Parliament to discuss haze, proposed COE changes and public healthcare disruptions

MPs filed more than 50 questions on the transboundary haze, as well as questions on proposed COE changes, disruptions to public healthcare services and the fatal abuse of an eight-month-old baby.

File photo of the Parliament House, Singapore (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

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SINGAPORE: The transboundary haze and efforts to hold companies accountable for forest fires in Indonesia will be in focus when parliament sits on Tuesday (Nov 3).

Members of Parliament have filed more than 50 questions on the haze, including whether Singapore's laws are effective in tackling the recurring problem and why investigations into four companies over the 2015 haze remain unresolved after 11 years.

MPs also filed questions on proposed changes to the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system , the hours-long system disruption across public healthcare clusters and the safeguards against child abuse following the death of an eight-month-old baby .

According to the order paper released on Monday, MPs are seeking answers on the enforcement of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA), the economic and health impact of the haze, as well as measures to protect students and outdoor workers.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Singapore's air quality has been affected by transboundary haze since September, prompting the authorities to step up efforts to tackle the pollution and strengthen enforcement. These include setting up a joint task force with Indonesia to investigate firms linked to forest fires, issuing notices to Singapore-based firms for the first time under the THPA, and considering amendments to existing legislation and new laws where necessary. MP Tin Pei Ling (PAP-Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC) asked what actions have been taken to hold companies directly and indirectly responsible for the fires in Indonesia accountable, and what Singapore is doing at the bilateral and regional levels to address the haze. MP Sylvia Lim (WP-Aljunied GRC) sought an update on investigations launched in 2015 into four companies for possible THPA violations, and the specific obstacles that have prevented the cases from being resolved after 11 years. MP Sharael Taha (PAP-Pasir Ris-Changi GRC) asked whether the government would establish a coordinated framework involving the relevant agencies to investigate companies linked to transboundary haze, trace their ultimate owners and financial relationships, and pursue accountability. MP Jamus Lim (WP-Sengkang GRC) asked how many Early Childhood Development Agency-licensed preschools lack air-conditioned indoor spaces and how the agency verifies their readiness to deal with the haze. PROPOSED COE CHANGES MPs also sought clarification on proposed changes to the COE system, including their impact on car affordability and whether rebates would benefit buyers. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) last month proposed merging categories A and B COEs for cars into a single category, alongside a system of surcharges and rebates pegged to a vehicle's open market value. MP Yip Hon Weng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang SMC) asked what market distortion the proposed change is intended to correct, and how the government would assess whether it restores meaningful differentiation between mass-market and higher-value cars. MP Jessica Tan (PAP-East Coast GRC) asked whether the COE review would assess affordability for families and small and medium-sized enterprises that rely on cars or commercial vehicles. She also wanted to know whether measures would be considered to support those priced out of car ownership by market-driven COE prices. MP Edward Chia (PAP-Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) asked whether LTA has set the proposed fee-and-rebate as a percentage of the COE price instead of fixed amounts, and what safeguards will ensure that rebates reach buyers and are not absorbed into dealers’ selling prices.

Singapore's air quality has been affected by transboundary haze since September, prompting the authorities to step up efforts to tackle the pollution and strengthen enforcement.

These include setting up a joint task force with Indonesia to investigate firms linked to forest fires, issuing notices to Singapore-based firms for the first time under the THPA, and considering amendments to existing legislation and new laws where necessary.

MP Tin Pei Ling (PAP-Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC) asked what actions have been taken to hold companies directly and indirectly responsible for the fires in Indonesia accountable, and what Singapore is doing at the bilateral and regional levels to address the haze.

MP Sylvia Lim (WP-Aljunied GRC) sought an update on investigations launched in 2015 into four companies for possible THPA violations, and the specific obstacles that have prevented the cases from being resolved after 11 years.

MP Sharael Taha (PAP-Pasir Ris-Changi GRC) asked whether the government would establish a coordinated framework involving the relevant agencies to investigate companies linked to transboundary haze, trace their ultimate owners and financial relationships, and pursue accountability.

MP Jamus Lim (WP-Sengkang GRC) asked how many Early Childhood Development Agency-licensed preschools lack air-conditioned indoor spaces and how the agency verifies their readiness to deal with the haze.

PROPOSED COE CHANGES

MPs also sought clarification on proposed changes to the COE system, including their impact on car affordability and whether rebates would benefit buyers.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) last month proposed merging categories A and B COEs for cars into a single category, alongside a system of surcharges and rebates pegged to a vehicle's open market value.

MP Yip Hon Weng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang SMC) asked what market distortion the proposed change is intended to correct, and how the government would assess whether it restores meaningful differentiation between mass-market and higher-value cars.

MP Jessica Tan (PAP-East Coast GRC) asked whether the COE review would assess affordability for families and small and medium-sized enterprises that rely on cars or commercial vehicles.

She also wanted to know whether measures would be considered to support those priced out of car ownership by market-driven COE prices.

MP Edward Chia (PAP-Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) asked whether LTA has set the proposed fee-and-rebate as a percentage of the COE price instead of fixed amounts, and what safeguards will ensure that rebates reach buyers and are not absorbed into dealers’ selling prices.

PUBLIC HEALTHCARE DISRUPTIONS

Several MPs filed questions about the nine-hour disruption to services across all three public healthcare clusters on Oct 13.

The disruption, caused by a technical issue affecting network connectivity, affected multiple healthcare services. National health technology agency Synapxe said there was no indication that it was a cyber incident.

NMP Haresh Singaraju wanted to know if the IT system shared by all three healthcare clusters has an independent fallback, what maximum restoration time applies to such a system and whether it has been met.

MP Joan Pereira (PAP-Tanjong Pagar GRC) asked how many patients were affected, whether backup infrastructure was in place and, if so, why it failed to prevent the disruption.

MP Cassandra Lee (PAP-West Coast-Jurong West GRC) asked whether investigations into the disruption have been completed and whether measures to mitigate future disruptions to digital services are being considered.

Three MPs also asked about safeguards and enhanced measures for child-protection cases following the fatal abuse of an eight-month-old baby.

The infant, who died in September 2024, had been repeatedly abused by his parents. Both were sentenced to jail on Oct 21.

NMP Kenneth Poon asked how suspected abuse involving children aged three and below who are not known to social services is identified and escalated.

He also wanted to know how the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) determines whether warning signs observed separately by caregivers and professionals are linked, so that intervention can take place in time.

NMP Neo Kok Beng asked whether Sensemaking Alerts for Frontline Engagement and Response (SAFER) would have been able to detect such cases, and what measures would be introduced if it could not.

MP Choo Pei Ling (PAP-Chua Chu Kang GRC) asked whether MSF would consider incorporating information from healthcare encounters involving young children into SAFER’s cross-agency assessment of child-protection risks.

She also wanted to know what safeguards were in place to ensure that repeated medical visits or suspected non-accidental injuries were properly assessed and followed up.

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议员们就跨境雾霾问题提出了 50 多个问题，还就拟议的 COE 变更、公共医疗服务中断以及一名八个月大的婴儿遭受致命虐待等问题提出了疑问。

新加坡国会大厦资料照片（图片：CNA/Jeremy Long）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：周二（11月3日）国会开会时，跨境烟霾问题以及追究企业对印尼森林火灾责任的努力将成为关注焦点。

国会议员们就雾霾问题提出了 50 多个问题，包括新加坡的法律是否有效应对这一反复出现的问题，以及为什么对 2015 年雾霾事件中四家公司的调查在 11 年后仍未结案。

议员们还就资格证书（COE）制度的拟议变更、公共医疗保健集群中持续数小时的系统中断以及一名八个月大的婴儿死亡后防止虐待儿童的保障措施提出了质询。

根据周一公布的议程文件，议员们正在寻求有关《跨境烟霾污染法》（THPA）的执行情况、烟霾对经济和健康的影响，以及保护学生和户外工作者的措施等方面的答案。

CNA游戏 猜词游戏 逐行破解单词 流行词游戏 用给定的字母组成单词 迷你数独 小小的谜题，强大的脑力挑战 迷你填字游戏 小方格，大挑战 单词搜索 尽可能多地找出单词 显示更多 显示更少 自9月以来，新加坡的空气质量一直受到跨境烟霾的影响，促使当局加大力度治理污染并加强执法。这些措施包括与印尼成立联合工作组，调查与森林火灾有关的公司；首次根据《跨境污染防治法》向新加坡公司发出通知；以及考虑在必要时修订现有法律和制定新法律。国会议员陈佩玲（人民行动党-马林百列-布莱德尔岭集选区）询问，政府采取了哪些行动来追究直接或间接对印尼火灾负有责任的公司的责任，以及新加坡在双边和区域层面为解决烟霾问题做了哪些工作。林瑞莲议员（工人党-阿裕尼集选区）询问2015年对四家公司可能违反《跨境烟霾法》的调查进展情况，以及11年来案件仍未解决的具体障碍。沙拉尔·塔哈议员（人民行动党-巴西立-樟宜集选区）询问政府是否会建立一个协调机制，由相关机构参与，调查与跨境烟霾有关的公司，追溯其最终所有者和财务关系，并追究其责任。林志蔚议员（工人党-盛港集选区）询问有多少家获得幼儿发展局许可的幼儿园缺乏空调室内空间，以及该机构如何核实其应对烟霾的准备情况。拥车证制度改革提案 议员们还要求澄清拥车证制度的拟议改革，包括其对汽车购买力的影响，以及回扣是否会使购车者受益。陆路交通管理局（LTA）上个月提议将A类和B类汽车拥车证（COE）合并为单一类别，并推出一套与车辆公开市场价值挂钩的附加费和回扣制度。人民行动党义顺单选区议员叶汉荣询问，这项拟议的改革旨在纠正哪些市场扭曲现象，以及政府将如何评估其是否能有效区分大众市场汽车和高价值汽车。人民行动党东海岸集选区议员陈慧珊询问，拥车证审查是否会评估依赖汽车或商用车的家庭和中小企业的负担能力。她还想知道，政府是否会考虑采取措施，帮助那些因市场主导的拥车证价格而买不起车的人。人民行动党荷兰-武吉知马集选区议员谢德伟询问，陆路交通管理局是否已将拟议的费用和回扣设定为拥车证价格的百分比，而不是固定金额，以及将采​​取哪些保障措施来确保回扣真正惠及购车者，而不是被经销商的售价所抵消。

