Topics to Include Exposed NRIC Numbers, Allianz Deal, SingPost Performance, and Rising Living Costs

As Singapore’s Parliament reconvenes on Tuesday, January 7, Workers’ Party (WP) Members of Parliament (MPs) are preparing to raise a series of important national issues. Among the matters they plan to highlight are the exposed NRIC numbers on ACRA’s Bizfile portal, the abandoned Allianz-Income deal, concerns surrounding SingPost’s service performance, and the increasing cost of living.

One of the key concerns to be raised by Dennis Tan, the Hougang SMC MP, pertains to the NRIC numbers that were unintentionally made public on the Bizfile portal between December 9 and 13. Tan is seeking answers from Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong regarding the potential risks of these details being exploited by fraudsters or sold for malicious purposes. He is also questioning whether the government will offer compensation to those affected by the exposure. Other WP MPs, including Opposition Leader Pritam Singh, are also calling for greater transparency, such as the exact number of exposed records and whether any prior consultations occurred before this incident.

In response to the breach, the government has issued an apology, with Minister for Digital Development Josephine Teo assuring the public that their concerns were taken seriously. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah explained that the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding, and ACRA’s CEO Chia-Tern Huey Min also expressed regret over the situation.

Another critical issue raised by Sylvia Lim, the WP Chair and MP for Aljunied GRC, focuses on the cancellation of the Allianz-Income deal. Lim has asked the government what lessons have been learned from this situation and how such incidents will be avoided in the future. Additionally, Mr Singh will be questioning whether SingPost’s performance, especially regarding its service obligations, has been compromised in light of these challenges.

Gerald Giam, MP for Aljunied GRC, will also raise concerns about the rising cost of living. He has submitted a question to the Minister for Manpower regarding whether the CPF Board has reviewed the adequacy of the $140,000 CPF contribution threshold for the Silver Support Scheme, particularly in light of ongoing inflation. Giam is seeking clarification on whether this threshold will be adjusted to better reflect the current cost of living.

The session will be streamed live, and the list of MPs scheduled to speak will be made available on the Parliament of Singapore’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel.