Digital Inclusion
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Sir, digitalising services improves efficiency and convenience for both individuals and organisations. However, some Singaporeans struggle to keep up, whether due to physical limitations, lack of digital literacy or difficulties adapting. These individuals risk being left behind as more Government and business services move online.
Providing parallel paper applications is not always a solution to digital marginalisation. Instead, all agencies should have walk-in computer stations staffed by officers who are trained in that agency’s processes. These officers should guide users through digital applications, helping them to use the systems independently over time.
ServiceSG centres play an important role in guiding citizens through Government e-services, but their officers cannot be expected to know every agency’s processes in detail. While they assist with common digital functions, they are not equipped to handle complex applications like for a Long-Term Visit Pass or public defender. Government agencies must take responsibility for guiding users through their own systems. The ServiceSG network should also be expanded, including to Serangoon.
The Seniors Go Digital programme was introduced to help older Singaporeans navigate digital services. How effective has it been so far? How many seniors have been trained and to what extent has their digital literacy improved? Are there plans to expand the programme to reach more citizens?
Beyond basic training, digital inclusion efforts should also ensure that seniors and other digitally marginalised groups can more confidently use essential platforms, including communication apps that connect them with the family, businesses and Government agencies.
Sir, digitalisation must bring greater inclusion, not create new barriers, so that all Singaporeans, regardless of age, ability or financial means, can fully benefit from digitalisation.
Public Opinion Surveys
Sir, last year, I took a survey conducted at the doorstep of my flat which covered various political and social topics. I was asked about my satisfaction with life, the economy and my neighbourhood. I was also asked to rate whether I believe the Government makes decisions in the best interest of Singapore, whether it takes my opinion seriously and if there are enough channels to voice my views. I was also asked to rate the quality of the Armed Forces, Civil Service, mainstream media and online media, as well as my confidence in the Police and the Courts. There were questions on affordability, whether I find housing, healthcare, public transport and education affordable. I was asked about competition from foreigners at work, the pace of immigration and the quality of migrants. Lastly, I was asked how strongly I identify as a Singaporean and whether I would migrate to another country for a better quality of life.
When I asked who commissioned the survey, the pollster could not tell me. More recently, I saw another pollster conducting a similar survey in my neighbourhood. I also received similar surveys via phone in the past. Are these surveys being commissioned by the Government? And if so, which Ministry is responsible? Are they used only to shape public policy or are they also used to gauge public sentiment for electoral purposes?
If public funds are being used, the results should be made public. Otherwise, there is a risk that such surveys will be seen as serving partisan interests rather than benefiting Singapore and Singaporeans as a whole.
The Minister of State for Digital Development and Information (Ms Rahayu Mahzam): Even as we enhance the user-friendliness of digital services, we acknowledge that some Singaporeans will need physical support to access Government services. Dr Tan Wu Meng and Ms Denise Phua highlighted this in the Budget debate and Mr Gerald Giam raised this in his cut.
Residents who need assistance with Government digital transactions can continue to get in-person assistance at Government agencies’ physical service touchpoints. Trained service ambassadors will assist less digitally confident individuals with their transactions. Residents can also visit ServiceSG centres for assistance with 600 frequently used Government services and schemes. The Government will continue to be citizen-centric in our approach and make non-digital options available so that no one is left out.
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Mr Gerald Giam and Ms Hany Soh asked about Seniors Go Digital. The SG Digital Office (SDO) will continue to help citizens acquire the digital skills needed for day-to-day living based on the Digital Skills for Life (DSL) framework. This prevents digital isolation, as Miss Rachel Ong raised in the Budget debate.
Since 2020, SDO has trained more than 370,000 seniors. Ninety-six percent of seniors communicate online as of 2023, up from 87% in 2017.
IMDA will be enhancing the DSL framework with content on Gen AI, explaining the basics of it, its risks and how to manage them, and applications for daily activities, like generating recommendations for places to eat at or leisure activities to try. Interested learners can register for SDO workshops or learn at their own pace through resources on the Digital for Life Portal. There are also many Singaporeans who are keen to embrace new technologies like AI.
