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The Second Minister for Law (Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai)2827 words
[+9 sentences]Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time". Sir, over the years, the Government has made significant efforts to strengthen Singapore's position as a premier international legal services and dispute resolution hub. We have capitalised on our geographical position and our strong adherence to the rule of law, to grow these services. In international arbitration, we have a comprehensive legal infrastructure that supports and at the same time intensively promotes arbitration alongside a robust and effective legal system. We have enhanced our laws, to constantly improve our system and to best meet the needs of the end user. We have a first class judiciary that is supportive of arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism and these are amongst the main reasons why Singapore is the most preferred seat of arbitration in the world today. We have come far, in the last 25 years, since the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, the SIAC, was set up. Today, Singapore is a popular seat for arbitration and also recognised as the third most preferred in international arbitration in the world. It is also the third most preferred arbitral institution, the SIAC, globally. In 2019, the SIAC saw a new high of 479 case filings. This is the third consecutive year that the SIAC's caseload has exceeded 400 and we will aim to do even better in the coming years.[+13 sentences] This growth has only been possible with the close partnership between the Government and the legal fraternity. We share a common understanding about the value of alternative dispute resolution to Singapore's position as a legal services hub. At the same time, the arbitration landscape is constantly evolvingand we must be ever alert to changing needs and continue to improve Singapore's value propositions as a hub for international commercial arbitration. With the uncertainties facing the global economy, it is now even more important that we regularly review and enhance our legislation, so as to continue to build on our reputation for being a trusted and neutral jurisdiction, under-girded by a strong rule of law and a legal framework that is responsive and remains relevant to the users' evolving needs. This Bill, Mr Speaker, is moved in that spirit. In 2019, MinLaw conducted a broad public consultation on a number of proposals to improve and enhance and to consider for amendment of the International Arbitration Act or IAA. These proposals were aimed at enhancing our offerings, in the international arbitration arena and they included: the introduction of a default mode of appointment of arbitrators in multi-party situations; recognising that an arbitral tribunal and the High Court ought to have powers to enforce obligations of confidentiality; allowing a party to the arbitral proceedings to appeal to the High Court on a question of law arising out of an award, provided that parties have agreed to opt into this mechanism; and allowing parties to waive or limit the annulment grounds under the Model Law or the IAA. These are amongst the several proposals that were considered in the consultation in 2019. We consulted widely. And received feedback from arbitral institutions, from professional bodies, from practitioners, from academics, from multi-national companies who are themselves users of the arbitration in the international arena, key industry experts, both local and foreign. We have studied the feedback and the views very carefully. We received a broad range of views, because this really represents the end-users and the market. We received views on whether to implement them and if so, how then these changes ought to be implemented. After extensive consultation with stakeholders, we have decided to proceed with the first of the two of the proposals first.[+1 sentence] This Bill therefore introduces two amendments. First, it sets out a default mechanism for the appointment of arbitrators in multiparty situations.[+26 sentences] Second, it recognises that the tribunal and the High Court have the power to enforce confidentiality obligations in an arbitration. The rest of the proposals which were considered in the public consultation are still being studied and evaluated by my Ministry. I wish to thank and place on record our gratitide to all those who have contributed their views, their time and suggestions. They have been very welcomed and most helpful in shaping our views. I would like to emphasise that the Government remains committed to working with our stakeholders to strengthen the international arbitration regime so as to ensure that this regime remains attractive and continues to serve the needs of international businesses. Sir, let me now take Members briefly through each of the amendments. At present, the IAA provides a procedure for default appointment of arbitrators only where there are only two parties to a dispute; and where these parties have adopted an ad hoc arbitration instead of institutional arbitration or have chosen not to apply institutional arbitration rules. There is currently no similar procedure in the IAA or the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, for arbitrations where the dispute involves more than two parties. As Members know, today as transactions become more complex, disputes become more complex, multi-party arbitrations have been a growing trend. It is no longer often that we see a case where there is a single claimant with a single respondent. The increasingly complex and diverse nature of contracts means that more often than not, these disputes will be multi-party in nature. Where there are multiple parties, they may not be able to collectively agree on an arbitrator. Indeed, it is sometimes not in their interest to do so. A group of claimants will probably find it easier to be aligned, but in some multi-party cases, the interests of the disputing parties are not necessarily aligned neatly into two opposing sides and very often, they are not. As a result, it is not easy for these two groups of parties to agree on who they wish to nominate as their respective arbitrator. Such situations could also occur in disputes arising from multi-shareholder or multi-joint venture party disputes. In one example that was cited to us, the dispute comprised a state, a ministry and joint venture vehicle as the respondent. On the side of the claimants was a consortium of oil companies. The claimants were more easily able to co-ordinate and appoint an arbitrator, but when it came to the respondents, it was a lot more difficult as the different parties comprising the respondent group, comprised different entities with divergent interests. This would result in one side not having the benefit of a party appointed member on the tribunal, through no fault of his except that its interests were not coincident with the rest of the respondent group. Other examples include claims by a developer against two contractors, in a situation where each of the contractors might have had a distinct role and each of the contractors might well have a reason for suggesting that the other contractor is at fault. In those situations, you would not expect the respondent parties to be coincident or aligned in terms of their choice of arbitrators. It is also not uncommon for respondents to try to delay or frustrate an arbitration by either failing to appoint an arbitrator or dragging their feet or just not taking part in the proceedings for nomination at all. These examples are just some, but they demonstrate the importance of having clear rules or procedures, upfront, to help parties to quickly resolve their differences, at the procedural stage. This is not a problem where parties have decided on a set of institutional rules, but it does become critical in the context of multi-party ad hoc arbitration situations where there is no agreed mechanism for the constitution of the arbitral tribunal, and where the parties' inability to agree on the appointment of their arbitrators would invariably lead to disagreement and delays in commencing the proceedings. This invariably adds to costs and unnecessary time spent on process and procedure, when the parties really ought to get into the heart of the substance of the dispute and resolve those disputes. We also want to ensure that, as far as possible, all parties receive equal treatment in the formation of the tribunal.[+1 sentence] Sir, to address these concerns, clause 3 of the Bill introduces a new section 9B to the Act, to provide for the default procedure for the appointment of arbitrators in multi-party arbitrations. It will apply where there are three or more parties and three arbitrators. The default procedure will only apply where parties have not agreed on a procedure for the appointment of the arbitrators.[+7 sentences] Let me now take Members briefly through the steps involved in this procedure. The claimant must first appoint an arbitrator on or before the date of its request for arbitration. If there is more than one claimant, then all the claimants should make the appointment by agreement. The claimant or claimants must then inform the respondents of the appointment and state the appointed arbitrator together with the notice of arbitration. The respondent must then appoint an arbitrator after the receipt of the request for arbitration. Again, if there is more than one respondent, all the respondents need to make or agree to the appointment. The respondent must inform the claimant or claimants of the appointment. And finally, the two appointed arbitrators on both sides, will then get together and appoint the third arbitrator, who will be the presiding arbitrator. However, where parties are unable to come to an agreement on their choice of arbitrator, then the new section 9B(2) provides that the appointing authority must then, in that situation and upon the request of any party, appoint all three arbitrators.[+3 sentences] In doing so, the appointing authority is required to have regard to and I quote, "all relevant circumstances". So, a broad discretion, to consider all the facts, all the matters which arise in the context of that appointment exercise is to be considered. 9B(2) also allows for the appointing authority to consider the choices already made by the parties at that stage, if any, and at what stage the proceedings might be at. Let me elaborate a little on this. Under the IAA, where the parties have not agreed on who should be the appointing authority, then the default appointing authority will be the President of the Court of Arbitration of the SIAC and any other person nominated by the Chief Justice to exercise the powers of that appointing authority.[+11 sentences] In doing so, the appointing authority may have regard to all relevant circumstances as I have mentioned and that authority may reappoint or may revoke any appointment that has already been made. The appointing authority may also designate any one of the three arbitrators as the presiding arbitrator. This process seeks to strike a balance between party autonomy and equality in the arbitration process. And this process is itself aligned with the rules of leading arbitral institutions on the multi-party appointment of arbitrators. So, the process that we have designed in this, is in terms of philosophy, aligned with that of leading institutions around the world. In similar fashion, the appointing authority will appoint the third arbitrator upon the request of any party, and if the two arbitrators appointed by the parties fail to agree on the appointment of the third arbitrator within the timeframe specified. Again, the appointing authority is granted discretion to consider all relevant circumstances, in coming to its decision. And these may also include the reasons why the two appointed arbitrators are not able to agree on the third arbitrator or their reasons for failing to come to an agreement within a specified time. Introducing this default mode of appointment in multi-party arbitrations will reduce potential delay in the conduct of arbitration proceedings. And this might arise where parties are unable to agree or refuse to agree as I mentioned earlier. Or, if the party-appointed arbitrators are themselves, unable to agree on a third appointment. With the amendment, the parties' failure to agree on joint nominations, or indeed, a refusal to agree, will not prevent the arbitral tribunal from being constituted expeditiously.[+23 sentences] As any party in this default mode of appointment would have the right to make a request to the appointing authority, to cite reasons and to request the authority to make the appointment. This would also, as I mentioned, avoid the problem of parties seeking to delay or frustrate the arbitration by not taking part in the process at all. And we believe that ultimately, this default mechanism, that is set up upfront, will save time for parties, will increase the overall efficiency of the process and will be a further step in continuing to make Singapore an attractive seat for complex international arbitration disputes including those with include multi-parties. Sir, I now move on to broadly outline the second amendment. Currently, unless parties otherwise agree, the parties and the arbitral tribunal have a duty of confidentiality. This can arise in a number of ways. First, as a result of an agreement between the parties. Second, under any written law or rule of law and this includes the common law. Third, under the rules of arbitration including the rules of arbitration of an institution or organisation, which the parties have agreed to, or have been adopted by the parties. Confidential information obtained in anarbitration proceeding is protected from disclosure or use for any other collateral purpose, not the purposes for which the information was obtained, which is the arbitration. The scope and content of such a duty might differ. In other words, what does this duty cover, what kind of information, what type of documents? They might differ from case to case. And depending on the circumstances of each case, this duty could cover documents used or disclosed in the proceedings. Our Courts over several decided cases have recognised that, in the absence of an express agreement between the parties regarding the existence and the scope of a duty of confidentiality, even in that parties to the arbitration have an implied duty of confidentiality. At the same time, our courts have also commented that there ought not be any generalisations as to what the duty of confidentiality would encompass. In other words, do not set out upfront for every case and in each and every case for each type of categories of documents, what that scope of confidentiality covers because each case ought to be evaluated and contextualised in its own circumstances and the implied duty reflects the needs and expectations of the parties as well. A distinction has to be drawn between different types of confidentiality attaching to different types of documents or evidence that has been obtained in these proceedings. So, for example, arbitration awards may be treated differently from the underlying materials used or disclosed in the course of arbitration proceedings. This duty is also not absolute and the extent to which the duty is preserved will depend on the individual circumstances. Given the centrality of confidentiality in arbitration, parties expect that their various obligations of confidentiality can be protected. However, the International Arbitration Act, as it currently stands, does not expressly recognise that. The arbitral tribunal does not recognise that the arbitral tribunal or the Courts have the power to enforce existing confidentiality obligations in the event of any such breach. The Bill, therefore, seeks to insert a new section 12(1)(j) in the IAA to expressly recognise the powers of the arbitral tribunal and the High Court in terms of enforcing such a duty and to give effect to such obligations by making orders or giving directions as may be appropriate.[+2 sentences] These powers will apply, regardless of whether the obligations arise under any of the limbs which I mentioned earlier, whether the obligation arises by written law, by rule of law, under common law, rules of arbitration or by agreement between parties. The amendment recognises that confidentiality is an important attribute of arbitration and that the common law is still developing as to the precise extent of the obligation, in other words, whom it should bind and the exceptions, if any, to the rules. The Bill, therefore, does not codify obligations of confidentiality but seeks to strengthen parties’ ability to enforce existing obligations.[+1 sentence] It does not impose any new or additional obligations of parties beyond what has been set out in those three broad categories that I have mentioned. For instance, the new provision will not require a plaintiff in arbitration-related court proceedings, to have to apply for the sealing of the court file and redaction of the papers, when commencing such proceedings and that is the position currently.[+1 sentence] Sir, in summary, this Bill will strengthen our international arbitration framework. It keeps us up to date and will ensure that Singapore remains an attractive venue for international arbitrations.[+2 sentences] It will also show the international arbitration community that we have a continued commitment to providing strong legislative support for international arbitration. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Patrick Tay.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer)609 words
[+5 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I declare my interest as a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators. I rise in support of this Bill, which amends the International Arbitration Act or IAA and seeks to enhance Singapore’s status as an international commercial arbitration hub. Over the years, Singapore’s position as an international dispute resolution hub in the globe has been cemented, largely due to its strong recognition of the rule of law. Alternative dispute resolution mechanisms – in particular, mediation and arbitration, are increasingly popular in recent times, with the privacy afforded to parties at such forums. Additionally, the Singapore Courts have also recognised arbitration agreements and stayed Court proceedings commenced in breach of such agreements. This lends weight and legitimacy to the arbitration landscape in Singapore and parties can be confident that their earlier agreements to arbitrate their disputes will be upheld in Singapore. I understand that the Bill makes the following two key amendments: First, the introduction of a default mode of appointment of arbitrators in multi-party arbitrations where parties’ agreement does not specify the procedure for such appointments; and Second, the Bill will explicitly provide for the arbitral tribunal and the High Court to enforce obligations of confidentiality, by making the relevant and/or necessary orders and directions, where such obligations exist.[+3 sentences] I welcome the amendments, for the following reasons. In an era where contractual obligations are being restructured, varied, suspended and/or terminated, as a result of the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on global economies, the potential for disputes over substantive matters is rife. The complexity of such matters may be exacerbated where there are more than two parties involved in the dispute. The amendments plug the lacuna in the law. With the stipulated procedure on appointment of arbitrators in multi-party arbitrations, this should minimise procedural disputes on the same time, resulting in saved time and costs for parties.[+2 sentences] We note that there is a growing trend in arbitrations from joint ventures, oil and gas matters, and merger and acquisition disputes – these disputes often involve substantial sums of monies, and there is all the more reason why we want these matters to be arbitrated in Singapore. Additionally, privacy and confidentiality remain the cornerstone of arbitration. The enactment of statutory powers of the arbitral tribunal and High Court to enforce existing confidentiality obligations, whether under agreements or at law, gives bite and effect to such obligations, which will certainly bring Singapore’s arbitration landscape to greater heights.[+7 sentences] While the amendments do not seek to impose fresh and/or new confidentiality obligations in arbitration proceedings, my query relates to the scope of such existing obligations. The authorities suggest that the general principle in Singapore’s arbitration law is that arbitrations are not only private but also confidential. The High Court in Myanma Yaung Chi Oo Co Ltd v Win Win Nu and another in 2003 held that “there was an implied obligation on the parties obtaining documents not to disclose them or use them for any purpose other than the dispute in which they were obtained.” Disclosure, however, may be permissible in certain circumstances, such as the consent of the other party; by order or leave of Court; where it is reasonably necessary; and/or where it was in the interests of justice or where legally required. Would the Minister be able to provide certain specific instances in which confidentiality obligations are waived? For instance, where documents and/or evidence are raised in arbitration proceedings for which a finding has been made, are subsequently raised in court proceedings for a separate matter between the same parties who wish to deviate from their original position? Sir, clarifications notwithstanding, I stand in support of this Bill.
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang)877 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, I support this Motion. I declare my interest as a dispute resolution lawyer who practises international arbitration. Between June and August last year, MinLaw proposed several amendments to the International Arbitration Act for public consultations. Six areas were put out for public consultation and this Bill implements two of them. The first amendment is to provide for a default mode of appointment for arbitrators in multi-party arbitrations.[+18 sentences] Generally, when an agreement is entered into parties would usually include standard arbitration clauses in those agreements. These clauses would typically provide for tribunals consisting of a sole arbitrator, or sometimes three arbitrators. Where there are three arbitrators to be appointed, the usual method is for the Claimant to appoint one, the Respondent to appoint one and for the two appointed arbitrators to agree on a third. These are general practices, of course, specific clauses may vary. There is typically also a deadlock mechanism. If the two party appointed arbitrators cannot agree on the third, namely that it will be appointed by some third party, usually institution appointed under the arbitration agreement. This could be ICC, for example. Where problems arise is if there are more than two adverse parties in an arbitration and all are separately represented. I think the Minister highlighted several examples in his speech. And this is increasingly common in the context of multi-party agreements or in a situation where different agreements are consolidated because we now have rules permitting consolidation of arbitrations. So, in this scenario where you have three parties or more, there is a greater likelihood that parties will not be able to agree upon "party appointed" arbitrators. For example, if there are multiple Respondents, each separately represented and with different views on the same issue, there may be deadlock. What these rules provide for is the default appointment of arbitrators in such situations, which is eminently sensible. It requires parties to name arbitrators at specific points in the process as well. So, this also reduces the chance that the appointment of arbitrators will be used as a way to delay proceedings. Now, the core of arbitration is always party autonomy and party autonomy is still protected here because if parties have agreed on their own default mechanism where agreement cannot be reached, that should still prevail. What this amendment deals with such a situation where parties did not really provide the mechanism but would not have wanted deadlock either. So, what this provides is really a process by which this deadlock can be broken and the arbitration process can be moved smoothly along, even where parties or whether there are three or more parties who cannot agree on the arbitrator. The second amendment also deals with another vexed issue and this is confidentiality Confidentiality obligations are common in arbitration proceedings.[+5 sentences] This is also one of the main attractions of arbitration for many parties as they would prefer to settle disputes out of the public eye. However, the protection of confidentiality is sometimes more difficult because the most common remedy for breach of confidentiality is to get an injunction to prevent dissemination of the information. This would only be available if the information is not already in the public domain. Thus, speed is of the essence if one wishes to get injunctive relief to protect confidentiality of matters subject to arbitration. For most practitioners, we would agree that the Tribunal always have powers to make such orders but this was never expressly set out in the legislation. There was some debate on whether tribunals may have the power and to what extent that powers would extend to making confidentiality a part of the arbitration. So, by making this amendment to section 12 of the International Arbitration Act – which is really a section that spells out the Tribunal's powers – what it now provides specifically is that the Tribunal has such powers to make orders to protect confidentiality in an arbitration.[+8 sentences] Of course, the scope of this obligation is not defined precisely but this is necessary because exactly what documents are covered by it, which are already out in the public domain, which are not – these are all matters for that Tribunal to decide. But at least the one debate that will be off the table is whether or not the Tribunal has these powers. The other benefit of putting it in this section of the International Arbitration Act is that the Court will also now have the power to make an order where a Tribunal is not able to so this is also, I think, necessary as a catch all provision because given the speed with which one has to move if you want to protect confidentiality. If the Tribunal is not in place, for example, it may be necessary to go to the Courts to get such an order. I support and welcome both of these amendments. I think they both solve practical problems that practitioners encounter and it is a tidy solution. I would also add, in my concluding remarks, that I also agree with the other four proposals the Ministry had put forward in the consultation and hope that these too can be implemented in due course. Each of these are good solutions to practical problems.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang)757 words
[+15 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this amendment Bill. I thank the Second Minister for Law for the explanations to the amendment Bill. I declare my interest as a legal practitioner in international arbitration disputes. The two broad areas of amendments that the Bill proposes in relation to multi-party arbitration and powers of arbitral tribunals and the High Court are important are important and very much welcome. These amendments are also timely since the last amendments came in 2012. I have no doubt that with these amendments, more parties will benefit by bringing their disputes seated in Singapore or before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre or SIAC. I thank MinLaw which had proactively consulted various stakeholders in the international arbitration eco-system in Singapore. There were various proposals stated in the public consultation paper. It has to be noted, though, that since the conclusion of the public consultation in 2019, admittedly we are now facing a much-changed global legal landscape ravaged by the current COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic, there has been an uptick in terms of brewing cross-border disputes arising out of force majeure, impossibility of performance and other contractual breaches. However, even with our Singapore law firms’ increasing global presence, connections and international expertise, we continually face stiff competition to attract these disputes to our shores. This is because clients and litigants are not only more sophisticated, but they are more sensitive to disputes, especially during this time. They are craving for certainty both in terms of costs and outcome of arbitration proceedings especially in the midst of this economic outlook. They require more flexibility; some may prefer greater court supervision on matters of law in arbitral proceedings. Others, as so, and prefer to waive appeals to the High Court on arbitral awards in the interests of having finality in the arbitral process. Corporations are also rethinking their agreements to prepare for a post-COVID world and considering the best dispute resolution mechanism that would offer them the best flexibility or option. Hence, while I applaud the efforts made to further ensure that Singapore’s arbitration regime remains responsive and relevant to evolving needs, I would urge MinLaw to consider expediting the tabling of the other proposals in the consultation paper as this will be key to cementing Singapore’s status as the preferred seat for arbitration disputes and leapfrog us over other competitive jurisdictions.[+1 sentence] My focus is on two separate proposals raised in the consultation paper which are not tabled here in this Bill. The first of which would allow parties which seek greater curial intervention, to appeal to the High Court on a question of law in an award based on an opt-in mechanism. The second would allow parties who on the other hand prefer minimal curial intervention, to agree to waive or limit the annulment grounds under the relevant sections of the IAA and the Model Law.[+11 sentences] I believe that these proposals would be beneficial to Singapore. Firstly, they would sharpen our edge as a preferred seat of arbitration as they would cement parties’ autonomy, front and centre, in our arbitration legislative framework. Parties would have more options and flexibility to tailor an international agreement to suit their unique purposes, especially in preparation for a post-COVID world. This would hopefully then attract more cross-border transactions and international disputes to be heard before the Singapore Courts and SIAC. Consequently, it would only mean more exposure and training for our local lawyers from a professional development standpoint. As an international disputes lawyer, I have handled disputes in various jurisdictions and arbitration centres, SIAC here, London Court of International Arbitration and International Court of Arbitration in London and Paris. However, looking at the current climate, local younger lawyers, may not get much exposure and opportunity to experience handling international arbitration disputes. As such, we need to consider tabling these other proposals soon for the benefit of our future generations of talent. Mr Speaker, Sir, I am not a glass-half-empty kind of guy – looking at what is not there instead of what is. But I fear that if we do not fill the glass up now, we may be too late to do so in the future. Necessity is the mother of all inventions. There is an opportunity for us to reinvent and leapfrog the competition now. I therefore seek an indication from the Minister on whether the other proposals in the consultation paper, particularly the two I mentioned, are being tabled and if so, when.[+1 sentence] Clarifications notwithstanding, Mr Speaker, I support the amendments to the Bill.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon)1098 words
[+1 sentence]Sir, Singapore has emerged as one of the leading hubs for international arbitration in recent years. In 2019, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre or SIAC set a new record with 479 new case filings and parties from over 59 jurisdictions chose Singapore as their destination for arbitration.[+6 sentences] The amendments in this Bill will further strengthen our international arbitration regime and raise Singapore’s profile as a global centre for international arbitration. Parties who require arbitration services will also have access to a wider range of options best tailored to their needs. That said, I have a few clarifications on the Bill, many of which, Minister Edwin has already clarified on. My first clarification is on the default mode of appointment of arbitrators in multi-party arbitration. It is good that we recognise that we need to provide for the appointment of arbitrators in multi-party disputes which are on the rise. They occur, for instance, in disputes involving joint ventures, mergers and oil and gas acquisition. The new section 9B details the default mode of appointment for multi-party situations. There is some concern about point 4 of this section, which states: if either the claimants or the respondents fail to appoint an arbitrator, the appointing authority must appoint all three arbitrators.[+13 sentences] The authority can also reappoint or revoke any appointments made. It is unclear why the failure of just one side to appoint an arbitrator means that the appointing authority must now step in to appoint all three arbitrators even if the other side managed to agree on their arbitrator. Essentially, this means that failure to agree by one side, makes the agreement reached by the other side ineffective. I do understand that it is common for arbitration institutions to require the appointing authority to appoint all three arbitrators if either the claimants or the respondents are unable to come to an agreement on an arbitrator. However, there is a permutation on this model under article 8(1) of the 2020 London Court of International Arbitration Rules. It says: where all parties have agreed in writing for each side to nominate a single arbitrator, but one side is not able to come to an agreement on a nomination, the other side is free to make its nomination. Party autonomy is a significant feature of arbitration. To ensure that parties’ agreements are given consideration, can the Minister confirm that the appointing authority should take into account the agreement reached by parties on one side on their arbitrator when appointing the three arbitrators? My second clarification is on the amendment to expressly recognise the powers of the arbitral tribunal and the High Court to enforce obligations of confidentiality. This amendment is welcome and will assist in tightening the process and preserving confidentiality of the proceedings. That said, despite the express recognition, the Bill does not codify confidentiality obligations that the Minister mentioned. Given that one of the main draws of arbitration is the confidentiality of proceedings, and codifying confidentiality obligations will assist in reducing uncertainty and potential disputes over these obligations, can the Minister clarify the reasoning behind deciding against codifying confidentiality obligations? For a good example, we can take a look at the arbitration scene in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Arbitration Ordinance expressly provides for a statutory duty of confidentiality in arbitration.[+11 sentences] Under section 18(1) of the Arbitration Ordinance, unless agreed by the parties, no party may publish, disclose or communicate information relating to the arbitral proceedings and awards. Notably, this confidentiality extends to the existence of arbitration proceedings. This position is also mirrored in article 45.1 of the 2018 Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre Rules. Hong Kong was ranked among the top five seats of arbitration worldwide in 2018 and still continues to have a lead over our own SIAC in 2019. We note that codifying confidentiality obligations may lead to some challenges. For instance, there may be difficulties in defining the scope of the duty of confidentiality and its exceptions. However, such difficulties are already present in our current approach of implying the duty of confidentiality in arbitration. In fact, it is not uncommon for arbitration proceedings to be delayed because of parties disputing over their scope of implied duty of confidentiality. The delay reduces one of the main draws of arbitration – its efficiency. I hope the Minister will consider codifying confidentiality obligations, whether in the Act itself or in subsidiary legislation, as this would encourage parties to arbitrate in Singapore. My final clarification is on the exclusion of the proposed opt-in mechanism for parties to incorporate a right to appeal to the High Court, on a question of law arising out of an arbitral award. Can the Minister clarify the reasoning behind deciding against including this right to appeal on a question of law?[+5 sentences] As things stand, parties may only apply to the High Court to set aside an arbitral award on relatively limited grounds. These grounds include fraud, corruption, breach of the rules of natural justice or contravention of Singapore’s public policy. One of the key components of arbitration proceedings is finality. However, this should not be at the expense of leaving questions of law unresolved. This may potentially have significant impact on the substantive rights of parties. Furthermore, the opt-in mechanism allows parties to choose to exercise this right or to rely on the default position. This adds to Singapore’s commitment in giving parties the flexibility to determine certain issues and procedures in their arbitral proceedings, as compared to court proceedings.[+1 sentence] In fact, the right to appeal on a question of law has already been expressly recognised in our domestic arbitration. Section 49 of our Arbitration Act provides that a party to arbitral proceedings may, with the agreement of all parties and with the leave of the Court, appeal to the Court on a question of law arising out of an arbitral award. Giving parties this option to have a right to appeal on a question of law may not only encourage more parties to arbitrate in Singapore, but also assist in determining case law in Singapore.[+1 sentence] Sir, in conclusion, I look forward to Singapore increasing its global standing as a centre for international arbitration. Notwithstanding my clarifications, I stand in support of the Bill.[+2 sentences] If I may add, Sir, I slowed down my speech and spaced it out significantly so that I did not deliver my speech in a quick-fire fashion as Minister Edwin mentioned at the last Sitting about my speeches. I took into account the Minister’s previous feedback and I hope that he will now agree to all my proposals in this speech.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Edwin Tong.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai2394 words
[+10 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank all the Members, particularly Mr Ng for slowing his speech, but I will have a response for him, perhaps in a less quick-fire fashion. Sir, I am very grateful that the Members have highlighted that the principle of party autonomy, which really has been one of the key considerations in the way in which we have organised arbitration rules or laws. And obviously, our whole eco-system in encouraging parties to come into Singapore and choose Singapore as a neutral, trusted venue. We understand and agree with this principle which really undergirds the amendments that we have proposed in this Bill. Members have sought various clarifications and I will address these in turn. Mr Ng’s first question relates to the question of whether the appointing authority should also take into account the agreement that had already been reached by the parties at the stage where the appointing party’s role is triggered, and whether it should take that into account when deciding on the appointment all three arbitrators. Sir, that was a very good question and let me just give a little bit of background before I answer Mr Ng’s question. In the feedback we that we received from the various consultations, the principle of equal treatment of the parties in the context especially of the appointment of the tribunal was something which was emphasised to us. It is part of the adjudicative system. Arbitral institutional rules and also the national laws unanimously impose a requirement, whether express or implied, that the parties be treated equally throughout the process. Although the solutions adopted differ in some particulars, most major institutional rules, including the LCIA Arbitration Rules that Mr Louis Ng referred to, now either permit or, in fact, require the institutions to designate the entire tribunal in multi-party proceedings.[+5 sentences] In other words, the moment there is a disagreement on one party's nomination, then the rules either permit or, in fact, they require the appointing authority to designate the entire tribunal. That is the position in LCIA and also some other major institutions. The reason behind this is to preclude imbalance or, at least, the perception of imbalance in the way in which the tribunal is subsequently appointed and avoid a situation where just one party has a say on his or her nominee for the arbitration. In scoping section 9B, we can see that there are many reasons why a party may not be able to agree or has chosen not to agree to the arbitrator. It could be because parties do not identify with the same “side” as the party nominating it even though we may be co-respondents to the arbitration, or it may be because one party is intentionally delaying the proceedings, not nominating, or dragging its feet, as I have mentioned earlier, so as to trigger the default mechanism to appoint all three and, in that process, hope to sideline the choice put up by the other party. And we are very much alive to that possibility. So, to allow the appointing authority some flexibility and the discretion to take into account what I have just articulated and, indeed, what Mr Louis Ng had put forward in his speech, the appointing authority is now clothed with the ability to look at all relevant circumstances and we do not define upfront what that might be precisely because it may differ from case to case and the antecedent conduct of the parties in terms of the choice of the arbitrator would be something that the appointing authority would look at.[+5 sentences] So, to that extent, the authority can look at factors, such as whether the parties on one side may have reached an agreement or not in the way that Mr Louis Ng has put it, or the reasons why one side was not able to come to an agreement. That is also relevant. It may not be because of trying to frustrate the process or trying to delay the proceedings. That is also relevant. And the appointing authority will have the ability to look at and study all these factors. In the context of appointing the three arbitrators, we have given broad remit to the authority to do so.[+1 sentence] So, it may reappoint. We have expressly said it may reappoint, meaning if one party has already chosen, it may reappoint, or it may decide to revoke the appointment altogether and decide afresh.[+1 sentence] We believe that this strikes the right balance between the principles of equality and also party autonomy, something that Mr Louis Ng and Mr Vikram Nair also spoke about. On the question of confidentiality, the amendment is to recognise that the tribunal and the High Court will have power to enforce these obligations.[+8 sentences] The amendments do not seek to change the law or add new obligations, but seeks to ensure that it is clear beyond the pale that the tribunal and the High Court will have the power to enforce these obligations. Mr Patrick Tay asked for clarifications on instances where the obligations might be waived. Sir, the duty has its roots in common law. As Mr Patrick Tay mentioned, Justice Kan mentioned this in a 2003 decision that it is implied that parties who choose arbitration are more likely to take into account the fact that these are private hearings and have the cloak of confidentiality. The Courts, however, have also noted – and I think Mr Patrick Tay also briefly alluded to that – that we should take care not to generalise what that duty would encompass upfront, that is, not to spell it out upfront. Mr Vikram Nair also noted that this gives a degree of flexibility because, as a case proceeds, the quality and nature of confidentiality over a specific piece of information or document might change. Likewise, whether or when a confidentiality obligation is to be waived must also be assessed in the context of the facts in which the issue arises. I would add that, in any given case, regard must also be given to the chosen institutional rules that the parties have agreed will apply to their own arbitration and whether or not there are any specific rules in that setting relevant to the way in which they look at confidentiality. To a reference that Mr Louis Ng brought up about institutional rules, I should add that the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) Rules do stipulate the scope of confidentiality and that it is stated to cover the existence of the proceedings itself, like the Hong Kong position that Mr Louis Ng mentioned – the pleadings, evidence and what other materials might arise in the context of the proceedings and, of course, all documents produced in discovery in those proceedings, and, finally, the award that was issued at the culmination of the proceedings.[+1 sentence] I will come back to this point in a moment as I address Mr Louis Ng's other point in a less quick-fire way. Some examples of situations where the Courts have found that confidentiality obligations have been waived or where disclosure of confidential information is accepted include the following: (a) where the award is registered as a Singapore judgment and, obviously, it then enters into the realm of the public domain and privacy can no longer be attached to those proceedings and, therefore, the award itself; (b) alternatively, where parties have, by their own conduct, indicated for an agreement for the confidentiality to be waived, for example, by not requesting that an open Court proceeding in which confidential information is to be discussed or would be brought up in those proceedings, not requesting that those proceedings be heard in-camera; and (c) where there is reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct and there is a “public interest” behind why that information ought to be disclosed and an exception made for the confidential information arising out of the arbitration proceedings to be disclosed.[+22 sentences] Moving to Mr Louis Ng's question as to why the obligation of confidentiality is not codified and whether we would consider doing so, let me again give a bit of background. As I have mentioned earlier, it has its roots in common law, so it is implied in the proceedings. Mr Louis Ng mentioned that, in Hong Kong, it has been codified and it might then improve or, at least, enhance the proceedings. Let me just clarify that the fact that there is a duty of confidentiality is really quite unarguable. So, what Hong Kong has done is to say that there is a duty of confidentiality. But in our proceedings here in Singapore, especially in the context of what I have mentioned in the SIAC Rules, it is really quite unarguable. What the real issue is, when it comes to confidentiality, is often what are the quality and nature of that confidentiality. What does it do to the information and documents that are exchanged in those proceedings? That, as I have mentioned earlier, might take a different shape or be differently contoured, depending on the context. So, what exactly is that scope? To whom does it apply? Does it apply only to the parties or the witnesses? You may have to look at what are the facts of that case, bring them up and the context, before you assess that question. When does it apply? Does it apply at the start? But it may not have the same quality as the start if, subsequently, information is disclosed or allowed to be disclosed or divulged by one party. So, the further context as to when you are looking at the issue will also be relevant. Of course, finally, how is it best enforced? Is it by way of an injunction of some sort, a mandatory injunction, or would the parties be allowed to disclose it in a measured way under a ringfence or redacted. So, these are all questions that I hope Mr Louis Ng will appreciate, but which arise maybe as a consequence of there being a confidentiality obligation in the first place which, as far as we are concerned, there is no argument over. Which is why we are proposing these amendments to allow the tribunal and the High Court to enforce these obligations. But the question as to what you do with the confidential obligations, how you enforce, is something that ought to be looked at case to case and context to context. That is something that the High Court here in Singapore and also internationally have espoused. So, for that reason, we have decided against codifying and setting out the exact scope to what it applies and when it applies and let the Courts and the tribunal assess that question on a case-by-case basis.[+8 sentences] In addition, we have also taken this view because it is also a recognition that this area of law is still evolving. There have been cases, both locally as well as internationally. Some, Mr Patrick Tay has cited earlier, and also International case law on this and it is a question that is best left to the common law at this stage to develop more fully. I would add to Mr Louis Ng's point also that where parties to an agreement – if you come to an agreement and you have a specific concern, you have a specific confidentiality attached to, say, an IP patent or to a piece of information that is very sensitive – it is open to the parties to expressly incorporate provisions specific to their own needs in their arbitration agreement and that will be enforced. Members will remember that, at the outset, I mentioned that the confidentiality arises in a number of ways, one of which is through the parties' express agreement in the arbitration agreement itself. Mr Louis Ng will know that the Courts have consistently looked at the scope of the arbitration agreement and to study that to assess the extent of the confidentiality obligations. Next, let me move on to the amendments which have considered in the consultation but not brought in this Bill. Both Mr Louis Ng and Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim have enquired about these amendments and the proposals that were considered. I have briefly outlined these other considerations earlier and they broadly relate to the opt-in right of appeal and the proposal for the waiver or limitation of the annulment grounds. These are still being studied and are not part of today's Bill, but I welcome Mr Vikram Nair's as well as Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim's views on them.[+1 sentence] I think Mr Louis Ng also said that these would add value to our landscape. We agree with the views that are set out. We will add them on to the very many REACH views that we have received so far on this and study them together with the various stakeholders that I have mentioned at the outset.[+3 sentences] When we are ready with that, we will come back and I am sure we will also consult with Mr Louis Ng and the others who have raised the points here. In the final analysis, on these points, I want to assure Members and the arbitration community that my Ministry recognises the range of options and the diversity of views on these proposals. As I have said, some go towards whether or not they should be implemented; others have given us suggestions as to how they can be implemented. The operationalisation of these mechanisms also needs some study to ensure that they are consistent and that they lend themselves to fairness.[+5 sentences] Sir, in conclusion, we believe that this Bill introduces amendments that best serve the needs of the arbitral community. As I have flagged, this is a process that is on-going and we are always taking into account what users want to see – developments in the law and, of course, international conventions and practices as well. We will continue to make Singapore an attractive seat for arbitration disputes. With that, Sir, I beg to move. . (proc text)]
Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill›Second Reading Bills21 turns · 17,631w
· 107 highlighted
bill-472
The Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien)2353 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time". Singapore’s reputation as a clean city is a source of national pride. High standards of public hygiene have been a cornerstone of our good public health. Over the years, we have introduced policies and programmes to shape social norms and keep Singapore clean and liveable. These include anti-littering campaigns, mobilising the community and uplifting the environmental services industry. Internationally, Singapore is known as a clean and green city. Nine in 10 Singaporeans expressed satisfaction with the cleanliness of our public spaces and take pride in keeping Singapore clean, according to a survey by the Singapore Management University or SMU.[+3 sentences] But there is room for improvement. We are overly reliant on efficient cleaning services. Public toilets in coffee shops and hawker centres are an area of concern and the cleanliness of bin centres and waste disposal areas need to be improved. One in five respondents to the SMU survey thought it acceptable to leave rubbish around if there was already litter in the area. One in three respondents believed that it is the cleaners' responsibility to return trays.[+4 sentences] Clearly, we still have some way to go to inculcate a strong sense of social responsibility in Singaporeans to do their part to keep public spaces clean. At the same time, we remain vulnerable to public health threats. In 2003, SARS came to Singapore and claimed 33 lives. We have also had to tackle local public health incidents such as the gastroenteritis outbreaks that occurred over 2018 and 2019. Linked to contaminated environments, these outbreaks affected more than 1,200 people.[+31 sentences] There are also waterborne health risks from pathogens that lurk in water, such as the Legionella bacteria, which can be transmitted through the inhalation of contaminated airborne water droplets. Aquatic facilities, such as swimming pools, spa pools and water playgrounds, and aerosol-generating systems, such as cooling towers, can harbour such bacteria. Between 2000 and 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported around 57 Legionellosis outbreaks associated with aquatic facilities in the US. More than 600 fell ill and six people lost their lives. Similar Legionellosis outbreaks have occurred in Australia, France and the United Kingdom. While such outbreaks have not occurred here, we must not be complacent. For the past eight months, we have been battling the COVID-19 pandemic, a public health crisis unprecedented in scale and impact. Among the many lessons learnt, an important one is the need for high standards of sanitation and hygiene. COVID-19 will not be the last global pandemic that we have to face. We must shore up our public health defences and be ready to contain emerging outbreaks, when they come. We can learn from some best practices internationally on managing public health risks more effectively. Take Japan. At the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the Japanese football team and fans earned worldwide praise for practising social responsibility and cleaning up after themselves. Other than public education, we learnt that a pillar of the national habit of cleanliness in Japan was its Building Sanitation Law. Large premises, such as schools and shopping centres, are required to conduct thorough cleaning periodically and undertake checks on pest control, indoor air quality and cooling towers. Japan's legislation also places the responsibility for a building's sanitary conditions on its owners and formalises the role of environmental health personnel to oversee all environmental matters in the premises, including oft-neglected back-of-house areas, such as bin centres. This has fostered a strong sense of ownership on cleanliness. South Korea is another example. It transformed its cleaning industry and processes following the deadly outbreak of MERS in 2015. Through courses by the International Sanitary Supply Association, cleaners are better-trained and certified on the correct cleaning procedures and disinfection methods. In New York City, regulations were passed for cooling towers to be registered, tested and regularly maintained after a Legionellosis outbreak in 2015. This has enhanced New York's capability to manage waterborne public health risks. These are useful lessons as we seek to strengthen our framework to keep Singapore clean. We have adopted a multi-pronged approach to keep Singapore clean under the national SG Clean movement launched earlier this year. The SG Clean movement builds on existing hygiene measures and goes further to raise our standards in public hygiene and inculcate a culture of cleanliness, so that we can emerge stronger from COVID-19. SG Clean has three key thrusts. First, raising cleanliness standards of premises by working with premises owners; second, transforming the cleaning industry to meet greater demands; and third, inculcating shared responsibility for cleanliness among individuals, as end-users and patrons of premises. Let me elaborate on these thrusts and explain how the initiatives under the proposed Bill fit in. First, to raise cleanliness standards of premises, we must "Build Right", "Clean Right" and "Audit the Results". To "Build Right", we have incorporated in the building plan process, requirements on premises owners, such as the provision of sensor-operated toilet flushing systems and proper layout of bin centres. Well-designed and well-maintained infrastructure is an enabler of good public health. To support premises owners in rejuvenating infrastructure, the National Environment Agency or NEA recently announced the Toilet Improvement Programme for hawker centres and coffee shops, to incentivise premises to renovate ageing toilet infrastructure. "Clean Right" and "Audit the Results" are important steps where premises owners adopt proper cleaning regime as guided by NEA's advisories on cleaning and disinfection.[+21 sentences] And NEA's SG Clean Quality Mark certifies premises that adopt good cleaning practices. A key part of the Bill is to support this thrust under SG Clean, by clarifying lines of accountability for maintaining clean premises and setting clear standards expected of premises owners. I will speak more on this later. Second, we will continue to transform the cleaning industry to meet increased and more sophisticated demand for cleaning services. In doing so, we also hope to create more good jobs. The Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map or ESITM launched in 2017 has laid the foundation for this. For example, by driving technology adoption, upskilling the workforce and enhancing productivity through job redesign and outcome-based contracting. Our cleaners are the unsung frontline heroes of the COVID-19 outbreak, working tirelessly to keep Singapore clean and safe. We will continue to support cleaners as part of the industry transformation journey. For example, we had introduced the Progressive Wage Model or PWM and PWM Bonus to raise employment standards, facilitate career progression and promote better wages for skilled cleaners. Since we went into the COVID-19 period, NEA has also collaborated with training institutions to launch new Continuing Education and Training courses on environmental infection control to ensure that cleaners are trained to protect themselves against public health threats at work. Through this structured training framework, cleaners can become multi-skilled and expect to earn higher wages. Third, we will promote good personal hygiene and social norms among end-users and patrons at premises. We launched a campaign under SG Clean earlier this year to promote positive behaviour in our shared spaces and stepped up recently with initiatives on returning trays and using public toilets responsibly in hawker centres and coffee shops. More than 5,000 SG Clean Ambassadors have stepped forward to spread SG Clean messages across the country. All in, we have a sound framework that has enabled us to maintain good public health. Mr Speaker, Sir, it is in this context that I am introducing the Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill. It will introduce three broad shifts in our approach to environmental sanitation and hygiene. First, we will adopt a more proactive approach in guarding against public health threats and institute baseline environmental sanitation standards for routine and periodic cleaning across high-risk premises. For example, the standards will cover daily cleaning frequencies for high-touch surfaces, such as toilets and lift buttons and oft-neglected areas, such as bin centres; periodic thorough cleaning, say every six months, covering areas that are not easily accessible and not covered by routine cleaning; a pest management plan; and a cleaning and disinfection protocol. The standards will also specify desired outcome-based cleanliness indicators to be achieved and the tools and training requirements for workers to carry out cleaning effectively. Second, we will work with industry partners to co-develop environmental sanitation standards applicable to their respective sectors and tailored to their needs. We will progressively implement these from mid-2021, starting with higher risk premises with immuno-vulnerable occupants, high footfall or a history of outbreaks, such as our pre-schools, schools, youth and eldercare facilities, hawker centres and coffee shops.[+4 sentences] Third, we will place greater responsibility on the Managers of high-risk premises to ensure that the environmental sanitation standards are met. With the support of trained environmental control coordinators and environmental control officers, or ECCs and ECOs in short, the Managers will be required to implement environmental sanitation programmes developed for the premises by the ECCs and ECOs that meet the environmental sanitation standards. To provide a pipeline of competent ECCs and ECOs, we will introduce a two-tiered competency-based framework. In general, premises, such as a pre-school or coffee shop, will require an ECC while more complex or multi-tenanted premises will require an ECO, with a higher level of competency to coordinate efforts amongst different tenants within the premises. This will provide a career progression pathway for ECCs to become ECOs, as they gain experience and upgrade their skills to take on more responsibilities. We expect to train 3,800 ECCs from the first quarter of 2021.[+2 sentences] Similarly, we will proactively regulate higher risk aquatic facilities and aerosol-generating systems, to manage risks from potential waterborne disease outbreaks. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me now highlight the main elements of the Bill. The Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill establishes an environmental sanitation regime for specified premises, and regulatory regimes for aquatic facilities and aerosol-generating systems.[+4 sentences] I will speak first on the environmental sanitation regime. The new section 62A empowers NEA to designate, with Minister's approval, specified premises for which an environmental sanitation programme is required. The new section 99A gives powers to the Director-General to issue, approve, amend or revoke codes of practice and standards of performance with respect to the provisions of the EPHA, including programmes and measures relating to environmental sanitation. A key feature of this Bill is to clarify the responsibilities for keeping specified premises clean. The new section 62B prescribes the duties of the ECC or ECO, which include developing an environmental sanitation programme for the specified premises, monitoring its implementation and recommending remedial measures to address any default in implementation.[+5 sentences] The Manager of the specified premises must endorse and submit to the Director-General the environmental sanitation programme, implement the programme and any remedial measures recommended by the ECC or ECO. In accordance with the lines of accountability, the Manager will be responsible for any failure to implement the programme. To ensure that ECCs and ECOs have the technical competence required to perform their roles, the new section 61A empowers the Director-General to register or refuse to register an individual as an ECC or ECO, and stipulates the circumstances under which the Director-General may suspend or cancel such registration. The new section 61B provides for appeals to the Minister against the Director-General's decisions made under section 61A. Notwithstanding upstream preventive efforts under the environmental sanitation regime, we must be prepared to intervene at the first warning signs of a potential health risk. The new section 62C empowers the Director-General to issue directives to close any premises, clean or disinfect the premises or any public service vehicle, or take other necessary measures in respect of the premises or public service vehicle, to prevent or manage health risks or disease outbreaks.[+3 sentences] Finally, we must ensure that the environmental sanitation regime is properly implemented and the directives are complied with. The new section 62D empowers the Director-General and authorised officers to conduct compliance checks and obtain documents and information for the purposes of the new sections 62A, 62B and 62C. Mr Speaker, Sir, I will next talk about how the Bill strengthens environmental hygiene in higher-risk aquatic facilities and aerosol-generating systems under the new Parts VII and VIIA in the Bill. Presently, swimming pools are the only type of aquatic facilities licensable under the EPHA. We will extend our licensing regime to more categories of aquatic facilities, such as multi-use spa pools and water playgrounds, which have become commonplace in Singapore.[+2 sentences] To effect this, the new section 63 requires the owner or occupier of any premises with a licensable aquatic facility to obtain a licence from the Director-General, prior to its use or operation. While we currently have regulations for aerosol-generating systems, such as cooling towers, we do not have a registry of these systems and their locations. To strengthen our ability to respond to potential health risks, such as in the event of an outbreak, the new section 66A requires the owner or occupier of any premises with a registrable aerosol-generating system to register it with the Director-General prior to its use or operation.[+8 sentences] To prevent or manage potential health risks or disease outbreaks, the new section 64 empowers the Director-General to require the cessation of the use or operation of any aquatic facility, or class of aquatic facilities. This section also empowers the Director-General to require the cessation of the use or operation of a licensable aquatic facility if there has been a contravention of any applicable requirement. Similar powers are provided under the new section 66B for aerosol-generating systems. We will introduce monitoring powers under the new sections 65 and 66C for the Director-General and authorised officers to conduct compliance checks on any aquatic facility or aerosol-generating system and to obtain documents and information to administer, enforce or ascertain compliance with the requirements in Parts VII and VIIA. Mr Speaker, Sir, this Bill marks another milestone in our efforts to keep Singapore clean and safe. The state of public cleanliness reflects the character of our citizens. Through collective action and co-ownership, we will forge a cleaner, stronger and kinder Singapore for generations to come. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.
