Pro-Enterprise Panel's Help to Businesses in Singapore
Ministry of Trade and IndustrySpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Desmond Choo’s inquiry regarding the Pro-Enterprise Panel’s impact on businesses and its future plans. Minister Gan Kim Yong explained that the panel, chaired by the Head of Civil Service, has initiated over 1,100 regulatory changes since 2000 to streamline processes and foster innovation. Notable successes include the GoBusiness portal and the facilitation of novel business models like unmanned gyms and peer-to-peer car sharing. Future strategies will focus on implementing agile and smart regulations to help businesses capture emerging opportunities while safeguarding public safety. Minister Gan Kim Yong emphasized that continued public-private collaboration remains essential to maintaining a pro-enterprise environment.
Transcript
21 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how has the Pro-Enterprise Panel helped businesses in Singapore; and (b) what are the future plans for the panel.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Pro-Enterprise Panel (PEP) is a private-public panel chaired by the Head of Civil Service. The PEP seeks to enable a business-friendly environment by regularly reviewing Government rules and regulations to encourage innovation, streamline processes and minimise compliance costs for businesses. Since its inception in 2000, the PEP has initiated more than 1,100 changes in rules or regulations across various industries and domains.
For example, PEP fostered collaborations between the private and public sectors led to the development of the Gobusiness portal, a one stop portal that allows users to gain access to over 300 Government-to-Business services, such as registering a business and applying for licences and grants.
The PEP also facilitated the introduction of novel business ideas like Drive lah’s peer-to-peer car sharing model, The Gym Pod, a 24/7 pay-per-use unmanned container gyms in parks and HDB Estates, and the Shipping Container Hotel, who have just launched their third venue at Gardens by the Bay.
We are in an era where new technologies and business models emerge constantly to disrupt traditional ones. Going forward, the PEP will focus greater attention on making our regulations more agile and smart to enable businesses to seize new opportunities while safeguarding public safety and interest.
Together with our PEP members, agencies, and industry partners, we will create an environment in Singapore for businesses to grow and innovate.