Committee of Supply – Head X (Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth)
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Committee of Supply – Head X (Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth)›Budget47 turns · 14,762w
· 108 highlighted
budget-741recorded 2016-04-13
Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang)716 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head X of the Estimates be reduced by $100". Last year, we witnessed the year-long SG50 celebrations which were held to mark the 50th anniversary of our Independence. More than 500 initiatives were organised to celebrate Singapore's 50th year of Independence, including the biggest National Day Parade and the Future of Us exhibition.[+2 sentences] What is heartening is that about 400 of the initiatives were started by ordinary Singaporeans. They were all ground-up. The SG50 celebration fund disbursed about $10 million to organisers of these ground-up projects.[+19 sentences] Each project was evaluated on its ability to raise awareness of our Singaporean identity, our sense of belonging to Singapore, outreach to engage the community; as well as to show potential in successful completion and execution according to plan. The ground-up initiatives saw many new innovative projects that rallied Singaporeans together and touched our hearts. There were many short films and documentaries produced by individuals and groups. One such documentary is "And So They Say", a documentary project showcasing an honest narrative on life's construct from interviews with 25 seniors, allowing an intimate glimpse into the legacy of Singapore's Pioneer Generation. Another is "Singapore, My Home". It is an effort to foster a sense of community and belonging. It features a video collection of stories from Singaporeans and people who have come to call Singapore home. With food being a favourite Singaporean past-time, there were also projects with a food theme, such as #SgEatWithUs. It is a ground-up movement that celebrated the stories and values of Singaporeans surrounding local home-cooked food by building a community which shares, cooks and appreciates local home-cooked food. There was a series of food carnivals organised to bring people together. There is another project called "jiakSimi.sg", a website documenting recipes of top 50 local hawker dishes from the major races in Singapore, accompanied by a short write-up on each dish's origin, history and where we can find them. These celebrations led Singaporeans to appreciate the Pioneer Generation and the country's past and to reflect on how Singapore overcame the odds. The variety of activities touched the hearts of many and it helped to bring a sense of belonging and bonding to everyone. People were encouraged to come together and build the future together, to share their memories of the past and contribute ideas on what future they want. Many other pieces of feedback were given during dialogue sessions, young people shared their aspirations and these were subsequently captured in The Future of Us exhibition. Indeed, one important discussion dwelt on the need to build on the trust and confidence among different races in the light of challenges posed by religious extremists. The important point is: now that we have aroused so many good vibes, elicited so much feedback, thoughts and ideas, where do we go from here? How do we make good use of the goodwill and gems arising from the SG50 celebrations so that we do not miss out on the opportunities to grow and nurture them to take us into the next 50 years? I am glad and excited on the proposed Our Singapore Fund that was announced in this year's Budget. Our Singapore Fund will support projects that build the spirit of caring and resilience, nurture our can-do spirit and promote unity and our sense of being Singaporean. The total fund size will be up to $25 million and will be set up by the second half of this year.[+8 sentences] Can the Minister shed more light and details on this new fund? Is this a continuation of the SG50 Celebratory Fund? What valuable lessons have we learnt from the SG50 Celebratory Fund that we can apply to Our Singapore Fund? Will the Government increase the fund size if there is an overwhelming demand? I am confident that the Our Singapore Fund will be welcome and well-utilised. I would like to quote Minister Heng Swee Keat in an interview that was published in December last year, "I hope that we will build on the Singapore spirit, stay united and... build an even more endearing home for every Singaporean." That summarises and captures the essence of Our Singapore Fund. Sir, I beg to move.
Mr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol)216 words
[+2 sentences]Sir, in light of an ever-changing economic landscape, we need to improve opportunities for our citizens and help them prepare for the future ahead. Global competition will not get any easier and the needs of companies from the workforce are ever-changing. In October last year, MENDAKI set up the Future Ready Unit to help the Malay/Muslim community to better prepare for the future economy by optimising opportunities arising from the SkillsFuture initiative.[+5 sentences] In Malay, Sir. (In Malay): MENDAKI's Future Ready Unit comprises members who are experts in their respective fields and they can share their experience to help the community benefit from the national SkillsFuture initiatives. One of the tasks of this unit is to identify strategies that can equip Malay/Muslim workers, including students, with the relevant skills, in addition to encouraging Malay/Muslim workers to identify the various pathways that they can take in order to deepen their knowledge in a certain area. This will help them to acquire future skills that are relevant so that they will stay employable when the industries here undergo the transformation to improve productivity and stay competitive. (In English): I would like to ask the Minister what are some of the plans that the Future Ready Unit will be working on for the coming year.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh)191 words
[+8 sentences]Mr Chairman, Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): Singapore is gearing itself for the Future Economy that will be challenging and offers many opportunities. There will be structural changes in our economy and this will invariably affect jobs and the skill demands of the workforce among the Malay/Muslim community. Retraining and staying relevant to the needs of the economy are necessary if the workers wish to find jobs and keep pace with the changing economic environment. The whole country will have to work hard to stay competitive in the global market. Many businesses are jostling for market share with lower profit margins, as they try to retain their clients or even when getting new customers on board. I believe our Government will do everything within its means to help Singapore's workforce, including Malay/Muslim workers, to be retrained and to keep them relevant to the Future Economy. Can the Minister outline what is MENDAKI and SENSE College doing to help the various segments of the Malay/Muslim workforce so that they can cope with the short- to medium-term challenges, apart from other national initiatives that are available now?
The Chairman8 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Azmoon Ahmad; not here. Mr Amrin Amin.
Mr Amrin Amin (Sembawang)436 words
Our Singapore Malay/Muslim community is in a better educational standing compared to five years ago, as suggested by the General Household Survey 2015 report.[+3 sentences] This progress was made possible through the efforts of the Government, our Malay/Muslim organisations, families and parents. But the world is changing and there are many new challenges. As a community, we have to respond to this changing landscape. What are MENDAKI's plans to further strengthen its educational programmes and outreach, especially with the increased Mosque Building and MENDAKI Fund (MBMF)?[+11 sentences] I was a tutor in the flagship MENDAKI tuition scheme (MTS) for many years. I enjoyed my weekly tuition classes tremendously. MTS centre supervisors and tutors play a very critical role in ensuring the success of MTS. How can we better support and equip our tutors so that they can ensure even better educational outcomes for our students? Mr Chairman, with your permission, I will speak in Malay. (In Malay): The achievement and progress of our community were made possible through the efforts and dedication of parents and families within our community, as well as the strong support from the Government and Malay/Muslim organisations. The Malay/Muslim community in Singapore has undeniably achieved much progress. The General Household Survey 2015 report found that the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore is doing better in terms of education, compared to five years ago. This is good progress. However, the world is changing and will continue to change. Challenges are becoming more daunting. Recently, an announcement was made about the increase in the MBMF contributions. The fund supports the development and enhancements to mosques, religious programmes as well as various educational and social programmes by Malay/Muslim bodies like the MENDAKI Foundation and the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP).[+7 sentences] On the issue of education, this fund is crucial so that our children can succeed in school and enhance their knowledge in order to have a brighter future. We must work with parents, teachers, schools and community leaders so that our children have the opportunity to achieve their potential through education. May I ask what are MENDAKI's plans to further strengthen its education and community engagement programmes, especially with the increase in the MBMF contributions? MTS provides tuition classes for subjects like English Language, Mathematics and Science. Many Malay/Muslim students have benefited from it. The success of this scheme surely depends on the abilities of its tutors. Hence, may I know how we can provide better support and equip the MTS tutors with the necessary skills so that they can perform their duty to ensure that our children can excel further in education?
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade)162 words
[+6 sentences]Sir, families represent the basic unit of society. Strong families make for strong nations. Our community has been putting in a lot of effort trying to reduce the disamenities faced by disrupted and reconstituted families. The "Many Helping Hands" approach is certainly helpful towards this. There may be a need to continue to enhance resources, empowerment as well as the take-up rate and regular attendances at counselling and nurturing sessions. Currently, there are some generic as well as targeted programmes for these families that are being offered but we hope that more can come forward. How else will Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) and MENDAKI assist and also sort out the root causes faced by these families and also provide more support for them in a targeted way? Also, can I find out what proportion of our annual zakat collection is being disbursed to such families?[+1 sentence] Has this proportion remained stable or has it changed over the last three to five years?
The Chairman8 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Azmoon Ahmad; not present. Mr Muhamad Faisal.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap (Aljunied)353 words
[+1 sentence]Sir, in Malay. (In Malay): In his reply to my query in this Chamber on whether the Malay/Muslim Community Development Fund (MMCDF) can be extended to the mosques, the Minister said that this cannot be done as mosques are not considered to be Malay/Muslim bodies. However, he added that mosques can receive this fund if their social programmes are run in cooperation with Government bodies or other Malay/Muslim organisations.[+7 sentences] I really admire the efforts of the Muslim community in Singapore in the administration of mosques. The management board and staff of every mosque work hard to run these mosques, while the Muslim community also plays a role to achieve stability for the mosques by contributing their money and energy. As we know, mosques welcome contributions from the community in any shape or form, especially financial contributions. This is because, as I understand it, all the expenses incurred in running a mosque like utility bills, payment of monthly salaries and so on are also funded with money contributed by the community. This spirit of partnership is born out of the intent and sincere effort to achieve a shared objective that is to help mosques in Singapore prosper. The stability of mosques, which is built on this spirit of partnership, will turn mosques into one of the important and main contributors not only in spiritual development, but also in the social development of our Muslim community. Sir, one of the themes of this year's Budget is the spirit of partnership. In the name of this spirit of partnership, I would to like to ask that the Minister and the Government consider the proposal that this fund be extended to the mosques, so that this MMCDF can bring further benefits towards the development of the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore.[+2 sentences] This will also strengthen the spirit of partnership between the Government and Malay/Muslim bodies. Sir, I have two questions for the Minister. First, can the Minister clarify what are the criteria that are being used to categorise an institution or organisation as a Malay/Muslim organisation (MMO)?[+1 sentence] Secondly, who decides on these criteria?
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef145 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Chairman, the numbers of underage and teenage marriages have always been on the radar of our community. This is because observations, studies and statistics have shown a significant proportion of them to have family financial problems, as well as a higher rate of divorce, and subsequent remarriages, resulting in many challenges and disruptions for the children of such families. Efforts have been proactive and have been put forth to contain their numbers. Marriage counselling has also been targeted towards this group of people. Can we have an update on the current numbers that we face in the community and to assess if targeted interventions that have been implemented along the way have been positive and have impacted these families?[+2 sentences] How are we tracking them and the existing couples who need assistance and continue to need assistance? Are there further interventions and new initiatives underway?
The Chairman10 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Rahayu Mahzam, you can take your three cuts together.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam (Jurong)1060 words
[+16 sentences]Thank you, Chairman. In Malay, please. (In Malay): Strong families are the foundation of a resilient community. Hence, efforts should be made to help families stay strong. It is important for the Government to provide specific programmes to help the community with this, especially for young couples. There are already Marriage Preparation Courses that couples who intend to get married have to attend. These courses are useful in preparing these couples so that they can receive some guidance and are encouraged to think about the important aspects of marriage. In order to ensure the effectiveness of this programme, a review and assessment should be done to see whether this programme has achieved its objectives and is well-received by couples who attend the courses. In addition, it is also important to ensure that there is a follow-up programme to help couples in the early years of their marriage. They may face challenges when dealing with issues like finances, relations with in-laws, plans for their children and so on. I hope that attention can be given to this group in order to help them go through the challenging times during their marriage and ensure that they stay together. (In English): Strong families are the foundation of a resilient community. It is thus important to invest in programmes to help families stay strong. I note that there are already in place Marriage Preparation Courses for couples to provide the guidance and support for those who intend to be married. Apart from these courses, I believe that it is also imperative that we give some support to couples with young children in the early years of their marriage. These couples have to cope with significant changes in their lives and may face some challenges. At last year's Committee of Supply (COS) debate, the Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs mentioned that the Ministry of Social and Family Development will be developing a Cinta Abadi enrichment framework targeted at Malay/Muslim couples in their first 10 years of marriage. Can the Minister give an update on this development?[+14 sentences] (In Malay): Divorce rates have remained steady over the past few years. I believe that the Syariah Court's efforts in conducting counselling programmes have helped. However, usually, couples who go to the Syariah Court would have already decided to proceed with divorce and it is hard to save their marriage. Even so, it is important for us to ensure that their family relationship is preserved, especially if the couple have small children. The couple should discuss in a mature manner and come up with a plan for their children after they are divorced. Based on my past experience as a lawyer and as the Deputy Registrar at the Syariah Court, divorced couples are usually still angry and have difficulty talking to each other. This behaviour will have a negative effect on their children. Hence, efforts should be taken to provide support for these couples. The Syariah Court has embarked on several initiatives like discussing parenting plans during counselling and information sessions for those who have divorced. I think that there should be a sustained effort in this matter to provide support to couples who are divorcing, in order to take care of their children's well-being. It is also important for counsellors and lawyers who are assisting divorcing couples to be trained and equipped with the necessary skills, so that they can give effective support and guidance to divorcing couples. (In English): Divorce rates have remained steady over the past few years. I believe that the Syariah Court, through its Marriage Counselling Programme, has helped in this regard. But not all marriages can be saved and the Syariah Court has embarked on several measures to help divorcing couples and to ensure the best interests of the children are met. Can the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs give an update on some of these measures?[+11 sentences] We have also seen some developments in the Family Justice Courts in respect of child-centric initiatives, such as the introduction of Parenting Coordinators. Are there plans to mirror some of these developments and, in particular, in enhancing the capabilities of our practitioners, such as lawyers and the marriage counsellors? The Syariah Court is a key institution in the Muslim community, dealing primarily with Muslim divorces. The powers of the Syariah Court are set out in the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA) and the specific procedures are detailed in the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Rules (MMDR). The Court deals with couples and families and it has, over the years, developed its procedures to enhance its services to the community. I believe that efforts can be put in place to further enhance the Court's delivery of services in two areas, namely: (a) through improvements to the Court's processes; and (b) through a review and update of AMLA and MMDR. Firstly, in respect of Court processes, I believe there is a need to review the processes and incorporate the use of technology, where appropriate. In particular, the Court may wish to consider introducing electronic or online filing of Court documents like how it is done in the Family Justice Courts and the State Courts. This is also in keeping with the national approach of embracing technology to improve productivity and enhancing service to the community. Processes like the registration process can be made simpler and faster and data collected can be stored and used at the next stage of proceedings, without requiring parties to provide the same information again. Secondly, there is a need to review and update AMLA and MMDR. The last amendment of AMLA came into effect in 2009. It is important to review whether the provisions match the existing circumstances of the community, as well as the current practice of the Court. Issues, such as jurisdiction, the hakam process, the talak declaration process, may be some of the areas that the Court may wish to review. It is useful to look at the existing procedures and forms and amend AMLA and MMDR accordingly, to make the process more expedient.[+1 sentence] It is important to do so, so that the Court can better serve the community. In light of the above, could the Minister share if there are plans to review and enhance the Syariah Court processes and amend AMLA or MMDR to clarify and streamline the legal procedures?
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Nee Soon)265 words
[+6 sentences](In Malay): Sir, our mosques play an important role in the lives of our community. Our mosques are not only a place where we seek tranquillity, but also a place for us to acquire religious knowledge. Mosques are also the key to a broader network in the provision of social assistance, including zakat, and to refer cases to the Social Service Offices (SSOs) and Family Service Centres (FSCs), if necessary. There is a very strong gotong royong spirit in our mosques. Many youths serve as volunteers in various mosque activities and operations, especially during Friday prayers. I am heartened to see such strong support from the community, because everyone in the community has a role to ensure that our mosques are safe and comfortable for all. The Minister announced an increase in the MBMF contributions last month and shared plans to improve the mosque institutions in the coming years, by increasing prayer space and improving the infrastructure for the convenience of the congregants, especially the elderly. Can the Minister elaborate on the progress of the Mosque Development Programme? In addition, can the Minister give an update on construction of the Maarof Mosque in Jurong West and the Yusof Ishak Mosque in Woodlands? During last year's COS, the Minister announced that we will build the Tampines North mosque and are looking at ways to deal with the shortage of prayer space in the Al-Istighfar mosque in Pasir Ris. Can the Minister provide more details about these plans and share with us what the community can expect in the next few years?
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio)288 words
[+9 sentences]In Malay, please, Mr Chairman. (In Malay): The Joint Madrasah System (JMS) that was implemented in 2009 has come a long way in levelling up our full-time Madrasah education system and developing it into a world-class education system. Many changes have been made to strengthen our Madrasah education, including the revamp of secondary education for Madrasah Al Arabiah, where from 2015, the students are able to choose between a four-year direct GCE "O" Level route; or a five-year GCE "N" Level route, followed by the GCE 'O' Level examinations. In the light of abundant opportunities in the information technology and other growth sectors, I would like to know how our Madrasah curriculum will be modified and strengthened to better prepare our full-time Madrasah students, so that they can seize the available opportunities when they join the workforce. I would also like to ask the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs if he can provide an update on the progress of the JMS and what else can be done to make our full-time Madrasah system more holistic. My two other concerns are: firstly, students in our mainstream schools who come from lower-income families can tap on the Ministry of Education (MOE) Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS). However, for full-time Madrasah students who may come from less privileged or lower-income families, are there similar financial assistance schemes provided by MUIS or the madrasahs? Secondly, I understand that the land lease for Madrasah Al Arabiah will be expiring soon. There are concerns in the community about where the Madrasah will be relocated and whether a longer term lease can be obtained, so that proper facilities can be built and implemented for the students and asatizahs of Madrasah Al Arabiah.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat235 words
[+12 sentences]Mr Chairman, in Malay, please. (In Malay): The religion of a person can play an important role because it is a form of guidance, especially in times of crisis. It is a good sign that more Malay/Muslim youths and adults are actively seeking out a better understanding of Islam. This is evident from the relatively good demand for part-time Islamic Studies in Singapore, from both public and private institutions. One of the key thrusts of MUIS' fifth three-year plan is to focus on increasing the community's participation in Islamic Education, particularly among our young. This will help to ensure that our young remain rooted to the proper values, based on the foundations of Islam. The actions of extremists in the Middle East have generated a lot of curiosity and controversy. Subsequently, there is a prevalence of flawed online resources masquerading as Islamic teachings. These resources are often dynamic and provocative, and youths who do not have a good understanding of the religion would run the risk of being susceptible to erroneous teachings and become misguided. An effective curriculum in Islamic Studies can help to empower a cohesive and progressive Muslim community. It is important that all institutions offering Islamic Studies provide legitimate curriculum and content that are true to Islam, easily absorbed and understood. Could the Minister elaborate on plans and strategies for part-time religious education in the coming years?
Mr Zainal Sapari308 words
[+14 sentences]Sir, visitors are highly impressed by our ability to maintain a high level of cohesion amongst the various races and religions. This is what makes Singapore united as a nation. It is the focal point of our national identity. Unfortunately, we are facing challenging times where falsehood is being hailed as the truth and it is becoming increasingly difficult to counter such propaganda. As a Muslim, I am worried that people of other faiths may have a biased view of Islam in light of recent events around the world. There is an urgent need to counter any possible negative perception. I would like to reiterate that inter- and intra-religious cohesion is of paramount importance to Singapore. We have closed ranks and stood together to speak out against extremism and against those who could threaten our security. In Malay, Sir. (In Malay): Our asatizahs, or religious teachers, can play an important role to discuss the issue of terrorism and also guide our community about life in a multireligious society like ours. I am heartened to see that many of our asatizahs are aware that it is important that we practise tolerance and give and take with other religious groups. Hence, in order to play this role better, it is imperative that we provide training for our asatizahs and equip them with secular knowledge that is updated and relevant, so that they have a wider perspective of issues pertaining to society and the world. Our asatizahs must also possess an open mind and a willingness to acquire the latest secular knowledge in their effort to help the community understand the challenges that can damage a harmonious plural society. I would like to hear the Minister's views on the role that our asatizahs can play and how our community can stay together in these challenging times.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang)315 words
[+11 sentences](In Malay): Mr Chairperson, I am pleased and proud to see so many of our madrasah students progressing in education, with some of them even going on to achieve excellence in the mainstream schools. Many have also continued their studies in Islamic institutions overseas like Cairo and Jordan. This group will potentially become future community leaders and, hence, we should continue to engage and communicate with them, so that they will stay rooted here. The knowledge that they acquire overseas, together with an understanding of the multiracial and socio-economic situation in Singapore, will be crucial. How will MUIS and our religious leaders shape the relationship and ties with this group and how are they being prepared for their return to our shores? I hope that we can make good use of their potential and ensure that every graduate has ample opportunity to serve our community, religion as well as our economy in the future. Diversity will always be part of our lives, and these young people will also play an important role in maintaining our solidarity. In this era, the education of our young is not solely done in schools because we must also expose them to a broader mindset and perspectives, including life values, especially with the influence of social media. So far, we have been able to increase understanding through various initiatives, but due to the presence of many influences and challenges, including within the Muslim community itself, the situation may be different for future generations. The ability to give and take, and being tolerant, does not happen automatically. What is the Minister's view on the type of life values that our young people should display and advocate and how can we encourage more Malay/Muslim youths to play a part in nation-building and provide leadership opportunities for them in the community as well as at the national level?
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied)341 words
[+5 sentences]Sir, the People's Association (PA) has evolved since its inception in 1960. Its original role was countering communist activities and fostering social stability and national security. PA has gone from community centres to community clubs, from providing television sets and simple sports facilities to holding courses and large-scale activities. I am concerned with two aspects: the PA's ever-increasing budget and whether PA has, in some respects, deviated from its mandate. First, the budget. While we understand that the financial year (FY) 2015 Budget was much larger than usual due to the SG50 activities and building residents' facilities, the FY 2016 budget is still very high, at nearly $900 million. This is a significant 34% increase from FY2014.[+5 sentences] How is the high expenditure justified? Second, it seems to me that some PA activities have exceeded its mandate. To recap, the People's Association Act states that PA is incorporated for the purpose of promoting community recreation and incidental matters. Its objects are stated to relate to fostering cohesion and bonding and to promoting group participation that transcends sectional loyalties. The PA's role then is to unite, receiving heavy taxpayer funding for such. An unhealthy culture seems to have developed within some quarters of PA who sees its role to include advancing the Ruling Party politically and undermining the work of Opposition Members of Parliament.[+1 sentence] PA activists being mobilised to campaign for People's Action Party (PAP) candidates at elections is just one aspect. As Opposition Members, when we try to advance our residents' welfare through infrastructure projects, we learn that Government agencies like the Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Housing and Development Board will only recognise PA organisations, such as Citizens Consultative Committees (CCCs) and Residents' Committees (RCs) as "the proper channels". When I tried to simply get information from MND on the plans for private estate upgrading projects within Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), the Ministry referred me to the CCC.[+1 sentence] I then wrote several times to the CCC, but it seems that my letters do not even merit a reply.
The Chairman10 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Alex Yam, you can take your two cuts together.
Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee)579 words
[+8 sentences]Mr Chairman, the founding fathers of modern Singapore placed a huge premium on multiculturalism and racial harmony to help chart Singapore's course forward towards success and prosperity. But in our journey towards these goals, did we leave behind the resilience that we had in us and which served us so well, when standing up to the communists and communalists in our formative years? What has happened along the way? Did our new-found prosperity and confidence in ourselves lead us to losing our fundamental principle of being Singaporeans as one united people? Our children are taught the importance of unity and racial harmony in schools. But how much of it is retained in their later years? How big an impact is information gleaned online, so much so that intolerance takes root in our young? For those who are somewhat surprised by what I have said, I would, however, give in that when we look online, this is the situation that we see. The online chatter is disconcerting, to say the least, and leads us to wonder how digital communications may have poisoned the chalice. I hope the Ministry would be able to shed some light on this recent phenomenon and advise the House on the measures being taken to engage young people so that we understand their concerns and lead them on to become better Singaporeans who care for their own and the community at large. Only by doing so would we be able to chart our way forward to SG100. And moving on to the growing threat of radicalisation amongst the young due to the pervasiveness of online disinformation, what are the Ministry's plans to continue to build up national resilience and cohesiveness to safeguard unity in Singapore?[+8 sentences] Mr Chairman, art challenges us, inspires us, enables us and provokes us. Over the years, Singapore has made tremendous progress in growing, promoting and nurturing a cultural landscape, curating both world-class museums and the performance arts. Even as we grow this scene and put in the investments, how do we make sure that just such a landscape is accessible and relevant to Singaporeans and our own local culture? Accessibility also lies beyond whether art is comprehensible but also whether fundamentally it is physically accessible. Often, we hear of people talking about visiting the museum, watching the latest theatre production. But for people with disability, attending a concert is not as simple as buying a ticket and turning up, and going to an exhibition may not be as simple as an impromptu visit to the galleries. In addition, the less fortunate, especially children, deserve a stake in our nascent arts scene. Arts hold tremendous remarkable learning opportunities for the young, and no one should be left behind. Could the Ministry share how it has made it possible for the disabled, the less well-off and the vulnerable young to be engaged in the arts scene and how the Ministry plans to expand this so that they can contribute to and fully experience the arts and cultural life? I further urge the Ministry to extend more funding to worthy ground-up initiatives to engage the less fortunate in arts. On the subject of potential digital platforms, has the Ministry also looked at the potential for it to transform and expand the arts scene and in reaching out to more Singaporeans?[+1 sentence] How has the Ministry been tapping on this and what plans does the Ministry have, especially in engaging our youths with arts, heritage and culture?
The Chairman9 words
[+1 sentence]Dr Lim Wee Kiak, take your two cuts together.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak518 words
[+21 sentences]Chairman, in the past decade, we have seen many commendable infrastructure developments to boost our arts and culture scene for Singapore. We have over 40 galleries. There is an almost inexhaustible number of arts venues listed in the Singapore Art Gallery Guide. There are also more than 20 heritage centres and museums about history and culture. Our newly revamped museums with state-of-the-art technology and our National Gallery opened last year were all welcomed. These cultural infrastructures were significant investments by our Government. However, they need to be complemented and supported by programmes that can engage, enhance and excite our public. Otherwise, they will remain nothing more than just impressive infrastructures. I am not sure if we are getting the support from the ground that we are targeting. Are we getting more people involved and engaged in arts and culture or have we hit a plateau? But how do we measure the amount of arts activities in Singapore? How do we currently stand, compared to five years ago, for instance? And how do we stand, compared to other countries? Artnet, for example, has listed Oslo, Brussels and Mexico City as the best cities for the modern-day artist. What can we learn from these artistic countries to close the gap and make arts more accessible and pleasurable for Singaporeans? What does the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) see as the next step, in our efforts to develop our city centre as a lively arts and cultural belt that is distinctively Singaporean, and that Singaporeans can be proud of and enjoy? Raising the level of appreciation of our traditional arts can help Singaporeans better understand our roots, promote cross-cultural understanding and help make sense of "What does it mean to be Singaporean?" How can MCCY help more young Singaporeans to be exposed to and learn to appreciate traditional arts in schools and forge cross-cultural understanding? To support and promote Singapore traditional arts, we need to have greater focus or attention on the development of artistic and management capabilities, as well as to cultivate new audiences across different genres of traditional arts. We need to identify the training needs of the traditional arts scene, showcase homegrown talents, encourage active cultural and knowledge exchange and provide networking opportunities among artists, both locally and regionally. These initiatives will complement the existing total range of support provided for traditional arts groups, ranging from grants and arts house subsidies, to the national competitions to identify and nurture young talents in traditional arts and music. Can the Minister give an update on how the National Arts Council's (NAC's) traditional arts plan has helped to nurture and deepen traditional arts practice in Singapore and what are the plans ahead? In 2015, the Government announced that it would put some $25 million in funding for traditional arts over the next five years. These funds are used to foster audiences both at home and abroad and to improve research and documentation of traditional Asian art forms.[+2 sentences] Where are we now in promoting traditional arts in Singapore today? Can the Minister give the House an update on the progress?
