth set-up and operation of our CCFs.

Mr Edward Chia, Ms Janet Ang and Mr Raj Joshua Thomas highlighted the importance of strong collaboration between the TACs and the Government in times of crisis. Indeed, we have built strong partnerships through regular engagements and collaboration between TACs and Government agencies over the years.

During the pandemic, this rapport allowed us to come together very quickly, alongside industry partners, to resolve the challenges we faced. For example, the Singapore Hotel Association and the Singapore Tourism Board worked closely with over 90 hotels across the island, to urgently transform hotels into Government isolation facilities.

The Singapore Business Federation worked together with Enterprise Singapore, other TACs, landlords and tenant representatives, on a Code of Conduct for Leasing of Retail Premises. This established industry norms on tenancy practices and terms, which helped resolve rising tensions between landlords and retail tenants regarding Rental Agreements.

Finally, let me extend our appreciation to all businesses and TACs for their contributions towards our COVID-19 efforts. Our partnership played an important role in a crisis and we need to continue to strengthen this partnership even in the absence of a crisis.

I would also like to join my colleagues in thanking all our frontline workers stationed at our supermarkets and warehouses, at our air- and sea-ports, our care facilities and other essential services, for your dedication and sacrifices, which has helped us overcome this crisis of a generation and put us on a strong foundation for recovery. [Applause.]

Mr Speaker: Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 3.40 pm.

Sitting accordingly suspended

at 3.19 pm until 3.40 pm.

Sitting resumed at 3.40 pm.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

SINGAPORE'S COVID-19 RESPONSE

(Motion)

Debate resumed.

Mr Speaker: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance.

3.40 pm

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (Mr Lawrence Wong): Mr Speaker, I thank all Members who have spoken and shared your views on Singapore's response to COVID-19 and on this Motion.

We have also received feedback from the public on the White Paper. Many Singaporeans agreed with the broad observations and lessons and gave us further ideas on how we can strengthen our defences against future pandemics.

We take all of the feedback and suggestions seriously and we will study them carefully. In their speeches, my colleagues have shared several specific moves that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) have made and will soon be undertaking. Our work will not end with this debate. We will continue to consider additional inputs, put our plans into action and adjust them along the way. This is an ongoing, multi-year effort and commitment to learn and to improve.

The points raised by Members can be summarised into three broad themes: first, preparing for the next pandemic; second, ensuring effectiveness of our spending; and third, upholding solidarity and trust. Let me address each of these in turn.

First, as I highlighted in my opening remarks yesterday, the purpose of the White Paper and this debate, is for us to learn, improve and be better prepared for the next pandemic.

I am glad that the Leader of the Opposition Mr Pritam Singh agrees with this and supports the Motion. I do note, though, that Mr Pritam Singh, in supporting the Motion said, "he supports the Motion to the extent it expresses gratitude to all in Singapore who contributed to the fight against COVID-19 and affirms the Government's efforts to learn from the lessons of the last three years."

I may be mistaken and, if so, please pardon me. But this suggests that it is a qualified support; "to the extent" suggests it is a qualified support. I am not sure why there is a need for such qualification because after all, Mr Pritam Singh himself did highlight the need for us to set aside politics, to close ranks and to uphold unity of purpose in a crisis, which I fully agree with. So, I would urge Mr Pritam Singh and the Workers' Party to give us their full and unreserved support, so that we can truly demonstrate unity of purpose in dealing with and learning from this pandemic.

Perhaps, Mr Pritam Singh had held back his full support because of the questions he asked about the report prepared by Mr Peter Ho. So, let me explain.

The Government had asked Mr Peter Ho, in late 2021, to undertake a review of our COVID-19 experience from the start of the pandemic until August 2021 and to draw lessons from this. At that time, we had envisaged it as an interim or mid-term review, because we were not clear when we would be able to fully transition to endemic COVID-19.

In parallel, various Government agencies embarked on their own After-Action Reviews (AARs). These focused on the policy and operational decisions within their respective domains. Mr Peter Ho knew about these reviews, and he decided to focus his efforts on the key strategic lessons for the Government, so as to minimise duplication and to complement the agency AARs.

By the time Mr Peter Ho's report was completed, we also had further experiences with the fast-changing COVID-19 threat, including the implementation of the Home Recovery Programme and our responses to the Omicron variant in late 2021. By then, we were also clearer about the way out of the pandemic. Because the situation had stabilised, and we could envisage a full transition to endemic COVID-19.

There was therefore a need to pull together the findings from Mr Peter Ho's interim report and the agency AARs, as well as the lessons from our more recent experiences, into a consolidated report that would fully reflect all that had transpired over the last three years and provide a fuller synthesis of all our learnings.

And that is why PMO – the Prime Minister's Office – was tasked to put together this consolidated report, which the Government decided to release as a White Paper. Some may ask, "if that is the case, why can't you release Mr Ho's findings and if it is deemed sensitive, why not have it redacted, with the non-sensitive portions released?"

But that is precisely what we have done. Whatever is relevant and fit for release, we have incorporated into this White Paper. The White Paper is, in fact, more comprehensive than what Mr Ho's review has set out to cover, because it includes information from the agencies' AARs as well as learnings from our experience after August 2021.

The White Paper will not be the final word on our COVID-19 response. I am sure academics and experts will continue to undertake more detailed studies, like the one mentioned by Mr Leon Perera on our H1N1 pandemic response. Incidentally, that study was done by MOH's public health officials. They decided to publish their findings in an academic journal.

We welcome all academics and experts to do their own detailed assessments of our COVID-19 response and to put out their findings. They may have a different conclusion and view from the Government on specific issues, like wearing of masks, border measures or SMMs, and that is perfectly okay. In fact, we welcome the diverse perspectives, because this will help us challenge our own assumptions and learn and improve.

Members generally agreed with the broad thrusts of the White Paper and offered many useful suggestions to strengthen our capabilities and support frameworks. Clearly, there is much work to be done across all domains.

In healthcare, we need to build up our primary care and hospital capacities, our vaccination capabilities, as well as our public health expertise – as several Members highlighted, including Mr Leon Perera, Dr Tan Wu Meng, Mr Mark Chay, amongst others.

In economic resilience, as Mr Shawn Huang, Mr Seah Kian Peng, Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Saktiandi Supaat said, we need to invest in alternatives like local production, diversify our import sources and strengthen the robustness of our infrastructure and transport links. I would also like to assure Ms Janet Ang, Mr Raj Joshua Thomas and Mr Desmond Choo, that we will continue to harness the strength of our tripartite model, our trade associations and industry partners in all of these efforts.

We need to do more to improve public communications, including frontline crisis management communications, as suggested by Ms Jessica Tan and Ms He Ting Ru. We also need to do more to look out for and care for the more vulnerable amongst us, including our migrant workers; and to address mental wellness issues, especially for our youths; something which many Members, including Ms Ng Ling Ling, Mr Edward Chia, Mr Yip Hon Weng, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Ms He Ting Ru, Mr Louis Ng and Miss Rachel Ong all made reference to.

We recognise that the Government cannot do all of this work alone. We will need to work more closely with the people and private sectors. We will go beyond the usual corporate and tripartite partners to involve other stakeholders, including community groups and NGOs. We will involve our partners not just in execution and implementation, but also in upstream planning and emergency preparedness. So, we will follow-up on all of these systematically, in order to strengthen our crisis management muscles – something that Ms Poh Li San and Miss Cheng Li Hui highlighted in their speeches.

I also agree with all Members that this work is of great urgency. Around the world, the risk of animal viruses spilling over to humans continues to rise – due to population growth, urbanisation and increasing proximity to animals. Climate change has exacerbated these problems by generating more habitat loss, forcing wildlife to migrate out of their usual patterns and come into contact with new species and more people.

