預算辯論 · 2020-03-02 · 屆國會 13
新加坡經濟國際化與連線力
議員質詢政府在支援企業國際化方面的措施是否充足，特別是在新興和邊緣市場的佈局與能力建設。強調疫情凸顯市場多元化的重要性，關注政府如何通過經濟機構和商會幫助企業應對複雜的國際環境。核心爭議點在於政府支援力度及市場多元化策略的有效性。
關鍵要點
- • 提升市場連線力
- • 支援企業國際化
- • 拓展新興市場
質疑政府支援企業國際化力度
強化國際市場多元化
“We need to continually expand and upgrade our network of trade partnerships and investment agreements.”
參與人員 (16)
完整譯文（中文）
Hansard 原始記錄 · 2026-05-02
下午5時45分
發展我們的經濟
梁榮華議員（荷蘭-武吉知馬）：主席先生，我請求動議，“將估算表中第五部分的總撥款減少100元。”
作為一個小型且開放的經濟體，新加坡在全球市場中實際上只能是價格接受者。保持競爭力是理所當然的，但這僅僅是起跑線。我們需要發展增值能力（稍後我會談及），同樣重要的是我們的市場連線能力，以便我們能夠向全球消費者銷售我們的產品和服務。擁有這兩種能力及其強度，將決定我們能為自己創造多少生計。
在新加坡的背景下，保持開放並與世界連線是關鍵，也是我們持續經濟增長和進步的唯一途徑。如今，我們的國際聯絡和市場連線使我們能夠超越有限的國內市場，為自己創造更大的腹地。我們需要不斷擴大和升級我們的貿易伙伴關係和投資協議網路，使我們的公司不僅擁有更大的經濟空間開展業務，還能搭乘新興市場的增長和機遇。
幾十年來，我們在加強航空、海運和陸路連線方面做得非常好。在新的格局下，我們需要發展其他新的連線方式，如法規、資料、人才、金融和技術。
這些努力主要由政府推動，但重要的是，我們也需要企業積極抓住這些因增強連線而帶來的機會。這要求企業在企業層面和勞動力層面建立國際化所需的能力。能力包括對目標市場的深入瞭解、跨市場和司法管轄區調動和部署資源及人才的能力、獲得本地資金和管理貨幣風險的能力等。
我們的經濟機構已經提供了財務和非財務支援，幫助企業國際化，例如市場落地平臺、海外中心等。在這裡，我想請教部長，這些支援是否足夠，是否取得了良好成效。
除了中國、印度和發達經濟體等較為熟悉的市場外，我們的經濟機構是否需要加強在更新和更前沿市場的專業知識和存在感？因為我們知道這些市場往往市場資料不夠完善，監管和運營環境更具挑戰性。貿易協會和商會（TACs）如何發揮促進作用，幫助尋求國際化的企業，尤其是在不太熟悉的市場？
關於國際市場多元化，COVID-19疫情提醒我們迫切需要尋找更多和更新的市場，特別是在新興經濟體中，減少對任何單一市場的集中風險。
自2003年以來，中國的GDP增長了四倍，其全球GDP份額從9%增加到19%以上。新加坡與中國的貿易自2003年以來也增長了近四倍。即使在旅遊領域，中國遊客約佔新加坡國際遊客總數的20%。因此，我想請教部長，我們如何管理對中國的經濟暴露，平衡機遇與風險。
即使沒有COVID-19疫情，全球供應鏈已經顯示出中斷跡象，可能會被重新組織。我們如何幫助企業多元化市場，適應供應鏈轉變，提高業務韌性？
接下來，仍與經濟多元化相關，我想請教部長關於建設新經濟叢集的進展情況。特別是，我們如何利用技術進步開拓新行業的可能性？除了農業科技和可持續解決方案外，我們是否正在發展更多新的增長行業？
技術的持續快速進步可能帶來更多顛覆，甚至導致某些行業的消亡。我們需要開闢新產業和增長行業，持續為經濟創造正向增量。培育新的經濟增長行業也有助於創造新的、更有吸引力的就業崗位，提升整體生產力和創新能力。
我們知道，投資新增長行業風險較大。它需要行業專業知識和人才，需要符合可服務市場的產品，需要必要的生態系統參與者，更重要的是需要創業智慧和抱負。
政府如何促進新增長行業及其必要生態系統的發展？將提供哪些資源和支援？2020年預算中，財政部長也提到加強對深科技初創企業的支援。部長能否分享政府如何培育和幫助有潛力的初創企業？
接下來，談談企業發展。新加坡有超過20萬家企業，規模各異，處於不同成長階段，生產力能力和資源吸收不均，經濟增值貢獻也不同。鑑於這種多樣化的企業格局，一刀切的方法可能無法滿足具體需求，也難以實現預期效果。我們的經濟機構如何與相關利益相關者合作，為不同型別的企業提供差異化支援？
支援企業發展的良好環境也是充滿活力和創業生態系統的必要條件。企業支援小組（PEP）於2000年成立，作為企業對法規提供反饋的平臺。是否有空間採用輕觸式監管方法，鼓勵更多企業創新和冒險？
主席先生，財政部長在預算演講中還談到了下一階段的技能未來計劃，包括加強企業在員工發展中的作用。
讓僱主承擔員工發展的責任是最理想的情況。企業最瞭解其業務增長和轉型所需的技能。僱主最有能力管理資源、時間和空間來提升技能。他們也處於有利位置，規劃和執行崗位重新設計，使必要的培訓和再技能培訓與業務需求相匹配。
在這方面，我想請教政府如何推動和支援更多企業參與建設其勞動力能力？
我讚賞政府推出技能未來中年支援計劃。這是迄今為止政府幫助中年新加坡人的最具體舉措，也是政府承諾經濟增長最終必須轉化為所有新加坡人良好就業和成果的又一體現。我希望通過再技能培訓計劃為僱傭40歲及以上本地求職者的僱主提供的招聘激勵，能夠吸引僱主並改變他們的觀念。
僱主應利用這一再技能培訓計劃提升勞動力，同時享受工資支援。因此，我呼籲僱主摒棄人力資源政策中的年齡偏見，重新適應延長退休年齡的新環境。
最後，讓我談談我們對COVID-19疫情的應對。
第一波疫情對旅遊、航空和零售等受影響行業的衝擊非常劇烈。穩定與支援方案正確聚焦於兩個關鍵問題：一是企業現金流狀況惡化，二是重點保住就業崗位。
宣佈的措施包括就業支援計劃、租金減免、回扣、臨時過渡貸款等，都是相關且實用的救助措施，幫助企業尤其是管理緊張現金流狀況。然而，我擔心如果疫情持續，我們可能會失去旅遊業的能力和產能，因為運營商可能縮減規模或關閉業務。我希望政府密切監控此情況，並準備進一步延長和加強援助。
鑑於中國疫情嚴重，其經濟可能遭受重大打擊。如果情況持續，其生產能力將受限，供應鏈可能嚴重中斷，這對全球貿易流動有更廣泛和深遠的影響。
在需求方面，中國增長放緩也預計將抑制消費和投資。新加坡和許多經濟體一樣，不太可能免受進一步連鎖反應的影響。我們如何從COVID-19的影響中吸取教訓，建設經濟和國家韌性？
[（程式文本）提案已提出。（程式文本）]
主席：張世樂議員，您有三次發言機會，可以合併發言。
經濟
張世樂議員（巴西立-榜鵝）：我們的經濟增長越來越具挑戰性。我認為每年預測經濟增長時，你會發現我們不斷下調預測。從去年到今年，我們的預測一直在下調。毫無疑問，這很具挑戰性，加上COVID-19，實際上要分得一杯羹更難，因為其他城市和經濟體也變得更具競爭力。
我們關注不少垂直行業，我知道我們現在對製造業的依賴減少了，過去製造業約佔GDP的25%，現在約佔20%。雖然我們非常重視精密工程和其他製造相關行業，但我認為從長遠來看，這些行業對經濟的刺激增長不足。
因此，我們投資於科技初創企業或金融服務等領域。然而，對於某些增長，我們也在與其他經濟體激烈競爭，這將對整體經濟增長構成挑戰。我認為按年增長1.5%至2.5%，我們基本處於平臺期，儘管我們比其他經濟體狀況更好。
我想請教部委，是否有短期到中期的策略，或對現有策略的調整？我們有23個產業轉型地圖（ITMs），但不可能全部重點關注。我們應重點關注哪些領域，以推動未來三到五年經濟增長超過3%？因為我們已經看不到5%至8%的增長了。還有哪些措施可以採取？
自由貿易協定影響
關於COVID-19，我想知道自由貿易協定（FTA）能否發揮作用？在經濟良好時，FTA確實幫助了了解FTA並能將產品推向海外的中小企業，享受稅收優惠和其他監管豁免。但在不利時期，比如現在，FTA如何發揮作用？我們已簽署超過25個雙邊和多邊FTA。它們在哪些方面發揮作用？我們如何更有效利用它們？中小企業能做什麼？
市場準備援助
我認為新加坡企業克服挑戰的最實用方法之一，是利用我們已有的一些計劃。其中一個受益計劃是市場準備援助（MRA）。我很高興知道MRA將得到加強。
企業開拓海外市場，首先要面對的是法規；其次是法律框架知識；第三是尋找當地合作伙伴。有時資金不是問題，因為MRA提供資金，但知識才是最重要的。我們從哪裡獲得這些知識？MRA能否提供不僅僅是資金支援，還能帶來知識？因為我們在國際上有企業新加坡（ESG）官員，他們非常優秀，能提供良好的協助和網路支援。我認為這對想要開拓海外市場的中小企業和企業非常寶貴。
所以，我想知道部委，MRA將有哪些增強措施？我們能否從資金支援轉向知識傳授，促進中小企業海外發展？
下午6時
主席：傅德信議員，您有兩次發言機會，請合併發言。
東盟機遇
傅德信議員（提名議員）：主席先生，東盟被廣泛認為將在2030年成為世界第四大經濟體。這得益於我們鄰國持續的經濟增長和發展努力。麥肯錫全球研究院的一項研究顯示，特別是在製造業領域，顛覆性技術預計將產生巨大經濟影響，可能在2030年為東盟創造250億至450億美元的年產值。
東盟是一個極具活力的經濟體，擁有10個處於不同發展階段的經濟體。隨著世界進入一個充滿不確定性的新時代，這是東盟實現成為“世界工廠”下一階段的轉折點。
在當前全球貿易不確定的環境下，東盟無疑有機會吸引外國投資。此外，我們成員國需要鼓勵本國企業在區域內再投資，進一步推動增長。