Mr Speaker45 words
[+5 sentences]Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 4.25 pm. Sitting accordingly suspended at 4.05 pm until 4.25 pm. Sitting resumed at 4.25 pm.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon)1305 words
[+17 sentences]Sir, I love it when I bring my three daughters out by myself and have some Daddy-Daughters time while Mummy takes a break. It is precious quality time, which I wish I have more of. I am glad to share that I no longer need to change nappies. They are big girls now and use the toilet. That is of course absolutely good news but also absolutely bad news at times. Every time they say the words, “Daddy, I need to wee wee”, it sparks a mad crazy frantic race to find a toilet. Not just any toilet but a male toilet, which has clean seats, which my daughters can sit on. That, unfortunately, is a hard thing to find, especially in coffee shops and hawker centres. The reality is that many of our public toilets stink. And I am not just talking about the smell. Often, seats are covered in urine and the entire facility is unhygienic. Sir, my daughters and I are extremely supportive of this Bill. This is a public health issue that we all need to tackle. It is also not just about toilets but about maintaining cleanliness in premises with high footfall and immuno-vulnerable occupants. Sir, the Government Parliamentary Committee or GPC for Sustainability and the Environment strongly supports this Bill as well. The GPC Members will share different perspectives on how we can raise our public hygiene standards. Together, our speeches will articulate four key proposals. First, the GPC proposes that we implement a grading system to measure the cleanliness of public toilets and incentivise operators by linking these grades to licence renewal or tax rebates. Second, the GPC proposes that the Ministry reviews and considers expanding the scope of premises covered by the Bill. Third, the GPC proposes that cleaners be trained in suitable languages and formats, and be treated with fair labour practices. Fourth, The GPC hopes that the proposed amendments will not result in an increase in the cost of living.[+43 sentences] Sir, we all have a stake in public hygiene and the GPC has reached out to the public through social media for their feedback on this Bill. We will be raising some of the public’s concerns in our speeches. I personally have four points to make. First, I propose we introduce a grading system for cleanliness at specified premises, starting with public toilets at coffee shops and hawker centres. A grading system will help increase hygiene standards in public toilet. These standards have fallen in recent years, according to an SMU survey aptly named "Waterloo". Over 25% of the 6,000 respondents said they would not use the toilets in coffee shops and hawker centres. Our GPC's own public consultation received many comments about bad experiences at such toilets. One commenter, Mr Tan, said, "Many of our friends have said they rather hold their tummies than to let it out at the kopitiam toilet." But the problem affects us even if we avoid using the toilets. As Mr Jack Sim, Founder and CEO of the World Toilet Organisation said, "Remember that even if you do not use these dirty toilets, the cooks who prepare your food are using them. If there is no soap to wash their hands, you may be eating their dirt." This is a very unpleasant thought but a very real possibility that we need to remember. Sir, I believe a grading system for cleanliness will help. It can be similar to the Singapore Food Agency's Food Hygiene Recognition Scheme. Under that scheme, food establishments are rated for their hygiene and must prominently display the grade they receive – A, B, C, or under the new system, Gold, Silver or Bronze. This provides an objective measure for the general public to determine the level of cleanliness of a food establishment. They can use this information to decide whether to purchase from a food establishment. For a start, will the Ministry consider implementing a similar grading system for public toilets at coffee shops and hawker centres? A visible, objective benchmark gives operators something to strive towards and could help promote higher standards. My second proposal builds on our idea of a grading system. Will the Minister consider linking the grading system to the licensing duration and licensing fees of coffee shops and hawker centres? For instance, we could offer a slightly longer licence term or lower licensing fees for coffee shops and hawker centres that attain and maintain a certain minimum cleanliness grade. This provides incentives for premises that have done well, to keep up the good work, and for premises that have not done so well, to raise their standards. In their speeches, other Members of the GPC – Ms Poh Li San, Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Miss Cheryl Chan – will also be sharing their views on a grading system and other incentives for maintaining public toilet cleanliness. My third proposal is about training. I understand that the Environmental Control Coordinators or ECCs and Environmental Control Officers or ECOs, of specified premises will have to undergo training to be registered with NEA. But I am concerned that their training will not be conducted in suitable languages or formats. Take, for example, an existing course offered by the Singapore Polytechnic for ECOs in the construction sector. It is conducted entirely in English and requires participants to answer 100 questions in a two-hour electronic examination. Many ECCs and ECOs in the cleaning industry are seniors and would likely struggle with the language requirement and the electronic test-taking component. Can Minister share if such courses for ECCs and ECOs in the cleaning industry will be conducted in more languages and more accessible formats? It will help operators meet these new requirements without having to replace their existing staff. Let us not allow language barriers and teaching formats to get in the way of cleanliness and safety. In their speeches, Mr Don Wee and Ms Nadia Samdin will also be speaking on grants to support cleaners in undergoing training courses and career development for our cleaners. My last point is about labour conditions. Let us remember that higher hygiene standards also means more work for our cleaners. Many are already struggling. Mdm Low, a 67-year-old cleaner, told the media that she cleans the toilets four to five times during each of her 12-hour shift. She said, "Just an hour after I finished cleaning, I come back to find unflushed toilets, water pooling around the basins, and sometimes puddles of urine on the floor." One respondent to our public consultation also raised these fair questions. He asked, "Would not improving cleanliness at these places require more labour? How do we know that this would not add to the gruelling work that cleaners already have to do? How is the Government going to ensure safe and sustainable labour standards with added labour?" Can Minister share how we intend to ensure that cleaners are treated with fair labour practices? I propose we start by raising the employment standards required of cleaning companies under the Enhanced Clean Mark Accreditation scheme. Specifically, let us require that companies provide cleaners, whether foreign or local, with sufficient breaks and rest days without reducing their take-home salary. Our increased hygiene standards can only be sustainable if cleaners are well rested and adequately paid.[+5 sentences] Let us ensure they are. Sir, I hope Minister can consider the proposals raised by the GPC. Ultimately, the GPC believes that public hygiene is everyone's personal responsibility and we need to go upstream to solve this problem. While this Bill will help, we urge all Singaporeans to move away from the mindset that cleaners will be there to clean up after us. We should be a "Clean Singapore", not a "Cleaned Singapore". Notwithstanding our clarifications, the GPC for Sustainability and the Environment stands in strong support of the Bill.
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling (East Coast)1886 words
[+11 sentences]Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Bill. While COVID-19 has caused widespread economic hardships and taken a toll on many individuals, there are silver linings to this pandemic. Some silver linings include the rapid digitalisation of the economy and heightened awareness of public and personal hygiene. If Singaporeans, as a society are able to capitalise on these silver linings, we will be in a good or perhaps even better position after we ride out this pandemic. During the early stages of COVID-19, there were campaigns encouraging the adoption of the 10 Steps Hand Wash, greater conversation on office culture where employees should not fear taking medical leave and not be in the office when unwell. These desirable social behaviours and conversations should be encouraged and continued even post-COVID. As COVID-19 is unlikely to be the last pandemic that the world will see and when the next Disease X may appear, it is a constant worry in the minds of healthcare professionals. In view of this, it is of paramount importance and perhaps timely to take a more proactive and preventive approach in improving public health and hygiene. Afterall, these two areas are deemed as the first line of defence against any disease that we may have. We, as a society should have higher expectations of what being clean and hygienic means. The achievement of this state should also be a collaboration between public users and the care-takers, instead of having the sole responsibility borne by the latter. Amendment to this Act is timely as it introduces the environmental sanitation programmes for premises designated by NEA, regulate aquatic facilities and aerosol-generating systems and mandates the need for registered Environmental Control Coordinators or ECCs and Environmental Control Officers or ECOs to have better oversight at the specified premises.[+3 sentences] In view of this, I would like to focus on three areas and highlight how we can achieve the aims that are set out. First, a greater emphasis on cleanliness in the public domain with the grading system for toilets. Dirty public toilets are a ubiquitous sight in Singapore and I am sure many of us have experienced this from time to time. As my colleague, Mr Louis Ng has just pointed out, from the recent study by SMU, it has revealed that there has been a dip in public hygiene standards in toilets at coffee shops and hawker centres since 2016.[+3 sentences] To address this issue, enforcement of environmental sanitation programmes and having standardised cleanliness metrics are necessary. The Happy Toilet Programme, which was introduced or started in 2003, is one of such programmes. However, it does not seem to have a meaningful impact to-date. To reduce the viral gastroenteritis diseases and the related transmission in public spaces, there is a pressing need to markedly improve the conditions of public toilets across Singapore, whether it is from the coffee shops to those in the MRTs, schools, childcare and the eldercare facilities.[+3 sentences] While public toilets are already required to be cleaned at regular intervals, having an industry standard metric of assessment on the desired level of cleanliness could better align everyone and better achieve the aim of improving public health and hygiene. In the establishment of this industry standard metric of assessment, reference can be derived from the grading of hawker stalls based on the sanitation levels and conditions of management. Similarly, the grading of public toilets can be used as an objective assessment. By pegging the grading of public toilets to the Premise Manager's ability in running the entire premise would put some responsibility on these operators in upkeeping the high standards of sanitation in public toilets.[+35 sentences] And second, to elevate importance of social responsibility and communal attitude. By placing the entire responsibility on cleaning contractors or Premise Managers to raise the overall standards of public hygiene cannot be the only path forward for us. It is not only onerous on them but also not fair as the users play a big part of this eco-system. Thus, a collaborative ownership between the users and caretakers of these public facilities are required. Let us just look 5,000 km beyond our shores. We see the shining example of Japan, a place that many would pride them for cleanliness, precision and advanced technology. When social responsibility is synonymous to a culture, even smart technologies can be incorporated at public facilities without fear of being damaged. Think of automatic flushes, bidet gadgets and recently "see-through" public toilets for people to inspect their cleanliness before using them. This indicates an upkeep of these clean public toilets is not just reliant on technologies alone. The communal mentality is intrinsic and the Japanese way of life appears both in their personal as well as public spaces. Public spaces are used and treated with respect as the Japanese continually places the interests of the larger good before themselves. Sometimes I wonder, why are the toilets, such as those in Changi Airport able to keep the high level of sparkling clean conditions whereas toilets in hawker centres and coffee shops leave much to be desired. How are we able to maintain our home toilets clean, yet unable to do so in the public? If I may posit, it boils down to context and our perception when using these public facilities. The mentality that this is not my toilet and thus I am not bothered about ensuring the cleanliness and the state I leave it, as there is someone else who cleans after me. This deplorable mindset must change and has to change now. We are all users of the public good and only through exercising greater social responsibility can all these public facilities become more desirable. Perhaps, it is time we take a leaf from Japan, to adopt more communal attitude and let us be proud users of public facilities. Little actions, such as ensuring that we do not squat on toilet bowls, do not sprinkle water on the floors after washing our hands, proper disposal of papers in the bins go a long way in ensuring the cleanliness of public toilets. If we are constantly mindful of what we are doing and treat this the same as our own home toilets, we should be able to do that in the public areas without any fear and without any issue. For those caring for young children and seniors, we understand these groups are very vulnerable. We show our love and our care for them, and always want to ensure they receive the very best. It is not uncommon to hear of parents lamenting the unsanitary conditions they find in toilets or nursing rooms. And I think my colleague, Mr Louis Ng has expressed this quite well. The impetus to change and care for the public toilets go beyond ourselves. It is also the message that we wish for our next generation to take away – that we care for our younger ones and our seniors and want to do right for them. Let us not falter and begin today by changing our habits in the use of public resources and treat it like it is our own home. And lastly, to rethink the effectiveness of the carrot and stick approach and explore the public health behavioural science to shape societal behaviours and policies. As we emphasise the need for social responsibility, the question then arises on how do we create this sense of social responsibility to encourage users of public facilities to treat all these facilities with care and sanitation? A direct approach would be the traditional use of fines. Fines has often been used to act as a deterrent for individuals to prevent undesirable societal behaviours, such as littering. Fines have been used so often that it has been a common joke that Singapore is nothing but a "Fine" city. While fines can be a quick means to temporary deter an issue, it may not necessarily nip the issue in the bud. As society evolves, there is stronger call for Singapore to be a gracious and more caring society. Perhaps alternate and gentler ways could be explored in shaping positive societal behaviours. UK's Behavioural Insights Team, also known as the Nudge Unit started in 2010 to apply behavioural science to public policy of which one approach would be the nudge which aims to "do more with less", making simple and small changes in the design of the environment to bring about greater change in societal behaviours.[+3 sentences] The concept of incorporating behavioural sciences into policy-making is not a new one in Singapore. Several national initiatives had shown evidences of such deep thinking and the fusion of exploring behavioural concepts to enhance the effectiveness of these initiatives. This paradigm shift in the way of thinking should be lauded. One such national initiative I would like to highlight is the Health Promotion Board or HPB's National Steps Challenge.[+2 sentences] Under this challenge, the use of incentives was adopted to encourage development of good habits like exercising. While incentives can be considered as a "carrot" approach, how the challenge was executed revealed signs that it was carefully thought out to ensure that interest in the challenge is sustained and ultimately achieves the objective of encouraging a more active lifestyle. This challenge had a few waves to reignite and sustain interest after the initial novelty wears off. And most recently, HPB will also be partnering Apple to leverage on gamification to continue the excitement in this challenge and achieve its social objective. In line with exploring the use of alternatives and behavioural science to shape societal behaviour, I would like to ask the Minister: (a) Notably, a lot of extrinsic rewards have been used to spur a change in societal behaviour.[+12 sentences] Have we identified the sweet spot in the use of incentives. For example, the amount of incentives and the length of incentives given in the development of these good habits? (b) Could we explore similar initiatives such as Nudges to encourage the behavioural change of users in public toilets? A well-known example to encourage people to take the stairs instead of the escalators would be the Piano stairs in Stockholm metro where melodious music is played when climbing or going down the stairs. (c) Besides HPB, the Singapore Police Force has been exploring and getting ideas from the public and the Institutes of Higher Learning on the use of nudges to prevent the public from falling prey on scams. Could we better understand how effective behavioural sciences have been in policy making? Mr Speaker, Sir, against the backdrop of COVID-19, the seasonal flu, the distant looming threat of Disease X, it is thus of paramount importance and interest that we now start working on preventive instead of reactive measures. COVID-19 is a clear reason why there is no better time than to begin these changes today. As with all societal changes and benefits, it takes collective effort and thoughtfulness of every individual to effect the change over time. In the same vein, ensuring the high standards of sanitation requires joint efforts – from the users to the caretakers of the public facilities. Without which, the actions of a few could thwart the efforts of the broader good. I am positive that we as a nation would be able to come together and unite in working towards this aspiration of social good.
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang)1035 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, the COVID pandemic that is still affecting our lives has brought home the importance of keeping to high hygiene and cleanliness standards and ensuring that these standards are upheld at the risk of becoming threats to public health and safety. The Bill before us implements mandatory cleaning standards for specified premises and will, indeed, go towards ensuring that premises which have poor hygiene standards may result in operators being held accountable.[+12 sentences] The aim is to provide enough of a stake that we would see improvements to our living spaces when they fall below acceptable levels. Yet while Singapore has an international reputation as a clean city and despite years of Clean and Green campaigns, I believe it is still important to ask ourselves if we are a clean city or a "cleaned" city, as a few of my colleagues have pointed out earlier. Are we truly a nation where individuals take responsibility to ensure that our environment is clean and hygienic or do we instead see it as someone else's problem? Do we make messes in our living environments and expect cleaners to do their jobs and clean up after us? We all agree there is a big distinction in the society which is able to maintain high hygiene standards because people do their parts to keep clean compared with one where low-wage, low-status workers are employed to do their jobs to clean up messes that others have left behind without a second thought. What does it say about us as a people when we leave our food dishes and rubbish strewn all over the table after a meal and justify it by not wanting the poor cleaners to lose their jobs? Like many point out, we also have much to learn from the experiences of societies such as Switzerland, Japan and Taiwan which maintain high levels of cleanliness with hardly any litter bins and street sweepers in sight. Such societies have evolved and have high levels of social consciousness where residents take pride in their surroundings. This extends to having a culture where people who are sick automatically wear surgical masks to avoid infecting other people without being mandated to do so by law. Residents also automatically sort their rubbish into different categories to facilitate recycling rather than rely on workers in waste processing centres to do it for them. While living in Germany, I also remember being extremely conscious about how I would sort out my rubbish for fear of accidentally placing the recyclable materials in the wrong bin and possibly contaminating the material in the entire bin. On a weekend trip to Switzerland, stopping for breakfast at a cafe, we witnessed a man at an adjacent table carefully sweeping up the crumbs of the croissant that he just ate before meticulously dusting them onto his plate and returning it to the waiter behind the counter. Back in Singapore, our environmental services industry is estimated to employ approximately 78,000 workers with almost two-thirds of employed residents in the sector aged 55 and above. It is one of the industries targeted by our much-vaunted Progressive Wage Model which tells us that these are possibly low-pay, low-status jobs, a future which parents threaten their kids with if they do not study hard enough The reality though, is that the pandemic and associated lockdowns around the world have shown that cleaners are key frontline workers keeping economies and societies running while running risks to their own and their families' health.[+5 sentences] The stigma associated with what is traditionally seen as an unskilled, unimportant job can undermine how we view public health and hygiene and lead to under-investment in the industry. This prevents the implementation of new technologies and digitalisation initiatives that would otherwise raise productivity and make such jobs less physically demanding on our older workers, but also removing some of the stigma associated with being a cleaner. The wider point here is also one of sustainability, environmental, economic and societal. We are now facing an uncertain future where the planet is fast running out of time to deal with limited resources and effects of climate change are becoming more real. We can ill afford to use and consume as if our resources were unlimited. Likewise, our ageing demographics also tell us that there will come a point where it will become unrealistic to keep relying on low-wage, low-status workers, often either foreign or elderly, to maintain cleanliness standards while we continue to treat them as being unimportant and invisible.[+7 sentences] Even if the cleaning industry looks to more long-term sustainable solutions to provide the services expected of them, we, as in society, must start developing the type of social consciousness required for each one of us to adopt a clean lifestyle. We could do so by having another look at our Clean and Green campaigns over the years to figure out what has been effective in the past. Have these campaigns overly emphasised fines, penalties and shaming for specific behaviours with less regard to the reasons behind our actions rather than address wider issues relating to shift in awareness that everyone has a role to play in keeping our shared spaces clean. A coherent multi-faceted approach that starts from a young age and is tailored to fit our changing society needs to be taken – from punitive measures for those who litter and dirty the environment to public education campaigns at all levels about environmental protection, driving the need to reduce and better manage waste and to foster a pride in our shared spaces. Youth voices would be extremely important in this and we should fully involve the young from the start in our efforts to effect such changes and driving home the message that our reliance on cheap and elderly labour to clean up after us has to go. Perhaps, it is also time that we look to wisdom espoused by Goethe who wrote: "Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean." This is a shared philosophy that I hope will be one of the legacies that we leave behind for future generations of Singaporeans to come.
Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar)600 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the introduction of the Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill comes during a critical time. We are in the midst of a global crisis, unprecedented in its scale and impact. The pandemic is also a wake-up call, highlighting the importance of things that we have all taken for granted, such as environmental hygiene and public health. This Bill mandates environmental sanitation (ES) standards for the cleaning and disinfection of high-risk premises. This means that cleaning costs will go up.[+23 sentences] Most of us are aware that Singapore is clean because of the hard work of our many cleaners. However, if we all do our part and play a more active role to keep our public environment clean, our collective efforts can help keep costs down. The high-risk areas listed in the Bill include toilets and other high-touch areas. Many of our public toilets in coffee shops and hawker centres are often very wet. Sometimes, the wet floors and sink counters are due to leaky taps, shallow sinks and high water pressure or poor user habits. Wet toilets are both a physical hazard and environmental public health hazard. I would like to suggest that the Ministry specify toilet design requirements to ensure that toilets are easier to maintain and kept dry. This set of specifications will also ensure that toilets that are being upgraded or built will be up to the ES standards. Useful features include better drainage, better ventilation to minimise foul odours and to speed up evaporation, hand-dryers that are right next to the sinks, and hands-free sensor taps and toilet flushes. With an ageing population, fall prevention should be a priority. Therefore, the floors of all public toilets should use non-slip materials or coatings. All toilets should be upgraded progressively, starting with the older and more poorly designed toilets. Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): Many of our public toilets in coffee shops and hawker centres are often wet. Sometimes, the wet floors and sink counters are due to leaky taps, shallow sinks and high water pressure. More often than not, the slippery floors are so because of poor user habits. Wet toilets are both a physical hazard and environmental public health hazard. I would like to suggest that the Ministry specify toilet design requirements to ensure that toilets are easier to maintain and kept dry. This set of specifications will also ensure that toilets that are being upgraded or built will be up to the ES standards. Examples of useful features include better drainage, better ventilation to minimise foul odours and speed up evaporation, hand-dryers that are right next to the sinks, and hands-free sensor taps and toilet flushes. With an ageing population, fall prevention should be a priority. Therefore, the floors of all public toilets should use non-slip materials or coatings. All toilets should be upgraded progressively, starting with the older and more poorly designed toilets. (In English): Coffee shop and hawker centre operators should tap on the recently launched Toilet Improvement Programme to make the necessary upgrades to their toilets and for proper maintenance.[+3 sentences] For individuals, public education on the correct toilet etiquette would be useful to keep our toilets clean and dry. On the subject of sustainability, I am worried about the impact of higher cleaning standards on our environment. For example, more gloves and chemicals would be used. Is there a more sustainable way to clean and sanitise which can minimise the discharge of chemicals into our environment?[+1 sentence] Sir, I look forward to the Minister’s response and would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio)652 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the introduction of mandatory environmental sanitation (ES) standards will certainly receive overwhelming support if we consider the results of the Public Cleanliness Satisfaction Survey undertaken by SMU. According to the survey, around 97% of Singapore’s residents would like legislation to ensure higher hygiene standards for public spaces, including care centres for the young and elderly, and food establishments.[+17 sentences] Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): There is room for improvement in the public hygiene standards of our hawkers centres and coffee shops. Given the large number of customers and thus, the heavy usage of the facilities, such as the tables and toilets, we need a lot more joint effort from all stakeholders to keep these places clean. These food establishments offer a variety of delicious food at affordable prices for all. Based on this price level, the operators have budget constraints for the number of cleaners they can employ to keep the food establishments clean. If everyone makes a conscientious effort to pick up after themselves, return their trays, clean up their tables, refrain from littering, and so on, we will be able to enjoy a clean environment without paying unnecessary additional costs. Another problem eateries have is the presence of pests. Food remnants attract scavengers such as cockroaches, rats and birds, amongst others. Sometimes when I eat at these places, I see many of these ‘uninvited guests’ flying around and having a ‘party’. If you are not careful, you could be ‘bombarded’ and may get droppings on you. Sometimes I can see that the food on the tables nearby gets contaminated by these birds. In recent years, many of these hawker centres and food establishments are forced to install nets to prevent birds from flying in. I would like to ask the Minister how effective these nets have been in reducing the incidents of birds flying in to look for food. Under what circumstances do we need to put in the nets and do the authorities have more plans to extend the installation of nets to more food centres and coffee shops? (In English): Deputy Speaker, Sir, we should also review our pest control regime as pests are vectors for diseases. As the weather gets warmer, pest populations can expand quickly. We have to ensure proper management of food storage and food waste in our food centres. Would the Minister also share the progress of the Tray Return Programme, the learning experience so far and what improvement measures may be introduced to boost public participation in this initiative?[+4 sentences] Would there be more incentives, more “carrots” to encourage more people to cooperate? We may also consider more incentives for owners, stallholders or operators to improve their cleanliness scorecard. Hopefully, this would be a means to an end. Ideally, hygiene and clean habits should become part of our culture, something we all do instinctively, whether or not we would be rewarded for it. The NEA launched the Toilet Improvement Programme which allows hawker centres and coffee-shops to apply for up to 90% funding to improve their toilets and level of cleanliness.[+4 sentences] This programme is up to the operators to decide if they want to take it up. However, I think the NEA may consider sending strong advisories to obviously poorly designed and maintained toilets to take up this offer and urgently overhaul their toilets in the interest of public health. Last but not least, may I suggest that we provide incentives for the provision of enclosed areas in our food establishments for smokers. Setting up an enclosed area for them will help to ensure that other customers are protected from second-hand smoke. Would the NEA consider providing funding support under the same Toilet Improvement Programme for coffee-shops which do not wish to remove their smoking corners to build an enclosed area for smokers?[+1 sentence] With that, I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.
Ms Raeesah Khan (Sengkang)749 words
[+5 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, Singaporeans see the importance of personal hygiene now more than ever. We see our fellow citizens taking ownership of the health of themselves and their families. It was inspiring to see how quickly people reacted to the pandemic, abiding by regulations to wear masks, putting sanitisers in lifts and donating masks to those in need. This Bill to amend the Environmental Public Health Act arises from the necessity of expanding this to our public spaces. Singapore has run campaigns to encourage citizens to create a clean and green Singapore. From 1961 to 1989, the number of cleaners working in Singapore had declined from more than 7,000 to 2,100.[+1 sentence] However, this changed as our country got wealthier and had access to cheap labour. Today, Singapore currently has an army of 58,000 workers in the cleaning industry.[+3 sentences] Mr Liak Teng Lit, former Chairman of the NEA, reportedly once expressed that Singapore is not a clean City. It is a cleaned City. Mr Edward de Silva Chairman of the Public Hygiene Council in an article published by today noted that the reliance on cleaners is now entrenched in Singapore's mentality, and thus, it is worthwhile to consider that the overall cleanliness we have in Singapore may not be truly reflective of a collective civic-mindedness on the part of individuals to keep Singapore clean. Where businesses and the state are concerned, the Bill goes some way to keep these stakeholders accountable for their role in maintaining public health.[+19 sentences] At this juncture, I wish to raise a clarification about the specifics of the Bill. Firstly, sub-section 2(b) in the new section 62A empowers NEA to designate certain non-publicly-accessible premises as specified premises under the Act, in particular clause B5 implies that NEA may do so for any premises or class of premises for which an environmental sanitation programme is assessed to be necessary to minimise, or alleviate the risk of, or to prevent or manage, an outbreak or spread of any infectious disease. To this end, I would like to seek a clarification on how these assessments will be carried out. What are the parameters and principles underlying such assessments? Mr Deputy Speaker, while we seek to improve public health standards via this Bill, I wish to stress the need to consider the broader landscape in which our system of public hygiene and sanitation operates. The question of who will take ownership for a good quality of public health comes to mind. During the pandemic, we saw how dependent we are on foreign labour as a country to keep Singapore clean. Is this model sustainable? What happens if there is another situation that arises, or we do not have access to them. We need to ensure that Singaporeans are empowered with a sense of ownership and civic-mindedness towards our country. I worry that with more guidelines, and thus potentially, the hiring of more cleaners, we start relinquishing our responsibility in caring for the environment and the people we share our surroundings with. We can make comparisons with countries such as Japan and Korea – countries that are known to have a strong sense of civic-mindedness and for being clean, but I think we can draw inspiration from fellow citizens too. A resident by the name of Mr Tan, a senior citizen who I met recently on a house visit in Compassvale, shared that he and his neighbours take turns to clean their common corridor on a weekly basis. We can also look at people who organise beach clean-ups at places like East Coast Park and Changi Beach, or those who organise ground-up initiatives to help those who are unable to spring-clean their homes. We even count the World Toilet Man himself, Jack Sim, as a fellow citizen who has been a crusader of upholding good personal hygiene. To encourage citizens to take ownership of their surrounds, we need to encourage civic-mindedness in youths by exposing them to more community-based programmes and weaving the themes of community building into our schools. We need to make students responsible for the cleanliness of their schools and we need to encourage people to recycle. The state should seek to improve recycling facilities in residential areas. We can build on the reputation of a clean and green city. As we aim to improve sanitation standards in Singapore by way of legislation, let us bring cleanliness and civic-mindedness back as our common values, and move from being a being merely a cleaned city to a clean city.
Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang)985 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will deliver the first part of my speech in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): I support the Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill introduced by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. The ongoing global pandemic has given us a strong impetus to review our public hygiene regulation and enforcement framework. We should not miss this opportunity to raise the public hygiene standard. We should learn the lessons and the health reform opportunities presented by the pandemic. If we do not gain the experience nor reflect upon ourselves, we would waste this learning opportunity to enhance our ability to resist future health crises. Introducing mandatory environmental sanitation standards for the cleaning and disinfection of high-risk premises is necessary and timely.[+30 sentences] Such premises include nursing homes, kindergartens, public toilets and rubbish collection centres. The new requirements will help our fight against COVID-19 and mitigate future public health risks. One of the most common complaints about public hygiene is about the toilets in our hawker centres and coffee shops. I would like to urge stall operators, coffee shops and eatery shops owners to leverage on higher standards of cleanliness to attract more customers and increase revenues. However, owners and operators have often told me that they are worried about the higher costs of cleaning. They may not be able to absorb the higher cost and may need to pass part of it to their customers. They are concerned that they may lose some business as a result. I also have some concerns with the requirement for premises managers to be identified and held accountable for adhering to the ES standards. I hope that for the implementation of this new measure, building and premises owners will be required to provide proof that they give premises managers the authority and requisite resources to carry out their duties. I seek the assurance of the Ministry that designated employees will not be held responsible in the event that environmental sanitation standards are not met due to insufficient resources. Take the two coffee shops at Brickland’s blocks 803 and 810 for example. The coffee shop aunties and assistants are my residents. They are managing 2 roles at the same time, making coffee, serving tea and cleaning as well. They are the frontline workers providing essential services, but their salaries are not very high. I am very concerned about their working conditions after the new regulations come into force. I will continue my speech in English. (In English): Customers, who desire cleaner toilets, also worry about the prices of their favourite hawker meals going up. We would also want to ensure that hawker and coffee shop meals remain accessible and affordable for the less privileged Singaporeans. Another concern is the availability of manpower. The higher demand for cleaning due to the pandemic has already led to a labour shortage. This is a sector which attract fewer Singaporeans and on top of this difficulty, there is a limit on the number of foreign workers we can hire. Can we turn to technology for help? Perhaps, for some premises, it may be viable to deploy robot cleaners, for example. However, it would be challenging to use robot cleaners in the toilets of our hawker centres and coffee shops, due to the terrain and space constraints. Robots are also costly. In the face of this manpower crunch, how are we going to meet the new environmental sanitation (ES) standards? Do we have plans to draw more Singaporeans or PRs into this sector or will we need to re-adjust manpower policies? Will higher wages alone be sufficient to attract and retain local workers? How will the Ministry persuade the Singapore public to pay more for local workers, while at the same time, ensure that the less privileged ones amongst us do not have to bear the burden of the higher cleaning costs? In the face of limited manpower, we must help our cleaners to become more efficient and productive. The half-day cleaners' training programme launched by NEA and the Restroom Association last month is very useful.[+3 sentences] I seek the Ministry's assurance that it will become a permanent training programme, with refresher and upgrading courses in the future. This will ensure that our cleaners will meet ES standards and be equipped to deal with potential new health hazards. I am also very glad to note the new Toilet Improvement Programme launched by NEA last Friday. Interested coffee shops and hawker centre operators may apply for up to 90% funding to improve the design and cleanliness of their toilets and adopt more effective cleaning measures.[+7 sentences] I strongly urge them to tap on this programme to fund the necessary renovations and measures. New toilets can be redesigned to make it easier to be kept clean. For example, round sloped sinks are better than flattish square or rectangular sinks which tend to accumulate debris in corners. Taps, soap dispensers, toilet flushes and doors can be operable through sensors or with foot pedals. In order for us to benefit from a higher sanitation standard, we must all take joint responsibility for our environment and do our part to keep our surroundings clean. There is thus an important role for public education. I am interested to hear more about the Ministry's efforts in this area. Most of us recognise that we can do more to help at the individual level, as highlighted in the Public Cleanliness Satisfaction Survey, we found that 87% of the respondents think that Singapore is clean due to the efficiency of the cleaners.[+3 sentences] Therefore, Singaporeans' civil-mindedness has a lot of room for improvement. If each of us do our part and encourage those around us to do their parts, our collective effort will go a long way to keep Singapore cleaner, reduce the need for cleaning and minimise the cleaning costs. I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.
Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines)726 words
[+18 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of the amendments. The introduction of the amendments is timely considering that the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the importance of individual and public hygiene. It is an excellent opportunity to improve the nation's public health infrastructure beyond COVID-19. A strong healthcare system needs an equally robust hygiene framework to keep up the fight against the current pandemics and future ones. The amendments, which include the implementation of mandatory standards and greater accountability on stakeholders, complement the SG Clean Movement. The new rules will also play an integral role in increasing the effectiveness of safe management measures as we work towards a gradual and safe reopening of our economy. I will now detail two points for the consideration of the Minister and one query to allow for the better integration of the amendments for relevant stakeholders. First, the benefits arising from the mandatory appointment of ECCs and ECOs in premises are two-fold: not only will it complement our efforts to improve public hygiene infrastructure, but it also fits well within our national push to expand upskilling and employment opportunities. In supporting these enhanced rules, I recognise that the Labour Movement has a pivotal role to play in ensuring that companies have sufficient trained workers to comply with the rules with greater ease. Currently, institutions such as NEA and Singapore Polytechnic offer ECO training courses, but these might be tailored to old requirements for maintaining good environmental practices within construction sites. Our NTUC social enterprises can increase training capacity for ECCs and ECOs in line with the amended Section 62B. Additionally, we could potentially look into dove-tailing of ECC and ECO work with Safe Management Officer responsibilities to better coordinate businesses' efforts for safe re-opening. Second, as we work towards baseline cleaning standards and increased public hygiene responsibilities, we must remember to keep broader goals in mind. We must progressively aim to shift from Government-led initiatives towards a structure where all stakeholders take ownership. To this end, I put forth two recommendations. First, the new environmental sanitation programmes cannot work without well-trained workers. They must also be paid fairly so that we can attract more workers to join the industry. Businesses must adopt outcome-based procurement practices and Government give recognition to companies that work towards increased productivity with the adoption of technology. Businesses and Government agencies should award cleaning contracts to progressive employers who upskill and reward their workers. We should also be bold and look at ECO and ECC jobs as the pinnacle of the Progressive Wage Model or PWM for cleaners.[+3 sentences] Second, we must recognise that Singapore relies heavily on cleaning services to ensure the cleanliness of public areas. Despite Governmental and businesses' efforts in working towards a cleaner Singapore, we must remember that this responsibility lies in the individual too. Take the example of returning of trays in Food & Beverage establishments. In the third Public Cleanliness Satisfaction Survey undertaken by SMU, 36% of respondents said they were unsure whether trays should be returned.[+3 sentences] Public education is thus, vital, in working towards a cleaner Singapore and this initiative will instil greater individual responsibility to keep Singapore clean. Lastly, I have one query relating to the fines imposed in contravention of the amended sections. The contravention of the relevant sections in the amendments in section 62A(5), 62B(3), 62C(6), 63(2), 66A(7) by the Manager of any specific premises/owner/occupier would constitute an offence. Upon conviction, the offence attracts a fine not exceeding $5,000 on the first offence and a fine not exceeding $10,000 for the second or subsequent offences.[+2 sentences] This serves as an effective deterrent to the management of smaller premises, all those without as much resources. However, I am concerned that the deterrent effect of the fine may not be as effective for well-resourced entities. In the event of persistent contravention of the Act, will the Minister look into imposing non-monetary sanctions, including suspensions of operations to supplement the existing fine structure to send a stronger deterrent signal against non-compliance?[+2 sentences] Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, despite the nation being labelled as one of the world's cleanest cities, we must continue to build on the efforts we have achieved thus far. Notwithstanding the suggestion, I stand in support with the amendments which will play an important role in chartering the nation's journey to successfully sail through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio)1159 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, over the last year, we have seen our lives reshaped and reorganised by COVID-19. We have had to build up our resilience as a society, while we stay home to flatten the curve. But not everyone could do this. "Stay home because we can't" – this was one of the viral phrases first expressed by essential workers. COVID-19 can be acquired through contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus and laboratory tests have demonstrated that the virus can survive on surfaces for two to three days. As such, ensuring environmental hygiene through regular cleaning and disinfection of places with high volume of people minimises the risk of transmission.[+14 sentences] During this time, many essential workers were required to step-up the cleaning regimes, their efforts on this front kept us safe. As Singapore plans for Phase Three, gradually reopens and allows for more public movement, we must as a society remain vigilant. The events of the past few months have made a few things clear. Government and pandemic response teams need to be constantly receptive to new information and err on the side of caution and we must all play our part. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of civic mindedness and the responsibility shared between Government, businesses and the public to keep each other safe. I am supportive of this Bill and have four points to make on the amendments. First, the pandemic has highlighted the important role essential workers play in keeping Singapore safe. The establishment of the environmental control coordinator and environmental control officer roles can be a step towards elevating the essential worker and creating pathways for career development in environmental health as individuals become experts in the subject matter. They offer an opportunity for training, skill acquisition and capability development. I sincerely hope that businesses will look inwards for talent that can be nurtured when thinking about these appointments, so as to enable our cleaners to develop new skills and earn more. I also hope that the Ministry can provide employers with support on the above and discourage organisations from simply outsourcing these functions. I am unsure whether these roles, if fulfilled by part-time external workers, will have an actual effect on improving cleanliness standards. One suggestion would be for the Ministry to consider a reduction in training fees for businesses that send existing Singaporean employees to be upgraded and certified. Second, one of the biggest lessons we have learned from COVID-19 is the importance of prompt and timely action in our response to pandemics. While I also support the move to expand the powers of the Director-General to issue directives to any entity or persons to clean and/or disinfect the premises from the first warning signs of a potential health risk or disease outbreak, we are also aware that viruses do not only have an impact on health, but also on the economy. These expanded powers include the possibility of the Director-General giving a directive to close the relevant premises, or any part of the relevant premises, for a period not exceeding 14 days for the purpose of cleaning and disinfecting – such cleaning and disinfecting to take place in a manner and within the time specified in such directive. The discretion to make these directives will need to be weighed carefully and I know that premise managers will be wondering what sort of manner and time period is likely to be specified, as businesses need to plan for these possibilities and this will incur cost. I am also heartened that individuals who are required to carry out the disinfecting of the relevant premises will need to be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment.[+12 sentences] Sir, as highlighted in the earlier part of my speech, our cleaners are essential workers who play a valuable role in keeping society safe. We have seen instances in the early days of COVID-19, where conservancy workers and cleaners were merely equipped by their employers with masks, disinfectants and simple cloths. In short, I would like to suggest the Ministry to take collaborative approach when working with premise managers and workers to meet the new standards set out in this Bill, especially in the early days of transition and to prioritise safety of our essential workers. Third, I understand that the amendments also envision Codes of Practices which will set out sector-specific standards required as part of the ES regime. I would like to ask the Ministry when these Codes of Practices will be introduced and how much time the different industries will have to respond to these Codes. It would be helpful if the Ministry can explain why there are different sector-specific standards and whether ECC and ECO skills and training will be transferable across the industries. Like we did with SARS in 2003, we have and we are still learning from COVID-19. While reactive learning is, unfortunately, going to be necessary when dealing with a pandemic, we can take a proactive approach by working with the public to transform Singapore from a cleaned city, to a clean city. We must find more effective ways of working with the public to imbue a culture of personal responsibility in the cleanliness of the facilities that we share, as they do in countries, such as Japan, which has a national habit of Marie Kondo-ing and keeping things clean and tidy. I believe that we must double down our efforts in building a responsible culture to keep our public toilets clean, return our trays and utensils so that food scraps do not attract unwanted pests which carry diseases, and picking up after ourselves in shared spaces. Deputy Speaker, Sir, a few words in Malay. (In Malay): Frontline workers especially cleaners play a very important role in keeping the environment clean. With the establishment of new jobs such as the environmental manager, the environmental control coordinator and the environmental control officer, I hope that this will create new career development pathways for our frontline officers so that they can upskill and obtain better salaries. I hope that businesses will give priority to local workers to take on these new jobs.[+4 sentences] However, these policies will not be enough in our efforts to combat the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak if Singaporeans do not play their part to maintain our environmental hygiene. Cleanliness is our shared social responsibility. We must cultivate good habits and promote a culture where cleanliness is prioritised no matter where we are, whether inside or outside our homes. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, ultimately, our laws reflect social norms and will only be effective when implemented well. Keeping Singapore clean is a shared responsibility, and even as the Ministry introduces heightened standards for the protection of our people, I urge the Ministry to work with industry and give sufficient time for industry and our workforce to respond. Notwithstanding my suggestions expressed in this speech, I support the Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill.
Mr Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Derrick Goh.
Mr Derrick Goh (Nee Soon)964 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, a clean environment with good sanitation is something we cannot take for granted. For locations visited by COVID-19 patients, we follow the practice of disinfecting and deep cleaning residential, work or public places. However, in situations related to cleaning of high-risk premises, such as pre-schools and eldercare facilities, and locations where many people share the same body of water or recirculated air, namely, (a) swimming pools, spas and water playgrounds and (b) central air-conditioning systems, there should be maintenance standards and practices set for these areas. So, it is timely that the Government strengthens and mandates maintenance standards as well as placing accountability on premises managers that have aquatic facilities or licensable aerosol-generating systems.[+5 sentences] This will help reduce the risks posed by diseases and create a safer environment for all to live, work and play. In support of this Bill, I would like to also highlight that more of us are working from home as a result of this pandemic, which have implications on the current way we regulate environmental public health. Given this recent trend, there are now more smokers as well as non-smokers who are working from home. Many industry experts expect this new norm of working from home to continue well after this pandemic ends. This is due to the benefits of remote working for individuals as well as for corporates. Over the last few months, I had received many feedback from residents about exposure to cigarette smoke floating into their flats from neighbours who smoke. This trend coincides with The Straits Times report that NEA received 11,400 cases of feedback for the period January to April this year. This represents a 21% increase in cases related to smoking in residential homes and corridors.[+31 sentences] As circuit breaker measures kicked in on 7 April, it is likely that the number of complaints to NEA could have been higher since the last report. The dangers of second-hand smoke as a silent killer, the smell and residue from nicotine and the irritation to the nose and throat are well documented and have been discussed previously in this House, so I will not belabour this point. Of the resident feedback that I have received about neighbours smoking, at least half of those were smoking near open windows or doors. Today, the solution to limit the effects of second-hand smoke floating from a neighbour is for the non-smokers to shut their windows or doors. This cannot be a fair outcome. A practical way is to perhaps require resident smokers to close their windows and doors when they smoke and, of course, to go down to the open spaces at the ground floor if they have kids around. This solution aligns to existing NEA regulations which require windows of private vehicles to be fully wound up so that the second-hand tobacco smoke is expelled when the driver smokes in certain areas. A similar parallel could be drawn to the smoking rooms at hotels where doors and windows are closed so that the impact to other hotel occupants are minimised. In this way, a requirement like this will protect the rights of all parties concerned – for residents to smoke at home as well as non-smokers and neighbours to protect their health. In fact, this proposal provides the non-smoker the added option of closing their windows or doors. I understand that while such a policy does not completely eliminate the impact of second-hand smoke, it can however significantly reduce the impact of smoke experienced by residents living next to a smoker neighbour. Importantly, this proposal is a balanced approach that draws a line and recognises the need for both sides and not just the party whose health is being endangered to play their part. It will also go a long way towards reducing the tension between neighbours as our living spaces become more compact. This will be yet another step taken in the right direction that does not add to the complexity of existing enforcement measures. I hope Minister Grace Fu will study this and consider amending the regulations in future to address this environmental health issue that is at the heart of many HDB and condominium residents. In Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): The COVID-19 pandemic has made us to be more concerned about our health. I support the timely amendment to the Bill to raise the hygiene standards of pre-schools, eldercare centres as well as swimming pools, water playground and the central air-conditioning systems, as well as to state clearly the responsibilities of premises managers. This is to better protect the health of our people and giving them peace of mind. I fully support this amendment. At the same time, as a result of the pandemic, more people are working from home, including many smokers. Recently, many residents complained that second-hand smoke from their neighbours have forced them to close their doors and windows, which they felt was unfair. I hope the Government will pay more attention to the health hazards of passive smoking. I think a feasible way is to require smokers to close their doors and windows when they smoke at home, so that their right to smoke will not be affected, and the health of their neighbours will be protected. At the same time, this recommendation is in line with the NEA requirement for in-car smoking. Hotels have a similar practice for in-room smoking. Simple window closures will protect your health. I hope that NEA will study the feasibility on the suggestion in depth. (In English): In conclusion, the new policies in this amendment will give residents greater peace of mind. In the longer term, this will be a significant boost to the environmental public health of all in Singapore. Sir, I support the Bill.
Mr Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Shawn Huang.
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong (Jurong)623 words
[+8 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of this amendment. Singapore must quickly fulfil the critical requirements to enable us to safely reopen our hub to the region and the world. It requires proper planning and implementation regimes to safeguard us from the spread of COVID and future pandemics. We must also inculcate basic public health sanitation habits as part of our culture and DNA. It has to become our way of life. It is not solely the responsibility of the business owner or the manager of the premises. This is our shared responsibility to safeguard one another. For this amendment, I would like to highlight that we will should also consider the impact and opportunities for SMEs and the environmental sanitation industry. SMEs of specific premises will need to incorporate these new ECC/ECO requirements as additional compliance costs.[+4 sentences] SMEs may find it challenging due to their limited resources and limited manpower. Many are already managing different roles. In this climate, SMEs are doing their best to sustain their core businesses and protect the livelihood of workers. However, SMEs also understand the importance of these measures. A phased approach is needed to help SMEs implement these regulatory requirements to gradually achieve the required standards.[+12 sentences] In the near term, we must ensure that there are sufficient resources for ECCs and ECOs to get trained, certified and avoid down time. There must also be sufficient sanitation service providers to ensure that it is priced competitively to help manage the operating cost of SMEs. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): SMEs have limited financial and human resources, which is a challenge for them. Many companies are already managing multiple roles. In this difficult economic environment, SMEs are doing their best to sustain their businesses and protect workers' livelihoods. However, SMEs also recognise the importance of these measures. We should help our SMEs meet this new requirement. A phased approach is needed to help SMEs implement these regulatory requirements to meet the required standards. In the near term, we must ensure that there are sufficient resources to train and certify ECO and ECCs to avoid work stoppage. There must also be sufficient sanitation service providers to ensure that prices are reasonable and help SMEs manage costs. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in English, please. Can I ask the Minister what measures will be taken to reduce bottlenecks during implementation and avoid unnecessary downtime for businesses? And what are the estimated annual costs and expected downtime for hawker centres, kopitiams, neighbourhood markets and small neighbourhood merchants?[+9 sentences] With the limited manpower in Singapore, we must also be cognisant of how we help Singaporeans develop their full potential as they take on new roles. These skills must be multi-disciplinary, transferrable and relevant to a broad set of job opportunities. This is opportune to the industry to chart expertise development, career progression roadmaps and transferrable skills laterally and vertically within the sanitation and public health eco-system. The training and upskilling of new coordinators and officers should be steeped in the understanding of business, law, science and technology. It should be a journey of building expertise and in the spirit of strengthening Singapore's resilience and relevance. We need to make sure that no one gets left behind. We must design progressive steps for everyone to feel confident to have the capacity to build expertise and skills as a way of life. We must remember that though it is important to safeguard and enforce higher standards of public health and sanitation, we must not forget that every step must be to build a stronger, more confident and competitive Singaporean workforce that is agile and competent. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.
Mr Deputy Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Poh Li San.
Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang)1477 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill. I am in agreement with Minister for Sustainability and Environment, Ms Grace Fu, that "we need to strengthen Singapore's environmental public health resilience, to safeguard Singaporeans against the current pandemic and dengue outbreak, as well as future public health threats". We must not further delay the important step in raising cleaning standards. According to a recent study by SMU, the cleanliness of our toilets has regressed compared to 2016.[+20 sentences] These invisible bacteria and viruses in the toilets are quite hardy unless they are being neutralised by disinfectants regularly. Frequent habits, such as using mobile phones while in the toilets, further exacerbate the transmission of diseases beyond the washroom. Hence, if the dirtiest places can be kept clean and generally germ-free, infectious disease transmission can be well-controlled at source. I would like to touch on the importance of public education. It is common knowledge that when it is everybody's problem, then fewer people will act on it. Many public washrooms, especially in hawker centres and coffee shops, are not well kept. Unfortunately, there are many irresponsible culprits who reflect poor civic responsibility and leave the responsibility of cleaning up to the many senior uncles and aunties who have to clean for a living. It is only common sense that, even with the EPHA, it would be an uphill battle if users are irresponsible. Another case of irresponsible people. Two weeks ago, during my house visit, I spoke with a resident who has worked for many years as a cleaner for Sembawang Town Council. This resident shared with me that it is very frustrating for him to keep cleaning the mess left all over the place. Items, such as empty beer cans and cigarette boxes, are often thrown on the basketball courts. Good practices start at home and in schools. I recall when I was in Primary school, my school mates and I have toilet cleaning duties during our school camps. It was a little humbling at first but, after a while, we learnt to master the techniques of using different brushes and detergents for different locations. Till now, I continue using these skills I learnt in school and I will always keep my toilets at home sparkling clean. It may be a good idea to start training our younger ones from a tender age, so that they maintain these good habits into adulthood. Let us all do our part and be more civic-minded when using the public toilets and consider the 59,000 cleaners who are already past 60 years old. Let us also consider who will be replacing these uncles and aunties once they stop working. Next, I would like to touch on the amendments to strengthen environmental sanitation controls in premises. These premises apply to five categories with high footfall and immune-vulnerable occupants. They are childcare facilities, schools and youth facilities, eldercare facilities, hawker centres and coffee shops.[+3 sentences] I would like to propose that we include sports facilities as a sixth category. Gyms, studios, sports halls and so on of all sizes and for various sports, during pre-COVID days, are often densely packed during the peak hours, with energetic sports enthusiasts who are frequently soaked in profuse perspiration after a good workout. According to a 2014 study by the School of Public Health at University of Memphis, gym equipment can be dirtier than a toilet seat. For instance, free weights were found to contain 362 times more germs than toilet seats.[+3 sentences] Many of these sports venues, especially the gyms and studios, are enclosed within an air-conditioned environment, with no natural ventilation. The washrooms and shower facilities are also often packed, especially during the morning and evening peak periods. There are inconsistencies in the housekeeping hygiene standards as some gyms and studios ensure thorough cleaning and some do not. Young and old alike, everyone goes to the gym to keep fit and not to fall ill from a bacteria or viral infection. Hence, I urge MSE to consider the inclusion of sporting facilities under the scope of the EPHA.[+20 sentences] On this note, would it be effective or fair to foist the responsibility and accountability solely on premises managers? Under the environmental sanitation regime, the Bill will require premises managers to assume the responsibility to meet the mandatory environmental sanitation standards and take greater ownership to proactively clean their premises through the implementation of a systematic and preventative cleaning routine. In childcare, schools, nursing homes and even sports venues, the users do pay sufficient regular fees and these fees will allow the business owners to provide a reasonable standard of hygiene and cleanliness. However, we need to look into the hawker centres and coffee shops. We need to ensure that these premises meet the environmental sanitation standards. Most public toilets no longer collect a fee to use the toilets and the amendments to EPHA must not result in a regressive step where patrons are then required to pay a fee for the use of the washrooms. So, we need to look into the inevitable additional manpower and higher costs. These cost increases may be passed on to the tenants and, in turn, to the patrons in the form of higher food prices. To nurture a proactive "keep-clean culture", I would also suggest MSE consider a carrot-and-stick approach rather than just a stick approach. We could incentivise premises owners to consistently maintain a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene, by providing a clean property tax rebate. Dedicated efforts and focus must be taken to consistently score well on every inspection. I think incentives will go a long way to motivate both the premises owners and the cleaning crew to do more than just the bare minimum. Another suggestion is to promote active citizenry in reporting venues with poor sanitation standards directly via an app to NEA. The public can be the eyes and ears on the ground to help NEA inspectors focus on premises that require their attention. The premises owners must be taken to task. In addition, perhaps NEA could consider an annual contest for the public to vote in the top three venues with the cleanest toilets into the Hall of Fame, as well as the worst three venues with the dirtiest toilets into the Hall of Shame. No one wants to belong to the latter, so such a contest may put some social pressure to keep premises owners motivated and this could possibly be more effective than summons and fines by NEA. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, notwithstanding the above-mentioned suggestions, I support the Bill. Now, I would like to conclude the key points raised by the Government Parliamentary Committee in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): Mr Deputy Speaker, I shall now conclude the key points and suggestions raised by the MCE GPC in Mandarin. First, we suggest the implementation of a cleanliness grading system and also an incentive system which will link to the premises licence renewal or property tax rebate, so as to encourage proactive control of hygiene standards.[+7 sentences] Premise owners can also consider implementing operation processes or additional equipment that will raise efficiency of cleaning. For example, coffee shop owners can consider implementing a more effective pest control solution or automated vacuum and washing equipment. In addition, F&B owners can also attract more patrons by maintaining a higher hygiene standard. Secondly, our country must raise the social consciousness where "it is everyone's responsibility to maintain public hygiene". In schools, teachers should teach the students the good habits of maintaining hygiene and cleanliness. At home, parents should also encourage their children to partake in the household chores. In public, citizens should also maintain the cleanliness of surroundings, to reduce the reliance on our cleaners. Third, we suggest that MSE to deeply consider if the Bill should also include other premises that may pose threats to public health, such as sports facilities and religious worship venues.[+3 sentences] The reason is that other than COVID-19, there could be other more deadly transmission diseases in future. Therefore, we should start now and prepare ourselves well, to prevent such horrible viruses from endangering precious lives. Our country currently has approximately 59,000 cleaners. Amongst them, about 40,000 are locals and most of them are above 60 years old. Therefore, the courses for Environment Control Coordinator designated by Amendments to the Environmental Public Health Act Bill, should be conducted in languages understood by the senior cleaners.[+3 sentences] Otherwise, the cleaners may not understand the course contents and find themselves failing the course and in turn losing their jobs. In addition, we also encourage Singaporeans from all walks of life, to express their gratitude towards the cleaners for many years of hard work and their contribution in keeping Singapore clean. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the GPC for Sustainability and Environment, we support this Bill.
Mr Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Grace Fu.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien3020 words
[+14 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank Members for their broad support of the Bill. Their thoughtful comments and suggestions reflect the importance that we collectively place on preserving a clean and healthy environment for Singaporeans. Members have raised pertinent points which can be broadly summarised as follows. First, while the environmental sanitation regime focuses on Premises Managers taking responsibility for the cleanliness of their premises, we must also instill greater social responsibility for public hygiene, especially on the part of end-users. Second, even as we lean on Premises Managers to take concrete steps to improve cleanliness, we must help them manage compliance costs. Third, we must build on the capabilities of all key partners within the cleaning eco-system, including the cleaning industry, cleaners, Environmental Control Coordinators (ECCs) and Environmental Control Officers (ECOs). I fully agree. Let me address the issues. Miss Cheryl Chan, Mr Don Wee, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Ms Nadia Samdin, Ms Poh Li San, Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Derrick Goh, Ms Joan Pereira, Ms He Ting Ru and Ms Raeesah Khan have spoken passionately about the need for shared responsibility for public cleanliness, especially on the part of consumers and end-users. Members called for a shift away from the mindset of not caring about public spaces or amenities, simply because it is not our own. Building shared responsibility is a key thrust of our SG Clean movement. We are working with partner organisations and SG Clean Ambassadors to communicate simple yet important social norms on cleanliness, such as binning used tissues and litter, and returning one’s tray at hawker centres. We have also been exploring the use of behavioural science approaches to shape habits, as suggested by Miss Cheryl Chan and Ms Poh Li San. NEA has piloted the use of visual and audio cues to nudge users to return their trays at hawker centres. Mr Gan Thiam Poh would be happy to know that this helped to increase tray return rates at Zion Riverside Food Centre and Adam Road Food Centre by 19 percentage points and 42 percentage points respectively.[+9 sentences] NEA has also piloted behavioural nudges such as placing posters with normative and emotive messages, in strategic locations, to encourage users to keep public toilets clean and dry. We will continue to push on this front. Let me now touch on how we will manage the regulatory impact on Premises Managers which several Members, including Ms Poh Li San and Mr Don Wee, have raised. We fully appreciate the concerns of businesses, especially in this difficult economic climate that we are in right now. Premises Managers should view the enhanced measures as the best insurance against potentially much larger costs should an outbreak happen due to unsanitary conditions. Businesses benefit from having good environmental sanitation that protects the health of their customers, employees and, as one Member has mentioned, the chefs that are working at the premises. Conversely, lapses in public health can cost them dearly. The F&B outlets and childcare centres involved in the gastroenteritis outbreaks in 2018 and 2019 know this from first-hand experience. Against the backdrop of COVID-19, businesses are prioritising cleanliness and hygiene as assurance to customers and to woo them back. Over 24,000 premises have acquired the SG Clean Quality Mark which provides a stamp of assurance to occupants that the premises are clean.[+8 sentences] So, cleanliness at this time fully reflects the importance of environmental sanitation and public hygiene. From the outset, we have adopted a pragmatic approach to ensure adequate standards, while managing the impact on businesses. We have been working closely with sectoral leads, such as MOE, MSF, Early Childhood Development Agency and Singapore Food Agency or SFA to develop environmental sanitation standards that take into account the needs and constraints of each sector. As an illustration, let me share how we are working with SFA and coffee shop owners to implement an environmental sanitation regime, while managing business costs for coffee shop owners. NEA is working closely with coffee shop owners to put in place a regime that is practical and effective. The coffee shop owner who is the Premises Manager may appoint his outlet supervisor as the ECC. Some Members have voiced concerns about many of our elderly cleaners not being able to meet the needs or the standards required of an ECC. Let me assure Members that we are not expecting all cleaners to be trained in an ECC function. Every coffee shop needs only one person to be appointed as an ECC and that person can be an outlet supervisor, doing it as part of his or her function.[+1 sentence] The outlet supervisor, after the requisite training, will have the competencies to tailor an appropriate environmental sanitation programme and I would say here it is tailoring because we will come up with a standard template that the different sectors can tailor to their own circumstances. Smaller coffee shops may face more manpower constraints.[+1 sentence] We understand that. So, taking in their feedback, NEA will allow a few small coffee shop owners to collectively appoint one ECC for their premises, for economies of scale if they should require so or should they prefer to do so.[+11 sentences] Alternatively, the owner may double-up as the ECC. The environmental sanitation programme will focus on key areas that impact public health. For example, it will lay out daily cleaning frequencies for high-touch surfaces, such as seats and table-tops, as well as public amenities such as toilets. There must also be thorough periodic cleaning of hard-to-reach areas such as ceiling beams and overhead fixtures which can harbour rats and birds. The coffee shop owner will be required to conduct a comprehensive pest management survey periodically, say once every six months. Such inspections can surface defects for rectification, such as crevices to be sealed. The ECC will be trained in the basics of pest management so he can monitor pest management works. These preventive measures, coupled with good housekeeping, go a long way in tackling the root causes of the pest issues highlighted by Mr Gan Thiam Poh. Let me assure Ms Nadia Samdin that we will provide sufficient lead time for stakeholders to adjust to the new regulations. In the first half of next year, NEA will refine the environmental sanitation standards in consultation with industry stakeholders, issue the Code of Practice, and train the ECCs. The training syllabus, which focuses on the basics of hygiene, is applicable to all sectors. Implementation of the environmental sanitation regime will commence from mid-2021.[+20 sentences] We will start with a six-month advisory period for sectors to gradually adapt to the regulatory requirements, before enforcement begins. So, that would take us to the end of the year and we will start enforcing in 2022. Ms Poh Li San and Ms Nadia Samdin have asked to roll out the environmental sanitation regime to other premises and Ms Raeesah Khan has also asked about the framework in deciding which sectors to go first. So, we will start with implementation at higher risk premises with immuno-vulnerable occupants such as eldercare and childcare facilities; premises with high footfall such as coffee shops and hawker centres; or premises with a history of outbreaks. We will consider their suggestions when extending the regime to other premises in subsequent phases. This is also in response to Mr Shawn Huang's suggestion that we should phase out the implementation so that there is time for capacity to be built into the industry. Mr Don Wee, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Ms Poh Li San, Ms Joan Pereira and Mr Shawn Huang raised concerns about the cost impact of enhanced cleaning requirements. We will help businesses, especially the small players, manage costs. One area is manpower cost. We will allow flexibility for Premises Managers of small businesses to double up as ECCs. An ECC will be allowed to supervise cleaning works at a few branches or outlets as long as he is able to handle the workload. We will also help Premises Managers improve infrastructure and capabilities to enhance cleanliness, such as through NEA’s Toilet Improvement Programme for coffee shops and hawker centres which Ms Joan Pereira might be interested in. We are also exploring with SkillsFuture Singapore or SSG on the possibility of subsidising training costs for ECCs and ECOs, a suggestion raised by Ms Nadia Samdin. The third cluster of issues, which was raised by Mr Don Wee, Ms Nadia Samdin, Mr Louis Ng and Mr Desmond Choo, is about future-proofing the cleaning industry by raising capabilities and supporting the workers. As Mr Don Wee pointed out, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated manpower shortages in the cleaning industry. Indeed, the industry is a growth area in jobs. And we want existing jobs to expand in skills and productivity so that more Singaporeans can get better paying jobs in the cleaning industry. This gives a strong impetus to accelerate the pace of digitalisation and automation in the cleaning industry to enhance productivity. This is a key thrust under the Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map. Cleaning companies have tapped on the enhanced Productivity Solutions Grant to adopt technology to overcome manpower constraints. As of 30 September 2020, NEA has approved 791 applications, with a total grant amount of $15.3 million.[+7 sentences] We are seeing some results. Lionsbot, a local start-up which sells and rents out cleaning robots, has seen an increase in demand for their robots, with 80% more inquiries since the pandemic started. LionsBot will be building 300 autonomous cleaning robots and progessively deploying them across Singapore to scrub, mop, vacuum, sweep, shine and even transport cleaning equipment. The cleaning robots can be rented by cleaning companies on a subscription basis so they do not need to invest in ownership and maintenance. We are also upskilling workers in the cleaning industry. Workforce Singapore, in partnership with NEA and the Environmental Management Association of Singapore, has rolled out a new Place-and-Train Programme for Cleaning Specialists for Disinfection Services in August 2020. This programme enables cleaners and jobseekers to reskill to take on the role of a cleaning specialist. Local cleaners performing general cleaning duties can also upgrade themselves by enrolling into the Continuing Education and Training courses on environmental infection control, with up to 90% training subsidy from SSG.[+3 sentences] With enhanced skillsets, these individuals can take on more specialised and skilled job roles that offer better salaries and career prospects. As Members rightly pointed out, we must ensure that workers are fairly rewarded and can make a decent living. All cleaning businesses are required to provide wages stipulated under the Progressive Wage Model or PWM. With enhancements to the PWM, real median monthly gross wages of full-time resident cleaners have increased by 26% from 2014 to 2019, higher than the workforce’s median of 21%.[+13 sentences] Other measures are in place to ensure fair labour practices in the cleaning sector. MOM worked with tripartite partners to encourage premises to provide rest areas for outsourced workers like cleaners. In view of the COVID-19 situation, NEA and MOM worked with tripartite partners to advise service buyers and providers to ensure the safety and health of cleaners, manage their workload, and remunerate them appropriately for additional responsibilities. The effectiveness of the environmental sanitation regime does not just depend on the cleaning industry; it also requires that ECCs and ECOs have the knowhow to assist the Premises Manager. Mr Louis Ng and Mr Desmond Choo have spoken on this. Training for ECCs and ECOs will be customised to their needs and literacy levels as far as possible. For example, to cater for adult learners, the course does not stipulate educational qualifications and can accept trainees so long as ECCs can attain Workplace Literacy and Numeracy or WPLN Level 5 for reading, listening, speaking and writing. ECOs will require WPLN Level 7, or Level 6 with two years of relevant working experience. This basic proficiency is necessary, as the ECCs and ECOs need to learn how to develop an environmental sanitation programme and convey clear instructions to cleaners. Mr Louis Ng asked if the training course for ECCs and ECOs can be conducted in more languages and are suitable for seniors. Initially, training will be conducted in English but NEA will review the need to offer the course in more languages, depending on the trainees’ needs. Taking into account employers’ needs, NEA will work with training providers to make the training course as concise as possible without compromising quality, and will provide bite-sized information or pictorial guides where possible. As we gradually extend the environmental sanitation regime to more premises, there will be greater demand for competent ECCs and ECOs. In the next few years, we expect to enhance up to 15,700 ECC and ECO jobs under the environmental sanitation regime.[+15 sentences] Several Members, including Ms Poh Li San and Miss Cheryl Chan spoke about public toilets, and the importance of practising social responsibility in keeping them clean. Mr Louis Ng and Miss Cheryl Chan suggested introducing a cleanliness grading system for public toilets and tying it to licensing duration or fees for hawker centres and coffee shops. This overall approach of education and enforcement is broadly in line with our multi-pronged strategy to improve public toilet cleanliness. Our first strategy is to improve design and infrastructure. As part of this, NEA is reviewing requirements for proper toilet design in the Code of Practice on Environmental Health, setting up model toilets in hawker centres and supporting infrastructure upgrade under the Toilet Improvement Programme. Second, NEA will step up surveillance and enforcement. Through the environmental sanitation regime, we will foster effective cleaning of toilets by mandating baseline standards. This is complemented by training programmes for toilet cleaners. We have also tightened penalties against toilet lapses since 1 April 2020 and NEA will continue with surveillance efforts through regular inspections. Third, NEA will ramp up public education and promote good toilet etiquette. You may have heard of our recent Public Toilet Cleanliness Initiative, where NEA partnered the Restroom Association of Singapore to promote good toilet habits. In line with Ms Poh Li San’s suggestion on involving citizens’ contribution, and Miss Cheryl Chan made a smiliar suggestion, we have installed feedback panels in some hawker centre toilets, to gain insights on users’ perceptions and make more targeted infrastructural improvements and cleaning efforts. We are rolling out more initiatives. So, do look out for the “Loo of the Future” Challenge to crowdsource for innovative toilet design ideas in the coming months. On Mr Louis Ng and Miss Cheryl Chan’s suggestion of a cleanliness grading system, our primary focus for now is to support the premises in achieving a set of baseline environmental sanitation standards. Nonetheless, SFA will be introducing a new licensing and recognition framework for food establishments which will require them to have good track records on food safety and cleanliness. Major lapses in toilet cleanliness could conceivably affect their licence duration, which means they will have to go through audits more frequently, if they have a shorter licence duration.[+2 sentences] This will motivate coffee shops to maintain good track records and uphold cleanliness in their premises. Mr Deputy Speaker, let me conclude. Public hygiene has always been a priority for the Government, but we must do more following COVID-19. This Bill marks a new milestone to keep Singapore clean by placing greater accountability on Premises Managers to strengthen public hygiene in their premises.[+14 sentences] Notwithstanding the focus of the Bill, Members have also spoken passionately and more broadly on a host of other environmental public health related matters, such as pest control, bird nuisance, tray return, smoking and littering. For better focus on the Bill, I will not address them one by one, specifically. These interrelated issues show that public health is multi-faceted and the solutions must also be multi-factorial. This is why all users must play their part if we are to truly move the needle on public hygiene. While the Manager can keep his place clean and safe, individuals must take responsibility to maintain good personal hygiene. This is not just about safeguarding public health, but also building a more gracious society. In properly disposing of our used tissues for example, we help protect our cleaners, many of whom are elderly, from biohazards in their work environment so that they can work safely. Ultimately, public hygiene is a collective responsibility. I ask everyone to work with us to make Singapore a truly clean and liveable home, and instil a national culture of cleanliness. Good public hygiene will help us get over the current pandemic and be better prepared for the next outbreak. We must do our utmost to keep Singapore safer and stronger. Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to speak in Chinese. (In Mandarin): Public hygiene must remain our first line of defence against disease outbreaks. The SARS outbreak in 2003 claimed 33 lives. The gastroenteritis incidents between 2018 to 2019, which were linked to contaminated environments, affected more than 1,200 people.[+3 sentences] The COVID-19 pandemic we are facing will not be the last global pandemic that we have to face. Hence, we must sustain our efforts in ensuring a clean environment and maintaining good personal hygiene. This will safeguard public health, and protect lives. The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment has introduced the Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill, as part of our SG Clean movement. Through these legislative changes, we will set minimum environmental sanitation standards for specific premises and make Premises Managers responsible for ensuring that these standards are met. We will progressively implement these standards from mid-2021, starting with higher-risk premises with immuno-vulnerable occupants, high footfall or a history of outbreaks, such as our preschools, schools, youth and eldercare facilities, hawker centres and coffee shops.[+2 sentences] NEA will work with sector leads and industry partners in the coming months to co-develop these environmental sanitation standards applicable to their respective sectors and ensure that the standards are customised and fit for purpose. We are mindful of the operating and compliance costs to premises managers amidst the current global economic downturn and will adopt a pragmatic approach to ensure that the requirements are robust and effective against disease transmission, while managing the impact on businesses.
Mr Deputy Speaker32 words
[+3 sentences]If we could have a moment of your time. You are about to exceed 40 minutes. Therefore, I would invite Leader to come forward to request an extension of the Standing Orders.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien7 words
[+1 sentence]Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker.
Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill›Second Reading Bills1 turns · 239w
· 4 highlighted
bill-473
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien239 words
[+1 sentence]Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. (In Mandarin): By raising overall standards for public hygiene, we also hope to create new jobs and upgrade existing ones. For example, with the introduction of the environmental sanitation regime, we will require premises managers to upskill existing workers and some larger enterprises may employ new workers. These workers will undergo technical training to develop, implement and monitor plans to raise cleanliness in line with the environmental sanitation standards. While the Government puts in place these measures to improve public hygiene in Singapore, it is also important that all of us, as end-users, customers or patrons, also play our part.[+4 sentences] This means taking a little more effort to do some simple things, such as binning our litter, returning trays after dining, and practising good toilet etiquette. It also means having a mindset of consideration for cleaners, and the next person who uses the same public facilities. Let us build a gracious society, and make Singapore a truly clean and liveable home. . (proc text)]
[+1 sentence][(proc text) "to give effect to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, done at the Hague on 5 October 1961, and for connected purposes, and to make related amendments to certain other Acts", (proc text)]
[+1 sentence][(proc text) "to amend the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (Act 40 of 2018) to provide for temporary measures in the form of simplified procedures relating to a compromise or an arrangement with creditors and winding up, and related matters, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide for the power to exempt persons from certain criteria in relation to insolvency practitioners' licences", (proc text)]
Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Bill›Bills Introduced1 turns · 63w
· 0 highlighted
bill-intro-416
Speaker not recorded63 words
[+2 sentences][(proc text) presented by the Minister for Communications and Information (Mr S Iswaran) 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 Second Minister for Finance (Mr Lawrence Wong); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament, and to be printed. (proc text)]
Clarification by Minister for Manpower›Clarification4 turns · 98w
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The Minister for Manpower (Mrs Josephine Teo)31 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, with your leave, may I correct a factual error in my speech at the 1 September Sitting during the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's Address.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Please proceed.
Mrs Josephine Teo60 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Speaker, I had said that in the last five years, about 40,000 employers have applied for Employment Passes at least once. That is an error. In the last five years, 75,000 employers have applied for Employment Passes at least once. Thank you.
Mr Speaker5 words
[+2 sentences]Ministerial Statement. Deputy Prime Minister.
Protection Against Second-hand Smoke in our Homes›Matter Raised On Adjournment Motion6 turns · 4,130w
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The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah)19 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That Parliament do now adjourn."
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon)1661 words
[+10 sentences]Sir, I was a smoker for 17 years. I quit because of what I am going to talk about today – second-hand smoke. To be very honest, I did not quit for myself. I quit because I knew that second-hand smoke will severely affect the health of my daughter. I did not want her to suffer because of my choice to smoke. The rights of smokers have to be protected. They are adults, old enough to decide whether they want to smoke or not. But we need to make sure that others are not affected by their decision to smoke. Affected here is not just about not liking the smell of smoke or the discomfort of seeing the smoke. When I say affected, I mean you could die because of second-hand smoke. The World Health Organization has said that there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke, which can cause coronary heart disease, stroke and lung cancer.[+6 sentences] Those inhaling second-hand smoke are actually exposed to more chemicals than the smokers themselves. Sidestream smoke, the main component in second-hand smoke, is four times more toxic than the smoke that a smoker inhales from the cigarette. I am especially concerned about how second-hand smoke especially affects the vulnerable amongst us. According to MOH, even the slightest exposure to second-hand smoke can harm babies and young children. For them, even a little is already too much. Sir, for me the most alarming thing is this. In 2016 alone, 383 people in Singapore died due to second-hand smoke.[+18 sentences] That is about one person dying every single day. We must do something. For years, many residents have reached out to me about their neighbours smoking at balconies and at windows. Second-hand smoke enters their homes, and they feel helpless about the health risks facing their families. Mr Chia shared how his baby cries whenever he inhales his neighbour's second-hand smoke. Mr Chia feels that he has tried everything. He shut his window panels for most of the day and even installed a fan to blow the smoke away. Yet, toxic fumes continue to enter into his home. Zyen is another helpless resident. Her baby suffers from a lung infection and her neighbour smokes. She says, "He smokes at midnight and the second-hand smoke drifts into our room when we are sleeping soundly." How much more long-term damage will her baby suffer, she wonders. Another resident, Ms Lam, lives with her elderly parents. She often wakes up in the middle of the night to close the window so that her parents are not affected by her neighbours' second-hand smoke. But this also means there is no ventilation in the home for fresh air. They do not sleep properly and they are stressed out. These are just some of the many concerns that residents have shared with me just over the past few weeks. Statistics shows that they are not alone. In the first four months of this year, NEA received 11,400 complaints related to smoking, a 20% increase from last year.[+1 sentence] This increase was largely due to people smoking in or near homes. With more people working from home because of COVID-19, the number of cigarette-smoke disputes escalated to the Community Mediation Centre or CMC has quadrupled from two cases a month to now eight cases a month.[+24 sentences] Ms Lim is yet another example. She said that her family started having eye and throat irritation, headaches and nausea during the circuit breaker period due to the prolonged exposure to second-hand smoke. Her neighbour smokes seven to eight times a day, causing her to be "literally basked in a cloud of smoke" every day. For Ms Lim and other Singaporeans, second-hand smoke is a silent assassin that poisons them in their own homes and they have no way to run. Sir, NEA has previously said that second-hand smoke is a "neighbourly" issue. It is true. Neighbours should try to solve problems by talking to each other – and they do try. When it does not work, they seek mediation and support from HDB, NEA, TC, RC, CMC, CDRT and Members of Parliament, a whole alphabet soup of authorities. Yet, many residents have found these channels ineffective. One such grievance was shared with me by Ms Ana. She has suffered a second-hand smoke of a couple living below her unit for at least 10 years. The couple smokes throughout the day. She has applied for CMC mediation, but her neighbours refused to attend the mediation, citing their right to smoke within their own home. Similarly, her Members of Parliament have told her that they are "powerless" and "their hands are tied". These stories highlight why talk is not enough. CMC mediation is voluntary and does not work when neighbours refuse to participate. Even when Members of Parliament want to help, they cannot seek help from law enforcement because there is no relevant law or regulation to enforce. A different solution is needed. The "neighbourly" issue of second-hand smoke is not the same as loud karaoke coming from next door or wet laundry dripping from upstairs. It causes long-term health damage and death. It cannot be solved the same way we solve all these other neighbourly disputes. Sir, the GPC for Sustainability and the Environment proposes that the Ministry bans residents from smoking near the windows or at the balconies of their HDB flats and private apartments. This would minimise the effect that second-hand smoke has on their neighbours. Our proposal is not new. The US, as well as several provinces of Canada, does not allow smoking in public housing.[+17 sentences] What is more, our proposal is very similar to what our NEA officers already do. They issue advisories to residents, telling them, "not to smoke near the windows or at the balconies, as a way to minimise the amount of cigarette smoke emitted from their premises". All our proposal does is empower our officers to enforce their current advisory. In the past, NEA has also said that restricting people's actions in HDB flats would be an "intrusive regulatory approach". However, our law already intrudes on people's behaviour within their homes. We ban residents from being nude in their own homes if other people can see it. We ban residents from keeping cats in their own homes because we feel it might affect their neighbours. Just this March, this House passed my Private Member's Bill, which bans the feeding of wildlife in any place, including private residences. So, we do draw the line somewhere. Why do we draw the line at nudity, pets and feeding wildlife, but not at second-hand smoke, something that kills hundreds of people in Singapore a year? Sir, I am sure NEA is not unaware of the impact of second-hand smoke. After all, we do have existing laws that restrict someone from smoking in their car in the no smoking zone along Orchard Road if their windows are down. So, all our Government Parliamentary Committee or GPC asks for is to mirror these restrictions when it comes to our homes. Ultimately, our proposal seeks to balance the interests of both groups. We allow smokers to smoke within their homes as long as they stay away from windows and balconies. We allow non-smokers to avoid the perils of second-hand smoke. It is a win-win situation. One condominium in Singapore, Foresque Residences, has already implemented this restriction on their own. Last year, an overwhelming 84.4% of residents voted in favour of it.[+4 sentences] We believe many other residents in HDB flats and private apartments would welcome such a restriction in their estates. Last but not least, our proposal is enforceable using existing technology already used on the ground. NEA has been using cameras to catch high-rise litterbugs. These surveillance cameras are focused only on the external facade of the housing units being investigated to capture the act of littering. It can even capture someone throwing cigarette butts out of their window. These cameras have contributed to hugely increasing a number of successful enforcement actions from 10 in 2011 to over 1,200 in 2018.[+1 sentence] They are effective. Separately, NEA has also been using thermal surveillance cameras to catch residents smoking at prohibited areas, such as common corridors, lift lobbies and staircase landings.[+6 sentences] These cameras can "detect objects in meeting high heat and capture images of the smoking offence". NEA can use all these existing technologies to catch those who smoke near windows and at balconies. We have years of experience fine-tuning their use and to minimise privacy intrusion and to maximise successful enforcement. What is missing now is just the legislation. If Minister's reply is that these technologies are not viable, then NEA should implement alternative solutions to facilitate enforcement. After all, when high-rise littering started killing people, we acted urgently to deploy solutions on the ground. Second-hand smoke near windows and balconies also kills people and we should act on it with the same urgency.[+9 sentences] We must not let "hard to enforce" be an obstacle to saving lives Finally, I would like to share the experience of Mr Su, like me, a former smoker. He shared with me that he used to enjoy sitting at his balcony with a coffee and cigarette, and his neighbours would respond by slamming their balcony doors and windows. Mr Su quit smoking after becoming a father. But he now finds the tables have turned. He is the one slamming the window now because he has neighbours who are now smokers. Belatedly, he realises the impact he has had on his neighbours. We cannot afford to wait for smokers in Singapore to reach this same realisation. Sir, in conclusion, for the sake of the health and lives of our children, our elderly parents and other non-smokers, the GPC proposes that this Government introduces a ban on smoking near windows and at the balconies of HDB flats and private apartments. This is a public health concern we cannot continue to deny and leave unresolved.
Mr Deputy Speaker9 words
[+1 sentence]Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment.
The Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan)1407 words
[+8 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, protecting Singaporeans against second-hand tobacco smoke has always been our priority. I thank Mr Louis Ng for his proposal to curb second-hand smoke. Many Members, including myself, have received similar suggestions. Let me assure everyone that my Ministry is equally concerned about second-hand smoke. Indeed, I empathise with all who have suffered from this. We have always recognised the serious health risk from second-hand smoke. We first introduced smoking prohibition in omnibuses, cinemas and theatres in 1970 and have progressively expanded this to more public places. We were among the first globally to impose a nation-wide smoking ban in the covered common areas of residential estates. Currently, smoking is prohibited in more than 32,000 places and we will do more.[+2 sentences] Singapore has introduced robust policies to discourage smoking, such as raising the minimum legal age of smoking and introducing standardised packaging for tobacco products. Through public education and nudges, we urge smokers to quit their habit. Consequently, the daily smoking prevalence has decreased from 18.3% in 1992 to 13.9% in 2010 and 10.6% in 2019.[+2 sentences] We continue to work on driving down smoking prevalence, which will also reduce the incidence of second-hand smoke. Let me turn to the issue of second-hand smoke experienced in homes. Of the 11,400 smoking complaints received in the first four months of 2020, 58% or 6,630 complaints were in residential estates.[+5 sentences] As more residents work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an uptick in smoking complaints in residential estates. Ninety-five percent or 6,310 of these complaints were related to smoking in common corridors, staircases and void decks. The remaining 5% or 320 cases involved smoking in homes. NEA has prioritised surveillance at common areas, in particular, common corridors, staircases and void decks at residential estates. Thermal cameras are also deployed at smoking hotspots. In the first half of 2020, NEA took 2,400 enforcement actions at these areas, a 37% increase from the same time period last year.[+5 sentences] For complaints of smoking in homes, NEA, Town Councils and grassroots leaders take an educational approach and advise smokers to be considerate and not smoke near windows and balconies. Most smokers take heed, except for a small group of recalcitrant smokers. For such cases, grassroots leaders, NEA and relevant agencies help to mediate between neighbours and discuss adjustments to be made. Affected residents can turn to the Community Mediation Centre. They can also raise the matter to the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal or CDRT as a last resort. Between January 2019 and July 2020, 25 claims relating to excessive smoke, caused by cigarettes or incense, were filed with the CDRT.[+27 sentences] Quite a number of claimants were able to resolve issues amicably without proceeding to the Tribunal. Mr Louis Ng and GPC Members have proposed that we ban smoking at balconies and windows of homes. We are just as keen to resolve this issue and have carefully studied these suggestions. Unfortunately, besides the fact that such legislation could be highly intrusive, there are significant practical challenges in enforcement that limit effectiveness. First, enforcement will be challenging as capturing evidence of the smoking offence is not straightforward. Smelling the tobacco smoke is not sufficient as cameras must capture the smoker smoking or holding a lighted cigarette, as evidence for enforcement. However, a smoker can easily hide behind a pillar, frosted glass windows, or curtains to avoid detection by the camera. Overall, this may entail deployment of significant resources without achieving effective outcomes. Second, to capture the smoking act, the camera must be placed at suitable vantage points to probe into the window or balcony. For towering flats, finding the right vantage point in common areas to deploy the camera is not always possible. Directly aiming cameras into homes is highly intrusive, unlike surveillance for high rise littering where the camera is trained at the building facade and can be placed at ground level some distance away. Finally, this will exacerbate existing concerns about privacy and infringing the owner's rights to his or her private space. Meadows@Peirce is a case in point. A dispute had ensued in 2017 between the condominium management committee and its residents when a circular directed residents to refrain from smoking at balconies and windows. Some residents argued that the management committee should not dictate actions in private spaces. We have studied overseas practices too, some of which were cited by the Member. Globally, there are few instances of bans on smoking in homes. In the US, the smoking ban in homes is limited to public rental housing which accounts for a tiny fraction, in fact, 1% of the total housing stock. In Australia, some states ban smoking in common areas of multi-unit housing and exempt private spaces, although owner corporations can adopt their own by-laws to cover the private living areas. Indeed, this is similar to what we have in Singapore. Smoking is already banned in many common areas of residential estates. MCSTs can opt to adopt by-laws to expand the ban in their estates, with support from residents. In US, the ban is enforced by Public Housing Authorities, whilst in Australia, the owner-corporations have to enforce the ban. Even in countries where there are bans, effectiveness has been mixed and uncertain at best. In US public housing, there was difficulty in securing evidence for enforcement and smokers also saw this as a violation of privacy. The difficulties in enforcing against smoking in homes and privacy concerns can lead to greater frustration, exacerbate disputes and increase social tensions. This was the case at Meadows@Peirce. The overseas examples show that enforcement is challenging. We must work hard to address the difficult issue of second-hand smoke from homes but legislation against smoking at windows or balconies may not be that silver bullet.[+9 sentences] Instead, we will pursue a three-pronged approach. First, we will work harder to engender greater social responsibility. This means instilling consideration for the health and well-being of those around us, not just family members but also our neighbours. We must entrench new social norms of what constitutes acceptable behaviour. For example, stop smoking in homes, including at windows and balconies, and do so only in non-prohibited areas away from others. NEA will work with other agencies such as MOH, HPB and MND and MSO to explore effective ways of doing this. For example, by developing targeted messages on exercising social responsibility, as well as acceptable social norms. These can then be communicated pervasively across key platforms, including social media channels. Changing norms will take time but we must work doubly hard as it gets to the very heart of the problem that legislation and enforcement, at least with today's level of technology, cannot fix. Second, we will examine more ways to facilitate productive conversations between neighbours to deal with difficult situations, before they escalate into intractable disputes.[+2 sentences] For example, we could develop simple messages for neighbours to communicate concerns with one another or share best practices from successful efforts to resolve neighbourly disputes. We will also look at how to leverage community networks and links, including grassroots, to bring neighbours together in conversations. Third, we will work with agencies to study how these disputes can be better addressed by the inter-agency Community Dispute Management Framework. We will work with agencies to review the Community Mediation Process and the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal or CDRT to enhance their effectiveness when residents have to resort to these channels.[+1 sentence] Nonetheless, we hope that most cases will not have to end up in community mediation or with the Tribunal. The best way to protect against second-hand smoke is for family members and neighbours to help smokers cut down and quit smoking.[+8 sentences] And if they have to smoke, not to light up at home and instead smoke at non-prohibited areas. Sir, I fully appreciate the frustration and distress of those who suffer from second-hand smoke at home. We are determined to address this and will work hard with Government agencies and the community on the strategies that I laid out. At the same time, we will continue to monitor best practices globally and improvements in technology. We will stay open to innovative and practicable solutions as they emerge. Ultimately, mitigating the impact of second-hand smoke requires everyone to play their part. Smokers must exercise consideration for the health of their family and neighbours. As a community, we must help one another build the right social norms for a healthy and gracious society.
Mr Deputy Speaker243 words
[+13 sentences]Yes, I see two raised hands. The Adjournment does have 30 minutes, we have used 22 minutes of the 30 minutes. So, I will invite Members to ask clarifications and then the response has to be limited only to eight minutes up to 7.00 pm, which is the moment of interruption. Mr Louis Ng. Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Thank you, Sir. I was really hoping she would just said yes, but just two clarifications. One, I think the problem is that we are viewing this as a neighbourly dispute issue. If we view this as a public health crisis then the policy direction and the policy outcome might be completely different. Two, I expected that we would raise the issue of whether it is enforceable and I addressed that in the speech that it can be. Why can we not just use the cameras that we use for high-rise littering there is pointing at the facade of the building that can capture someone who is throwing a cigarette butt out of their window. Why can we not use the same camera to capture someone smoking at their windows or the balconies and not point it inside to the house. So, if they are lying down on their bed and smoking, that is okay. I am just saying move them away from the windows and balconies so that it minimises, not completely eradicate, but minimises the effects of second-hand smoke on the neighbours.
Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan791 words
[+1 sentence]To the Member's first question, we are dealing with this issue of second-hand smoke not just as a neighbourly dispute. The fact that we started legislation to ban smoking in common areas, really, one of the priority is because we want to protect the public from second-hand smoke. That is why there are 32,000 places now that are smoking prohibited areas.[+2 sentences] So, in fact, the smokers have very little areas, very little space for them to smoke. They cannot smoke in playgrounds, common corridors, staircases and so on. The reason really is protecting public from second-hand smoke as well as of course making it very difficult for smokers to smoke because we hope that that will help to reduce their smoking prevalence rate. And indeed, we have been successful in doing this because I have actually given statistics to show that smoking prevalence rates have fallen to 10.6% in 2019, and we are doing more. We are going to expand the smoking prohibited areas to even more places.[+10 sentences] In fact, somebody said, "Actually, our smoking prohibition in common areas in residential estate is really right up to the doorstep of your homes already." So, it is not really just about neighbourly disputes. But, as I have said to ban smoking in homes, there are couple of issues, not just about enforcement but also about privacy concerns. So, that leads to my answer to the second question. Why can we not just use the cameras we are using? Indeed, in my response, I have elaborated on why it is difficult to enforce using the cameras we have – both optical cameras as well as thermal cameras. So, just give Members an illustration. In fact, as the Member said, we have had years of experience using optical cameras for high-rise littering enforcement and then recently thermal cameras for enforcement against smoking in prohibited areas. So, because we have years of experience, my NEA colleagues fully understand the intractable difficulties in enforcing against smoking at balconies and windows. Allow me to just elaborate a little, Deputy Speaker. First of all, thermal cameras are of shorter range than the optical cameras for high-rise littering.[+17 sentences] And as I have said, for high-rise littering, we can have the optical cameras at ground level point as Member said, at the facade, as long as you can see somebody throwing the cigarette – the act of throwing – we will then investigate from which floor, we know which unit, we can investigate and then get the person to admit to the littering offence. For smoking at balconies and windows, as I have explained, it is not so easy because you need to see the smoker in the act of taking the lighted cigarette or holding the cigarette and to do that you have to train the camera at level with as well as directly at the windows or balconies. First, because of the design of flats and increasingly so, it is very difficult to find common areas where you can put cameras and be able to aim directly at that flat. Flats, for instance, with recess windows and balconies, you cannot do it. Most of the private condominium designs are very difficult, you cannot do it. Even for high-rise littering, it is already difficult and that is just the facade. For smoking, you actually have to look in. And the problem is, if you just step back behind, like I say, curtains, walls and so on, the person is actually still near the windows and balconies, but you cannot catch. So, that is optical camera. We have even thought about how do you do it if you cannot mount at the ground floor. You have to mount at a certain height and distance, but will you be able to find common staircases that there has a good vantage point? If you cannot, can you mount it in the homes of residents? Unlikely. The other thing is, even for high-rise littering camera when you mount and aim, the camera will be looking at a few units, so there are actually privacy concerns. But for high-rise littering, because we are aiming at the facade, I think it is less of an issue. But, for smoking, it will be really an intrusion into privacy. Because even the innocent resident may also be in the line of sight. For thermal cameras, the distance is only 40 metres so you can well imagine if you are separated or blocked by trees, so on and so forth, you will not be able to get the heat signature.[+2 sentences] I hope that explains. Adjourned accordingly at 6.59 pm.
Overview of Government's Strategy to Emerge Stronger from the COVID-19 Pandemic›Ministerial Statements7 turns · 8,651w
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The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (Mr Heng Swee Keat)8559 words
[+11 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, after a most difficult past several months, the COVID-19 situation in Singapore has stabilised and large parts of the economy have resumed operations. It has been a test of a generation, which we have tackled as one nation. The Government has rolled out a decisive set of crisis management measures to minimise and cushion economic impact, preserve jobs and capabilities, and support households. This includes the support measures which I announced in August, before the Opening of Parliament. I made the announcement then, as some of the support schemes were ending in August and we needed to give our firms and workers certainty during this difficult period. We are now tabling a Supplementary Supply Bill, which provides for the resources to implement the measures announced in August, for debate in Parliament. My Ministerial Statement today will provide context for the Supplementary Supply Bill. Mr Speaker, Sir, our four earlier Budgets committed close to $100 billion of support measures to deal with COVID-19. This is on top of other measures such as special relief measures for debtors and tenants. These measures have substantially cushioned the economic impact. MAS estimates that the combined Budgets will prevent the economy from contracting by a further 5.6% of GDP in 2020 and 4.8% in 2021. Our economic support measures will also offset some of the rise in resident unemployment rate by about 1.7 percentage points this year. This could mean about 155,000 jobs saved over these two years, although we will still see job losses overall. More than half of the jobs saved are due to the Jobs Support Scheme or JSS alone.[+53 sentences] This outcome has only been possible with the collective determination, adaptability and sacrifice of our people and businesses. Today, I want to look forward, and share how we will approach the next six months as our economy reopens, as well as our plans for our longer term economic recovery to emerge stronger. The trajectory of our economic recovery depends critically on how well the world deals with this still dangerous virus. Every passing day brings new surprises and new hope. Even as we learn more about it, there are profound uncertainties ahead. One major uncertainty is how effective other countries are in containing the pandemic and the success of policies they adopt in opening their economies. Another key uncertainty is whether, and when, an effective and safe vaccine can be developed. Even if such a vaccine becomes available, the pandemic may not end quickly. Supply of the vaccine will be limited initially, and global rollout is likely to be uneven. We do not know how long the protective effect may last, or if mutation of the virus may render it ineffective. But there is also hope that we can overcome this crisis. In our fight against COVID-19, we are currently in a stable position, but we must remain vigilant. Amid the uncertainties, we are adapting to living with the virus. We have worked out the steps to further re-open safely in the months ahead. We are putting ourselves in the best position to fight COVID-19 by focusing on four key prongs. First, vaccination. We are working very actively to secure early access to safe and effective vaccines, if and when they become available. Singapore is an early supporter of the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access or COVAX Facility, which accelerates the development and production of, and equitable access to potential COVID-19 vaccines. Together with Switzerland, Singapore co-chairs the Friends of the COVAX Facility to promote vaccine multi-lateralisation. Singapore is also pursuing the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines with a number of pharmaceutical companies. At the same time, we are supporting local efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine as well as building up vaccine manufacturing capacity. Second, testing. In the meantime, we have increased our Polymerase Chain Reaction or PCR testing capacity manifold, and are close to our target of being able to conduct 40,000 laboratory tests a day. We are also evaluating new testing technologies that are less invasive and can produce test results more quickly. This enhanced testing capability will help us safely resume more activities sooner. Third, tracing. Swift contact tracing and isolation of infected individuals are key to limiting the spread of the virus. Our contact tracing teams are doing a sterling job and using digital tools well. The TraceTogether app, together with tokens that are being distributed nationwide, and the SafeEntry programme, enable contact tracing to reach the speed and coverage needed to rapidly contain viral transmission. Fourth, safe management. We must continue to adhere to safe management measures and do our part to facilitate contact tracing. Keeping community infections low is the key to re-opening our economy safely. The Multi-Ministry Task force co-chaired by Ministers Gan Kim Yong and Lawrence Wong will be releasing more details on the roadmap to Phase Three in the coming weeks. This will include the expected timeline for moving to Phase Three, changes to current regulations on the size of group gatherings, and participation at mass events. While managing the healthcare front of the COVID-19 battle, we must also deal with economic and social fronts. Many of our businesses, workers, and households have been hit hard by the disruptions and uncertainties due to COVID-19. Our path to recovery will not be easy. Our support over the four Budgets has been to provide immediate relief and also to minimise the scarring effects of COVID-19 on our economy, by preparing our businesses and workers to emerge stronger. In short, we are working together to alleviate near-term pains to build for a better tomorrow. We will remain focused on these over the next six months and beyond. With the situation stabilising in Singapore and some parts of the world, we will progressively open up more activities, at a pace that enables new practices to be internalised, to keep everyone safe. The performance and outlook for different economic sectors is highly uneven. Some sectors are doing better than before COVID-19. Firms in the IT, biomedical, e-commerce and finance sectors have benefited from the rise in demand for these services during this period. Some restaurants and hawkers are on their way to recovery. Construction activities will gradually resume as we complete the testing of workers and as they adjust to new safe management measures. But sectors that involve the movement of people across borders, such as aviation and tourism, will recover only when people around the world feel safe enough to resume travel and this will take some time. And businesses that involve large gatherings, such as in MICE, sports and concerts, will recover slowly, unless rapid test kits are effective in screening participants for safe entry. Not only are the outlooks different for different sectors, but within sectors, firms that have been nimble are doing better. For instance, some wet market stalls started online selling, and are enjoying robust business. Given these differences in outlook between and within sectors, we have adjusted broad-based wage support under JSS. For the hardest-hit sectors such as aviation and tourism, which face an uncertain road to recovery, our aim is to help companies preserve core capabilities and enable workers to retain specialised skills. As earlier announced in August, this will be through the Enhanced Aviation Support Package, a temporary redeployment programme, and the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers. In addition, we will extend the Enhanced Training Support Package, or ETSP, which I enhanced in the Resilience Budget. I will extend the ETSP for another six months, until 30 June 2021, to provide enhanced course fee subsidies for firms in our hardest-hit sectors. I will extend the ETSP to the Marine and Offshore sector from today, on top of the existing sectors, such as Air Transport, Retail, and Tourism. In recognition of the gradually recovering economic situation, we will also be lowering the absentee payroll rates to 80% from January 2021, capped at $7.50 per hour.[+6 sentences] In tandem, we will continue to provide strong support to firms that are growing. In this way, our workers can move into growth areas, stay employed, and build new skills. We have enhanced support for start-ups, via the Startup SG Founder programme. Since I announced the enhancements in August, more than 500 aspiring entrepreneurs have signed up for the three-month Venture Building programmes. We will provide wage support of between 25% and 50% for each new local hire in firms which increase their total local headcount, through the Jobs Growth Incentive, or JGI. The support will be for the first $5,000 of gross monthly wages for up to 12 months. As persons with disabilities may face greater challenges in finding jobs, I will provide the higher tier of wage support of 50% under the JGI to all Persons with Disabilities.[+23 sentences] This will apply to new hires of Persons with Disabilities from September 2020 to February 2021. To give a boost to businesses seeking to internationalise, transform and digitalise, I will extend or enhance our capability-building grants, namely the Market Readiness Assistance Grant, the Productivity Solutions Grant, the Enterprise Development Grant, and the PACT programme. These will enable firms to tap on new sources of growth. MTI will announce details in the coming weeks. Even as we shift our approach in supporting businesses and workers as the economy recovers, we will make sure that the support does not taper off too sharply. We had earlier enhanced support through loan schemes to provide working capital support for viable businesses. We will extend the Temporary Bridging Loan Programme for six months, until September 2021, at reduced levels. MAS will also extend the MAS Singapore Dollar Facility for Enterprise Singapore Loans, until September 2021. We will adjust the support available under the Enterprise Financing Scheme to help Singapore enterprises access financing in areas such as trade and project needs. MTI and MAS will announce more details later. Later today, MAS will be announcing details on the extension of payment moratoriums, at a tapered level of support. Taken together, the staging of these measures avoids sharp drops in support, while facilitating restructuring where needed. All this support for our firms will ultimately benefit our workers. The best way to protect the welfare of our workers is a good job. By helping viable firms stay afloat during this difficult period, they can retain their workers. By helping firms to restructure and retrain their workers, they can emerge stronger. More competitive and productive firms can provide better jobs and better prospects for workers. And more skilled and committed workers make firms more competitive. This synergy between competitive firms and capable workers is critical for both to do well. As part of our long-standing practice of tripartism, we must not fear, but instead ride on change together to achieve synergies and to emerge stronger. But even with the best efforts, some firms, especially in hardest hit sectors, may not survive, or may have to release some of their workers. So, other than supporting workers through our firms, we will continue to provide our fullest support to workers who have lost their jobs, to help them reskill and move into firms that are hiring. The National Jobs Council is implementing the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package that I announced at the Fortitude Budget in May. The Council has curated 117,500 opportunities under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package as of end-August.[+3 sentences] This is good progress, but we must press on. The Council is working closely with companies to hire mid-career jobseekers looking to make a switch in their careers and to redeploy workers in affected sectors where activities are low, such as aviation and tourism, to areas of need and where their skills are valued, such as healthcare and childcare. It is also engaging companies to offer traineeships, company attachments and training opportunities, which can later lead to good jobs. The key task is now to make sure that workers know of and are successfully matched to these opportunities.[+1 sentence] We are doing this across multiple channels. We have set up SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centres in every HDB town and have Career Ambassadors to reach out to residents.[+5 sentences] The Singapore Business Federation, or SBF, is working closely with other TACs and NTUC’s e2i to do business-to-business job matching across sectors, through the SBF SGUnited Jobs Initiative. MOM and WSG will also be appointing employment agencies as Placement Partners, to assist in placements. I encourage everyone to step out of your comfort zones and keep an open mind to learn new skills and take on new jobs. One good example is Ms Tan Bee Lian, who is preparing to be a Healthcare Assistant after being in the oil and gas industry for over 30 years. This is very commendable. To help those who have lost their jobs, MSF has recently extended the COVID-19 Support Grant, and applications are open until the end of the year.[+11 sentences] Beyond this year, we are studying the support for self-employed persons and workers who are most vulnerable. The continuation and form of support will depend on the labour market situation and economic outlook. One key consideration is to make a stronger link to helping individuals find a new job or to acquire new skills. In this way, we can better prepare our displaced workers for new opportunities as firms restructure. We will provide an update before the end of the year. Other than supporting our businesses and workers, we will also continue to support our households. The household support announced earlier continues to flow in the coming months. Please refer to this slide on schedule of support measures, which will also be digitally distributed to Members after the session. In it, you will notice that in October alone, eligible households will receive the GST Voucher – U-Save, the first tranche of Grocery Vouchers, and Service and Conservancy Charges, or S&CC, rebates. Eligible lower income workers will also receive the October tranche of Workfare Special Payment. We have received feedback that COVID-19 has caused some aspiring parents to postpone their parenthood plans. This is fully understandable, especially when they face uncertainty with their income. Hence, to help with expenses during this period, we will introduce a one-off additional support for newborns.[+32 sentences] This will be on top of the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, which provides eligible parents up to $10,000 in benefits. Minister Indranee will share more details on the additional support soon. I have laid out our approach to support our firms, workers and households in dealing with COVID-19 in the next six months and to have more babies. We will adjust our support if necessary, in response to changes on the medical front and global economic developments. I hope that businesses, workers and households will make good use of these resources in the months ahead. Beyond the immediate crisis, we want to emerge from COVID-19 stronger as a society and more united as a people. We are determined to have better jobs for our workers and stronger support to enable them to bounce back if they fall. We want to build an endearing home for future generations, and a fair and caring society based on what we stand for as a people. To deliver on these priorities, we need a dynamic and growing economy, with good jobs for all Singaporeans. Economic growth is an enabler for individuals and families to realise their aspirations and ensures that the public sector is adequately resourced to invest in our national priorities. Given the importance of economic growth as an enabler, I will now spend some time to sketch out the broad strokes of our strategy. The post-COVID-19 global economy will be different. Our future economy must be responsive to structural shifts, many of which have been accelerated by COVID-19. Support for globalisation is weakening and some countries are turning inwards. The adoption of digital technology has been given renewed impetus, unlocking new sources of return. Digital technology and its many applications are the new capital of the innovation-driven future economy. Asia continues to rise in global economic weight, as its recovery accelerates. Ensuring sustainability and care for the environment are gaining momentum. At home, we face slowing resident labour force growth. Future economic growth will come from raising productivity across the economy. So, we must make the best use of the skills and talents of our people and use new technology as a key complement. We are at a critical juncture in our economic development and the stakes are high. In the next few years, economies will undergo rapid transitions. Depending on their response, COVID-19 will benefit some and disadvantage others, whether at the firm-level, sector-level, or across the entire economy. We must take the actions now that will allow us to not just get through COVID-19, but more crucially, gain ground that will pave the way for our next lap of economic growth in the next five to 10 years. I will speak on what we are preparing for in this next lap of growth. Before I get into the details, I wish to stress that everything this Government does to protect, re-open, and grow our economy – we do, not for the economy’s sake, but for our people. We strive to secure a way for Singapore to continue to make a good living, so that Singaporeans can have a good life. This is our guiding principle. Thankfully, we are in a good position. Since 2017, the Future Economy Council has been driving the implementation of our Industry Transformation Maps, or ITMs, to restructure our economy sector by sector, firm by firm. We have made good progress. Before COVID-19, our resident unemployment rate was low at 3.2% as at end-2019. Between 2016 and 2019, overall productivity, measured by real value added per actual hour worked, rose by a creditable 2.4% per year.[+1 sentence] This is also an improvement over the 2.2% per year growth in the preceding three-year period. Overall, real median income for Singaporeans grew by 3.7% per year in the last three years, up from 3.2% in the preceding three years.[+25 sentences] Incomes at the 20th percentile grew by 4.4% per year in the past three years, up from 4% in the preceding three years. In 2015, we launched the SkillsFuture movement as well as our Research, Innovation and Enterprise, or RIE 2020 plan. These support our ITM work by strengthening our foundations of skills and innovation. We are building on our good position and keeping up the pace. In the midst of this pandemic, we set up the Emerging Stronger Taskforce in May to update our economic roadmap to respond to the new realities and to emerge with a new competitive edge. There are many new business and growth opportunities for Singapore to seize, and the Taskforce has already made significant progress in this through the Alliances for Action. As rapid-action taskforces, the seven Alliances have rallied key players around common challenges faced by industry. They are developing prototypes to validate new business ideas, new business models, and new business solutions, in areas such as sustainability, robotics, and safe visitor experiences. Government agencies are partnering businesses to review regulations and promote innovation. Beyond the first wave of Alliances, the Taskforce is looking to launch new Alliances to build momentum for change and explore opportunities in new areas of growth, such as MedTech. The Taskforce will share more details. All these moves build on our ITM framework to deliver a refreshed economic strategy for a post-COVID-19 world, with emphasis on three priority areas. First, remaking Singapore as a Global-Asia node of technology, innovation, and enterprise. We will secure our external economic linkages as a vital global node in Asia and transform ourselves into a vibrant centre of technology and innovation. Second, redoubling our efforts to foster inclusive growth. With COVID-19 revealing vulnerabilities in our labour market, we need to better understand its structure, and upgrade jobs and skills across all segments of society. Third, investing in economic resilience and sustainability as a source of competitive advantage. Our resilience can be a source of growth, at many levels – for our individuals, industries, nation, and the world. Let me start with the first key move, which is to remake ourselves as a Global-Asia node of technology, innovation and enterprise. COVID-19 has changed travel patterns, sharpened the fragmentation of supply chains and accelerated digitalisation in different markets. It has heightened emphasis on resilience as companies and countries review their operations. Asia, in particular Southeast Asia, will continue to grow as one of the key global engines. We must deepen and broaden links to build up Singapore’s role at the heart of Asia’s growth, while forging connectivity with other key markets. A role that we have played in our long history as a trading port and which we will renew in two ways: one, rebuild and grow our physical connectivity – in travel and trade; and, two, enhance and expand our digital connectivity. Our air hub has been badly affected by COVID-19 and we are sparing no effort to rebuild it. Compared with last year, passenger traffic has fallen by more than 98% in August, with daily passenger volume of about 3,000, down sharply from 190,000 previously.[+8 sentences] When global passenger traffic resumes, as it surely will, the Changi Air Hub will resume its role at the Global-Asia node, together with all the related sectors such as tourism, manufacturing and logistics. Accordingly, we must re-establish our position by reopening our borders gradually, positioning Singapore as a safe destination, levelling up capabilities and refreshing our infrastructure. We are committed to revive our air hub and restore our air connectivity. The Multi-Ministry Taskforce is studying this carefully as part of our broader re-opening plans and the Minister for Transport will share more in his Ministerial Statement tomorrow. Our maritime trade has to date remained resilient to COVID-19, and we will accelerate moves to strengthen our position. Notwithstanding the 13.5% drop in global trade on a year-on-year basis in the first half of 2020, container throughput at Singapore's ports fell by a milder 1.1% over the same period. At the same time, firms are more prepared to diversify their operating bases to increase resilience. So, we must press on with improving transhipment capabilities, inking trade facilitation agreements and anchoring key shipping routes through Singapore. The first few berths of Tuas Port are on track to be operational by 2021. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is slated to be signed this year, connecting a trade region of 15 countries accounting for about 30% of the global population and GDP.[+8 sentences] Moving ahead, we will further strengthen our value proposition through greater regional cooperation, and by building up a leading trade and logistics eco-system. Southeast Asia can benefit from the greater premium on supply chain resilience through regional cooperation. For example, the Iskandar Malaysia and Batam, Bintan, Karimun region presents good opportunities for companies to cluster the full value chain of complementary activities from research and development, to regional headquarters and manufacturing. To support our ambitions, we will significantly strengthen our entire trade and logistics ecosystem, deepening capabilities in our port, airport and beyond. We will enhance our infrastructure for Singapore to handle larger flows of food, pharmaceuticals, electronics and e-commerce. We will accelerate the build-up of digital capabilities, which will be a game-changer for Singapore’s connectivity with Asia and the world. Digital payments and data facilitate physical trade. It makes the exchange of varied goods and services more efficient, opens up new possibilities, and strengthens our value proposition as a trading node. Within Singapore, the Alliance on Supply Chain Digitalisation is exploring options and bringing together key players across the supply chain in this venture. We have also concluded Digital Economy Agreements with Australia, Chile and New Zealand, and have ongoing talks with South Korea.[+4 sentences] These agreements establish common frameworks and rules for digital trade, enabling our businesses, especially SMEs, to access international markets more easily. These moves to enhance Singapore’s digital connectivity will open up new markets and opportunities for our businesses. As part of our ITM work, we are helping firms to make full use of digital technology. COVID-19 has accelerated the digitalisation and transformation of many businesses, big and small. Since January this year, enterprises have embarked on over 27,000 projects to improve their productivity and build new capabilities through the Productivity Solutions Grant and the Enterprise Development Grant schemes.