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http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/04/14/wp-poses-29-parliament-questions-for-14-apr-sitting/ WP poses 29 questions for 14/4 parliamentary sitting April 14th, 2014 | Author: Contributions Parliament resumes with questions raised on housing, health, sports, PIC, transport, defence, education, and communications. QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* *7. Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority has been checking the passports of all outbound and inbound travellers at all ports of exit and entry against Interpol’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database in the last three years; (b) how many travellers have been caught using lost or stolen passports which are not their own; and © what punishments have been meted out for the commission of such offences. *11. Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information with regard to the local pay TV rates for the FIFA World Cup 2014, whether the Ministry will consider conducting a thorough review of the regulatory framework and policies that govern the broadcast of popular soccer and sporting events in Singapore so as to better protect the interests of the viewing public. *16. Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for National Development in respect of the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (a) what is the formula for pricing the rental rates for flats under this scheme; (b) what are the costs involved in providing these rental flats; © what has been the number of applications for 3-room flat types; and (d) whether the rental rates can be lowered to encourage the take-up rate for the bigger flat types. *21. Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Health what efforts are ongoing to educate the public on the effects of the compulsory donation provisions of the Human Organ Transplant Act so as to minimise distress to family members of patients who meet the criteria for compulsory harvesting of organs. *26. Mr Yee Jenn Jong: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the status of negotiations on the ASEAN Economic Community goal to free up the movement of professionals; and (b) what safeguards will be put in place to protect Singapore PMETs and to ensure national control over our immigration policies. *31. Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) on average, what percentage of GST paid by the lowest 20% of households (by income) is offset by all forms of GST Vouchers last year; and (b) whether the Government will consider fully offsetting the GST paid by all households in the lowest quintile even in years when there are no one-off Special Payments made. *33. Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for National Development what is the roadmap to bring the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) to the 200 blocks of HDB flats that are currently without full lift access now that the main LUP is coming to an end in December 2014. *37. Mr Yee Jenn Jong: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the Ministry is satisfied with the distribution of the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) claims between the six different qualifying activities; and (b) what measures does the Government have to increase the usage of PIC by companies in activities more directly related to innovation. *39. Ms Lee Li Lian: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how does LTA implement localised traffic schemes that restrict the entry of heavy vehicles to areas around schools or that have high pedestrian activity; (b) whether monitoring is done on a regular basis to assess the effectiveness of such schemes; and © whether LTA requires contractors who undertake projects to build flats or commercial projects to submit route planning for their heavy vehicles to ensure the safety of school children and residents living in the vicinity. *42. Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Defence whether the RSAF has measures in place to identify and be alerted of aircraft flying near Singapore which veer off their flight path so that they can be intercepted in time before they reach Singapore. *44. Mr Yee Jenn Jong: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development how does the Ministry track the availability of student care places in the industry and whether it will track and publish the provision of student care places as one of its key performance indicators in the Government’s Budget Book on revenue and expenditure estimates. *45. Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for Transport with regard to the introduction of ERP2 in 2020 (a) what is the roadmap to roll out the new islandwide GPS-based road pricing system and its value-added services; (b) what is the estimated cost of ERP2; and © what are the safeguards to minimise privacy issues. *49. Ms Lee Li Lian: To ask the Minister for Education for Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses and National Institute of Technical Education Certificate (Nitec) and Higher Nitec courses (a) what are the current subsidised and full module fees for Singapore citizens; (b) since 2012, what is the trend of drop-out rates and the percentage of Singaporean students who drop out because they are charged full fees for repeating modules; and © whether the subsidies can be reduced instead of being withdrawn completely for repeating modules so as not to discourage learners. *52. Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for National Development regarding HDB’s Public Rental Scheme (a) what is the rationale for pegging the rental rate to market rent; (b) whether the rate should be revised given market rent inflation outpacing the income growth of low-income households; and © whether the rental rate can instead be pegged to the median income of targeted income groups to ensure affordability. *57. Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Government will abolish or review the resale levy payable by persons who inherit subsidised HDB flats upon the demise of the former lessees. QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER 8. Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance what percentage of the Net Investment Returns (NIR) on the net assets managed by Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Temasek Holdings is contributed to the Government’s Budget as Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC) for each of the last five years, given that NIRC comprises up to 50% of the NIR on the net assets managed by GIC and MAS and up to 50% of the investment income from the remaining assets (which includes those of Temasek Holdings). 10. Ms Lee Li Lian: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information whether IDA uses technologically advanced and more accurate methods to audit mobile network traffic logs besides drive and walk tests and, if so, what are these methods. 11. Ms Lee Li Lian: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information in light of drop call rates published by IDA which state that subscribers should only experience 2.7 to 4.1 dropped calls for every 1,000 phone calls that they make (a) whether this accurately reflects what subscribers are experiencing on the ground; and (b) what measures are taken to ensure that the results are in line with actual experience. 12. Ms Lee Li Lian: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information how does IDA conclude that the drop call rate is a measure of the availability of radio channels to handle and maintain established phone calls when there have been no tests done or monitored for the availability of radio channels based on IDA’s Quality of Service standards and performance results. 13. Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) since 2005, how many Singaporeans, permanent residents and foreigners respectively have more than three pre-paid SIM cards registered under their name; and (b) how many of these pre-paid SIM card users have not topped up their SIM cards at least once in the six-month window as required for their continued use. 17. Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Law (a) how many victim compensation orders have been granted by the courts under section 359 of the Criminal Procedure Code in 2012 and 2013 respectively; and (b) what is the range of compensation amounts awarded and for what types of offences. 18. Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Health in 2013, how many patients who are prescribed drugs at restructured hospitals do not collect their medication at all or do not collect the full course of their prescriptions. 19. Mr Yee Jenn Jong: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what content is covered in the language, orientation and immersion programmes for foreign healthcare professionals and what is the duration of such programmes; (b) how many foreign healthcare staff have attended these programmes each year in the last five years; and © what percentage of total foreign healthcare staff does this participation represent. 20. Mr Chen Show Mao: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what plans are there to expand the target medical and nursing intakes beyond the current 500 and 2,750 respectively; (b) what are the constraints to expanding the target intakes; and © what steps can be taken to overcome these constraints. 21. Mr Chen Show Mao: To ask the Minister for Health in respect of accident and emergency departments of public hospitals (a) in addition to the median waiting time for admissions to wards, whether the 95th percentile waiting time for admissions is tracked; (b) what waiting times for registration and consultation are tracked; © what an acceptable waiting time should be for registration, consultation and admission to ward; and (d) whether these waiting times can be released on a weekly basis in addition to median waiting time for admissions. 22. Mr Chen Show Mao: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what steps are being taken in implementing a nationwide programme for colonoscopy; (b) how much additional resources are needed in terms of facilities and number of specialists for such a programme; © whether there is a timeframe for implementing such a programme; and (d) given that screening participation rates typically take time to build up, whether the Ministry will consider running a pilot programme in the interim. 25. Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the breakdown of the motorcycle population in the Class 2, 2A and 2B categories for each year from 2011 to 2013; (b) what is the amount of COE revenue collected from the three categories respectively for each year from 2011 to 2013; and © whether the Ministry will consider abolishing COEs for motorcycles in the Class 2B category as these lower capacity motorcycles are usually used by lower-income persons for work purposes. 27. Mr Yee Jenn Jong: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what percentage of pre-schools are currently certified under the Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework (SPARK); (b) what percentage of kindergartens and childcare centres are certified under SPARK respectively; © what is the share of SPARK-certified centres from the five anchor operators; (d) what percentage of pre-schools operated by the anchor operators are SPARK-certified; and (e) whether the Ministry can provide an update on its effort to get centres tested under SPARK. 30. Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Acting Minister for Manpower how does the Government plan to raise the wages of local low-wage workers in industries other than cleaning, security and landscaping given that that there are around 110,000 employed residents in Singapore earning less than $1,000 per month (excluding part-time workers) and the enforcement of the Progressive Wage Model in these three industries is expected to impact only about 80,000 low-wage workers. Source: WP Facebook page