In other words, disease spillovers and outbreaks are inevitable. Just in the summer of 2021 alone, when we were all focusing on and grappling with COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) received alerts on more than 5,000 new outbreaks around the world, few of which made global headlines, because most spillovers lead to smaller clusters of disease that quickly die out. But every now and again, we encounter a pathogen that becomes a pandemic, causing global chaos.

The urgent global task, therefore, is to reduce the spillovers and, importantly, to prevent any such spillovers from turning into pandemics. This is where early detection is of utmost importance. That is why, there is a crucial need for an enhanced global surveillance system, especially in potential hotspots around the world.

With early knowledge of the characteristics of the new pathogen, along with the dimensions that Minister Ong shared just now, if we know this before the virus reaches our shores, we will be able to buy precious time to decide on our posture and measures. That is why Singapore is plugging fully into the global network of international pandemic research and we are working hand-in-hand with the global community to improve our collective pandemic response. Singapore was a co-chair of the Friends of the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility, which helped countries in need secure access to COVID-19 vaccines.

The G20 recently set up a Global Health Security Financial Intermediary Fund, or what is now called The Pandemic Fund, to ensure more reliable financing for future pandemics. Singapore was one of the founding contributors to the Fund and we continue to shape initiatives through our membership of the G20 Joint Health and Financing Taskforce.

As Minister Ong shared just now, we will continue to leverage GISAID to keep up-to-date with genome sequencing of pathogens with pandemic potential. We are a part of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to keep up-to-date with vaccine developments. We also have professionals and specialists from our scientific community, who represent us on technical platforms at the WHO and other international bodies. So, we are doing everything we can to be better prepared, not just within Singapore, but also internationally.

Next, let me touch on the overall effectiveness of spending in enabling Singapore to get through this pandemic. Ms Hazel Poa had asked about this. At the macro level, governments around the world grappled with the twin challenges of lives and livelihoods. And, Sir, with your permission, may I display some slides on the screens?

Mr Speaker: Please do. [Slides were shown to hon Members.]

Mr Lawrence Wong: In terms of lives, as of 31 December 2022, our mortality rate for COVID-19 was around 300 deaths per million. We mourn every death and express our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones. But what we have in Singapore, is much lower compared to other countries with five or even 10 times mortality rate. [Please refer to Annex 2.]

The key reason for this, is that we did not allow our hospitals to be overwhelmed, as Minister Ong had explained just now. That was always our key objective throughout this crisis and so, we made full use of the tools at our disposal – whether it was vaccinations and boosters, border measures and SMMs – to achieve this goal. This is on mortality rate. It is not excess mortality, but just looking at mortality from COVID-19, as one measure.

In terms of livelihoods, our economy recovered quickly to pre-COVID-19 levels by 2021. Our employment rates, today, are even higher than pre-COVID-19. Our recovery – it is very hard to put this out into a picture, so, I do not have a chart for this – but our recovery was faster, compared to many other economies. You can use different indicators to track these, but it is quite clear, our recovery was faster compared to many others.

These are, of course, not comprehensive outcome indicators. But I think most would agree that they are among the more important ones. How much did we spend compared to other countries to achieve these outcomes? As I mentioned yesterday, we had budgeted more than $100 billion and we eventually spent $72.3 billion over FY2020 and FY2021, which is equivalent to about 15% of our FY2020 GDP. [Please refer to Annex 3.]

So, we mounted a strong response. What did other countries do? It is not so easy to get actual data from other countries, but the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has some estimates, so we put out what the IMF has estimated for the different countries. Clearly, we are not the lowest, in terms of this chart, with the sampling of countries. But certainly, we are not excessive either, and there are many countries, like the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and Germany, which put out much larger fiscal packages.

For the amount of public funds spent, we achieved relatively good outcomes compared to other countries.