在我們最近與製造業成員的對話中，鑑於COVID-19疫情帶來的供應鏈挑戰，越來越多企業尋求在東盟國家探索長期解決方案。這為新加坡企業深入瞭解東盟機遇提供了動力。
隨著我們繼續開展領導考察團和商務會議等地面工作，部委是否會採取額外的推廣或宣傳措施，持續向企業強調東盟鄰國的重要性和潛力？因為到2030年，當我們回顧時，希望我們的企業能真正搭上東盟崛起為世界第四大經濟體的列車。
貿易與國際化
主席先生，應政府號召，貿易協會和商會（TACs）已加大力度，在企業社群中開展推廣和能力建設。在TACs內部，也有更高層次的合作，共同解決關鍵商業問題。
2019年7月，新加坡企業聯合會（SBF）組織了首屆TACs戰略規劃會議，超過40個TACs的70多位領匯出席。TAC領導們有機會與副總理兼財政部長王瑞傑先生對話。會議深入探討了國際化、創新和數字化等相關議題，以及TACs如何轉型以保持未來相關性。
在製造業方面，新加坡製造聯合會（SMF）、新加坡工業自動化協會（SIAA）和SGTECH於2019年10月聯合成立製造業聯盟，專注於商業模式和流程再造、軟體和數字化，以及機器人和自動化領域。
製造業聯盟與政府機構、高等院校（IHLs）、創新中心（COIs）等生態系統合作伙伴合作，界定問題陳述，策劃標準化、模組化的實施方案，便於中小企業採用，推動其邁向工業4.0。
正如新加坡企業聯合會執行長何明傑先生所指出，隨著會員面臨更復雜的挑戰，TACs需要變革、適應和創新，更好地服務社群。隨著承擔更大角色，TACs也開始面臨多項運營挑戰。
在這種情況下，部委如何鼓勵TACs在本地及海外市場匯聚知識和資源，幫助尋求國際化的企業？部委是否有計劃協助TACs提升能力和人才，使其成為勞動力的職業選擇？
企業計劃
張志成議員（榜鵝東）：主席先生，政府通過各機構提供了許多資助和計劃，旨在鼓勵新加坡充滿活力的商業社群。然而，許多企業，尤其是中小企業，往往不瞭解可用的資助。即使知道，也可能因繁瑣的手續和表格而望而卻步。或者存在多個重疊和類似的計劃，企業主難以決定申請哪一個。我相信不多的中小企業知道專門為他們設立的中小企業中心。
雖然中小企業中心能幫助中小企業導航各種資助和計劃，但它們可能不夠顯眼，導致中小企業未主動尋求其專業幫助。
我想問部長，我們可以做些什麼來提高中小企業中心的知名度，讓中小企業明確知道我們有人隨時準備並能夠幫助他們的商業發展？更廣泛地說，部長是否滿意貿工部在確保中小企業瞭解可用的資助、計劃和專案方面所做的工作？是否還能做更多工作，確保中小企業不會錯失這些機會？
自由貿易協定
萊昂·佩雷拉先生（非選區議員）：主席先生，新加坡已經實施了23個自由貿易協定（FTA），未來可能會簽訂更多。每一次自由貿易協定談判都涉及確定給予外國公司多少改善的市場準入，以換取新加坡公司在該外國市場的准入。若實施得當，自由貿易協定可以為新加坡引入更多種類的商品和服務，以更低的價格惠及最終消費者，同時也為本地企業提供更大的市場準入和更公平的海外競爭環境。
我想問，在簽訂自由貿易協定之前，政府如何從相關本地企業收集反饋，瞭解它們在該國市場準入方面面臨的問題，以及該國企業增強競爭力對它們自身、同行業者和國內經濟意味著什麼？
政府是否也會審查已實施的自由貿易協定，以評估在市場準入、企業間調派權利及其他讓步方面給予外國企業的讓步的淨經濟影響，以及新加坡企業的市場準入是否如自由貿易協定預期那樣實現？
最後，是否有機制讓本地企業方便地就自由貿易協定相關事宜提供反饋？貿工部網站的自由貿易協定部分是否可以標明反饋渠道？自由貿易協定實施後，政府採用了哪些流程來評估其淨經濟影響？是否有從本地企業收集反饋，分析商品和服務價格實施前後的變化？是否進行了類似的分析？
主席：薩克蒂安迪先生，您有兩個發言請求，可以一併發言嗎？
加強國際化與貿易
薩克蒂安迪·蘇帕特先生（碧山-大巴窯）：謝謝主席。新冠疫情是一個不愉快但及時的提醒，提醒我們多元化的重要性。依賴單一市場是危險的。中國是一個極佳的貿易伙伴，擁有龐大市場，為新加坡人在多個行業提供了豐厚的商業機會。但隨著中國遭受重大沖擊，許多本地企業也受到影響。因此，企業必須將目光放得更廣，努力開拓更廣闊的市場，否則將面臨沉沒的風險。
幸運的是，市場準備援助（Market Readiness Assistance）資助自2013年首次推出，旨在幫助企業進入新市場，最近還推出了企業成長方案（Enterprise Grow Package）。我很高興看到這些方案將獲得更多資金支援和覆蓋範圍的提升。
然而，對於進入新市場的企業，尤其是國際化經驗較少的企業來說，他們可能會感到迷茫，不知道如何利用這些資金。我想問，如何加強支援，使他們能夠有一個良好且強勁的起步？
貿易協會和商會（TACs）在推動轉型和增長方面發揮著越來越關鍵的作用。它們貼近基層，深刻了解會員需求和行業狀況。近年來，它們幫助會員採用創新解決方案和技術，轉型業務，並與政府緊密合作協助會員。顯然，它們將繼續並必須在下一輪國際化中發揮核心作用。
貿易協會和商會還能發揮哪些作用，整合本地及市場內的知識和資源，幫助企業實現國際化？
幫助新加坡工人保持競爭力
主席，在當前不確定的經濟環境下，我們的成熟及中年職業工人，許多處於40至50歲之間，是最脆弱的群體。面對近期的經濟挑戰和快速的技術進步，他們中的一些人在職業轉型上遇到困難。我想肯定他們利用技能未來（SkillsFuture）及其他優秀政府計劃進行再培訓的努力。
然而，這條路依然艱難。每有一個成功案例，就有另一個人分享他儘管數月網路拓展、參加課程、尋求職業指導等，仍未能找到理想工作的失敗經歷。
我希望部長能分享更多促進經濟增長的努力，以及這些努力如何轉化為新加坡人的優質就業和成果。
近年來，航空、餐飲、零售和旅遊業蓬勃發展，是提供職業轉換計劃（PCP）及其他中年職業轉型措施的主要行業。如今，政府支援這些行業渡過難關是必要的。我相信這只是暫時的，它們會及時復甦。
但對於那些已完成轉型或正在獲取相關資格和培訓以進入這些行業的人來說，我想知道他們的就業前景是否會受到影響。全球危機難以預測。政府還將採取哪些措施，幫助工人在快速變化的環境中保持就業能力和行業相關性？
我很高興副總理在預算案中重申了減少對外勞依賴的決心。我想借此機會重提我去年在對勞資關係促進局（TAFEP）和人力部（MOM）提出的能力轉移計劃（CTP）建議。
其次，必須加大力度推動本地化，支援新加坡的競爭力和工人可持續發展。我建議鼓勵企業為其員工設定本地化目標，即本地員工比例或整體本地員工比例的目標。這些目標可針對不同技能，可能需要根據公司具體情況設定。例如，可包含培訓元素，目標是在三至五年內實現特定的本地化比例。
現有的能力轉移計劃支援企業引進外國專家，將能力轉移給本地員工，並派遣本地員工出國培訓。貿工部應考慮擴大CTP，提供更多資源支援將已在新加坡工作的外籍員工的能力轉移給本地員工，目標是實現崗位本地化。引進的外國專家應指導新加坡人接替或共同承擔職責。
CTP的資金支援應擴大至包括本地專家的薪資和培訓支援，以及新加坡學員的海外實習培訓費用。我們是否也可以考慮CTP支援將已在新加坡工作的外籍員工的能力轉移給本地員工，最終實現崗位本地化，並與我之前提到的本地化目標協同推進？
提升技能、再培訓、崗位重塑
郭顯泉先生（義順）：主席，面對重大經濟和技術變革，提升技能和再培訓對新加坡人的良好就業結果至關重要。可以說，這兩個領域的成功是極難實現的公共政策，少有政府能做到。這是一個複雜的問題，原因多樣。
成功的技能提升通常由成功企業完成，因為成功企業對未來有清晰願景，知道實現未來所需的技能。
這些企業通常處於特定的國家文化中，如德國和日本，公司對員工長期就業負有明確責任感。這種文化通常得到國家層面的人力政策支援。
技能提升還需要配套的教育機構和能力，支援全職和兼職的技能提升。
如果技能提升困難，再培訓可能更具挑戰性。事實上，很難想到有多少國家系統性地為結構性失業者進行再培訓。
大型企業再培訓員工做不同工作相對容易，因為員工在學習新技能時通常仍在同一公司、同一文化環境中。例如，隨著星展銀行數字化，許多一線員工得以在銀行其他部門接受再培訓。
然而，在更廣泛的經濟中跨行業再培訓並不容易，因為不像星展銀行那樣規模龐大的公司不多。在互聯世界中，國際公司可能選擇將崗位遷出新加坡，而非再培訓本地員工。技術變革時代，並非所有行業都對未來有清晰認識，因此行業內或試圖進入該行業的工人可能不知道應再培訓哪些技能。
儘管面臨重大挑戰，令人欣慰的是，我們政府多年來一直正視這一問題，不僅在貿工部內部，更是全政府層面，並以三方合作方式推進。因此，貿工部能否分享政府如何幫助工人在快速變化的環境中保持就業能力和行業相關性，尤其是40至50歲的成熟及中年職業工人？例如，如何提升更多工人在設計等行業相關能力上的技能？
工人的心態也至關重要。他們必須明白，在當今時代，職業發展是非線性的，必須在職業生涯中多次提升和再培訓自己。
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然而，企業扮演關鍵角色。貿工部能否分享政府如何鼓勵更多企業轉變觀念，將勞動力轉型視為企業轉型的重要補充？政府如何支援和激勵更多企業，尤其是中小企業，投資培訓和崗位重塑？政府如何系統地宣傳這些資訊？
技能與就業
朱德明先生（淡濱尼）：新冠疫情爆發導致經濟疲軟，企業可能推遲轉型工作。貿工部預計哪些行業恢復時間較長？貿工部如何幫助這些行業繼續轉型？
據一些中小企業老闆稱，經濟低迷期也是轉型的最佳時機。新冠疫情終將過去，但經濟快速變化的現實不變。轉型對長期生存至關重要。貿工部如何幫助企業加速勞動力轉型？
