Performance of PAP MPs and ministers

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Sim Ann’s “stay tuned” reply to Leon Perera’s question on VERS draws flak from TikTokers​

Photos: YT screencaptures


February 21, 2023
By Jewel Stolarchuk

“I am glad of your interest in VERS. Please stay tuned,” she said.

SINGAPORE: Senior Minister of State (SMS) Sim Ann has drawn flak online after delivering a “stunning” one-liner, in response to a parliamentary question posed by Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Leon Perera on the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS).
Mr Perera was among his WP colleagues, secretary-general Pritam Singh and Jamus Lim, who was seeking clarification from Ms Sim on housing policies. He asked the ruling party politician whether the Government will extend VERS to all blocks in Singapore and added, “That’s just one simple question. Thank you.”
Ms Sim responded, “I am glad of your interest in VERS. Please stay tuned.”


The exchange took place two weeks ago, on 7 Feb, but it went viral on social media over the weekend, when TikTok user @whatdoyouthinkleh posted a clip of Mr Perera’s question and the Senior Minister’s reply.
@whatdoyouthinkleh called her reply “stunning.” Others in the comment section called her reply unprofessional and criticised her for her inability in answering a simple question tactfully and her audacity to issue such a reply in an arena like Parliament. Some added that this was why more opposition MPs are needed in the ruling party-dominated Parliament.

This is not the first time Ms Sim has issued such irreverent comments. In an exceedingly sarcastic speech she delivered during the 2015 General Election campaign period, she personally attacked veteran opposition politician Dr Chee Soon Juan as someone who likes to “chut pattern”, or someone who is full of antics.

 

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Forum: MPs should offer better ideas on building up reserves​

Mar 9, 2023

It is critical to note the points raised in Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s 2023 Budget round-up speech on Feb 24 (Prudent position on reserves has never changed and will never change: DPM; No slack in country’s Budget, says Lawrence Wong; Budget a delicate balancing act amid tight fiscal position: DPM, all Feb 25).
We have drawn $40 billion from past reserves to combat Covid-19. Without such fiscal resources, we would be in a bad state today. There were MPs who said the Government was not giving enough and that it needed to spend more on help and support. Fewer MPs offered ideas on how to build up our reserves to face the next crisis.
There were suggestions to tax the rich, but do not forget the rich are welcomed everywhere else in the world. When the wealthy leave and take their money with them, Singapore’s income will shrink.
Some MPs suggested raising corporate tax, but it is worth noting that other countries are offering subsidies to corporates to attract investment.
Singapore has notched up many great achievements, but we should not be under any illusion that we would be competitive forever.
Once investors lose confidence in the country and move their investment elsewhere, and if reserves are depleted, it will be difficult to turn things around in an increasingly competitive world. Unlike other countries, Singapore has only human, not natural, resources.
It is right for MPs to focus on suggestions on how to make Singapore competitive, to attract investments, to create better jobs and strengthen our reserves. It is dangerous to play Santa Claus to score political points.

Sim Lim Onn

 

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Sim Ann clarifies incident at Esplanade after allegations she had disrespected artistes​

Ms Sim said it was not her intent to convey any disregard for the performers on stage and the audience. PHOTO: SIM ANN/FACEBOOK

David Sun
Correspondent

Mar 30, 2023

SINGAPORE - The entrance of a guest of honour in the middle of a music performance has drawn criticism from several netizens and those in the music community.
During the WWF Earth Hour Festival at Esplanade event on March 25, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann was led to the front row to take her seat in the midst of an acoustic set at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre.
Videos and photos of the incident posted on social media show her being introduced to and greeting other attendees in the reserved seats at the front row, while a singer was performing metres away on the stage.
The incident sparked criticism online, with some saying Ms Sim’s actions were disrespectful of the artistes.
Ms Sim has since reached out to the artistes to clarify the matter.
The event, co-organised by WWF-Singapore and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, involved a Switch Off, when the Singapore skyline went dark for an hour in support of Earth Hour at 8.30pm.
This happened just after the Soul Jam event, a free performance showcasing artistes from local music collective Panik Records.

Ms Sim was led to her seat at about 8.10pm while Benny’s – the stage name of singer-songwriter Bernice Lee, 22 – was performing an acoustic song.
Mr Ian Lee, 24, the founder of Panik Records, said Benny’s had been very affected by the incident but is coming to terms with what happened.
“When it happened, Bernice had been performing a song that she wrote and was being very vulnerable,” he said. “It was quite a blow for her because it was very undermining.”

Mr Lee said Ms Sim was standing at the front row to shake hands with other attendees, and had blocked the view of some other guests as the stage was quite low.
He added that several audience members appeared to be upset, with someone at the back shouting at Ms Sim to sit down.

Posts of the incident on social media show Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann shaking hands and greeting other attendees during a singer's performance. PHOTO: @DANIELALEXCHIA/INSTAGRAM
Mr Yun Taehyeong, 24, a student from South Korea, told The Straits Times that Benny’s appeared visibly affected by the disruption.
Noting that he was watching the performance next to where Ms Sim was to be seated, he said: “As (Ms Sim) arrived at her seat, there was quite a lot of activity and noise with all the handshaking, greetings, and camera shutters and flashes from the photographers following her around.
“It was a relatively quiet acoustic performance and given how close the front row of the outdoor theatre is to the stage, I’m pretty sure the disruption would have been very obvious to everyone present.”
Describing the incident as disappointing, Mr Yun added: “I feel that both audience and performer were disrespected.
“The performance was already ending, and it is difficult to think of why they could not simply wait for a few minutes for the performance to be over, or even just do the entire sequence at a less disruptive location.”
The incident was also shared on social media by blogger mrbrown.

It was also alleged that Ms Sim had turned up late to the event.
In response to queries from ST, WWF-Singapore and Esplanade issued a joint statement saying Ms Sim had been invited for the Switch Off ceremony at 8.15pm, and she had arrived early.
“Ms Sim arrived early, and because the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre is a free-and-easy venue where audiences can enter or exit the auditorium at any time, the WWF-Singapore and Esplanade teams ushered her to join the rest of the audience to catch part of the performance, which was still ongoing,” it said.
“Upon her arrival at the seat, some members of the audience rose to greet her. We would like to emphasise that there was no intention of disrespecting the artistes, performers or audience, and we regret any disruption that we may have inadvertently caused.”
Ms Sim said she was glad that WWF-Singapore and Esplanade had provided an explanation for the incident.
She said she had followed the cue of the organisers on when to enter the event space, and was greeting guests who were being introduced to her.
“It was certainly not my intent for the timing and manner of my entry to convey any disregard for the performers on stage and the audience,” added Ms Sim.
“Having seen the social media posts on the subject, I reached out to the artists involved to clarify the matter directly, and told them I was sorry that things turned out this way.”
“I have also learned something valuable from the incident. I wish them continued success in their musical endeavours.”
Mr Lee said Benny’s has said she is looking to move on from the incident.
“She just wishes to express that in a time such as now to be creating art in Singapore, the most important thing we should be looking forward to is cherishing and respecting of all forms of art and expression,” he added.
“She’s also extremely thankful for the incredible support the community has for this part of our lives we hold so sacred.”

 

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Sim screwed up and the organizers have to clean up her act.

No apology from her - "I was sorry that things turned out", not she was sorry for disruption the performance. Yes, it is always everyone's fault - "she followed the cue of the organisers"

Why the need for handshakes when she could have just gone to take her seat? The sycophantic habits of sinkees towards the PAP elites know no bounds.

 

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"Stay tuned" Sim Ann - her pattern more than badminton

Fridge dumped in Clementi Forest not removed due to miscommunication between agencies: Sim Ann​

The National Parks Board was first alerted to the case in 2022 but the fridge was cleared only about a year later.