There were other achievements, beyond those I have highlighted, that were not so easily quantifiable but no less important. For example, we kept schools physically open and education going for our students. We minimised disruptions to in-person learning, particularly for younger students, and mitigated the potential loss in learning outcomes due to the switch to home-based learning. This was not the case in many other places, where lengthy school closures had long-term scarring effects, in terms of human capital development, particularly for students from less advantaged backgrounds.

We kept businesses afloat and local unemployment rates low through the JSS and other financing support. This helped to preserve firm capabilities and allowed businesses to bounce back quickly when the worst of the crisis was over. Through the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package, we also helped those who were in-between jobs transit to growth sectors; and fresh graduates maintain their skills and human capital while waiting for the economy to pick up.

We kept supply chains open throughout the crisis, and continued to service the world as a transshipment hub for air and sea cargo. Even at the height of the pandemic when many countries, including Singapore, were short of supplies, we never imposed export controls. Vaccines came through our airport. We had cold chain facilities, so we facilitated the shipment of vaccines to the rest of the region. This not only enabled supplies to keep flowing to and through Singapore, but also boosted our reputation as a reliable and trusted node in the global network.

So, on the whole, when you look at all of these outcomes and what we had spent, on the whole, compared to other countries, we have achieved good value for the monies we spent – to stave off the most severe downsides of COVID-19 and to mitigate long-term economic and social scarring.

The resources we deployed enabled us to buy insurance and options, sometimes at substantial cost, like what we did when we moved quickly to secure advance commitments for the vaccine supplies.

Not every insurance option will pay off. But, in the end we have to judge whether it is worthwhile to pay a bit more, so that we can be in a stronger position to deal with the crisis and head off potentially very costly downside scenarios. When you look at what we have achieved overall in this crisis in the last three years, I am convinced that, on the whole, it is money well spent.

Beyond the macro picture, we can, of course, drill down into specific areas of spending. This is being done through the various ongoing reviews and audits and I am sure through these processes, we will pick up areas where we could have done better.

But I should acknowledge and give credit to all our public officers who worked hard round-the-clock to administer and implement the various schemes. There may have been occasional lapses in their work, but I hope Members understand that all our officers were working under crisis and emergency scenarios. Where there were lapses or mistakes, I have every confidence that our Ministries and agencies will learn from them and will do better the next time.

More than 80% of the Government spending went directly to beneficiaries, as I have mentioned, to keep businesses going, preserve jobs for Singaporeans and help those who were hard-hit by the pandemic, especially the vulnerable. Ms Poa had asked whether we could have been more discriminating in the support we had extended to businesses or, for example, to recover payments from businesses that were profitable.

We significantly expanded the JSS during the circuit breaker. At that time, everyone was worried, businesses were very worried over whether they could survive and how they may retain and pay their workers. That is why the JSS was designed to be across the board and automatically disbursed, so that businesses, especially the small and medium enterprises (SMEs), could receive the much-needed support quickly.

And, indeed, the timely cashflow enabled firms to retain their local employees and capabilities, and to bounce back from the crisis once demand recovered. As soon as we could, we started to tier the JSS support – different levels of support for different industries and, eventually, phase out the JSS support.

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) had earlier published a study on the impact of our key COVID-19 measures. Our estimates show that 165,000 jobs were saved in 2020, as a result of JSS. Behind this aggregate number are real Singaporeans and their families. I am glad we helped these workers to stay employed, earn their keep and support their households through the crisis.

Sir, at every point, we tried our best, to help fellow Singaporeans retain their livelihoods and live their lives with as much normalcy as possible, under the shadow of the pandemic.

Mr Gerald Giam asked about Temasek's involvement in our efforts to fight COVID-19. As I had explained earlier, more than 80% of Government's spending went directly to beneficiaries. Another 10% was for grants to medical providers and the remaining 10% was procurement with third-parties. So, talking first about Government spending, this was the breakdown.