轉型的衡量標準是什麼？轉型不可避免地會使部分工人被淘汰，尤其是40至50歲群體。貿工部如何幫助他們保持就業能力和行業相關性？
許多企業不願培訓員工，擔心員工被挖角。這種心態或許是人力轉型的最大障礙。我想推薦亞馬遜的培訓創新。亞馬遜的職業選擇計劃幫助員工獲得亞馬遜需求之外領域的技能，提供資源和工作靈活性。亞馬遜支付95%的教育費用，並提供工作靈活性，讓員工學習需求大且薪酬高的行業技能，無論這些技能是否與亞馬遜相關。亞馬遜可能因此被視為進步企業，只留住有潛力的員工。行業和經濟因更高技能的員工受益，員工則獲得更好技能、更好工作和薪酬。
新加坡有許多大型企業積累了豐富資源。如果足夠多企業效仿亞馬遜，這不必是零和遊戲，即一家公司培養更高技能員工被他人挖走。我們實際上可以擴大蛋糕，實現共同增長和利益共享。
培養本地人才
萊昂·佩雷拉先生：先生，我注意到政府宣佈，來自外國直接投資（FDI）在新加坡創造的本地就業崗位中，有60%至70%是專業、經理、執行和技術人員（PMET）崗位。未來，支援和培養私營部門的新加坡領導人才非常重要。若存在阻礙，應予以理解和解決。
政府已推出多項計劃培養本地PMET和領導人才，如經濟發展局（EDB）和全國職工總會（NTUC）的青年未來領袖計劃、技能未來領導力發展計劃以及新加坡企業發展局-東盟領導力計劃。
我想了解支援新加坡企業（包括跨國公司）培養本地PMET和領導人才儲備的計劃最新進展。這些計劃迄今取得了哪些成效？
初創企業
張世樂先生：主席先生，每年我們都非常重視鼓勵初創企業，無論是在技術或技術轉型的不同領域催生更多初創企業，還是建立硬體設施，如啟動平臺（Launchpad）及其他多個清潔技術初創企業場所。這令人鼓舞，也很高興知道今年我們將額外投入3億新元支援深科技，重點關注包括農業科技在內的幾個關鍵領域。
我想問的是，我看到許多其他相關部委也在對初創企業和技術進行投資。問題是，這些投資之間是否存在協同效應？當我們投入額外資金時，衡量這些資金成功的關鍵績效指標是什麼？我認為我們不能將公共投資基金與私募基金的投資回報率（ROI）直接比較，後者關注的是即時或短期回報。那麼，我們的資金成功指標具體是什麼？
其次，深科技初創企業的孕育期很長，難以預測其發展進度。成功取決於這些初創企業的商業化能力，因為我們不希望投資於僅是科學專案的初創企業。若只是科學專案，實驗室出來後沒有商業價值，也沒有市場需求。
我們投入的資金，例如額外的3億新元用於農業科技，未來農業科技是否能提供更具競爭力和更實惠的產品價格？這些技術初創企業是否能在海外市場規模化，具備商業價值？我希望貿工部能進一步闡述評估這些指標的標準。
產業發展
傅美霞女士（西海岸）：主席先生，新加坡在經濟轉型上的投資似乎正朝著正確方向發展。過去三年整體生產力年均增長2.6%，高於前一個三年期的2.2%。
產業轉型地圖（ITMs）旨在促進創新、提升生產力和深化各行業工人技能，是我們經濟結構調整的核心。然而，當我與企業領導交流時，他們仍抱怨ITMs潛在的協同效應和能力發展未被充分利用。各行業的轉型表現不均衡。
[副議長（鍾志堅先生）主持]
因此，我想問部長，迄今為止實施ITMs有哪些經驗教訓？如何更好地激勵企業聯合組建聯盟，發展行業能力，擴大規模，走向國際，並測試行業範圍的解決方案？政府在推動關鍵企業入駐共享設施和基礎設施以支援轉型和技術採用方面取得了哪些進展？最後，政府如何支援具有良好增長潛力的新興行業發展？
先生，鑑於政府在四年前啟動的經濟轉型旅程中投入了大量資金，必然從取得良好進展的行業中獲得了寶貴經驗。
例如，我們能從半導體和製藥製造商那裡學到什麼？它們被廣泛認為是工業4.0倡議的先行者。金融管理局（MAS）在發展金融科技行業和推行“監管沙盒”概念以促進新技術創新方面的成功，也值得其他行業借鑑，以支援有前景創新的試驗和測試，同時確保必要的保障措施。
先生，強大的本地能力和創新生態系統是確保新加坡經濟成功和韌性的關鍵。中小企業在參與研發方面需要大量扶持。我想問部長，如何支援中小企業縮短學習曲線，擁抱技術，充分參與研發？
10個創新中心（COIs）對產業發展產生了什麼影響？迄今為止，COIs在協助中小企業方面取得了哪些成果？大學研究和其他研究機構如何以更實質性的方式支援產業發展？
副總理王瑞傑在他的預算演講中談到了充滿活力的初創生態系統。新加坡目前有3,800家科技初創企業。作為全球公認的智慧財產權保護和科學研究中心的領導者，新加坡應充分發揮我們的優勢，重點支援以研究為核心智慧財產權的深科技初創企業。
在農業食品科技等新興技術領域的深科技初創企業可以成長為具有全球競爭力的企業。然而，這些初創企業也需要更大的投資、更長的孕育期，並非所有投資者都能承受隨之而來的更高風險。因此，我想請問政府，我們將如何支援這些初創企業？
李毅賢議員（東海岸）：主席先生，塑造新加坡未來的關鍵趨勢之一是技術的快速進步。人工智慧、區塊鏈、5G、機器人技術等將塑造未來產業。工業4.0和服務4.0的出現，正迅速成為新的全球格局。
事實上，持續的技術熱潮沒有放緩的跡象。根據麥肯錫全球研究院的資料，到2030年，全球多達8億工人將因新技術而失業。此前，德勤和牛津大學預測，2014年英國35%的工作將在30年內被機器人取代。在新加坡，許多公司正試圖自動化運營，而不增加員工人數。
雖然新加坡正全力轉型，但我們可能仍然在競爭中顯得過慢。在此背景下，我想請問部長，貿工部如何準備我們的企業和勞動力適應新的經濟格局？在人工智慧和區塊鏈等領先領域，我們缺乏足夠的人才和企業參與全球競爭，貿工部的機構是否已努力引進領先企業和頂尖人才，以催化本地生態系統的發展？
鑑於中國經濟現為全球第二大經濟體，其多個資訊科技和數字領域處於世界領先地位，貿工部是否成功吸引中國獨角獸企業落戶新加坡？貿工部將如何識別並吸引來自中國、印度和東盟的潛在獨角獸企業，以確保新加坡在未來亞洲獨角獸企業中佔有一席之地？
主席：Leon Perera先生，您可以一次發言兩段。
工業4.0網路平臺
Leon Perera先生：主席先生，應對工業4.0的挑戰在於吸引未來準備類別的投資，如人工智慧、無人機、物聯網等。但這又可以細分為幾個需要解決的不同挑戰，以吸引投資。
首先，建立一個有融資和政府支援的可行生態系統。
其次，獲得具備必要技能和風險承受能力的關鍵規模勞動力，在這方面我們必須平衡外國人與新加坡核心人才。
第三，刺激本地對這些產品的需求。雖然在新加坡的投資將服務於區域和全球市場，但一定的本地需求有助於吸引投資者關注。
第四，創造網路效應，使行業、學術界、研究中心、政府和頂尖領導者之間的互動得以發生，從而催生新想法。
為應對第四個挑戰，為什麼不催化為人工智慧和物聯網等特定工業4.0領域建立網路平臺？一個有用的模式是波士頓的產品執行論壇，這是一個專為該領域高階產品領導者設立的獨家團體。它匯聚了有前景的行業高管、學者和頂尖領導者，通過早餐研討會、圓桌會議及其他活動運作。催化這樣的平臺可能會很有幫助。畢竟，在工業4.0競賽中，不僅要有合適的人才，還要讓這些人互動、交叉授粉思想和工作流程。
能源安全
接下來談能源安全。主席先生，天然氣是新加坡目前發電的主要方式。印尼佔新加坡氣態天然氣進口的85%，其餘來自馬來西亞。
管道天然氣已被液化天然氣（LNG）進口補充多年，來源國多樣。然而，印尼已宣佈將於2023年停止從蘇門答臘向新加坡出口天然氣。尚不清楚納土納群島的管道氣是否也會受影響，但印尼能源和礦產資源部於2月8日釋出的宣告似乎暗示如此。如果發生，將對我們的發電來源帶來壓力。可再生能源，主要是太陽能，以及區域電網建設需要時間。
下午6點30分
政府能否分享應對此情況的緩解措施？例如，液化天然氣進口能否填補2023年後出現的缺口？我們也應藉此機會提升發電組合中可再生能源的比例。我很高興聽到政府上週在議會中談及的脫碳措施。我的同事Dennis Tan先生在上週的預算演講中，闡述了工人黨對環境政策的多角度觀點和建議。
最後，我想問政府是否正在研究另外兩種能源可能性。
首先，有媒體報道私營部門計劃在澳大利亞建設太陽能發電廠，並通過海底電纜向新加坡輸電。其次，我注意到資深部長張志賢在總理辦公室公務員大會上關於核能的宣告，稱核能潛力仍在研究中。俄羅斯和中國正在探索基於海上平臺的浮動核電站，俄羅斯正部署其中一座。未來可否通過此類方式為新加坡供電尚未可知。但政府是否在研究其他國家此類專案可能對新加坡構成的風險？
經濟向脫碳轉型
翁安迪女士（提名議員）：主席，氣候挑戰是新加坡的經濟結構性挑戰，陳振聲部長指出，引用他的原話，“如果我們無法管理這一點，我們甚至無法吸引產業為下一代創造就業機會。”
國際貨幣基金組織最近表示，大排放國的碳價應在2030年前升至每噸75美元，這對基於化石燃料的產業構成約束和壓力。然而，新的能源技術已可用。
請問貿工部是否考慮：（a）針對石化產業進行並公佈壓力測試，瞭解在不同全球碳政策情景下的增長風險；（b）評估碳捕獲與儲存、太陽能光伏、核能、進口可再生能源、提升工業能效等方面的就業創造潛力、生活成本和環境影響；（c）制定明確的經濟轉型計劃，減少對高碳風險行業的依賴，並在2030年前積極吸納油氣行業參與。
產業可持續性
陳薇玲小姐（鳳山）：主席，首先宣告，我是工業氣體與工程公司的高階管理人員。
氣候變化的物理影響日益顯現於環境、社會和全球經濟。氣候變化不是遙遠的威脅，而是正在發生。越來越多的人想知道你是問題的一部分還是解決方案的一部分。
要實現2015年巴黎協定中減少溫室氣體（GHG）的承諾，需要社會行為、政府法規、產業參與和技術發展的改變。
