Mr Speaker Sir, I rise to speak on the IMDA (Amendment) Bill. I declare my interest as Assistant Secretary-General of NTUC.
The Labour Movement welcomes this Bill. Stricter merger approval requirements, clearer direction powers for IMDA against anti-competitive conduct, and a more coherent framework as our telecoms, broadcasting and newspaper sectors converge are timely and important. I support the intent of the Bill, and I would like to raise three areas where we can strengthen the worker dimension so that the sector remains competitive, while our workers and PMEs have confidence through change.
Under this Bill, IMDA must give prior approval before any party acquires a 30% or larger stake in a regulated media company. That prior-approval gate is also the right point to look beyond market structure and ask what the transaction could mean for the workers and workforce impacted and affected.
Major consolidation in the Infocom and media sector often comes with restructuring, role rationalisation and changes to how work is organised. In this sector, many of these job roles are undertaken by PMEs. They include engineers, operators, content and production professionals and thus the impact on livelihoods can be significant.
MOM’s Labour Market Report for 2025 identified Information and Communications as one of the sectors where resident employment declined in 2025, even as Singapore’s economy grew more than 5%. This is why worker confidence and timely support matter in any major sector restructuring.
It is important that the powers in this Bill are exercised in ways that are pro-competition and pro-worker, so that a “market win” does not become a “social loss”. In that spirit, can the Minister consider whether IMDA’s assessment framework should formally incorporate workforce impact alongside market competition impact? This is particularly important as in the course of consolidation, employees may be moved to a different employing entity involving changes to their roles and job scope when the new parent group’s competitive model is built on doing more with fewer people.
Singapore’s labour-management relations are stable, and our tripartite framework has served us well. My ask is that we extend that spirit more deliberately into sector consolidation processes so that where livelihoods are affected, issues like collective agreement continuity and union representation are addressed early, and the workers’ voice remains present.
In this spirit, I have three questions which I hope the Minister can address.
First, how does the Government intend for IMDA to consider workforce impact as part of merger assessments, and can tripartite partners have a formal role in significant transactions?
Second, will the Government develop clear guidelines, in consultation with MOM and NTUC, on collective agreement continuity, union recognition and representation where consolidations or structural separations result in workers moving to a new employing entity especially if only the property is transferred to a new entity under Section 69A(3)(a)(ii), and the workers have to move as well?
Third, would the Government consider putting in place a formal tripartite platform for the infocomm and media sector, so that workforce issues arising from restructuring and consolidation can be addressed early and systematically?
The Labour Movement stands ready to work with the Government and industry as a constructive partner.
We are not asking to oppose change but for clarity, contemporaneous communication, equitability, and assurance so that impacted workers will not be left behind. In short, a fair and just transition. I hope today’s debate helps move us in that direction.
Mr Speaker Sir, I support the Bill.