[+36 sentences] During my dialogue with businesses on Friday, I met the founder of Seonggong, a restaurant group with brands such as Seorae Korean BBQ. Seonggong used digital technology to revamp its operations, from accounting to ordering to procurement. So much so that increased sales from online deliveries have more than offset losses from their dine-in business, by 10%. The experience of businesses shows that digitalisation is a strategic capability to unlock growth, evolve their models to harness digital possibilities and to integrate processes such as logistics, payment and marketing. We will press on with our ITM work, which helps businesses big and small, to transform holistically, bringing together the different aspects needed to upgrade. A key priority for us now is to build on this momentum and bring digitalisation to our heartlands. Senior Minister of State Sim Ann and Minister of State Low Yen Ling will be announcing further plans for heartland enterprises in the coming days. I have spoken on seizing new opportunities through physical and digital connectivity. Beyond being an effective and trusted broker for trade and digital flows, we must be a key node where new ideas are born and nurtured into globally-competitive enterprises. Today, we have a business-friendly environment, strong rule of law, a skilled and diverse workforce, advanced infrastructure and a globally-competitive eco-system of financial and professional services. We must continue to build on these complementary strengths built up over the years. We will be unveiling a new five-year Research, Innovation and Enterprise, or RIE plan in December. The plan will build on earlier investments and enhance research to support areas of national priority, such as early childhood development, lifelong learning and keeping our seniors healthy. We will expand our transformation of the manufacturing, aviation and maritime industries, and deepen our capabilities as a Smart Nation and sustainable society. We will also position Singapore as a global intellectual property, or IP, centre in Asia. Ministers Indranee Rajah and Edwin Tong are leading our efforts on our Singapore IP Strategy 2030, and will share details at World IP Day. A major effort will be to integrate the work of the Future Economy Council and our RIE plan, so as to accelerate our transformation into an innovation-led economy, powered by technology. In this way, our businesses can be more competitive and our workers can have better job prospects. An example of how we will scale up the translation of ideas and technology into business improvements is through the use of innovation platforms that bring industry and researchers to work together on specific challenges. We are also promoting the Open Innovation Network, an online platform which brings problem owners and problem solvers together to create industry-led solutions. Since 2017, a total of close to $13 million in grant and prize monies has been awarded to firms with viable solutions to deploy and scale their ideas under Enterprise Singapore’s Gov-PACT and IMDA’s Open Innovation Platform. This year, we have taken this further, with two rounds of National Innovation Challenges. We hope to see the outcome of these in the coming months. To summarise, we are making good progress in our move to position Singapore as a Global-Asia node of technology, innovation and enterprise. By enhancing our connectivity and making innovation pervasive, we can better meet the challenges of a post-COVID world, and create good jobs and a brighter future for all Singaporeans. Our aim is not just to grow a vibrant, innovative economy, but an inclusive economy, where growth uplifts all Singaporeans. To achieve inclusive growth, our workers need to have the skills to stay relevant and we need to provide holistic support to uplift our vulnerable workers. First, skills. To take on good jobs and enjoy the fruits of growth, our workers need the right skills for the job. We have a strong base of human capital developed through our education system. But there are big changes upon us. There is stiffer global competition. With deep technological changes, skills are going obsolete faster. We will therefore need extensive upskilling and continual reskilling of our workforce, to equip our workers to continue to get good jobs. We want to do so for every worker at every age. We are investing significantly. This year, we have set aside about $3 billion for the SGUnited Jobs and Skills package to provide immediate employment and training support for our workers. This is on top of the close to $5 billion set aside over three years for our longer term structural measures, to support workers of all ages to upskill and access new job opportunities.[+8 sentences] Firms and training providers have a major part to play. I urge all firms to make full use of the schemes for developing our people. We have a suite of leadership development programmes for Singaporeans at various stages of their careers, such as the Global Ready Talent Programme and the SkillsFuture Leadership Development Initiative. Companies on the Human Capital Partnership, or HCP Programme, which recognises fair and progressive employers, have also benefited, as the HCP mark endorses them as employers of choice. We will work closely with industry and training providers, to make sure that the skills workers learn are useful. Skills upgrading is most effective when the training is relevant to the company’s needs and jobseekers have certainty in the value of the training. For example, through NTUC’s Company Training Committees, our Professional Conversion Programmes, or PCPs, and TechSkills Accelerator Company-Led Training programme for ICT jobs. These have had good outcomes. For example, about nine in 10 of PCP employees remained in employment 24 months after being placed, and about seven in 10 saw a wage increase after starting their new jobs.[+11 sentences] As part of this whole-of-society movement to build skills, companies too, need better skills! Skills to develop their workers, and redesign skills-based jobs to move beyond paper-based qualifications. We will continue our work through our ITMs, together with our unions, to drive these changes in each firm and in each sector. And finally, individuals have a key part to play in taking charge of their own learning. Our schools provide a good foundation. We are increasing the digital skills content in our schools and Institutes of Higher Learning to prepare our young for a digital future. But learning does not stop after leaving school. We spend more years outside of school than in school. We all need to learn through life. In the process, we can enrich our lives, and our society at large. Even as we level up the skills of every worker at every age, we still need to bring in global talent to complement our Singapore talent. By building on complementary strengths, we can build cutting-edge capabilities in our workforce and our firms and plug into global networks.[+1 sentence] This will ultimately benefit all Singaporean workers. We will continue to update our foreign workforce policies carefully, such as our Employment Pass and S Pass rules, to achieve this synergy.[+19 sentences] Let us all play our part in building a strong, skilled workforce together. Singaporeans, growing up in a multi-cultural society, have an edge in building relationships with people around the world, especially in a more fragmented post-COVID landscape. Let us build on this. I have covered how we will grow skills across the workforce to keep our workers competitive. The second way to ensure inclusive growth is to help vulnerable and lower wage workers raise their skills and secure good jobs. I had a good discussion recently with career coaches and union leaders, to better understand the challenges experienced by different groups of jobseekers. Each worker also faced different challenges. For some, it was a skills gap issue. For others, it was an issue of expectations – trying to find a job which matched their earlier salary. For yet others, especially mid-career and mature executives, employers were concerned about whether they could adapt. These are all important issues that we need to tackle together, urgently. For example, our lower income workers have been particularly hard hit by COVID-19. Many of these workers face a twin challenge, as they are also in sectors that will be affected by longer-term structural changes in the economy, such as retail or F&B. Some are also in the gig economy. Our middle income and middle-aged workers also have heavy family responsibilities and commitments, but face the challenges of a rapidly evolving labour market. For all these workers, there is even more urgency to upskill and transition into jobs with good long-term prospects. In the design of our support schemes, we have been deliberate in channelling additional support to vulnerable groups, to help them access opportunities and stay in good jobs. For example, mature and older workers are eligible for higher wage support in our career conversion programmes, as well as higher course fee subsidies. I announced some of these earlier this year as part of our SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package. Our lower income workers also get additional support for skills upgrading via the Workfare Skills Support scheme. This has been implemented in July 2020 to better support acquisition of skills and qualifications that are more likely to lead to higher wages.[+6 sentences] The Progressive Wage Model, or PWM, is an important labour policy innovation. PWM is more than a sector-based minimum wage. It is a four-in-one framework comprising a Job Ladder, Skills Ladder, Productivity Ladder and Wage Ladder. These four upgrading ladders are mutually reinforcing. By offering a proper career ladder, skills upgrading ladder, productivity improvement ladder and wage enhancement ladder, our four-in-one PWM transforms jobs that are traditionally less attractive to our locals. We will expand PWM to more sectors over time, while making sure that businesses in those sectors can absorb this change. Companies that voluntarily pay progressive wages and provide advancement pathways for lower income workers will also be recognised with a PWM Mark.[+1 sentence] In doing so, we will raise skill levels and create more and better jobs. And in time, we will slow down the future growth of the foreign workforce in these sectors. We may still be battling the downturn, but will be actively looking to identify the next few sectors where we can use the four-in-one PWM framework to redesign jobs and raise skills levels, and expand PWM to benefit more groups of lower wage workers as soon as conditions allow.[+8 sentences] This will also mean that business costs will go up, which will add to the difficulty of businesses during this time. But COVID-19 has highlighted why it is critical, for long-term survival, for firms to be more manpower-lean, productive and have jobs that are attractive to our locals. We will have to explore solutions and the Government will provide support for the transition. It is a continuing journey to improve the job market for our more vulnerable workers. Beyond incentives, we need to shift culture and employer mindsets. But if we focus on the strengths of our workers and adopt flexibility in job design and redesign, we can customise creative solutions for different groups of workers. For example, we know that some workers find it hard to travel far for work. At the same time, some of the shops in our heartlands may find it difficult to find workers. By putting these job openings together, and placing them at potential touchpoints like Social Services Offices, Community Centres, MyCareersFuture portal, and SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centres, we can facilitate job matches for these workers. I have asked Minister of State Low Yen Ling, who is also Chairperson of the Mayors' Committee, to look into how we can better help our displaced mature professionals, and how we can make better use of micro-jobs to bring job opportunities closer to the heartlands.[+59 sentences] More details will be announced later. Given the scale of structural changes in the global economy, we need to redesign jobs and reskill workers, across all our ITMs, in significant ways. We need to be innovative in pursuing this and work in close partnerships between employers, workers and our unions. It will take time and effort, but if done well, will usher in a more dynamic and inclusive economy. I have covered the first and second moves in this next phase of our industry transformation journey. Our third move is to invest in our economic resilience and sustainability as a source of growth and competitive advantage. Economic resilience is not a new idea for Singapore. We have achieved resilience through a diversified economic structure, with multiple engines of growth. No one industry accounts for much more than 20% of our GDP, so we do not put all our eggs in one basket. We thus entered the COVID-19 pandemic on a relatively strong footing. We were able to ensure sufficient medical supplies and essential goods for our public and healthcare workers because we had a strategic national stockpile in place, supported by a combination of local production of essential supplies, and a diverse network of trading partners. Nonetheless, COVID-19 exposed vulnerabilities around the world. Beyond essential goods, critical inputs for industrial production and access to workers were cut off due to global work stoppages and travel bans. Demand also ground to a halt in many industries. We must therefore act now to improve our economic resilience. In doing this, we may have to creatively combine the efficiency of having things ready "just in time" with the resilience of building buffers "just in case". Will this drive for resilience come at the expense of growth and efficiency? Not necessarily so. For example, firms that embrace technology raise not only productivity, but also resilience. Lingjack, a manufacturer of fire extinguishers, automated its labour-intensive production lines in 2017. With over 90% of its production lines automated, Lingjack achieved efficiency gains of up to 40%. At the same time, this also made the company less vulnerable to worker shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. One key way to enhance our resilience and to grow is to produce essential supplies locally, which can be used both for local consumption and export. One example is medical supplies, such as masks and test kits. Another example is food. We set ourselves the ambitious "30 by 30" goal of producing 30% of our nutritional needs locally by 2030, up from less than 10% today. Our agri-food sector will enhance our resilience to food supply disruptions. The technology developed in support of this strategy, such as in seeds and alternative proteins, can be exported. We can grow these capabilities, building on our strengths in R&D and our standing as a trusted hub. Singapore is already the global R&D centre for AgriProtein, one of the world's leading insect protein companies. The R&D team develops technologies to upcycle food waste into sustainable animal feed solutions. As we grapple with climate change, environmental sustainability is an important aspect of our economic resilience for a low-carbon and resource-constrained future. Here again is an opportunity for the green sector to be a growth industry in its own right and to power our economy. First, we are transforming our industries to build a sustainable economy. We will continue to invest in research into energy and resource efficiency technologies and encourage adoption of these technologies through various incentives under EDB, EMA, BCA and NEA. Going forward, we will further promote the decarbonisation of the economy and pursue initiatives for a more sustainable economy. Under our Zero Waste Masterplan, we will promote the circular economy and support businesses to turn "trash to treasure", namely, to recycle or transform waste into useful inputs for production. Harnessing the circular economy model, JTC is working with companies on Jurong Island to build a more sustainable Jurong Island. We are increasing our deployment of renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, at both the national and industry level. And we will invest in new capabilities and solutions, such as hydrogen and carbon capture, utilisation and storage to complement our existing R&D efforts. In time, we hope that these promising technologies can become commercially viable decarbonisation pathways in future. Even as we transform our existing industries, we are seeking new business opportunities in the green economy, given our region's growing needs for sustainable development. We will establish ourselves as a carbon services hub in Asia. Efforts to limit the growth of carbon emissions will increase the demand for engineering, legal and consultancy services related to carbon. The Alliance for Action for Sustainability is market-testing some concepts and business opportunities. Finance is also an important enabler of green growth. We are developing financing solutions and markets in Singapore to help firms finance their adoption of more sustainable practices under MAS' Green Finance Action Plan. Taken together, our moves to strengthen our economic resilience and sustainability serve a dual purpose. They strengthen our economy so that we can bounce back quickly and better from shocks, while adding to our value proposition as a vital global node in Asia. In turn, all these initiatives will create many new opportunities and valuable jobs for our people. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have set out a set of interlocking strategies that will enable us to build back better and emerge stronger from this crisis. These strategies strengthen both our economy and our social compact. The key to achieving our objectives is working together. In our system, tripartism – between the Government, businesses and the Labour Movement – has been a tremendous source of strength. Our Emerging Stronger Taskforce's Alliances for Action are a new form of collaborative partnership – nimble, action-focused partnerships that involve people from a wide spectrum of society, while putting ideas into action quickly. This will further strengthen our capacity for economic transformation and change. By working together, our businesses will be better positioned to capture new opportunities in Asia, digitalisation, innovation and to build a more resilient and sustainable economy. Our people will be better placed to take on these new opportunities and bounce back from setbacks. We can then emerge from this pandemic stronger as an economy, as a society and as one people. As I announced in my August's Ministerial Statement, the continued support for our fight against COVID-19 will cost a further $8 billion this financial year. The additional measures I have spoken on today remain within this and earlier voted sums. I will fund the additional expenditure by reallocating monies from other areas with reduced spending, such as development projects that have been delayed due to COVID-19.[+4 sentences] The proposed reallocations are indicated in the Supplementary Estimates presented to Parliament today. When I announced the Fortitude Budget just after the start of the financial year, the economic situation and overall revenue picture were highly uncertain. We are now in the middle of the financial year and are in a better position to revise the overall revenue estimates. Hence, I am presenting the revised revenue estimates to Parliament, which will also take into account the revenue forgone arising from measures in the Fortitude Budget. The revised estimates will reflect a $1.5 billion draw on Past Reserves resulting from these measures, such as the Foreign Worker Levy waiver, for which the President had given in-principle approval.[+2 sentences] There is no additional draw for this latest support package itself. When I briefed the President and the Council of Presidential Advisers in August, I thanked them for their earlier support and approval for the use of Past Reserves to fund our response to COVID-19. In total, we are dedicating close to $100 billion to support our people and businesses.[+2 sentences] We are starting this new term of Government from a most challenging fiscal position. For this financial year, we already expect operating revenues to be 16% lower than initial estimates presented at the Unity Budget in February 2020. Revenue collections are expected to fall across all categories of revenue. For example, compared to the estimates at the start of the year, we expect GST collections to be down by 14%.[+4 sentences] We expect our revenue position to be weak for a number of years, as the effects of COVID-19 on the global economy linger and our economy slows. At the same time, our expenditure will rise as we continue to provide support for our people and businesses. In short, the Government is bearing a substantial part of the economy-wide adjustment during this crisis, through reduced revenues and substantial transfers to households and businesses. This challenging fiscal position is a result of a global pandemic that no one could have predicted. What is within our control is how we use our fiscal resources well to respond to this crisis and to prepare for the future. We have dedicated close to $100 billion to support our people and businesses through this difficult period.[+21 sentences] As we do so, we must be careful not to spend in a way that squanders what generations before us have painstakingly built up. Our guiding principle is prudence, not austerity. We will continue to invest decisively in our national priorities, with a deep commitment to leave behind a better future for our children. There is much work to be done to transform our economy, and to build a fair and inclusive society, a sustainable and liveable city, and a safe and secure Singapore. We will have to find ways to fund these sustainably – higher taxes, and more effective spending. These are difficult choices, but we must meet them head-on. We will pay for our recurrent needs, like healthcare spending, with recurrent revenues, such as taxes. We will also maintain a disciplined and judicious use of borrowing, reserving its use for long-term infrastructure whose benefits are spread across many generations. Our Past Reserves have been critical in our fight against COVID-19. Governments around the world have committed trillions of dollars in response to COVID-19, and their debt levels have risen to record highs. Such debt will take generations to pay off. We have avoided this outcome because successive generations have built up strong reserves ahead of this crisis. We must have the discipline to start earning, saving, and investing for the future again. COVID-19 is not our first crisis and certainly will not be the last. Mr Speaker, Sir, before I conclude, allow me to say a few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): The COVID-19 situation in Singapore has stabilised. The key to controlling the pandemic is Singaporeans working together. We must remain vigilant and continue to cooperate in disease prevention and comply with the safe distancing measures. Testing, tracing, development and production of vaccines as well as the progress of controlling the pandemic in other countries will determine when we can safely reopen all our economic activities. At present, the pace of recovery varies across sectors. Hence, we will continue to provide assistance to Singaporeans and businesses from now till the next financial year or beyond. I understand that many businesses are still facing liquidity problems. I will extend the Temporary Bridging Loan Programme until September 2021, at reduced levels.[+19 sentences] The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will also extend the MAS Singapore Dollar Facility for Enterprise Singapore Loans to help businesses continue to access credit. In addition, we will extend the Enhanced Training Support Package to June 2021 to provide course fee subsidies to hardest-hit sectors such as aviation and tourism. We understand that the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic has caused many young families to postpone their parenthood plans. Hence, we will provide eligible couples with a one-off additional support to help them reduce their child-rearing burden. The Government has started to draw up the Budget for 2021. We will continue to work closely with businesses, workers and community organisations to chart the way forward for Singapore. In order to create more quality jobs for our people, we need a flourishing economy. Fortunately, the Government has already started on industry transformation with the setting up of the Future Economy Council and introduced the Industry Transformation Maps for the various sectors. We have also established the Emerging Stronger Taskforce to refresh our economic strategy to prepare for the post-COVID era. We have also established the Alliances for Action to try out new ideas. We also need to further consolidate Singapore's position as a Global-Asia node of technology, innovation, and enterprise . We must invest in economic resilience and sustainability as a source of competitive advantage to prepare for a sustainable low-carbon future. Singapore must also foster inclusive growth. Our workers need to have skills to stay relevant. We will expand the Progressive Wage Model to more sectors over time, introduce job redesign and raise the skills of our workers to benefit more groups of lower-wage workers. And in time, we will slow down the growth of foreign workers in these sectors. In the Ministerial Statement I made in August, I have provided an additional $8 billion to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with the four Budgets announced earlier, we have promised as much as $100 billion to help our people and businesses to tide over this difficult time. Besides having to meet huge expenditures, our tax revenue is also facing substantial pressure due to economic slowdown globally. Despite this, our guiding principle is prudence, not austerity, when planning our finances. We will continue to invest resources in families, healthcare and infrastructure to enhance the quality of life of our people.[+7 sentences] A thriving economy not only enables Singaporeans to realise their aspirations but also ensures that the Government has sufficient resources to meet their needs. The post-COVID era will be a very different world. We will constantly refine our economic strategies to keep up with the times, innovate and maintain our competitive advantage. No matter how challenging the situations will be, we will put the interests and welfare of Singaporeans first. I believe that as long as we stay united, we will be able to overcome our immediate difficulties and usher in a better future. (In English): Mr Speaker, our people and businesses are in the thick of battling COVID-19. We have adapted together, and I am glad that many continue to give their utmost in this difficult situation, and do their best for their families and communities. I have shared with this House and our people a stocktake of where we are, and where we are headed. I give you our commitment that we will continue to support our workers and businesses in this difficult time. We have worked out the steps to further re-open safely in the coming months. We have refreshed our economic strategy for a post-COVID-19 world, to remake Singapore as a Global-Asia node of technology, innovation, and enterprise, achieve inclusive growth and build resilience and sustainability, so as to achieve better lives and opportunities for our people.[+4 sentences] Given the great uncertainty ahead, we have to remain vigilant, work in close partnership, and continue to adapt as we plan and move ahead. Work on Budget 2021 is underway. I encourage each of you to share with us your perspectives and ideas, and to do your part to build our future as part of our Singapore Together movement. Together, we will overcome this crisis and emerge stronger.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Deputy Prime Minister.
Mr Heng Swee Keat29 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No 44, I beg to move, "That the Ministerial Statement made by me be considered by Parliament."
Mr Heng Swee Keat39 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, to give Members some time to consider my Statement, I would like to adjourn the debate. Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That the debate be now adjourned."
Mr Speaker5 words
[+1 sentence]Resumption of debate, what day?
Mr Heng Swee Keat5 words
[+1 sentence]Wednesday, 14 October 2020, Sir.
Mr Speaker11 words
[+4 sentences]So be it. Order. Introduction of Government Bills. Minister for Law.
Time Limit for Minister's Speech›Motions2 turns · 135w
· 0 highlighted
motion-1489
The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah)47 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Deputy Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 48(8) to remove the time limit in respect of Minister Grace Fu's speech.
Mr Deputy Speaker88 words
[+3 sentences]I give my consent. Does the Leader of the House have the general assent of the hon Members present to so move? (proc text)]
Adjournment›Motions1 turns · 22w
· 0 highlighted
motion-1490
Speaker not recorded22 words
[+2 sentences]. (proc text)]
Timeline for Universities and Schools to Return to Normalised Face-to-face Classes›Oral Answers to Questions2 turns · 227w
· 5 highlighted
oral-answer-2274
Ms Foo Mee Har36 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider allowing Universities and schools to return to more normalised face-to-face activities and classes when TraceTogether tokens are in widespread use with safe distancing measures in place.
The Minister for Education (Mr Lawrence Wong)191 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, students from all levels have resumed daily lessons in our schools. Lower-risk co-curricular activities or CCAs and other activities have also resumed. Likewise, the Institutes of Higher Learning or IHLs have gradually increased the number of students allowed back on campus for practicums, laboratory sessions and other classes. They are progressively allowing selected non-timetabled activities to return to campus, including project discussions and some student activities.[+2 sentences] We now have effective Safe Management Measures in place in our schools and IHLs, coupled with a system of rapid contact tracing. We have also improved capabilities to detect community cases quickly through our expanded testing regime and are exploring the monitoring of wastewater in student hostels. With these conditions in place, we are now studying ways to resume more in-person activities safely in our schools and IHLs, as the Member has suggested. These activities, together with the resumption of a wider range of CCAs and other activities, are important because we must strive to provide our students with a holistic educational experience, while keeping risks to a manageable level.[+1 sentence] MOE is working through the details and will share more in due course.
Measures to Ease Singapore into Further Reopening after COVID-19 Circuit Breaker›Oral Answers to Questions11 turns · 2,079w
· 16 highlighted
oral-answer-2275
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo31 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health with the low number of community cases for COVID-19, what can be expected on further easing of measures for Singapore and when can this be done.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis36 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health whether the Government has completed its review of work-from-home arrangements and where does Singapore stand in the Government's risk assessment in determining when to move into Phase 3 of Singapore's reopening.
The Minister for Health (Mr Gan Kim Yong)11 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, may I take Question Nos 2 and 3 together?
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Mr Gan Kim Yong788 words
[+9 sentences]Thank you. Sir, when Singapore exited the circuit breaker period in June 2020, the Multi-Ministry Task Force or MTF set out a Three-phase Plan to resume economic and social activities. Since then, we have progressed from Phase One to Phase Two. We have learned important lessons from other countries in easing precautionary measures for COVID-19. For example, when restrictions are lifted prematurely, or too hastily, a resurgence of cases may occur, resulting in the need to partially reimpose these restrictions. On the other hand, it is not sustainable to maintain tight restrictions for a prolonged period which will severely impact not only our economy, but also our lives. Therefore, we have taken a carefully calibrated approach in opening up our society and economy as we work towards Phase Three. This is complemented by close monitoring, extensive testing and comprehensive contact tracing to keep the situation under control, as we balance the protection of lives and livelihoods. We have made significant moves towards restoring economic and social activities. From 28 September 2020, we allowed more employees who have been working from home to return to their workplaces, which Mr Louis Chua had asked about. However, we need to continue to keep our workplaces safe and minimise crowding. Therefore, such employees should still continue to work from home for at least half their working time and there should be no more than 50% of such employees at the workplace at any point in time.[+3 sentences] Work-related events, including conferences, seminars and meetings, have also been allowed to resume, albeit within a 50-person cap for these activities to reduce the risk of transmission. Other safe management measures should continue to be observed at workplaces. We have also taken steps to support the resumption of a few very targeted and specific areas. We recognise the importance of key life events such as weddings and the importance of religious activities and worship to our spiritual needs. Therefore, we have allowed greater numbers of up to 100 persons to attend each of these events, in multiple zones or time slots of at most 50 persons each to limit potential risk exposure.[+14 sentences] Earlier, we had also allowed the resumption of physical exercise classes in common community spaces, and allowed an increase in capacity for cinemas and leisure attractions such as the Zoo and Bird Park. Museums and libraries have also reopened. We are piloting live performances to prepare us to eventually be able to resume such activities safely. Ms Jessica Tan has asked what can be expected on further easing of measures going forward and when this can be done; and I understand Ms Foo Mee Har1 would like to know whether the social and dining group size limit of five persons will be reviewed. All these are very important questions that we ask ourselves constantly. Sir, if all of us continue to work together and keep our guard up even as more activities resume, we will be able to keep the pandemic under control and progress towards further opening up our economy and society steadily. For instance, we could allow for general group sizes larger than five, so that larger families or groups of friends could meet and have meals together. We are particularly concerned about dining as we need to remove our masks so as to eat and drink, but we tend to also talk at the same time. The risk is considerably higher than activities which we can keep our masks on and maintain a safe distance. We have begun pilots of events and activities with a larger number of attendees, such as trade exhibitions, conferences and religious worship to assess whether we can maintain effective precautions and safe distancing measures. If these pilots are successful, we will be able to use the lessons learnt to allow more large-scale events to proceed. We will also continue to facilitate further opening up for overseas travel in a safe and calibrated manner, which Minister Ong Ye Kung will talk about later in greater detail later. The low number of community cases currently is not accidental but has come about due to our collective hard work and sacrifices. Even as we move towards Phase Three, the new normal will be different from what we were used to in the pre-COVID days. The MTF is working on a road map towards Phase Three and we will share more details when we are ready in the coming weeks.[+1 sentence] As overseas travel restrictions are progressively eased and more activities resume, it has become even more critical that each of us plays our part to exercise social responsibility and adhere to the safe management measures, in order to keep our family and friends safe as we progress towards Phase Three.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon)109 words
[+6 sentences]Thank you, Sir. I thank the Minister for the response. I note that we are now at about 50% of our work-from-home policy, but I think Minister Lawrence Wong originally said that we should embrace working from home even after the circuit breaker ends. So, can I just check whether the Government still stands by that statement? Second, I think working from home has allowed more fathers to play an active role in child care-giving duties. I am just wondering whether the Government has studies or will be studying whether our work-from-home policies can contribute towards levelling the child care-giving duties at home and hence, tackling this gender stereotype?
Mr Gan Kim Yong397 words
[+3 sentences]I thank the Member. Let me answer the first question. Working from home will continue to be default, but we do accept and acknowledge that there are challenges both from the employers as well as from the employees' perspective. Some employees' homes may not be conducive for working from home. Therefore, we made some arrangements and provided flexibility to allow the employers and the employees to work out better, more flexible arrangements, but subject to the criteria that I have just mentioned – no more than 50% of all employees who are working from home today, can go back to the office; and for those who are working from home today, not more than half of their time should be spent in the workplace; and they should still continue to work from home if they can.[+7 sentences] It is a flexible arrangement; we want to provide some flexibility for the workers and the employers. We also recognise that some employers do need to consult their employees, they still need to have face-to-face interactions and meetings. This is also part of the process of team bonding and is critical among the employees. We cannot totally do away with the face-to-face, physical meetings and interactions amongst employees and employers. So, we provide some flexibility but we still encourage employers and employees to work out the arrangements and to allow employees to stay at home, work from home, as much as possible. This will help to reduce overcrowding in the workplaces and at the same time, also reduce the congestion on the roads and on public transport. These are important. As I had mentioned in my reply, even after the COVID-19 pandemic is over, whenever that happens, we will continue to encourage this flexible working arrangement.[+4 sentences] Through this period of COVID-19, we have found that working from home has a lot of advantages, like Mr Louis Ng has mentioned. You can spend more time with your family and fathers can also play a bigger role in the family setting. But this is a separate issue on family matters, which is probably more appropriate for the Member to file a separate Parliamentary Question (PQ) addressed to MSF, rather than for MOH to respond specifically. But generally, we will continue to encourage working from home and we will continue to provide flexibility to allow flexible work arrangements between the employer and the employees.
Mr Speaker17 words
[+2 sentences]A reminder to Members to keep the supplementary questions relevant to the PQs, please. Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang)182 words
[+4 sentences]I thank the Minister for the detailed explanation. Specific to the roadmap that Minister had mentioned that he would be sharing over the next couple weeks, may I ask, firstly, if there will be additional parameters or guidance given to businesses and individuals such that they will be able to make their planning in advance? For example, earlier, we allowed up to 50% of the employees to work from the office, but I think that was only given five days in advance of the 28 September date. The other matter is in relation to my question on the Government's risk assessment. One specific measure would be relating to the DORSCON status. I note that we have been in DORSCON Orange since 7 February earlier this year, and remain in DORSCON Orange today, even though the number of cases has gone from about more than 1,000 a day, to right now, less than 10. Is that something which the Government will review in order to provide us with a more handy reference guide in terms of where we stand in the risk assessment?
Mr Gan Kim Yong503 words
[+3 sentences]I thank the Member. This is a very important question. So, I thank him for the opportunity to explain and elaborate. For employment practices, we are working very closely with MOM and MTI to engage the various stakeholders.[+13 sentences] Because different sectors will have different challenges and we are working through these challenges with them. You would have noticed that for some of the announcements, the notice period is very short, basically because there is really no need to meet any deadline. For example, when you allow workers to go back to work – you can start on Monday, you can start next week, you can start next month. It is not a requirement that you must get them to go back to work and therefore, there is really no need for a lead time to prepare. You can take as long as you need to prepare yourselves, to discuss with your employees how to introduce this flexible arrangement. So, it is an on-going process. In fact, many of the measures, you would notice, we do not accumulate them into a big package and then announce them at once, so that there are many changes at one go. We work with the sector leads to discuss how to help them, how to solve some of the challenges. As and when these issues are addressed and solved, we move ahead. Some of them may not even require a specific public announcement because it may be very sector-specific and so we would just discuss with the sector. When we come to some common understanding to make sure that safe management measures can be put in place, and we proceed with it. So, these are differentiated approaches that we have adopted. With regard to the DORSCON level, we have to always bear in mind that, as I have mentioned before, DORSCON level is not just determined by the number of cases alone. At this moment, particularly, we have to be very mindful that while the number of cases in Singapore is low, the cases around us, in other parts of the world, are still rising.[+1 sentence] Therefore, we cannot let our guards down. I will continue to maintain DORSCON Orange for the time being until we are quite confident that the global situation is under control.[+5 sentences] As I had mentioned in my reply, we will be opening up our borders. We will need to continue to encourage more travels because Singapore is a hub city. So, we need to ensure that our travel hub and business hub status do not get undermined. I should not go into too much detail on this because Minister Ong Ye Kung is all ready to speak on this. I will leave it to him to elaborate. Suffice to say that until the world is safe, we will not be safe.[+1 sentence] Therefore, we have to continue to maintain the DORSCON level and to keep our guards up, so that we can continue to keep the number of cases low, especially in the community.
Updates on Matters Arising from High Court Judgment in Former Foreign Domestic Worker Parti Liyani's Case›Oral Answers to Questions25 turns · 1,060w
· 8 highlighted
oral-answer-2276
Mr Murali Pillai49 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs following the judgment of the High Court in Parti Liyani v PP SGHC 187, what steps will be taken by the different agencies to identify why the issues identified in the judgment occurred and how these issues will be addressed in future.
Dr Tan Wu Meng43 words
asked the Minister for Home Affairs in respect of the High Court judgment in Parti Liyani v PP SGHC 187, what are the agencies' findings on what is assessed to have gone wrong and what will be done to address the findings.
Dr Tan Wu Meng65 words
asked the Minister for Home Affairs over the last five years (a) what percentage of cases of theft as an employee has a foreign domestic worker been the accused; (b) what proportion of the above has (i) been charged in Court (ii) proceeded to trial (iii) been convicted and (iv) been acquitted respectively; and (c) what proportion of each subgroup above has had legal representation.
Mr Vikram Nair32 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether there are any updates on its internal reviews of what happened in Ms Parti Liyani's case, and in particular the police's handling of the matter.
Mr Leong Mun Wai45 words
asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether he will appoint a committee of inquiry consisting of members not affiliated to the Government to conduct a public inquiry into the conduct of the Singapore Police Force and Attorney-General's Chambers with regard to Ms Parti Liyani's case.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang35 words
asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will consider allowing foreign domestic workers and other work permit holders to be accompanied by non-legal personnel in Police interviews, similar to the Appropriate Adult Scheme.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa33 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs what has gone wrong in the chain of events related to the case of Ms Parti Liyani and what are the findings and outcomes of the review.
Mr Derrick Goh46 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs what are the root causes that led to the procedural lapses on the part of the Police in Parti Liyani v PP SGHC 187 and whether there are sufficient procedural safeguards and supervisory review and oversight of Police investigations.
Mr Vikram Nair35 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Law whether there are any updates on the Ministry's internal reviews of what happened in Ms Parti Liyani's case and in particular the handling of the matter by the Attorney-General's Chambers.
Mr Leong Mun Wai85 words
asked the Minister for Law in light of the Parti Liyani case (a) whether an expedited trial process can be created for economically vulnerable foreign accused persons; (b) whether the honorarium for volunteer lawyers under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme can be increased to signify their contributions; (c) whether an Office of Public Defender can be created to provide legal assistance to accused persons in Singapore; and (d) whether there are any steps being taken to strengthen the interpreter service in the Singapore Police Force.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim56 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Law whether the Government will consider providing direct legal aid to vulnerable persons or those with lesser financial means who are charged with criminal offences, in light of concerns raised about access to justice and adequate legal representation for such persons, following the case of Parti Liyani v PP SGHC 187.
Mr Lim Biow Chuan31 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Law how many State Court judges have previously worked as prosecutors in the Attorney-General's Chambers and whether the Ministry will review the policy of separation of duties.
Mr Derrick Goh50 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Law with regard to the case of Parti Liyani v PP SGHC 187 where gaps in the prosecution's case have been noted, what are the procedures and supervisory oversight in place at the Attorney-General's Chambers in the assessment of evidence throughout the process of prosecution.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Mr Desmond Tan) (on behalf of the Minister for Home Affairs and Law)37 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, may I seek your permission to take Question Nos 4 to 11, on behalf of the Minister for Home Affairs and Question Nos 12 to 16 on behalf of the Minister for Law together, please.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Please proceed.
Mr Desmond Tan58 words
The agencies have considered the High Court judgment and are conducting reviews.[+1 sentence] These reviews are still in progress. As indicated by the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law, a Ministerial Statement will be made to address the questions raised by Members after the reviews are completed. This is expected to be done at the November sitting.
Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok)84 words
[+2 sentences]If I may, Sir, I would like to ask the hon Minister of State, in relation to the scope of the review by the relevant agencies, what exactly is the scope of the review, and in particular, whether the subject matter of the Parliamentary Questions (PQs) in Question Nos 4 to 16 in the Order Paper, and the implications of the judgment as set out in these questions, would be covered in the review. And I have two further supplementary questions, Mr Speaker, Sir.
Mr Speaker16 words
[+1 sentence]Can you keep the supplementary questions in two, as I had mentioned at the last sitting?
Mr Murali Pillai101 words
[+3 sentences]Yes, Sir. In relation to the issue about the disciplinary proceedings that has been commenced by Ms Parti Liyani – this was something that happened subsequent to the filing of my PQ. So, if it carries on, I wonder whether the hon Minister anticipates that he would be in a position to deal with the case and make the Statement in November 2020, if there is a prospect that leave be given for disciplinary proceedings to carry on which as the hon Minister would know, would involve the Court, and there could be a notion of sub judice in those circumstances.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Shanmugam.
The Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law (Mr K Shanmugam)78 words
[+2 sentences]Sir, as regard to the questions and whether we will cover them, I will hope to cover the questions that have been raised and if I have not covered any particular part, Members can further ask some clarifications. On the disciplinary proceedings, no decision has been made by the Court, and I prefer to wait until the Court has heard and decided the matter, which is, I think, in a week or so, before I comment on it.
Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member)44 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister for Home Affairs that given the errors which have occurred at every level of the criminal justice system, is the independent review going to be considered within his Ministerial Statement to be delivered in November?
Mr K Shanmugam26 words
[+1 sentence]Sir, as I have indicated, let me finish the reviews, deal with that, present an account in Parliament, and then Mr Leong can ask his questions.
Mr Leong Mun Wai3 words
[+1 sentence]Thank you, Minister.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Yeo Wan Ling.
Considerations for Punitive Actions against Employer of Former Foreign Domestic Worker Parti Liyani for Illegal Deployment›Oral Answers to Questions10 turns · 758w
· 8 highlighted
oral-answer-2277
Ms Yeo Wan Ling45 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the considerations behind the Ministry's punitive actions against the employer for the illegal deployment of Ms Parti Liyani as a foreign domestic worker; and (b) whether the actions taken are consistent with similar cases in the past.
The Minister of State for Manpower (Ms Gan Siow Huang) (for the Minister for Manpower)217 words
In determining punitive actions for illegal deployment, MOM's key considerations are the degree to which the well-being of the foreign domestic worker has been compromised, and the extent of the illegal deployment.[+1 sentence] Ms Parti Liyani's case of illegal deployment was handled by MOM in accordance with these considerations. At the conclusion of MOM's investigations in May 2018, in consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers or AGC, the Ministry took no further action against Mr Liew. A Caution was issued to Mrs Liew and an Advisory Notice to Mr Karl Liew.[+1 sentence] The actions taken against the three individuals were in line with actions taken by the Ministry against similar cases in the past. From 2017 to 2019, there was an average of 550 complaints of illegal deployment of foreign domestic workers each year. Of these, MOM took actions against an average of 155 employers per year for illegally deploying their foreign domestic workers.[+1 sentence] About 60 of them were issued with an Advisory Notice; 80 were issued with a Caution. On average, 16 employers were issued with financial penalties each year, ranging from $3,300 to $24,000. There is a review on-going for this particular case regarding Ms Parti Liyani's illegal deployment arising from the High Court's observations.[+1 sentence] MOM will give an update when the review is completed in due course.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol)105 words
[+5 sentences]I thank the Minister of State for her response. Mr Speaker, Sir, I declare that I am the Director with the NTUC ARU unit. Usually, an employment agreement ties an employer with an employee legally. So, in this case, I understand that for Ms Parti Liyani, warning letters were issued to Mrs Liew as well as to Mr Karl Liew who were not her employers. So, in this case, may I ask if the MOM will be reviewing this and to see if the MOM would also be responding to why the letters were actually written to Mrs Liew as well as Mr Karl Liew?
Ms Gan Siow Huang74 words
In light of the particular vulnerability of foreign domestic workers, we will review our punishment framework and action will be taken against employers in similar illegal deployment cases, regardless of whether they are aware of the illegal deployment.[+1 sentence] This is to remind the employers that they are ultimately accountable for their foreign domestic workers and should take steps to ensure that their households' deployment of the foreign domestic workers do not contravene the law.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon)95 words
[+5 sentences]Thank you, Sir. I thank the Minister of State for the reply as well. I understand that the foreign domestic workers or FDWs can be deployed outside their registered address if they are looking after the young children and the senior parents or the elderly parents of the employers. Could I ask whether moving forward, MOM can require a documented consent from the FDW if they are going to be deployed outside the registered address? That way, I think it can sort of resolve some of the disputes that have been raised at MOM level.
