Speech for the Debate on the President’s Address by MOS Rahayu Mahzam on Digital Inclusion and A Caring Society

Opening

1. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I stand in support of this Motion.

2. The President’s Address reminds us that our success as a nation cannot be measured by economic growth alone – it is also about how we support every Singaporean, young or old, to contribute and to live with dignity. We all play a part in creating communities of care that demonstrate compassion and ability to build common ground despite our varied experiences.

3. This commitment to create communities of care should endure, even as our lives in Singapore become more digitalised. We must be committed to making sure that going digital helps every Singaporean. No one should be left behind. Singaporeans should feel safe and respected in the digital space and all of us, regardless of age, can look ahead with optimism and hope.

Embracing our digital reality

4. Today, digital technology has already woven itself into almost every aspect of life. We access digital government services, use the internet for school and work, shop online at our convenience, and connect with loved ones through messaging apps and social media. This reality brings both opportunities and challenges and we know that the digital transformation is not easy.

   1. Seniors feel overwhelmed trying to keep up with new digital functions and apps.

   2. Some families face financial pressures regarding devices and internet plans.

   3. Parents worry about the impact of screen time and what their children might encounter online, especially with cyberbullying becoming increasingly prevalent.

   4. Our young people feel anxious and stressed by the pressures and comparisons that social media can amplify in their daily lives.

   5. All of us, regardless of age, have probably been caught off guard by increasingly realistic fake content that is becoming harder to identify.

   • These concerns are real, and they matter to us. Let me share what we have been doing, at MDDI, and will continue to do to tackle these challenges.

Digital Inclusion Efforts

Empowering seniors and low-income families

5. We have a longstanding commitment to support our seniors and low-income families in their digitalisation journey.

6. For low-income families, we recognise that technology can feel like yet another financial pressure. That is why we have programmes that offer subsidies for internet access and devices and over 20,000 households have benefited since 2023.

7. During COVID, many activities moved online, leaving some seniors overwhelmed and at a loss with the abrupt changes.

8. So, we set up the SG Digital Office, or SDO, with Digital Ambassadors to support the digitally less savvy with essential digital skills, such as accessing government services like Singpass and health services, and communicating online. Since 2020, SDO has engaged over 400,000 seniors and they will continue to walk alongside seniors on their digital journeys.

9. Mdm Jeannie Chian, 67, from Bukit Batok East, used to feel left behind in our digital world where she saw younger people moved easily through QR codes and mobile payments. She was scared that she would not be able to catch up but she also wanted to be independent. So, when she found out about the SDO's training programmes from a Digital Ambassador during a community event, she decided to give it a try. After attending the programmes, she gained the skills and today, she can confidently use e-payments.

10. Mdm Chian’s experience reflects what we are seeing across Singapore. More and more of our seniors are going online. In 2024, 72% of seniors have the skill to find information online, up from 53% in 2020. While it is also true that there are some seniors who are put off by the fear of being scammed online, the guidance at the SDO programmes help address the concerns. In these programmes, they are also taught how to recognise suspicious links or offers online and build healthy digital habits. It is inspiring to watch them overcome their fears, adopt a positive attitude, and embrace new digital technologies.

11. We also understand that not everyone is ready or able to go fully digital, and that is okay. This is why we have kept alternatives like physical CDC vouchers. Residents who need assistance with government digital transactions can continue to get in-person assistance at government agencies’ physical service touchpoints. They can also visit ServiceSG Centres for assistance with 600 frequently-used government services and schemes. We encourage digital first, but will not be digital only. We will continue to help citizens access government services through whatever means they prefer.

Digital learning opportunities

12. There is so much to learn about digital, and we are trying to make it easier for everyone to be part of a learning community so that we can grow together.

13. We are thinking about our children’s future in this digital world and have introduced new AI for Fun modules to our existing Code for Fun programmes in primary and secondary schools in 2025. Students now get hands-on experience with AI technology, where they can learn to use Gen AI for brainstorming and creating content, while understanding how to use it safely.

14. And this learning journey extends beyond schools and beyond just teaching the young. Earlier this week, I spoke on how libraries serve as places that we can learn new knowledge and exchange ideas with people who have similar interests. The same goes for learning about digital.

15. Take Mr Ronnie Meng, for example. Two years ago, he attended a one-day workshop at MakeIT, the library makerspace in Punggol Regional Library, to learn the basics of 3D printing. The workshop sparked his interest in 3D printing as he could see his ideas brought to life. Recently, he has expanded his skills to include Gen AI tools for advanced designs. Every week, Mr Ronnie returns to the library to create puzzles and toys for his grandchildren, hoping to kindle the same creative passion in them. At MakeIT, he also met people with similar interest and enjoyed exchanging ideas and tips with fellow members. Mr Ronnie’s experience captures the spirit of our libraries as places to spark curiosity, equalise access to technologies, and strengthen community through learning.

16. Beyond libraries, learning also takes place at over 50 Digital Clubs that have been set up by People’s Association Active Ageing Councils and SDO. These Digital Clubs promote peer learning and seniors are encouraged to learn from one another because sometimes the best teacher is the person sitting next to you who just recently figured something out and remembers how confusing it felt at first. To promote more of such learning communities, we will be collaborating with the Agency for Integrated Care to bring these clubs into Active Ageing Centres closer to where seniors normally gather.

Making digital technologies easier to use

17. Having access to technology and knowing how to use it is important but there is another piece of the puzzle that is equally crucial. Digital services should feel intuitive and easy to use for all users.