關於減排的討論多聚焦於高碳足跡產業，特別是石化和製造業。但在關注個別產業前，必須認識到整個價值鏈中有許多環節在溫室氣體排放之前。
以氫氣為例，生產氫氣需要能源。但氫氣是生產低硫燃料的關鍵成分，以滿足更嚴格的環保標準，從而減少環境中的硫排放。氫技術也可作為變革效能源載體或清潔交通燃料。
重要的是理解所生產的產品、製造工藝及整個產業價值鏈是否在碳生產率、支援可持續性及淨避免更多溫室氣體排放方面對社會有更大益處。此外，我們還需問產業是否投資新技術以提升運營效率、減少溫室氣體排放，採用可再生能源，迴圈利用廢棄物或捕獲碳排放用於替代用途。產業是否致力於脫碳以應對氣候變化至關重要。
規劃和促進向“更清潔”運營模式和產業的轉型，將對就業、成本和整體運營產生重大經濟影響。沒有產業能免受氣候變化影響，所有部門都必須參與減緩氣候變化。因此，我們的產業轉型地圖（ITMs）作為產業增長和競爭力的路線圖，應將可持續性納入其工作計劃和轉型的核心組成部分。
我想問，我們如何為氣候變化的影響做好經濟準備，並以可持續方式減少碳排放？貿工部是否考慮將可持續性作為ITMs的第五支柱？
相關地，貿工部是否考慮建立一個平臺，促進新加坡各主要經濟部門間減排最佳實踐的交流，鑑於新加坡包裝協議等三方合作的成功？通過此平臺，公司可利用最佳知識，平衡對所有利益相關者的責任，持續推動財務表現，同時成為環境的良好管理者。
生產力支出邊際回報
謝世拉副教授（提名議員）：主席，政府已實施多項政策以促進生產力增長。近期計劃包括生產力解決方案補助金、企業發展補助金和自動化支援計劃。2020年預算中的轉型與增長策略延續了這些努力。
各項近期生產力增長補助計劃在公共支出邊際回報及對產業和就業的影響方面效果如何？我們能在多大程度上將近期全要素生產率的提升歸因於這些政策？
貿工部經濟學家服務釋出了關於各產業政策效果的優秀研究。部方能否制定所有主要生產力提升計劃的強制性評估框架？每項計劃應有邏輯模型，明確實施前的目標成果。評估結果應在中期及計劃結束後不久公佈。最重要的計劃應接受學術同行評審以增強可信度。
技術驅動的創新可提升生產力、工人福利，並使工作對新加坡人更具吸引力。新加坡國立大學Ivan Png教授在一篇工作論文中研究了一家超市連鎖店，將收銀員工作重新設計為僅掃描商品，支付由自動化處理。轉為僅掃描的工作模式提升了工人福利，促進本地招聘，掃描速度生產率提升9%。Png教授的研究強調了仔細審視技術改進效果的重要性。
我們不應在生產力轉型上投入如此鉅額資金，而不同時承諾深入瞭解這些努力是否具成本效益和意義。
企業轉型計劃
傅建業先生：主席，新加坡中小企業約佔就業的三分之二，對經濟貢獻近2,000億新元。中小企業是經濟的重要組成部分，被視為新加坡未來增長的驅動力。中小企業數量持續維持在20萬家以上，顯然涵蓋了處於不同成長階段的廣泛企業。
雖然對初創企業和較小中小企業有大量支援，因為它們更脆弱，但現在正是投資和支援那些已展現良好業績、準備邁向下一成長階段的中小企業的時機。
隨著企業轉型計劃中企業領導力轉型計劃的宣佈，我認為這是對現有中小企業支援框架的良好延伸。
新加坡製造聯合總會（SMF）準備協助接觸這一群體。我堅信貿易協會和商會（TACs）是接觸這些商業領袖並與他們開展新舉措的有用平臺。
企業領導力轉型計劃旨在為商業領袖提供培訓，是一項長期計劃，旨在賦能和發展能力。預算宣告提到未來三年將培養900名商業領袖。請問部長：這些領袖將如何被選拔？培訓和指導框架的計劃是否有更多細節？貿易協會和商會如何繼續協助這一程序？
主席：張世樂先生，您可以一次發言兩段。
企業發展
張世樂先生：主席，貿工部明確致力於加強本地企業，我瞭解到他們有一個金字塔結構，底層大多是收入較低的微型企業，然後是小型、中型和大型企業。這是一個很好的結構圖。雖然新加坡有超過20萬家中小企業，但它們處於不同階段，大多數是微型企業。我理解貿工部的策略很明確，重點關注那些能推動發展的大企業。貿工部或企業創新集團（EIG）有規模提升計劃，幫助這些企業壯大。例如，傅建業先生提到的培訓領導者，以及培訓後領導者推動公司轉型和加強企業。
但你可能注意到，許多中型企業，甚至較小的企業（尚未達到微型企業標準），擁有創新、技術、理念和計劃，或由充滿熱情和激情的創業者或創始人經營，可能有潛力走向全球。規模提升計劃目前主要涵蓋收入超過1億新元的大型企業。中小企業是否也會被納入規模提升計劃，擴大覆蓋範圍？
社群企業
我還想談談微型企業。如果有潛力，我們可以培育它們。但你知道，社群中的一些微型企業可能根本沒有機會，它們只是為了生存。我們稱這些社群微型企業為“社群企業”，它們對我們的生活既有商業影響，也有社會影響。我在組屋區生活超過25年，仍常去一些店鋪，這種個性化服務讓它們得以持續。我們中許多人繼續光顧這些店鋪，它們依然存在。
我知道國土部和貿工部正努力振興這些社群企業。過去幾年他們主要做的是升級硬體設施和環境，希望吸引人流。但你知道，升級不僅僅是硬體，也許軟體也很重要。幫助這些社群企業進行集中庫存規劃、財務規劃、產品創新等，這些都很重要——讓它們上線，更加註重電子商務。這可能幫助它們吸引更多客戶，而不僅僅依賴人流，因為如果只靠人流，它們將直接與社群商場競爭價格，可能沒有機會定位自己。
貿工部是否考慮關注社群企業的軟體方面，投入資金幫助它們？
數字化
陳玉蓮議員（丹戎巴葛）：主席，在這次新冠疫情期間，人們都在採取預防措施，儘量避免接觸，避免人群聚集。這場危機為我們較小的，尤其是那些更簡單、更傳統的企業和商家提供了一個採用數字化運營的機會和動力。
然而，許多這些商家老闆需要幫助，我希望部委能為我們的社群企業提供額外支援，幫助他們實現數字化並上線。部委能否提供專業知識，並引導他們申請相關支援補助，以便他們通過這一相對新的銷售渠道服務更多顧客？例如，現在有更多人傾向於讓餐食和雜貨送貨上門。我希望部委能抓住這個機會，幫助更多社群企業邁向數字化。
消費者事務
林標泉議員（蒙巴頓）：先生，我以新加坡消費者協會（CASE）會長的身份宣告我在此議題上的利益。
我有三點建議供貿工部考慮，關於消費者事務。
最近，有多起投訴稱零售商以遠高於正常價格出售口罩。零售商在新冠疫情期間利用消費者牟取暴利的行為是完全不可接受的。請問部長，有多少零售商被價格監管員詢問？對這些頑固的零售商將採取什麼行動？貿工部還能做些什麼來警告商家不要趁機牟利，不要利用消費者在不確定時期的弱勢？消費者協會願意繼續與貿工部合作，教育和賦權消費者，讓他們更瞭解自己的權利，保護自己免受不良商家的侵害。
其次，媒體最近報道一些消費者在Carousell網上購買口罩時被騙。去年，我曾要求新加坡金融管理局（MAS）與新加坡銀行公會（ABS）及信用卡髮卡銀行合作，提高對信用卡退款機制的認識。這樣消費者如果遇到不誠信的網店，可以向信用卡銀行申請退款。畢竟，銀行為其商戶提供銀行服務，對其商業夥伴有更好的瞭解和控制。請問這項請求向MAS和ABS的進展如何？
下午6時45分
最後，根據《消費者保護公平交易法》，如果供應商從事不公平行為且拒絕簽署自願遵守協議以停止不公平行為，新加坡競爭與消費者委員會（CCCS）可申請對該頑固供應商發出禁令。申請禁令前，CCCS需進行調查並收集消費者陳述。此過程相當繁瑣，且並非所有消費者願意花時間向CCCS作證並出庭作證。有時，若消費者需公開身份，成為被利用者，可能會感到尷尬。
我認為，如果消費者不必總擔心必須上法庭，他們會更願意配合。政府是否考慮修訂《消費者保護公平交易法》，允許CCCS有更廣泛的選擇，施加行政罰款，而非僅能對嚴重違規商家申請禁令？《競爭法》已有財務罰款框架，也許可以為《消費者保護公平交易法》引入類似框架。貿工部會考慮嗎？
主席：議會領袖。
英文原文
SPRS Hansard · Fetched: 2026-05-02
5.45 pm
Growing Our Economy
Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah) : Mr Chairman, Sir, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head V of the Estimates be reduced by $100."
As a small and open economy, Singapore can only be a price-taker in the global marketplace realistically. Staying competitive is a given but that just puts you in the starting line. We need to develop both value-adding capabilities, which I will touch on later, and, equally important, our market connectivity capabilities, so that we can sell our products and services to the consumers of the world. Having both sets of capabilities and the intensity of them will determine how much of a livelihood we can make for ourselves.
