SINGAPORE — Members of Parliament on Monday (Sept 10) raised questions on topics ranging from full-time national servicemen going absent without official leave (AWOL) due to financial hardship, to complaints that the National Library Board has received about books with homosexual content.

With the current term of Nominated Members of Parliament ending this month, Leader of the House Grace Fu thanked the nine NMPs for contributing to parliamentary debates. The majority of them – such as Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin, Mr Kok Heng Leun, Mr Azmoon Ahmad and Mr Thomas Chua – are expected to step down.

Mr Kok also raised a motion for adjournment on addressing issues that limit artistic expression in everyday places.

Here are snippets from the Parliament sitting:

1) 11 complaints made about books with homosexual content since 2014

The National Library Board (NLB) has received 11 complaints from the public over books with homosexual content since 2014. Of these titles, eight were moved to sections for older readers while three were deemed suitable to remain in the original collection for children and young adults.

The NLB received feedback on 23 titles due to race, religion and other topics. Seven of these were moved to sections for older readers, while eight stayed in the original collection, said Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran.

A series of eight Malay children’s titles – Agama, Tamadun Dan Arkeologi (Religion, Civilisation and Archeology – were withdrawn from library shelves last year, due to controversial religious content. Published in Malaysia in 2013, the series focuses on different civilisations and religions.

Mr Iswaran said that titles are chosen based on a "collection policy which aims to provide age-appropriate and diverse reading material". It also takes reference from the Info-communications Media Development Authority’s general Content Guidelines for Imported Publications.

2) oBike being investigated for misappropriation of funds

The police are investigating beleaguered bicycle-sharing operator oBike Singapore for misappropriation of funds, said Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam.

Non-Constituency MP Dennis Tan asked whether the former directors and management of oBike Singapore will be investigated by the Commercial Affairs Department for the alleged transfer to oBike Hong Kong of S$10 million that was allegedly collected from Singapore customers.

oBike abruptly shut down operations in Singapore in June, saying it was tough to meet new rules under a licensing regime to tackle indiscriminate parking.

The operator currently owes S$8.9 million to more than 200,000 users here, who paid between S$19 and S$49 in deposits.

Its liquidators’ attempts to get back users’ deposits have hit a roadblock as well. About S$10 million of the S$11.7 million that oBike Singapore received in customer deposits and top-ups were transferred to its Hong Kong business as “prepayments”.

TODAY has reached out to oBike and its liquidators, FTI Consulting, for comments.

3) About 350 defaulted on NS, on average, annually over past decade

Over the last decade, an average of 350 National Service defaulters each year either failed to register or enlist for NS, or did not return to Singapore after their exit permit expired.

About one-third of them have been arrested or have come forward, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in a written parliamentary reply.

The Enlistment Act governs the enforcement and punishment of NS defaulters, and the Ministry of Defence works with the police to arrest defaulters. Those charged with defaulting on NS will be punished accordingly by the courts.

Efforts to trace and contact NS defaulters include sending registered mails to their last known place of residence, including overseas addresses; making house visits to their local addresses; and contact-tracing through their educational institutions.

4) Minority of NSFs go AWOL because of financial problems

Over the last five years, about 14 per cent — or about 28 cases a year — of full-time national servicemen (NSFs) convicted in the General Court Martial for going absent without official leave (AWOL) did so mainly because of financial hardship.

NSFs who need financial support can apply for Term Financial Assistance, a monthly form of assistance that they can get for as long as they are doing their National Service, said Senior Minister of State for Defence Mohamad Maliki Osman.

About 80 per cent of applications are approved, and about 120 NSFs receive it each year for about eight months on average. Sums range from under S$100 to a few thousand dollars every month.

Commanding officers or department heads can also extend a one-off Contingency Grant of up to S$500 to needy NSFs. Another option is the Welfare Grant for high amounts. These schemes benefit more than 50 NSFs every year.

NSFs are not supposed to take on paid work during off-duty hours.

Responding to a supplementary question by Non-Constituency MP Leon Perera, who asked about NSFs reoffending after getting charged with going AWOL, Dr Maliki said that last year, only one NSF went AWOL despite receiving financial support.

“While we take certain action against them, we also continue to assess their financial needs… we counsel them, look at their whole family situation. When necessary, we make referrals to the other help agencies around,” said Dr Maliki.

5) Election deposit could be lower at next General Election 

The election deposit which candidates have to pay could be lowered, under proposed changes to the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill — introduced on Monday — to simplify the computation formula. 

It will be based on an elected MP's fixed monthly allowance, rounded to the nearest S$500. With the new formula, it means the election deposit will be S$13,500 as it is based on the MP’s fixed current monthly allowance of S$13,750.

Under the current formula, the election deposit is a sum equal to 8 per cent of the total allowances payable to an MP in the preceding calendar year, rounded to the nearest S$500.

Using this calculation, the election deposit at the 2015 General Election (GE) was S$14,500. The next GE is due by April, 2021. 

6) Investigations into Tiong Bahru FC wrapping up soon

Police investigations into the possible misuse of funds at Tiong Bahru Football Club and various other entities are in their final phase, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs Amrin Amin.

The recommendations will be submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, added Mr Amrin in response to Nominated MP Ganesh Rajaram who had sought an update on the investigation.

In April last year, local sports governing body Sport Singapore (SportSG) lodged a police report against the National Football League side for suspected misuse of club funds.

There were also allegations that a senior club official attempted to obstruct the completion of audits of S.League (now the Singapore Premier League)'s sit-out clubs.

7) Community hospitals could be approved to certify hospitalisation leave

Community hospitals could be added to the list of approved medical institutions that can certify hospitalisation leave under the Employment Act.

The Manpower Ministry will work with the Health Ministry to update the list, and will consult tripartite partners before finalising it, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo.

Currently, hospitalisation leave issued to patients admitted directly into community hospitals are not recognised.

However, only a small proportion of patients are admitted directly to community hospitals, said Mrs Teo. Most are referred from acute hospitals, and their hospitalisation leave certified by doctors from acute hospitals remain valid under the Act.

West Coast GRC MP Patrick Tay requested for registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to be included in the update, and Mrs Teo said she would look into it.