Mr Low Thia Khiang (Aljunied)284 words
[+10 sentences]Sir, I believe that the learning and understanding of Singapore history can contribute to having a stronger national identity and of being Singaporean. This is especially so when young minds in schools are exposed early to the history of Singapore. I am of the view that this can only be achieved if history is presented to encourage students to consider multiple perspectives and engage in critical thinking. This will also reduce students' and parents' perceptions of using history as Government propaganda. I believe the same should apply to the representations of history in exhibitions curated by the National Heritage Board (NHB). This would include exhibitions at museums such as the National Museum and interpretive centres, such as the Malay Heritage Centre and Nanyang Memorial Hall. It is time we move away from representations of a "standard" or "official" history. We should allow different interpretations of history with the goal of encouraging critical thinking and promoting citizenship education to guide NHB exhibitions. For example, the recent Parliament in Singapore History exhibition could take on different interpretations as seen from the multiple perspectives of the Pioneer statesmen, ruling party backbenchers, opposition party Members, women Members, minority Members and so on. NHB now provides grants to organisations and individuals keen to conduct historical research and curate exhibitions on history. An independent commission made up of professional historians and heritage specialists from different institutions should be set up to oversee the grants, with the mission to encourage critical thinking through different interpretations of history. An independent commission would signal to the public that the Government is not here to control and censure history.[+1 sentence] The historical exhibitions will have more legitimacy with the public and, therefore, promote citizenship education.
Mr Chen Show Mao (Aljunied)274 words
[+6 sentences]Sir, local heritage is becoming increasingly important as Singapore matures and our national identity develops. Our heritage is key to understanding who we are and where we came from. In the past few years we have seen several public debates over heritage and what we should preserve. We have also seen several archaeological excavations, for example, in Fort Canning, St Andrew's Cathedral, Adam Park, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, the site of the National Gallery Singapore and most recently, Empress Place. These excavations are signs of our interests in our past and the Government's efforts to support heritage awareness. Sir, we can do more. Strengthen the existing legal framework over heritage impact assessments, or HIAs, and over artefacts from archaeological excavations. Currently, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Planning Act does make it mandatory for persons seeking to develop land to carry out HIAs.[+3 sentences] Without these assessments, we would not know if such development would put historically significant buildings, structures or artefacts at risk. We should make HIAs mandatory. These are assessments that will help URA or the Minister make better informed decisions over development. Another crucial gap in the legal framework is the issue of ownership of artefacts that are discovered in the course of archaeological excavations. The law is currently unclear on who owns the artefacts, the landowner or the state, with different implications for their protection. I call on the Government to establish an inter-Ministerial working committee to develop HIA requirements and review the current state of heritage protection, in consultation with civil society groups like the Singapore Heritage Society, Nature Society and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Singapore.
The Chairman13 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Kok Heng Leun, you have two cuts, you can take them together.
Mr Kok Heng Leun (Nominated Member)1745 words
[+3 sentences]Let me, first, declare my interests. I am the Artistic Director of a theatre company that is very much involved in creating and curating socially-engaged and community-engaged art. I am also a member of the examination board of the Intercultural Theatre Institute. Mr Chairman, in 2011, the Arts and Culture Strategic Review (ACSR) report was unveiled.[+3 sentences] It outlined a vision for 2025. I quote: "...a nation of cultured and graceful people, at home with our heritage, and proud of our Singapore identity". To achieve this vision, two strategic directions were identified: one, to bring arts and culture to everyone, everywhere, and every day; two, to build capabilities to achieve excellence. In response to the report, the Government has committed $270 million worth of programmes under three master plans, rolled out over five years from 2012 to 2016.[+3 sentences] This would mean that come 2017, we can look forward to a comprehensive review of what has been achieved. This review will be an important document to help us determine the approaches we should take for the next eight years as we move into 2025. Hence my two cuts will deal with these two strategic directions for the future. The community engagement master plan that was rolled out since 2012 has seen a proliferation of arts programmes organised by PA, NAC, NHB and the National Library Board (NLB).[+35 sentences] It has increased the number of art activities and brought the arts closer to our doorstep. This has provided livelihoods for some artists who are very committed to working with the community. Going forward, I would like MCCY to look at the following issues. Firstly, engagement on a deeper level. Let me share about a project entitled "Unseen: Constellation" which is currently being exhibited at the Chapel Gallery of Objectifs along Middle Road. Initiated by artist Alecia Neo, the project involves seven students living with visual impairment from Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School. Over two years, under the guidance of mentors from a diverse range of professions, the students were immersed in a very deep process of discovery, which resulted in them creating works that explore their lives and dreams. The various artworks now displayed at the gallery comprise music videos about friendship and discrimination, a short film about vulnerability of love and boyhood, a motivational speech, amongst others. In the motivational talk, student Dallon Au revealed his insecurity as someone with impaired vision, I quote, "Many times, I just feel like giving up and killing myself. This is so unbecoming of a motivational speaker, right? You have no idea how many times people have said this to me. ‘If you cannot even keep yourself motivated, how are you going to motivate others?' Believe me, I agree. But I am working on it and I am getting better." Through the work, you can see how these students had learnt so much about themselves through a highly engaged process facilitated by very thoughtful and sensitive artists and mentors. The process has resulted in the creation of artworks that are moving and of high quality. "Unseen" is deeply engaging and impactful. Its engagement is deep and life-changing. As we move towards the future, we should encourage more of such deep and engaging work. The depth and process will result in profound learning experiences for the community and will also result in artistic work that is aesthetically rich. It moves the audience, changes their sensibilities, by making the invisible visible and the unheard heard. Secondly, development of intermediaries. Facilitation and organisational skills are specialties that not all artists possess. Artists need a different set of skills to encourage and inspire community participants to express their creative selves. At the same time, artists may need to organise and mobilise resources from different agencies to make projects happen. For example, if you are going to do a project on end-of-life issues, we may require the involvement of the Agency for Integrated Care, hospitals, nursing homes, caregiver communities, amongst many others. Many of these agencies are not familiar with arts. Hence, when artists partner them to create community work, dialogue and processes are important so as to avoid miscommunication and distrust. This requires specialisation, an intermediary role that bridges artists and communities. A good example of such a good intermediary would be the group ArtsWok Collaborative. They facilitated and produced "The Rite of Spring", a dance performance choreographed by Cultural Medallion recipient Angela Liong of Arts Fission. The performance was presented at Esplanade Theatre, featured four different elderly groups like AWWA Seniors Activity Centre, AWWA Community Home for Senior Citizens, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Eldercare and Henderson Senior Citizens' Home, as well as children. To accomplish such an intergenerational work, a lot of facilitation and organisation need to be done. The intermediary needs to be someone who is well-versed in the process of art-making but, at the same time, understands the art of community engagement deeply. Many artists who work in the community tend to operate as individuals, without the backing of administrative and organisational support. As such, to encourage more participation and engagement from the community, more intermediaries must be made available to facilitate fruitful collaborations among artists, related agencies and the community. I, therefore, urge the Ministry to look into developing these specialists.[+14 sentences] Thirdly, creative place-making. To bring arts closer to the community, such that it becomes an everyday presence, we should begin looking at creative place-making. Creative place-paking makes the arts a part of community living. It is not a place or venue management. It is not about presenting performances and programmes to create buzz. The key word is "place". According to Tuan Yi Fu, a well-known geographer, a place comes into existence when there is a "moment of pause", which provides people within the space to reflect and connect with others around them. It is created not by transactional needs, but by relational needs. In creative place-making, the arts are an essential mediator that helps to bring the community together. It is also important for artists to want to be involved in place-making; they must want to see community engagement very much as part of their work. Creative place-making will only be sustainable if it is ground-up. It must not be forced. It must not be "hip". It must not be short-sighted. If planned and executed properly, it will not only foster community bonding and identity, build capacity in a community, it also empowers the community to action and change, it will also solve one of the problems that artists and arts groups face in Singapore: the lack of physical space to work.[+9 sentences] In examining the Ministry's key performance indicators, I noted that there is an emphasis on the instrumentalisation of art: what art can do for society. I would like to thank the Government for acknowledging that the arts can have such an extensive impact on society, which I hope will also help to convince more Singaporeans of the importance of arts to be part of our lives. But I would also like to recall a Chinese saying: 工欲善其事，必先利其器. That is, to do a good job, the artisan must have the best tool to do it. In this case, the art must be good. Besides having institutions to provide the best arts education for emerging artists, there must also be arts centres or venues that will help young or mature artists develop their craft without the pressure of market forces. Institutions that pay attention to developmental objectives must be seen differently from, say, a theatre company that sells tickets to their work. In a way, they are revenue generating. But for institutions with a developmental objective, their focus should be on process over results, experimentation over tried-and-tested products. One is reminded of what the late Kuo Pao Kun had said before: "Better to have a worthy failure than a mediocre success." The Substation, founded by Mr Kuo, was such an arts centre: it provided infrastructure support and resources for young artists to kickstart projects and, at the same time, provided an environment to encourage artists to take creative risks.[+1 sentence] In other words, The Substation was a home for the arts, a place for artists to learn, a safe space within which they could venture to explore, that is, to innovate. Many young artists have begun their careers there, including filmmakers Royston Tan and Boo Jun Feng, and theatre director Goh Boon Teck.[+6 sentences] Artists like Lee Wen and Amanda Heng created some of their most interesting works there and these artists later became Cultural Medallion recipients, honoured by the nation. Institutions like this, such as Centre 42, Intercultural Theatre Institute and the up-and-coming Traditional Arts Centre, are important in the development of Singapore's arts scene. I hope there will be more of such centres; and some of them can support interdisciplinary and intercultural experimentation, developing ways of art-making that incorporate science and technology, as well as different kinds of genres and cultures. Singapore is in a unique position. Being such a globalised economy and a connector among different regions, we can take advantage of our status to be a facilitator for exploration and exchange. I would also like to advocate for such institutions to have a different funding model. For example, the Intercultural Theatre Institute (ITI), are funded under the three-year Major Grant Scheme, just like other arts organisations. The key performance indicators of these kinds of developmental centres are different from a typical arts organisation. I would urge MCCY and NAC to develop a different model for these institutions that will encourage experimentation, creative processes and learning.[+6 sentences] The very fact that we have a Ministry and affiliated agencies that look specifically at the arts and what it can do for society means that the arts and politics are not strange bedfellows. Yet, the arts should be viewed for its intrinsic worth, and not merely to serve political purpose. Here, I think it is apt for me to quote from the great author Lu Xun who spoke about the relationship between arts and politics, I will say this in Mandarin, but I will translate later. "…两者之间，倒有不安于现状的同一。惟政治是要维持现状，自然和不安于现 状的文艺处在不同的方向......政治想维系现状使它统一，文艺催促社会进化 使它渐渐分离…" That is to say, while the arts and politics are frequent fellow travellers because both seek change, at some point on this journey, they will take divergent paths. It is in the nature of art to examine change, to pursue truth. In doing so, art may raise uncomfortable questions, and may seem to divide, but it is through these questions that society can progress.
Dr Teo Ho Pin (Bukit Panjang)218 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Chairman, Sir, MCCY has been very supportive in promoting arts in the community. Since the formation of the Community Arts and Culture Club (CACC) in Bukit Panjang in 2014, we have organised many arts and culture activities to benefit more than 7,000 residents.[+3 sentences] These activities have added much vibrancy and inclusiveness in our community where arts and culture become more accessible to everyone, everywhere and every day. I wish to ask the Ministry whether it will continue to promote community arts by providing more funding support to CACCs in the community. Sir, MCCY has brought greater vibrancy to the community by creating a space where people can develop a greater emotional connection to our heritage and society. In line with this, I am pleased to share with Members that Bukit Panjang constituency has started work to build a "Bukit Panjang Arts Street" at Bangkit neighbourhood centre.[+5 sentences] Arts streets are often found in important towns and cities. It is a place where local artists frequent, display their arts craft and engage the local community. The Bukit Panjang Arts Street will not only promote arts and culture. It will also generate greater vibrancy in the community and be a pride of place for our residents. Sir, can I have your permission to show a slide on the LED screen?
The Chairman8 words
[+1 sentence]Yes.
Dr Teo Ho Pin100 words
[+3 sentences]Sir, the Bukit Panjang Arts Street with its colourful motif and vernacular arts design on the tiles, themed-business signage lining the street, and designed walkway, will also see a more environment-friendly canopy to shelter residents from unpredictable weather and interesting lighting to reflect the mood and many festivities in Singapore. Sir, we plan to use the arts street to root arts as part of everyday life and get local artists and more residents to participate in the arts and culture activities. One day, the Bukit Panjang Arts Street in the heartland may find a place on the Singapore tourist map.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam272 words
[+12 sentences]Chairman, our Singaporean children are our gems and the hope for the nation. We should endeavour towards making their education and development holistic. I trust we can all agree that the education and development for the young are not limited to what is taught in school and through the school curriculum. It is our duty to make available as many learning opportunities as possible for our children so that they may be able to gain experience and exposure in different fields and grow up to be well-rounded individuals. One aspect of this learning journey must be exposure to the arts and culture. Early exposure to the arts and culture helps develop creativity, a strong sense of aesthetics and confidence in children. It also helps sustain their interest and appreciation for culture into adulthood. In the local context, this learning journey also serves as a platform for them to understand and appreciate the different cultures in Singapore and build their national identity. I also believe that the arts and culture should be made accessible to all children, including those from lower-income families. This endeavour could be a social leveller as all students, regardless of social background, are given the knowledge and exposure that contribute towards their holistic development. I am, therefore, of the view that there should be targeted efforts on the part of the Ministry to reach out to students and families with children to promote interest in the arts and culture. I would, therefore, like to find out more about the existing programmes that are in place for students and families and the Ministry's plans to reach out to this group.
Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon)336 words
Chairman, a five-storey regional library, a 20-court badminton hall, six swimming pools and a 5,000-seat stadium with a Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)-approved football pitch are some of the facilities residents can enjoy when the new Town Hub at Tampines opens progressively from the end of 2016.[+2 sentences] Whenever there is such news reported in the media, do you know what is the reaction of my residents? I will receive lots of emails. Yishun is one of the largest and fastest growing towns in Singapore. We have over 50,000 households today and nearly 6,000 households moving in this year and next.[+13 sentences] These new households will consist mainly of young adults and young families. They will have a very large demand for sporting facilities. Already, our existing facilities are not enough to cope with the population. Residents are finding it difficult to have access to their favourite venues and sports on a regular basis. Yishun urgently needs more sports facilities and in greater variety. There is only one swimming complex to serve the entire Yishun Town. It has only three pools which consist of one competition pool, one teaching pool and one wading pool. By contrast, Queenstown, which has about 20,000 fewer residential units, has a swimming complex with five pools. On top of that, residents told me that the pool is very rundown. When they go swimming with their friends and relatives in other parts of Singapore, they feel very envious of the beautiful and modern swimming pools elsewhere. They look forward to water play facilities like those in Jurong East Swimming Pool. I have been bringing up this request for a few years. The Yishun Swimming Complex urgently needs to be refurbished, redesigned and expanded. Under the $1.5 billion Sports Facilities Master Plan announced in 2014, community sports facilities are supposed to be upgraded and rebuilt.[+2 sentences] Could the Minister clarify if there are any plans, especially for the swimming complex? Certainly, I hope that the next big announcement on sporting facilities will be for Yishun.
Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Nee Soon)141 words
[+9 sentences]Mr Chairman, first of all, I would like to echo Er Dr Lee's sentiments. I would like to file a cut on sports for life. I think we can all agree that sports are important. Sports keep us fit and bring our people together. Sports are also fun and helps us to relax after a long day. But we also live in a fast-paced society. And when we start work, start a family and embark on other transition points in life, it is not easy for us to continue our passion for sports because of life's many demands. Moving forward, it will be good if MCCY and SportSG can finetune our programmes to ensure a continuum of quality opportunities for Singaporeans to participate more actively in sports. I look forward to hearing from MCCY about the latest developments in these areas.
Mr Alex Yam236 words
[+1 sentence]Chairman, I declare my interest as the Deputy President of the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA). The National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI) was announced in November 2015 and the first centre was officially launched at the Singapore Sports School (SSP) in January 2016. Aimed at grooming the "Champions of Tomorrow", NYSI is supposed to cover both athletes from SSP as well as mainstream schools' student-athletes.[+6 sentences] How would NYSI support athletes within and outside SSP? It indicates that its mission is in the four functional areas of Talent Identification and Development, Coaching, Sports Science and Athlete Life Management. How will these functional areas benefit young sportsmen and women? In addition, what role would NYSI play in relation to the National Sports Associations? For example, STTA runs a Junior Development Squad with student-athletes from mainstream schools as well as those in the School Within School programme, a collaboration that STTA has with SSP. Will both groups have equal access to NYSI? As NYSI is a new entity, it would also be interesting to know its goals and KPIs and the cost involved in setting it up. Do we have the required number of qualified sports scientists and sports personnel to oversee the running of these courses? There is also the Singapore Sports Institute (SSI), set up in 2011 to drive the high performance pathway in our local sports ecosystem. How will NYSI complement SSI and are there overlaps?
Mr Ganesh Rajaram (Nominated Member)543 words
[+25 sentences]Sir, today, Singapore has world-class sporting facilities, such as the $1.3 billion Sports Hub, as well as many programmes to groom sporting talent: the Sports School; the Direct Schools Admission programme; the Singapore High Performance Sports System; Sports Excellence Scholarships; and the list goes on. Given all of this support, it seems like a wonderful time to pursue a sporting career. But is it really? While facilities and Government support are in abundance, have Singaporean attitudes towards sports really changed over the years? Do parents see a sporting career as a viable, respectable career goal? Are Singaporean parents going to be "sporting" about their child choosing football, swimming or table tennis over medicine, law and banking? This is a very real scenario that parents face today, a logical next step in a nation that has invested billions of dollars in world-class facilities and programmes. I think that more can and needs to be done to address the way people, particularly parents, think about sports. I know of parents who send their children for intensive coaching to get them into elite schools through the Direct School Admission (DSA) programme, and how these children end up hating the sport they gained direct admission for, as it is not their passion but they are forced into it. How many of these children admitted into DSA schools actually continue to pursue the sport beyond school/junior college/polytechnic. Likewise, at the Sports School, what has become of all the fantastic young talents unearthed during the 2010 Youth Olympic Games? I remember how the whole country came together to cheer on the boys in the national under-16 football team and how we were all mesmerised by their sheer passion and talent. Are these boys still together as a team or have they given up on their passions to pursue what would be considered "normal careers" in Singapore? But there are children who yearn to pursue a professional career in a sport that they are very good in. How should we support them? Is there a way the Singapore community, from parents, grandparents, teachers and opinion leaders, can be moved to a point where we see a career footballer or golfer with as much societal value and respect as you would an airline pilot or an architect? There is nothing wrong with kids pursuing their passion for sports. We should let them live their dreams and support them to the fullest. Society should not stigmatise a child who wants to pursue a sports career, regardless of whether the child ultimately makes it or not. When children are passionate about their dreams, are willing to be disciplined, hardworking and focused to achieve their goals, they are already displaying qualities that any parent should be proud of. On the flipside, we should avoid over-coaching children to the point where they lose the love for sports. Sports should be about passion, fun and joy! So, what happens when your child says he wants to be a professional footballer? Well, after the initial alarm, periods of insomnia, and long heart-to-heart conversations, we told our son that he has our fullest support. To build a strong sporting spirit, and a sporting nation, parents and society at large need to learn how to be good sports, too.
Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio)141 words
[+5 sentences]Chairman, SG50 was notable for many things, not least the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games. Then, we saw the entire country come together as one family to support our national athletes who truly did us proud. Indeed, one enduring memory of that period was when the entire country almost seemed to sing our National Anthem a capella after the sound system failed at one of the venues. We have seen how our athletes have inspired a palpable sense of national pride in Singaporeans through these Games, often at great personal sacrifice. I would like to ask MCCY how they will continue to support our athletes in their pursuit of sporting excellence? What support will be provided to Team Singapore athletes who will be competing in this year's Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games?
The Chairman10 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Melvin Yong, you can take your two cuts together.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Tanjong Pagar)427 words
[+13 sentences]Sir, the ASEAN Para Games held in Singapore last year was a rousing success and a game-changer for disability sports in Singapore. Our para-athletes trained hard and competed with international para-athletes of outstanding calibre. Backed by strong support from our fellow Singaporeans, our para-athletes achieved an outstanding medal haul at the Games. I was at the National Stadium for the deciding football match between Singapore and Malaysia. Both teams were competing for the bronze medal. The energy in the stadium was palpable. Singaporeans of all ages were cheering their hearts out in support of Team Singapore. What moved me deeply was the determination shown by our para-athletes. Despite their physical challenges, they displayed grit and resilience. Many of them are residents of Tanjong Pagar GRC. The stadium shook when Mr Muhammad Mubarak scored the winning goal. There is so much potential for disability sports to flourish in Singapore. The task at hand would be to keep on encouraging participation, as well as to identify, groom and support potential talents so that, one day, we will have a stronger team of para-athletes to represent our country in disability sports. Moving forward, I would like to ask what will MCCY and SportSG be doing to further engage persons with disability within our community to participate in sports. What other measures are in place to create more social awareness about disability sports among the public? And what more can SportSG do to provide the necessary support for our para-athletes?[+10 sentences] Sir, I move on to volunteerism. Last year, Singapore hosted the 28th SEA Games and the 8th ASEAN Para Games. In both sporting events, our athletes created history by winning a record number of medals. Their historic achievements brought the nation together in celebration. Organising such major events and making sure everything runs smoothly and according to plan are no easy feat. Thankfully, there were thousands of volunteers who responded to the call for help and sacrificed their time to ensure that all aspects of the Games went smoothly. We witnessed a sense of camaraderie among these volunteers, who hail from all walks of life. Friendships were forged over the months of working and training together, and many of the volunteers have continued to stay in touch with one another since. To build on this momentum, I would like to ask: what will MCCY be doing to encourage more Singaporeans from various backgrounds to participate or volunteer at sporting events or activities? Besides volunteering in sporting events, are there plans to extend this to the arts and heritage communities as well?
Dr Lily Neo (Jalan Besar)225 words
[+12 sentences]Work and family commitments prevent many volunteers from continuing, let alone putting in more involvement or time. This is a pity because there is an ever-increasing need for more volunteers in our society. The social needs of the society are plentiful in our ageing population. As we progress socio-economically as a country, we need to uplift our lowest income strata groups, such as the less-advantaged families and children. It is necessary for us to better care for them, and this requires more social workers and volunteers. Befriender volunteers do prevent the seniors from isolation and depression by visiting them in their homes. Befriender volunteers are useful in keeping seniors healthier by reminding them to take their medicines, taking them for medical check-ups or early treatment before illnesses get worse. Although I agree that volunteers are altruistic individuals, I would like to suggest that we do more to recognise them and motivate them to stick with their volunteerism. May I request MCCY to consider nominal allowances for volunteers who can commit certain hours and who can visit residents at their homes, similar to how Pioneer Generation Ambassadors are being reimbursed? The reimbursements are for transport and meal allowance in the course of their roles. The growth of volunteerism cannot be left to chance alone. Let us take whatever steps are necessary to expand and sustain volunteerism.
Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry138 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Chairman, I would like to touch on the Singapore Roadmap for Corporate Giving. Many of us would agree that Singaporeans are a generous people. I would also like to add that many business owners and corporations I have come across have a heart to give. There is, of course, more we can do to make Singapore an even more caring and inclusive society. So, I am heartened to hear that MCCY and the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) started developing a Singapore Roadmap for Corporate Giving. Such a roadmap will provide much needed clarity to employers, employees and voluntary welfare organisations. Can I ask MCCY on the status of this development?[+2 sentences] How will it help companies, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to do more to encourage employer-organised volunteerism? I look forward to inputs from MCCY.
Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng (Nominated Member)247 words
[+14 sentences]Mr Chairman, in Mandarin again. (In Mandarin): Chairman, fellow Members of Parliament, the Government has rolled out tax incentives to encourage enterprises to do more charitable work and set up the "Our Singapore Fund" to promote social cohesion and a caring spirit. This is the right societal guidance. In fact, many enterprises, including SMEs, do actively participate in all kinds of charitable activities, except that these were not widely publicised by the media. By introducing tax incentives, the Government is endorsing the charitable work by enterprises. Moving forward, this could enable enterprises to do even more. Companies which organise charitable activities can "kill two birds with one stone". Firstly, it inculcates the spirit of giving back to society, builds up the corporate image, establishes shared values among employees and strengthens employees' sense of loyalty. Secondly, it would improve company bonding and help to cultivate mutual understanding among management and employees. Staff who work in different departments do not usually have the chance to interact with other colleagues. Participating in charitable activities organised by the company gives them the chance to work together and deepen understanding. However, when companies plan for such activities, it would be more effective if they could take reference from some successful experiences. Hence, I would urge the relevant agency to provide cases of some successful corporate social responsibility projects as a reference point. While companies could learn by example more easily, charitable organisations would also stand to benefit.
The Chairman10 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Joan Pereira, you can take your two cuts together.
Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar)545 words
Mr Chairman, according to the Individual Giving Survey in 2014 released by the NVPC last year, one in five employers organised volunteer activities but one in two employees expressed interest in employer-organised volunteering.[+9 sentences] Clearly, there is room for our companies to increase volunteer opportunities for their staff. Businesses are an important part of our community. By contributing to good causes together with their staff, they build goodwill and gain respect from the public and their customers. Their employees also have better job satisfaction and a stronger sense of corporate identity. Many employees I have come across admire corporate leaders who have the heart to give back to society. We have many examples of corporates contributing money, time and effort to good causes, such as Singapore Airlines (SIA), Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and Mediacorp. In my constituency, Mr Peter Ng of Sin Kian Choon Fruits Trading is a good example of a business owner from Bukit Merah who has stepped forward to help needy residents in my constituency. He not only sponsors the fruits and rations for needy households, but helps out in the distribution, too. For these big companies and SMEs, the employees share with me that they gain great satisfaction seeing the happy and appreciative faces of the residents who received help. In May 2015, MCCY announced that the NVPC would be developing a Singapore roadmap for corporate giving. How has this plan helped to increase donations, both in cash and in kind, as well as volunteering from our corporations?[+1 sentence] Have companies been receptive so far? Some companies, particularly SMEs, need help or advice in how they can contribute. What plans does the Ministry have to engage and assist such companies?[+13 sentences] Sir, our seniors have a lifetime of skills and experience to contribute to our society. They can also benefit from volunteering. In fact, studies have shown a positive association between volunteering and mental, physical and social well-being. An example of a senior volunteer is Mdm Doh, aged 70, who has been a long-time volunteer with Thong Kheng Welfare Services, Lions Befriender and the RC in Bukit Merah View in my Division. She has learnt that many elderly value, above all, relational connections – a listening ear, a shoulder to lean on. She had to respond to a few emergencies and gained great satisfaction in being able to help. However, some, especially those who are just starting out as new volunteers, may face challenges in volunteering. For example, they may have difficulty in getting a good match between their skills or interests and the segments of need and, most challenging, balancing family and personal commitments. There are also some volunteers who cannot find a good fit with the volunteer host organisations or who find that their volunteering experience could have been better managed. What are MCCY's plans in managing our pool of talented and active volunteers? Is there a portal or a point of contact where they can go to and register their interests and expertise, and be matched to appropriate volunteer host organisations? After registration, are there volunteer consultants they can turn to for advice and guidance? And, finally, for areas which need sustainable pools of volunteers so that they can be rostered for their duties, is there a system to organise them?
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast)543 words
[+1 sentence]Chairman, Sir, I applaud the Government for its continuing efforts to promote a spirit of charity and volunteerism in our society. The introduction of the Business and Institution of a Public Character (IPC) Partnership Scheme in this Budget is likely to spur more corporations to encourage volunteerism amongst their employees and to contribute to the community.[+2 sentences] To encourage giving by wealthy individuals in Singapore, we should review the laws governing the setting up of charitable trusts by Singapore Citizens and residents. Sir, Singapore is well-positioned to become an international hub for philanthropy, because of our robust legal system, strong governance and a trusted and stable Government. To this end, we have launched such initiatives as the Economic Development Board's (EDB's) International Organisations Programme Office (IOPO) for the setting up of International Non-Profit Organisations (INPOs) in Singapore, and the Commissioner of Charities' Foreign Charitable Purpose Trust (FCPT), under which charitable trusts set up by non-Singapore citizens or residents are exempted from registration and eligible for tax exemption.[+2 sentences] Sir, we should also cater to Singapore-based high net worth individuals, served by the private wealth industry, who want to give back to their country of residence by setting up charitable trusts. Often, these persons do not wish to be associated with any conspicuous, high-profile foundation. All they want is giving and preferring their contributions to be discreet, they just want to leave behind a legacy or satisfy some personal and private sense of duty and gratitude. However, if they wished to set up a charitable trust in Singapore, they would be subject to greater administrative burdens and more onerous governance structures than FCPT, just because they are Singapore Citizens or residents.[+5 sentences] While these philanthropists have the option to register their charities as "Qualifying Grant Makers", ostensibly subject to "lighter touch" supervision by the Commissioner of Charities, but even this "lighter touch" option is comparatively unattractive, because traditional offshore jurisdictions, such as the Channel Islands and the Caribbean, do not impose such requirements that incur additional administrative costs which eat into the net proceeds which were intended for their beneficiaries. Whilst I do not have actual figures, anecdotal evidence from my interactions with the private trust industry suggests this "shrinkage" is quite significant. Sir, I call on the Minister to consider applying the same set of rules under FCPT to trusts set up by Singapore Citizens and residents, so long as the necessary safeguards are in place. This includes being prohibited from soliciting public funds and ensuring that all gains and income are reserved for charitable causes only. To qualify, the charitable trust must be administered by a Singapore-licensed trust company to ensure strict governance and regulatory oversight by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. The harmonisation of treatment for charities set up by foreigners with those set up by locals will encourage more charitable trusts to be set up in Singapore. The assets of local trusts are likely to be held and managed in Singapore, and likely to benefit more needy Singaporeans.[+2 sentences] Expertise built up in this sector can help Singapore develop yet another global centre of excellence, this time, in a field that connects those who cannot help themselves with those who can and want to help them. And we will do well by doing good.