18. Take banking apps, for example. Most of us find them quite easy to use. But Mr Ng Choon Hwee, 70, who has a visual impairment, faces a very different experience. He uses the voiceover function to tell him what is on the screen but if a banking app is not properly labelled, the voiceover reads out unhelpful descriptions like "button" or "image" that does not allow him to perform the task that he intends. A straightforward task like checking his bank balance or reviewing transactions becomes a frustrating guessing game. Beyond incorporating inclusive design features that serve users with special needs, a well-designed app enhances usability for all of us, regardless of age or ability.

19. That is why we are working to improve this and as government, we are taking the lead. We recently refreshed the Digital Service Standards, which serves as a set of guidelines for designing government digital services. The new standards guide developers in aspects of digital accessibility so that digital government services are compatible with assistive technology and are easier to use.

20. We are also actively involving citizens in improving user experience of digital government services and ensuring such services are accessible to all. A key part of this effort is our Tech Kaki community. Tech Kaki brings together citizens from all walks of life who share their experiences and insights to help us design better government digital services. For example, the Health Promotion Board, or HPB, engaged over 800 Tech Kaki members, for feedback on their user experience and the useful insights shared led to refinements in the Healthy 365 app features. Such efforts contribute to ensuring the app is accessible to all Singaporeans, to support them in living healthily.

21. Our hope is that whether it is applying for housing, booking a doctor’s appointment, or seeking social support services, the experience should be smooth and reassuring for all users. Accessible digital design is about more than just lines of code. It represents our shared commitment to building an equitable, thriving environment where everyone can take part confidently and with ease.

Keeping our online spaces safe and respectful

Addressing online harm and negative behaviour

22. Now, I would address something that has been weighing on many of our minds – keeping our online spaces safe and welcoming for everyone; especially for our children.

23. In addition to the threat of misinformation and disinformation, we are seeing the troubling rise in online harms and negative online behaviour. According to MDDI’s Online Safety Poll 2024, more than 70 per cent of respondents indicated that they have encountered harmful online content such as cyber bullying.

24. To better protect Singaporeans from online harms, we have been strengthening our regulatory tools. For instance,

    1. The Broadcasting Act was amended to allow us to enhance online safety of Online Communication Services (OCSs), which at present comprise social media services and app distribution services, also known as app stores.

    2. The amended Broadcasting Act grants IMDA the legal powers to issue directions to disable access by Singapore users to egregious content found on OCSs, such as content depicting child sexual exploitation. Furthermore, the amendment also provides IMDA with the legal powers to issue Codes of Practice to require designated social media platforms and app stores to put in place systems and processes to mitigate the risks of exposure to harmful content for all Singapore users, especially for children.

25. We are also stepping up efforts to improve support systems for those affected by online harms.

26. We will be establishing an Online Safety Commission next year to provide timely and accessible assistance to victims who encounter online harms, such as cyberbullying and intimate image abuse.

27. We will continue to review our legislation and build necessary regulatory safeguards. We are already studying approaches taken in jurisdictions like UK, EU and Australia. In particular, we are looking at the implementation of age assurance measures in these places to guide our own efforts. We are engaging social media platforms, think tanks, technology vendors to understand the space. We want to put in place effective legislation that can protect our children from harmful and inappropriate content online.

28. However, legislative levers alone cannot create the kind of safe and trusted online community we want to live in. For that to happen, we each must play our part to build a culture of respect and kindness in our shared digital space.

Fostering a culture of respect and accountability

29. I am encouraged by how families are stepping up. Parenting in the digital era comes with real challenge, and I see parents putting in their best efforts. Based on our recent Digital Parenting Survey, we know that the majority of parents guide children’s digital use but many have expressed little or no confidence in doing so. Beyond stronger legislation, parents wanted access to relevant resources such as online courses, guides and workshops that can help them manage their child’s digital activities. Today, we have the Guidance on Screen Use in Children to provide clear advice on the matter, a Positive Use Guide to guide healthy and positive uses of technology and social media and the Parenting for Wellness initiative with resources to address matters such as cyberbullying and managing screen use.

30. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a whole-of-society commitment to successfully support parents and youth in the digital age. We are committed to partnering with community and industry partners to make practical and accessible resources readily available for every parent. These resources will be tailored according to the various stages in the parenting journey, based on their child’s developmental age range, and their experiences with key digital milestones (for example, first exposure to screens, first phone). We want to support parents in cultivating healthy digital habits in their children from a young age.

31. However, creating a positive online culture is not just about parents and children. Every single one of us contributes to shaping our shared digital space. I would like to encourage all of us to be kind in our digital interactions and cultivate habits of care that extend to the online space. Maybe before we share that post, we can pause and consider how our words might affect someone else. When we see cyberbullying happening, perhaps we could report it instead of scrolling past silently. These might feel like small gestures, but they will shape the digital culture we are all part of. As many in this House have alluded to, building a ‘We First’ society starts with Me.

Our Shared Journey Forward

32. The Government is committed to ensuring every Singaporean can be part of our digital future. Progress in building our Smart Nation must be shared by all, and no one should be excluded or left behind.

33. The vision of an inclusive digital society is a shared responsibility that requires us to all lean in.

    1. We would like to invite community partners to help support digital parenting in this ever-changing landscape.

    2. We encourage companies and agencies to adopt accessible digital design practices.

    3. And as individuals, we can help a neighbour or family member with picking up a new digital skill, model positive use of technology for our children, and simply choosing kindness in our online interactions.

34. Together, we can build a Smart Nation that genuinely serves everyone – not just those who are digitally-savvy, but all of us, with our different abilities and needs. The digital future is inevitable, but the kind of digital future we create is entirely up to us. Let us make it one we can all be proud of.

35. Thank you.