Ms Gan Siow Huang96 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Speaker, I thank the hon Member for the question. The answer is yes. Currently, employers are required to notify MOM, if they intend to deploy their foreign domestic workers to an address that is different from what is stated in the work permit, particularly if they require the foreign domestic worker to take care of their charges such as young children or the elderly at a relative's home. We are considering ways to enable the employer to be able to notify MOM more effectively so that we can track and approve such cases more consistently.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Derrick Goh.
Mr Derrick Goh (Nee Soon)56 words
[+3 sentences]Sir, I have a question for Minister of State Gan. She mentioned earlier that the review of the cases was such that there was a Caution and Advisory that was issued by MOM that was in line with other similar cases in the past. Can Minister of State Gan clarify the reason for the additional review?
Ms Gan Siow Huang64 words
[+2 sentences]MOM's actions against Mr Liew's family were based on the information available to our investigation officer during the period of the investigation from October 2017 to January 2018. We all know arising from the High Court proceedings, there were observations made and there is a requirement for MOM to take into consideration the additional information provided to us, and hence, the review is on-going.
Measures to Protect Bus Drivers and Public Transport Service Staff›Oral Answers to Questions8 turns · 1,054w
· 10 highlighted
oral-answer-2278
Mr Saktiandi Supaat83 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport in light of the recent incident of an SBS bus driver being abused (a) what more can the Ministry do to protect our bus captains and transport service staff; (b) how can high-risk passenger management procedures be enhanced; (c) whether a public awareness campaign directed at passengers to encourage respect for bus drivers and to outline expected behaviours while travelling on public transport can be explored; and (d) whether a code of conduct for passengers can be developed.
The Senior Minister of State for Transport (Mr Chee Hong Tat) (for the Minister for Transport)377 words
[+7 sentences]Mr Speaker, bus captains are called "captains" for a reason. They are in charge of the bus and ensure the safety of commuters throughout their journeys. In today's context, this includes ensuring commuters wear masks, so that public transport does not become a transmission setting. Sir, I am very concerned about the recent cases of commuters verbally or physically abusing bus captains. The actions are wrong and unacceptable. I think people all know that, and it is not a matter of writing down a code of conduct. What we need is to take a clear stand. The Government, unions, public transport operators, and I would say the great majority of Singaporeans, we stand united in taking a zero-tolerance approach towards such abusive behaviours.[+1 sentence] The large majority of commuters treat our public transport workers and other commuters with courtesy and respect. For the small number who think they can behave badly and get away with it, let me be clear – if you abuse our public transport workers, whether verbally or physically, be prepared to face the full consequences under the law. LTA will work with the unions and public transport operators to remind commuters of the serious consequences of abusing public transport workers and to raise awareness on the responsibilities of commuters on public transport.[+8 sentences] Commuters too can play a part when such incidents happen. For the recent case where a bus captain was attacked by a commuter who refused to wear his mask properly, three good Samaritans helped to restrain the assailant before the Police arrived. I met two of them, Mr Clement Tan and Mr Muhammad Mu’tasim. Mr Melvin Yong was there too at the recent event; he was representing the National Transport Workers' Union. Mr Tan was a commando during his National Service and Mr Mu’tasim served his National Service as a Police officer. We applaud them for their courage to step forward and do the right thing. The best way to protect our bus captains and recognise their contributions is to have the right societal culture, one that is based on respect for our frontline workers. Let us continue to support our public transport workers, so that they can work in a safe environment and provide an essential service to keep Singapore going.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Saktiandi Supaat.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh)172 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, I thank the Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat for answering my question. I have one supplementary question. With regard to his zero-tolerance approach to the issue, I am reassured that LTA and MOT will take this zero-tolerance approach very strongly against commuters who get offensive against the bus captains. My question is: will LTA or MOT be willing to explore doing reviews just like what was done by the state of Queensland, Australia, for example, where they did an Improving Bus Drivers' Safety Review in 2018? They came up with a few measures introduced in 2018, including anti-shatter films, driver barriers and also a release of a code of conduct for passengers in the middle of 2018.[+3 sentences] They also ran a public awareness campaign from June to December 2018. So, my question is whether LTA or MOT will be willing to explore such a review and encourage best practices between our multiple bus operators? Because, after all, a bus driver who feels safe means all passengers are safe.
Mr Chee Hong Tat112 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Speaker, I thank the hon Member for his supplementary question. I welcome his question. The zero-tolerance approach that we take is towards abusive behaviours by a small number of commuters. Mr Saktiandi has touched on a very important point, which is that this requires the collective effort of Government, operators, unions and I will add commuters too. All of us as stakeholders in this public transport system can play our role. For the on-going review that we are conducting with the operators and the unions, I would welcome further suggestions on what are some of the specific measures we can put in place to offer greater protection to our frontline workers.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Melvin Yong.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas)135 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply and his assurance that the Government takes a serious view on abuse cases against our public transport workers while on duty. I declare myself as the Executive Secretary of the National Transport Workers' Union. The Union is currently working with the respective public transport operators to resume trials on installing a protective shield on our public buses. Since the Senior Minister of State asked what other suggestions we may have, we aim to address the feedback and shortcoming surfaced in a previous trial in 2018, which the LTA was involved.[+1 sentence] I would like to ask if the LTA will support scaling the installation of such protective shields across all our public buses should the current trial find a suitable model to do so?
Mr Chee Hong Tat169 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank Mr Melvin Yong. This suggestion from the unions is currently being discussed with the operators.[+3 sentences] We would also take feedback from our bus captains because they are the ones who will be using this. When this safeguard is in place, they will be the ones who are going to use it daily. I think an important consideration when we ask the bus captains for their feedback, will be to ensure that the installation of these protective shields will not interfere with the safety when they are driving the buses. I think that is a very key consideration. We will also get their feedback, because I think previously the trials showed that when you put some of these protective shields in place, there was a bit of glare that affected the drivers, the bus captains.[+1 sentence] So, we will also have to look at that because, ultimately, this is for both the protection and safety of the bus captains and also for the safety of commuters.
Update on Next-generation ERP System›Oral Answers to Questions17 turns · 3,025w
· 18 highlighted
oral-answer-2279
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye50 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the next-generation ERP system allows for developers to create third-party applications; (b) whether the design of the on-board unit (OBU) be further streamlined for motorcyclists; and (c) whether the majority of the OBU's functions can be replaced by a smartphone in the future.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat78 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the next-generation electronic road pricing (ERP) system is an open-source app-based device; (b) how will LTA allocate slots for installation of on-board units (OBU) to minimise queueing; (c) whether there is any replacement cost should the OBU get faulty after usage; and (d) in light of safety concerns about how the OBU's screen may be distracting to drivers, whether there can be an option to dim or turn off the display.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong67 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether LTA will reduce the size and improve the design of the on-board units (OBUs) for all classes of vehicles for the next-generation ERP system to ensure safe use, avoid distraction to motorists and better interfacing with the vehicular dashboards and systems; and (b) whether LTA will assure Singaporeans that the price of the OBUs will be kept low and affordable.
The Senior Minister of State for Transport (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) (for the Minister for Transport)12 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, Sir, may I take Question Nos 19 to 21 together?
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan265 words
[+6 sentences]Thank you, Sir. Sir, Members have raised a few questions commonly asked by the public on the next-generation Electronic Road Pricing, or nexgen ERP system. Let me assure Members that in designing the system, LTA has carefully thought through these issues. The first question is why not process ERP payments using our smartphones? After all, we use it to pay all kinds of transactions, including charges at HDB and URA carparks. Technically, while this can be done, there will be many security and operational issues. LTA consulted an inter-agency committee including the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, who advised that the core charging transactions and ERP data must be safely and securely processed with high assurance. The on-board units or OBUs, which is an integral part of the ERP system, have been designed to uphold the necessary protection for such purpose, and the security features are superior to that of a mobile phone.[+3 sentences] Hence, to better protect the system which contains the data of all motorists, we adopted the OBUs. There are also operational issues. Motorists need to remember to bring their smartphones, ensure it is sufficiently charged, is connected to the cellular network and the ERP payment app is launched throughout the journey. There will bound to be numerous unintended failed transactions and inconveniences caused. Hence, LTA concluded that it is better to process payments through a dedicated and integrated OBU, similar to today’s in-vehicle unit or IU.[+2 sentences] The second question is about the design of the OBU. Sir, at this juncture, may I have your permission to show the OBU and IU units.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan750 words
[+29 sentences]Thank you, Sir. So, if you compare, the OBU for motorcycles is only slightly larger than the current IU. The dimensions: for the current OBU is 14 cm x 8 cm x 5 cm versus the current IU which is 13 cm x 8 cm x 4 cm; so 1 cm difference. But I concede it may look a little bulky because of the larger screen – but it is actually good for people like me. As for the OBUs for other vehicles, unlike for motorcycles, the processing unit will be installed below the dashboard and separated from the display unit on the screen. So, this is the processing unit but it is not going to be on your windscreen. It is actually going to be below the dashboard and it depends on the vehicle model where it will be put, but it will be out of sight. This is the processing unit and you can see that it has got ventilation, because it is actually a little CPU. The processing unit is separated from the display screen and the antenna – this is necessary because the OBU uses Global Navigation Satellite Technology and is, like I said, really a little computer. There will be safety and reliability issues to leave the processing unit on the dashboard when vehicles with enclosed spaces are parked under the hot sun, similar to how we will not expose our smartphones that same way. The OBU display unit will be mounted on the windscreen, and, actually, it is only slightly larger than the current IU. So, if Members look at this, it is about 3 cm longer but thinner. The current IU is 12 cm x 8 cm x 3 cm versus the OBU's display screen which is 15 cm x 8 cm x 2 cm. We are currently consulting the workshops and authorised motor vehicle agents on how best to install this display unit. The antenna is actually very small, so it will be on the windscreen, where your current IU is. But we are looking at how to best install the OBU so that the display unit can be installed in cars such that the blockage of the windscreen is minimal. Actually, this thing can be folded in, so that you will not see it if you do not want to see it. They are looking at how to do this better. As to what information to show on the display unit, indeed, we will look at how to make sure that whatever information is shown and the way it is shown, it will not be distracting and it will not affect safety. LTA intends to present a few options to gather public feedback. For example, the display can be kept black most of the time, and only display ERP charges paid when a transaction is effected. As a possible future upgrade, LTA is also studying whether information from the OBU can be pushed to our smartphones, then the smartphones can be used as the display screen instead. Ms He Ting Ru1 has asked a question for the next Sitting on whether public consultation was done on the design – and we thought it is better we answer the question today. Where possible, our practice is to consult the public, but in this case, LTA faces some practical constraints. This is a first-of-a-kind project – there is no similar system anywhere else in the world. LTA sought proposals through an international tender. Several designs were submitted, and LTA has to select the best from the point of view of performance, design and value-for-money. But after awarding the tender, LTA is contractually bound. It could have specified that the winning tenderer has to conduct a major public consultation exercise and make significant changes to the design to take in public feedback, but that will add significant uncertainty which will delay the project and push up the tender prices. The first OBU will be free of charge for existing Singapore-registered vehicles. For new vehicles, the OBU would already be installed in the vehicle and form part of the overall cost of purchasing a new vehicle, as is the case with the IUs today. The pricing of OBU is still under consideration and LTA will release more details later including the warranty period of OBUs and information of the installation exercise. In allocating the slots for installation, we will ensure that there are sufficient installation points and give motorists ample notice to make their booking.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Miss Cheryl Chan.
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling (East Coast)129 words
[+5 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have two supplementary questions for Senior Minister of State Khor. The first one is, if the concern is around the data protection, because today, under the OneMotoring.sg, all the details about every driver's particulars as well as the vehicle particulars are already available. Can we consider using the legal framework or data protection framework so that there is no concern in terms of information leakage. The second supplementary question that I have is, because eventually there is a consideration, as Senior Minister of State had pointed out, to push this into the smartphone app, can we bring forward this implementation to make sure that we do not have to put on an additional gadgets on the dashboard or any part of the car frames.
Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan426 words
[+2 sentences]I want to thank the Member for the two supplementary questions. Firstly, with regards to data integrity, data security and protection, indeed, she is right to say that, for the ERP backend system, we will have data to more than some one million or so motorists – specific data. What we are doing is that the core charging function can only be done through the OBU, no third-party apps, not done through the mobile phone, simply because of security reasons and data security as well as reliability.[+8 sentences] The OBU interfaces, or speaks directly, to the backend ERP system and is able to access this. We do not allow third-party apps or mobile phones to do the core charging function because there may be a compromise on the data – leakage, as well as the fact that there could be hacking, spoofing of the location and you can have fraudulent charging. For a system like that, you would want to maintain confidence in the system for our motorists as well as the fact that motorists must be confident that the vehicles' specific data will not be leaked. That is the reason why this is done. With regards to the second question about whether we can actually bring forward the timeline to look into whether we can allow data to be pushed one way, from the OBU to mobile phone and therefore, allow the mobile phone to replace the OBU display screen. What we want to do is to ensure a smooth implementation of the next-generation ERP system. The current ERP system is already more than 20 years old, it is reaching its end of its operational life and, in fact, is increasingly difficult and actually very expensive to maintain. Some of the parts are not going to be manufactured anymore. So, there is an urgency, a need to implement the nexgen ERP. We have already announced the timeline, starting from next year, for 18 months to do the installation.[+5 sentences] So, what we want, is to ensure a smooth installation of the nexgen ERP. To do this, the display unit will be a standard issue. We also need time to work with the contractors and the consultants to come up with the programme to be able to push OBU's specific data to the mobile app. And we will do it to the mobile phone third-party apps via bluetooth. What it means is that, motorists also have to give specific permissions for this to be done, they can then opt to use this mobile phone as the display screen.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Melvin Yong.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas)277 words
[+9 sentences]Mr Speaker, I thank the Senior Minister of State for her reply or rather her show and tell. I have two supplementary questions. My first question is about the upcoming industry consultations that the LTA has planned, I would like to ask, what is the scope of this consultation and if the LTA is still open to doing a public consultation on the design of the onboard unit – perhaps for future considerations. Like my fellow colleague, Miss Cheryl Chan have said, a lot of vehicles today already have display panels in the vehicle, can we then find a way to connect the OBU with the display that is already in existence in the vehicle. The second question I have pertains to the costs of embarking on a re-design of the OBU. In June 2019, when there was an online incident of a supposed design leak, LTA then had responded to state that the pictures were just illustrations used for an earlier study back in 2016. On 17 June last year, LTA stated through a Facebook post that the agency was still testing the equipment for the new ERP system, which has not been finalised. However, we also understand from Senior Minister of State's reply today that the LTA is contractually bound to the current OBU design after the tender award and any design changes would have cost implication. Therefore, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State, what is the cost of re-designing the OBU at this current stage of the ERP contract and whether it would be more cost-effective to streamline the design now rather than embark on a redesign in the future.
Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan485 words
[+6 sentences]I want to thank the Member for his questions. I think it is useful to clarify these. Firstly, is with regard to what stage we are at, in terms of public consultation, which we said we will be doing for the installation of the display unit. Let me share that we have started consulting the workshops as well as the authorised motor vehicle agents to look at the installation, how best to do it, to take into account public feedback we have received, with regard for instance, the screen, you know, blocking the road view of the motorists; with regard to it being, you know, quite bulky and so on. So, this is what we are doing, we need time to work this out with the workshops, as well as the authorised motor vehicle agent, simply because there are so many different designs, make or models of motor vehicles. So, once we have done this, we will share more details on our public consultation with respect to the installation of the display unit. With regards to changing the OBU design at this stage, well, the fact is as the Member had said, we are contractually bound, so, any significant changes to the design of the OBU, will of course incur cost.[+10 sentences] Cost is actually subjected to negotiation. But having said that, we are open to taking feedback from the public, which we have done and we are going to do. One of the things we will do, is with regards to the Graphical User Interface or GUI, what to put on the display screen. LTA, taking into account public feedback, will come up with a few options. Then, we will go out to do a public consultation again, to determine, you know, what are the important information to display with regards to driver safety, distractions and so on and so forth. So, that will be done. In addition, we will see, as much feedback as possible, we will take into account within the bounds of our contractual obligations as well as the fact that you have to consider for instance, impact on the project timeline, technical viability is another other one, and of course safety requirements. So, the other one which we are doing and which we have taken feedback on, is of course with regard to the use of the mobile phone as a display screen. So, this is something that we are studying and we are looking to push this out. The Member Miss Cheryl Chan had asked if we do it as early as possible. As I have said, we want a smooth implementation of the nexgen ERP, let the system stabilise, we will look at this and then when it is possible, we will be able to offer it to the motorists and they can replace their display units.[+1 sentence] For new car owners, they can actually opt for that, in future.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms He Ting Ru.
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang)142 words
[+1 sentence]I thank the Minister of State for her answers to the questions. One supplementary question I would like to ask is basically, the tender was awarded in 2016 as we understand.[+4 sentences] That was four years ago, technology moves very quickly these days. So, I am just wondering what were the tender specifications that basically resulted in us being bound by the design that we committed to four years ago, rather than allowing for flexibility to update that as and when we went along? And whether we will consider this in future tenders and future calls for tender to allow us to have greater flexibility given that technology moves really quickly? And that, we do not inadvertently as in this case, end up incurring costs if we need to change the design as and when with public consultation and when technology moves along.
Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan330 words
[+7 sentences]Let me thank the Member for her additional supplementary question on this issue again. I do not have the details of the contract, obviously, but I would think that, as with all contracts, there will always be certain specifications that have to be put out. Otherwise, people cannot tender and you need to give contractors or tenderers some amount of certainty. But within those limits, I am pretty sure and I understand that there is room for some consultation. And in fact, they have done this. As the Member said it was in 2016 that the contract was awarded, it was early 2016. The tender was called in 2014. [restates an earlier point]As I have said it is a first-of-its-kind project, it is an international tender and there is no reference point so we did take a bit of time to look through the various tenders and proposals before we awarded it.[+2 sentences] Within that time frame, we had consulted and the contractors themselves have also done some internal consultations as well as even engage, for instance, NTU, to do a study, a human factor study on the GUI features – what to display and so on. I understand that they even had a driver trial experiments to look at the safety of the GUI features. We have also got an inter-Ministry committee that we consulted as I have shared earlier. And in fact, we also did two independent reviews on the features, the security features of the OBU. That is the reason why we have adopted what we have recently shared – that the OBU integrated with the ERP backend system and no third-party apps or use of mobile phone for the core charging functions.[+2 sentences] So, indeed, we are mindful that we have to take into account technology improvements and advancements which the contractors would have to do it. But understanding that this is a very, very significant and large project, I think Members will also appreciate why the timeline is actually stretched.
Investigation into Possible Subletting of JTC Premises to 26,000 Business Entities Without JTC's Approval›Oral Answers to Questions4 turns · 866w
· 10 highlighted
oral-answer-2280
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis64 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Trade and Industry with regard to the Report of the Auditor-General, wherein it stated that test checks found that JTC premises may have been sublet to about 26,000 business entities without JTC's approval (a) whether JTC has completed investigations into all identified business entities and confirmed cases; and (b) what are the penalties imposed on affected tenants, lessees and sub-lessees.
The Second Minister for Trade and Industry (Dr Tan See Leng) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry)330 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the hon Member of Parliament Mr Louis Chua for his question. The Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) had, in its 2020 Report, identified 26,000 instances of potential unauthorised subletting because 26,000 business entities had indicated JTC premises as their registered addresses even though they were not JTC’s lessees, tenants or authorised sublessees. JTC is investigating the entities highlighted by AGO. So far, JTC has found that 1,900 of them are deregistered entities and 700 of them are on divested properties where JTC’s subletting policies do not apply.[+2 sentences] There are another 12,400 related entities of JTC lessees and tenants. For these 12,400 related entities, even if there was subletting of space, there would not have been any potential loss of revenue as the subletting fees would not have applied. Together, if we add them all up, these 15,000 entities account for around 60% of all the entities that AGO has highlighted. For the remaining 40% of the entities – there are about 11,000 of them – JTC has now prioritised investigations for them.[+2 sentences] Based on preliminary investigations, JTC has found that a significant number of them are using JTC premises as their registered address even though they are not physically operating out of the premises. Again, since they are not operating out of these premises, these cases do not involve any unauthorised subletting of space. To date, JTC has confirmed around 400 cases of unauthorised subletting. JTC will continue and will complete its investigations by the first half of 2021.[+2 sentences] JTC is strengthening its processes as well as its inspection regime and it will make use of data analytics to better detect and reduce future incidences of unauthorised subletting. It will take enforcement action against lessees or tenants for confirmed cases of unauthorised subletting. Depending on the severity and circumstances of the breach, enforcement actions will range from financial measures to recover the sublet fees owing to JTC, to legal action to repossess the site from recalcitrant occupants.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang)125 words
[+6 sentences]I thank the Second Minister for his response. I have two follow-up questions, the first of which is in relation to the 400 cases thus far identified. In terms of these cases, what would the penalties be and what would have been the loss in the sublet fees that JTC would have collected. The second supplementary question is in terms of the sharpening of the analysis to improve the inspection regime, specifically with the use of data analytics which the Second Minister has affirmed. What has really changed between now and then? Since the implementation of this change, has there been more cases of unauthorised subletting that have been discovered and how would the Ministry assure the efficacy and efficiency of such a new regime?
Dr Tan See Leng347 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, as I have alluded to earlier, the 400 cases were detected as a result of fairly stringent actions undertaken by JTC. As to the extent of the sublet fees and the unauthorised part, it is still a subject of further investigations. We will take all active steps and measures to recover these fees that are owing and, in cases where clear-cut illicit subletting has been proven, we will not hesitate to take legal action to enforce it. On the part about using data analytics, indeed, in terms of the understanding of the ability to register a business address using a premise, this is one of the policies which we need to tighten and realign. Having said that, in terms of the 11,000 that we are now actively looking into, many of the measures that we are taking actually draw a fine balance between taking a proactive step towards encouraging new businesses to start up and to set up and, of course, we need to draw a fine balance between enforcing to make sure that these businesses do not think that every single one that is setting up we treat them as if they are out to game the system itself. So, to that end, the measures that we have taken are in terms of looking through the register of addresses, going into frequent and more intense inspection; in 2019, we had conducted about 1,900 inspections.[+5 sentences] But, of course, these are on a regular time basis to inspect the premises whether there is illegal subletting. Now, over and above what we had done in 2019, on top of the regular inspections, we are also going into random spot checks as well. So, the intensity of the checks, audits and inspections has also increased significantly. At this particular point in time, I am not at liberty to share what is the frequency of these checks and inspections. But suffice to say that this is at a much more focused pace and, obviously, we are going to put a lot more effort and work into tightening it.
Actions to Correct Lapses in Administration of Enterprise Development Grant›Oral Answers to Questions2 turns · 303w
· 7 highlighted
oral-answer-2281
Mr Pritam Singh82 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Trade and Industry in view of the Auditor-General's Report for FY 2019/2020 (a) how many companies have received the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) so far; (b) what action will Enterprise Singapore (ESG) undertake to ensure strict compliance to the minimum 30% local shareholding criterion for all future cases; and (c) whether ESG claws back grant monies from recipient companies as a matter of practice when there a substantial change in local shareholding before an EDG-funded project is completed.
The Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Low Yen Ling) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry)221 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, Sir, the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) is part of Enterprise Singapore’s (ESG) toolkit to help businesses grow their core capabilities, innovate and internationalise. As of September 2020, ESG has supported almost 5,000 EDG projects.[+1 sentence] In administering the grants, ESG strives to strike a balance between ensuring the robustness of the governance process and the ease with which local enterprises can apply for support. Checks are performed during the grant approval process to ensure the EDG applicants meet the minimum 30% local shareholding criterion.[+1 sentence] Thereafter, the grant conditions require all EDG recipients to inform ESG of any changes in the application information during the course of the project. If recipients are found to be in breach of the grant conditions, including the 30% local shareholding criterion, ESG will withhold or, if disbursement had been made, ESG will claw back the grant.[+1 sentence] ESG will also subject these companies to enhanced scrutiny for future applications. For the case raised in the AGO Report, no disbursement had been made to the company. The company has also been placed on ESG’s watchlist for stricter scrutiny for future grant applications. ESG agrees with AGO’s recommendation and has commenced a second round of checks on shareholding eligibility before grant disbursement. ESG is also studying the feasibility of improving such checks using tools, such as data analytics.
Effectiveness of Professional Conversion Programme›Oral Answers to Questions9 turns · 1,426w
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oral-answer-2282
Mr Pritam Singh64 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower in light of the Auditor-General's Report for FY 2019/2020, (a) whether the Ministry will be undertaking a more wide-scale review of the number of successful career conversions and Professional Conversion Programme outcomes thus far; and (b) what will be the extent of sample checks to be conducted on grant Programme Partners by Workforce Singapore or the Ministry in future.
The Minister for Manpower (Mrs Josephine Teo)545 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) provide training and salary support to employers who hire and reskill mid-career jobseekers for new PMET jobs with good prospects. WSG currently works with 30 programme partners, including Trade Associations and Chambers and Institutes of Higher Learning, to run close to 100 PCPs in about 30 sectors.[+1 sentence] A significant majority of our PCP participants have enjoyed good employment outcomes. About nine in 10 participants remained in employment 24 months after being placed and about seven in 10 earned higher wages after starting their new jobs.[+1 sentence] The Auditor-General's Office (AGO)’s audit findings do not call into question the impact of these programmes on the participants, but have highlighted issues with the practices of WSG’s programme partners and its supervision of them. In the AGO's Report for the Financial Year 2019/2020, it was highlighted that three of WSG’s programme partners did not carry out adequate verification of career conversion for 11 disbursement cases involving 15 PCP participants.[+13 sentences] There was no doubt that the training had been properly carried out but AGO noted that programme partners had not documented how the participants’ previous and current job scopes were different, which is the requirement for the training to be supported under the PCP. WSG has reviewed each of these cases and verified that all 15 participants changed their job scopes and successfully converted into new job roles through their respective PCPs. In addition, to address the AGO's concern about the adequacy of its guidelines, WSG will be developing a new PCP guide for all its programme partners by the end of the year. The document will include guidelines on how career conversion should be consistently assessed, as well as the critical information that programme partners should report to ensure better and consistent monitoring of PCP outcomes. AGO also checked 16 PCPs managed by eight programme partners and found inadequate monitoring of programme outcomes for 10 PCPs. The programme partners did not collect the complete set of performance indicators required by WSG and also had varying practices in collecting the information. WSG has since reviewed and streamlined its approach. Henceforth, programme partners will focus on the most important outcome indicators, namely, the number of placements and number of participants who completed training, both of which are straightforward to monitor and report. Beyond the cases studied by AGO, WSG, on its own, initiated a comprehensive check of over 15,000 placements for similar lapses. This is the entire universe of PCP placements since 2016. Although the review will only be fully completed this year, WSG has not uncovered further lapses or systemic anomalies thus far. Mr Speaker, ensuring good governance and outcomes for our programmes is a key priority for MOM and WSG. WSG has reiterated to all programme partners the need to adhere to the PCP administration process, including assessment of career conversion for participants, as well as the importance of close tracking and timely reporting of key programme outcome indicators. To ensure compliance with these requirements, WSG will conduct sampling checks of up to 20% of PCP placements by its programme partners on a regular basis.[+2 sentences] WSG remains committed to working closely with its programme partners to ensure sound governance and effectiveness of PCPs. It will also continue to strengthen its supervision over them.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied)201 words
[+11 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for the reply to my Parliamentary Question. The PCP programme, as carried out under WSG, is a critical one to ensure that Singaporeans, especially PMETs, get into good jobs, and to that end, I think all of us have a deep interest in the programmes' success. I would like to focus on one of the observations of the AGO which is at page 63 of the Report. I believe Minister covered it in her reply, where a test check – and AGO cannot check every case; they do test checks – and the test check revealed that 11 out of 56 cases found that there was inadequate verification of career conversion for trainees. The AGO also noted cases "where the trainees' previous and current job scope appeared to be similar". Those are the exact words. My specific questions are which were the three programme partners identified in the AGO Report? Minister, I believe, in her reply mentioned that there is an on-going review of all PCP matters. I think this number is 15,000 placements. How prevalent is the problem of a similar job scope, after a PMET worker has undertaken a PCP programme?
Mrs Josephine Teo241 words
[+10 sentences]Mr Speaker, I thank the Member Mr Pritam Singh for his questions and also for acknowledging the critical importance of the Professional Conversion Programmes in helping our PMETs move on to new job roles, most of the time outside of their existing companies and industries, but sometimes within the same company or within the same industry. He acknowledged their importance and raised the question of the findings by the AGO on the career conversion. I should emphasise this – the AGO noted that the career conversion was not well documented but it did not say that there was no career conversion. And, on subsequent checks, WSG established the clear fact that there was career conversion and it was a question of the programme partner not having properly documented this. So, it was not that the job scopes did not change substantially. It was simply the fact that the programme partners did not document them properly and they did not have a very consistent way of assessing the degree of career conversion and the degree of change of the job scopes across different programme partners. I would just want to emphasise this that there was, in fact, the change in job scope. WSG's verification confirmed this and it was a question of documentation. That being the case, we focus on fixing the problem of documentation. And I think I have explained earlier on in my reply how we go about doing so.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh135 words
[+8 sentences]Thank you, Speaker. I thank the Minister for that reply. I would assume, having read the AGO Report that there would have been some time for WSG to respond, as the Minister has in Parliament, in the AGO Report as to that particular matter of documentation – that, really, it is not that the outcome was not achieved but the documentation was not done properly. I understand that. My query is, was there enough time for WSG to inform the AGO that it is looking into these findings of the AGO and, thereafter, the reply could have been in the AGO Report? Or whether there was not enough time? So, that is the first question. The second question was, as part of my original Supplementary Question, was about the identities of the three programme partners.
Mrs Josephine Teo231 words
[+1 sentence]In the AGO Report, if we look at its reporting of findings in other Ministries, it is quite consistent. Even if the agencies have addressed the issue, it does not prevent the AGO from making the Report. That is the merit of the system – that regardless of the actions that have been taken up to follow up on the findings, the AGO's responsibility is to report them so that the public is aware that there were these lapses. We acknowledged the lapse and we fixed it. As to the names of the three programme partners, certainly, if Mr Singh is very interested, we can provide it to him. But I think the question really is, "Did the programme partners make a mistake in good faith or did they deliberately try to defraud the Government in some way?" And if our assessment is that they deliberately attempted to try and defraud the Government in some way, then the appropriate action is to report them to the Police so that a complete investigation can be conducted.[+1 sentence] At the appropriate juncture, their identities will be made public. But, in this case, it was an incident of the programme partners not having done a thorough job of documenting what, in fact, did happen. So, we do not as a matter of practice regularly name programme partners for sometimes administrative errors that they have committed.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Alex Yam.
Training for Public Service Staff in Procurement and Measures to Tackle Recurrent IT Lapses Highlighted in Auditor-General's Reports›Oral Answers to Questions6 turns · 1,355w
· 10 highlighted
oral-answer-2283
Mr Alex Yam61 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in view of the weak links highlighted annually in the Auditor-General's Reports (a) how does the Civil Service ensure that officers are adequately trained and supervised to meet the Government's procurement processes; and (b) whether officers handling tenders have to attend regular refresher courses to stay abreast with new regulations and processes.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa45 words
asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in view of the recurring lapses in IT controls highlighted in the latest Auditor-General's Report, whether there are inherent systemic issues within the public service and what effective measures will be taken to address the weaknesses.
The Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance)19 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 25 and 26 together, in my response?
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Ms Indranee Rajah1168 words
[+13 sentences]Let me first assure Members that, as mentioned in the Auditor-General’s reports, all the agencies take the audit observations seriously and are committed to making improvements. Actions have been taken at the whole-of-Government level to address the gaps identified. Mr Speaker, the Auditor-General’s Report for FY 2019/2020 highlighted weaknesses in IT controls, specifically in the areas of: first, review of privileged users’ activities; and second, management of account and user access rights. These observations were raised in previous Reports. To provide some context, I should first explain that the Government IT systems were built over time, beginning from when we first built IT systems in Ministries back in 1980s and eventually extending to all Ministries and also new Ministries and programme offices. Since then, the IT systems have been upgraded, refreshed or replaced to be more effective and efficient to cater to the requirements over the years. Consequently, we now have more than 2,000 Government IT systems built over the years, by different vendors and using different technologies. Each system has its way of logging user activities and of managing who can access the system. As the access controls are not linked across systems, when an officer moves to another portfolio, it requires a chain of manual adjustments to different systems, to remove obsolete access rights and create new access rights for the officer. The reliance on manual adjustments is prone to human errors. The Smart Nation and Digital Government Group or SNDGG is developing systems that will automate the processes involved and minimise errors. It will take some time to fully implement the solutions across the whole-of-Government because we need to implement the automated process in more than 2,000 IT systems. First, we are automating the review of privileged users’ activities. SNDGG has started a pilot with some agencies and the tool will be progressively deployed from January 2021. This will be fully implemented for high-priority systems by December 2022 and all remaining systems by December 2023.[+3 sentences] Second, we are automating the management of account and user access rights. SNDGG has made available a solution which can alert agencies to staff movements and role changes so that they can manually remove the user accounts that are no longer required. Five of the 38 agencies that have onboarded this system were audited by AGO and no lapses pertaining to account and user access rights management were found. SNDGG is in the midst of enhancing this solution, so that it can trigger automatic removal of unneeded user accounts and review of user access rights, once the staff movement or role change is updated in the HR records. This system will be implemented for 800 high-priority systems by December 2023 and all remaining systems by December 2024.[+27 sentences] When officers are freed up from manual tasks, they are better able to focus on aspects of cyber-security and data protection that cannot be replicated by a machine. SNDGG has stepped up efforts to educate public officers on the importance of strong ICT governance and security controls, and to have the right habits and instincts. All public officers are required to undergo annual cyber and data security awareness training. Next, on procurement and contract management, the recurrent lapses tend to be for more complex types of procurement – such as IT and construction, and in less straightforward cases, such as assessing price reasonableness for single bids and managing urgent contract variations. Navigating these complexities require not only technical skills but experience and judgment which require long-term efforts to build up. To address this, we have been stepping up efforts in recent years to strengthen the competencies and capabilities of Public Officers in managing the procurement process. First, we are stepping up training of officers in key areas such as evaluation and approval of tenders. The training covers learning points from audit observations and good practices. Second, we will be providing additional guidance to approving authorities, which will be available from early next year. Third, since 2018, we have required all officers who are involved in procurement processes to complete a compulsory e-learning module. These are supplemented with regular refreshers and updates on new policies and practices. In addition, we are also stepping up efforts to strengthen construction and IT procurement and contract management capabilities, which are more specialised areas requiring deeper technical know-how. The Building and Construction Authority or BCA is developing a competency framework to train public officers in managing construction contracts. MOF and BCA issued a good practice guide last year, containing practical advice on the management of variation orders and how to spot fraudulent quotes. To enhance governance, we will track agencies’ performance in contract management, based on a set of governance indicators. Similarly, GovTech is working on a competency framework for IT procurement and developing an e-learning module that will be ready next year. To take these efforts forward further, MOF and the Civil Service College jointly established the Finance and Procurement Academy this year to better equip Public Officers with finance, procurement and contract management skills. The academy will work with technical agencies such as BCA and GovTech to not only conduct formal training, but also promote informal learning such as through practitioner sharing and mentorships. It will also support officers in continual learning to keep abreast of developments in finance, procurement and contract management policies and practices. In the area of developing finance capabilities, finance officers today are required to attend induction courses that cover the fundamentals of Government financial procedures, including on governance and internal controls. These are reinforced and refreshed at milestone programmes, forums and sharing sessions throughout the officers’ career. Similar efforts are also undertaken to raise awareness of these concepts more widely across the Public Service. For example, they are incorporated into finance courses targeted at non-finance officers. MOF also conducts regular briefings to agencies’ senior management to emphasise the importance of public accountability. In conclusion, let me say public officers are expected to be accountable for their actions and decisions, and this includes maintaining high standards of compliance with guidelines and procedures as they perform their duties. We place high expectations on the senior leadership of the Public Service, who are entrusted to be stewards of public resources. They must uphold strong governance and accountability in their organisations. These expectations are spelt out in the form of leadership competencies and responsibilities, which are conveyed to all senior Public Service leaders in Ministries and Statutory Boards. We evaluate our leaders against these expectations as part of their performance reviews and those who fall short will be rated less favourably.[+2 sentences] Depending on the nature and cause of the incident, appropriate disciplinary action may be taken as well. So, finally, let me assure Members that public accountability remains a top priority for the Government. Where warranted, agencies mentioned in the Auditor-General’s report are conducting further investigation into the lapses.[+1 sentence] The senior leadership of the Public Service is accountable and committed to addressing the lapses identified, resolving the problem at the root and preventing future recurrence.
Mr Speaker60 words
[+3 sentences]Order. End of Question Time. Clarification by Minister Josephine Teo. [Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), Written Answers to Question Nos 29-32, 41-60, 63-68, 70-84, 86-90, 92-106 and 108 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix. Question Nos 27-28, 33-40, 61-62, 69, 85, 91, and 107 have been postponed to the sitting of Parliament on 6 October 2020.]
President's Address›Announcement by Speaker1 turns · 33w
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speaker-1486
Mr Speaker33 words
[+2 sentences]Order. I have to inform hon Members that I have on 7 September 2020 communicated to the President the Address of Thanks agreed to by resolution of this Parliament on 4 September 2020.
Approvals Given for High Net Worth Individuals to Set up Family Offices in Singapore›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 191w
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written-answer-6298
Mr Ang Wei Neng65 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Prime Minister (a) in the past three years, how many high net worth individuals have set up or have been given approval to set up family offices in Singapore; (b) what is the total quantum of assets that have been attracted to Singapore through these high net worth individuals; and (c) how many Singaporeans have been employed by such family offices in Singapore.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister)126 words
[+8 sentences]As Single Family Offices (SFOs) do not manage third party monies, they are not registered with or licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). So MAS does not have hard data on the scale of their operations. There are about 200 SFOs in Singapore. The number has grown in recent years. Industry research1 estimates that each SFO typically manages assets in excess of US$100 million. So total assets under management by SFOs could be around US$20 billion. SFOs would usually employ small teams of trusted advisors and investment professionals, and there could be several hundred in the industry. Beyond direct employment, they generate indirect employment in Singapore through their engagement of external finance, tax and legal professionals for advice on wealth planning and operational matters.
Extending Remission of Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty to Singles Purchasing Second Property vis-a-vis Married Couples›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 328w
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written-answer-6299
Mr Sitoh Yih Pin70 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what is the reason why purchasers of a second property who are single do not qualify for the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty remission even if they meet the same conditions that married couples do to facilitate their changing of homes; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider extending the remission to singles who meet the same conditions in the future.
Mr Heng Swee Keat258 words
[+11 sentences]The policy intent for Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) is to moderate demand, and to ensure a stable and sustainable residential property market. This in turn will help both existing and aspiring homeowners by keeping price increases in line with economic fundamentals. ABSD is applicable on the second and subsequent residential property purchases of all Singaporeans. This applies regardless of whether they dispose of their first property subsequently. This is because even if the first property is eventually disposed of, the purchase of the second property adds to the demand for residential properties at the time of purchase. We have made one exception, namely for Singaporean married couples. A Singaporean married couple may need to change home due to changing family needs, such as when they have children or when their children are growing up. It is in this context that we have an ABSD concession for Singaporean married couples buying a second property. Under the concession, we allow Singapore married couples to claim a refund of the ABSD paid on their second property, provided they sell their first property within 6 months after the purchase of a completed property, or the TOP date of an uncompleted property. This ABSD concession is not available to other groups of property buyers, as our overall key objective remains to moderate the demand for residential properties including that for second residential property of Singaporeans. Buyers who do not wish to incur the higher ABSD on second residential properties may wish to consider selling their first property before purchasing their second property.