Out of the 10% of procurement, most of it, in fact, went to non-Temasek entities. For example, most of MOH’s partners in the COVID-19 Treatment Facilities and Vaccination Centres were non-Temasek entities. Temasek's entities were involved in very specific operations, for example, in the swift setting up of the COVID-19 facility, the community care facility at the Expo. That was invaluable, because it helped us to get through the very difficult situation we faced with the dormitory outbreak.

Then, what about the resources that Temasek itself spent on COVID-19, for example, the distribution of test kits and masks? The resources for this come from the portion of its positive Wealth Added returns that Temasek would typically set aside for community initiatives in the Temasek Foundation. This is part of Temasek's CSR – to do good and give back to society. It is something which we encourage of all companies in Singapore – to be good corporate citizens.

Over the last three years, because we were fighting a crisis, Temasek redirected a significant proportion of these community funds to support the fight against COVID-19. This is a decision that Temasek and its Board made, independently of the Government, and there is no draw on Past Reserves from such spending.

Temasek's community initiatives do not in any way detract from its mandate, which is to deliver long-term sustainable returns. Temasek and its portfolio companies operate independently as commercial entities. But like all commercial entities, we welcome them to do their part in a crisis, where it really should be all hands on deck.

Tapping on Temasek's capabilities, as well as that of the broader private and people sectors, is just one way we have harnessed our whole-of-nation resources to help bring our society and economy back to normality. This is not a form of dependence or over-reliance by the Government, which Mr Giam seems to suggest, but really a manifestation of Singapore's distinct and unique strength.

In fact, many other countries struggled to galvanise their private sector to contribute to pandemic-fighting efforts. In contrast, we were able to harness public and private resources to fight the crisis. We worked closely with all stakeholders to ramp-up vital services and to make up for shortfalls.

That is what good governance is about. It is about how well we organise ourselves and marshal resources across the public, people and private sectors, and how we mount responses and deliver the best outcomes for Singapore and Singaporeans

In the end, dealing with a national crisis requires a whole-of-nation approach. So, we hope that partners from all segments of society can come together again in any future crisis and we welcome the expertise and contributions from all companies and organisations, whether they are Temasek-linked or not.

Finally, no matter the shape and form the next virus will take, there is one element that is crucial in shaping our response – and that is trust. Singaporeans trusted the Government to make the right decisions, and to act in the best interest of Singapore and Singaporeans. The Government did not take this trust for granted. We were open and honest throughout the crisis. We shared information candidly, even when things did not go well, and even when we did not have complete information. This was essential so that Singaporeans could continue placing their trust in the Government.

Equally, if not more important, the trust amongst Singaporeans has been strengthened. This is not the case in many other places, where trust amongst their citizens had been declining, even before COVID-19, and may even be at historic lows today, post-crisis. Hence, during the pandemic, it was hard for these governments to implement tough COVID-19 measures – after all, if trust is low then people may say: why should I comply with your measures, because if my neighbours or friends are not complying, then why should I do so?

You can see this is what has happened in many other places where there is little trust, public health becomes politicised and individualised, and the countries' pandemic response is quickly compromised and impaired.

Fortunately, social capital and trust have been high in Singapore over the decades, and the silver lining in this terrible crisis is that social capital and trust have increased. A post-COVID-19 survey commissioned by the Ministry of Communications and Information, showed that social capital grew over the course of the pandemic. Most notably, trust amongst citizens strengthened. More than seven in 10 Singapore residents felt that their relationships with their neighbours and friends remained the same or became stronger during the pandemic. A similar proportion of respondents were confident that the Government would know do what to do in a future pandemic and that Singaporeans would help one another tide through the next crisis together.

We are heartened by these survey results. This trust is extremely precious and we will work assiduously to preserve and strengthen it, so that Singapore will always remain a high-trust society.