In Singapore's context, staying open and connected to the world is key and our only pathway to continued economic growth and progress. Today, our international linkages and market connectivity enable us to transcend our limited domestic market and create for ourselves a bigger hinterland to operate in. We need to continually expand and upgrade our network of trade partnerships and investment agreements so that our companies can not only have a bigger economic space to do business in but are also able to ride on the growth and opportunities in the emerging markets.
Over the decades, we have done very well to strengthen our air, sea and land connectivity. In the new landscape, we need develop other new sets of connectivities, such as regulations, data, talent, finance and technology.
These efforts are primarily Government-driven but, importantly, we also need businesses to step up to seize these opportunities from the enhanced connectivity. It requires the companies to build up the required capabilities to internationalise both at the enterprise and the workforce levels. Capabilities, such as deep understanding of the target markets, ability to mobilise and deploy resources and talents across markets and jurisdictions, ability to obtain local funding and manage currency risks, among others.
Our economic agencies already provide both financial and non-financial support to help companies internationalise, such as in in-market landing pads, overseas centres and so on. Here, I would like to ask the Minister if the support has been adequate and has there been good traction.
Beyond the more familiar markets like China, India and the developed economies, do our economic agencies need to step up expertise and presence in newer and more frontier markets as we know that these markets tend to have less developed market data and more challenging regulatory and operating environment? How can the Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) play an enabling role to help businesses seeking to internationalise, especially in less familiar markets?
On diversification of international markets, the COVID-19 outbreak reminded us on the urgency to seek more and newer markets, especially in emerging economies and to minimise concentration risk on any single market.
China's GDP has increased fourfold since 2003 and its share of the global GDP has more than doubled from 9% to 19%. Singapore's trade with China has also increased almost four times since 2003. Even in the area of tourism, the Chinese tourists account for about 20% of Singapore's total international visitor arrivals. So, I would like to ask the Minister as to how we can manage our economic exposure to China, balancing the opportunities versus the risks.
Even without the COVID-19 outbreak, global supply chains are already showing signs of disruptions and are likely to be re-organised. How can we help our companies diversify their markets and adjust to the shift in supply chains to increase business resilience?
Next, and still related to diversifying our economy, I would like to seek an update from the Minister on the progress of building new economic clusters. In particular, how have we leveraged on the technological advancements to open up possibilities in new sectors? Beyond agri-tech and sustainability solutions, are there more new growth sectors that we are developing?
Continued rapid advancements in technology are likely to add to further disruptions and even lead to the demise of some sectors. We need to open up new industries and growth sectors to keep generating the positive deltas to our economy. Fostering new economic growth sectors can also help create new and more exciting jobs and it can help boost the overall productivity and innovations.
We know that investing into new growth sectors carry significant investment risks. It requires sectoral expertise and talents, it requires products that meet the addressable markets, the necessary eco-system players and, importantly, the entrepreneurial acumen and aspirations.
How can the Government facilitate the development of new growth sectors and its necessary eco-systems? What are the resources and support to be provided? In Budget 2020, the Finance Minister also mentioned about improving support for deep-tech startups. Can the Minister also share on how the Government plans to nurture and help promising startups?
Next, on enterprise development. There are more than 200,000 enterprises in Singapore and they come in every size, different stages of growth, uneven productivity capabilities and resource adsorptions and varying value-add to the economy. Given this diverse enterprise landscape, a one-size-fits-all approach may not meet the specific needs and achieve the desired outcomes. How could our economic agencies work with the relevant stakeholders to provide differentiated support for different types of companies?
A pro-enterprise environment is also a necessary condition for a vibrant and entrepreneurial eco-system. The Pro-Enterprise Panel (PEP) was formed in 2000 as a platform for companies to provide feedback on regulations. Is there scope to adopt a light-touch approach in regulations so as to encourage more enterprises to innovate and venture?
Sir, In his Budget speech, the Finance Minister also spoke about the Next Bound of SkillsFuture, which includes enhancing the role of enterprises in developing their employees.
Having employers take ownership in developing their staff is the most ideal situation. The companies know best the skills needed for their businesses to grow and transform. The employers are in the best position to manage the resources, time and space to upgrade skills. They are also in the vantage position to plan out and execute job re-design, which can align the necessary training and re-skilling to the business need.
In that regard, can I ask how would the Government promote and support more of such involvement by companies to build their workforce capabilities?
I applaud the Government for introducing the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package. It is the most tangible move to-date by the Government to help mid-career Singaporeans. It is another manifestation of the Government's commitment that economic growth must, ultimately, translate to good jobs and good outcomes for all Singaporeans. I hope that the hiring incentive to employers who hire local jobseekers aged 40 and above, through re-skilling programmes, would appeal to employers and also change their mindsets.
Employers should leverage on this re-skilling programme to help enhance their workforce and yet also enjoy the wage support. So, I call on employers to discard any age biases that they may have in their HR policy and re-pivot to the new environment of higher retirement age.
Finally, let me speak about our response to the COVID-19 situation.
The first wave impact to our affected businesses, such as tourism, aviation and retail, has been very sharp and severe. The Stabilisation and Support Package has rightly focused on tackling two critical situations: firstly, the weaker cash flow position of businesses and, secondly, to focus on saving jobs.
The announced measures of Jobs Support Scheme, rental waivers, rebates, temporary bridging loans, among others, are relevant and practical relief measures to help businesses, especially in managing the tighter cash flow situations. However, I am concerned that if this COVID-19 situation is prolonged, we may lose capabilities and capacities in the tourism sectors as operators may downsize or shut their operations. I hope that the Government would monitor this closely and be ready to extend and step up the assistance further.
Given the severity of the outbreak in China, its economy is likely to take a major hit. If the situation persists, its production capacity would be curtailed and we could see serious disruption to the supply chain and this has wider and deeper implication and impact to the world's trade flows.
On the demand side, slower growth in China is also expected to dampen consumption and investments. Singapore, like many economies, is unlikely to be spared from the further knock-on effects. How can we draw lessons from the impact of COVID-19 to build economic and national resilience?
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
The Chairman : Mr Teo Ser Luck, you have three cuts. You can take them together.
Economy
Mr Teo Ser Luck (Pasir Ris-Punggol) : Our economic growth is getting more and more challenging. I think each year, as we forecast our economic growth, you will realise that we keep revising our forecast. From last year to this year, we are revising downwards on the forecast. It is challenging, no doubt, and, with COVID-19, it is getting more and more challenging to actually get a part of the pie because other cities and economies are also getting more competitive.
We are focusing on quite a few verticals and I know that we rely less on manufacturing now, which, in the past, was about 25% contribution to GDP. But right now, we are looking at it at 20% GDP. Although there is a lot of focus on precision engineering and some of the rest of the other sectors related to manufacturing, I think, for the long haul, it does not give as much stimulating growth to the economy as we need.
So, that is where we are investing in technology startups or we are investing in financial services and all. However, for some of this growth, we are competing very intensively with other economies as well and that will pose a challenge to our economic growth as a whole. I think on a year-to-year basis, growing at 1.5% to 2.5%, we are sort of plateauing, although we are in better shape to do better than other economies.
I would like to ask the Ministry whether there are immediate short-term to medium term strategies or any change to the current strategies that we have. With the 23 Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) that we have focused on, I do not think we can focus on all 23. But what are the key focuses that we can have in order to boost the economy forward, maybe the next three to five years of economic growth that can be greater than 3%? Because we have not seen anything before with 5% to 8% anymore. What are the other measures that we can put in?
FTA Impact
With COVID-19, I was wondering whether the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) can play a part? FTAs, in good times, actually help the SMEs, who understood FTAs and can launch their products overseas and get the full benefits out of them – tax incentives and other measures in regulations, in actually getting exceptions. But in not so good times, let us say, for example, right now, how do FTAs play a part? We have more than 25 FTAs signed so far – bilateral and multilateral. Where do they play a part? How can we use them more effectively? What can the SMEs do?
Market Readiness Assistance
I think one of the most practical methods for businesses in Singapore to actually overcome some of these challenges, for example, some of the crises that we faced today and some of the growth challenges, will actually be using some of the schemes that we have. One of the schemes that is also a beneficiary out of it is the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA). I am glad to know that the MRA will be enhanced.
The important thing about launching businesses overseas is, firstly, the regulations; secondly, the knowledge on the legal aspect, the framework; thirdly, it is finding a local partnership. Sometimes, it is not about funds, because MRA provides the funds. But it is the knowledge that is the most important. Where can we get this knowledge? Can MRA offer more than just funds, dollars and cents, but actually coming in with certain knowledge? Because we have Enterprise Singapore (ESG) officers all over internationally and they are very good officers. They can provide their facilitation of good help and networking. I think this is most valuable to the SMEs and businesses who want to venture overseas.
So, can I know from the Ministry what are the enhancements of the MRA, and are we able to move from funds to knowledge that can be imparted to facilitate the growth of SMEs overseas?
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The Chairman : Mr Douglas Foo, you have two cuts, take both together, please.
Opportunities in ASEAN
Mr Douglas Foo (Nominated Member) : Mr Chairman, ASEAN is widely seen to be on track to be the 4th largest economy in the world by 2030. This is driven by the continued economic growth and development efforts of our neighbours. In a study by the McKinsey Global Institute, especially for the manufacturing sector, disruptive technologies are projected to have huge economic impact, potentially creating US$25 billion to $45 billion of annual output value in ASEAN by 2030.
ASEAN is an incredibly dynamic economic block with 10 economies at different stages of development. As the world embarks on a new decade with uncertainty as the opening number, this is a turning point for ASEAN to realise our ambition to be the next "factory of the world".
There is definitely opportunity to attract foreign interest in ASEAN in the current uncertain global trade climate. Additionally, our member states need to encourage our companies to reinvest in the region to further spur on growth.
In our recent dialogues with members in the Manufacturing community, in view of the current supply chain challenges arising from the COVID-19 outbreak, more businesses are seeking to explore longer term solutions for their businesses in ASEAN countries. This provides the impetus for Singapore businesses to take a closer look at the opportunities in ASEAN.
As we continue ground efforts like leading mission trips and business meetings, are there any additional outreach or publicity efforts that will be undertaken by the Ministry to continue to highlight to businesses the importance and promise of our ASEAN neighbours? Because at the end of the day, by 2030, when we look back, we want our enterprises to have actually rode the journey of ASEAN having rose to being the 4th largest economy in the world.