Late Solidarity Payments to Eligible Singapore Citizens Who Acquired Citizenship by Registration and Turned 21 This Year›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 224w
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written-answer-6300
Mr Murali Pillai72 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) how many Singapore citizens who acquired their citizenship by registration, have turned 21 years of age this year, have taken their Oaths of Renunciation beforehand and provided their bank account details to the Government, have received their Solidarity Payments late, i.e. after 14 April 2020; (b) what contributed to the delay; and (c) what steps have been taken to address this matter.
Mr Heng Swee Keat152 words
[+8 sentences]All Singapore Citizens by descent or registration who are 21 years old and above before the Solidarity Payment was paid out on 14 April 2020, need to have taken the Oath of Renunciation, Allegiance and Loyalty. Of all Singaporeans turning 21 this year, 1,320 need to complete their Oath to be eligible for the Solidarity Payment. Of the above, 306 Singaporeans had completed their Oath before the Solidarity Payment was made, and received the Solidarity Payment together with all other Singaporeans. The payments were made between 14 April and 13 May, depending on the mode of payment. A further 392 subsequently completed their Oath, informed MOF, and have received their Solidarity Payment, as of September 2020. Of the remaining, 410 have not completed their Oath. They have until their 22nd birthday to do so, and to inform MOF. They will then receive the Solidarity Payment in about a month after informing MOF.
Disbursements of Jobs Support Scheme Payouts to Singapore-registered Companies›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 357w
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written-answer-6301
Mr Ang Wei Neng84 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the Ministry considers whether Singapore-registered companies are making profits before disbursing Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) payouts and, if so, what is the quantum of JSS payouts disbursed to such companies; (b) whether the Ministry will consider asking Singapore-registered companies that declare profits before JSS payouts in FY2020 to return the JSS payouts in whole or in part; and (c) how many companies have declined JSS or returned the JSS payouts disbursed to them.
Mr Heng Swee Keat273 words
[+12 sentences]The objective of the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) is to support employers in retaining local employees in the face of the severe and widespread economic impact brought about by COVID-19. Given the severity of the shock and its wide impact across the economy, the JSS was designed to flow help to businesses fast. Profitability of businesses during the crisis was not a criterion for the payout. In practice, as businesses would not have filed their income tax returns, information on profitability was also not available to Government during the unfolding crisis. However, to better target help and for fiscal prudence, JSS support was tiered according to the severity of the economic shock facing broad sectors. For example, the aviation and travel sectors which had suffered a near complete loss of revenue, were accorded the highest tier of 75% support. We have made further refinements to the tiering for the extension of the JSS announced in August. For example, firms in the biomedical sciences and financial services sectors, which have been managing well, would see their support level fall to 10% for the period September – December 2020 and thereafter to zero. Given the design intent of the JSS, we do not intend to instruct firms that report profits to return their JSS payouts, whether in whole or in part. But we have and will continue to encourage firms that do not need the payout to do so voluntarily. As at 24 September 2020, over 700 firms have declined and/or returned JSS payouts. Alternatively, firms can also make use of the JSS scheme to hire more local workers, or to accelerate their transformation efforts.
Reducing Number of Early Morning Training Sessions of Military Aircraft Near Residential Areas›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 757w
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written-answer-6302
Mr Sitoh Yih Pin41 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Defence whether the RSAF will consider reducing the number of early morning training sessions of military aircraft near residential areas in light of the substantial increase of residents who work from home due to the COVID-19 measures.
Dr Ng Eng Hen716 words
[+40 sentences]As a small country with no strategic depth, it is critical for Singapore’s survival to maintain a capable and operationally-ready RSAF. Without this crucial deterrence, Singapore's national defences can easily be compromised and with potentially catastrophic consequences. Our own history demonstrates and reminds us of this existential vulnerability. Within hours after Japanese forces invaded Peninsula Malaysia in 1941, General Yamashita sent an air raid over Singapore – 17 planes were involved. With air superiority established, Japanese forces advanced swiftly down and reached Singapore within days. The British forces had to retreat into Singapore and blew up the causeway to slow down the Japanese assault. But without an airforce then to protect our skies, residents on our island were still at the mercy of bombs that fell from Japanese fighter planes. The death and destruction that ensued was horrendous. As one survivor, Mr Conceicao, who was 17 years old at that time, vividly recalled "we saw hands, heads maybe, legs and parts of the human body lying about… this affected us throughout the course of the war and our life". That we have a capable RSAF today able to defend our skies is taken for granted. It’s a virtuous state of affairs, but one that can slip if ever the capabilities of our pilots and planes degrade. And to keep up their skills, RSAF pilots need to train adequately. We recognize the inconvenience and disruption to residents here. MINDEF/SAF has done as much as we can to keep the RSAF training tempo locally to essential levels and activity. Let me elaborate. The RSAF has reduced its local training as far as possible. About half of actual flying training occurs overseas in countries that are willing to provide us those opportunities. On one of my visits to Luke Air base, where our F16s pilots train, I hosted the mayor and residents of the surrounding town to an appreciation lunch. I thanked the mayor for their support and understanding for our fighter detachment's training there, especially to tolerate the noise, just as our resident here do. He smiled, and replied, "it's the sound of freedom." Singapore is thankful that we have our good friends and partners in many countries who support our defence efforts. Even for local training, a significant proportion is done through simulators. During actual flying, the RSAF has introduced measures to reduce the noise. First, most of the local flying is conducted over waters rather than land, and avoiding residential areas except during take off, landing and transit to and from training areas. To illustrate, the northern end of the runway at Paya Lebar Air Base is approximately six kilometres from our territorial boundary. The fighter pilots have mere seconds after take-off to bank a sharp left in order to keep within our territorial airspace. Sorties taking off from Paya Lebar Air Base and Tengah Air Base are already clustered where possible, in multiple groups, even when smaller number of aircraft are involved. In addition to these routine measures, the RSAF does adjust its training tempo to accommodate sensitive periods. When national school examinations are held, the frequency of flights are reduced and night flying activities end earlier. During this COVID-19 pandemic where more residents are working and studying from home, the RSAF has kept the level of local flying activities to the minimum needed to maintain operational readiness. Flying is also spread across the week and on selected weekends. This regular training both locally and overseas keep the RSAF sharp and able to protect us well. It’s not against theoretical or imagined threats. Since the 9/11 twin tower attacks in Manhattan, the RSAF has put its pilots and Ground Based Air Defence systems on alert. On any given year, the RSAF responds to more than 350 suspicious air threats. In June last year for instance, there was a bomb threat on an inbound Scoot flight. Our fighters were scrambled and took to the skies within minutes to intercept the aircraft and escorted it back to Changi Airport. That case was reported in the news; many more go unreported for a variety of reasons. This state of high operational readiness of the RSAF is only possible with regular and realistic training. I thank Singaporeans for their continued support to maintain an operationally ready and capable RSAF.
Requiring Financial Institutions to Display Pop-up Reminders to Prevent Singaporeans from Being Scammed When Performing Overseas Remittance Online›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 271w
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written-answer-6304
Mr Don Wee43 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs in order to prevent more Singaporeans from being scammed, whether the Ministry can work with MAS to require financial institutions to display pop-up reminders whenever their clients perform an overseas remittance via their mobile phone and computer.
Mr K Shanmugam228 words
[+9 sentences]The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been working with MAS and the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) to develop measures to protect clients of financial institutions from scams. To prevent banking clients from falling prey to scams while they are completing online transactions, many banks now display messages in their One-Time-Password (OTP) notifications to warn customers not to share their OTPs with anyone. The banks also prominently display warnings about scams on their websites and mobile applications to increase their customers' awareness and vigilance. Other measures that have been introduced include multi-factor authentication to verify customers' identities, transaction alerts to notify customers of their online transactions, and fraud monitoring. MHA, MAS and ABS are working together as part of the Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams (IMCS) to explore other means of detecting and flagging suspicious transactions to prevent Singaporeans from falling prey to scammers. In particular, ABS member banks are working to implement more advanced fraud detection and transaction monitoring systems to identify suspicious and unusual transactions. There are also ongoing efforts to improve information sharing and coordination within the industry to facilitate recovery of scammed funds. ABS is also working with SPF to develop an online scam quiz to raise customers’ knowledge of scams and cyber hygiene before the opening of internet banking accounts. We will study the Member's proposal on pop-up reminders for overseas remittance.
Study on Deterrent Effect of Life Sentence Relative to Death Penalty and in Cases of Mental Illness or Addiction of Perpetrator›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 1,170w
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written-answer-6305
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim59 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether there has been any systematic study by the Ministry as to the deterrent effect of a life sentence relative to the death penalty; and (b) whether the study has been conducted in cases where the reasoning capacity of the perpetrator may have been compromised such as by mental illness or addiction.
Mr K Shanmugam1111 words
[+52 sentences]In deciding whether to apply the death penalty to a particular offence, the Government takes into account (amongst other factors) three key considerations. First, the seriousness of the offence, in terms of the harm that the offence will cause to the victim and to society. Second, how frequent or widespread the offence is. Third, the need for deterrence. These considerations are considered in totality. For example, the fact that an offence is not widespread now, may not, by itself, be a decisive factor. The death penalty is imposed for offences such as intentional murder, gang robbery with murder, trafficking of significant quantities of drugs, terrorist bombing, and the use of firearms. While the capital sentence thresholds for drug trafficking may not seem high to the layperson, they actually involve significant quantities of drugs. For example, the capital sentence threshold amount of 15g of pure heroin (diamorphine) is equivalent to 1,250 straws of heroin, and feeds 180 drug abusers for a week. This is bringing death, or at least a life of ruin, to a large number of abusers and their families. There have been some studies commissioned by the Government on the deterrent effect of the death penalty compared to life imprisonment, as well as on public views on the death penalty. Last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had commissioned a survey of 2,000 residents' attitudes towards the imposition of capital punishment. The majority of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the death penalty is more effective than life imprisonment as a deterrent against using firearms in Singapore (70.8%), committing murder (70.6%) and drug trafficking (68%). MHA had also commissioned a study of a sample of non-Singaporeans who are likely to visit Singapore and hence might potentially encounter Singapore laws and penalties. The study was conducted in 2018. The majority (76%) believed that compared to life imprisonment, the death penalty is more effective in discouraging people from committing serious crimes (e.g. intentional murder, smuggling firearms, and drug trafficking) in Singapore. The majority (84%) also believed that compared to life imprisonment, the death penalty is more effective in discouraging people from trafficking drugs into Singapore. We want to emphasise that the studies need to be taken in context. Some tentative conclusions can be drawn, but the very nature of these studies is such that more work will have to be done over periods of time. There is also some evidence that drug traffickers who had been arrested, had known about the death penalty and the amounts that would attract the death penalty, and this had caused a reduction of the amount of drugs trafficked. MHA found that there was a 66% reduction in the average net weight trafficked for opium, in the four-year window after the mandatory death penalty was introduced in 1990 for trafficking more than 1,200g of opium. Similarly, in the four-year period after the introduction of the mandatory death penalty for trafficking involving more than 500g of cannabis in 1990, there was a 15 to 19 percentage point reduction in the probability that traffickers would choose to traffic above the capital sentence threshold. Another study conducted by MHA on convicted drug traffickers and non-drug traffickers (e.g. drug abusers) showed that traffickers who stated that they had higher awareness of and were mindful of the severe legal consequences, had limited their trafficking behavior. This points to restrictive deterrence, as trafficking activities were intentionally limited when there was greater awareness of sanctions. The majority of the offenders who were non-traffickers (85.1%) likewise felt that the death penalty has a deterrent effect. There is also some evidence of the deterrent effect of the death penalty, by reference to other offences, beyond drug trafficking. Prior to 1973, firearms robbery was on the rise, reaching a peak of 174 cases in 1973. A dramatic drop was witnessed over the decades following the introduction of the death penalty for such offences. Firearms offences immediately fell by 39% to 106 cases the next year, and fell further within the next three to four years to an even lower level, and remains at a very low level today. At Annex 1 is a chart showing this. Today, firearms robbery is rare in Singapore, with no cases reported in the last 13 years. This is an indicator of the strong deterrent effect of the death penalty. The introduction of the death penalty for kidnapping under the Punishment of Kidnapping Ordinance in 1961 likewise resulted in a dramatic drop in such cases. In the three years before 1961, there were on average, 29 kidnapping cases a year in Singapore. But this fell to only one case in 1961. Except for six cases in 1964 and three cases in 2003, kidnapping cases have not exceeded two cases per year since the death penalty was introduced. At Annex 2 is a chart showing this. There is majority public support for the death penalty. Various surveys have been conducted which show this. The Member asked about whether there has been a study of the deterrent effect of the death penalty, in respect of persons whose reasoning capacity may have been compromised by mental illness. If the offender was of unsound mind at the time of the commission of the offence, the offender will be acquitted of the offence by reason of the defence of unsoundness of mind under section 84 of the Penal Code. This defence applies to all offences, including offences outside the Penal Code. The Member asked about cases involving offenders with addiction. Intoxication – whether induced by drugs or other substances – is a defence under section 85 of the Penal Code. However, the offender needs to show that as a result of the intoxication, he did not know what he was doing, or he did not know that his conduct was wrong, and the intoxication was caused without his knowledge or against his will. The Government has the responsibility to ensure the safety and security of Singaporeans, while maintaining a fair and just criminal justice system. The rights of offenders need to be considered, in the context of the rights of victims and the right of Singaporeans to live in safety and security. The approach we have taken has resulted in Singapore being one of the safest places in the world to live. This is something deeply valued by Singaporeans. We invite the Member to share with MHA whether he is supportive of the death penalty, for what offences and why. And if he is against the death penalty, then it will also be useful to hear from him on his reasons for his position. The Member’s views will be given careful and respectful consideration.
Court Cases Involving Employers and Their Foreign Domestic Workers and Number Convicted›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 104w
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written-answer-6306
Mr Derrick Goh53 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Law in the last three years (a) what is the number of court cases involving employers and their foreign domestic workers (FDWs); (b) what is the number of cases wherein the employer has been convicted; and (c) what is the number of cases wherein the FDW has been convicted.
Mr K Shanmugam51 words
[+5 sentences]The agencies have considered the High Court judgment, and are conducting reviews. These reviews are still in progress. I will address the questions raised by Members, after the reviews are completed. I expect to do so at the November sitting. As I have indicated, I will be making a Ministerial Statement.
Avenues for Legal Aid or Probono Legal Services for Singaporeans with Mobility Needs Encountering Significant Difficulty Leaving Home›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 243w
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written-answer-6307
Dr Tan Wu Meng34 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Law for Singaporeans with mobility needs who encounter significant difficulty going out from the home, what avenues are available for them to obtain legal aid or pro bono legal services.
Mr K Shanmugam209 words
[+9 sentences]The Ministry of Law and our partners provide various avenues for individuals with mobility needs to obtain legal assistance without having to leave their homes. For such individuals seeking civil legal aid, the entire provision can be done remotely. Individuals can and are encouraged to submit their applications online via the Legal Aid Bureau's website1, and can correspond with the Bureau online or by telephone. Similarly, for criminal legal aid, applicants may complete an online declaration and application form on the Law Society Pro Bono Services’ website2. Subsequent communications can take place over the phone or via email. If the applicant is unable to use online modes of communication, we will try to assist the applicant over the phone. Persons in need of legal advice may also seek help and legal advice via video conferencing from the Law Society's Community Legal Clinics, as well as several other legal clinics. Members of the public can also access various online self-help tools. For example, the iLAB chatbot on the Legal Aid Bureau’s website provides tailored legal information on divorce, family violence and issues related to COVID-19, and can generate simple legal documents, and the Community Justice Centre's online Automated Court Document Assembly and Generation provides guidance in filing certain court forms.
Causes of Neighbourly Disputes in HDB Flats Lodged with Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal since 2015›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 99w
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written-answer-6308
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim45 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Law for each year since 2015, how many cases lodged with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal (CDRT) for neighbourly disputes in HDB flats are in relation to neighbourly disputes involving (i) noise disturbances (ii) smoking and (iii) obstruction of common areas.
Mr K Shanmugam54 words
[+1 sentence]The number of Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal ("CDRT") claims filed to date in respect of certain complaints is as follows: State Courts does not track data on the type of dwelling involved in each claim and is unable to provide specific data on how many of the above claims involved disputes between HDB neighbours.
Ensuring Effectiveness and Accessibility of Courses for Elderly During COVID-19›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 461w
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written-answer-6309
Ms Joan Pereira37 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health with smaller class sizes and most classes going virtual due to the continued threat of COVID-19, how can the Government ensure that courses tailored for the elderly are still effective and accessible.
Mr Gan Kim Yong424 words
[+17 sentences]The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to how people work, live and learn. However, the accelerated push towards digital delivery and services also presents new opportunities. The Government has worked closely with our stakeholders to ensure that learning opportunities for seniors continues to be accessible, effective and safe against the backdrop of COVID-19. Since March 2020, many face-to-face courses and activities have moved online, so seniors can continue to participate safely within their homes. For example, the Council for Third Age (C3A), Health Promotion Board (HPB), People’s Association (PA) and SportSG now make use of online platforms such as Facebook, ZOOM and YouTube to host their activities and talks. As many seniors are new to virtual classes, course providers put in extra effort to help them make the transition successfully. For example, they provide technical assistance before and during class, and adjust the course content based on real-time feedback so that seniors can keep pace with the class. To help seniors who are less digitally savvy access online content, the SG Digital Office (SDO) under the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has mobilised 1,000 Digital Ambassadors to provide one-to-one coaching to seniors on useful day-to-day digital skills such as making video calls and use of smartphone apps. To date, Digital Ambassadors have engaged more than 21,500 seniors at 34 SG Digital Community Hubs in Community Centres/Clubs (CCs). In addition, IMDA is also partnering the Agency for Integrated Care's (AIC) Silver Generation Office (SGO) to reach more seniors in the heartlands through the digital clinics at the SGO Satellite Offices. Beyond online delivery, we have also worked with our stakeholders to make learning content accessible through traditional media platforms such as TV and radio which some seniors may be more familiar with. For instance, AIC and HPB worked with MediaCorp to air dedicated programmes for seniors aimed at improving their psycho-social wellbeing, especially during the circuit breaker period. These were broadcast in Chinese, Malay and Tamil, and reached around 445,000 seniors. Bite-sized health messages were also shared through the radio in all four languages to supplement the TV broadcast. With the resumption of small group activities for seniors since early September, many course providers have since moved towards a hybrid approach where courses can be offered both virtually and in-person. This improves both access and convenience for seniors. The Ministry of Health will continue to work with our stakeholders to explore novel ways of delivery, to ensure that learning opportunities for seniors continue to be effective, accessible and safe under the COVID-19 new normal.
Trend and Reasons for Patients Seeking Telemedicine and Plans to Compile and Share Their Feedback with Public›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 292w
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Ms Joan Pereira58 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) whether there has been an upward trend over the past year of people seeking telemedicine; (b) what are the reasons for them seeking telemedicine; and (c) whether feedback from patients who have used telemedicine can be compiled and shared to enable the public who are thinking of using telemedicine to be well-informed.
Mr Gan Kim Yong234 words
[+10 sentences]The Ministry has observed a recent increase in the number of public and private healthcare providers offering telemedicine services. MOH does not track the number of persons seeking telemedicine services. The telemedicine Regulatory Sandbox was launched by MOH in 2018 to work with providers and gain a better understand of emerging telemedicine services. We understand that patients use telemedicine services mainly for greater convenience. Specifically, telemedicine enables easy access to care for those who are less mobile or otherwise unable to present themselves for an in-person consultation, saves time for those with conditions suitable for telemedicine (such as those with stable chronic conditions), and provides added convenience when combined with medication delivery. Providers should communicate clearly to patients the limitations of the service, as well as the appropriate and safe use of telemedicine. For instance, telemedicine is not suitable for conditions requiring immediate medical attention or a physical examination, and that the telemedicine consultation should allow for privacy of the patient. These insights have been collated into the MOH Telemedicine e-Training programme launched in March 2020 to guide healthcare professionals on designing and delivering telemedicine services that prioritise patient safety and welfare. To-date, over 5,000 healthcare professionals and administrators have completed this online training. With increasing use of telemedicine, MOH will also be improving patients' understanding of the safe and appropriate use of telemedicine through additional consumer education efforts planned in the coming months.
Estimated Timeline for Wide Availability of Viable Rapid COVID-19 Test Kit to Allow Progressive Resumption of Economic Activities›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 298w
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written-answer-6311
Mr Sitoh Yih Pin46 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the estimated timeline of when a viable rapid COVID-19 test kit will become widely available; and (b) whether this, coupled with universal contact tracing, can allow sectors such as aviation, hospitality and other related businesses to resume progressively.
Mr Gan Kim Yong252 words
[+11 sentences]The Ministry of Health (MOH) currently deploys Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing using nasopharyngeal samples as the main mode of testing and sampling. As new testing technologies become available, MOH actively evaluates these alternative tests and sampling methods to ensure that they can be deployed in a safe and effective manner. The key evaluation considerations include: the combined clinical performance of the test and sampling method, ease of administration, throughput, total turnaround time when using the test, and cost. Some of the rapid COVID-19 test kits under evaluation are showing promising results. Increased testing facilitated by such rapid test kits, coupled with strengthened containment efforts including contact tracing, and adherence to appropriate safe management measures, have potential to allow us to resume more activities, including travel related industries and larger scale events. We hope to be able to deploy some of these alternative tests in the months ahead, as we work out practical ways to incorporate such rapid testing into our national COVID-19 response. While testing can help to reduce transmission risks, it is not foolproof. A negative test does not mean that an individual is free from COVID-19. For example, an individual who may be incubating the virus might not be picked up at the point of test. We therefore need to combine testing with contact tracing and other public health measures. The public must also continue to adhere to safe management measures such as the wearing of masks, practising good personal hygiene, and observing safe distancing, to keep everyone safe.
Calls to National CARE Hotline since Start of COVID-19 Pandemic and Plans to Support Residents Facing Mental Resilience Issues›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 394w
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written-answer-6312
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye55 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the number of people who have called the National CARE Hotline since the COVID-19 pandemic started; (b) what is the percentage of repeat callers; and (c) whether there are any plans to better support residents who are facing mental resilience issues in this prolonged fight against COVID-19.
Mr Gan Kim Yong339 words
[+14 sentences]The National CARE Hotline (NCH) has managed over 30,000 calls since it commenced on 10 April 2020. Of these, over 12,000 calls required mental health support, and were handled by Duty CARE Officers (DCOs). The DCOs are trained to provide mental health first aid and make the appropriate referrals either to public healthcare institutions or community service providers to follow up if necessary. The remaining calls were regarding other needs such as finance and employment issues and were directed to the appropriate hotlines. As individuals’ mobile numbers are not tracked, the NCH does not have information on the number of repeat callers. The COVID-19 pandemic has generated increased stresses for individuals in Singapore. To help individuals build resilience to cope with this crisis, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) created "Stay Well to Stay Strong", a one-stop resource hub at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This resource hub provides individuals of all ages with useful tips and ideas on how they can maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay mentally well. In addition to exercise videos and healthier meal recipes, the portal also provides articles, infographics and tools to help individuals manage their stress and emotions, as well as maintain a positive outlook. Since its launch in February, the resource hub has reached out to over 450,000 users and has garnered over 700,000 page visits, as of 21 September 2020. HPB and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth have also recently launched the "Brave the New" campaign in August. The campaign seeks to build psychological resilience among Singaporeans, by equipping them with skills to cope with challenging situations, and encouraging those who need additional support to seek help. As part of the campaign, Singaporeans can access information on how to care for themselves as well as others around them through the "Brave the New" website. Access to subsidised mental health services in the public healthcare institutions, polyclinics, and the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) General Practitioners is available to those who require more support for their mental health needs.
Further Measures by Public Healthcare Institutions to Promote and Increase Public Awareness of Option of Medication Delivery among Patients›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 210w
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written-answer-6313
Mr Christopher de Souza29 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health what further measures can public healthcare institutions put in place to promote and increase public awareness among patients of the option of medication delivery.
Mr Gan Kim Yong181 words
[+8 sentences]Public healthcare institutions have been providing medication delivery services since 2003, and uptake has increased tenfold during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public healthcare institutions are promoting public awareness of the service over different mediums (videos, pamphlets, posters and signages) at patient waiting areas as well as the websites and mobile apps of the healthcare institutions. A summary of available services is also available on MOH’s HealthHub one stop-portal and mobile app and the website of the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. In addition, staff at public healthcare institutions actively inform eligible patients about medication delivery options through their clinics, pharmacies, call centers and other patient touch points. In some instances, patients who meet the criteria for the service might be automatically enrolled. Besides medicine delivery services, selected polyclinics also offer the option of medicine collection from Pilbox lockers, selected parcel deposit lockers or certain retail pharmacy outlets. These services are advertised through notices at the pharmacy and on the polyclinic website. Patients may approach the pharmacy staff at the public healthcare institutions for more information and to arrange for medication delivery or collection.
Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Woodlands Health Campus Development›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 316w
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written-answer-6314
Dr Lim Wee Kiak25 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health what is the progress on developing the Woodlands Health Campus and whether this has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Gan Kim Yong291 words
[+11 sentences]Singapore’s construction industry has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is due to disruptions to international supply chains and construction manpower availability, and the implementation of the Circuit Breaker from April to June this year, which led to the suspension of most construction activities during that period. While construction works at our healthcare development sites have gradually resumed since the Circuit Breaker measures were lifted in June, they have not reached the pre-COVID pace as the resumption of work needs to be done in a safe and controlled manner and in phases to minimise the risk of new COVID-19 outbreaks. Based on our current assessment, these disruptions may result in delays by up to a year or so for many of our healthcare infrastructure projects. This includes Woodlands Health Campus (WHC), which was originally scheduled to progressively open from 2022. It is now scheduled to open from 2023 instead. Similarly, the Tan Tock Seng Hospital Integrated Care Hub and the Singapore General Hospital Emergency Medicine Building are now expected to open one year later in 2023 and 2024 respectively. The new polyclinics in Eunos, Kallang and Bukit Panjang, which were originally planned to open by end-2020, are now expected to open by end-2021. As the COVID-19 situation is evolving and construction works are still ramping up progressively, we can expect further changes in the timelines for the completion of our healthcare facilities. These delays in the completion of our public healthcare infrastructure projects may have an impact on overall healthcare capacity in the short term. MOH is thus exploring other measures to expand capacity within our existing facilities, and to reduce the demand on our public healthcare institutions, for example through the promotion of telemedicine and community-based care options.
Singaporeans and Permanent Residents with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Spondyloarthritis and Seeking Outpatient Care in Public Hospitals in Past Five Years›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 140w
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written-answer-6315
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang62 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) in each year of the past five years, for systemic lupus erythematosus and spondyloarthritis respectively, what is (i) the number of Singaporeans and permanent residents with the condition and (ii) the number of unique patients seeking outpatient care in public hospitals; and (b) whether the Ministry will start collecting this data if it is not available.
Mr Gan Kim Yong78 words
[+3 sentences]Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disease that has a wide range of clinical manifestations that can affect virtually any organ. Spondyloarthritis is the term for a group of diseases that causes inflammation in the spine and joints. Available data on the total number of unique patients with SLE and spondyloarthritis seeking outpatient care at Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOC) in public health institutions (PHIs) over the past five years is presented in the table below:
Number of Patients Treated in Polyclinics and CHAS Clinics for Chronic Conditions Not Included in Chronic Disease Management Programme in Last Five Years›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 323w
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written-answer-6316
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song41 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health in each of the last five years, how many patients have been treated in polyclinics and CHAS clinics for chronic conditions that are not one of the 20 chronic conditions included the Chronic Disease Management Programme.
Mr Gan Kim Yong282 words
[+10 sentences]The number of patients treated in polyclinics for chronic conditions not under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) from 2014 to 2018 are shown in Table 1. Allergic rhinitis and soft tissue disorders were some examples of non-CDMP chronic conditions seen. MOH does not have comprehensive data on patients with non-CDMP chronic conditions who are treated at Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) GP clinics, as we do not collect data for patient visits where CDMP/CHAS subsidies are not claimed. CDMP was introduced to help patients manage their chronic conditions well and reduce out-of-pocket costs through the use of Medisave. MOH regularly reviews the list of conditions covered under CDMP to meet the needs of Singaporeans, while ensuring that Medisave balances are not prematurely depleted. We have increased the coverage of chronic conditions under CDMP and by extension, CHAS coverage, from 15 conditions in 2014 to 19 conditions in 2015, and then to 20 conditions in 2018. Conditions for CDMP are selected in consultation with clinical experts in a CDMP Clinical Advisory Committee (CAC), based on various considerations, such as disease prevalence, effectiveness of early intervention to reduce complications and availability of clear guidelines to support their coverage under CDMP. MOH will continue to work with the CDMP CAC to review the conditions to be covered under CDMP. Patients with chronic conditions not covered under CDMP can still tap on the usual subsidies at polyclinics as well as CHAS Acute subsidies at CHAS GPs for the management of their conditions. Patients who face financial difficulties for the management of their chronic conditions, regardless of whether such conditions are included in the CDMP, can tap on financial assistance, including MediFund, at public healthcare institutions.
Number of Patients Who had Reached Annual MediSave Withdrawal Limit Allowed Under Chronic Disease Management Programme and Outpatient Flexi-MediSave Scheme in Last Five Years›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 270w
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written-answer-6317
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song40 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health in each of the last five years, how many patients reached their annual MediSave withdrawal limit of (i) $500 allowed under the Chronic Disease Management Programme and (ii) $200 allowed under the outpatient Flexi-MediSave scheme.
Mr Gan Kim Yong230 words
[+9 sentences]The annual MediSave withdrawal limit for the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) was raised from $400 to $500 per year in June 2018. In 2019, less than 15% of patients reached the $500 withdrawal limit, most of whom had complex conditions. To better support patients with complex chronic conditions, we have further increased the withdrawal limit to $700 for those receiving treatments for two or more conditions under the CDMP from 1 January 2021 onwards. The age limit for Flexi-MediSave was lowered from 65 to 60 in June 2018. Patients aged 60 and above can withdraw up to a combined total of $200 per year from their own or their spouse’s MediSave accounts under the Flexi-MediSave scheme, for treatments at public Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOCs), polyclinics, and GP clinics under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). This may be used for standalone outpatient expenses, or in conjunction with other outpatient MediSave schemes, such as MediSave for CDMP mentioned above. In 2019, fewer than 2 in 10 of those eligible to use Flexi-MediSave reached the annual $200 limit. We will continue to review the MediSave withdrawal limits regularly, to strike a balance between helping Singaporeans pay for their current healthcare services and retaining sufficient savings for their longer-term needs. Those who cannot afford their treatment after subsidies and MediSave can approach the medical social workers for MediFund and other financial assistance.
Number of Patients Who Had Reached Monthly MediSave Withdrawal Limits for Renal Dialysis Outpatient Treatment and for Chemotherapy in Last Five Years›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 186w
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written-answer-6318
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song39 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health in each of the last five years, how many patients have reached (i) their monthly $450 MediSave withdrawal limit for renal dialysis outpatient treatment and (ii) their monthly $1,200 MediSave withdrawal limit for chemotherapy.
Mr Gan Kim Yong147 words
[+8 sentences]Singaporeans can claim up to $1,000 monthly from MediShield Life and withdraw up to $450 monthly from their own MediSave accounts for their renal dialysis treatment. From 2015 to 2019, fewer than 1 in 5 patients reached the $450 monthly withdrawal for renal dialysis treatment. This proportion has remained stable year on year. Singaporeans can claim up to $3,000 monthly from MediShield Life and withdraw up to $1,200 monthly from MediSave for their chemotherapy treatment. From 2015 to 2019, approximately 1 in 10 patients reached the $1,200 monthly withdrawal limit for their chemotherapy treatment. This proportion has remained stable year on year. We will continue to review the MediShield Life and MediSave withdrawal limits regularly, to ensure that healthcare remains affordable for Singaporeans. Those who cannot afford their treatment after subsidies, MediShield Life and MediSave can approach the medical social workers for MediFund and other financial assistance.
Screening Rate for Breast Cancer and Rate of Late-stage Breast Cancer Diagnosis Across Housing Types and Household Income Deciles in Past Three Years›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 218w
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written-answer-6319
Dr Tan Wu Meng46 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health over the past three years (a) what has been (i) the screening rate for breast cancer and (ii) the rate of late-stage breast cancer diagnosis; and (b) how do these rates compare across (i) housing types and (ii) household income deciles.
Mr Gan Kim Yong172 words
[+7 sentences]The screening rate for breast cancer is 38.7% in 2019, up from 30.9% in 2017. This improvement is seen for all socio-economic groups when we take educational levels as a proxy (as household income will vary across time). However, while the breast cancer screening rate is around 50% for women with tertiary level of education, it is 28% for women with primary level of education. The rate of late stage breast cancer diagnosis at Stages III and IV amongst Singapore women has remained relatively consistent at 28.6% between the five-year interval of 2009 to 2013 and 26.9% between 2014 to 2018. We will continue to encourage women to go for regular screening. Misconceptions and fears are common barriers – some examples include thinking that screening isn’t necessary when one feels healthy, that 'it's better not to know', and that mammograms are painful. To counter these misconceptions, HPB and its partners will continue to conduct annual breast cancer awareness campaigns and on-the-ground activities, as well as reach out to women via social media.
Relaxing Regulations on Gatherings for Key Life Events Like Weddings›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 205w
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written-answer-6320
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim45 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health in light of the recent relaxations on meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibition (MICE) events allowing for gatherings of up to 250 people, whether there is a specific timeline that the Ministry is considering for key life events, in particular weddings.
Mr Gan Kim Yong160 words
[+6 sentences]Since 3 October 2020, we have increased the cap for marriage solemnisations to 100 persons, and allowed wedding receptions to increase up to the same cap. Organisers and venue operators are required to put in place the necessary safe management measures, including having no more than 50 persons in each zone or time slot. From next month, we will also be launching a pilot for wedding receptions to be held in common areas of Housing Development Board estates. The risk of transmission at weddings is high because of the tendency of attendees to socialise while celebrating a joyous occasion together with relatives and close friends. Attendees are also likely to be unmasked as they enjoy the meal and/or take photos together, further increasing the risk of transmission. We are therefore taking a cautious approach to the expansion of caps for weddings and other similar social gatherings, and will continue to monitor the situation before considering further expansion in attendee caps.
Update on Digital Ambassador Outreach Effort since Implementation›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 285w
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written-answer-6321
Ms Tin Pei Ling22 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether he can provide an update on the digital ambassador outreach effort since its implementation.
Mr S Iswaran263 words
[+11 sentences]Since the SG Digital Office (SDO) was established in June this year, it has mobilised 1,000 Digital Ambassadors (DAs) to drive e-payment adoption among stallholders under the 'Hawkers Go Digital' programme, and equip seniors with digital skills under 'Seniors Go Digital'. Through these efforts, more than 7,200 stallholders have signed-up for the SGQR Unified e-Payment solution. Our DAs have also engaged more than 21,500 seniors at the 34 SG Digital Community Hubs at community centres that SDO has set up island-wide. 21 more community hubs will be set up at our libraries in the coming months. There have been good outcomes from SDO’s efforts. In a survey of seniors who completed SDO’s training programmes in July, 95% were satisfied with the training they received, and 80% continued to apply at least one digital skill that they had learnt. We have also seen a 65% increase in SGQR transactions since the launch of Hawkers Go Digital. SDO is also working with partners to amplify its efforts. To support digital skilling of seniors, SDO has partnered with community organisations such as Youth Corps Singapore to support the rollout of digital training at Senior Activity Centres. For businesses and hawkers, SDO has been working closely with grassroot volunteers to reach out to stallholders, and is supporting IMDA and ESG's joint efforts to uplift digitalisation capabilities in the heartlands. SDO will sustain its efforts to support all Singaporeans as Singapore continues its digitalisation journey. We encourage our seniors to visit SDO’s community hubs and engage with our DAs and volunteers, who can help them to go digital.
Utilisation Rate of NLB's Book Dispenser Located at Lot One Shopping Mall›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 202w
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written-answer-6322
Mr Don Wee47 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what is the utilisation rate of NLB's book dispenser located at Lot One shopping mall; and (b) whether NLB will consider installing such book dispensers at the void decks of HDB rental blocks with higher densities of young families.
Mr S Iswaran155 words
[+7 sentences]The National Library Board (NLB) is currently piloting the book dispenser at Lot One shopping mall, as a temporary replacement for the Choa Chu Kang Public Library (CCKPL), which is being revamped. With the book dispenser, patrons can borrow from a selection of curated books and collect reserved items. Between its launch on 17 July and 15 September 2020, the book dispenser has generated around 4,200 loans. NLB will review the utilisation and cost effectiveness at the end of this pilot project when CCKPL reopens in 2021, before evaluating whether to deploy the book dispenser more widely. Any further deployment should complement the existing network of 26 public libraries across Singapore, which makes public libraries accessible for most Singaporeans. NLB also runs outreach programmes to bring library books to under-reached and under-privileged groups. In addition, reading corners have been set up in partner spaces such as Community Centres, Senior Activity Centres and Family Service Centres.
Update on Internal Review of National Archives Project that Exceeded Renovation Budget›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 130w
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written-answer-6323
Miss Cheng Li Hui57 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Communications and Information with regard to the Auditor-General's Report detailing that the National Archives project exceeded its renovation budget by $1.72 million due to a lack of scrutiny (a) when is the internal review expected to be completed; and (b) whether the review will also look into ways to strengthen internal financial controls.
Mr S Iswaran73 words
[+4 sentences]NLB takes a serious view of the lapses identified by the AGO in its 2019/2020 financial year report. It has since completed its internal review of the lapses and has further tightened its procurement and contract management processes. Enhancements have been made to the contract variation and project monitoring processes to ensure timely and well-documented approvals for all variation works. NLB has also taken disciplinary action against the staff involved in these lapses.
Harnessing Advantages of Biodegradable Plastics to Reduce Reliance on Singapore's Landfill›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 311w
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Mr Christopher de Souza35 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Ministry will look into ways in which the advantages of biodegradable plastics may be harnessed and advertised so as to reduce reliance on Singapore's landfill.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien276 words
[+13 sentences]Plastic waste generated in Singapore is either recycled or incinerated. Unlike in many other countries, plastic waste is not landfilled directly. As such, the environmental benefits of using biodegradable plastics do not apply in Singapore’s context. Biodegradable as well as oxo-degradable plastics could even interfere with the recycling process when mixed with conventional plastics. A more sustainable approach for Singapore is to reduce the use of all disposables and increase the recycling of plastics. We are doing this through public education, and upstream regulation through the Resource Sustainability Act that will mandate key responsibilities to enable recycling at the systems-level. To raise awareness of the impact of excessive consumption of disposables and the need to reduce usage, the National Environment Agency (NEA) launched the second run of the nationwide "Say YES to Waste Less" campaign last month. Operators of more than 2,100 premises have partnered NEA to encourage consumers to bring reusables and decline disposables for takeaways and online food orders. NEA also started a Citizens' Workgroup last month to address the excessive consumption of disposables. Moving upstream, NEA will be rolling out mandatory reporting of packaging waste for large generators as well as their plans for reducing, reusing or recycling packaging from 2021. This will increase companies' awareness of the potential for waste reduction in their business operations. We will also implement a Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) for beverage containers from 2022 and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for managing packaging waste, including plastics, no later than 2025. Collectively, these measures will help to reduce plastic waste and improve its recycling rate, and contribute to the effort to extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill.