Mr Speaker, I shared in my remarks yesterday, that it is important we approach the lessons from our COVID-19 experience with the right attitude and mindset. Lessons learnt should never be hardcoded into doctrine. Lessons should not be blindly applied from one crisis to another, because while there may be similarities, there will also be differences. The key is to have the flexibility and wisdom to adapt and devise solutions that are fit for purpose and fit for the situation at hand.

Indeed, through this COVID-19 experience, we have expanded our toolkit to manage disease outbreaks and pandemics. For example, look at border measures, we now have a wider range of measures to apply at the borders. We can impose Not-to-Land (NTL), which is the most stringent; we can allow travellers to enter Singapore, subject to tests and the test can be pre-departure tests or on-arrival tests; we can allow them to come in, subject to both tests and quarantine requirements, and the quarantine can be done at home or in dedicated facilities; and if it is done at home, we have improved the system now so that we have electronic tagging and remote monitoring, it is quite effective. So, just thinking about the kinds of border measures we have from SARS to now, we have really expanded our toolkit considerably.

For SMMs, we have identified the five key parameters which are important: group sizes, mask wearing, workplace requirements, safe distancing and capacity limits. So, hopefully, if we ever have to do this again, it will not be as confusing and complex, as was the case these last three years. By tweaking and adjusting these five parameters, we will be able to manage transmission risks, depending on the severity of the threat.

So, be it surveillance, border measures, SMMs, testing or vaccine development, we now have a wider range of policy options and measures to tackle the next pandemic. With our enhanced capabilities in detection, surveillance, identification of threat which we are doing, not just by ourselves but hand-in-hand with international partners, we will be in a much better position to protect ourselves and deal with the next pandemic, if and when it comes.

We will not stop here. We will continue working hard to expand our toolkit and to build up our capabilities, because, ultimately, that is the best way for us to honour the dedication and sacrifices that everyone had made to fight the pandemic these past three years. That is why we acknowledge, with humility, the learnings and points of improvement as a country, a people and a Government. We pledge to keep on doing better and be better prepared, if and when the next pandemic strikes.

At the same time, we are grateful and thankful for all the positives that we have seen and experienced these past three years: the dedication of our healthcare and other frontline workers, the acts of kindness within our communities and the solidarity and trust of our people.

Sir, we know the road ahead of us will always be unpredictable. We have focused in this debate on pandemic threats, but there will be other challenges. Sometimes, it almost feels like the next crisis is just around the corner. We have got uncertainty now in the global economy and financial market, we have got geopolitical tensions, super-power rivalry in Asia, climate change, and the list goes on. There is no guaranteed formula to navigate these challenges.

But, if Singapore and Singaporeans take all what we have been through these past three years to heart, we will be able to overcome any challenges that come our way and prevail as one united people. Mr Speaker, I beg to move. [Applause.]

Mr Speaker: Clarifications. Mr Pritam Singh.

4.12 pm

Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Deputy Prime Minister for the round-up speech on the Motion.

Just a quick point on the matter I brought up in my speech. As I mentioned, COVID-19 was, indeed, an unprecedented crisis and it would not be realistic to expect no mistakes or missteps by the Government.

That said, I maintain the position that we do not know what we do not know. We do not know what is stated in Mr Ho's report and the AARs from the respective Ministries. It would be important, in my view, for Singaporeans to consider the details and the breadth of perspectives secured from all who participated in the various AARs. I hope this information can be made available to the public at some point. But this difference of opinion does not overshadow the Workers' Party's support for the Motion.

Mr Lawrence Wong: Sir, I already explained just now, Mr Peter Ho's report focused on lessons for Singapore in crisis management. It included details, like the internal workings of the Government, our crisis management structures. These internal workings and crisis management structures are not just to deal with a pandemic. The same structures are used for dealing with external security threats and that is why we are unable to publish that part of the report for national security reasons. I am sure everyone understands that.