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In the work that the Government does, it is always important to check in on the sentiments of the community. This allows us to accurately identify Singaporeans’ concerns and align with the expectation for a responsive Government.
Mr Gerald Giam shared his experience with surveys and asked if they were commissioned by the Government. It is unfortunate that the poster did not disclose to Mr Giam the identity of the commissioning party for the survey. Without the benefit of seeing the actual questionnaire, it is difficult to say for sure that the surveys were conducted by the Government.
In MDDI’s case, we conduct regular polls to gauge the public’s awareness of scams as well as the quality of mainstream and online media and the public’s news consumption habits. When asked by respondents, our representatives would identify MDDI as the commissioning agency for the surveys.
We conduct the media polls to help Government agencies adjust their public communication efforts to better reach target segments on key national policies. They also help shape our public broadcast funding. The poll findings on scams help MDDI to shape our policies to tackle online harm.
The findings from the Government-commissioned surveys —
The Chairman: Minister of State Rahayu, you might want to round up.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: Yes, just two more paragraphs.
The findings from the Government-commissioned surveys are shared publicly when it is useful to do so. However, as the surveys are commissioned primarily to shape public policy, not all findings are suitable for public release.
As to Mr Giam’s concern that Government-commissioned surveys could be used for non-public policy purposes, funding for such surveys is subject to the same governance requirements as other forms of public expenditure undertaken by Government agencies.
To conclude, Mr Chairman, we invite everyone – individuals, companies and community organisations – to become a partner of the Digital for Life movement and join us in our efforts to help Singapore build an inclusive and cohesive digital society. All of us have a part to play in making our online space a safe, healthy and positive one.
The Chairman: Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: Sir, I note that Minister of State Rahayu said that citizens who are less digitally-savvy can get in-person assistance. Can I confirm that all Government agencies are expected to provide in-person assistance for their e-services?
Second, can the Minister of State also confirm that all pollsters engaged by the Government are expected to disclose that they were commissioned by the Government and name the agency without being requested by the respondent?
Lastly, can the Ministry also look into publishing at least summaries of these public opinion surveys?
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: Mr Chairman, let me take the second and third questions.
In respect of the surveys, just to clarify, MDDI does not coordinate all surveys that are done by the Government because each Government agency will have to look at that individually. They will have different needs and may address different issues. So, we cannot confirm that.
It may be that, for some surveys, there may be a preference to have it as anonymised in that sense because the response, if you are told that it is something that is asked by the Government, may then not be accurate and may be skewed because if you are asked, say, for benefits, whether they should be improved or increased, without assessing the situation, the person might just respond because it is the Government, expecting that it should be changed, to just ask for more.
So, I think there are certain considerations which I would not want to assume, because different agencies may do it differently.
On the Member’s third question, all surveys are done in the interest of the public. It is really, where possible, if the information that is garnered from those surveys is useful, we would want to put it up. We want to be as rich as possible so as to encourage public discussion.
But there are certain matters that may not be as suitable. Considerations include, let us say, some data include confidential or personal data that can be reidentified if it is put out there. There may be certain sensitivities in issues of, say, racial and religious issues, if we have done surveys on that and certain matters come up. And there may be certain understanding or contracts that we may have with certain agencies that we partner in doing some of those surveys.
So, there are different considerations for different surveys and, therefore, there is a different approach.
The Member had one more question. Yes, on our services. I think we endeavour as much as possible to make sure that there are alternatives and support. Like I said, we set up the ServiceSG centres for the purposes of that. As much as possible, we will endeavour to make sure that those who are in need, who are unable to access it, will be able to get the help they need. And I think that can be done in many different forms. So, if there are concerns highlighted to us, we will see how we can close those gaps.
Ministry of Digital Development and Information
7 March 2025
https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/sprs3topic?reportid=budget-2620
Office of the Leader of the Opposition 