Trade and Internationalisation
Mr Chairman, answering the call by the Government, Trade Association and Chambers (TACs) have stepped up to play a much larger role in outreach and capability building in the business community. Within TACs, there is also a higher level of collaboration to collectively address key business issues.
In July 2019, the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) organised the inaugural Strategic Planning Session for TACs which was attended by over 70 leaders from more than 40 TACs. The TAC leaders had the opportunity to engage in a dialogue with Mr Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. During this session, the TACs deep-dived into pertinent issues such as internationalisation, innovation and digitalisation, as well as how TACs need to transform to stay relevant for the future.
On the manufacturing front, the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF), the Singapore Industrial Automation Association (SIAA), and SGTECH have come together to form a Manufacturing Alliance in October 2019 to specialise in business model and process re-engineering, software and digitalisation as well as robotics and automation matters.
The Manufacturing Alliance works with an ecosystem of partners, such as government agencies, Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), Centres of Innovation (COIs), and so on, to scope problem statements and curate standardised, modular implementation packages that are easy for SMEs to adopt to make progress on their journey towards Industry 4.0.
As noted by Mr Ho Meng Kit, the CEO of SBF, with more complex challenges faced by our members, TACs need to change, adapt and innovate to better serve the community. As we continue to take on bigger roles, TACs are also beginning to face a number of operational challenges.
In the circumstances, how does the Ministry intend to encourage TACs to pool knowledge and resources together both locally and in overseas markets to help businesses seeking to internationalise? Does the Ministry have any plans to assist TACs to upgrade their capabilities and human talent and make this a possible career choice for the workforce?
Enterprise Schemes
Mr Charles Chong (Punggol East) : Mr Chairman, there are many grants and schemes which are available to help companies. Now, these have been made available by the Government through various agencies to encourage a vibrant business community in Singapore. However, many companies, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises or SMEs, are often not aware of the grants available to them. Or if they know of these grants, the amount of red tape and the number of forms they need to fill in could also prove to be an impediment to applying for these schemes. Or there may be multiple overlapping and similar schemes, and it is hard for a business owner to decide which one to apply for. I am sure not many SMEs know of the existence of SME Centres, which have been specifically set up to help them.
While SME Centres will be able to help SMEs navigate the various grants and schemes which are available, they may not be visible enough for the SMEs, such that SMEs actually reach out to them to tap on their expertise.
My question to the Minister then is what we can do to make SME Centres more visible, such that we make it clear to SMEs that we have people ready and able to help them in their business journeys? More broadly, is the Minister satisfied that MTI is doing enough to ensure that SMEs are made aware of the grants, schemes and programmes available to them, and could more be done to ensure that SMEs do not lose out on these?
Free Trade Agreements
Mr Leon Perera (Non-Constituency Member) : Mr Chairman, Sir, Singapore has 23 implemented Free Trade Agreements or FTAs and may conclude other FTAs in future. Every FTA negotiation involves making a determination on how much improved market access to give foreign companies in exchange for market access for Singapore companies in that foreign country. Implemented well, FTAs can introduce a wider range of goods and services in Singapore at lower prices for the end consumer while also giving our local firms greater market access and a more level playing field abroad.
I would like to ask before an FTA is concluded, how does the Government obtain feedback from relevant local firms about what problems they face with market access within that country, as well as what enhanced competition from that country's firms might mean for themselves, their industry peers and the domestic economy?
Does the Government also review implemented FTAs to assess the net economic impact of the concessions given in respect of market access to foreign firms inter-corporate transferee rights and other concessions as well as whether market access for a Singapore firms has in fact materialised as envisaged under the FTA?
Lastly, is there a mechanism for local firms to easily give feedback on FTA related matters and can some feedback channel be indicated on the FDA section of MTI's website? What processes are used to assess the net economic impact of FTAs after they are enacted? Is feedback gathered from local firms as to the analysis of prices of goods and services before and after? Is that kind of analysis done, for example?
The Chairman : Mr Saktiandi, you have two cuts. Can you take both together?
Enhance Internationalisation and Trade
Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh) : Thank you, Chairman. The COVID-19 situation is an unpleasant but timely reminder of the importance of diversification. It is dangerous to develop a reliance on one market. China has been an excellent trading partner with a vast market, offering generous business opportunities for Singaporeans across a wide variety of sectors. But with China taking a significant hit, many local businesses are also reeling from the impact. So, it is crucial set their sights on broader horizons and work towards them, or risk sinking.
Fortunately, there is already the Market Readiness Assistance grant that was first introduced in 2013 to help businesses enter new markets, and also the newly announced Enterprise Grow Package. I am glad to note that those will be now enhanced with greater funding support and coverage.
However, for companies entering a new market, and especially for those who are new to internationalisation efforts, they would feel quite lost and may not even know what they can do with the funding. I would like to ask how can support be enhanced, so that they can have a good and strong head start?
Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) have been playing increasingly critical roles in driving transformation and growth. Being close to the ground, they have a firm grasp of their members’ needs and a greater understanding of the industry. They have in recent years helped their members to adopt new innovative solutions and technologies to transform their businesses. They have also worked closely with the Government to help members. It is evident that they will, and must continue, to take on integral positions in this next round of internationalisation.
What other roles can TACs play in pooling knowledge and resources, both locally and in-market, to help businesses seeking to internationalise?
Help Singaporean Workers Remain Relevant
Chairman, in the midst of this uncertain economy, our mature and mid-career workers, many in their 40s and 50s, are most vulnerable. With the recent economic challenges and rapid technological advancement, some of them are struggling to make their career transitions. I wish to acknowledge their efforts to make use of SkillsFuture and other excellent government initiatives to reskill themselves.
Nevertheless, the climb is an uphill one. For every successful story, another shares his failed attempts to secure a good job despite months of networking, attending courses, seeking career guidance and so on.
I hope the Minister will share with us further efforts to grow the economy and how this will translate to good jobs and outcomes for Singaporeans.
In recent years, aviation, F&B, retail and tourism were booming. They were among the major sectors offering PCP and other mid-career transition measures. Today, government support is needed to help these industries tide over difficult times. I have confidence that this is only temporary and they will bounce back in good time.
But for those who have made the transition or are in the midst of getting the relevant qualifications and training to enter these industries, I wonder if their employment prospects will be affected. Yet such global crises are impossible to predict. What else will be done to help workers remain employable and industry-relevant in the rapidly changing environment?
I am glad that the Deputy Prime Minister reinforced his resolution in the Budget to move away from reliance on foreign workforce. I would like to take this opportunity to revisit my proposal on the Capability Transfer Programme (CTP) which I brought up last year during my Adjournment Motion to TAFEP and MOM.
Second, there must also be greater effort and localisation efforts to support Singapore's competitiveness and workers' sustainability. May I suggest that the companies be encouraged to set localisation targets for their workforce? Localisation targets meaning proportion of workforce that is local or setting a target for overall local proportion. This can be targeted for a range of skills and may need to be company-specific or dependent. It could be, for example, incorporate elements of training for eventual local employment and with a specific localisation target, for example, in three to five years.
The existing CTP supports firms to bring in foreign specialists to transfer capabilities to the local workforce, and to send locals abroad for training. The Ministry should consider expanding CTP and providing more resources to support the transfer of capabilities from foreign employees, who are already employed in Singapore, to local workers, with the aim of localising jobs. The foreign specialists that they bring in should mentor Singaporeans to take over or share the role.
Funding support for CTP should be expanded to include salary and training support for local specialists, as well as Singaporean trainees on overseas attachments to acquire new capabilities. Can we also consider CTP to support transfer of capabilities from foreign employees already employed in Singapore to local workers, with the eventual aim of localising jobs, working in tandem with the localisation targets I had mentioned earlier?
Upskilling, Re-skilling, Job Redesign
Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Nee Soon) : Chairman, in the face of significant economic and technology shifts, upskilling and re-skilling is paramount to good employment outcomes for Singaporeans. One can argue that success in both of these areas are some of the hardest public policy that few governments have succeeded in. There are several reasons and it is a complex issue.
Successful upskilling is usually done by successful companies. Because successful companies are the ones who have a clear vision for the future, and therefore the skills needed to reach that future.
They are also usually operating within a certain national culture, such as those found in Germany and Japan, where companies have a firm sense of responsibility to the long-term employment of the staff. This culture is usually supported by manpower policy at the national level.
Upskilling also requires complementary educational institutes and capability for both full-time and part-time upskilling.
If upskilling is difficult, re-skilling could be even more challenging. In fact, one would be stretched to think about more than a handful of countries that had systematically re-skilled people who are structurally unemployed.
Re-skilling workers to do different jobs is somewhat easier for larger companies, because while they are learning these new skills, they are usually working within the same company, within the culture. For example, as DBS banks digitise, many of its front-line workers got a place to be re-trained within other parts of the bank.
However, it is not always so easy to re-skill these people across the broader economy, because not many companies have the scale like DBS. Because in the interconnected world, international companies have the option of re-locating jobs outside Singapore, rather than re-skilling our workers. Because in this age of technology disruption, not all industries have a strong awareness of what is coming ahead and, therefore, workers, who are currently within or are trying to enter that industry, may not know what skills to re-skill on.
Despite these major challenges, it is very heartening that our Government is taking this issue by the horns for many years now, not just within MTI but whole-of-Government, and also to do it in a tripartite manner. Therefore, can MTI share how the Government can help workers remain employable and industry-relevant in this rapidly changing environment, especially mature and mid-career workers, many in their 40s and 50s? For example, how can we upskill more workers in industry-relevant competencies, such as in the area of Design.
The mindset of our workers is also pivotal. They must understand that in this day and age, careers are non-linear, and they must up-skill and re-skill themselves multiple times through their career.
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Nevertheless, companies play the crucial role. Can MTI share how our Government encourage more firms to embrace a mindset shift, to see workforce transformation as a critical complement to enterprise transformation. Accordingly, how can the Government support and incentivise more firms, especially SMEs, to invest in training and redesigning jobs for worker? And how is the Government publicising such information in a systematic manner?
Skills and Jobs
Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines) : COVID-19 outbreak has caused economic weaknesses and companies might be putting off the transformation work. Which are the industries that the Ministry expect to experience a longer recovery time? How is the Ministry helping these industries to continue the transformation?
According to some SME bosses, during a downturn it is also the best time to transform. COVID-19 will eventually come to pass. But the realities of a rapidly changing economy are unchanging. Transformation is critical for a longer term survival. How is the Ministry helping these companies to accelerate workforce transformation?