Python hides in Eunosville toilet bowl, bites housewife's thigh May 1 was Labour Day, her son's second birthday, and now, Madam Noraslinda Asat (above) has another reason to remember this date for life. The 34-year-old housewife was bitten by a python as she sat on the toilet bowl last Thursday, around 5.10pm. She was in her Eunosville home's master bedroom ensuite bathroom when she felt the sharp pain. Standing up, she saw the jaws of a 1.8m-long python clamped on the back of her right thigh. She was taken to hospital where she received an injection and was discharged. The snake has not been caught and Madam Noraslinda is still traumatised. She has refused to use either toilet at home, preferring public ones at places like the coffee shop. Read the full report in The New Paper on Thursday (May 8) http://www.tnp.sg/content/python-hides-eunosville-toilet-bowl-bites-housewifes-thigh This is scary! If it was a man in this case, his kuku bird might have been bitten off by the python. Make it a habit to look carefully into the toilet bowl before sitting down to do your business.

Recently encountered this scenario at a shopping center. There is a loading and unloading area nearest to the supermarket at the entrance linking the supermarket and the carpark. Beside this entrance, as well, there are about 4 lots for shoppers to park. The way the entrance and the lots are position, one has to do a 3 point turn to get out of the loading area most of the time. during this 3 point turn, your car may be facing the lots, or you could be reversing into the direction of the lot, depending on whether you are doing a clockwise or counter-clockwise 3 point turn. I was loading my shopping into the car at the loading area. To get out, i had to do a counter-clockwise 3 point turn, such that the rear of my car will face the parking lots before i can exist the loading area. the lot which my car will be "reversing" towards became free. These two woman walked by, decided they want their family car to be parked there as it is nearer the shopping entrance. so the driver when to get his car, while the two woman stand within the lot to "reserve" the lot. I am fine by that. in fact, i do not really care as i do not need that lot anyway. Then the younger woman decided to sit on the kerb while waiting for the car to arrive. I then return the trolley and tried to turn out of the loading area. Because she is sitting on the kerb, i could not see her in any of my mirrors and was afraid to reverse too much, making my 3 point turn into a multi-point turn. Frustrated, i got out of the car and confronted the woman :" Do you know it is dangerous to sit on the kerb in a high traffic area? what happens if i knocked into you cos i cannot see you?" She retorted:" you got pass your license or not?" boy was i peeved. a few angry words were exchanged, and they hurling insults my way wasn't helping. I drove of, angry at the whole situation, and amazed at the stupidity of these two women. Long story short, what would you have done in a similar situation? would it be your fault if you accidently droved into them because you cannot see them, when they delibrately sit on the kerb knowing that you are gonna be reversing into the direction where they are sitting?

Bros here.. I have sciatica, but not developed into slip disc yet. Recently I sit pain, lie on my tummy pain also. really dont have a clue how i can do my work lying on my back. Physio and hamstring stretchings are not doing me any relief. I can basically stand and palm touch ground now, yes, palms touch ground legs straight. Pain is getting persistant. Any advice for temp pain relief, stretching exercises and stuffs?

GIC's loss in UBS is almost equivalent to the total cost of: Circle Line costs $6.7 billion DownTown Line costs $1.4 billion a hefty loss of 50% in a stock... what's the difference between the smart ones and ordinary retailers?

As above, anyone seen them before? There will be 2 or 3 people stting at the entrance on the entrance taking down the number plate of every cars that turn in. They will be there from morning to night. What are they doing?

For the record, I pee sitting down only at home. I don't wanna risk spraying everywhere in the middle of the night in a sleepy stupor. Though I pee standing in mornings cos of, um, morning wood.

saw two aunties, as pic... [inline DSC01647.jpg] then noticed that they key all vehicle no into their handheld, new darth ?? for RFIDed CP ? mice