Then, there are other parts of his report, which went into commercial sensitivities. For example, how we leveraged on different partners, scrambled to get essential supplies and managed our supply chains. Those had some commercial sensitivities, and we cannot reveal them.

If we redact all of these sensitive materials, we will essentially end up with the lessons for the Government, which are already in the White Paper. In fact, it will be a subset of the White Paper. Because as I explained just now, the White Paper goes beyond Mr Ho's report. It covers the lessons from the agencies' AARs and it also covers the lessons learned after August 2021. So, it is a fuller synthesis of all the lessons that we have learned from the last three years.

So, I hope everyone understands and can see that we have been upfront in doing this. We have maintained this approach in dealing with the crisis throughout the last three years and we continue to do so in the White Paper, which covers the lessons for the Government.

By all means, there can be debate on the lessons, on the recommendations. By all means, disagree with the lessons and the recommendations. Have your own view. We are happy to hear the differences in views and to be better prepared. But, I think, it is quite uncalled for to suggest that there has been any withholding of information by the Government in putting together this report. I hope that Mr Pritam Singh and the Workers' Party will live up to the ideals that he called for, in upholding national unity when we deal with and learn from this pandemic.

Mr Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, I have just one clarification for Minister Ong. In July 2021, I asked if the Government could develop a COVID-19 risk index that aggregates indicators to provide guidance to policy-makers on decisions to ease or tighten SMMs. Minister Ong replied then, that it would not be wise to define a definitive threshold for full reopening and that it would not be very useful to devise an index to guide our public health actions.

However, just now, Minister Ong just announced that four public health situational tiers will be introduced as part of an amended Infectious Diseases Act (IDA). Will objective thresholds and matrixes be used to decide which situational tier we are in, and how does that differ from a risk index that relies on factors, such as the number of daily infections, hospital capacity and vaccination rates?

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Sir, Mr Giam actually raised two separate issues. I think most of our clinicians and public health experts will continue to maintain the view that an index, somehow, you put different ingredients into it, you will come up – viola! – with one number and use that to decide your policy. That would tie our hands.

As we learned during COVID-19, it is so fluid. It keeps changing. There are so many facets. You need the flexibility to decide what best to do. Having said that, a separate issue is what I mentioned just now, in reviewing the IDA, even with DORSCON today, you have different tiers. That is quite different from an index.

In different tiers, you have a range of options, a range of public health options. So, when you have a pathogen that is dangerous, you first decide which tier you are at. Within that tier, what the range of options are. Then, from the range of options, you mix and match depending on the characteristics of the pathogen. If it proves to be insufficient, then, you upgrade and you explain to people why you need to upgrade the situational tier.

I think this is a lot more flexible. There is a framework, but the framework is not equal to an index.

Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: Thank you, Speaker. I, likewise, have a clarification as well as a question for Minister Ong. I believe that the Minister shared that we were among the first to pursue vaccines, just after the UK, US and Israel – is what I believe he said.

Of course, not to take away from the hard and undeniably difficult work of the expert group on procurement, I believe our first vaccination occurred on 30 December 2020. It was a nurse, I believe – a frontliner nurse.

Based on a quick search, at that time, actually, a large number of developed and emerging economies had already commenced their vaccination programmes, many with mRNA vaccines. Switzerland did so on 23 December; Spain, 27 December; Hungary, 26 December; Canada; 14 December; Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 17, 22 and 14 December, respectively. Even developing countries like Mexico, Costa Rica and Serbia, all rolled out before 30 December.

So, just to clarify, did our vaccination programme commence substantially after we procured and, if so, why the delay?

To follow up on that, my question is that, if there was a relatively slower rollout in the first months of the National Vaccination Programme in January, February, March and so on, was that due to a lack of vaccine supply? If so, why was this a constraint if we had already secured the stock via advance purchase agreements?