The Chairman11 words
Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin, you have five minutes for your two cuts.
Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin (Nominated Member)904 words
There have been two principles that have helped us maintain a decent level of social cohesion thus far. One, we have always been determined to respect freedom of religion; and, two, we have also been equally determined to let that freedom be limited by our respect for the secularity of the state, as well as our sense of responsibility towards the common good.[+13 sentences] My concern is that these two fundamental principles are not being effectively passed down to our youths and this gap is showing up in the kind of conversations, or lack of conversations, they are having about religion in society. A lot of our public education efforts at the school and grassroots levels are still mostly modelling the form of religious tolerance rather than the substance of religious harmony. Checking out different places of worship and sharing religious meals during religious festivals are just the tip of the iceberg. What lies underneath is a far more complex conversation about our beliefs on relationships, life, death, time, work, money, power and more that we need to learn to talk about and listen to. Yes, we have Social Studies and Civic Moral Education, but many youths will tell you few teachers want to discuss race and religious issues in depth. Many teachers deliberately keep discussions at the surface level because they are scared that the answers could be offensive and get them into legal trouble. And that is not a healthy sign. If we do not model for our youths what respectful conversation about religion looks like, someone arbitrarily and potentially dangerous will fill the gap for us. It could be a fundamentalist thought leader, a bigoted website or just prejudiced, ill-informed peers. In some sense, Religious Knowledge (RK) has never been taken out of schools. It has been ongoing, except everyone is managing it by themselves and cherry-picking their own curriculum and their own teachers. And there are definitely echo chambers forming within exclusionary religious and non-religious communities online and offline. If we do not teach our young people how to build bridges, they will naturally build walls. I understand the resistance to introducing anything resembling RK in the school curriculum ever again because implementation will always be complicated by the challenge of proselytisation. So, can I suggest we develop a faith-and-reason modular programme to be run across schools as well as external community platforms reaching young people?[+5 sentences] A faith-and-reason programme could have three key characteristics that distinguish it from the old RK programme. First, it is not about understanding religion in isolation but understanding why preserving freedom of religion and preserving the secularity of the state both matter to the common good. Real-life Singapore case studies of clashes between different ideologies, like the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) saga should be discussed and the different stakeholders' responses respectfully debated over. Second, it makes room for the views of the non-religious community. Both religiosity and secularism are growing in Singapore and the region. The non-religious make up 18.5% of our population and more than half are youths.[+15 sentences] Many in this group do hold the controversial view that religion is irrational and not beneficial to society. It matters that both the non-religious minority and the religious majority learn how to uncover their commonalities and also discuss their differences with compassion. Third, it goes beyond building inter-religion to intra-religion understanding as well. There is a dangerous lack of conversations between conservatives, moderates and liberals within the same religion. Religious teachers do not typically initiate engagement of leaders from their own community on the opposite spectrum for fear of looking like they are softening their standards. Such a conversation needs to be encouraged by outsiders as well as insiders. Sir, let us have the courage to learn from one another how to have scary conversations. When we create safe spaces where we can be honest about the differences that we disagree over and yet open towards the commonalities that bind, we will reap true religious harmony. According to the Centre of the Developing Child at Harvard, the best way to understand how we develop resilience is to visualise a see-saw. On one side sits positive experiences, coping skills and at least one stable committed adult relationship. On the other side sits adversity. The more protective experiences, coping skills and strong relationships we provide, the more we can counterbalance the piling on of adversity on the other end. It is this holy trinity that develops resilience in a child and no singular organisation can achieve this effectively by itself. When Minister Heng Swee Keat shared about having bespoke plans for the industrial transformation of more than 20 specific economic sectors in Singapore, it struck me. Do we also have bespoke plans for the generational transformation of, say, 20 or more specific archetypes of youths? The Outward Bound School (OBS) @ Coney is but one part of what must be a whole-of-sector strategy. I hope MCCY can develop a strategic roadmap that will guide the whole ecosystem of youth organisations from the public, people and private sectors to see their role in developing resilience in youths together.[+2 sentences] The sector is still fragmented and working in silos. I believe the sharing of such a roadmap will help all of us stakeholders within the youth sector to know our place in the resilience value chain and thus realise how to collaborate more effectively for our common goal.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam402 words
[+7 sentences]Chairman, as we write the next chapters for the next 50 years of Singapore, we will need to look at how, as a mature society, we handle diversity of views. Diversity can be a strength if energies can be synergised and used for the good of the people. However, it is also a potential divisive factor that can tear our social fabric. I am particularly concerned that we are starting to see vitriolic debates and conversations happening in the online space. I understand that these toxic exchanges do not necessarily reflect the current state of affairs offline or the mentality of the larger majority. However, I cannot help but worry that such airing of views reflects the unspoken thoughts of many. I am also concerned that the young, who grow up exposed to and dependent on information they obtain from the Internet may be impacted by the views online. It is, therefore, imperative that we create real-life platforms to bring youth from different backgrounds together so that they may interact, learn about one another and have open and frank conversations about their differences. I, therefore, laud efforts like the development of the OBS @ Coney Island which has the great potential of being the platform to encourage healthy and organic interactions amongst our youths.[+10 sentences] The SGFuture engagements have also been an excellent platform for discussions. Our hope lies with the young. We need to engage youths on matters that are important to them, especially since they will inherit the nation and should have a say in how the society develops. Beyond creating the platforms and spaces for them to interact, for there to be real discourse, I believe there also needs to be opportunities for more open debates and discussions. I would, therefore, like to ask what specific measures the Ministry would take in ensuring meaningful social mixing, interactions and discussions through the youth activities. What more can be done to ensure a sustainable and continued engagement and interaction among youths from diverse backgrounds, beyond just the activities which they participate in? Our call for embracing diversity and maintaining our multireligious and multicultural values need to go beyond platitudes. We need to make diversity our strength and not cause our fall. I have faith that we will be able to achieve this. But there needs to be effort by all to make a constant and conscious effort to encourage and embrace diversity.
Mr Darryl David497 words
[+1 sentence]Chairman, while we can debate the role of education or parenting in growing young people with strength and fortitude, I believe that experiential learning is critical to developing our youths holistically in this area. I was thus heartened to hear that the Government will soon be building a new OBS on Coney Island to enhance the OBS experience for our youths. I believe that every child should, at some point, be given the opportunity to spend time in OBS.[+2 sentences] The experience of being in a natural setting, away from urban familiarity, to have one's physical and mental abilities stretched to the fullest, should be offered to all Singaporean youths. Indeed, I was just at OBS on Pulau Ubin few days ago on Sunday and just being there for few hours really helped alleviate pressures of being in an urban environment and brought back fond memories also of my time in OBS. Many of us who have also spent time in OBS would attest to the benefits of that experience, not only because of the confidence that they gave us but also the resilience and strong bonds of friendship, camaraderie and teamwork that we build up not only among our school mates but also across schools.[+1 sentence] What is my wish? That going for an OBS experience could thus be something that all Singaporean youths eventually go through as a "rite-of-passage", the same way that all male Singaporeans go through National Service.[+3 sentences] One element of National Service which is important is the social mixing that it involves. Singaporeans of all races, religions, socio-economic groups and educational backgrounds get to mix together, and this strengthens and enhances the social fabric of our community. I am happy to hear that the Acting Minister for Education said at an earlier COS debate last week that all Singaporean youths would have the chance to experience OBS within the next few years. In this light, I would like to suggest that the next batch of students from not just different schools but also from different types of academic systems and institutions get to undergo their OBS experience together. For example, students from the Institute of Technical Education, could undergo their OBS with their peers from an International Baccalaureate (IB) through train school.[+3 sentences] And those from a Special Assistance Plan (SAP) school could go for OBS with unique schools like School of the Arts or even NorthLight. While this would require some logistics and planning, I believe that it would also be beneficial as students now not only get stretched physically and mentally, they also get to develop their emotional quotient and empathy by learning how to interact and cooperate with other young Singaporeans who are different from them. In addition to continuing their collaboration with MOE, I hope that MCCY can share with the House how we can all work together to create a new generation of Singaporeans who are physically and mentally tougher and ready to accept any challenge that comes their way.
Ms Sun Xueling (Pasir Ris-Punggol)319 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Chairman, I still remember the experience I had at OBS when I was in secondary school. It was especially memorable because I was from an all-girls' school and it was my first time interacting with boys of the same age, solving problems and battling the rugged outdoors. It was also an opportunity for girls to push their physical limits, challenge their fears and bond with students from other schools and other races, especially since girls do not serve National Service. I found the experience extremely valuable and was thus delighted to hear that such an experience would be available to all in the cohort. However, just as OBS @ Coney Island was greeted with much excitement, given that all in the cohort will be given the opportunity of outdoor learning, there were also concerns raised by many parents who feel that their child is not ready or suited for such outdoor activities and that OBS should not be made compulsory.[+6 sentences] It is, therefore, critical for parents to buy in and support this initiative in order to ensure that it successfully achieves its objectives. Can the Ministry provide greater details of the activities that OBS will embark on and what it tries to achieve? If in their daily interactions with their children, parents are able to compliment and reinforce what OBS sets out to achieve, we are more likely to achieve longer-term benefits of this programme. Also, in order to maintain the quality of the OBS experience for students, can the Ministry take steps to educate students ahead of the programme so that all will do it with the right attitude and enthusiasm? OBS has, in the past, been seen as a star programme for student leaders. Even as it is now made available to all, the experience of the programme should be upheld and all students should come away from it feeling proud of themselves and their achievements.
Committee of Supply – Head X (Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth)›Budget1 turns · 248w
· 5 highlighted
budget-743recorded 2016-04-13
Miss Cheng Li Hui (Tampines)248 words
[+6 sentences]Sir, OBS was set up by Dr Goh Keng Swee in 1967. Dr Goh's vision was for OBS to help build a rugged society. True to his vision, the fundamental philosophy underlining the operations of OBS has not changed over the past nearly 50 years. I am glad that OBS is now being expanded to strengthen our rugged society. At the official opening of Coney Island, Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in his speech, "We will, of course, keep the island rustic and keep to its natural state, as much as possible. Coney Island is home to a wide variety of habitats, including coastal forests, grasslands and mangroves. It is also a stop for migratory birds and features rare flora and fauna that are not seen on our mainland." I am, therefore, concerned whether the rustic nature of the island can, indeed, be preserved. I understand that 12 hectares represent 10% of Coney Island.[+1 sentence] I would still like to ask what are the measures taken to minimise the impact to the environment and how the rustic nature of the island can be preserved. The cost of $250 million seems to be rather high, considering cost of other infrastructure projects like the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Sports and Residential Halls cost $230 million. Will the Minister share the details of the development plans and the components which account for the high costs? I would also like to ask what are the plans for the current OBS and adventure campsites.
The Senior Minister of State for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah)213 words
[+2 sentences]Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." In accordance with Article 148(1) of the Constitution, Heads of Expenditure to be met from the Consolidated Fund and Development Fund, other than statutory expenditure, have to be included in the Bill to be known as the Supply Bill. The purpose of the Supply Bill before Members is, therefore, to give legislative approval for the appropriations from the Consolidated Fund and Development Fund to meet the expenditure in the Financial Year, 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017.[+2 sentences] The Heads of Expenditure and the sums that may be incurred in respect of each Head are shown in the Schedule to the Bill. These have been approved by the House in the Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year, 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017, as contained in Paper Command No 2 of 2016. The Supply Bill, when approved, will empower the Minister to issue warrants authorising expenditure up to the amount for each Head as shown in the Bill to be paid out from the Consolidated Fund and Development Fund.[+1 sentence] Madam, I beg to move.
Ms Indranee Rajah38 words
[+2 sentences]Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time." Page: 57
The Senior Minister of State for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah)97 words
[+4 sentences]Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The purpose of this Bill is to make provision in accordance with Articles 148(2) and 148C(2) of the Constitution for additional expenditure in excess of the provisions authorised by the Supply Act 2015. The additional sums have been presented as Supplementary Estimates, which have been considered and approved by the House as Command Paper No 3 of 2016. Madam, I beg to move.
Ms Indranee Rajah38 words
[+2 sentences]Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time." Page: 58
The Senior Minister of State for Law (Ms Indranee Rajah)1647 words
[+3 sentences]Mdm Speaker, this is the last Bill on the last day of a long and intensive Parliamentary session. So, I know how much Members will be looking forward eagerly to this Bill with keen interest and the Ministry of Law will endeavour not to disappoint. Mdm Speaker, on behalf of the Minister, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time". The Choice of Court Agreements Bill seeks to give effect to the Convention on Choice of Court Agreements done at The Hague on 30 June 2005, which establishes an international legal regime for upholding exclusive choice of court agreements in international civil or commercial cases and governs the recognition and enforcement of judgments amongst parties to the Convention.[+7 sentences] Globalisation has led to unprecedented growth in international trade and investment. This has seen a corresponding increase in cross-border disputes, and a heightened demand for cross-border dispute resolution services. Current economic conditions notwithstanding, in the long term, international trade and, consequently, the need for international dispute resolution, are expected to grow. The establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, which allows for freer movement of goods, services, investments, skilled labour and capital in the region, will add to this demand. Singapore is well-placed to meet this increased demand. Today, we already offer a full suite of international dispute resolution services. In arbitration, we are one of the most preferred seats of arbitration in the world. The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) had a record year in 2015, with 271 new cases involving $6.23 billion in disputes.[+3 sentences] For litigation, we recently established the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) to meet demand for commercial dispute resolution in the region and internationally. And for mediation, we established the Singapore International Mediation Centre to provide mediation services for international disputes. In the recently concluded Committee of Supply debates, the Minister for Law informed Members that the Government will create new frameworks to help our lawyers seize opportunities. The Convention regime, which today's Bill seeks to implement, is one such framework. This Bill will boost Singapore's position as a dispute resolution hub in Asia by enhancing the international enforceability of Singapore Court judgments.[+22 sentences] Greater enforceability will make our Courts a more attractive forum for determining cross-border disputes. This, in turn, will generate more opportunities for our legal industry. The implementation of the Convention also demonstrates Singapore's commitment to be a global player in facilitating international commerce. Drawing more complex cross-border Page: 64 commercial cases to our Courts will allow us to develop and shape commercial law, as well as international jurisprudence, relating to the Convention. Let me, first, explain the broad framework of the Convention which is being implemented by this Bill. Parties to commercial contracts commonly specify where disputes arising under the contract are to be resolved. If the parties specify that disputes arising from the contract are to be resolved in one jurisdiction to the exclusion of other jurisdictions, that is known as an exclusive choice of court agreement. If they specify one jurisdiction, but do not exclude other jurisdictions, then that is known as a non-exclusive choice of court agreement. When choosing the jurisdiction or forum to resolve their disputes, parties typically consider several factors, including whether the forum: (a) provides certainty as to how the law is to be interpreted and applied; (b) is a trusted forum, that is, neutral and not corrupt; (c) is competent and efficient in resolving disputes; and whether the judgment or award obtained can be easily enforced domestically and overseas. This is particularly relevant where parties' assets are located in another jurisdiction. Arbitral awards have wide enforceability because of the New York Convention. In contrast, court judgments are generally more difficult to enforce in other jurisdictions, especially if the two jurisdictions concerned do not have reciprocal arrangements or treaties on the enforcement of judgments. In common law jurisdictions, for example, a party would, generally, have to commence fresh proceedings in that other jurisdiction and sue on the court judgment as a debt. This incurs additional time and costs. It can also be open to more challenges, especially if the defendant disputes that the original court had jurisdiction to make the judgment sought to be enforced. The Convention provides greater certainty on where disputes between parties will be litigated and where judgments can be enforced. And it does so in two ways. First, it establishes an international legal regime for upholding exclusive choice of court agreements in international civil or commercial cases. Second, it governs the recognition and enforcement of judgments amongst courts of the contracting states. In this regard, it does for court judgments of contracting states what the New York Convention does for arbitral awards. Under the convention regime, parties will have greater assurance that: the court chosen by them under an exclusive choice of court agreement will hear their dispute and not some other Page: 65 courts; and the courts of contracting states will enforce the judgment of the chosen court. This gives greater certainty which will, in turn, enable parties to better manage the risks involved in cross-border business and promote a more conducive legal environment for international trade investment. Singapore signed the Convention on 25 March 2015. The Convention came into force on 1 October 2015. There are presently 28 states which are parties to the Convention.[+2 sentences] It is an opportune time for Singapore to implement and ratify the Convention. Doing so will be beneficial to our position as a dispute resolution hub. First, it will enhance the enforceability of Singapore judgments in other jurisdictions.[+5 sentences] This includes judgments from SICC, which was established as a specialist court to hear international commercial disputes, including disputes which have no substantial connection to Singapore. Second, the ability to enforce our judgments more widely will be an added incentive for parties to choose Singapore courts, including SICC, in exclusive choice of court agreements. We have consulted various stakeholders, such as the Law Society, foreign law firms, academics and the Judiciary. They support the signing of the Convention as they recognise the benefit that will result from judgments of the Singapore Courts being more easily enforced or recognised in foreign jurisdictions. I will now highlight some important features of the Bill. In line with the Convention, the Bill only applies to international civil or commercial matters.[+6 sentences] It does not apply to exclusive choice of court agreements in personal, family or consumer matters. It would not, therefore, apply to matrimonial matters, bankruptcy, insolvency, employment or personal injury. Part 2 of the Bill deals with the jurisdiction of the Singapore Courts in cases of an exclusive choice of court agreement that falls within the scope of the Bill. Briefly, if a Singapore Court is the chosen Court under an exclusive choice of court agreement, the Singapore Court will have the jurisdiction to decide the dispute at hand. The Singapore Court, generally, cannot decline jurisdiction on the ground that the dispute should be decided by a court of another state. Conversely, if the Singapore Court is not the chosen court, the Singapore Court must, generally, stay or dismiss the matter. Clause 2(2) of the Bill makes it clear that references to the High Court in an exclusive choice of court agreement to which the Convention applies is to be construed as including SICC, unless a contrary intention appears in the agreement.[+3 sentences] This addresses a situation where an action which is commenced in the High Court pursuant to an exclusive choice of court agreement specifying the Singapore High Court as the forum is subsequently transferred to SICC. Clause 2(2) makes it clear that the High Court includes SICC and removes any doubt that the intention of this Bill is for the Convention regime to apply to SICC, notwithstanding the transfer. Part 3 of the Bill relates to the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. Generally, where a foreign judgment is valid and enforceable in the state in which the judgment originated, it will be recognised and enforced in Singapore.[+8 sentences] However, the Convention provides certain limited Page: 66 grounds on which the Singapore Courts must or may refuse to recognise or enforce such foreign judgments. Examples of where a foreign judgment will not be recognised or enforced include where the foreign judgment was obtained by fraud or where recognition and enforcement of the judgment would be against Singapore's public policy. In such instances, the Bill makes it mandatory for the Singapore Courts to refuse recognition and enforcement. The Bill also provides certain discretionary grounds for refusal. Declarations can be made under the Convention to exclude or modify its application to specific matters; to allow the Courts to refuse to hear disputes or decline to recognise and enforce foreign judgments in certain limited circumstances; or to extend the Convention obligations to non-exclusive choice of court agreements. Singapore is currently not making any declarations, but the Bill provides the Minister with the power to make regulations to incorporate the effect of any such future declarations. The Bill only applies vis-à-vis other contracting states to the Convention. It would not apply where the court chosen under the exclusive choice of court agreement is a court of a non-contracting state. In such cases, the current law applicable to enforcing such agreements, as well as the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments, would apply.[+2 sentences] Finally, in line with the Convention, the intention of the Bill is that when it is applied, regard shall be had to its international character and the need to promote uniformity in its application. In conclusion, Mdm Speaker, this Bill will give effect to the Convention and allow Singapore to ratify it. Such implementation and ratification will enhance the overseas enforceability of judgments of our Courts, further incentivise parties to litigate their disputes here, and demonstrate our commitment to contribute towards facilitating international commerce.[+1 sentence] Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Non-Constituency Member)1344 words
[+2 sentences]Madam, I declare my interest as a lawyer with a practice involving international commercial work. I rise in support of the Choice of Court Agreements Bill. On 25 March 2015, Singapore signed the Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements of 2005.[+8 sentences] For the rest of my speech, I shall refer this as the Convention of Hague or the Hague Convention. Singapore joined the European Union (EU), the United States (US) and Mexico as the current states who have signed up to the Convention. The present Bill is being passed to ratify the Convention and bring it into law in Singapore. Choice of court agreements are clauses in commercial contracts where parties to a contract nominate the courts of a particular country to decide on any legal disputes that may arise from the contract. They are often known as jurisdiction clauses. The Convention seeks to provide uniformity in the way the courts of contracting states should decide on choice of court agreements in contracts. In particular, it provides specific rules in the way the courts of contracting states can decide on how they should rule on exclusive choice of court Page: 67 agreements. The Convention also seeks to provide uniformity in the way the courts of contracting states will decide on the recognition and enforcement of foreign civil judgment of fellow contracting states. Presently, under our present law, there are only 11 countries whose civil judgments may be recognised and enforceable in Singapore.[+1 sentence] Likewise, by way of reciprocity, our civil judgments may be recognised and enforced in the same 11 countries. With the Convention and passing of this Bill, the 11 countries will be joined by another 28 states that include Mexico and all countries in the EU, except Denmark.[+7 sentences] Our civil judgments may be recognised and enforceable in these additional countries and, likewise, we may recognise and enforce their courts' judgments. Hopefully, the US will ratify the Convention soon. More than that, I hope that it will be a matter of time before other parties sign up to the Convention. When more countries sign up and ratify the Convention, more countries will be added to the 39 states. The mutual recognition and enforcement of judgments among contracting states will certainly help to promote international trade. The cooperation of contracting states and the recognition and enforcement of judgments will, hopefully, help to enhance our Courts as one of the leading judiciaries in the area of commercial law. It has been said that the Hague Convention seeks to create a regime for recognition and enforcement of court judgments comparable to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, commonly referred to as the New York Convention. The New York Convention applies to the recognition and enforcement of international arbitration awards and currently has about 156 signatories.[+7 sentences] Hopefully, in time to come, the Hague Convention will be as successful as the New York Convention. Over the years, Singapore has grown to be a leading forum for international arbitration in the world. SIAC has become one of the leading international arbitration centres. In more recent years, the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA) has become a leading maritime arbitration body. The Government has been trying to develop Singapore as an international dispute resolution centre. International arbitration is one pillar of this thrust. The other pillar is our Courts, particularly where it involves adjudication of disputes arising from international contracts. Our High Court and Admiralty Courts have their share of landmark decisions in international jurisprudence. It is not by chance that the signing of this Convention, and now this Bill, coincides with the recent setting up of SICC in January this year.[+22 sentences] And, indeed, rightly so. By enhancing the enforceability of our Court judgments abroad, I hope that they can enhance the attraction of SICC and, indeed, Singapore Courts generally, and persuade more international commercial parties to have their disputes decided in our Courts. To this end, I am in support of the ratification of the Hague Convention and of this Bill. I hope SICC will develop to be a premier international commercial Court. The Court has already appointed distinguished and reputable judges from different countries to sit on its bench. But we also need to think about the mechanics of getting our Courts to be chosen as the exclusive choice of court in the jurisdiction clause of the commercial agreements that international parties enter into. Page: 68 We have to persuade people to put Singapore Courts or SICC into their contracts as a court of choice to adjudicate any dispute that may arise. We need to approach multinational corporations and other international companies. We can start by persuading our own Singapore companies to use our SICC or Singapore jurisdiction clauses. We need to persuade them to fight for such clauses to be used, even in the face of their international business counterparts disagreeing. Jurisdiction clause is frequently not an item of priority to consider when parties are negotiating a contract. They may be more excited about the price of the contract or the operational details of the contract. Most people think that jurisdiction clauses are not something that should break a deal. This may make the task of persuading a change of mindset a little bit more difficult. We need to persuade lawyers who draft contracts for their clients; sometimes, we need to persuade lawyers to persuade their clients. From my experience, some clients are creatures of habits and may take time to be persuaded. We should also try to persuade the many international lawyers based in Singapore or in Asia to promote Singapore, whether for SICC or for arbitration. We should take a leaf from the experience of SIAC and, in recent years, SCMA, their marketing efforts, to persuade companies to use their respective house of arbitration clauses. Over time, SIAC has grown in its reputation and stature. On the other hand, SCMA has come a long way in the last few years. SCMA has become a much better known name in the international maritime circle. The SCMA arbitration clause is becoming more and more widely used in the world. In 2013, SCMA has even managed to persuade the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) to have SCMA BIMCO arbitration clause options in its many standard contract templates. BIMCO is the world's largest shipping association with 2,200 members worldwide.[+2 sentences] Its contract forms are recognised and used by shipping companies worldwide as industry standard templates. Persuading BIMCO to have an SCMA arbitration clause was no mean feat for a relatively young maritime body like SCMA. Before that, only London and New York made it.[+3 sentences] Efforts like this should inspire all stakeholders in their promotion drives for not just arbitration in Singapore, but also in the use of SICC or Singapore Courts as a chosen choice of court for dispute resolution. One of the strengths of Singapore as a legal hub is that it can and often does provide a neutral forum for non-Singapore parties. For example, for international arbitration, Singapore is often a preferred neutral forum of choice for a dispute involving, say, two Asian parties, for example, Chinese and Indian parties or between, say, a European party and a Chinese party. We can and should tap on this for SICC, too. Certainly, with the 27 states in the EU being contracting states under the Hague Convention, European parties must, certainly, be a key object of our persuasion.[+1 sentence] Finally, with the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, it will make sense to have reciprocal recognition and enforcement of civil judgments among all ASEAN countries. Currently, such reciprocity only extends to Brunei and Malaysia.[+5 sentences] For example, our Court judgment is not recognised in Indonesia. I know that many Indonesians prefer to have their commercial disputes determined by arbitration in Singapore and frequently SIAC, and, sometimes, even when their business counterparts in the same contract are also Indonesians. We should persuade our ASEAN neighbours to follow our footsteps in signing up to the Hague Convention. Madam, with that, I support the Bill. Page: 69
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang)1457 words
[+13 sentences]Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of this Bill. I should declare my interest as a lawyer who practises dispute resolution and deals with cases that would be considered international cases under this Bill. This Bill is an important development in Singapore. Singapore started developing as a centre for international dispute resolution in the 1980s. We became a party to the New York Convention on Enforcement of Arbitral Awards in 1986 and this heralded the rise of Singapore as a dispute resolution centre for international arbitration in the 1990s. The importance of arbitration, and especially international arbitration, was manifold. First of all, it provided parties the opportunity to have their disputes resolved before a confidential forum. It was a one-stop solution; there was no appeal on the arbitral award generally. But perhaps, most importantly for international disputes, it also allowed an arbitral award obtained in Singapore to be enforced in many other countries and, in particular, all the countries that are parties to the New York Convention. At the moment, there about 156 such countries. What this means is that parties who are involved in a dispute that involved multiple jurisdictions, can now choose any country that is a party to the New York Convention and that includes Singapore, have the dispute resolved there, and if that dispute is an international arbitration, they can enforce it in many other countries. This has been an important attraction of international arbitration. It is in this context that this Bill changes the equation somewhat. What this Bill does is that it gives Court judgments an effect that might be similar to international arbitral awards as far as enforceability goes.[+1 sentence] There are three key components to this Bill. The first, and this is reflected in Article 5 of the Convention as well as section 11 of the Bill, is that a court that is chosen, as long as it is one of the courts that is in the contracting states, these courts will have to take up the dispute, subject to certain exceptions.[+2 sentences] But otherwise, if a court is chosen as the venue for dispute resolution, it has to take up the case. This is even if the case has no other relationship with the country concerned. The second is that – this is in Article 6 of the Convention as well as section 12 of the Bill – the courts of the countries that are parties to it must actually stay proceedings or dismiss proceedings if they are subject to the jurisdiction of another court.[+3 sentences] So, what this means is that even if the court might otherwise have had jurisdiction, as a result of this clause, they would have to decline to take up the case. This is very similar to what happens in the arbitration framework as well. If a dispute is subject to arbitration and it is governed by the International Arbitration Act, typically the courts will stay any court cases that try to go around that clause. The final component is the enforcement of judgments and it is under Article 8 of the Convention and section 13 of the Bill.[+21 sentences] This basically says that courts have to give effect to judgments from another contracting state. What these three mechanisms do is, in effect, they give judgments in Singapore an effect similar to an international arbitral award, in that a judgment that is made here can be enforced on any other party that is a contracting party to the Hague Convention. It is in this respect that it is also important to look at some of the implications. I will just do a quick comparison. There are still important differences between the two for parties that are Page: 70 deciding whether to choose to use arbitration or to use the Courts. As a practitioner, I can say that one the biggest advantages of the Courts is that where a dispute is complex and where non-parties may be involved, it is easier to get them involved if the dispute is in Court. So, it is one of the classic rules of arbitration that only parties to the arbitration agreement can bring their dispute in that arbitration agreement. If there is a dispute that involves the two parties in the arbitration agreement as well as non-parties, the only way the non-parties can get involved is with the consent of both parties to the arbitration agreement. However, if the same dispute is brought into Court, there is no such limitation on the Courts' power to bring the other parties involved in the dispute into that dispute, provided the Court otherwise has jurisdiction. This actually gives the Courts a great deal more flexibility and, in fact, the choice of using a Court would give you more flexibility if you envision that your dispute may involve other parties. So, this is an important advantage the Courts have over arbitration. This used to be counter-balanced by the limitation on enforceability of a Court award in other jurisdictions, but this Bill will remove that limitation somewhat. It is also here that we come into one of the limitations of this new development and, that is, the number of contracting states. The New York Convention for Arbitral Awards has about 156 parties. That means an international arbitration award can be enforced in 156 different countries. This current Convention is relatively young. Mexico was the first country to ratify it. The EU was the second and that took place only in about October last year. The EU brought in the other 27 countries. Singapore is the next country to ratify it. The US has signed it but has not yet ratified it. In fact, right now, the only parties to which this Bill will apply would be Mexico, Singapore and most of the EU, with one exception. I believe that this Bill has tremendous potential but it still does not have the same reach as an arbitral award because of the number of signatories to the underlining Convention.[+12 sentences] One of my suggestions, in fact, if we were to make this Bill even more meaningful, would be to try and get more of our friends to sign up to the Convention. We could start with ASEAN because a lot of our business is in ASEAN, and other trading partners as well, potentially India, China. This would help to give the Bill even more reach because the more parties that ratify the Convention, the more we will allow the dual enforceability of court judgments. Courts, otherwise, have a big advantage over arbitration as a forum for dispute resolution. I should also caveat that there are some complex disputes for which even this Bill will not provide easy answers. I explained that multi-party disputes are one of the biggest limitations of arbitration. That limitation may still apply in Court. For example, if a dispute were to occur entirely, say, in a third country, but the parties of that dispute ask for it to be resolved in a Court in Singapore and there were non-parties involved, it does not automatically follow the Singapore Court's jurisdiction over the non-parties. So, it does not overcome all the limitations but I think it still gives more flexibility to involve non-parties to the arbitration agreement. The final thing I should point out is that there are some concerns that there is no limitation on which countries can become parties to this Convention. While we will not name specific countries, there are some countries where people have more doubts about the judicial systems. Page: 71 For example, for an award where we may suspect the legitimacy of that judicial system, does it mean that we will automatically have to enforce it? Well, the short answer is that apart from one carve-out for public policy, the answer would be yes. This is why it is quite important for parties to make a clear choice on the choice of law because, ultimately, it is for parties to choose which forum they like.[+2 sentences] This was the criticism that was made about international arbitration as well when it first took off because, ultimately, parties choose their arbitrator. There is no real quality control over that. But international arbitral awards are still in force, and that is because we recognise the choice of parties. So, likewise over here, if parties choose a certain jurisdiction that happens to be a contracting state, then we are obliged to recognise that, subject to public policy and other considerations.[+3 sentences] But overall, I think this is an excellent development. I think it gives parties a great deal more choice in resolving their disputes. My only suggestion is that we wear our hats on the international front and get more people to sign up to the Convention.
Mdm Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Senior Minister of State.
Ms Indranee Rajah547 words
[+24 sentences]Mdm Speaker, I thank Mr Dennis Tan and Mr Vikram Nair for their strong support for the Bill. There are just a couple of points to which I should reply. First, Mr Vikram Nair raised the question of whether there was a limitation because of the relatively smaller number of contracting states. The answer to that is we certainly expect it to grow. But even with the present signatories as well as states that have ratified, it is already very promising. Having the EU, for example, as a contracting party immediately extends our reach to the EU, save, of course, for Denmark. In addition to that, the US and Ukraine are signatories to the Convention and there is growing interest in the Convention in the region. We, for our part, will certainly, as suggested by Mr Dennis Tan and Mr Vikram Nair encourage more ASEAN member states to become parties to the Convention. I think Mr Vikram Nair also raised the issue of what would happen if we are obliged to recognise judgments from Convention states with less robust systems and whether that would necessarily have to take place. Possibly so, but I think that this is mitigated by two things. One is the element of choice; and second is built-in safeguards in the Bill. Let me explain what I mean. First, choice. The Convention applies where there is an exclusive choice of court agreement. So, once they choose the forum, it means that parties have made a choice of that court. You have to assume that when they make that choice, they took into account the relevant factors, including the robustness of the judicial system of which that chosen court is a part. This really means that they have taken it into account and what the Bill does is it gives effect to that choice. It means parties must think carefully when choosing an exclusive choice of court forum. Logically though, I think that this would act as a natural filter because, by and large, parties act rationally. So, they are likely to take into account the factors that I mentioned earlier – neutrality, that the system is not corrupt. They will look at the robustness of the system in which that court resides, and they will make their choices accordingly. So, that would act as a sort of natural filter. Page: 72 Secondly, the Convention and the Bill have their own safeguards. For example, the Convention permits the Singapore Court to refuse recognition or enforcement of foreign judgments on certain specified grounds. The Courts must refuse to recognise or enforce a judgment where the foreign judgment was obtained by fraud in connection with the matter of procedure or when the defendant was not notified of the proceedings against it, and recognition or enforcement is incompatible with the public policy of Singapore.[+4 sentences] There are also some discretionary grounds where the Courts can refuse recognition or enforcement. Those operate as safeguards. Essentially, at the end of the day, what being a party to the Convention means is that it extends the enforceability of the judgments of our Courts and that, in turn, is good for the industry and for Singapore as a dispute resolution hub as a whole. I thank the Members once again for their support.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (West Coast)65 words
Just one point of clarification for the Senior Minister of State. I noticed that clause 9(1)(b) of the Bill specifically or explicitly excludes employment contracts and collective agreements.[+3 sentences] I am aware the Hague Convention has likewise in pari materia. However, may I know, just to understand the rationale behind it, as well the reasons? Increasingly, we see employees being subjected to multi-jurisdictional kinds of arrangements.
Ms Indranee Rajah177 words
The reason why the Bill does not include things like employment contracts is because they are not covered in the Convention.[+1 sentence] The Convention does not extend to this. The reason for that is because this is a Convention that deals with international civil and commercial matters.[+4 sentences] It is in the realm of international trade and international investment and it is meant to address commercial disputes. Employment matters fall under the category of more personal law where individuals are concerned. By their nature, they tend to be governed by more domestic regimes, and so it does not fall within the ambit of the Convention and, thus, does not come within this Bill. . (proc text)] Page: 73
[+2 sentences][(proc text) presented by the Senior Minister of State for Law (Ms Indranee Rajah); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. (proc text)]
Income Tax (Amendment No 2) Bill›Bills Introduced1 turns · 58w
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bill-intro-181
Speaker not recorded58 words
[+2 sentences][(proc text) recommendation of President signified; presented by the Senior Minister of State for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. (proc text)]
[+2 sentences][(proc text) recommendation of President signified; presented by the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. (proc text)] Page: 7
Committee of Supply – Heads B, C, D, E, F, G and Z›Budget2 turns · 170w
· 2 highlighted
budget-2749
The Chairman103 words
[+1 sentence]I shall now deal with the remaining heads of expenditure in respect of which no amendment stands on the Order Paper Supplement. In respect of the Main Estimates, they are Heads B, C, D, E, F, G and Z. I propose to take those heads of expenditure en bloc.[+2 sentences] [(proc text) Question, "That the sums stated for Heads B, C, D, E, F, G and Z which appear in the last column of the Schedule of estimated expenditure under the Main Estimates on page 6 of Paper Cmd 2 of 2016 stand part of the Main Estimates," put and agreed to. (proc text)]
The Chairman67 words
[+2 sentences]In respect of the Development Estimates, they are Heads B, C, E and F. [(proc text) Question, "That the sums stated for Heads B, C, E and F which appear in the last column of the Schedule of estimated expenditure under the Development Estimates on page 7 of Paper Cmd 2 of 2016 stand part of the Development Estimates," put and agreed to. (proc text)] Page: 55
Committee of Supply – Total Sums for Main Estimates, Development Estimates and Resolutions›Budget4 turns · 289w
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Speaker not recorded104 words
[+3 sentences][(proc text) Question, "That the sum of $82,389,729,300 shall be supplied to the Government under the Heads of Expenditure for the public services shown in the Main Estimates for the financial year 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017," contained in Paper Cmd 2 of 2016," put and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Question, "That the sum of $32,161,255,600 shall be supplied to the Government under the Heads of Expenditure for the public services shown in the Development Estimates for the financial year 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017 contained in Paper Cmd 2 of 2016," put and agreed to. (proc text)]
The Chairman23 words
[+1 sentence]Resolutions to be reported.
The Senior Minister of State for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah)126 words
[+3 sentences]Mdm Speaker, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has come to certain resolutions. [(proc text) "That the sum of $82,389,729,300 shall be supplied to the Government under the Heads of Expenditure for the public services shown in the Main Estimates for the financial year 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017, contained in Paper Cmd 2 of 2016." (proc text)] [(proc text) "That the sum of $32,161,255,600 shall be supplied to the Government under the Heads of Expenditure for the public services shown in the Development Estimates for the financial year 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017, contained in Paper Cmd 2 of 2016. (proc text)]
Ms Indranee Rajah36 words
[+2 sentences]Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That Parliament doth agree with the Committee on the said resolutions." Page: 56
Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017›Budget1 turns · 17w
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[+2 sentences]. (proc text)] Page: 8
Committee of Supply – Head X (Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth)›Budget58 turns · 25,669w
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budget-747
Speaker not recorded46 words
[+2 sentences], (proc text)] . (proc text)]
The Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim)16 words
[+1 sentence]Mdm Chair, may I have your permission to display some slides on the LED screens, please?
The Chairman8 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim5708 words
[+2 sentences]Madam, the Malay/Muslim community has always been integral to the Singapore story. Many are doing well in diverse fields, such as business, the arts and information technology (IT). The General Household Survey 2015 highlighted commendable progress on the educational front, with more Malay students achieving higher educational qualifications. The Anugerah MENDAKI has also seen cohorts doing better, with the number of recipients rising from 346 in 2010 to 501 in 2015.[+2 sentences] More encouragingly, we see more students take on courses in high demand areas, such as food science, biological science and information and communications technology (ICT). More Malays are also getting married but there are fewer minor marriages and remarriages. Divorce rates have stayed stable, averaging at 1,600 a year over the last five years.[+24 sentences] The Future of Us Exhibition and SGfuture conversations are important touchpoints where we can share our hopes, ideas and aspirations to co-create our future together. I am glad to see many of our youths participating in this endeavour. We have 27-year-old Khairul Rusydi, co-founder of Reactor, an educational technology company. He aspires to illuminate alternative pathways to success for youths. Since participating in the inaugural SGfuture session, he worked with the National Youth Council to spearhead the SGfuture engagement on the Future Economy in March, which explored ways to ensure Singapore remains economically vibrant. This weekend, Rusydi, together with Reactor, will spearhead a session on the Future of Youth Entrepreneurship to encourage the exchange of innovative ideas and collaborations. Our young will play a very important role and we have seen many young role models stepping forward and showcasing the best values of the community regardless of where they are. A group of young aspiring asatizahs studying in the University of Jordan distributed specially prepared packets of food to the poor, including street cleaners and the elderly. Back home, under the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation, our youths in mosques and madrasahs worked together to bring joy, care and blessings to elderly residents in Ren Ci Nursing Home. The trends and examples are part of a larger story, the story of the hard work put in by so many Malay/Muslims who are determined to forge a brighter future for themselves and their families. We will continue to work together to lay the foundations to help bring out the best in Page: 9 everyone. Madam, our community has benefited from many national schemes over the years. These include Edusave, ComCare subsidies, Workfare and Community Health Assistance Scheme. Apart from the Industry Transformation Programme, Budget 2016 also offered key educational and social support. These include the First Step Grant for the Child Development Account; KidSTART, which will help level up disadvantaged children; and the Fresh Start Housing scheme to help families in rental flats own their own homes. The community is determined to progress and the foundations for its future are being laid with this Budget. In this speech, I would like to address two key issues for the community. First, to ensure that our community is ready to seize the opportunities of a rapidly changing economy. Second, to address a more diverse socio-religious landscape, for which we will need new strategies to counter extremist and exclusivist influences. I will also touch on ongoing efforts to build on the community's progress in education and its socio-religious life and to fine-tune efforts to strengthen families and better support the vulnerable. Madam, let me elaborate on how we will prepare our young for the future economy. Against a backdrop of disruptive technologies, our industries need to transform and adapt. Skills upgrading will be more important than ever and ICT will be a key enabler. Our young must recognise this and be ready for a job market where skills and experience will outweigh qualifications. Organisations like the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI) and other Malay/Muslim organisations (MMOs) can play a role to help our community understand the changing economic landscape. It was exactly with a view to the needs of the future economy that MENDAKI recently established the Future Ready Unit to promote SkillsFuture to the community.[+8 sentences] Mr Zainal Sapari asked about the Unit's plans. First, building on the Government's SGfuture engagement efforts, MENDAKI will reach out to the community through a series of Future Ready Conversations and NextStop engagements. The Conversations will help MENDAKI to better understand the hopes and aspirations of our community and how it can provide more targeted and effective support. "NextStop" is more targeted. MENDAKI will engage students from secondary schools, the Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) and polytechnics so that they have a better appreciation of the growth sectors in our economy and, relatedly, the range of academic and career pathways under SkillsFuture. Second, the Unit will introduce Future Ready Mentoring for secondary level and ITE students. Some of our students may not be well-informed of the available opportunities or may lack the confidence to pursue their aspirations. Mentors will help broaden the perspectives of mentees and advise them on their choice of education and career pathways. Third, students, adult learners and workers will have opportunities through MENDAKI Social Enterprise Network Singapore (SENSE) to better understand SkillsFuture and access a range of programmes, such as skills development, for "in-demand" job sectors.[+15 sentences] One key initiative would be the "Making SENSE of SkillsFuture" fairs. Mr Saktiandi Supaat was concerned about how we can better support our workforce facing short- to mid-term challenges. MENDAKI SENSE has been offering a variety of courses and job matching services to those who need help. This year, in addition to these, SENSE will also offer a Page: 10 number of free courses that support lifelong learning, career readiness and skills upgrading. Madam, the ICT sector will play a big part in our future. We already have a number of talented individuals in our community who have blazed a trail in this field. Take, for example, Muhammad Danish bin Muhammad Imran. This dynamic 21-year-old Ngee Ann Polytechnic graduate was the top student in his specialisation. As a child, his parents had exposed Danish to IT, and it has been his passion ever since. In primary school, Danish built websites and, in secondary school, he worked on an app to help students learn better. It was in polytechnic where his passion and strength converged. There, Danish's participation in Microsoft's YouthSpark programme prompted him to develop an app called "Taxi Split". Based on his experience with sharing taxi fares with his friends who alight at different destinations, this app helped to calculate the exact taxi fare using game theory. He later shared his knowledge on creating computational thinking programmes with students and social enterprises, as part of his work as a YouthSpark coordinator for Microsoft Asia Pacific. We want to spark the interest of more students who are like Danish. Later this month, MENDAKI will launch the CM-Tech@Heartlands, a coding and robotics programme targeted at our younger students.[+27 sentences] This will complement the efforts of schools in nurturing the interest and skills of students through technology-related learning activities. Madam, the second key issue that our community will have to address is the more diverse socio-religious landscape. Our socio-religious life has always been guided by principles of moderation, inclusiveness and respect for differences. Our Pioneers, such as the late President Yusof Ishak, Allahyarham Ustaz Ahmad Sonhadji Mohamed, Allahyarham Pak Ridzwan Dzafir and Allahyarham Ustaz Ibrahim Kassim, exemplified these principles and worked hard to strengthen the social fabric of a multicultural and multi-religious Singapore. Our Pioneers have showed us how we can remain rooted to our traditions, values and principles and participate actively in our nation-building efforts. It is up to us, therefore, to build upon their past efforts and nurture a cohesive and progressive Malay/Muslim community. Madam, diversity is not new. And our Malay/Muslim community has been long used to diversity. We have been traditionally open and welcoming of diversity. Yes, it will be increasingly difficult to try and balance the competing views and interests. But let us instead instil, especially in our young, a sense of curiosity and appreciation of diversity. Everyone has a part to play. Parents, teachers, professionals, community and religious leaders, and our young must continue to stand together and guard against any threat that seeks to divide us. We have Shahrany Hassan who led a SGfuture session in February to engage youths from all backgrounds in a discussion on topics for social cohesion. We also have a National University of Singapore (NUS) Engineering undergraduate, Muzakkir Samat, who co-edited a book, "From Walden to Woodlands", an inter-faith anthology of poetry about nature in Singapore. The book showcases a wide range of writings for anyone interested in faith, nature and the environment. We have netizens who speak up with moral clarity against injustice and stereotypes, without anger or judgement. Madam, it takes the whole community to foster an environment of mutual respect, trust and understanding, so that we can achieve a cohesive society and a resilient nation. Madam, to me, being progressive is the ability to understand the modern world with an open mind and heart. It is our duty to not only seek knowledge, read widely and beyond religious texts, Page: 11 but also learn about other cultures, other religions and other societies so that we better appreciate what we have with us. Taking part in candid but respectful discussions with people of different backgrounds will help us learn about one another. We need to be well-read and respectful as we balance differences in ideas, concerns and interests and to gain a consensus to find the best possible solution. This is what we need in our people, and to build on this legacy for our future generations. Madam, since its establishment, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) has played a key role in guiding our community on this journey. In 2018, MUIS will be commemorating its 50th anniversary. We want to document this journey on how we have worked together to overcome our challenges and the philosophy and rationale under-girding key policies, so that this will guide future leaders. One area that shows our community's journey in adapting to changes affecting our religious life is the development of our fatwas or religious advice. MUIS has issued more than 500 fatwas since 1968 to guide our community on various aspects of religious life within the context of a multicultural and multi-religious society. Later this year, MUIS will hold the inaugural Conference on Fatwa in Contemporary Societies, bringing together community leaders and religious scholars. This conference will highlight how we practise Islam in Singapore, and how religious guidance and social policies are shaped within the context they are in. We hope to build this conference into a platform for the discussion and dissemination of progressive religious thinking for minority Muslim communities living in a multiracial society.[+15 sentences] Madam, the building of a cohesive and progressive Malay/Muslim community is everyone's responsibility. One important group is our religious leaders, as pointed out by Mr Zainal Sapari. Our asatizahs play an important role in guiding the community in the values of integrity, respect for human dignity and compassion. We have many young and upcoming asatizahs in our community. One example is Ustaz Muslim bin Amad a 25-year-old imam at Al-Muttaqin mosque in Ang Mo Kio. Apart from discharging his duties diligently as a religious teacher, Ustaz Muslim is a keen advocate of inter-faith work and regularly organises inter-faith initiatives, together with other youth leaders of other faiths. He enjoys being involved in inter-faith work and his key message is: "Listen more, talk less. Be good to all, regardless of race, language or religion". To nurture all our asatizahs, we are looking at ways to build up their capabilities. We also want to ensure that our asatizahs have the confidence of the community. I am happy that about 80% of our asatizahs are part of the Asatizah Recognition Scheme and we will study how to enhance it further and encourage the remaining 20% to come on board. We will engage the asatizah fraternity to discuss this later this year. Madam, let me now turn to some of the specific queries by hon Members on education, socio-religious life, family development and support for the vulnerable. We have been doing well in these areas and will continue to do better. Mr Amrin Amin asked about our educational efforts in the coming year. A key recommendation of the MENDAKI Education Review Committee was to strengthen support for Page: 12 children at the younger ages, especially those from vulnerable families. Hence, MENDAKI will collaborate with the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) to better support vulnerable Malay families on KidSTART.[+2 sentences] Meanwhile, MENDAKI will continue to resource parents of low-income families with skills to help impart the joy of reading to their kids and parenting toolkits to help their children to be school-ready. Secondly, Madam, MENDAKI will enhance the accessibility of its flagship programme, the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme (MTS). We will expand the MTS@Mosques programme to include Al-Muttaqin Mosque and Al-Mawaddah Mosque. And six more community partners will host MENDAKI Homework Cafes to help students with their school work, bringing the total number to 18 centres for 300 students.[+6 sentences] Thirdly, Madam, MENDAKI will improve the learning experience of our MTS students by training our tutors based on a better understanding of the motivational profiles of our students. This is done in conjunction with the National Institute of Education via two research projects. Madam, last month, I announced the revision in the contribution rates of the Mosque Building and MENDAKI Fund (MBMF). This was necessary to meet the critical needs of our community. Since 2009, we have built two mosques and upgraded 17, providing more prayer spaces for Muslim congregants. Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim sought an update on what the community can look forward to. When all the current projects are completed by 2018, we can look forward to an increase of 24,700 prayer spaces since 2009.[+21 sentences] I thank the community for their support. The increase in prayer spaces will come from the upgrading of five mosques under the Mosque Upgrading Programme Phase 2, the redevelopment of Darul Ghufran Mosque, the completion of the Maarof Mosque in Jurong West later this year, and the Yusof Ishak Mosque in Woodlands in early 2017. In the interim, the prayer space crunch at Al-Istighfar Mosque will be relieved by a temporary covered prayer space opposite the mosque later this year to cater to about 500 congregants. But for the longer term, MUIS will upgrade Al-Istighfar. Last year, Madam, I shared our long-term plans to build a new mosque in Tampines North. Over the past year, we have been working with Government agencies to identify a suitable location for the mosque, bearing in mind the needs of the future neighbourhood town. I am happy to announce that we have safeguarded a site along Avenue 10, in the heart of the future Tampines North town. The mosque will serve residents and workers there and will also be accessible to those staying in Pasir Ris and Punggol. Let me now give an update on religious education, Madam. Madrasah Arabiah is currently sited at the old Poi Ching School in Toa Payoh, on a Temporary Occupation Licence. I am happy to share that we have secured a 30-year lease for Madrasah Arabiah at a new site adjacent to the current building. We will start the redevelopment from early next year. More importantly, Madam, let us focus our minds on providing the best possible education for our kids. This is the point raised by Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar on how we encourage the use of ICT in teaching and learning for our madrasah students. Let me share two examples. Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah collaborated with the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) to set up a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) laboratory to expose madrasah students to Page: 13 game designing and educational robotics programming. Madrasah Aljunied is piloting the teaching of Arabic Language using iBooks to make learning more interactive. Our preparations to implement the enhanced Joint Madrasah System (JMS) curriculum and syllabi for the secondary level are progressing well. Arabic, Islamic law and theology subjects for Madrasah Aljunied, and the Islamic Studies subject for Madrasah Arabiah will be rolled out. In tandem, our teachers are being equipped with the skills and resources to implement the curriculum effectively. Madam, MUIS also helps madrasah students from lower-income families. In 2010, MUIS started the Progress Fund Madrasah Assistance Scheme (PROMAS) and has since disbursed about $2.66 million.[+6 sentences] We want to help all madrasah students to do the best that they can. Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about our efforts to strengthen part-time Islamic education. To meet growing demand for Adult Islamic Learning (ADIL), MUIS has added two more ADIL centres, bringing the number of centres to 15. MUIS will introduce intermediate modules that focus on the theme of Singaporean Muslims and Contemporary Challenges. The Office of Mufti has also partnered mosques to offer free ADIL modules, and close to 2,400 participants have benefited from ADIL programmes. MUIS will also continue to work with the Private Islamic Education Network to offer quality Islamic education. Meanwhile, Madam, our aLIVE programme for students aged five to 20 has grown in enrolment from 14,000 in 2014 to 18,750 in January this year.[+13 sentences] This includes the Kids aLIVE Home edition that we started last year. For the older youths, the Youth aLIVE classes and seminars discuss issues and challenges relevant to them. We will step up efforts against extremist influences online. The curricula of both aLIVE and ADIL include lessons that help inoculate our youths against online radicalisation. We are actively engaging parents on cyber safety for their children so that they are more critical with what they read online. In so doing, our young are better protected against radical teachings. For the wider community, the Office of Mufti and the Religious Rehabilitation Group are working together to develop both print and online materials to provide guidance in countering extremist ideologies. Madam, we also plan to do more for our students studying overseas. So, I am pleased to inform Mr Zaqy Mohamad that we will enhance the Student Resource Development Secretariat in MUIS into the Student Welfare and Careers Office to better cater to those seeking Islamic religious education overseas. This office will provide education and career guidance, so that the students and their parents can make informed choices. Madam, our strength as a community depends on strong families and how we look after those in need. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about the support for vulnerable families. We are able to help more families because of the generosity of our community. The community's support in zakat collection has been robust, rising from $22.7 million in 2010 to about $35.3 million, unaudited, in 2015.[+1 sentence] MUIS disburses zakat to an average of 5,300 beneficiaries annually. With the revision of the eligibility criteria of the per capita income and an increase in the disbursement quantum in 2014, MUIS was able to increase assistance to the poor and needy from $13.8 million in 2014 to $17.2 million last year, constituting almost 50% of the total zakat collected.[+8 sentences] Page: 14 To help families on assistance programmes to get back on their feet more quickly, MUIS also runs the Empowerment Partnership Scheme (EPS). EPS helps families through services, such as skills upgrading, family management and children's enrichment support. Meanwhile, MENDAKI continues to complement national efforts to offer various programmes and services that equip low-income families with relevant skills, such as Program Bijak Belanja, which teaches financial management skills. MENDAKI also helps families by extending Education Trust Fund subsidies to help their young children access more educational support and, through Family Excellence Circles, provide a safe platform for low-income families to support one another. MENDAKI also started the MENDAKI@Heartlands initiative in 2013. Two centres opened in Woodlands and Pasir Ris. Together with MUIS, MENDAKI set up four additional centres at the mosques. These six centres, located islandwide, enable MENDAKI to connect the less advantaged to social assistance offered by the Social Service Offices (SSOs). In the past year, the six centres reached out to more than 14,000 individuals through various outreach platforms.