What are the benchmarks of transformation? Transformation would inevitably cause some of our workers to be left behind. This is especially acute amongst those in the 40s and 50s. How is the Ministry helping to keep them employable and industry-relevant?
Many companies are reluctant to train because the workers might be poached. This mindset is perhaps the great obstacle to manpower transformation. I would like to suggest the training innovation from Amazon. Amazon's career choice programme helps workers to gain skills in areas outside of Amazon's needs by providing resources and work flexibility. Amazon pays 95% of education fees and work flexibility for workers to pick up skills in industries that are in demand and well-paid, regardless of whether those skills are relevant to Amazon or not. Amazon possibly gains because it is seen as a progressive company. It can possibly only retain the promising ones. The industry and broader economy gain from the more skilled workers and workers gain by better skills, better jobs and wages.
We have many large companies in Singapore that have accumulated vast resources over time. If enough of them follows Amazon's example, it need not be a zero sum game of one company producing better skilled workers for others to poach. We can, in fact, grow the pie so that we can grow and benefit our workers collectively.
Grooming Local Talent
Mr Leon Perera : Sir, I note the Government's announcement that 60% to 70% of the jobs created domestically in Singapore from Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) are PMET jobs. Going forward, it is important to support and develop Singaporean leaders in the private sector. To the extent that there are impediments to this, these should be understood and addressed.
A number of programmes have been launched to nurture local PMET and leadership talent, such as the Youth Future Leaders' Programme by EDB and NTUC, the SkillsFuture Leadership Development Initiative as well as the Enterprise Singapore-ASEAN Leadership programme.
I would like to ask for an update on the programmes used to support companies in Singapore, including MNCs to develop a pipeline of local talent in PMET and leadership roles. What has been the success associated with such programmes to-date?
Start-up
Mr Teo Ser Luck : Mr Chairman, Sir, every year we put a lot of emphasis on encouraging start-ups, either catalysing more start-ups in different areas in terms of tech or tech transformation but also in creating the hardware, for example, the Launchpad and several other places where it is clean tech start-up area. That is very encouraging and it is good to know that this year we are putting additional $300 million into deep-tech and with some focus on a couple of key areas, including agri-tech.
The question I have is that I do see many other related Ministries or relevant Ministries also putting in some of the investments into start-ups and also into technology. The question I have is whether there is synergy between them. And when we put in additional funds into it, what are the key performance indicators or indicators of success for such funds? I do not think we can compare a public fund for investments of this like the private funds where their ROIs is in terms of the immediate returns or short-term returns. But what exactly would be the indicator of success for our funds?
Secondly, it is that for the deep-tech start-ups, these have very long gestation period because it is long gestation period, it is very hard to forecast how far it goes. The question is the success is dependent on the commercialisation aspect of these start-ups because you do not want to invest in start-ups where it is just another science project. If it is another science project, then you come out of the lab but there is no commercial value, there is no demand.
We have to put in some of these funds, for example, the $300 million additional funds put it into agri-tech, would the agri-tech in future provide a more comparative and affordable pricing for some of what it produces or these technology startups would be able to scale overseas, globally, have a commercial aspect to that. I would like the Ministry to be able to elaborate further on what indicators are there for such an assessment.
Industry Development
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast) : Mr Chairman, Singapore’s investment in economic transformation seems to be moving in the right direction. Overall productivity rose to 2.6% per year over the last three years, up from 2.2% in the preceding three-year period.
The Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) aimed at fostering innovation, boosting productivity and deepening skills of workers in the respective industries is central to our economic restructuring effort. Yet when I speak to business leaders, they continue to lament that potential synergies and capability development, which ITMs could provide, remain under-leveraged. Performance in industry transformation has been uneven across sectors.
[Deputy Speaker (Mr Charles Chong) in the Chair]
So, I would like to ask the Minister what lessons have been gleaned from the implementation of ITMs thus far? How can companies be better incentivised to band together and form alliances to develop industry-wide capabilities, build scale, go international and test sector-wide solutions? What progress has been made in the Government’s efforts to anchor key players in shared facilities and infrastructure to better support transformation and adoption of technology? And lastly, how can Government support the development of emerging sectors with good growth potential?
Sir, from the substantial Government investments made in the economic transformation journey that started four years ago, there must have be – there must be useful learnings from sectors that have gained good traction.
For example, what can we learn from manufacturers in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries who have widely been recognised as the forerunners in the adoption of Industry 4.0 initiatives? MAS’s success in developing the Fintech sector and in instituting the concept of "regulatory sandbox" to spur innovation of new technology is also something that other sectors can emulate, to support experimentation and trials of promising innovations, with all the necessary safeguards.
Sir, strong local capabilities and eco-systems for innovation is key to securing Singapore’s economic success and resilience. SMEs need a lot of handholding to engage in R&D. I would like to ask the Minister how SMEs can be supported in shortening their learning curve, embracing technnology and participating fully in R&D.
What impact has the 10 Centres of Innovation (COIs) had on industry development? What outcomes have there been so far, of COIs in assisting SMEs? And how can university research and other research agencies support industry development in more substantive ways?
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat spoke about the vibrant startup eco-system in his Budget Speech. There are now 3,800 technology startups in Singapore. As Singapore now also a globally recognised leader of intellectual-property protection and scientific research centre, we should fully deploy our strengths to focus on supporting startups in deep-tech with research-based IP at its core.
Deep-tech start-ups in emerging technology areas such as agri-food tech can grow to become globally competitive. However, these same startups also require larger investments, longer gestation periods, and not every investor has the stomach for the higher risks that come with this. So, I would like to ask the Government how are we going to support these startups.
Mr Lee Yi Shyan (East Coast) : Sir, one of the key trends shaping Singapore's future is the rapid advancement of technology. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, 5G, robotics and so on are poised to shape future industries. The emergence of Industry 4.0 and Services 4.0, are fast becoming the new global landscape.
In fact, the on-going technology boom shows no sign of slowing. According to McKinsey Global Institute, up to 800 million global workers will lose their jobs to new technology by 2030. Earlier on, Deloitte and the University of Oxford predicted that 35% of the jobs in the UK in 2014 would go to robots in 30 years. Here in Singapore, many companies are trying to automate their operations without hiring more workers.
While Singapore is making all efforts to transform, we may still be too slow for competition. Against this backdrop, I would like to ask the Minister, how has MTI, been preparing our enterprises and workforce to adjust to the new economic landscape? In leading sectors such as AI and Blockchain where we are short of a critical mass of talents and companies to play in the global game, have MTI agencies made concerted efforts to bring in lead players and top talents to catalyse our local eco-system development?
Given that Chinese economy is now the second largest, and several of their IT and digital sectors are world-leading, has MTI been successful in attracting Chinese unicorns to be located in Singapore? How is MTI going to identify and attract would-be unicorns from China, India and ASEAN so that Singapore has a fair share of the future Asia unicorns, going forward?
The Chairman : Mr Leon Perera, you can take both your cuts.
Industry 4.0 Networking Platforms
Mr Leon Perera : Mr Chairman, Sir, the challenge of navigating Industry 4.0 is all about attracting investments in future-ready categories like AI, drones, IoT and so on. But that in turn can be unpacked into several distinct challenges that need to be met to attract that investment.
Firstly, creating a viable eco-system with financing and Government support.
Secondly, creating access to a critical mass of workers with the requisite skills and risk appetite and in this we have to balance foreigners with the Singaporean Core.
Thirdly, stimulating local demand for these products. While investments in Singapore would be to serve the region and the world, some local demand would help attract the attention of investors.
And fourthly, creating network effects where interactions among players and industry, academia, research centres, Government and top leaders can take place, thus catalysing new ideas.
To address the fourth challenge, why not catalyse the creation of networking platforms for distinct Industry 4.0 spaces like AI and IoT. One useful model could be the Product Executive Forum in Boston, an exclusive group for senior product leaders in that area. It brings together promising industry executives, academics and top leaders. It functions through breakfast seminars, round-tables and other events. Catalysing such a platform may be helpful. After all, in the Industry 4.0 race, it is not just about having the right people but also about those people interacting and cross-fertilising ideas and work streams.
Energy Security
Next cut on energy security. Mr Chairman, Sir, natural gas is the main way Singapore generates its electricity today. Indonesia accounts for 85% of imported natural gas in gaseous form with the remainder coming from Malaysia.
Pipeline natural gas has been supplemented by imports of liquified natural gas (LNG) for some years now from diverse source countries. However, Indonesia has announced that it is to stop natural gas exports to Singapore from Sumatra in 2023. It was not too clear if pipeline gas from Natunas would be similarly affected but the statement emanating from Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry on 8 February would seem to suggest so. If this takes place, it will place some pressure on our power-generation sources. Renewable energy sources, mainly solar power, as well as regional power grids, would take time to build up.
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Would the Government share its mitigation measures in light of this? Can LNG imports, for example, plug any gap that emerges after 2023? We should also take this opportunity to improve the renewable portion of our power generation mix. I am heartened to hear about the decarbonisation measures spoken about by the Government in Parliament last week. My colleague, Mr Dennis Tan, outlined various perspectives and suggestions from the Workers' Party on environmental policy in his Budget speech last week.
In conclusion, I would like to ask if the Government is studying two other energy possibilities.
Firstly, there have been media reports about private sector plans to build a solar farm in Australia and export the power to Singapore via a subsea cable. Secondly, I noted Senior Minister Teo's statement on nuclear power at the PMO COS that the potential for nuclear power is still being studied. Russia and China are exploring floating nuclear power plants based on seaborne platforms, with Russia in the process of deploying one. It may or may not be a practical possibility for Singapore to derive power by such means in the foreseeable future. But is the Government studying the risks that such projects by other countries may pose to Singapore?
Economic Transition to Decarbonisation
Ms Anthea Ong (Nominated Member) : Chairman, climate challenge is an economic structural challenge for Singapore, noted Minister Chan Chun Sing, who further added that, I quote, "If we cannot manage that, we cannot even attract the industries to create the jobs for the next generation."
IMF recently opined that price on carbon should rise to US$75 per tonne by 2030 in large emitting countries, placing constraints and pressures on fossil fuel-based industries, Yet, new energy technologies are currently available.
Would the Ministry consider (a) conducting and publishing stress test exercises specific to the petrochemical industry to understand growth risk under different scenarios of global carbon policy; (b) evaluating the potential for job creation, cost of living and environmental impact around carbon capture and storage, solar PV, nuclear, importing renewable energy, increasing industrial energy efficiency; and (c) developing a clear plan of economic transition to reduce our reliance on high carbon risk sectors, including actively involving our oil and gas industry before 2030.
