2024年4月3日，新加坡社會及家庭發展部長兼衛生部第二部長馬善高在國會上關於電子持久授權書文件漏判情況的發言。

以下內容為新加坡眼根據國會英文資料翻譯整理：

烏莎拉妮（官委議員）問社會及家庭發展部長

(a)什麼樣的狀況導致2023年10月電子持久授權書（LPA）文件被發現遺漏了句子？

(b)社會及家庭發展部是怎麼發現這一疏漏的？

(c)社會及家庭發展部是否評估了由於這一遺漏給受權人和授權人帶來的潛在損失或傷害？

(d) 將採取哪些措施確保此類遺漏不再發生？

陳有明醫生（裕廊集選區）問社會及家庭發展部長：

(a)為什麼在2023年10月之前沒有發現電子持久授權書文件中所需句子的遺漏？

(b)缺少所需句子的電子持久授權書文件的法律影響是什麼？

(c)在這些關鍵文件擬制過程數字化時，是否有檢查流程？如校對、審核或終端用戶體驗及驗證？

(d) 如果有，這些檢查流程是由法律專業人員還是非專業人員進行的？

馬善高：持久授權書是一份法律文件，賦予受權人在授權人失去心智能力時決定其個人福利、財產及其他事務的權力。在絕大多數情況下，財產如建屋發展局的組屋、私人公寓或有地房產，是根據《土地所有權法》註冊的。轉讓這類財產的所有權無需契約。然而，對於未在《土地所有權法》下註冊的財產，必須通過契約進行所有權轉讓。因此，無論財產類型如何，受權人都有權為確保授權人的權益而進行必要的交易。

在2022年推出電子持久授權書系統之前，持久授權書是紙質表格製作的。在紙質表格中，授權人簽名的簽名框包含「由授權人簽署（或標記）並作為契約交付」的聲明。《心智能力法案》第12A(1)(a)條旨在為電子持久授權書複製這一點，並規定電子記錄必須在其表面清楚表明其為契約。

不幸的是，電子持久授權書與紙質表格不同，未包含這一必要聲明。社會及家庭發展部對此遺漏和可能造成的不便表示歉意。我們已經修改了電子表格，因此2024年1月5日（含當日）之後製作的電子持久授權書包含了所需聲明，並啟動了必要的立法程序以追溯驗證受影響的持久授權書。

社會及家庭發展部有內部的校對和審核流程。這些表格由公共監護人辦公室的工作人員準備，並由公共監護人和一個獨立的法律部門審核。然而，正如這個事件所示，沒有任何檢查系統可以確保100%準確。事實上，電子持久授權書表格經過了包括熟悉紙質表格的證書籤發人（如律師或醫生）在內的多個環節。儘管如此，花了近一年時間才有公眾成員注意到差異並寫信詢問。

對於2022年11月14日至2024年1月4日期間製作的約87,000份電子持久授權書，其有效性存在一些不確定性。紙質持久授權書不受此遺漏的影響。社會及家庭發展部未發現受權人或授權人因該問題遭受的實際損害。我們也未發現任何第三方對這些權力的行使提出挑戰。2024年4月2日在議會通過的《心智能力（修正）法案》將消除任何未來潛在的複雜情況。

以下是英文質詢內容：

Ms Usha Chandradasasked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what were the circumstances that led to the omission of a sentence in the electronic Lasting Power of Attorney document which was discovered in October 2023; (b) how did the Ministry discover the omission; (c) whether the Ministry has assessed the potential loss or harm suffered by donees and donors as a result of this omission; and (d) what steps are being taken to ensure that such an omission does not take place again.

29Dr Tan Wu Mengasked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) why was the omission of the sentence as required by law in the electronic Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) document not discovered prior to October 2023; (b) what are the legal implications for such LPA documents without the required sentence; (c) whether there are process checks such as proofreading, vetting or end-user experience validation when such key documentary processes are digitalised; and (d) if so, whether such process checks are conducted by legally trained or laypersons.

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Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document which confers powers enabling a Donee to decide on the Donor's personal welfare, property and other affairs, if the Donor loses mental capacity. In the vast majority of cases, the property, such as a Housing & Development Board flat, a private condominium apartment or a landed property, is registered under Land Titles Act. To transfer ownership of such a property, there is no need for a deed. However, for property not registered under the Land Titles Act, transfer of ownership must be made by way of a deed. Hence, an LPA is executed as a deed, so that irrespective of the type of property, the Donee has the power to make the necessary transactions for the benefit of the Donor.

Prior to the roll out of the electronic LPA system in 2022, LPAs were made through hardcopy forms. In the hardcopy form, the signature box where the Donor physically signs contains the statement "signed (or marked) and delivered as a deed by Donor". Section 12A(1)(a) of the Mental Capacity Act is intended to replicate this for electronic LPAs and specifies that the electronic record must clearly state on its face that it is intended to be a deed.

Unfortunately, the electronic LPA, unlike the hardcopy form, did not contain this required statement. MSF apologises for this omission and for any inconvenience that this may have caused. We have revised the electronic form so that electronic LPAs made on or after 5 Jan 2024 include the required statement and have initiated the necessary legislative procedures to retroactively validate the affected LPAs.

MSF has an internal proofreading and vetting process. The forms were prepared by the staff of the Office of the Public Guardian and was vetted by the Public Guardian, as well as by a separate Legal Unit. Unfortunately, no system of process checks can be 100% accurate, as this case shows. In fact, the electronic LPA forms go through various parties, including certificate issuers who are people familiar with the hardcopy forms, such as lawyers or doctors. Despite this, it took nearly a year before a member of public noticed the difference and wrote in to enquire.

For the approximately 87,000 electronic LPAs made between 14 November 2022 and 4 January 2024, there is some uncertainty as to whether the LPAs were validly made. Hardcopy LPAs are not affected by this omission. MSF is not aware of any actual harm suffered by Donees or Donors. We are also not aware of any challenge to the exercise of those powers by third parties. The Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill that was passed in Parliament on 2 Apr 2024 will remove any future potential complications.

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