自9月以来，新加坡的空气质量受到跨境雾霾的影响，促使当局加大力度治理污染并加强执法。

这些措施包括与印度尼西亚成立联合工作组，调查与森林火灾有关的公司；首次根据《森林火灾法》向新加坡公司发出通知；以及考虑在必要时修改现有法律和制定新法律。

国会议员陈佩玲（人民行动党-马林百列-布莱德尔高地集选区）询问，已采取哪些行动追究直接和间接造成印尼火灾的公司的责任，以及新加坡在双边和区域层面正在采取哪些措施来解决烟霾问题。

国会议员林瑞莲（工人党-阿裕尼集选区）要求了解2015年对四家公司可能违反《泰国酒店和旅游法》的调查的最新进展，以及11年来阻碍案件解决的具体障碍。

议员沙拉尔·塔哈（人民行动党-巴西立-樟宜集选区）质问政府是否会建立一个协调框架，让相关机构参与调查与跨境烟霾有关的公司，追溯其最终所有者和财务关系，并追究其责任。

国会议员林志蔚（工人党-盛港集选区）询问，有多少所获得幼儿发展局许可的幼儿园缺乏空调室内空间，以及该机构如何核实它们应对雾霾的准备情况。

拟议的 COE 变更

议员们还要求澄清拥车证制度的拟议变更，包括这些变更对汽车可负担性的影响，以及回扣是否会使购车者受益。

陆路交通管理局（LTA）上个月提议将汽车的 A 类和 B 类拥车证合并为一类，并制定与车辆公开市场价值挂钩的附加费和回扣制度。

议员叶汉荣（人民行动党-义顺单选区）询问，拟议的变更旨在纠正哪些市场扭曲，以及政府将如何评估它是否恢复了大众市场汽车和高价值汽车之间的有意义差异。

国会议员陈慧珊（人民行动党东海岸集选区）询问拥车证审查是否会评估依赖汽车或商用车的家庭和中小企业的负担能力。

她还想知道是否会考虑采取措施来帮助那些因市场驱动的拥车证价格而买不起车的人。

国会议员谢永康（人民行动党-荷兰-武吉知马集选区）询问陆路交通管理局是否已将拟议的费用和回扣设定为拥车证价格的百分比而不是固定金额，以及有哪些保障措施将确保回扣到达买家手中，而不是被经销商的售价所吸收。

公共卫生中断

10 月 13 日，三个公共医疗保健集群的服务中断了九个小时，多位议员就此提出质询。

此次中断是由影响网络连接的技术问题引起的，波及多个医疗服务机构。国家卫生技术机构Synapxe表示，没有迹象表明这是一起网络安全事件。

NMP Haresh Singaraju 想知道这三个医疗保健集群共享的 IT 系统是否有独立的备用方案，此类系统的最大恢复时间是多少，以及是否已达到该时间。

国会议员琼·佩雷拉（人民行动党-丹戎巴葛集选区）询问有多少病人受到影响，是否有备用基础设施，如果有，为什么未能阻止中断。

国会议员李嘉欣（人民行动党西海岸裕廊西集选区）询问，对此次中断事件的调查是否已经完成，以及是否正在考虑采取措施来减轻未来数字服务的中断。

在一名八个月大的婴儿因遭受虐待而死亡后，三名议员还询问了有关儿童保护案件的保障措施和加强措施。

这名婴儿于2024年9月去世，生前曾多次遭到父母虐待。他的父母于10月21日被判入狱。

非选区议员潘建民询问，如何识别和上报涉及三岁及以下儿童且社会服务机构不了解的疑似虐待儿童案件。

他还想知道社会及家庭发展部 (MSF) 如何确定护理人员和专业人员分别观察到的预警信号是否有关联，以便及时进行干预。

非议员梁国明询问，前线参与和响应意识警报系统（SAFER）是否能够发现此类案件，如果不能，将会采取哪些措施。

国会议员朱佩玲（人民行动党-蔡厝港集选区）询问社会及家庭发展部是否会考虑将涉及幼儿的医疗保健信息纳入SAFER的跨机构儿童保护风险评估中。

她还想知道有哪些保障措施可以确保对反复就医或疑似非意外伤害进行适当的评估和跟进。

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