Sustainability of Industries
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling (Fengshan) : Chairman, let me begin by declaring that I am a senior executive with an industrial gas and engineering company.
The physical effects of climate change are increasingly visible on the environment, society and the global economy. Climate change is not a distant threat; it is happening now. Increasingly, people want to know if you are part of the problem or part of the solution.
To achieve the commitment in the 2015 Paris Accord of reducing Greenhouse Gases (GHG), it will require changes in societal behaviours, Government regulations, industrial engagement and technology development.
There has been much discussion on emission reductions focused primarily on high carbon footprint industries, specifically the petrochemical and manufacturing industries. Before we focus on any individual, we must first put in perspective and recognise there are many parts in the entire value chain before the GHG emissions.
Take, for example, hydrogen gas. Energy is required to produce hydrogen. But hydrogen is an essential ingredient to produce low-sulfur fuels to meet even stricter environmental standards, thereby reducing the sulfur emissions into our environment. Hydrogen technology can also be used as a transformative energy carrier or as clean fuel for mobility and transportation.
It is important to understand whether the products being produced, the manufacturing processes used and the industry value chain on the whole actually have a larger benefit to the society in terms of carbon productivity, support sustainability and how they help to avoid more GHG emissions on a net basis. Further, we have to ask if the industries invest in new technologies that drive operational efficiency, thereby reducing GHG, adopt usage of renewable energy sources in their production that shape the energy transformation, re-use the waste streams or capture the carbon emitted for alternate usage. Whether the industries are working towards decarbonisation that contributes towards managing climate change is key.
Planning and facilitating transitions towards "cleaner" modes of operation and to cleaner industries would result in significant economic impact in terms of jobs, cost and overall operations. No industry is spared from the effects of climate change and all sectors have to play their part in mitigating the effects of climate change. As such, our ITMs, which are the roadmaps for growth and competitiveness for our industries, should include sustainability as an essential component of their workplan and transformation.
I would like to ask how can we prepare our economy for the ramifications of climate change and reduce our carbon emissions in a sustainable manner? Will MTI consider including sustainability as a fifth pillar of the ITMs?
Relatedly, will MTI consider creating a platform to facilitate exchange of best practices for emission reduction across all major sectors of Singapore's economy, given the success of tripartite collaborations like the Singapore Packaging Agreement? Through this, companies can harness the best knowledge, balance their obligations to all stakeholders to continue driving their financial performance while being a good steward of our environment.
Marginal Return to Productivity Spending
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira (Nominated Member) : Mr Chairman, the Government has implemented many policies to boost productivity growth. Recent schemes include the Productivity Solutions Grant, Enterprise Development Grant and Automation Support Package. Budget 2020's Transformation and Growth strategies continue these efforts.
How effective are each of the recent productivity growth grant schemes, in terms of the marginal return to public spending and the impact on industry and jobs? To what extent can we attribute recent improvements in Total Factor Productivity growth to these policies?
MTI's Economist Service publishes excellent research on the effects of various industry policies. Could the Ministry develop a mandatory programme evaluation framework for all major productivity enhancement schemes? Each scheme should have a logic model that defines target outcomes prior to implementation. Evaluation results should be published at clear intervals, such as at the mid-term and shortly after the conclusion of the scheme. The most important schemes should have their evaluation results subjected to academic peer review to enhance credibility.
Technology-driven innovation can improve productivity, worker welfare and make jobs more desirable to Singaporeans. In a recent working paper, Prof Ivan Png from NUS studied a supermarket chain in Singapore that redesigned the cashier's job to focus only on scanning groceries. Payments were handled by automation. Switching to a scan-only job format improved worker welfare and boosted local recruitment. It also improved scanning-speed productivity by 9%. Prof Png's research highlights the importance of carefully scrutinising the effects of technology improvements.
We should not spend such significant sums on productivity transformation without an equally strong commitment to understanding whether such efforts are cost-effective and meaningful.
Enterprise Transform Package
Mr Douglas Foo : Mr Chairman, in Singapore, SMEs account for an estimated two-thirds of all employment and contribute almost S$200 billion to the economy. SMEs form an integral part of our economy and are seen as the future drivers of Singapore's growth. With the number of SMEs constantly hovering at above 200,000 companies, there is, understandably, a wide range of companies all at very different stages of growth.
While there is a host of support for start-ups and small SMEs, understandably which are more vulnerable, it is timely that we look into investing and supporting SMEs which have managed to show a good track record and are ready to embark on the next stage of growth.
With the announcement of the Enterprise Leadership for Transformation Programme as part of the Enterprise Transform Package, I believe this is a good extension of our current SME support framework.
The Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) stands ready to assist to reach out to this community. I strongly believe that Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) can be a useful platform to reach out to these business leaders and engage them with new initiatives such as this.
With its aim as providing training to business leaders, the Enterprise Leadership for Transformation Programme is one for the long-term – to enable and develop capabilities. The Budget Statement talks about grooming 900 business leaders over the next three years. May I humbly please ask the Minister: how will these leaders be identified? Are more details available on the plans for the training and mentorship framework? How can TACs continue to help on this journey.?
The Chairman : Mr Teo Ser Luck, you can do both your cuts.
Enterprise Development
Mr Teo Ser Luck : Mr Chairman, MTI was very clear in strengthening the local enterprises and I believe they have a pyramid where most of the enterprises at the bottom were actually lower in revenue numbers – micro-enterprises and then small, medium and large. This is a very good pyramid to show. Although we have over 200,000 SMEs in Singapore, every one is in its different places and most of them are actually micro enterprises. And I understand that MTI's strategy is quite clear. Those who move the needles, there is a lot focus on them. And some of those who move the needles, they are actually large companies. And we have a Scale-up Programme within MTI or EIG to help these companies to be strengthened. So, for example, what Mr Douglas Foo has mentioned about training the leaders, as well as after training the leaders, they make a transformation within a company and strengthen the company.
But you might realise that a lot of the medium sized companies, even to the smaller sized companies, not micro enterprises yet, but smaller ones to the medium sized ones, they have a lot of potential. The Scale-up Programme today, if I am not wrong, actually comprises most of the very large companies or companies that have above $100 million revenue. But the medium enterprises and the small enterprises might have the innovation, technology, concepts and plans or very passionate and enthusiastic entrepreneurs or founders that run them that could potentially make them global. Would the Scale-up Programme include these enterprises as well, from the small to the medium size and have a larger wastage for them?
Heartland Enterprises
And I would like to speak more about the micro enterprises as well. If those who have potential, we can grow them. But you know that some of them at the heartlands who are micro enterprises may not have the chance at all. They are just looking for survival. But these micro enterprises at the heartlands, we call them "heartland enterprises", they have both a commercial and also a social impact on our lives. Having lived in an HDB estate for more than 25 years, there are a lot of the shops that I still visit today and that personalised approach keeps them going. Several of us continue to patronise those shops and they continue to be there.
I know that MND and MTI are trying to spruce up these heartland enterprises. One of the major things they do in the past few years was upgrading the hardware facilities, the surroundings, hopefully, to capture the foot traffic. But you know, it is not just the hardware that we should upgrade. Maybe, it is the software as well. It is about helping these heartland enterprises maybe about a centralised inventory planning, financial planning, product innovation. And some of these things actually matter – bringing them online and become more e-commerce focused. And this may help them to draw in more customers instead of looking at just the foot traffic because, if it is just the foot traffic, they compete directly with the heartland malls and their prices. So, they may not have a chance to position themselves.
Would the Ministry consider looking at the heartland enterprises and look at the software aspect to actually put in the funding to help them?
Digitalisation
Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar) : Chairman, during this period of the COVID-19 outbreak, people are taking precautions and minimising contact by avoiding crowds where possible. This crisis provides an opportunity and the motivation for our smaller, especially the simpler and more traditional, businesses and enterprises to adopt digitalisation for their operations.
However, many of these business owners would need help and I would like to request that the Ministry provide the additional support to our heartland enterprises to digitise and go online. Can the Ministry provide the expertise and guide them towards any support grants so that they can serve more customers through this relatively new sales channel? For example, there are many more people now who prefer to have their meals and groceries delivered to them. I hope the Ministry will take this opportunity to help more of our heartland enterprises move towards digitalisation.
Consumer Matters
Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten) : Sir, I declare my interest in speaking on this topic as the President of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE).
I have three points for MTI's consideration regarding consumer matters.
Recently, there were several complaints recently regarding retailers selling face masks at substantially higher prices. This action of retailers taking advantage of consumers and profiteering during the COVID-19 outbreak is simply unacceptable. May I ask the Minister how many retailers have been queried by the price controller? What action would be taken against such recalcitrant retailers? What else can MTI do to warn businesses that they should not profiteer and should not take advantage of consumers during uncertain times? CASE will be happy to continue working with MTI to educate and empower consumers to know more about their rights and to protect themselves from unscrupulous businesses.
Next, it was recently reported in the media that some consumers were cheated when they tried to buy face masks online via Carousell. Last year, I asked MAS to work with the Association of Banks of Singapore (ABS) and credit card issuing banks to raise awareness of charge-back schemes. And this will enable consumers to seek refund from their credit card banks if they encounter a dishonest online vendor. After all, banks that provide banking facilities for their merchants have a better knowledge and control over their commercial partners. May I ask what is the status of this request to MAS and ABS?
6.45 pm
Finally, under the Consumer Protection Fair Trading Act, if a supplier engages in an unfair practice and refuses to sign a Voluntary Compliance Agreement not to continue its unfair practice, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) may apply for an Injunction against the recalcitrant supplier. Before applying for an Injunction, CCCS needs to conduct an investigation and take statements from consumers. The process is quite tedious and not all consumers will want to spend their personal time giving statements to CCCS and appearing in court as witnesses. Sometimes, if the consumer needs to be publicly identified as someone who was taken advantage of, the consumer may rather not be embarrassed.
I am of the view that consumers will be more forthcoming if they do not have to worry about having to go to Court all the time. Will the Government consider amending the CPFTA to allow CCCS to have wider options of imposing administrative financial penalties instead the current option of only seeking an injunction against egregious businesses? The Competition Act has a financial penalty framework; perhaps a similar framework can be introduced for the CPFTA. Will MTI consider?
The Chairman : Leader of the House.