[+2 sentences] Over 400 referrals, including individuals and families, were made to mosques and SSOs for social assistance, while another 600 were matched to educational programmes, job placement and skills upgrading. Mr Muhammad Faisal Abdul Manap asked about the Malay/Muslim Community Development Fund (MMCDF). Nearly $10 million was disbursed through MMCDF between 2013 and 2015, benefiting on average, 55 partner organisations per year.[+14 sentences] The funding criteria is based on ground-up initiatives that are in line with MENDAKI's mission to support the community in areas, such as education, youth, family and employability. Developing and delivering programmes in these areas are not core to the objectives of the mosque. The core objective of the mosque is to facilitate the community's religious life. Our mosques, nevertheless, can play a supporting role by providing their premises to MMOs who deliver such programmes. Mosques can tap on zakat funds to run programmes for families and the young which are religious in nature or which involve values and character development. Madam, the Dissolution of Marriages among Marriage Cohorts Report 2015 published by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) found a lower divorce rate before the 5th anniversary among recent Muslim marriage cohorts. However, the divorce rate for Muslim couples with younger grooms aged 20 to 24, was 1.5 times higher than those of older grooms. We will, hence, provide a stronger focus on strengthening the marriages of young couples in addition to those of minor couples. From the second half of this year, our INSPIRASI Hubs will extend their services to couples with grooms aged 21 to 24. Our dedicated counsellors are at the forefront of supporting these couples. Mdm Habibah Mohamad Saleh, a Senior Counsellor at INSPIRASI@AMP, believes that every young couple has the potential to build a strong family. Some couples may also need more guidance to transit to family life while balancing their careers. Over her eight years at the Hub, Mdm Habibah has guided many couples and she goes the extra mile to ensure that those under her care receive the best support in addressing their marital challenges. Meanwhile, on the query by Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef on the number of Muslim marriages involving minors, this number has been on a steady decline. In 2014, 1.3% of Muslim grooms and 4% of brides marrying were below 21 years of age.[+8 sentences] These proportions had declined significantly from 3.9% of Muslim grooms and 13.8% of brides in 2004. Ms Rahayu Mahzam asked about differentiated approaches to strengthen marriages. For first marriages, the "Cinta Abadi Marriage of a Lifetime" marriage preparation programme has seen an Page: 15 encouraging increase in participation in 2015. Later this year, couples in the first 10 years of marriage can benefit from the pilot roll-out of the Cinta Abadi marriage enrichment programme. This programme includes marriage "health checks" and experiential learning, through which couples can build resilience in their marriage, as well as renegotiate their multiple roles, including their roles as parents. For remarriages and stepfamilies, Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapura (PPIS) Vista Sakinah offers counselling and therapeutic services to those seeking support for issues related to step family adjustment and child management. There are also workshops for children to help them adapt to step family life. Ms Rahayu Mahzam asked about plans to enhance capabilities of our practitioners. The Syariah Court will work with MUIS Academy to develop a new certification programme on the practice of Muslim law in Singapore.[+3 sentences] The programme will help practitioners understand marriages, divorces and inheritance as practised in Singapore. The Syariah Court will also be producing the next set of the Singapore Syariah Appeals Reports (SSARs) in the second half of this year. The SSAR provides a source of reference on Muslim family law which is vital to the development and advancement of Islamic jurisprudence. Since 2004, the Syariah Court's Marriage Counselling Programme has helped more than 30,000 couples, of whom 45% have reconciled.[+2 sentences] Divorcing couples who have children aged 14 or below are highly encouraged to discuss their post-divorce parenting plans. This includes plans on their children's welfare, with the guidance of a marriage counsellor outside the Court system for a less adversarial discussion. In 2015, more than 600 couples attended the parenting plan discussion, benefiting close to 1,500 children up to 14 years old.[+34 sentences] The Syariah Court will also work with As-Salaam Family Support Centre, an MSF-appointed Divorce Support Specialist Agency to equip divorced couples with co-parenting skills and to help them in guiding their children on post-divorce issues under the Parenting Parents and Children Together programme. Ms Rahayu Mahzam also asked about reviewing the Syariah Court's Court processes. The Syariah Court established a Quality Service Unit in February 2015 to coordinate timely responses to queries and provide a more positive experience for divorcing couples. The Syariah Court has also improved Court processes, such as providing a differentiated case management process for cases that have a high risk of domestic violence. In tandem with the Syariah Court's efforts, we are looking to amend the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA). This will aim to strengthen our Muslim institutions better manage our community's assets and improve existing measures with respect to Muslim marriages and families. Madam, may I continue my speech in Malay, please. (In Malay): : Mdm Chair, Budget 2016 aims to further enhance the socio-economic support for our nation's progress and prosperity. Our community should seize the opportunities available and upgrade our skills so that we can be prepared for the challenges ahead. There are two main challenges that we should think about. Firstly, the uncertain modern economy. Second, the different types of thinking and the diversity present within our community. Although these challenges are complex, I am sure that we can overcome them, just as our Pioneers were able to overcome the tough times over the last 50 years. The key to this is our perseverance and the close cooperation that exists between the Malay/Muslim community and the Government. Page: 16 One of the challenges in the new economy is the changes brought about by technological advances. This has forced our industries to restructure and transform to adapt to the global economic climate. This means that continuous skills upgrading will be crucial while ICT will become the catalyst for progress. Our young people have to be aware of this reality. They must be prepared to enter a job market that will increasingly place emphasis on expertise and experience rather than paper qualifications. In order to help the community become aware of this development, the SMCCI and other MMOs must lead the efforts so that more Malay/Muslim workers and companies can bring value-add in their respective fields. Yayasan MENDAKI, as an important partner to the Government, will complement national efforts in order to bring the Malay/Muslim community closer to the SkillsFuture movement. MENDAKI will launch several new initiatives, including "Future Ready Mentoring" to guide students from the secondary schools, ITEs and polytechnics in choosing their careers, to match the future job landscape. The CM-Tech@Heartlands programme that will be launched soon, will be brought to the heartlands to generate interest among our young people in the field of technology. The second challenge is managing the diversity in our socio-religious life. Fundamentally, our lives are very much guided by universal values like moderation, inclusivity and respecting differences. This was depicted by our pioneers like President Yusof Ishak, Ustaz Ahmad Sondhaji Mohamed, Pak Ridzwan Dzafir and Ustaz Ibrahim Kassim. In essence, the Malay/Muslim community made important contributions towards the harmony and wellbeing of Singapore's plural society, in addition to being confident in practising our religious life. Diversity has existed all along. The fact is that Malay/Muslims are used to diversity. Even from early on, we are known to be a community that is open and able to accept diversity. I admit that, with challenges becoming even more complex today, it has become increasingly difficult for us to balance all the different interests and views. Nonetheless, as a mature community, we must continue to instil the value of being able to appreciate diversity. Every group – including parents, teachers, professionals as well as community and religious leaders – must play a part in rejecting elements that can harm our solidarity. Madam, on this issue, MUIS will enhance its efforts to reinforce a progressive religious leadership. In fact, since 1968, more than 500 Islamic legal rulings, or fatwas, were issued to guide the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore. In order to share its experience, for the first time, MUIS will organise a conference titled "Fatwa within Contemporary Society" which will discuss, among others, the issuance of fatwas that takes into account Singapore's context.[+4 sentences] This conference will be a platform to discuss and encourage progressive thinking, especially for a minority Muslim community living in a multiracial and multireligious society. Several Members of Parliament have also asked about the efforts to further enhance support towards education, socio-religious needs, family development and assistance to the less fortunate. We have achieved much progress in these areas, and a lot more can be achieved in the future. We are thankful that we are able to establish, and in fact, able to enhance our institutions so that we can fulfil our community's religious needs. On this basis, we have amended the rate of contribution for the MBMF which I announced last month. Thanks to the community's strong support, by next year, two new mosques, the Maarof Mosque and Yusof Ishak Mosque, will be Page: 17 completed while redevelopment works at the Darul Ghufran Mosque will be carried out this year. In addition, I am happy to announce that a site has been identified to build a mosque in Tampines North and the prayer space at the Al-Istighfar Mosque will also be expanded. Overall, the Mosque Upgrading Programme which began in 2009 has created 24,700 additional prayer spaces.[+6 sentences] More will be done under this programme. For the madrasah sector, Madrasah Al-Arabiah will move to a new location with a new 30-year lease. In line with a technology-based economy, MUIS is also supporting efforts to infuse technology and info-communications in teaching and studying at Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri and Madrasah Aljunied. Strong families form the backbone of a strong community. Hence, the partnership between the community, MMOs and the Government becomes more critical. The spirit of giving among our Malay/Muslim community has allowed the zakat collection to increase year after year. From $22.7 million in 2010, it has increased to about $35.3 million last year.[+31 sentences] Every year, MUIS distributes the zakat to some 5,300 beneficiaries. Yayasan MENDAKI is also working to enhance efforts to refer the needy to social service centres at the national level. Over the last six years, more than 14,000 individuals have received assistance. In order to further strengthen families, we must focus on efforts to provide our children with the best possible start, especially those who come from low-income families. Hence, Yayasan MENDAKI will work with ECDA so that vulnerable Malay/Muslim families will benefit from the KidSTART initiative. This initiative will provide support in various aspects, including health, education and the development of children under six years old. Mdm Chair, the future will undeniably be full of challenges, but we are confident that we can go through it together as one community and one nation. We are hopeful that our young people can continue this struggle, by moving forward resolutely, having faith during our journey and taking actions that have been carefully considered. Clearly, a bright future requires a concerted effort from everyone in the community. Let us work together and spark the partnership further between the Malay/Muslim community and the Government in order to create a brighter future for all of us. As the saying goes, "Good manners are emulated; good people are valued; good citizens are admired." Madam, allow me to conclude in English. (In English): Madam, the story of the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore is not about the achievements that we have made over the past 50 years. Rather, it is about the journey itself. It is about our struggles to find our place in a new nation. It is about the choices we made that changed the course of our community. It is about choosing for ourselves to be a part of this work in progress we call Singapore. That journey, Madam, has shaped us to become more confident, more assured and, most importantly, more grateful for what life has given us. We should be proud of what we have achieved. Indeed, we are in a better position than we were 50 years ago and cannot afford to be reckless or assume we have arrived. But we must remain humble, for the journey is never over. What lies ahead is uncertain. Just as our Pioneers struggled to make a nation out of disparate communities, struggle hard we must, as we move into the future. So, let us not wait for others to find the solutions to the challenges that trouble and pain Page: 18 us. That we have so many Singaporeans today stepping forward to right a wrong and create a kinder, more inclusive nation should inspire us to nurture that spirit of doing good among all Singaporeans. Let us learn to forgive, work together, counsel and support one another and work towards the good of Singapore. As a community, let us help our young to believe that they, too, can make a difference to the lives of others and inspire them in their journey with conviction and moral courage to do what is right for Singapore. Together with our young, let us step forward to take ownership in charting the next chapter of Singapore. Madam, we all yearn for a future where we can build our families, where we can find happiness and success, and where we can see our children and grandchildren grow up and make us proud. United in partnership within our community and with the rest of Singapore, and with the Government's continued support, we shall overcome whatever challenges may come our way. Our hearts, our hopes, and our dreams are one with our fellow Singaporeans, because Singapore is our home.
The Minister, Prime Minister's Office (Mr Chan Chun Sing)1190 words
[+12 sentences]Mdm Chair, there are three essential pillars to Singapore's continued success: our ability to defend ourselves, our ability to make a living for ourselves and our ability to stay together through thick and thin. The People's Association's (PA's) mission is to strengthen the social fabric of our nation. We do this in three ways. First, we strengthen the people-to-people connections. For an increasingly diverse population and increasingly sophisticated population, the People's Association (PA) has our challenges cut out for us. Long gone were the days when we just needed to put one black and white television at the basketball court and it would bring out the whole kampung for everyone to bond together. The range of programmes that PA has to undertake now for an increasingly diverse and sophisticated population is very different from what it used to be in the past. The second way that we do to strengthen the social fabric of our nation is to make sure that we work with the Ministries to provide timely feedback to the Government of the day on our people's concerns and aspirations, so that the Government of the day can make better policies to serve our people. The third way that PA seeks to strengthen the social fabric of our nation is to work with our Ministries to explain and execute the policy intent of the government of the day. This includes explaining the recent Budget measures, explaining and reaching out to our Pioneer Generation about the Pioneer Generation Package, explaining and reaching out to every Singaporean on the MediShield Life plans. So, the breadth and depth of PA's work has increased, in tandem with the needs of our country. Ms Sylvia Lim asked how has the Budget changed for PA. For financial year (FY) 2016, PA's Budget is about 5% lower than FY2015, about 5% lower in aggregate. The Operating Budget dropped 3.7% compared to the last FY2015, and the Development Budget dropped 6.6%.[+4 sentences] So, on aggregate, the decline for the overall budget is about 5%. This is despite the following changes. Page: 19 Ms Sylvia Lim asked whether this increase in the last two years is a result of the SG50 celebrations. The answer is: not exactly. As stated in the Budget Book, the SG50 expenditure only increased the PA's budget by about $4 million.[+2 sentences] Most of the SG50 activities ride on existing programmes that have already been planned by the community. So, where is the significant increase? The first significant increase in FY2015 is the start-up of the Pioneer Generation Office.[+5 sentences] We started up the office to reach out to all the Pioneer Generation elders, so that we can explain to them, mobilise the volunteers to reach out to them, not only for them to understand the policies but, more importantly, for us to reach out to them to see if they are well taken care of by their families. So, that accounts for the bulk of the increase in our Operating Expenditure. The bigger bulk of the increase is the Capital Expenditure and there are two projects that are parked under the PA's budget which contributed to this significant increase. One is the building of Our Tampines Hub. Second, is the building of Wisma Geylang Serai Civic Centre. At the same time, for this year's Budget, we are embarking on a programme to upgrade 24 Community Clubs.[+33 sentences] Ms Sylvia Lim might ask, "Is this the correct time to upgrade the Community Clubs?" Yes and no; it all depends. We have a schedule to upgrade our Community Clubs progressively. Within the margins, we try to find the best time to do it, taking into consideration the following: one, do we have the budget available from the macro national perspective? Two, are we able to get bang for the buck? Are we able to stretch those dollars that we spend? So, during the current economic slowdown, if there are opportunities for us to lock in good prices for us to do our routine projects, I think we should do it. But on the whole, PA adopts a consistent approach to stretch every dollar that we spend. It does not do us any good to have a feast-and-famine strategy in our capital expenditures. Ms Sylvia Lim, in her remarks yesterday, seems to allege that PA is partisan. Let me state that the PA's participants are average Singaporeans from all walks of life, like you and me. PA does not check on the political allegiance of the participants of our activities. Nor do I or anyone know their voting preferences. It is not relevant to our work. Personally, I have seen participants of PA activities supporting both the incumbent and the Opposition during the elections. When I see my own residents, participants of my PA activities supporting the Opposition, I can only ask myself how I can work harder to win them over. PA is a Statutory Board. It executes the directions for the Government of the day as per any Statutory Board. PA does not allow any political activity or canvassing on our premises or in our activities, and we certainly do not mobilise anyone for any political party. If Ms Sylvia Lim has any such evidence of wrongdoing, she can let me know and I guarantee her I will follow up. I will be the last person to ever allow PA to be politicised. Ms Sylvia Lim talked about working with the Citizens' Consultative Committee (CCC). I do not have the details of the incident that she raised. On how the Ministry of National Development works with the Town Council and the CCC to upgrade the various estates, I think Senior Minister of State Mohamad Maliki has already replied to that on record last year. I have heard from both sides on the ground accusing each other of being uncooperative. All I can say is that I urge both sides, be it the Town Council or CCC, to always remember to put the interests of the residents first. In life, when things get done, there is never a shortage of people Page: 20 who will claim credit. When things are not done, there is always a shortage of people who will claim responsibility. This is not the way we want to go. This is bad politics and this is not leadership. So, I would urge all parties on the ground to work together to put the interests of the residents first and foremost. Residents are wise enough to know who have worked hard for them and who have served them well. And residents will also be wise enough to know who have not worked hard and who have not served them well. For PA, our Mission remains to make sure that we strengthen the bonds in our community. We have never taken it for granted that this country of ours will naturally bond together as one because of our diverse backgrounds and diverse aspirations. The social fabric of our nation is a work-in-progress.[+2 sentences] It is a work that we all want to embark on and we all want to succeed together. So, let us work on that basis.
The Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien)32 words
[+2 sentences]Mdm Chair, I thank Members for their keen interest in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth's (MCCY's) work. With your permission, I would like to display some slides on the screens.
The Chairman8 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien1468 words
[+9 sentences]SG50 was a very special year, with many defining moments. We celebrated and rallied together as one nation. Across the island, we witnessed spontaneous expressions of pride in being Singaporean. From a migrant society 50 years ago with no national roots or history, we have become a people capable of cohesive action. We have come far as a people. But we cannot take our progress for granted. As we plan for Singapore's next 50 years, there will be new challenges to overcome and fresh opportunities to seize. We are a small and vulnerable country in a more turbulent world. In a globalised world, the aftershocks of economic crises, disease and terrorism ripple out to affect all of us. Internally, new fault lines have emerged that cut across the traditional ones of race and religion. There are divides between foreigners and locals, between the haves and have-nots, and between different values and ideologies. Advances in technology are altering the socioeconomic landscape.[+14 sentences] Information is disseminated instantaneously at an unprecedented scale, yet giving recipients little time for deep reflection. Technology-enabled social networks have created a new kind of citizen activism. All these developments have the potential to either bring us together or pull us apart. Dr Lim Wee Kiak spoke about the need to rally Singaporeans to co-create our future together. In the face of these challenges, our ability to forge a brighter future for all Singaporeans will depend on two things. The first is national identity and pride. If we are confident and proud of who we are as Singaporeans, we will be able to stand fast and resolute in the face of adversity. Our sense of who we are is shaped at three levels. On an individual level, we have our own personal beliefs, experiences and interests. Each of us is special and unique. But we are also members of a community or communities. Our ethnicity, religion, politics, interests, schools that we attended, companies that we worked for, give us Page: 21 common identities despite our unique individuality. They enrich our sense of self and help define our place in society. The challenge of every nation and particularly, for a young multiracial country like Singapore, is how to foster solidarity when society is made up of diverse groups; how to avoid polarisation and exclusivity when groups project their position. For Singaporeans to stand united, we must share a strong sense of national identity that will bind us across income, social and racial divides.[+8 sentences] We have to embrace a common purpose that is bigger than our differences. It starts with shared experiences and shared memories. Every Primary 5 kid participates in the National Day Parade National Education show. The men would all have gone through National Service. We know our char kway teow, roti prata and nasi lemak and we can all speak some Singlish. These things might not seem like much, but they add up to a common way of seeing the world. When Singaporeans talk to one another, we share a common reference and vocabulary that need no explanation. Being Singaporean is also about sharing the values that our country stands for. Meritocracy, incorruptibility, multiracialism and personal responsibility are values that determine how Singapore society is ordered.[+27 sentences] They have been imperative to our success and security. Justice, equality and progress are not just words, but active ingredients in how our country works. In all the important spheres of life, such as access to good education, medical care, housing and justice, every citizen stands on equal footing, irrespective of wealth, race or religion. Every Singaporean can build a better future for their children through hard work and discipline. Being Singaporean is also about knowing our history and heritage. The story of Singapore is the story of us, where we came from and how we got here. As a country with no natural resources, Singapore had to be built on the back of human endeavour. Singapore is a triumph of will and the sacrifices of our parents and grandparents. Finally, what makes us Singaporean is that we know our country's future is our future. Singapore is our home and our children's home. We all have a part in building the future, by working together, by doing our best and by making the most of the opportunities before us. We can all lay claim to Singapore's future because it is for us to shape. If we understand what defines us as Singaporeans, then national pride will grow over time. And there is much to be proud of. As a country, we made a virtue out of having no resources. Through tenacity and sacrifice, we became a modern, vibrant and dynamic city state. We are also a country that nurtures its own, helps its citizens to realise their potential and gives them the opportunity to do well and excel. In the sporting and cultural fields, Singaporeans are making their mark in the regional and international arena. We are proud of them because they wear our flag on their sleeves and over their hearts. We cheered on our sporting heroes when they represented Team Singapore at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games and will continue to do so at the Olympics and Paralympics later this year. Many of us follow closely the artistic achievements of our artists, musicians and film directors and appreciate what they tell us about Singapore society and character. We feel a sense of pride when we look up to our sporting and cultural heroes, not just because of the awards and accolades Page: 22 they win, but also because they represent the best of the human spirit and exemplify the values that we aspire to as Singaporeans – hard work, determination, passion, teamwork. They make us proud of who we are as a people. Madam, when we identify with one another as Singaporeans, we start to care about and feel connected to one another. We feel that no one should be left to struggle on their own because we are all in this together. We want to look out for one another because we know we are only as strong as the most vulnerable among us. This came out strongly during Our Singapore Conversation. Singaporeans wanted to see a society that takes care of the disadvantaged, a society with a greater sense of togetherness and a society where the Government and the people have a more collaborative relationship. Singaporeans aspire to be a kinder, more gracious people. This is important because being a caring and cohesive society is the second thing that will determine whether Singapore continues to thrive in the next 50 years.[+17 sentences] During the Budget debate, Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin spoke about how we need to overcome a mindset based on scarcity. Such a mindset reduces everything to a zero-sum game. It causes people to think that others gain at their expense. I think the best way to overcome this is by cultivating a sense of empathy and care. This means recognising the worth and dignity of our fellowmen, that we are part of one another's lives. When we care, it might be helping only one person or improving just a corner of our neighbourhood. But these efforts matter. They make a difference, not just for the beneficiary, but for the giver. That is how we discover our strengths and weaknesses and the depths of our compassion. That is how we grow as individuals and grow closer to the ones we serve. That is how we grow community. We start to measure success not by how far we are ahead of the next person, but by how many of our fellow Singaporeans we bring along. We are not just bystanders, but invest ourselves, our energy and our purpose to make Singapore a better place. In this way, when we feel responsible for one another, we also erase the lines that divide us. Service binds us to our fellow citizens, to our communities and to our country. It is the social glue that makes us a cohesive society. Madam, our role in MCCY is to strengthen the bonds of mutual responsibility and common purpose that unite our nation and keep us rooted. They ensure that Singapore will always be home, not just for those of us who live here, but also for Singaporeans who live and work abroad.[+1 sentence] These bonds transcend time and space. We will strengthen national identity and pride by fostering a sense of shared endeavour. We will promote national cohesion by expanding shared experiences. And we will foster a caring society by encouraging shared responsibility.[+3 sentences] We will be building on firm foundations. Let me share some findings from our various surveys to illustrate. With your permission, Madam, may I ask the Clerks to distribute the handout, please?
The Chairman8 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien5136 words
In terms of national identity and pride, we enjoy a vibrant sports and cultural landscape that reflects our increasing confidence as a nation: (a) 76% are satisfied with the Page: 23 Government's efforts in creating a vibrant sports scene; (b) 64% agree that the arts scene in Singapore has become more vibrant in the past five years; (c) 65% feel proud of Singapore's heritage and culture; and (d) 90% feel a strong sense of identity as Singaporeans. In terms of building a caring and cohesive community, we have done well so far in preserving racial and religious harmony, and also in uniting Singaporeans to contribute for the greater good: (a) 95% are satisfied with race relations; (b) 92% of youths consider helping the less fortunate to be an important life goal; and (c) 94% hope to play a part in developing Singapore so that future generations of Singaporeans can enjoy the benefits of their efforts.[+14 sentences] Let me share how my Ministry intends to build on these positive outcomes through its programmes and resources in the sports, cultural, community and youth sectors. First, Shared Endeavour – National Identity. Arts, Heritage and Sports play an important role in nourishing national identity and pride. Sports is a great way to rally the nation and has the potential to build national pride. Many Members have spoken about how Singaporeans rallied behind our athletes every step of the way at the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games. Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng will elaborate further on sports excellence. But I would like to emphasise that sports excellence means far more when Team Singapore athletes give back to the community. Take para swimmer Yip Pin Xiu, for example. Pin Xiu is a role model for all of us, not just for overcoming formidable odds to break the world record in the 50-metre backstroke S2 event, but also for taking the time to reach out and inspire others. During the Budget debate, Mr Kok Heng Leun said that our literature, music, painting and theatre remind us we are living in one place. I could not have put it better. I also agree with him on "the importance of having arts around us and be part of us", and thank him for acknowledging the Government's effort in developing the arts. Local arts and culture are important touchstones for what it means to be Singaporean. In a very visceral way, through what we see, touch and hear, the arts hold up a mirror that shows us who we are. Mr Kok Heng Leun also talked about how sustaining artistic and cultural excellence requires long-term investment and effort.[+1 sentence] I thank him for sharing with us his three-pronged strategy for arts development. We have an increasingly vibrant arts and culture scene, with direct assistance by the National Arts Council (NAC) to our local artists and arts groups doubling from $26 million in 2011 to almost $50 million last year, on top of the $200 million Cultural Matching Fund that arts groups can apply to. Total attendances for ticketed and non-ticketed events came close to five million last year, which is very high for a small country such as ours.[+3 sentences] The numbers do not tell the whole story. An increasing number of seed grant recipients have graduated into the major grant programmes, potentially providing them a longer runway for development. We have also committed more funding to enable our artists to perform on the international stage and further cultural diplomacy. Last year, we returned to the Venice Biennale even as the SingFrance Festival brought a major showcase of Singapore artists to France. We also opened the National Gallery, which is a long-term effort to build a new cultural institution which tells the Singapore Story through the best of Singapore arts.[+30 sentences] Page: 24 Later, Parliamentary Secretary Baey will also speak specifically about how we are developing the traditional arts. Our funding has enlarged the space for our artists and arts groups to create more original Singapore works across music, visual, performing and literary arts. These works reflect our Southeast Asian context, our multicultural diversity and our Singaporean identity. For example, in December last year, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) staged "Titian Budaya Night: Crossing Cultures in Malaysia", which commemorated 50 years of bilateral relations between Singapore and Malaysia. Playing to a full house, the multicultural event saw SCO artfully weaving traditional Chinese, Malay and Indian music with Singaporean jazz and even wayang kulit. In the field of literature, NAC commissioned "Singathology: 50 New Works" from Singapore's award-winning writers. In the performing arts, the Singapore International Festival of the Arts commissioned several new Singapore works, including the dance production "Returning", which drew from Chinese, Malay and Indian dance traditions and involved different generations of dance-makers. Young Singaporeans growing up learning about our rich local cultural scene. Our students know their Shakespeare, but they also read playwrights like Haresh Sharma and Jean Tay who have been part of our GCE "O" level English literature texts, along with collections like "Here and Beyond: 12 Stories" that is commissioned by the Ministry of Education (MOE), supported by NAC. This includes stories by Singapore writers, like Claire Tham, Simon Tay and Suchen Christine Lim. The NAC Arts Education programme exposes our students to our leading artists, like award-winning film maker Royston Tan and Cultural Medallion recipients Mdm Som Said for Malay Dance and Jeremy Monteiro, a jazz musician. Students also attend performances by groups like the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and SCO. When we read these stories, listen to the music, watch the dances, we know they are our own. We relate to them. They are expressions of our Singaporean identity. Chingay is another good example of how culture reflects and enriches our sense of identity. Every country has its own festival processions, but Chingay is one that is uniquely Singaporean. Here, you can see that the religious leaders on the top of the float, singing "一人一半", which translates loosely into "sharing is a virtue". I was there and was totally impressed by the fact that religious leaders could get together and sing in their respective vernacular languages. So, from the first street parade in 1973, Chingay has evolved from a festivity of the Chinese community to a truly multiracial celebration with performers from diverse backgrounds. I think the important thing here is that the performers themselves are diverse. In some other contexts, we could see multicultural items, but performed by a single group. Here, we are seeing performers of different backgrounds coming together for each and every one of the items. So, the performers are foreign and local, young and old, from different races and, by definition, probably have different religions as well. It opens a window into the different cultures of Singapore. It represents a country where race, language and creed do not divide, but instead drive a dynamic, multicultural society. Members talked about the relationship between people and places and the role public spaces have in building a sense of community. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked what we can learn from other cities Page: 25 to make our works more accessible and pleasurable for Singaporeans. A strong sense of place and local artistic content feature prominently in culturally vibrant places. We will be doing more to enliven the Civic District and Bras Basah-Bugis precinct and deepen the distinctive character of places which make Singapore attractive and unique. Three million dollars will be channelled over the next three years to ramp up placemaking efforts in the Civic District. The funds will be used to expand programming and publicity and build social and civic connections.[+9 sentences] NAC and the National Heritage Board (NHB) will work with different stakeholders in the community, including arts and heritage groups, to create places that people want to visit and where they can enjoy outdoor and indoor experiences across sports, culture, food and entertainment. We have also started to bring art to local communities and engage them in arts activities that reflect their local identity, through initiatives, like PAssionArts. Parliamentary Secretary Baey will share more about these efforts. Mr Chen Show Mao asked about Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA). Our shared heritage is an important marker of national identity. But at the same time, identity is not a fixed thing. There must be space for Singapore to evolve with new developments that meet the needs of future generations. NHB adopts a calibrated and sensitive approach, involving relevant stakeholders, to balance heritage preservation and development needs. There are inevitable trade-offs and differing stakeholder demands in this process. We have studied the HIA frameworks of several countries and have found that these are not fully applicable to Singapore's context. We have decided not to adopt such frameworks wholesale at this point in time, but to evolve an approach suited to our local context.[+4 sentences] To guide its HIA efforts, NHB has the Heritage Advisory Panel, which includes experts, academics and industry practitioners. The panel evaluates the significance of sites, buildings and structures and advises on mitigation measures if they are affected by development works. We agree with Mr Chen Show Mao's point to have closer coordination with Government agencies. NHB works with planning agencies, such as the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Land Transport Authority and Housing and Development Board, to incorporate heritage considerations into long-term and nearer-term land use and development plans. NHB is conducting a nationwide survey on Singapore's tangible heritage comprising sites, buildings and structures.[+5 sentences] When the survey is completed in mid-2017, we will have a comprehensive database that maps out Singapore's heritage assets. NHB will be able to identify Singapore's heritage assets and better advise on their historical significance to facilitate better decision-making by planning agencies. Mr Low Thia Khiang spoke about allowing different interpretations of Singapore history and setting up an independent commission to oversee NHB grants. NHB already taps on the expertise of independent external panels to evaluate its grants. The panels comprise representatives from different sectors, including academics and civic society groups, such as the Singapore Heritage Society, to ensure a wide range of opinions and views. To Page: 26 date, NHB grants have funded about 180 projects, ranging from publications, to documentaries, exhibitions, workshops and commissioned research.[+11 sentences] As NHB does not dictate content, we have seen many different topics and perspectives represented. NHB also draws widely on local and international experts in curating exhibitions. NHB has consulted such experts on the revamp of our Heritage Institutions and the Singapore history galleries at the National Museum of Singapore. In particular, on Singapore history, the National Museum is advised by senior historians from our universities who are acknowledged in their fields. The same applies to the recent exhibition at the Old Parliament House, which Mr Low Thia Khiang mentioned. Besides Pioneer leaders, various groups, such as opposition party members, minority members and women members are also featured in the visuals and texts of the exhibition. For example, Mr Chiam See Tong's quote capturing his perspective on being an opposition party Member of Parliament (MP) is prominently highlighted. As in other exhibitions, NHB and the Arts House would welcome views and additional information which can further enrich our understanding of history. Overall, NHB's approach is an open and consultative one. It takes an objective approach in its curation of history and invites visitors to examine different perspectives and engage in critical thinking, rather than impose a "standard" or "official" account of history, as Mr Low Thia Khiang says. Let me give Members an example. The Singapore History Gallery has a showcase displaying published political material leading up to the 1962 Referendum on Merger. The showcase presents the Chinese, English and Malay versions of "The Battle for Merger" by then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.[+2 sentences] This series of radio talks aimed to expose the goals, methods and organisation of the Communist movement. But the showcase also presents two alternative political perspectives published at the time. One was a booklet entitled, "The Truth Behind Merger?", written by Felice Leon-Soh, who was then-Secretary General of the Liberal Socialist Party.[+1 sentence] In the booklet, she urged the people to question the People's Action Party's (PAP's) campaign for merger and make an informed decision when casting their votes during the referendum. The other was "合并, 假合并与邦联" or "Merger, Phony Merger and Confederation", a booklet published by the Barisan Sosialis, in which the party disagreed with the Merger terms set out by the PAP and instead championed full and complete Merger.[+7 sentences] The above example illustrates how NHB seeks to present curatorial viewpoints based on facts and comprehensive research from multiple available sources. At the same time, NHB welcomes new sources of information and viewpoints that enrich our understanding of our past through different perspectives. Madam, I will go to the next topic, which is shared experiences for social cohesion. The fabric of a society is delicately woven, strand by strand, from the small daily interactions we have with our neighbours, friends and family. Page: 27 Research tells us that the experiences we share and the everyday exchanges we have are the building blocks of social cohesion. This is why we see public spaces like our museums, galleries, sports facilities as important common spaces where everyone of us from different walks of life can meet one another, experience the same things together and build trust, consideration and understanding on a daily basis. Our museums and galleries have a special place in the hearts and minds of Singaporeans. Visitorship reached a high of almost four million last year.[+44 sentences] The National Gallery alone saw almost 700,000 go through its doors since it opened late last year. We will ensure our collections and facilities are meaningful to Singaporeans from all walks of life, through programming and place-making. We will design our programmes to enable everyone to participate, whether young or old, rich or poor, able-bodied or not. During the Budget debate, Mr Kok Heng Leun spoke about the lack of space for discourse and for art to ask difficult questions. He also quoted Lu Xun to explain that the nature of art is to examine change, to pursue truth. However, as the nature of politics is to maintain the status quo, according to Lu Xun, art and politics will diverge. I agree with him, but only partially. Politics in Singapore does not seek to maintain the status quo. Neither do Government policies. Good politics and good policies are forward-looking. So, we have made changes and adjustments along the way. Norms of what are acceptable or not, evolve. Compared to a generation ago, there is more space for expression and experimentation, while still preserving peaceful social relations. But there is, ultimately, a need for rules of engagement to safeguard the social harmony that we cherish, which then creates the safe space for citizens to pursue their aspirations and for art to do its work. To quote Henry Kissinger: "Any system of world order, to be sustainable, must be accepted as just – not only by leaders but also by citizens. It must reflect two truths: order without freedom, even if sustained by momentary exaltation, eventually creates its own counterpoise; yet freedom cannot be secured or sustained without a framework of order to keep the peace. Order and freedom, sometimes described as opposite poles on the spectrum of experience, should instead be understood as interdependent." While Kissinger wrote these words in the context of world order, I think it appropriately describes the Singapore context as well, a recognition that the Government has to balance order and freedom; and that our role is to drive progress while remaining in step with the populace and maintaining societal order. It is only with social harmony that we can enjoy the peace and, ultimately, the freedom that comes with it. Sports. Sport is a great way to bring diverse communities together. ActiveSG, which was launched two years ago as our national movement for sport, contributes to this. ActiveSG has over a million members now and offers a wide range of programmes catering to different ages and interests. Mr Henry Kwek asked about sustaining sports participation across life stages. ActiveSG will launch sports academies and clubs across Singapore. The academies will offer structured programmes in selected sports for youths to develop their skills. The clubs will organise events to enable all Singaporeans to enjoy sports. They will host interest groups, community and corporate leagues with varying levels of competitiveness for participants of all ages and skill levels to stay active and grow their social networks through sports. So, perhaps, we should revive our MP Page: 28 Football Club and participate in one of these corporate leagues. These leagues and community clubs will complement and supplement the schools and address concerns, such as inability to get into a school team, and provide opportunities to play even when a sport is not covered by a particular school. Mdm Chair, next, shared responsibility, a caring society. A caring society is one enriched by service and responsibility to one another. It is a society where we give back our time, talent and treasure freely. It involves active citizenship, which matters because, in a more turbulent future, the challenges we face will require action that exceeds the limits of the Government. The Government will build strong partnerships with the people, the theme of this Budget. For many years, the Government has consulted citizens on policies and to gather feedback. The Ministries conduct surveys and consult stakeholders in our policy-making process. To build a common future together, MCCY will create more avenues for citizens to step forward, lend a hand and be part of the solutions to the problems we face. The public can contribute by giving views on policies, organising local activities or volunteering a service to the needy. Members Ms Joan Pereira, Dr Lily Neo, Mr Melvin Yong spoke on the importance of volunteerism. SG50 saw many examples of Singaporeans contributing time and effort to various causes, offering help during the mourning period for the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, volunteering for Team Nila during the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games and donating generously to Care&Share@SG50. We want to grow this culture of caring and giving. MCCY will encourage more citizen participation and create more volunteering opportunities. Take this as an example. Students at the Nanyang Technological University's (NTU's) Welfare Services Club created a novel water sports programme called the SEA Lions.[+1 sentence] It teaches under-privileged youth how to swim first and then, when they can swim, they will go on to sailing and windsurfing. The students raised $50,000 for the project by themselves and Sport Singapore is matching them dollar for dollar.[+11 sentences] You can see the results of their good work at Jurong West Swimming Complex, where the first batch of youngsters began learning to swim in February. This is volunteerism at its best and we want to enable more of such efforts. We see companies as key partners in growing a culture of giving. Working adults often do not have time to organise something on their own. So, companies play an important role in creating the opportunities for employees to volunteer for a worthy cause. Corporate giving also builds relationships between businesses and the communities they serve. For the employees and beneficiaries involved, corporate social responsibility (CSR) or volunteerism projects are opportunities to make new friends beyond their usual circles. It is a natural setting for employees from different nationalities and ethnicities to get to know one another better. Mr Thomas Chua, Mr Henry Kwek and Ms Joan Pereira spoke on encouraging corporate giving. Senior Minister of State Sim Ann will share more about our efforts to support corporates' CSR efforts. For citizens with good ideas on making Singapore a better home, we will support them with resources to realise their ideas. During his Budget speech, the Minister for Finance announced Our Singapore Fund to support meaningful projects by passionate citizens who wish to help others, meet community needs as well as support ground-up initiatives to celebrate and exemplify our Singapore spirit. Up to $25 million will be allocated to Our Singapore Fund, including grants by MSF, Tote Board and MCCY.[+8 sentences] Page: 29 Through Our Singapore Fund, MCCY will encourage citizens to take ownership of the future of Singapore and keep the momentum of SG50 going. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked what lessons we have learnt from the SG50 Celebration Fund. From the many meaningful projects that surfaced during SG50 that brought our community together, we know there is a rich store of enthusiasm and public spirit. We want to unlock it with a little support to translate these ideas into reality. Next, active and engaged citizens. Mdm Chair, I would like to highlight three major initiatives in our nation-building effort. First, Team Nila. I do not think you could miss them in their purple shirts during SEA Games and the ASEAN Para Games. At its peak, Team Nila had 23,000 members.[+33 sentences] These volunteers were deployed in a wide spectrum of roles from ushers, anti-doping officers to safety officers. They are not athletes and do not compete in the Games, but Team Nila allowed them to participate fully in the Games. It was a movement and an inclusive community. Volunteers with disabilities worked alongside those without; volunteers in their teens alongside those in their 70s; children alongside their parents; expatriates alongside locals. Team Nila was a mirror of Singapore's diversity, coming together as one to make the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games successful. Rain or shine, our volunteers turned up in full force. When Maximillian Tan, a para equestrian athlete, found out that his event was not staged in the ASEAN Para Games, he volunteered himself with Team Nila. Together with his father, he helped train our volunteers in disability etiquette. Doreen Cady cancelled her holiday plan and went out of her way to take care of the Myanmar delegation. Budi, a new citizen, volunteered with Team Nila multiple times and proudly hosted our Indonesian guests at the Games. Some volunteer leaders like Ms Dawn Lim went the extra mile to cover shifts for fellow volunteers who had to call in sick. She even treated her volunteer group to a barbecue to thank everyone for their work. The volunteers whom I have met personally were unanimously motivated to leave a good impression with the foreign guests and do Singapore proud. Our foreign guests were able to feel the dedication and sincerity in them and were full of praise for our volunteers. I would like to say a big thank you to our Team Nila volunteers. Team Nila made the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games much more than events for winning medals. They made them a precious opportunity for volunteerism and the building of social bonds and national identity. Creating platforms for Team Nila and growing the group of volunteers not just in sports but also in the arts, heritage and the community are important tasks for my colleagues. Next, the Outward Bound School (OBS) @ Coney. Members Ms Denise Phua and Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar spoke in favour of outdoor adventure education, and Mr Darryl David, Ms Sun Xueling, Miss Cheng Li Hui asked about our plans for the OBS Campus on Coney Island. For any individual, the OBS experience can be transformational. During the Budget debate, Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin spoke about the need to overcome the habit of fear. Mr Darryl David spoke as a loving father about how his young son overcame fear and gained confidence through outdoor adventure learning. Indeed, the physical challenges at OBS make you confront your fears and overcome them. When before, fear was a limiting factor, by the time you complete the course, having conquered your fears, you realise there are endless new possibilities. You are ready for the fears that life might throw at you. Whether it is the inverse tower or kayak expedition, our youths will be presented with obstacles, challenges and unfamiliar situations. They will learn to work with one another. They will venture out of their comfort zone. They will have a chance to experiment, fail and learn from that failure. As Seow Bei Yi noted in her recent article in Page: 30 The Straits Times, students are allowed to push their limits, fail and recover from it. She said, and I quote, "If the OBS experience has taught me anything, it is to face fears head-on, or at least try." Beyond individual development, OBS @ Coney will enable all youths from all backgrounds to benefit from a common OBS experience. When it is completed in 2020, OBS will be able to serve 45,000 youths per year, triple the capacity today. Every young person, not just the student leaders, will have an opportunity to go through a five-day OBS camp at least once in their schooling years. It is a major step in social levelling of opportunities.[+4 sentences] Unlike today, when the majority who go through OBS go with their classmates, we will mix students from different schools. They will make new friends and journey together throughout the five-day OBS camp. We hope this experience will form lifelong bonds for many. As we proceed on this project, Parliamentary Secretary Baey will take the lead in engaging our stakeholders and the public. We are open to Members' ideas on how we can build this campus together to provide a safe and meaningful experience of a lifetime for our children. I wish to assure Miss Cheng Li Hui that the general public will continue to enjoy full access to the spaces and facilities of Coney Island Park, which will retain its rustic nature.[+6 sentences] Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin asked how we were helping youths to find their place in the future economy. OBS @ Coney is one of many efforts to prepare our youths for the future. OBS will inspire a sense of adventure, resilience and teamwork in our youths. These are the skill sets that they will need later on in life. The Committee on the Future Economy is engaging Singaporeans, including young Singaporeans, whose views will factor into the bespoke plans for the economic sectors that the Government is developing. MOE is shifting away from a prior emphasis on grades to lifelong learning and skills which will prepare our children and youths for the future. Through SkillsFuture, we are building a movement for lifelong learning, skills mastery and re-skilling to keep up with evolving industry needs.[+15 sentences] In our polytechnics and ITEs, education and career guidance will be structured into the curriculum and developed through industry immersion programmes, talks and workshops. Student internships will be enhanced to provide more time for on-the-job learning to cover key skills critical to the job, as well as structured mentoring. Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin also suggested having bespoke plans for youths. The National Youth Council (NYC) today offers a plethora of programmes that engage and develop youths of diverse backgrounds and aspirations. For example, Youth Corps Singapore provides youths with opportunities to be developed as community service leaders. OBS also offers a flagship 21-day programme to develop leaders through outdoor adventure. Many young Singaporeans can pursue their aspirations through *SCAPE, music, media, dance and personal development programmes. Last year, the *SCAPE media hub was launched to provide creative space for young media enthusiasts who lack space to work on projects after they leave school. At the same time, NYC continues to encourage and support ground-up initiatives through our National Youth Fund. We want to better support youths as they transit from schools to work. MCCY will coordinate efforts across the Government to engage youths on their need and aspirations at their different life stages. Let me end with SGfuture. We embarked on SGfuture in November last year. Page: 31 SGfuture asks Singaporeans to share their ideas on building a better future for Singapore and act on their projects to help realise this future. It explores with Singaporeans how we can foster a caring community, build a sustainable home, create opportunities for learning and strengthen community and national resilience. It calls on Singaporeans to play their part and partner the Government and one another to realise a shared vision. So far, we have organised around a hundred sessions, involving around 6,000 Singaporeans.[+1 sentence] Many ground-up projects have surfaced during these engagements. One project is being developed by a young social entrepreneur, Cheryl Lim, who wants to encourage intergenerational interaction between the elderly and young children, by training active agers to be facilitators and mentors.[+2 sentences] Intergenerational activities are incorporated to promote education and health issues among the active agers and the young children. Cheryl did her own research to develop an intergenerational curriculum and shared her ideas at a recent Ministry of Health (MOH) SGfuture dialogue session in February. MOH is linking her up with National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Health and My First Skool to explore how her ideas can be tried at childcare and senior activity centres.[+3 sentences] And we are seeing Singaporeans coming forward to partner the Government to build a better home together. These are exciting new developments and mark a new approach to governance. Through SGfuture, we are defining our future together and how every Singaporean can play a part in realising it. As we transit from the highs of celebrating SG50 to the next 50 years, engaging citizens will take on a new urgency for the Government to grow a strong society and a robust social compact.[+2 sentences] The series of SGfuture engagements represents a major step towards promoting citizen engagement across all of Government. We hope it will jumpstart the building of the whole-of-Government capacity in citizen engagement, extending and expanding citizen engagement efforts in the years to come. With SGfuture, my Ministry is taking the lead in coordinating with agencies across the Government to co-create solutions and co-deliver services with citizens.[+12 sentences] There will be areas of disagreement and issues of complexity that are not easy to navigate. But we can overcome them in the spirit of partnership. Engagement is not a one-off endeavour. It has to be an ongoing interaction to build durable partnerships among the people, private and public sectors. This will require new skills on the part of the Public Service and taking some risks. But by working together, we can build an even better Singapore in the next 50 years. In the end, every one of us is going to have to share the future. The question is what kind of future and whether we can create a future of shared responsibility and shared prosperity. The road ahead will not be without challenges. But we can achieve our common vision of a harmonious society, a caring people and a confident nation if every individual, family and community play their part together. My Ministry will partner Singaporeans to build a stronger Singapore and a better home for all of us. In this way, we will secure the best future for Singapore.
The Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth (Ms Sim Ann)2112 words
[+2 sentences]Madam, I will first address Members' remarks on efforts to strengthen racial and religious understanding. Page: 32 Racial and religious harmony is a fundamental value of our society. The Community Engagement Programme (CEP) was launched in 2006 to establish national and local platforms to strengthen relationships between our ethnic and faith groups.[+2 sentences] At the national level, the National Steering Committee (NSC) on Racial and Religious Harmony is a platform for apex leaders of the major ethnic and religious groups to engage each other and with the Government. At the local level, MCCY supports the activities of Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs), which comprises representatives from ethnic and religious organisations. IRCCs organise more than 400 activities each year, including dialogues, celebrations of one another's festival and joint volunteer programmes, at different places of worship.[+8 sentences] They also train community leaders to respond to crises in order to ensure that our communities are resilient to incidents with religious and racial overtones. I agree with Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin that our harmony depends on Singaporeans having respect for one another's beliefs as well as a sense of shared responsibility. And it is important that these values are passed down to our youths. So, I thank Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin, as well as Ms Rahayu Mahzam, for their thoughtful comments on the need to engender open conversations among our youths. This is necessary if we are to develop a deeper understanding of the need for common spaces, give-and-take and a rich appreciation of one another's beliefs. Schools are natural places to develop our students' sensitivity to different beliefs and practices. In Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) and Social Studies, students discuss the need for mutual respect, common space and the consequences of perpetuating stereotypes and prejudices. Beyond the classroom, MCCY supports additional programmes that bring youths together to make friends from different cultures and backgrounds, share common experiences and appreciate one another's beliefs. One such programme is CampTeen, which will have its 10th edition this year. It is a four-day residential programme that brings together more than 200 students from schools, international schools and madrasahs, during which they engage with sensitive topics, including race and religion.[+6 sentences] We also support the HarmonyWorks! Conference, which reaches out to some 700 youths each year. This provides a safe space for our youths to converse honestly. For example, some participants share their personal experiences of racism. Volunteer facilitators lead small-group discussions about the challenges faced by our increasingly diverse society and the personal steps we can take to address them. We want more groups to help make such conversations possible. MCCY launched the Harmony Fund in 2013 and this has already seeded 78 projects that draw participants from a wide range of ethnic and faith groups.[+19 sentences] Almost half of these are targeted at youths. NYC is also working with IRCCs and various religious and ethnic groups to launch more platforms where youths can have candid and constructive exchanges. I also share Mr Alex Yam's concern that our young may be exposed to online disinformation. Minister Yaacob Ibrahim earlier highlighted initiatives undertaken by the Malay/Muslim community against radicalisation. More generally, parents play a key role in shaping their children's Internet exposure. MOE and the Media Literacy Council have developed cyber wellness resources to help Page: 33 parents guide their children's digital media consumption. MOE's cyber wellness curriculum in schools also reinforces positive values so that our students can navigate cyberspace safely. Madam, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): As a multiracial and multi-religious society, Singapore has always viewed racial and religious harmony as one of the fundamental tenets in nation-building. Many places in the world still see conflicts along racial and religious lines. Extremist and violent messages have also become easily broadcast due to the widespread use of the Internet. In this environment, it is difficult to maintain peace and unity. One can even say that it is like swimming against the tide and you will be swept away if you do not keep up. To maintain Singapore's racial and religious harmony, the Government has set up several initiatives and platforms to strengthen mutual understanding, trust and resilience among community groups. These include CEP in 2006; NSC, which includes the apex leaders of ethnic and religious groups; and IRCCs. This has resulted in a strong and deeply-rooted network of community groups. MCCY, through the Harmony Fund and NYC, also supports activities like dialogues and learning camps that enhance our youths' appreciation and support of racial and religious harmony. (In English): Let me now elaborate on how we will grow our giving culture. MCCY works with partners like the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) to encourage Singaporeans to give. Last year, NVPC launched their online giving platform, giving.sg, to match citizens with causes and charities and enable them to track their giving activities.[+5 sentences] I agree with Dr Lily Neo that we must find more ways to recognise and support our volunteers. We will consider her suggestions as we and our partners refine these programmes. Minister Grace Fu spoke earlier about how we are supporting ground-up initiatives through Our Singapore Fund and how we will support youth volunteers through the Youth Corps. Ms Joan Pereira wanted to know more about how we are supporting our senior volunteers. As part of the Action Plan for Successful Ageing, we want to create opportunities for seniors to be enriched with productive and meaningful lives. Last year, a Silver Volunteer Fund of up to $40 million was set up and it is championed by the President's Challenge. From this year, the fund will be implemented by the Council for Third Age, with support from NVPC.[+17 sentences] It will support the establishment of volunteer management systems, volunteer training and programmes that offer volunteering opportunities to seniors. Another key group of volunteers is our working adults. We regularly speak of corporate transformation in terms of productivity and innovation. It is just as important that businesses in our future economy are civic-minded and play active roles in our communities. CapitaLand is a fine example. Ten years ago, it set up its CapitaLand Hope Foundation to donate a portion of its annual profits to support underprivileged children. In addition, CapitaLand staff are given three days of Volunteer Service Leave each year. And when a staff member takes all three days, CapitaLand donates $500 to a charity of their choice. And it is not just large companies that benefit from corporate giving programmes. GreenPac is a small and medium enterprise which provides well-designed and environmentally-friendly packaging solutions. GreenPac's founder and chief executive officer, Ms Susan Chong, believes in doing well by doing good and she has built this belief into her company's Page: 34 structure. GreenPac sets itself key performance indicators (KPIs) for giving and appraises its employees on how they give. The company has donated hydroponic systems to schools and estates in the Jurong neighbourhood, and its staff regularly visit to train students and residents to care for the plants. Having made corporate giving a part of its core principles, GreenPac's employees consistently report workplace satisfaction levels above 90%. We will do more to encourage businesses to be more civic-minded, meet the aspirations of their employees and be enterprises of which Singaporeans can be proud. In his Budget speech, the Minister for Finance spoke about the Business and Institutions of Public Character (IPC) Partnership Scheme. The Minister for Social and Family Development, in his Committee of Supply speech, spoke about how he is enhancing the ComChest SHARE programme. Beyond these incentives, Ms Joan Pereira and Mr Henry Kwek asked how MCCY and NVPC are building up corporate giving capabilities in our businesses. I am pleased to share that NVPC has partnered the Singapore Business Federation Foundation to develop a new Company of Good Programme.[+5 sentences] The programme is open to all businesses in Singapore and will empower them to give better. The programme will offer customised levels of support to meet the different needs of businesses. All participating businesses will have access to advice, resources and networks where they can share and learn best practices. As Mr Thomas Chua suggested, this will help them improve their giving practices. Participating businesses can also choose to display a Company of Good logo on their materials. For businesses that are starting giving programmes without prior experience, NVPC will provide basic training.[+3 sentences] NVPC will give more details on the Company of Good programme in May. Mr Melvin Yong asked about how we can use sports, arts and heritage to encourage more Singaporeans to volunteer. Minister Grace Fu spoke of the commitment of Singaporeans who volunteered during the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games last year. To continue supporting the thousands of these Team Nila volunteers, SportSG will establish domains of expertise for volunteers to use their skills through sports events.[+21 sentences] These include sports photography, sports safety and leadership functions. SportSG will also enhance the Sports Volunteer Framework to better engage and recognise volunteers and expand volunteering opportunities. SportSG will also expand its SportCares volunteer movement. In the arts, the National Arts Council (NAC) has a programme called ArtReach to raise the capability of artists, voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) and rehabilitation centres to use the arts to achieve social outcomes. For example, NAC partners the Agency for Integrated Care to incorporate the arts into the community care framework. Today, one-fifth of our Community Care organisations run arts programmes. Last month, NHB also launched a volunteer programme for the heritage sector. HeritageCares will have programmes at NHB museums and other heritage institutions to bond families and communities. It will also offer volunteer programmes for the public. HeritageCares will reach 4,000 beneficiaries each year. Let me now address Ms Foo Mee Har's query about harmonising requirements for foreign and local charitable purpose trusts. Foreign charitable purpose trusts are set up by foreigners with foreign sources of funds. They are granted tax exemptions to encourage them to locate their trust Page: 35 management and administration activities in Singapore. To get this exemption, they must administer their trust through a Singapore-licensed trust company. Local charitable purpose trusts, whose sources of funds are local and which advance charitable purposes substantially in Singapore, must register for charity status under the Charities Act in order to enjoy tax exemption. This is to safeguard the interest of donors and recipients. To promote charitable giving, we have made our regulations for these trusts easy to comply with. Under the lighter-touch regulatory regime, qualifying grant-makers, including local charitable trusts that do not solicit funds from the public, only need to comply with the basic requirements of filing annual reports and financial accounts. So, they have a significantly lower regulatory burden than other charities. We will study the point raised by Ms Foo and review with partner agencies if necessary. I will now address Mr Alex Yam's query about how we are making our arts and heritage spaces more accessible to those with disabilities. MCCY will extend concessions to persons with disabilities at our NHB museums as well as the Singapore Art Museum and the National Gallery of Singapore. Those with disabilities will be charged the lowest concession price for permanent and special exhibitions, and we will grant free access to one accompanying caregiver.[+5 sentences] NHB will continue to consult on how it can further improve the visitor experience for persons with disabilities. Mr Melvin Yong asked about how we can help more people with disabilities benefit from sports. Last year, MCCY set up the Committee for Disability Sports and MCCY has accepted the recommendations proposed by the Committee. There are three thrusts under the Disability Sports Master Plan. First, expand access and opportunities for participation. SportSG will pilot the launch of Centres of Expertise, which will have disability sports programmes and facilities like inclusive gyms that are more accessible to persons with disabilities. Within the next five years, we will introduce these in at least five ActiveSG sports centres island-wide, starting with centres in Queenstown, Sengkang, Toa Payoh and Jurong West.[+6 sentences] SportSG will also work with MOE to develop relevant sports programmes for schools with students with disabilities. Second, we will develop the necessary organisational and professional capabilities. SportSG and the Singapore Disability Sports Council will work with sports associations and healthcare institutions to introduce sports for rehabilitation. Third, we will build awareness of disability sports. SportSG will work with NVPC to develop a support network for disability sports through volunteerism and corporate philanthropy. We will also continue to showcase our inspirational para-athletes. Together with stakeholders, SportSG will develop and implement these initiatives over the next five years.[+1 sentence] MCCY will continue to work with our people to make Singapore an inclusive society with a culture of contribution.
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Baey Yam Keng)74 words
[+1 sentence]Mdm Chair, Senior Minister of State Sim Ann spoke earlier about the importance of strengthening our social glue and building a more cohesive society. At the same Page: 36 time, we also want to create common spaces and shared experiences through sports, heritage and arts, for us to come together, build stronger bonds and develop to our fullest potential.[+1 sentence] Mdm Chair, with your permission, I would like to display some slides on the screen.
The Chairman8 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Mr Baey Yam Keng4071 words
[+4 sentences]Thank you. At last year's SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games, we saw the power of sports in bringing together Singaporeans from all walks of life, as we celebrated our athletes' achievements as One Team Singapore. We will continue to build a stronger community and inspire the Singapore spirit through sports. Mr Henry Kwek asked how we will continue to provide quality opportunities so that we can make sports a lifestyle for Singaporeans. As Minister Grace Fu shared, ActiveSG, our national movement for sports, has attracted more than one million members since its launch in April 2014.[+2 sentences] Working adults currently make up more than half of the membership. Almost two-thirds of members have started to utilise their $100 ActiveSG credits. Last year, our public sports facilities had more than 15 million visitors.[+20 sentences] Going beyond facilities, we continued to offer innovative programmes at our sports centres, such as Piloxing, which is a fusion of pilates, boxing and dance, or Stand Up Paddling, a mix of canoeing and surfing. It is heartening to see so many Singaporeans onboard ActiveSG, but what is more important is for members to continue participating in sports, even as they transit across different life stages. That is why we are stepping up efforts for sports to score four "As" − Available, Accessible, Anytime, Anywhere. We will expand ActiveSG programmes and grow the sporting capabilities in a number of sports domains to encourage broad-based participation and for people to stay engaged in the sport. Through the ActiveSG Sports Academies and Clubs, there will be a variety of opportunities and structured programmes for Singaporeans to keep an active lifestyle. For example, we recently launched the ActiveSG Football Academy under the leadership of former national player Aleksandar Duric. The Academy will benefit many youths, including nine-year-old Ong Kai Le from Canberra Primary School, who was not selected for his school's football team, but has a strong passion for football. Through the Academy, he will now have more opportunities not only to play football, but also to learn and improve in the sport. In the upcoming months, we will roll out Basketball and Tennis Academies as well as Athletics Club, giving more opportunities for the public to pick up a new sport, develop both sporting and life skills, and possibly go on to pursue the sport competitively. Besides providing events and programmes for members, we also want to enhance the gotong-royong spirit through the ActiveSG movement, by allowing members and community partners to take on more active roles in designing and implementing programmes at our sports centres. To rejuvenate our shared sporting spaces, we partnered the students of Fernvale Primary School to liven up the walls of Sengkang Sports Centre with their murals, and we hope to expand this to other sports centres as well. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked about improving our sporting facilities, which we aim to achieve under the Sports Facilities Master Plan (SFMP). As Members are aware, we are continuing to work on several major projects in Bedok, Punggol, Sembawang and Tampines as part of SFMP. Due to the phasing of public sector infrastructure projects at the national level to manage constraints, such as construction manpower, upcoming developments in the pipeline will have to be phased out Page: 37 over the longer term, probably after 2020. But not to worry, Er Dr Lee. In the interim, we will continue to step up programming efforts under ActiveSG in Yishun, as well as other areas. For example, at Yishun Sports Centre, as part of the popular ActiveSG School Holiday Sports Programmes, we recently conducted camps for basketball and flippa ball, which is modified water polo in shallow pools. We have also conducted mini-tennis programmes in schools, including Naval Base Primary School in Nee Soon South. With the launch of the ActiveSG Tennis Academy later this year, mini-tennis programmes will also be offered to the wider public at our sports centres and indoor sports halls under the Dual-Use Scheme in Yishun as well as other areas. I would like to assure Members that we remain committed to providing more accessible common spaces for the community to play sports and bond through sports. As part of SFMP, we have worked with MOE to open up 15 new indoor sports halls in 2015. Over the last year, we have had more than 200,000 bookings for facilities under the Dual-Use Scheme. So, we now have almost 80 indoor sports halls and close to 140 school fields across the island available for public use after school hours.[+3 sentences] We aim to open up all the remaining indoor sports halls and fenced fields in Government primary and secondary schools under the Dual-Use Scheme by around 2020. As we provide sporting opportunities and spaces for all Singaporeans, we remain committed to sports excellence. Members like Mr Ganesh Rajaram, Mr Darryl David and Mr Alex Yam highlighted the importance of supporting our athletes. We are now providing our athletes with a wide range of support. We have more than 70 elite athletes from 16 different sports under the spexScholarship.[+16 sentences] At the recent SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games, our spexScholars contributed about one-third of Team Singapore's medal haul. Several of them have also qualified for Rio 2016. Other carded athletes receive training allowances, coaching and sports medicine and sports science services under the various spexSchemes. Team Singapore athletes who have qualified or are on track to qualify for the Games are supported under the spexScholarship and Race to Rio programmes, where they are provided with enhanced support that they need to prepare for the Games. Even as they excel on the international stage, many of our athletes, like Yip Pin Xiu, give back to the wider community. Ex-national footballers have joined ActiveSG Football Academy as Sport Ambassadors to groom the next generation of football lovers. Our national badminton players conduct clinics for aspiring shuttlers at our sports centres. Micky Lin, our national netball team captain, shared with young Singaporeans at a recent forum about her life growing up and how she managed to balance studies with her sporting pursuits. Beyond excelling in the field, our athletes are developing a following, spreading a sporting culture and making a positive difference to the lives of other Singaporeans. I agree with Mr Ganesh Rajaram that it takes a village to raise a champion. In fact, I am very heartened by Mr and Mrs Ganesh's unwavering support for their son's aspiration to pursue a professional career in football. He told me that his son has already represented his football club in the Under-16 World Club Championships in Sweden last July. So, that is a wonderful achievement. Congratulations to him! We hope to hear more of such stories and we need to work with parents, schools and corporates to build an environment conducive to the pursuit of sports excellence from young. That Page: 38 is why we have the Sports School, the spexEducation Scheme and the spexBusiness Network to help athletes cope with the demands of studies or career through flexible academic and work arrangements. The spexBusiness Network has tripled in size to 30 partners over the past two years and includes the likes of Deloitte and NTUC FairPrice, which were also sponsors of the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games. To date, we have 72 athletes emplaced with these companies, so thank you for the support.[+1 sentence] Let me elaborate on how we are developing a pipeline of new talents. Just last year, students and alumni from the Singapore Sports School contributed 70 out of 259 medals at the SEA Games.[+2 sentences] Building on the success of the Singapore Sports School (SSP), we recently set up the National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI) to support our youth athletes in their pursuit of sporting excellence. This dedicated support for youth training and development will extend beyond SSP to other mainstream schools, starting with selected sports. For a start, in 2016, we expect about 200 non-SSP youth athletes, starting with nine identified sports, to benefit from the support by NYSI and its partners, including sport science and athlete life management services. At steady state, NYSI will support up to 400 carded youth national athletes from mainstream schools.[+38 sentences] It will do so by working with National Sports Associations (NSAs) to develop their systems for youth coaching and youth athlete development as well as long-term development plans for promising youth athletes. Mr Alex Yam will be happy to note that table tennis is one of the nine identified sports, and NYSI is working closely with the Singapore Table Tennis Association to provide targeted sports science support for national youth team paddlers from SSP as well as from other mainstream schools. In time, NYSI's partnership with NSAs could expand beyond these nine sports. In addition, the institute has started working with various partners including MOE, the Singapore Sport Institute (SSI) and NSAs to build more pathways for sporting talents to emerge and to provide more opportunities for these junior athletes to grow and develop their potential in sports and, more importantly, in life. Mr Alex Yam asked how NYSI will complement the existing SSI which is under SportSG. NYSI is aimed at supporting our high-performing student athletes from age 12 to 18, while SSI supports older elite athletes who are competing at the senior level. The training design, strength and conditioning programme and recovery for young adolescent athlete are quite different from an adult athlete. For instance, when do you start with weight training? How intense and for how long? These are important questions which our team of specialists can now provide answers to. Nonetheless, NYSI and SSI will work closely together to strengthen the national athlete pipeline and build a seamless progression pathway for current and future generations of sportsmen and sportswomen. We hope to show through these programmes that more talented athletes will pursue their dreams of representing Singapore. We hope that, over time, mindsets will change and more Page: 39 parents will support their children's aspirations to go into sports and more schools are willing to exercise greater flexibility for student athletes to pursue their sporting goals. So, quoting Mr Ganesh, "Let's be sporting about our children's choice in sports". Mdm Chair, I would like now to speak about how we are reaching out to the community through the arts and heritage. Dr Teo Ho Pin spoke about promoting community arts. Our community arts programmes and initiatives have been specially designed to make the arts more accessible to all Singaporeans. The Arts in your Neighbourhood series reached out to almost 90,000 attendees in 2015. This year, we will be making the series more attractive with interactive projects that the community can participate in. So, we welcome Dr Teo Ho Pin to offer Bukit Panjang Art Street to play host to future editions of Arts in our Neighbourhood. We will also continue to develop more Arts and Culture Community Nodes to dedicate more community spaces for the arts. Through the PAssionArts programme and the annual PAssionArts Festival, we have been boosting exposure, interest and participation in community arts by residents and grassroots enthusiasts. This adds buzz and builds attachment to community spaces. A great example of this is the beautifully painted Kolam Ayer Bridge. Named "Rainbow", this work of art was designed by local Visual Artist Shah Rizzal and painted by more than 200 residents of Kolam Ayer. Under the PAssionArts Hotspots programme, residents can also showcase their other artworks right in the heart of the neighbourhood, in spaces like hawker centres, parks and playgrounds. By partnering citizens to co-create artworks, we can involve residents who are new to art, enliven conventional community spaces and bring these enriching experiences closer to home. In fact, last year's PAssionArts partnered the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) to bring the arts experience into the homes of residents in the heartlands. Artist-mentors were engaged to work with 25 homeowners to transform their living rooms into theatres. So, even ordinary Singaporeans had the opportunity to work with artist-mentors to co-create art works for a prominent festival like SIFA. As Mr Kok Heng Leun highlighted, the Arts and Culture Strategic Review has seen significant investment to increase the accessibility of community arts and we agree that efforts to promote community arts should go beyond one-off projects to bring opportunities to experience and participate in art-making to the community. It should look at how the arts can be made a more integral part of our lives. That is why initiatives like PAssionArts and the Arts in your Neighbourhood series are ongoing efforts. We will continue to broaden access and the reach of the arts and enhance the quality and diversity of programmes to deepen engagement within the community. For instance, we have, under the New Grants Framework, supported arts practitioners and organisations to engage and collaborate with communities. Mr Kok mentioned the ArtsWok Collective, which NAC's Seed Grant proudly founded. The group, together with Drama Box, worked closely with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital to produce a series of artworks, inviting the public to reflect on and share their thoughts on the culturally-sensitive issues of death and dying. I agree with Mr Kok Heng Leun on the importance of intermediaries for the growth of community arts. Examples of such intermediaries include ArtsWok, the Singapore Drama Educators Association, Art Outreach and National Book Development Council Singapore and these Page: 40 are already being funded by NAC's Major and Seed Grants.[+4 sentences] These grants allow them to focus on their professional development and to produce high quality programmes that can better reach out to their various beneficiaries and target audiences. Mr Kok Heng Leun also spoke about setting appropriate targets for arts groups. We can assure him that the objectives for Major and Seed Grant companies are customised to reflect the companies' vision, target audience and programmes. For example, a performing arts company's KPIs could include audience outreach at their performances and training workshops for practitioners, while an intermediary's KPIs would also consider the quality of the experience rather than just outreach numbers alone. In fact, NAC will be conducting a review of the Major Grant framework and we welcome ideas on how to improve the schemes, including KPIs.[+3 sentences] Mr Kok Heng Leun also pointed out that a space does not simply become a place without support from the local community and we recognise the importance of creative place-making being relational and ground-up. Minister Grace Fu shared our plans to continue investing in programming and marketing efforts to revitalise the Bras Basah-Bugis precinct and the Civic District. And this needs to go hand in hand with community ownership and strong support from the arts and heritage groups within the areas. For instance, the recent Armenian Street Party 2016 was organised and supported by stakeholders in the Bras Basah-Bugis Precinct, not just institutions like the Peranakan Museum and Singapore Management University, but also cultural groups like Dance Ensemble Singapore, the Peranakan community and shops in the vicinity.[+4 sentences] We are just starting out on this journey to involve local communities in our place-making efforts and we encourage both artists and arts groups and intermediaries, as well as residents and community stakeholders to step forward, collaborate with one another to build and develop the character of local precincts around the island. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked how we are stepping up efforts to support traditional arts, facilitate cross-cultural understanding and help Singapore better appreciate our roots. We are, indeed, looking at ways to uplift the traditional arts sector and keep traditional arts relevant and accessible to Singaporeans. We will continue to professionalise and nurture the next generation of traditional arts talent. NAC's funding to traditional arts groups has almost doubled in the last five years from $1.26 million in FY2011 to $2.51 million in FY2015.[+1 sentence] Many of the arts organisations supported by NAC's Major Grant Scheme have a strong focus on developing quality traditional arts programmes and are also actively reaching out to the community. In fact, in the recently announced list of NAC Major Grant recipients, more than one third are traditional arts groups.[+22 sentences] An example is Apsaras Arts, a former recipient of NAC's Seed Grant and now Major Grant. Besides creating works and staging performances, Apsaras Arts also started DEVATA – Friends of Apsaras Arts. It is a tiered membership programme to reach out to the community and corporates so that it can grow sustainably and consolidate a fan base. Apsaras also established Dance India Asia Pacific, an intensive programme where students develop their techniques in Indian classical dance, taught by renowned international practitioners. Another example is NADI Singapura, a traditional Malay drums and percussion company that was also supported by NAC's Seed and now Major Grant. NADI was founded by 31-year-old Riduan Zalani, who seeks to push the boundaries of traditional music by infusing modern elements Page: 41 in his works. More importantly, Riduan, also a recipient of last year's National Young Artist Award, hopes to spread the love of traditional arts to other young musicians and audiences. To identify and encourage potential musical talents in the traditional arts sector, NAC organises the triennial National Indian Music Competition and biennial National Chinese Music Competition. These competitions enable musicians in Singapore to develop their performing skills and raise their musical standards and provide opportunities for musicians to perform in a competitive environment. NAC also has a Malay music enrichment course that was developed for Malay practitioners who do not have the benefit of formal music training. Mdm Chair, allow me to speak in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): To reach out to a broader audience, we want to raise the visibility of traditional arts through key community and artistic platforms. For example, at last year's Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations at Gardens by the Bay, traditional arts groups, like Dicapella Dizi Ensemble and Nam Hwa Opera, put up nightly cultural shows for 10 days. About 50,000 audience members enjoyed their performances. NAC will continue to work with Gardens by the Bay to showcase traditional arts performances at this year's festival. If you dropped by River Hongbao this year, you may also remember the lively 乖小丑 performance by the young students of Sheng Hong Arts Institute. They are adorable and full of energy, so it is no wonder why the performance was so well-received. I think we can and should find more platforms for traditional arts performers to showcase their talents to an even wider audience. That is why we are also working with companies, such as Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Dance Theatre, Era Dance Theatre and Ding Yi Music Company, to bring their signature traditional arts programmes to the heartlands and closer to residents. To reach out to younger audiences, we will be commissioning traditional arts groups to produce traditional arts programmes with interactive elements to be staged in schools. NAC is currently working with Traditional Arts Centre to develop an original and age-appropriate Chinese opera production to perform at different schools. We are also piloting a series of bite-sized programmes by local and regional arts companies customised for pre-schools and primary schools to deepen our young Singaporeans' understanding of our multicultural society during Racial Harmony Day in July. As a start, we will introduce these taster programmes at five schools in 2016.[+14 sentences] We hope that through these initiatives, we can help our younger ones better enjoy and appreciate traditional arts. (In English): Mdm Chair, besides major festivals and programmes in schools, NAC is also partnering the National Museum of Singapore to establish a dedicated space within the museum where digital media will be used to provide an immersive environment for visitors to engage with traditional arts. We will continue to find new ways to engage Singaporeans, especially our digital-savvy youths, whether in sports, arts or heritage. The digital space is one that cuts across boundaries. During the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games last year, we saw how a simple hashtag like #OneTeamSG could connect Singaporeans separated physically, but united in their support for and pride of our athletes. And we will continue to tap on digital spaces and social media platforms to encourage live participation and interaction, whether you are at a sports centre, gallery or museum. Page: 42 To complement visits to our museums and reach out to a wider audience, NHB will be launching its new Heritage Portal, Roots.sg. Besides providing access to our entire national collection online, Roots.sg presents heritage resources in a much more dynamic manner. So, if you are a teacher preparing to bring your students on a heritage trail in Kampong Glam, check out Roots.sg. You can view the sites and monuments on the trail, click on links to find out more about the history and download worksheets for your students. Your students, too, can watch videos of traditional trades in Kampong Glam and do further research after the excursion. So, whether you are a serious researcher or just a curious young student, Roots.sg will provide a new dimension for you to explore and learn more about our history and heritage. Ms Alex Yam and Ms Rahayu Mahzam spoke about making arts and culture accessible to young children, especially those from lower-income families. The Senior Minister of State spoke about the ArtReach programme, which aims to build a more inclusive community through arts. As part of ArtReach, NAC and the Community Development Councils (CDCs) launched the WeCare Arts Fund in 2014, comprising $1.5 million over three years, to support artist-led projects which promote arts to the less-privileged. To date, we have supported a total of 115 VWOs; reaching out to 4,300 beneficiaries and conducting over 160 arts programmes.[+1 sentence] I agree that we should expose children to arts and culture early so that we can better help them develop creativity and confidence. NAC and ECDA also signed a two-year memorandum of understanding in April 2015 to implement new initiatives to promote and integrate arts education in preschools. In 2016, the preschool Arts Education Programme will be expanded to 55 centres to bring even more arts programmes by professional artists and arts instructors to preschools.[+2 sentences] Soka Kindergarten, for instance, worked with Kavanagh Dance on an Artist-in-School Scheme project to help teachers integrate dance and movement into the school's curriculum. This was a rare but enriching experience for the Soka Kindergarten teachers to collaborate with artists like Ms Gloria Soh in the classroom and to help their students gain confidence through music and dance. Expanding from these programmes, NAC will also pilot a whole-centre arts-based approach with anchor operator NTUC My First Skool (MFS). We will start with its new MFS Edgefield Plains centre in Punggol which is opening this June.[+4 sentences] This is a partnership between artists and teachers as they seek to incorporate the arts more holistically in a preschool environment. The arts experience in schools will continue to be supplemented with children- and family-friendly programming at our arts institutions. In July last year, for instance, the Aliwal Arts Centre organised the third edition of its Aliwal Arts Night Crawl, a family- and youth-centric festival. One of the popular activities was Uncle Rajah's Flying Carpet Tales, a mesmerising Singaporean folk tale story-telling session by Chris Mooney-Singh of Word Forward, otherwise known as Uncle Rajah. While existing arts centres like The Esplanade and Aliwal Arts Centre will continue to feature family-friendly and children's programmes in their regular line-up of activities, NAC will dedicate a space within Goodman Arts Centre specifically for children's arts activities to give even more options to families and schools.[+4 sentences] Parents can look forward to spending quality time together with their kids through a variety of multi-disciplinary arts programmes, including dance, music and theatre performances and story-telling sessions. Mdm Chair, in conclusion, MCCY will continue to provide platforms to help citizens lead active and engaged lives and build shared experiences with fellow Singaporeans. Through arts, heritage and sports, there are plenty of opportunities for all of us to be involved even in the heartlands. We Page: 43 will continue to nurture and develop talents in arts and sports, even from a very young age. Following the SG50 Celebrations, as we take stock and look ahead to SG100, we are committed to partnering citizens to realise our shared vision and to build a better future for all Singaporeans.[+1 sentence] This is a nation of resilient communities, a cohesive and caring society of engaged citizens and, most importantly, a Singapore that Singaporeans are proud to call home.
The Chairman12 words
[+2 sentences]We have a bit of time for clarifications. Dr Lim Wee Kiak.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang)176 words
[+2 sentences]Thank you, Mdm Chair. I have two clarifications for the Minister. First, on Our Singapore Fund, the $25 million that was set aside for ground-up initiatives, is there a duration to the sum?[+3 sentences] When will it end? I hope that the Ministry can roll out more publicity materials as well as how to encourage more people from a more diverse walk of life to apply for Our Singapore Fund. The second clarification is on our art scene in terms of National Gallery and museum visits. The Minister mentioned that there are four million visits to our museums and 700,000 visits now to the National Gallery.[+3 sentences] I would like to know, out of this four million and 700,000, how many are locals and how many are foreigners? Is there going to be a programme in place, like what we are going to do with OBS? Are we going to have a programme with MOE to get all students to have a chance to visit our museums and galleries somewhere within the 12 years of their formal education?
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien501 words
[+4 sentences]Madam, our Singapore Fund is a $25 million fund for five years. We are very keen to see it extended beyond that and will work very hard to justify the Fund. To us, to have enthusiastic participation from as many wide-ranging groups as possible is our objective. So, I would like to assure the Member that we are totally in line with his recommendation to have greater publicity so that all sectors of the community know about it and will come forward to tap on the Fund. For museum numbers, I am not able to give the Member the numbers in terms of breakdown of foreigners and locals. But if my memory serves me right, for the National Gallery and museum, we have a sizeable number that is made up of foreigners, probably about one-third foreigners, two-thirds locals.[+1 sentence] But the local numbers are the ones that have been growing quite encouragingly. As Members would remember, we extended free admission to our museums and that has been quite well-received.[+21 sentences] My direction to colleagues in NHB and the art institutions is make our world-class facilities and collections speak to the population. I totally agree with Members who said if it is just hardware, it will remain hardware. We need programming to make it work. To me, the success will be decided as to whether our collections can speak to two segments of the population. First, the young; and second, the old. Why do I say that? Because I think the elder generation requires, sometimes, a vernacular interpretation, requires some more thoughtful guidance of the exhibition. So, if we are able to attract more of them to return, I think we would have made the museum experience meaningful for them. Recently, I accompanied a group of residents to the National Art Gallery. They spent 45 minutes in the museum. But I think many of them were quite daunted by the steps that they had to navigate. As you know, it is quite a big structure over quite a large extensive area. So, I have asked my museum colleagues to see how we can tailor a programme that brings them to as many Page: 44 noteworthy artworks with as economic use of steps as possible. The other segment is the children because, to me, that is the generation that we need to reach out to. It is developing the next generation of audience. The earlier we can reach out to them, the earlier we can build up a pipeline of people who appreciate art, people who see art as part of their lives. Again, we need to have a different language. We need to present art in a different way that will make it appealing to them. Given their limited life experience and the context that they are in, we need to bring art education to a different level. So, that is the priority given to my colleagues. I would like to assure the Member that developing local audienceship, visitorship is top of my priority.
The Chairman3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Joan Pereira.
Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar)64 words
[+5 sentences]I would like to ask the Ministry whether they are able to conduct OBS courses for our seniors also. Many years ago, I organised a team building activity at OBS in Pulau Ubin. And, like the youths, they had fun experimenting with the high elements. They bonded well as a team and also learnt to overcome their fear. This is for the Ministry's consideration.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien265 words
[+12 sentences]I realise that OBS is very popular but I did not realise it is that popular. I can fully understand where Ms Joan Pereira is coming from because I, too, joined a group of my grassroots leaders on an OBS trip. This was a visit to the OBS facility and we spent one day doing team-building in the OBS facility. I remember one of my group mates was 74 years old. She made the climb up to the highest rock-climbing facility. So, that impressed every one of us. Obviously, to her, it is really an experience of her lifetime. It is a life-changing moment. I am not sure what she has gone on to. Maybe she is going to try some sky-diving. I do not know. But I think it has given her a new sense of life and also a new sense of confidence. Having said that, our priority right now is to build OBS @ Coney so that it can have the capacity to allow us to reach out extensively to the Secondary 3 cohorts of our students.[+4 sentences] That is our priority. We do see the opportunity for the adventure learning type of team-building activities. Perhaps, some of our private adventure learning service providers who could now be operating in some of the facilities – I know outside Science Centre on Jurong Road, there is one; also in Kallang Wave, there is another one which is just outside NTUC. These are all possibilities where the private providers could also actively participate in giving our elderly a sense of what outdoor adventure could bring.
The Chairman3 words
[+1 sentence]Dr Intan Mokhtar.
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio)95 words
[+7 sentences]I have two clarifications for the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs. Minister, MOE has recently made announcements about the changes to the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) scoring system. How will this affect our full-time madrasah students and asatizahs? And how can they be better prepared for it? My second clarification is about the Future Ready Mentoring by MENDAKI that reaches out to the polytechnic, ITE and secondary school students. Will there be similar initiatives for those who are rank-and-file workers, lower-wage workers or those without proper qualifications? And who Page: 45 will be doing that?
Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim147 words
[+6 sentences]Madam, to the second question, this is something which MENDAKI SENSE will pay attention to. We have our trade fairs and we are trying to encourage as many of the low-wage workers as possible to attend so that we can explain to them the SkillsFuture movement and how they can take advantage of it. We will also step up our outreach effort. To the first question, these are changes which have just been announced. We are glad to hear that MOE is moving away from grades and looking at different types of scoring. What impact it will have on how we prepare madrasah kids and our teachers is something which we will study closely with MOE. We will take guidance from MOE but, certainly, we will make sure that our system is ready to accommodate and adapt to the new system that MOE will put in place.
The Chairman3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Zainal Sapari.
Mr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol)64 words
[+1 sentence]Madam, my clarification is for Minister Yaacob. I am heartened that 80% of our asatizahs are registered under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS). My two clarifications are: first, will all teachers teaching Islamic education be required to register under this scheme? Second, what is the basic qualification required to be registered and assessed to be having the knowledge and competency to teach Islamic education?
Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim233 words
[+6 sentences]Madam, we have an Asatizah Recognition Board (ARB) which is supported by a secretariat with Persatuan Ulama dan Guru-Guru Agama Islam Singapura (PERGAS) and MUIS, comprising learned asatizahs to make an assessment. I do not have the details of the assessment criteria, but we look at their qualifications and experience. There are those who may not have formal qualifications but have taught the religion for many, many years. They could have just a GCE "O" or "A" level pass from the local madrasahs and they have done well. So, they will make a certain assessment. I have left it to the ARB and, thus far, the number of appeal cases is very limited. To the first question, it is almost whether we should make the ARS mandatory.[+1 sentence] I mean, it is 80% now. And as I mentioned in my reply, we want to encourage the 20% to come onboard.[+3 sentences] We have to study this very, very carefully. Certainly, it is in our interest and the interest of the community to get as many as possible onto the registration system because it gives our community, both parents and institutions, a wide selection of asatizahs whom we feel will understand the local context and who can teach Islam to our students. It is good for our students not only to have a good grasp of the knowledge but also be a part of modern Singapore.
The Chairman4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Kok Heng Leun.
Mr Kok Heng Leun (Nominated Member)273 words
[+17 sentences]The Minister talked about using art for the purposes of unity, harmony and comments. Any society is not just based on that; it is also about discord, dissensus as well as, a lot of times, disagreement. So, what does the Minister think about providing that safe space so that we can have diversity? I just want to remind the House that John F Kennedy did say, "If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity". Page: 46 Secondly, I want to thank the Ministry for starting on place-making. Based on what I hear, most of the engagements for place-making tend to be top-down. Can the Minister talk about how we can start democratising the whole engagement process and, especially, it is important to give time for a place to happen. Can we talk more about that? Thirdly, I would like to address this point about traditional arts, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): Quite often, traditional arts is about trying new things. During this process, training becomes especially important. It will require time and expertise. I would like to ask whether NAC has a framework to allow these traditional artists to have time to immerse and learn. Second, traditional arts also need innovation. Li Yu in his book "Sketches of Idle Pleasure" (闲情偶寄) talked about "thinking out of the box" in length, in other words, only by creating new things can we communicate with the audience. The process of "thinking out of the box" also takes time. May I ask whether the Traditional Arts Master Plan has taken this into consideration?
The Chairman25 words
[+3 sentences]Members, I would really like to be democratic and today is the last day. But please do not make speeches during clarification time. Please, Minister.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien580 words
[+5 sentences]Thank you, Mdm Chair. I do agree that in art, we look for opportunities where we can have discourse. I think art has that potential of allowing the expression of opinions. But we also need to recognise that art has this ability to evoke emotions. I think artists want to see that their work has that ability to influence and to affect. Having these considerations in mind, I think discourse, dissent, disagreements can take place and have their place in Singapore, and we do that by classification, by giving advisories.[+3 sentences] Creating a space where certain segments, perhaps the more mature, perhaps those able to deal with the issue, can be engaged in that discourse. I would like to reiterate the point that if you look at the art scene, over time, we have actually moved. Artworks that were not shown in the past, now have been shown regularly, including some of the forum theatre work that Mr Kok himself is so closely associated with. In terms of diversity, too, topics that were perhaps uncomfortable in the past, whether they deal with specific lifestyles or values, or deal with issues, such as conservation of an environment – I think Mr Kok recently also did a work on Bukit Brown – issues that arouse disagreement and dissent in the society get a hearing, get their place in the arts, including works like "Gemuk Girls" which has criticised parts of the political system. We have, over time, allowed more variety, greater diversity in artworks.[+17 sentences] I hope that the arts community will give the regulator acknowledgement that it has happened. Having said that, as I have explained earlier on, we do need regulations in order to maintain a common space that is as wide as possible, so that people, the audience and the artists can engage in art making and art appreciation in a safe environment. On the second question about place-making, some parts of it may seem to be top-down initially, but it has evolved. Let me give an example. I think PA PAssionArts, when it first started, was top-down. We needed to have some organised activities; we needed to provide some training; we needed to decide what was the theme and so on, because it was something new. But without a push from the agencies, probably we may not have been able to develop it as quickly as we would have liked. Page: 47 But over time, you have seen certain local communities embracing a project and making it their own. They are putting in their themes; they are staking their claim; they are deciding what to be depicted, what to be portrayed. That should be the way to go. With the local community stepping forward, agencies like PA would gladly step back and let the locals have greater decision-making. Also in some projects, we have deliberately assigned the job to a theatre production professional. Let me give Members the example of (SIFA). SIFA is actually undertaken by Mr Ong Keng Sen who is not part of the agency. That is a way for an art practitioner to take a leading role in curating and in assisting the Government in producing works for the public to enjoy. Although it is top-down in the sense that the Government is coming up with the funding, but the actual production, organisation, commissioning work are actually done by someone from the private sector. I will leave Parliamentary Secretary Baey to address the question on traditional arts.
Mr Baey Yam Keng222 words
[+1 sentence](In Mandarin): Mr Kok is right. Since traditional arts have a long history, the technical skills required can take a long time to train, for example, in the case of dance and Chinese opera. Hence, NAC is providing more support to traditional arts groups. The Traditional Arts Master Plan will provide more resources to these arts groups, not only in production and training, but also helping them develop their audiences.[+10 sentences] This is because the arts, especially traditional arts, need to be supported and enjoyed by the audience. So, in this aspect, I hope traditional arts groups can put more thought into cultivating their audiences. Not long ago, I attended a performance by Sheng Hong Arts Institute and got to know their artistic director. She is a young lady whose mother is a traditional Chinese dance practitioner. She is an NAC scholarship recipient and went overseas to study. After coming back, she became Sheng Hong's artistic director. I noticed that their students are of different age groups, including some very adorable children who are keen to learn traditional Chinese dance. It is truly encouraging to see so many young people and children who like traditional arts. NAC will continue to support the development of traditional arts. I hope that Singapore audiences will also support our traditional arts practitioners.
The Chairman3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Rahayu Mahzam.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam (Jurong)92 words
[+5 sentences]Mdm Chair, my question is directed to the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs. In recent weeks, we have seen certain incidents affecting the Malay/Muslim communities, such as the attacks on the madrasah students as well as the incident with the management of a mall, Tampines One. I have read with concern the comments online following these events. Some from the Malay/Muslim community have also shared their concerns about discrimination against the community. I would like to know what is the Minister's take on this and what we can do to address the concerns.
Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim458 words
[+13 sentences]Madam, we all realise that these are things which we do not want to happen in Singapore. They have happened unfortunately. There will always be pockets of people who, either through no fault of theirs or a mistake in terms of miscommunication, or, as in the case of the madrasah student, we have read reports that the person is a bit mentally Page: 48 challenged. While these events can never be prevented 100%, the most important thing is to see the reaction. What heartens me most was that a lot of Singaporeans came onboard and condemned those acts and they are from all races and all backgrounds. We know that multiracialism, respect for differences in Singapore, the ability to stay united for the last 50 years, are an important part of our existence as a small nation. We cherish it and we have to work hard at it. My take on it is that it is something which we should never condone. We should try and work together to prevent it from happening. The responses were very good to show a maturity that sometimes you cannot find in other societies. In the case of both incidents, you also find Singaporean Chinese coming forward condemning the act. So, it goes to show that we understand what is right and what is wrong. To the second question on what it is that we can do to tackle this problem, it is about integration, about coming together. Since 9/11, we have been working very hard, especially for the Malay/Muslim community, to reach out.[+9 sentences] Recently, Minister Shanmugam also asked for non-Malay Singaporeans to reach out. We know that integration is a two-way process. You can see the various efforts, not just by the Inter-Religious Organisation but the bottom-up movement in the community, in the constituencies, for people who want to reach out to one another. Earlier in my speech, I have responded that I think it is something we should have to inculcate from a very young age – a curiosity for others, to know who the people are around us, who are our neighbours, who are our friends. We should press on. If there is another incident, we are all responsible to condemn it and work together at it. Will we ever eradicate it? Well, look at the history of America, 200 years old and they still have problems. This is a work-in-progress but the most important thing is that everyone must see that this is their responsibility to prevent it from happening. On the part of the Malay/Muslim community, I would like to assure the House that our various institutions, MUIS, mosques, madrasahs, will continue to do our best to find ways and means to integrate with the wider community.
The Chairman3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied)77 words
[+5 sentences]Madam, I have a clarification for Minister Chan on PA. First, I welcome this unequivocal public statement that the PA should never be politicised. It is a timely reminder to those who may think otherwise. My clarification concerns his confirmation that PA is a Statutory Board. I would like to ask whether as a Government agency, PA also adopts the Government standard operating procedure that it will reply to MPs' letters written on behalf of their constituents.
Mr Chan Chun Sing6 words
[+1 sentence]Mdm Chair, the answer is yes.
Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon)109 words
[+1 sentence]Mdm Chair, I am very disappointed with the reply from Parliamentary Secretary Baey. If I heard and understood the Parliamentary Secretary correctly, residents in Yishun will have to wait beyond 2020 for the sporting facilities because of the constraint on the contractors' capacity.[+5 sentences] Page: 49 My question is: if I can find the contractor to do the upgrading of the swimming complex, will the Ministry give us the funding? Because a lot of contractors out there, they are hungry for jobs. So, there is capacity. What we are looking for is whether the Ministry will fund the upgrading of the swimming complex. I am only asking for swimming complex.
Mr Baey Yam Keng223 words
[+4 sentences]I thank Er Dr Lee for the clarification. On a national level, I am sure Er Dr Lee is aware that it is not just construction; it is the workers, engineers where there is a shortage, given the different projects around the island. On a national level, we have to take a phased approach so that there is not a sudden spike in demand for construction manpower, expertise that cannot be met and also to ensure that the quality of works is up to standard. But be assured, Er Dr Lee, in Nee Soon, I know you are very concerned. You are very concerned about the swimming pool. We have instructed SportSG to specially look at the swimming pool in Yishun, whether there are any repairs that are needed to be done.[+5 sentences] We would do it to make sure that her residents are able to enjoy the facilities at Yishun swimming pool. We also boost the programming to attract residents to enjoy the facilities there. But for information, besides Yishun, we also have other sports centres in the vicinity. In fact, in the coming years, there will be new developments in Ang Mo Kio, the Ang Mo Kio Wet Play Field, as well as in Sembawang. These are not in Yishun, but are in quite close proximity where the residents can venture to.
The Chairman3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Faisal Manap.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap (Aljunied)184 words
[+8 sentences]Madam, I have two clarifications for Minister Yaacob. The first one is on my MMCDF cut. I agree that the mosques' core focus is on spiritual development. However, there are also mosque programmes, such as youth programmes run by the Mosques Youth Development Unit, which focus on developing the spirit of teamwork and resilience. Maybe, in future, they may want to conduct a trip to OBS @ Coney Island. Hence, I would like to reiterate my call for MMCDF to be extended selectively for mosque programmes which focus on social and personal development. My second point is on JMS. I would like to, firstly, declare that I have a child who is a student of a madrasah which is not under the system. Since the Minister had mentioned just now that Madrasah Aljunied and Arabiah, which are under JMS, in collaboration with MUIS, are rolling out new programmes, I commend these collaborative efforts in making madrasahs a more progressive institution.[+1 sentence] My question is whether MUIS has any plans in collaborating with madrasahs which are not part of JMS to roll out such similar programmes.
Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim312 words
[+17 sentences]Madam, on the second question, JMS is a specially arranged programme between three madrasahs and MUIS, and we remain open for other madrasahs to join us. Having said that, MUIS has always extended assistance to all the six madrasahs. Madrasahs which are out of JMS have their own programmes. They want to do things on their own. We provide funding for them, especially because the children are also facing PSLE requirements. So, we will never deny them that. In fact, what we have also done is to ensure that the teacher training which we extend to JMS teachers is also extended to the non-JMS madrasahs. I do not remember the figures, but close to over 90% of all of our madrasah teachers have gone for the training. If there is a special request Page: 50 from a particular madrasah which is not in JMS, we will evaluate it, based on the requirements of the madrasah and the funds available. So, that is the assurance I give to the Member and the House. On MMCDF, I come back to my reply again on it earlier. Certainly, it is not the core objective of the mosques, but I also mentioned in my reply they can always work in partnership with other organisations. The point to be made is that there is no shortage of funds for the mosques to tap on. They have zakat funds and they have donations that they receive every Friday and every day of the week. I know for a fact that mosques do have a lot of resources. The partnership is also very good for the MMOs because it gives them a way to extend their programme into the mosques, especially for the use of the facilities and greater outreach. So, I will leave it to the mosques to find their own way to work together with the organisations.
Miss Cheng Li Hui (Tampines)55 words
[+4 sentences]I had asked about the $250 million cost for OBS. Can the Ministry provide a breakdown of the costs? What are the plans for the existing OBS and Adventure Camp Sites? Finally, in view of the rare flora and fauna that are found on Coney Island, will we be conducting an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)?
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien217 words
[+1 sentence]Thank you, Mdm Chair, for the opportunity to clarify. Of that $250 million that we have spoken about, half of it has to do with being the first-mover onto Coney Island and having the need to lay down infrastructure, power, electricity, boats and so on. That is the reason why the overall figure for the funds needed seemed high. The amount needed to build the facilities per se is about half of the amount. On the second point about whether we will be conducting an EIA, the answer is yes.[+9 sentences] In fact, we have already started consultations and focus group discussions with stakeholders who are interested in the flora and fauna on the island. So, please be assured that OBS itself wants to be part of the nature. That is the spirit of OBS. It is about being in nature and having adventure in nature. So, it is in the OBS' mission to protect the environment as much as it can. In fact, we have started discussions with some groups about incorporating some knowledge about the flora and fauna on Coney Island into the OBS curriculum. We can work hand in hand and have a win-win outcome on the environmental front. It is not in the opposite direction. Was there another question that I have missed out?
Miss Cheng Li Hui8 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, plans for the existing Adventure Camp Sites.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien195 words
Yes, the reason why OBS @ Coney is such an important location for us is because for us to ramp up the capacity by three times on an island that is only connected by ferry would have cost a tremendous strain on logistics.[+8 sentences] You can imagine having to do that high volume of students, plus food, supplies, coaches, instructors, it would have been really quite unsustainable when it is not part of the mainland. Nevertheless, there are still some programmes that would require the use of the OBS in Ubin. We talked about how, with Coney and Ubin together, we can look at some programmes that probably require the crossing of the straits on canoes, kayaks. We also talked about how we intend to continue with 21-day programmes for some of the student leaders. So, there are still programmes that we can do and probably make full use of OBS at Ubin. But like in Coney, it is occupying a small part of the island. There is no intention to expand OBS at Ubin at this point in time and we will find ways to coexist with the other facilities on Ubin Island. Page: 51
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon)29 words
[+1 sentence]Can the Minister clarify whether the EIA will be made available to the public and if local biologists and non-government organisations will be involved in doing the EIA surveys?
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien22 words
[+1 sentence]This is a project that Parliamentary Secretary Baey has been assigned to look into, so I will leave the work to him.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang)87 words
[+5 sentences]First, a question for the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs on the mosque building planning, I am heartened by the new mosque that has been announced. But Minister, in terms of mosque planning, do we consider foreign workers who may also be using the mosques as well? Today, that contributes to quite a bit of mosque capacity issues. For Minister Grace Fu, just a quick answer to her question earlier, the MP football team is still in place. There is a match coming up on 21 May 2016.
Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim139 words
[+6 sentences]No, we do not. We cater for the permanent population because the foreign worker population is transient. Having said that, MUIS, over the years, has been working with some of the foreign worker dormitories to see how we can accommodate, especially during Friday prayers and Eid prayers. We do have some mosques where the mosque committee has been very enlightened and have allowed the foreign workers to do a second shift in terms of the prayers. I think it is not possible for us to accommodate the foreign workers in our planning because, if we do so, we will have to build a lot more. Certainly, I think we want to try our very best to make sure that the foreign workers who are Muslims and who want to fulfil their religious obligations, we will try our very best.
Mr Leon Perera (Non-Constituency Member)92 words
[+4 sentences]Madam, a brief clarification for the Minister. Will the Ministry consider removing the restriction on, say, any funding to artists and for art projects that hold that the recipient should not be critical of national leaders and national institutions, as was discussed in this House a few months ago? Madam, artists, by their nature, throughout history across the world, they criticise the way things are and they posit alternative ways for the way things are. So, I think that restriction on NAC funding is holding back all that Singapore art could be.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien410 words
[+3 sentences]Mdm Chair, I do not think this point was specifically brought up. Neither did the Member file a cut on this. Nevertheless, I will attempt to clarify. As I explained earlier on, there have been works that showed dissent, including what I have just mentioned, this play about "Gemuk Girls" that has been put up by one of the groups that has received funding.[+9 sentences] And that play was critical about the political system. So, I think we have gone quite far already about allowing dissenting voices and different voices to be voiced out in the arts sector. Let me just put it this way. If we agree that there should be rules and regulations to protect and maintain social harmony, then I think we can talk about how this is calibrated and whether the calibration is the right one. There will always be differences at the boundary because it is in the nature of art to want to break away. As Mr Kok Heng Leun so appropriately said in his Budget speech, artists want to − if I paraphrase him correctly − tear down the pieces and improvise. That is the nature of artwork. They always want to challenge themselves. They challenge the boundaries Page: 52 and the regulator would want to maintain the space for the majority in the middle. So, there will be tension always but, as an art promoter, we will work as much as we can to facilitate respectful discussions among the artists, the arts industry, as well as the regulator. So, I do not agree with what the Member has said that we have withheld funding from arts groups that have been critical of the Government.[+1 sentence] Far from it. Many of the arts groups that have put up plays, that have been critical of the Government, continue to be funded. In fact, some have had their funding increased over the years.[+3 sentences] Mdm Chair, allow me to just clarify on the earlier point to Miss Cheng Li Hui. I said that half the cost of the $250 million relates to the campus per se. That is correct, but the remaining half − I have just been alerted − not all of it is first-mover cost. Forty-five million dollars is needed to link the OBS campus to basic facilities, such as water and sewage, and $75 million has to do with increased staff, equipment and programming costs, to ensure safety as we triple the capacity of OBS.
Mr Baey Yam Keng57 words
[+4 sentences]Mdm Chair, I just would like to respond to Mr Louis Ng. I think the EIA has to be done promptly and professionally. Any player who has the right expertise and experience would be considered favourably. I am sure local players might have an advantage because they know the flora and fauna of Coney Island much better.
The Chairman11 words
[+3 sentences]Last clarification. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah. Please keep it short.
Er Dr Lee Bee Wah61 words
[+6 sentences]Thank you, Mdm Chair. I think the Parliamentary Secretary misunderstood my request. What I am asking for is a modern swimming complex. So, I do not understand how by asking SportSG to make repairs will give us that outcome. As for the quality of the workmanship, everything, I can assure you that I will supervise it myself. That will be assured.
Mr Baey Yam Keng94 words
[+5 sentences]Mdm Chair, I think the Yishun Swimming Complex will be upgraded or rebuilt in time to come. And when it is done, it will be the most modern, the latest and most exciting swimming pool for the Member's residents. Just to clarify on the constraints we have, it is not just engineering contractors but also foreign workers. I think this is something that the Government is managing in terms of managing the sentiments out there and also the influx of foreign workers that we have in Singapore. So, I hope for the Member's understanding.
The Chairman29 words
[+3 sentences]Parliamentary Secretary, you are setting very high standards. All the Members are now looking at you. Dr Lim Wee Kiak, do you wish to withdraw your amendment, please?
Dr Lim Wee Kiak138 words
[+5 sentences]Yes, Mdm Chair. We have 47 cuts for MCCY and we have 31 Members who spoke passionately. Let me, on behalf of my Government Parliamentary Committee as well as the Members who spoke, thank Minister Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State Sim Ann, as well as Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng for all their replies, as well as to thank all the men and women in MCCY and all the Statutory Boards for working hard to build a national identity. May I beg leave to withdraw my amendment? Page: 53 Page: 54
Acknowledgement to the Chair›Budget2 turns · 2,462w
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The Leader of the House (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien)1306 words
[+7 sentences]Mdm Speaker, please allow me to make some round up remarks on this year's Budget and Committee of Supply (COS) debates. This year's debate comes at a major turning point in our nation's history. Our achievements over the past 50 years have given us plenty to cheer about, but the challenges ahead remind us that we cannot take these successes for granted. In his Budget Statement, the Minister for Finance said that, "Budget 2016 is the beginning of a journey towards SG100." The focus is squarely on the future and getting there together. The emphasis of this Budget is on economic transformation and building a more caring and resilient society. Over the past nine days, many echoed the Finance Minister's call for this twin spirit of enterprise and care for one another. In total, 499 amendments or "cuts" were filed this year. That is an increase of about 7% from last year, and the highest number in the past five COS debates.[+2 sentences] We can all pat our backs and claim that we have improved productivity in this Chamber. A key focus of last year's Budget was to help Singaporeans upgrade their skills and achieve retirement adequacy. With the successful introduction of SkillsFuture, the Silver Support Scheme and a slew of other initiatives, cuts for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), which received the most cuts last year, fell by almost half. This year, the Ministry that received the highest number of cuts was the Ministry of Health (MOH), which has exploited its pole position wisely by declaring a "War on Diabetes".[+34 sentences] My Ministry, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), though coming in second, topped the list on total speech time for the cuts filed, the first time in the short history of MCCY. This reflects Members' interest in community building and the "softer" side of nation-building, which has clearly taken on greater emphasis in this post-SG50 year. Even as we look ahead to build Singapore's future economy, we are also asking ourselves how we can better tackle challenges on the social front – preparing for an ageing society and building a united and resilient people. Mdm Speaker, this year's COS saw several underlying themes coming to the fore during the debates. Firstly, economic transformation. Members discussed at length about preparing our industries and our workforce for the future economy. This theme of transformation continues from previous Budgets, but has taken on renewed emphasis. The Committee on the Future Economy is looking ahead and studying long-term trends to chart the way forward for our economy. MOM has shared how it will help Singaporeans and industries "Adapt and Grow" and ensure our workforce remains competitive globally. The Ministry of Education (MOE) is preparing our young by expanding SkillsFuture and helping them to make better career choices. The Ministry of Trade and Industry is empowering our industries to create more value through the Industry Transformation Programme. Secondly, we are looking at ways to harness the potential of innovation and technology. We are supporting our small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to automate, seizing new opportunities for growth, such as in robotics, leveraging productivity-boosting technology to become more manpower-lean. We are encouraging the use of new technologies to reduce labour demands in the construction sector. This use of technology extends to non-economic sectors, too: security Page: 59 cameras for law enforcement; automated clearance facilities at our airports and land checkpoints, better defence technologies; digital technology to enhance access to Government information and e-services. Thirdly, the debates reminded us that we live in an era of "troubled peace". Singapore is not immune to global terrorism and the repercussions of geopolitical instability, both near and far, such as the ISIS, the tensions in the South China Sea or the Middle East conflict. To stay on top of the evolving security threats and safeguard our sovereignty, we need to strengthen the capabilities of our Home Team and the Singapore Armed Forces, but we also need the community to be vigilant. We must continue to build a cohesive, resilient and rugged society by strengthening racial and religious harmony and through initiatives like outdoor adventure education and the Outward Bound School. Fourthly, as we forge ahead to achieve stronger competitiveness, we must also ensure that we move together as one. This is in keeping with the spirit of our national anthem, "Majulah Singapura", that we progress together as a nation. The theme of inclusivity cuts across various Ministries. We are improving our civil and criminal justice system to ensure fair access. The Ministry of Communications and Information's Smart Nation movement will be an inclusive one, encompassing the needs of the elderly and persons with special needs. MOE, too, will be enhancing support for children with special education needs. And the Ministry of Social and Family Development is embarking on the third edition of the Enabling Masterplan and more support for unwed mothers. Finally, the challenges we face today cannot be solved by the Government alone. In this Budget, we are partnering Singaporeans across the whole-of-Government to achieve a brighter future. We are working with the community to strengthen vigilance through programmes like SG Secure. We are involving industry players to develop transformation maps for each sector, including making Smart Nation a reality. We need parents, students and employers to join us in order to achieve holistic education with less emphasis on grades. For the Fresh Start Housing Scheme to benefit families with children, we need families to commit to stable employment, managing their finances and ensuring that their children attend school regularly. MOH's dementia-friendly communities will activate community volunteers to be trained and help look out for persons with dementia. Mdm Speaker, after nine intensive days of debates, we have finally come to the end of the Budget debate for Financial Year 2016. This was the first Budget and COS for the 13th Parliament after the 2015 General Elections. We have a total of 27 new Members of Parliament (MPs) – 19 newly elected, three new Non-Constituency MPs (NCMPs), five new Nominated MPs (NMPs).[+9 sentences] Several of them made their debut speeches over the past nine days, including the NMPs who were sworn in on the day of the Budget debate. The learning curve was steep but they have picked up very quickly the official jargons and acronyms, which, I confess, can be confusing even to multi-term MPs like me. Members in this House would agree with me that we have heard many impactful speeches, with robust and discerning arguments. They have added to the quality of our debates and enabled this House to scrutinise Budget 2016 thoroughly and holistically. Mdm Speaker, this Budget and COS debate could not have reached such a smooth conclusion without your even-handedness. On behalf of the House, we thank you and your Deputies for so ably presiding over the sessions and holding the debate proceedings to high standards. We also wish to thank the staff of the Secretariat in Parliament for their wonderful assistance and support. Page: 60 There are also people who are not present in this House that I wish to acknowledge. They are the hardworking and dedicated officers from the Ministries and agencies who have supported us in the front bench; the members of the media who have brought the debate on our policies to Singaporeans. With this Budget passed, we are one step closer towards SG100.[+4 sentences] We have a full agenda ahead of us and much work to do. Will we still be a shiny red dot in the next 50 years? This will depend not just on this House, or the Government, but the whole of Singapore. It is a shared responsibility. The next chapter of the Singapore story will be written in partnership with Singaporeans.[+1 sentence] That is how we build a stronger, better Singapore that we can all be proud to call Home.
Mdm Speaker1156 words
Hon Members, this year's Budget debate, with a number of firsts, is an important one. This is the first Budget of our 13th Parliament and the first Budget of our newly-minted Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat who, I must say, delivered the Budget with great panache. It is also the first Budget for our many newly-elected MPs, NCMPs and NMPs – and they have all performed well. I say it is an important Budget for another reason. It was delivered in the 51st year of our Independence, to set the trend of change for the next 50 years by calling for transformation, a word that was echoed by both the front and back bench Members during the two-week debate.[+36 sentences] Transform, indeed, we must if we are to stay relevant to the fast-changing economic, sociopolitical and security environment both locally, regionally and globally. As the Minister for Defence put it very aptly, we are now in a new normal period of "troubled peace" and, I must add, not just from the security angle alone. There will be disruptions, some pretty serious ones, as many Members noted, as we transform. Many Members cheered the slew of industry transformation programmes for SMEs outlined in the Budget to spur the transformation of enterprises and industries through innovation. But there were also very strong calls for changes and adaptation on the part of our people and workers, too. Many Members were concerned with loss of livelihoods through skills obsolescence due to automation and strongly welcomed SkillsFuture and stronger measures to support professionals, managers and executives. Whilst skills obsolescence was a fear previously faced by low-skill, blue-collar workers, it is now more pervasive among middle-income, white-collar workers, where the impact of job losses will be much greater and re-employment a lot tougher without effective labour market intervention. Listening to the debate, I cannot help wondering whether there are two labour markets running in parallel. One covers the traditional sectors like cleaning, security and landscaping, jobs that will always be with us and which are still bedevilled by low wages, poor working conditions and lack of career opportunities. Running in parallel are sectors that are better able to leverage technology, such as finance, technology and fintech, that promise better pay, better careers and a brighter future. Members were rightly concerned that if we fail to transform the low-wage jobs, our society will become more fragmented as the income disparity widens. This Budget is also special and will be remembered as one that slayed not one but two sacred cows that Members have been raising in this Chamber for a long time: the Primary School Leaving Examination grading system and extended maternity leave for unmarried mothers. It reflects a Page: 61 transformational shift in policy aimed at placing children at the heart of what we do, instead of focusing narrowly just on academic excellence or procreation. Members welcomed the efforts to strengthen our social safety net through schemes, such as Silver Support, but also reminded us on the need for fiscal prudence and sustainability, a difficult balance. But supporting our seniors or the lower-income is not a zero-sum game. In helping to uplift them, we are also helping to stimulate the economy as they are also consumers. Giving them hope will not only contribute to a more humane and compassionate society but will also strengthen social cohesion, giving greater legitimacy to our economic programmes and achievements. As a Business Times article said, "Keep looking up – the economy depends on it." I counted that in this Budget, 22 new schemes were introduced, including Trade Associations and Chambers-Collaborative Industry Projects (TAC-CIP), Human Capital Partnership (HCP), Global Trader Programme (GTD), Early Admissions Exercise (EAE), Industry Preparation for Pre-Graduates Programme (iPREP), Social Service Fellowship (SSF), Our Singapore Fund (OSF) and many more. Can you remember at least five of them, hon Members? Or at least five of the existing schemes? I must admit that I struggle quite a bit and I do not blame the public if they, too, have a hard time remembering. I want to thank all Members for your support and cooperation in helping to bring this debate to a successful conclusion. Members did well in keeping to the time allotted to them. Some continued to make lightning speeches, much to the chagrin of our poor interpreters. I am glad that I did not have to use the guillotine on any Member during this debate. Such debates demand much serious thought and reflection from Members and I am glad that most lived up to it. Members argued well for their pet causes with speeches peppered with facts and figures, but some spoke from their heart and touched us quite profoundly. So, Miss Chia Yong Yong, you almost made me cry with your speech! This House may have been built from brick and mortar but not the people inside it. We reflect the pain, concerns, joy, aspirations and hopes of the ordinary people whom we represent. Our debates may not be filled with the sound and fury found in some parliaments but they are, nevertheless, of a high quality. My only regret is that not many Singaporeans follow the debate, which is a rich source of information and provides good insights into our policies. I went on two house visits during the last two weeks, including one last night, and almost all the residents did not follow the debate. This is our challenge. How to motivate and empower people to be more interested in what is going on so that they can make informed choices and better decisions for themselves? After all is said and done, the challenge now is how to help people navigate this period of disruption and transformation to a better future. The schemes are there, grants provided, support given but will that move individuals, companies and our society forward to embrace the challenges of transformation? What can we, as citizens, do for ourselves and our family to ride this period and emerge stronger?[+8 sentences] The Government can only do so much. It can act as a catalyst, it can prod, nudge, persuade and influence, but, beyond that, it really depends on all of us how fast we want to run and how much of that rainbow we want to catch. On that note, please allow me to thank the Leader of the House and the Whip and their respective Deputies for their assistance in ensuring a smooth Budget debate. I also wish to thank my two able Deputies Mr Charles Chong and Mr Lim Biow Chuan for their support. Further, I wish Page: 62 to thank the Clerk of Parliament, her Deputy and assistant clerks, reporters, interpreters and the many staff working in the background for their commitment and diligence in carrying out their various duties. Finally, once again, I thank all Members for your active participation in this debate. Now, hon Members, I think I should guillotine myself. Page: 63