A hiker had reported the presence of the discarded fridge to the OneService App in 2022. (Photo: Facebook/Semenov Pavel Dmitrievich)

Koh Wan Ting​

08 May 2023

SINGAPORE: A fridge that had been discarded in Clementi Forest had not been removed by the authorities due to a miscommunication between government agencies and the case was closed prematurely, Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann said on Monday (May 8).
She was responding to a parliamentary question about the incident and how the government handles cases involving electronic waste.
TODAY reported last month that an abandoned fridge in Clementi Forest was only cleared on Apr 21, about a year after a hiker stumbled upon it and informed the authorities through the OneService mobile application.
The mobile app is a platform through which government agencies receive and respond to public feedback, and is owned by the Municipal Service Office (MSO).
Ms Sim said in parliament that the National Parks Board (NParks) was first alerted to the case in March 2022 through the OneService app and sought to arrange for the fridge to be removed.
"Unfortunately, due to a miscommunication between agencies, the removal was not done and the case was closed prematurely. There was also no follow through to check that the refrigerator had indeed been cleared," she said.
"Upon being notified a second time, in 2023, NParks worked with the National Environment Agency (NEA) to clear the refrigerator on Apr 21, 2023."

In response to questions from Member of Parliament Tan Wu Meng (PAP-Jurong) on cases of electronic waste in Clement Forest and other green spaces, Ms Sim said there have been two instances of feedback on improper disposal of bulky electronic waste in forested areas and which the agencies acted on from January 2021 to March this year.
She noted that the illegal dumping of electronic and other waste in public places is an offence under the Environmental Public Health Act.
Addressing a question about the potential learning points from the case involving the fridge in Clementi Forest, Ms Sim said "lapses in communication and coordination between agencies sometimes occur".
"MSO has been working with stakeholder agencies to strengthen inter-agency coordination, and this includes NParks and NEA," she added.
This is done through staff training to ensure that feedback involving multiple agencies is referred correctly through the inter-agency feedback management system.
According to Ms Sim, agencies are also requested to close straightforward cases only when any works on the ground have been completed.
"MSO will continue to help our partner agencies in attaining a high level of responsiveness to public feedback," Ms Sim said.
She added that Clementi Forest is currently not intended for public recreational use and encouraged people to keep to the designated trails within public parks and nature parks for their own safety, and to minimise impact on the natural environment.

 

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With zero car-growth and rising incomes, COE prices will trend upwards: Iswaran​

Singapore will prioritise pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users, and reduce the need for private cars, says Transport Minister S Iswaran.

Transport Minister S Iswaran speaks in parliament on May 8, 2023.

Chew Hui Min​

@ChewHuiMinCNA
08 May 2023

SINGAPORE: With Singapore’s policy of zero-growth in the car population and as household incomes rise, Certificates of Entitlement (COE) premiums are expected to trend upwards, said Transport Minister S Iswaran in parliament on Monday (May 8).
“Fundamentally, the COE prices reflect demand for a limited and falling supply of COEs,” Mr Iswaran said in a ministerial statement responding to parliamentary questions on the COE system.
He noted that demand for vehicles has remained "resilient", especially as the economy recovers after COVID-19. Incomes have also been rising over the long term, and the ratio of COE price to median monthly household income has fallen.
“As household incomes continue to rise in the coming years, coupled with our policy of zero-growth in the car population, we must expect the long-term trajectory for COE prices to be upwards,” said Mr Iswaran.
Even as he announced new measures to raise the COE quota for cars in categories A and B over the next few quarters, Mr Iswaran stressed that mass public transport is at the core of Singapore’s transport strategy and the country is moving towards a “car-lite” future.
“As we seek to improve the efficiency of the COE system with these measures that we have already undertaken over the years, we should not lose sight of our goal of becoming a car-lite society with accessible and inclusive transport for all Singaporeans,” he concluded.

Ten Members of Parliament had asked more than 20 questions about rising COE premiums, which have hit record highs in recent bidding exercises. Category A premiums for smaller cars, for instance, surpassed the S$100,000 mark in April.
A number of MPs asked about the reasons behind the rise in COE prices and the impact of demand from private hire companies. MPs asked if a cap can be imposed on the number of private hire cars, and if foreigners or households with multiple vehicles have driven up demand for cars.
MPs were also concerned that those who need cars, such as households with children and the elderly, as well as people who rely on cars for their livelihood, will be priced out.

CAR-LITE FUTURE​

Mr Iswaran set the context by pointing out that Singapore has two key constraints when it comes to land transport - land and carbon emissions.
Roads occupy 12 per cent of land area for 7 million journeys a day, while the rail network, taking up less than 1 per cent of land surface, serves around 3 million journeys a day, he said.
The land transport system also accounts for 15 per cent of Singapore’s total domestic carbon emissions, and it must be reduced if Singapore is to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Mr Iswaran said Singapore will prioritise pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users, and reduce the need for private cars.
“This is the ‘car-lite’ future that we envisage as we plan and redevelop our precincts,” said Mr Iswaran
Responding to the questions on COEs for private hire cars, Mr Iswaran said that for the last four years, the number of private hire cars has remained at about 10 per cent of the total car population and has averaged around 70,000 since 2019.
“While COE prices have been rising over the past several quarters, demand from PHC companies has in fact been moderating,” said Mr Iswaran.
The minister added that shared transport, including car-sharing services, allows for more efficient and inclusive use of roads, as compared with individually owned private cars. He thus cautioned against imposing any “arbitrary cap” on the private hire car population.
“That said, PHCs are a relatively new development ... and COVID-19 has caused some disruption in the market. We are studying this further to ascertain the effect of PHCs, if there is any impact, on the market,” Mr Iswaran said.

SMOOTHENING COE SUPPLY​

Addressing questions on improving the COE system for both cars and motorcycles, Mr Iswaran pointed to how the system has been adjusted over time.
"On the whole, the system continues to serve our policy objective of efficiently allocating the limited supply of COEs," he said.
In response to questions from two MPs, Mr Iswaran said that the proportion of car COEs secured by foreigners remains low - at less than 3 per cent - and has not changed significantly over the years.
He also gave statistics about households that own multiple cars, saying that over the past decade, the proportion has been steadily declining from about 19 per cent of households in 2012 to less than 15 per cent today.

He said last November that of the 471,000 households that own cars, 12 per cent own two cars and less than 3 per cent own three or more cars.
Mr Iswaran explained that as COE supply is determined by car de-registrations in preceding quarters, which has been low of late, the Transport Ministry decided to introduce measures to reduce volatility in the quota.
Instead of considering just the preceding quarter, the ministry now uses the moving average of de-registrations in the four preceding quarters to compute COE quotas.
While he expects the COE supply to start increasing in the coming months as more cars reach the 10-year mark when owners consider de-registering their vehicles, LTA will also take steps to re-distribute the supply from five-year COEs due to expire in the next projected supply peak, to further reduce volatility.
“There will still be a degree of supply fluctuation due to historical factors and broader market conditions,” Mr Iswaran said.
“Second, the long term upward trend of COE prices due to rising incomes and zero vehicle population growth will not abate.”

 

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Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin apologises to Jamus Lim for ‘unparliamentary language’ caught on hot mic​

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin said the recording of the session had been circulating, and he had to listen to it as he did not recall the occasion. PHOTO: GOV.SG

Amanda Lee
Correspondent

July 11, 2023

SINGAPORE - Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin has apologised to Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim for using “unparliamentary language” that was caught on a hot mic during a Parliament sitting in April.
Mr Tan said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning that the recording of the session had been circulating, and he had to listen to it as he “did not recall the occasion”.
Mr Tan is heard muttering “****ing populist” on the microphone during the first day of debate on the President’s Address on April 17, after Associate Professor Lim finished a speech of about 20 minutes on doing more to help the lower-income groups here. The opposition politician suggested in his speech the establishment of an official poverty line.
“When I listen to speeches made, like everyone, I do form views on them. What was said were my private thoughts which I had muttered to myself and not to anyone,” said Mr Tan on Facebook.
“However I should not have expressed them aloud or in unparliamentary language, and I apologise for that. I have also spoken to (Prof Lim)... to make that apology as well; which he has kindly accepted.”
Prof Lim commented on Mr Tan’s post at about noon, saying Mr Tan had called him and that he has accepted the apology.
On Monday night, a YouTube video of the five-hour-long Parliament sitting was uploaded on social media platform Reddit.

It was titled “SG Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin insults Jamus Lim: ‘****ing Populist’”.
In September 2021, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan apologised to Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai for calling him “illiterate” and questioning his educational credentials in Parliament.
Dr Balakrishnan’s comments were heard in the background when Mr Leong was engaged with several ministers in a parliamentary debate.