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Thank you for pointing that out. I think I stated wrongly. We are the first in Asia. You see, in Europe, they have the European Union (EU). In America, Pfizer is an American company. They are big markets. They are at the front of the queue. The Global South is very far down in the queue. Asia, too.

But due to the reasons and the decisions we made, we leveraged relationships with the pharmaceutical companies, particularly EDB, we were able to be higher-up in the queue, outside of the EU, outside of the Americas. I think we were still very fast, from that perspective.

The Member seems to suggest there is a gap between procurement and rollout. As I mentioned just now, we got our first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines late in the year – I forgot which month, could be September or so – and then we rolled out in December.

The first batch was not very much. It was 20,000, 30,000. Then, weeks later, more came. When we had sufficient volume – during that time, we had to set up a whole new machinery to handle the vaccine.

Remember, mRNA vaccines need an ultra-cold chain. You have to maintain minus 70°C, all the way to the vaccination centre. Once you open it, it has a limited lifespan. Within days, it is gone. So, within those days, you accept appointments and jab it into the arms of people. Which also explains why – one of the questions that Mr Leon Perera raised yesterday – we did not use general practitioners (GPs) at that point. That is one reason, because of the ultra-cold chain and the logistical challenges. So, we had to set-up dedicated vaccination facilities and then push it out.

There is no reason for us to delay. Absolutely no reason. We were racing against time. We had danger at our doorstep. At the earliest possible juncture, we delivered the vaccines safely, efficiently, quickly to the arms of our people.

Mr Speaker: Ms Hazel Poa.

Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for showing us the comparison with other countries, in terms of how our budget measures have benefited Singapore. But, I think, here, we are not just comparing with other countries, but we also want to compare with ourselves – how we want to make sure that we deal with this better in the future, as compared to now.

So, it is in that spirit that I ask, whether a review on each of the budget measures has been done or are they ongoing. Specifically, in future responses, does the Government still feel that giving grants to profitable companies is the way to go?

Mr Lawrence Wong: Sir, we have been reviewing. We published, as I mentioned just now, a paper looking at the impact of our COVID-19 measures. Ms Poa may have seen it. If not, I will encourage her to look at the detailed studies which highlighted the outcomes we have achieved from our measures, including the JSS.

So, that has already been done. We will continue to review and we will continue to improve, because we do want to do better.

On the specific point that Ms Poa raised, which is, can we put in place a criterion to give out help that will not allow for some recovery of payments to profitable companies, I would put it this way.

First of all, to do it ex-post is not the right thing to do. That means, we will only wait until you know the results, later on. Then, there will be a lot of uncertainty for companies. If you want to do that, you have to do it with a priori – upfront. Then, later on, if it exceeds a threshold, yes, you can claw back.

In principle, in theory, yes, you can think of it like that. That is, in theory, possible. But, I think, it is not so straightforward in practice. It is administratively going to be quite complex. It may lead to gaming by companies. How do you set the right threshold upfront? It is not so straightforward either. Companies will start to game. Businesses will start to game. All may try to operate below the threshold.

So, while what she has highlighted is something that can work in theory, I think there are administrative complexities. But from MOF's perspective, we will continue to study and review because our interest is to continually make sure that we achieve value for money in what we spend.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: A bit of supplementary information for Assoc Prof Jamus Lim. He mentioned several countries that rolled out their vaccination programmes earlier than us. I should point out that many of them used non-mRNA vaccines – AstraZeneca and others. So, we probably need some time to compile the data, then we know where we stand. But we were one of the first in Asia.

Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: Just a very quick clarification. Those countries that I did mention all had mRNA vaccines. There were, indeed, other countries that had non-mRNA vaccines, but I did not cite those.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

"That this House expresses gratitude to all in Singapore who contributed to the nation's fight against COVID-19; affirms the Government's effort to learn from the experiences of the last three years; and, to that end, endorses Paper Cmd 22 of 2023 on 'Singapore's Response to COVID-19: Lessons for the Next Pandemic'."