Measures in Place to Address Rat Sightings since Circuit Breaker Period›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 464w
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Ms Tin Pei Ling31 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether there has been an increase in rat sightings since the circuit breaker period and what measures are in place to address them.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien433 words
[+17 sentences]During the circuit breaker period in April and May 2020, an average of about 350 instances of feedback on rat sightings were reported each month. Of these, an average of 23 instances of feedback were received by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in relation to sightings at food establishments monthly, while the rest were received by the National Environment Agency (NEA) in relation to sightings at other public spaces. The instances of feedback on rat sightings in July and August have reverted to about 500 per month, which is in line with pre-circuit breaker levels. The dip in feedback on rat sightings during the circuit breaker period could have been due to no dining-in at food and beverage outlets and that fewer people were out and about. To keep the incidence of rat infestation low, NEA carries out islandwide surveillance to identify places which can attract rats, such as bin chutes where food waste is not well-managed. The surveillance information is shared with relevant government agencies and Town Councils (TCs) so that they can take preventive measures, such as improving housekeeping and conducting rat proofing works. NEA incentivises TCs with funding under the Rat Attack Programme to implement customised rat control measures in public housing estates. NEA also conducts regular inspections to ensure that agencies, TCs and premises owners implement adequate rat control measures and proper waste management practices, and will take enforcement action against them for any rat infestation. Similarly, SFA requires operators of food establishments to keep their premises clean and free of pest infestations, including rats. Operators must have a pest control contract to ensure that their premises are free of pest infestation. It is also their responsibility to keep their premises clean and well-maintained; and failure to do so constitutes an offence. Repeated offences or serious offences can result in suspension or even cancellation of the food establishment's licence. SFA conducts regular inspections at food establishments to ensure that they comply with food hygiene and safety, including keeping their premises free from rat infestation. These inspections continued during the circular breaker period. From January to August 2020, more than 40,000 inspections were conducted on food establishments. While we keep up the rat surveillance and control measures in Singapore, all stakeholders have the responsibility to institute a robust system of housekeeping, refuse management and regular pest control checks and treatment. Members of the public, operators of food establishments, and businesses are advised to store food properly in covered containers, not to leave food or food waste behind, and to bag, tie and properly dispose of food waste into covered bins.
Engaging with Supermarkets and Consumers to Reduce Plastic Pre-packaging of Fruits and Vegetables›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 318w
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Mr Christopher de Souza25 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment how will the Ministry engage with supermarkets and consumers to reduce plastic pre-packaging of fruits and vegetables.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien293 words
[+10 sentences]Plastic pre-packaging for fruits and vegetables has practical uses, such as extending shelf life and minimising cross contamination. Nevertheless, my Ministry recognises the need to avoid excessive use of all packaging, including plastic pre-packaging. Next year, we will implement the mandatory packaging reporting framework, where producers of packaged products as well as retailers such as supermarkets with an annual turnover of more than $10 million will have to submit packaging data and plans to reduce, reuse or recycle packaging. This will make companies more aware of their packaging use (including plastic pre-packaging of fruits and vegetables) and encourage them to minimise waste and reduce business costs. The reporting framework will lay the foundation for an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework to manage packaging waste including plastics, which will be put in place no later than 2025. The EPR ensures that producers are responsible for the collection and end-of-life management of the packaging materials for their products, and encourages producers to reduce the amount of packaging used. To complement the regulatory measures, the National Environment Agency (NEA) is also encouraging supermarkets and consumers to reduce the use of packaging for grocery shopping through the "Say YES to Waste Less" national campaign. For example, a partner of this campaign, Dairy Farm Singapore, has provided visual cues at the fresh produce plastic roll stands to encourage customers to reduce usage of plastic bags when bagging fruits and vegetables. NEA is also raising awareness of packaging-free grocery stores such as Unpackt and Scoop, where consumers are encouraged to bring their own containers and buy what they need. My Ministry and the NEA will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to reduce the consumption of all types of packaging and move towards becoming a Zero Waste Nation.
Protocols and Training for Safe Distancing Ambassadors to Enforce Safe Distancing Measures at Coffeeshops and Hawker Centres in HDB Heartlands after Office Hours›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 383w
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Mr Yip Hon Weng44 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what are the protocols for enforcement of safe distancing measures at coffeeshops and hawker centres in HDB heartlands after office hours; and (b) how are safe distancing ambassadors trained to handle drunk and rowdy patrons.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien339 words
[+13 sentences]Compliance with Safe Management Measures (SMMs) and Safe Distancing Measures (SDMs) is an important part of Singapore's national effort to curb the transmission of COVID-19. Every day, around 3,000 Safe Distancing Ambassadors and Enforcement Officers from government agencies are deployed to enforce these measures, with more being deployed during peak dining hours and weekends, and in more crowded hawker centres and coffeeshops. They take on different shifts, starting as early as 6am for certain areas. In recent weeks, agencies have stepped up enforcement at Food and Beverage establishments, including hawker centres and coffeeshops. As at 1 October 2020, three drinks stalls at coffeeshops have been temporarily suspended for serving and allowing the consumption of alcohol by their patrons after 10.30pm. Two coffeeshops were fined for not adhering to one metre safe distancing between tables, and another was fined for allowing gatherings in groups of more than five. Before they are deployed, our ambassadors and officers are trained on the safe distancing and management measures, as well as the rules of engagement with premise operators and members of the public. They are deployed in teams of at least two officers and the more experienced staff will be partnered with new officers to guide and support them. They are reminded not to put themselves in harm’s way, and to engage the assistance of the Police when needed. While most residents in the community have been cooperative, a small number of individuals have been defiant and abusive, especially when they are drunk and rowdy. For such cases, agencies were given the full support of the Police in identifying, apprehending and eventually charging the culprits. Enforcement is only but a part of how we manage the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim of keeping our community safe. What is equally, if not more important, is the cooperation from premise operators and the community to do their part in observing the safe distancing and management measures, even when there are no ambassadors and officers around, so that we continue to keep community transmission under control.
Plans to Review and Upgrade Wet Markets in Towns Growing in Size›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 326w
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Mr Sharael Taha48 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether there is any criteria to determine the number and size of wet markets in a town; and (b) if so, whether there are plans to review and upgrade the wet markets in towns that are growing in size.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien278 words
[+10 sentences]Most of our markets were built as part of hawker centres between 1967 and 1985, to resettle street hawkers into purpose-built buildings such as those built in new public housing estates to serve the residents’ needs. Over time, consumer trends and preferences have shifted due to changing demographics, as well as the widespread availability of alternative options such as supermarkets and online retailers. Wet markets in their current form have gradually become less popular. Thus, when these older markets underwent the Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme from 2001 to 2013, market stalls vacated by stallholders retiring from the trade were removed to free up space for wider passageways and bigger areas for the remaining stalls. Similarly, when the Government announced in 2011 that it would restart the building of hawker centres, efforts were focused on increasing the number of cooked food stalls in new estates or existing estates with insufficient affordable eating options. Currently, the provision of new markets or expansion of existing ones will be considered only if there is strong demand and support, or where there is a shortage of other sources of market produce in the area. This is to ensure the viability of the market stalls. From our experience, new markets, such as the one at Jurong West Hawker Centre, have generally not fared well. The concept of future markets would need to evolve to meet the emerging needs and preferences of consumers who have the options to buy online and from full-day, even 24-hour, supermarkets. To this end, the National Environment Agency will continue to work with relevant government agencies and the community to monitor the situation and ensure that residents’ needs are met.
Support for Affected Businesses in Central Business District since Circuit Breaker Period›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 324w
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Ms Tin Pei Ling38 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how have businesses in the Central Business District been affected since the circuit breaker period; and (b) whether there will be a special assistance package to help these affected businesses.
Mr Chan Chun Sing286 words
[+12 sentences]Since the end of the Circuit Breaker on 1 June 2020, Singapore has gradually resumed activities across sectors. Most businesses in the CBD have also been gradually allowed to reopen. However, as many employees continue to work from home, footfall in the CBD has yet to return to normal levels and sales for F&B and retail establishments in the CBD have remained sluggish. On 23 September 2020, the Government announced a revised set of workplace safe management measures, whereby amongst other measures, employees who are able to work-from-home may return to the workplace, subject to various rules, to better support work and business operations. While working from home will remain as the default mode of working, more employees are likely to head back to their workplace and business within the CBD will likely improve. The Government is aware of the difficult situation businesses are in. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Heng Swee Keat, had unveiled four budgets totalling close to $100 billion to support people and businesses in this crisis. These include the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) and various loan schemes to ease the cash flow for businesses. We are also providing support for businesses to transform themselves and build new revenue streams. These include schemes such as the : (a) Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) with a support level of up to 90% for businesses to grow and transform; (b) Productivity Solutions Grant with a support level of up to 80% for businesses to adopt proven pre-scoped solutions (e.g. IT solutions) and (c) e-Commerce Booster Package which supports 90% of the costs for retailers to on-board e-commerce platforms. We encourage enterprises in the CBD and elsewhere to leverage these schemes to strengthen their businesses.
Proposal to Implement Virus Drills›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 161w
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Mr Christopher de Souza46 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the Ministry will consider implementing virus drills whereby certain pockets of industries can take turns to implement business continuity plans for one week including the distribution of masks and other essential items, such as hand sanitisers, to employees.
Mr Chan Chun Sing115 words
[+4 sentences]The Ministry fully agrees that businesses must prepare themselves for disruptions arising from COVID-19 and other public health emergencies. That is why Enterprise Singapore released a guide on "Business Continuity Planning for COVID-19" to help companies, especially small and medium sized enterprises, put in place a basic Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to deal with the COVID-19 situation. This includes protocols to maintain a safe workplace, handle employees who may be COVID-19 positive, and recommendations to diversify supply chains and staffing arrangements so that the company can continue operating under different scenarios. We will consider the Member's suggestion to implement 'virus drills' as we continue working with the business community to enhance their preparation for COVID-19.
Companies Applying for Enterprise Singapore's Financing Support Schemes Not Meeting Minimum 30% Local Shareholding Criterion›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 158w
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Ms Yeo Wan Ling57 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how many companies applying for Enterprise Singapore's financing support schemes do not meet the minimum 30% local shareholding criterion; (b) how many of such companies have been granted financial support by Enterprise Singapore; and (c) whether concessions can be made for such companies with high levels of local employment.
Mr Chan Chun Sing101 words
[+5 sentences]Enterprise Singapore (ESG)'s financing schemes involve a high degree of Government risk-sharing (50% to 90%). As such, we have imposed a minimum 30% local shareholding criterion to ensure that the schemes support mainly companies owned by Singaporeans. As of 30 September 2020, over 18,000 companies have taken up loans supported under the enhanced financing schemes. For companies that do not meet the eligibility criteria, ESG may consider exceptional cases on a case-by-case basis, based on factors such as their local employment and strategic importance to the economy. Six companies with local shareholding below 30% were supported under the enhanced financing schemes.
Measurement of Success of SkillsFuture and Related Continuing Education and Training Programmes in Providing Opportunities for New Careers and Employability›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 315w
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Ms Foo Mee Har29 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education how is the success of SkillsFuture and related Continuing Education and Training programmes measured in providing Singaporeans with opportunities for new careers and employability.
Mr Lawrence Wong286 words
[+12 sentences]Since the launch of SkillsFuture movement in 2014, the Government has adopted a range of approaches to evaluate the outcomes of training. We closely monitor placements for all placement-related training programmes. Since 2016, we have achieved 5140 placements via Professional Conversion Programmes, and 9554 placements via SSG's Train-and-Place programmes. The longer-term impact of training on outcomes such as employability and wages are also reviewed via longitudinal studies conducted every few years. A 2018 MTI study found that individuals who underwent Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) training were more employable and enjoyed a real wage premium of 5.8% in the year after training. A 2019 MTI study found that recent graduates of the SkillsFuture Work-Study post-diploma programme enjoyed a sustained wage premium of about 10% over polytechnic diploma graduates. Additionally, we conduct surveys to collect feedback from key stakeholders such as employers. In the 2019 SkillsFuture Public Perception Survey, 77% of employers indicated that SkillsFuture training programmes had helped their employees take on more responsibilities, and 75% of them felt that SkillsFuture training programmes could help their company recruit and retain valued employees. One of the ways we ensure better alignment of training to industry needs, is through training led by companies themselves. Companies such as Google, IBM and PBA Robotics have come on board the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme, to equip individuals with industry-relevant skills to boost their employability. We have also engaged SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies to train beyond their own needs and support skills upgrading for other companies in their industry and value chains, in particular for SMEs. These SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies help transfer their knowledge and impart their capabilities to employees of smaller companies, by co-creating industry-led skills and training solutions/programmes with SSG.
Meaning of National Anthem and Colours and Symbols of Flag as Part of National Education in Lower Primary›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 264w
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Mr Christopher de Souza32 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education whether national education such as the meaning of the national anthem and meaning of the colours and symbols on our flag are taught in lower primary school.
Mr Lawrence Wong232 words
[+10 sentences]At Primary 1, students learn to sing the National Anthem in their Music lessons and recite the National Pledge during morning assembly. During their Character and Citizenship Education lessons, students learn that these daily actions express our loyalty to Singapore and help to develop a sense of belonging to the country. At Primary 2, students learn to recognise the National Symbols of Singapore in their Social Studies lessons. This includes knowing the different features of the National Flag and the symbolic meanings behind the colours, crescent moon and stars found on our National Flag. Students' learning in these areas is then deepened over time. For example, Music teachers would revisit the National Anthem with their students in subsequent years, to go through commonly mispronounced words and help students understand the meaning of the lyrics. Similarly, in Primary 4 Social Studies, students delve more deeply into the significance of the National Symbols. Resources such as animated videos are available to support these efforts. For example, we have videos that explain to lower primary students, in an engaging way, the significance of the National Anthem as well as the meaning of each line of its lyrics, as well as the compelling story of the origins of the National Anthem and its composer, Pak Zubir Said. All these efforts ensure that students understand the significance of singing the National Anthem and reciting the Pledge daily.
Support for Students Facing Mental Health Issues in Schools›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 548w
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Ms Raeesah Khan104 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education (a) what types of support do students facing mental health issues receive in schools; (b) currently, what is the ratio of counsellors trained to work with students with mental health issues to students in primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, including autonomous universities; (c) what is being done to ensure that students with mental health issues belonging to different income groups receive the support they need; (d) what is being done to de-stigmatise mental health issues in schools; and (e) whether the Ministry will consider annual reports tracking support for mental health issues in schools to be presented to Parliament.
Mr Lawrence Wong444 words
[+18 sentences]MOE closely monitors the state of well-being of our students and is committed to meeting their needs. As part of Mental Health Education in the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum, students learn about mental health issues, coping skills, emotional regulation and help-seeking strategies. We are also strengthening peer support in schools, encouraging students to look out for each other’s well-being and to alert an adult if their peers are feeling distressed or struggling with mental health issues. To destigmatise mental health issues, students are taught to show care, respect and empathy to all, including people with mental health issues. Discussions on related issues such as anxieties and uncertainties that students face, unhealthy expectations and social comparisons, stigma and other barriers to help-seeking also help to normalise conversations on mental health. These efforts continue in the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), where curricular and co-curricular mental health programmes and peer support networks seek to further raise awareness, equip students with knowledge of mental health and build resilience. As part of the eco-system of support, teachers and lecturers are trained to identify signs of distress in their students, monitor their well-being, and provide guidance and support. Counsellors also provide additional support to students who need it. Each primary school, secondary school and junior college has one to two counsellors while each polytechnic and ITE college has four to seven counsellors. The Autonomous Universities are similarly equipped with counsellors depending on their size and student profile. They are further augmented by a pool of Teacher Counsellors, Para-counsellors and Flexi-Adjunct Counsellors. For students who require further assessment and intervention, our counsellors tap on community mental health professionals such as the Response, Early Assessment and Intervention for Community Mental Health (REACH) teams and Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT). All students with social-emotional needs, including those with mental health issues, will receive the necessary support regardless of their family’s financial situation. Some schools also have Student Welfare Officers (SWOs) who mentor and provide social support to disadvantaged students and we plan to further expand the pool of SWOs. Our schools and IHLs work closely with community partners and social service agencies to support students and their families in a holistic manner, as well as to promote youth mental well-being. MOE will continue to find different ways to put out information on the mental well-being of our students, and to raise public awareness. We are also mindful that students dealing with mental health issues, as well as their parents, often prefer to keep their issues and support they are receiving confidential and private. We have to respect their preferences and wishes, and find the right balance in tackling these difficult issues.
Young Teens Indulging in Unprotected Sexual Activities and Contracting HIV and Other Diseases and Efforts to Promote Sex Education›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 185w
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Miss Cheng Li Hui54 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education with the rise in the number of young teens indulging in unprotected sexual activities and contracting HIV and other diseases (a) what are the Ministry's efforts to promote sex education; and (b) what is the Ministry doing to keep up with the changing attitudes towards sex among the young.
Mr Lawrence Wong131 words
[+6 sentences]Our schools equip students with age-appropriate knowledge and skills to understand themselves, maintain healthy relationships, and make wise, informed and responsible decisions on sexuality matters. Students learn about media influence, cyber relationships, dating and romantic relationships, and the social-emotional and legal impact of sexual behaviours. They also learn about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the consequences and impact of STIs/HIV, and protection against STIs/HIV. The MOE Sexuality Education is reviewed regularly, taking into consideration emerging trends, local and international research, input from specialists in relevant fields and our local context. This ensures that the content is relevant and responsive to the changing attitudes of students towards sexuality matters. As parents play a significant role in sexuality education, schools also work closely with parents to support their children.
Manpower Resourcing Plan for Home Visitation Programme under KidSTART›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 308w
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Ms Carrie Tan72 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the manpower resourcing plan for the Home Visitation Programme under KidSTART, in terms of the number of home visitors the programme aims to hire in the next two to five years; (b) what are the required skills or eligibility criteria for home visitors that the programme is looking for; and (c) what is the job scope they are expected to perform.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M236 words
[+8 sentences]The KidSTART Home Visitation Programme aims to (a) help families optimise child health and developmental outcomes, (b) improve parents' knowledge and skills on child health, nutrition and development, and (c) promote parent-child bonding and positive interactions. Regular screening of the child’s developmental milestones as well as maternal well-being is also carried out to identify and address any concerns early. To carry out this work scope, practitioners in the KidSTART Home Visitation Programme are professionals with backgrounds in early childhood, psychology, nursing, social work, counselling, or other related fields, and have relevant experience in the early childhood or social service sectors. They are hence skilled in advising on child development issues, conducting child developmental and maternal mental health screening, as well as a holistic assessment of the needs of children and families. In addition to case management and building rapport with the families, practitioners must also work collaboratively with community and social service agencies, and participate in multidisciplinary case reviews in order to provide child-focused support for the families. Over the next three years, in line with KidSTART's expansion plans, the number of practitioners in the Home Visitation Programme will increase from 19 today to 45. We will step up the recruitment for this group. Given the positive community interest to support KidSTART families, we are also looking to engage volunteers who are prepared to commit to supporting KidSTART families to complement the efforts of the practitioners.
Number of Children Enrolled under Enhanced Pilot for Private Intervention Providers in 2017 and 2018›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 335w
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Mr Don Wee39 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many children have been enrolled under the Enhanced Pilot for Private Intervention Providers (Enhanced PPIP) in 2017 and 2018; and (b) whether the quota of children can be increased.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M296 words
[+11 sentences]The Enhanced Pilot for Private Intervention Providers (PPIP) involves private sector operators who provide developmental and therapy services for preschool-aged children who are at risk of moderate to severe developmental delays. It serves as a complement to the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) run by social service agencies. Parents whose children are referred to EIPIC can choose to enrol their child in an approved PPIP programme, and children generally receive the same Early Intervention (EI) subsidies regardless of whether they enrol in PPIP or EIPIC. In 2018, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) increased the number of PPIP providers from 6 to 10. In 2019, to ensure that more children are able to access PPIP, MSF also worked with the PPIP providers to increase the number of PPIP places, based on the demand in their centre(s). The number of children served in PPIP therefore doubled from an annual average of 130 children for 2017 and 2018, to 266 children in 2019. MSF strives to ensure the adequate provision of EI services and to enhance our support for children with developmental needs. In addition to working with providers to maximise the current PPIP capacity, we are working on expanding the number of EIPIC places to serve children with moderate to severe developmental needs. We have also expanded the range of EI services within preschools to support more children with developmental needs. For example, we introduced the Development Support Plus (DS-Plus) programme last year, to cater to children who have made sufficient progress under EIPIC and are able to transit to receiving EI services within preschools. We have also set up the Inclusive Preschool Workgroup (IPWG) to develop recommendations on how to better support children with moderate to severe developmental needs within preschools.
Take-up Rate of Registering Lasting Power of Attorney by Age Groups and Plans to Implement Online Registration for Lasting Power of Attorney›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 153w
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Ms Hany Soh68 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the take-up rate of registering Lasting Powers of Attorney since the establishment of the Office of the Public Guardian; (b) what is the profile age groups of the applicants who have registered their Lasting Power of Attorney; and (c) whether the Office of the Public Guardian has plans to implement online registration for Lasting Powers of Attorney.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M85 words
[+6 sentences]As at 31 August 2020, there are 93,398 registered Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs). More than half the applicants who have registered their LPA are within the age range of 50 – 69. The breakdown is in Annex A. As part of the overall digital transformation effort of the public service to better serve Singaporeans, we intend to allow LPAs to be made and registered online. We also intend to amend the Mental Capacity Act to allow this. We will share more details when ready.
Number of Applications for ComCare Assistance Exceeding Income Criteria and Plans to Review Income Cap›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 364w
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written-answer-6340
Ms Raeesah Khan68 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) from 2017 to 2019, how many applications for ComCare Interim Assistance, Short-to-Medium Term Assistance and Long-Term Assistance are received in which the applicant has exceeded the income criteria; (b) what factors are considered when the applicant slightly exceeds the income criteria; and (c) whether the Ministry is planning a review of this income cap over the next 12 months.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M296 words
[+13 sentences]ComCare provides assistance to low-income households for their basic living expenses. ComCare Long-Term Assistance (LTA) is provided to those who are permanently unable to work due to old age, illness or disability, and have little or no means of income and family support. Applicants who are unable to work and receiving some income such as allowance from their children or CPF-related payouts may also qualify if their income is insufficient for their basic needs. ComCare Short-to-Medium Term Assistance (SMTA) and Interim Assistance (IA) have income eligibility criteria of a monthly household income of $1,900 and below or per capita household income of $650 and below. The number of applications for ComCare SMTA and IA where the applicant has exceeded the income eligibility criterion is summarised in Table 1. The income criteria for ComCare schemes are not hard thresholds. Each household that applies for ComCare assistance is considered on a case-by-case basis, to ensure that they receive the assistance that they need for their basic living expenses. For applicants who exceed the income criteria, we consider their respective circumstances and exercise some flexibility where warranted to provide ComCare or connect them with other relevant assistance. For example, households with higher essential expenses such as housing rental or children’s special education expenses may be provided ComCare even if their household income exceeds the criteria. The Social Service Office may also connect them with other assistance schemes and community organisations that can provide additional assistance or in-kind support to help them cover their expenses and address their needs. MSF reviews the ComCare eligibility criteria every two to three years to ensure that ComCare objectives are being met. The last review was conducted in 2019. We do not have plans to review the income criteria in the next 12 months.
Malay/Muslim Community's Response to Meet Religious Needs in Light of COVID-19 Restrictions by Age Group›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 735w
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Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim38 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs how have the different age groups in the Malay/Muslim community responded and adapted to meet the community's religious needs in light of the COVID-19 restrictions.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M697 words
[+31 sentences]As part of the national fight against COVID-19, the Malay/Muslim community, alongside other faith communities, has made important adjustments to their religious life. Both the young and old within the community recognise the need to adopt safe management measures in our religious activities, whilst coming forward to help those who are more vulnerable and in need. Our mosques are central to the religious life of the community. Our religious leaders have worked closely with healthcare professionals through the Malay/Muslim COVID-19 Working Group to proactively provide guidance on how we can adapt our religious practices to be COVID-safe. (a) Mosques closed before the Circuit Breaker. Especially during Ramadan, families in the same household gathered to perform their prayers together. (b) The religious leadership, in consultation with MOH, made the early decision to defer this year’s Haj pilgrimage to the following year for the health and wellbeing of our pilgrims, while also protecting the wider community in Singapore from the risk of infection. (c) As the public health situation improved, we have progressively resumed Friday congregational prayers and worship services in a safe manner since the start of Phase Two. As of 25 September, 40 mosques have been cleared to provide 100 spaces for Friday congregational prayers. In addition to this, funeral prayers have also been allowed to be conducted at designated mosques, with the necessary safety measures in place. We will gradually allow more mosques to expand their worship services when they are ready, and the level of community transmission remains low. (d) I thank the community for their understanding on the limited prayer spaces and their cooperation with the mosques’ safe management measures. Muis will take into account the community’s feedback as it enhances the booking system for Friday prayer spaces. Muis has also worked closely with the mosques and asatizah to introduce new ways to support the community’s religious needs. Let me share some examples. (a) SalamSG TV web-based channel provides religious and lifestyle content to the Muslim public. It has programmes for different age groups, from storytelling for children to Quran recitation guides for adults. During Ramadan, the programmes on SalamSG TV have received a total of 630,000 unique views. (b) We added online components to aLIVE (Living Islamic Values Everyday) classes for children and ADIL (Adult Islamic Learning) for adults. 9 in 10 of parents surveyed agreed that their children enjoyed the home-based learning (HBL) component of the aLIVE programme. Muis has also provided a two-month 50% fee subsidy for aLIVE students who cannot afford the full fees. Muslim adults attending ADIL have welcomed the online courses and some even requested for more courses. (c) We introduced more digital religious content to engage the youth and others in the community through videos and podcasts on the MuslimSG mobile app and various social media platforms. Many in the community have also reached out to those who are less digital-savvy, such as elderly family members. We heard stories of how children assist their parents in making donations to the OurMasjid.sg crowdfunding platform to sustain mosque operations, while others set up IT systems at home so that their grandparents are able to attend home-based Quran recitation classes via video-conferencing platforms. These efforts allow the elderly to continue their religious practices even while they heed advice from our asatizah and medical experts to stay at home. Our community has also demonstrated a spirit of compassion and charity to support others in need. (a) Zakat contributions remain strong this year, with 96% of contributions made through digital transactions and cheques. (b) On Hari Raya Haji, the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation, in collaboration with Muis, Free Food for All and New Life Stories, delivered meals to almost 6,000 migrant workers staying in Factory-Converted Dormitories. This brought comfort to the migrant workers away from home during this significant religious occasion. Our collective response during this pandemic has shown that we are a resilient and adaptive Muslim Community of Success. As Singapore steels itself for a long fight against COVID-19, I am confident that our community will continue to adapt and support each other, so that we can safely preserve our religious life and emerge stronger from this pandemic with fellow Singaporeans.
Number of Appeals Received by MUIS Appeal Board on Judgments Issued by the Syariah Court of Singapore for Divorce Cases›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 152w
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Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap64 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) from 2017 to 2019, what is the annual number of appeals received by the MUIS Appeal Board regarding judgments issued by the Syariah Court of Singapore for divorce cases; (b) what are the main reasons for the appeals; and (c) how many cases are reported by ex-husbands and ex-wives respectively.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M88 words
[+4 sentences]Between 2017 and 2019, a total of 70 appeals against the Syariah Court (SYC) decisions on divorces were made to the Muis Appeal Board. There were 26 appeals in 2017, 20 appeals in 2018, and 24 appeals in 2019. The most common reasons for appeal were on the division of matrimonial assets, and disputes regarding monetary orders made by the SYC, such as the quantum of nafkah iddah and muta'ah award to wives. During this 3-year period, there was a roughly equal number of male and female appellants.
Progress of Investigations into Allegations of Questionable Halal Certification Practices by MUIS' Halal Certification Strategic Unit›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 131w
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Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap32 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs what is the progress of investigations into allegations of questionable halal certification practices by MUIS's Halal Certification Strategic Unit.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M99 words
[+5 sentences]Muis takes a serious view towards the allegations made earlier this year against Muis by foreign online media in relation to the recognition of Foreign Halal Certificate Bodies (FHCBs). Muis has since set up an internal investigation team, led by Deputy Chief Executive, Dr Albakri Ahmad. An Independent Review Panel (IRP) was also formed to investigate the complaint and review the findings of the investigation team. The IRP comprises members who do not have any executive roles in Muis. The IRP is chaired by Muis Council member and retired audit director from the Auditor-General’s Office, Mr Abdul Hamid Abdullah.
Progress of Construction of New Bus Depot near Seletar West Farmway and Plans to Improve Bus Services in Fernvale›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 155w
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Mr Gan Thiam Poh40 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the progress of the construction of the new bus depot near Seletar West Farmway; and (b) with this new bus depot, what plans are there to improve the bus services in Fernvale.
Mr Ong Ye Kung115 words
[+5 sentences]Due to the Circuit Breaker and phased re-opening since April this year, the completion of Sengkang West Bus Depot is delayed from 2023 to 2024. This delay does not affect the provision of bus services to serve Fernvale residents, as it is a bus depot and not an interchange. Residents at Fernvale are currently served by the Sengkang LRT and bus services along Sengkang West Avenue and Sengkang West Way that connect residents to Sengkang Bus Interchange / MRT Station and areas like Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Hougang and Yishun. LTA will continue to monitor travel demand and patterns. Where necessary, LTA will adjust the provision of bus services to cater to increases in demand.
National Project to Widen Footpaths and Build More Cycling Paths›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 109w
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Mr Murali Pillai25 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport what is the progress on the national project to widen footpaths and build more cycling paths involving Bukit Batok SMC.
Mr Ong Ye Kung84 words
[+3 sentences]Due to COVID-19, which affected the availability of cycling path construction materials and workers, our cycling path projects may be delayed by up to 12 months. The Government remains committed to tripling our cycling paths from 460 kilometres now to around 1300 kilometres by 2030, under the Islandwide Cycling Network programme. This will provide our towns, including Bukit Batok, with a wider active mobility network to support the uptake of active mobility in a way that is safe and convenient for all path users.
Feasibility of Incorporating Low-noise Pavement Mix for Sections of Expressways Close to Residential Blocks and Measures Implemented to Mitigate Impact of Traffic Noise›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 186w
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Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis64 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether LTA is looking into the feasibility of incorporating low-noise pavement mix for all sections of expressways running close to residential blocks, in particular along the section of the Tampines Expressway between Sengkang and Punggol estates; (b) what are the preconditions for implementation; and (c) what other measures are being implemented to mitigate the impact of traffic noise.
Mr Ong Ye Kung122 words
[+5 sentences]With the help of National Parks Board, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) lined Tampines Expressway with dense planting, which act as screens that absorb light and noise from roads. Noise mitigation measures are also implemented in the development of public housing, which has to be at a minimum distance away from roads. The Housing Development Board developments in Sengkang and Punggol estates adhere to this minimum separation distance from the Tampines Expressway. LTA is currently studying the feasibility of other noise mitigation measures, such as low-noise pavement mix and vertical noise barriers, along expressways near residential areas. The study will help LTA understand the extent of improvement of noise reduction due to the pavement mix, the impact of road geometry, and cost-effectiveness.
Number of Pedestrian Overhead Bridges with Lifts Installed and Plans to Install More Lifts at Mature Estates›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 163w
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Ms Hany Soh45 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport (a) how many pedestrian overhead bridges are there in Singapore and how many have lifts installed to provide barrier-free access; and (b) whether there are plans to install more lifts for pedestrian overhead bridges, especially at mature estates like Woodgrove.
Mr Ong Ye Kung118 words
[+6 sentences]Currently, there are about 580 pedestrian overhead bridges (POBs) in Singapore. To provide barrier free accessibility for the elderly and less ambulant commuters, ramps have been provided at 71 POBs and lifts installed at 48 POBs. LTA is presently making plans to progressively install lifts at around 50 more POBs. Given the high cost of installing lifts, LTA will give priority to POBs at locations that would benefit large numbers of seniors and commuters with mobility challenges, barring site constraints. Particularly attention will be given to those near public transport nodes and healthcare institutions without nearby at-grade and other barrier-free crossings. We will continue to study how we can improve barrier-free access, including in estates such as Woodgrove.
Percentage of Rejected Applications under Self-employed Person Income Relief Scheme due to Spouse's Income and Plans to Review Criterion›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 181w
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Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye62 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the percentage of applications under the Self-Employed Income Relief Scheme that have been rejected due to the applicants' spouses earning more than $70,000; and (b) whether the Ministry can review this criterion as part of its study on the possible extension of SIRS in light of the prolonged economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
Mrs Josephine Teo119 words
[+4 sentences]The Self-Employed Person (SEP) Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) is a means-tested scheme to help Singaporean SEPs with less means and family support to tide over this period of economic uncertainty. To target SIRS at SEPs with limited household wealth, married individuals will not qualify for SIRS if the assessable income of his or her spouse exceeds $70,000 a year. $70,000 is significantly above the median assessable income and is in line with other national schemes such as Workfare. As with the other qualifying criteria, we have also been exercising flexibility for this criterion. About 10% of the unsuccessful SIRS applicants had spousal incomes that far exceeded the $70,000 threshold and hence could not be covered by our appeal guidelines.
Guidelines for Cross-deployment of Foreign Domestic Workers and Available Outreach to Ensure Awareness of Rights and Available Platforms to Seek Assistance›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 440w
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Mr Yip Hon Weng72 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether guidelines for cross-deployment of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) can be tightened and made available to both employers and FDWs for greater clarity; (b) what kind of outreach has been done to ensure employers and FDWs are aware of their rights and the platforms to seek assistance; and (c) how can the Ministry better address FDWs' fears of losing their jobs if they report errant employers.
Mrs Josephine Teo368 words
[+16 sentences]Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) generally should perform household and domestic duties only at the residential address stated in the work permit. With the consent of the FDW, an employer can deploy the FDW to perform household duties at a relative's house to look after the employer’s child or aged parent under the supervision of the relative. In such situations, the employer is required to inform the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) of any such arrangements made, and must ensure that the FDW does not perform the full load of housework in both households. This approach balances the interest and well-being of the FDW and accommodates variations in household living arrangements in a practical way. The rules concerning how FDWs can be deployed are published in the FDW's Guidebook (which is given out to all first-time FDWs) and in the FDW Employer's Guide (which employers can download from MOM's website). During the FDW Settling-in Programme (SIP), first-time FDWs are also informed of the scenarios and circumstances under which they are allowed to work outside of their employer’s household. Likewise, first-time employers are briefed through the Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP). The SIP and EOP also provide specific examples on arrangements that are disallowed. For example, an FDW is not allowed to work for a neighbour after completing chores for an employer, and an employer is not allowed to ask an FDW to engage in cleaning activities in their offices or shop spaces. In addition, the SIP educates first-time FDWs on the list of support channels that they can go to for assistance. We have also started a programme to interview first-time FDWs conducted in their native languages, where they are able to raise any employment or well-being issues. FDWs who are illegally deployed should step forward to report their cases to MOM. Those who are assisting in MOM investigations will not be repatriated. The Ministry will assist affected FDWs to look for temporary employment or transfer to another employer during and after the investigation is completed. There have also been instances where FDWs made unsubstantiated complaints against their employers. This is why it is important for MOM to hear both sides and investigate, so as to arrive at a fair conclusion.
Trend of Female Workforce Participation with Younger Children across Income Deciles over Last Five Years›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 141w
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Mr Desmond Choo27 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower over the last five years, what is the trend of female workforce participation for those with younger children across the income deciles.
Mrs Josephine Teo114 words
[+6 sentences]Labour force participation for a given group informs us of the percentage of persons (working or not working) who are participating in the labour force. But since individuals without work do not draw an income, labour force participation cannot be measured by income deciles. However, over the past five years, our overall female labour force participation rate for those with younger children has risen. Refer to Table 1 for the breakdown. On this front, Singapore fares well internationally. Our overall female labour force participation rate for those with at least one child aged below six was ranked amongst the top five OECD countries in 2018, the latest year for which comparison data is available1.
Residential Addresses Falsely Declared as Housing Addresses for Foreign Workers in Past Five Years›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 311w
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Mr Leon Perera49 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower (a) in each year in the past five years, how many cases have there been of residential addresses being falsely declared as housing addresses for foreign workers; and (b) what measures are taken to ensure that housing addresses declared for foreign workers are accurate.
Mrs Josephine Teo262 words
[+13 sentences]MOM takes a multi-pronged approach to ensure accurate addresses are declared for foreign workers. First, we hold employers responsible for reporting accurate residential addresses of their foreign workers. They are required to do so in the Online Foreign Worker Address Service. Employers remain responsible even when their workers source for their own accommodation. The online service ensures the occupancy limit of the address is not exceeded, and it also checks against tenancy registration records from the Housing and Development Board to ensure that the foreign worker is registered as a tenant by the homeowner. Second, MOM introduced the Foreign Worker Tenant Enquiry System in December 2018 to help detect misuse of home addresses. Homeowners can use the system to check the details of foreign workers registered at their address, and report to MOM if there are discrepancies. A significant increase in the number of false declaration cases were detected this way, explaining the increase in number of cases in 2019 from the previous year. The Foreign Worker Tenant Enquiry System also allows homeowners to block their addresses in the system to prevent any registration of foreign workers. Table 1 shows the number of cases from 2015 to 2019 involving false declaration of residential addresses as housing addresses for foreign workers. This includes cases reported by homeowners as well as proactive inspections by MOM. When cases of false declaration of residential addresses are detected, employers and workers involved will be investigated. Culpable employers will be barred from hiring foreign workers and workers who knowingly provided false information will have their work passes revoked.
Rationale for Further Consultations with AGC on Further Action to be Taken against Parti Liyani's Previous Employer›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 243w
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Mr Derrick Goh42 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower what is the rationale for further consultations with AGC to decide on what further action ought to be taken against Parti Liyani's previous employer when the Ministry has previously issued a warning to the employer in 2018.
Mrs Josephine Teo201 words
[+11 sentences]In determining punitive actions for illegal deployment, MOM's key considerations are the degree to which the well-being of the Foreign Domestic Worker has been compromised, and the extent of the illegal deployment. Ms Parti Liyani's case of illegal deployment was handled by the Ministry of Manpower in accordance with these considerations. At the conclusion of MOM's investigations in May 2018, in consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), the Ministry took no further action against Mr Liew. A Caution was issued to Mrs Liew, and an Advisory Notice to Mr Karl Liew. The actions taken against the three individuals were in line with actions taken in past similar cases. From 2017 to 2019, there were an average of 550 complaints of illegal deployment each year. Of these, MOM took actions against an average of 155 employers per year for illegally deploying their Foreign Domestic Workers. About 60 of them were issued with an Advisory Notice. 80 were issued with a Caution. On average, 16 employers were issued with financial penalties each year, ranging from $3,300 to $24,000. There is a review ongoing for this particular case, arising from the High Court's observations. MOM will give an update when the review is completed.
Statistics on CPF Members Aged between 21 and 60 Not Covered under Dependants' Protection Scheme›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 342w
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Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis91 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the current number of CPF members aged between 21 and 60 who are not covered under the Dependants' Protection Scheme, with a breakdown based on the key reasons for exclusion; (b) whether the scheme can be automatically extended to all CPF members aged above 21 who have sufficient CPF savings but have not made their first CPF working contribution; and (c) whether the scheme can be extended beyond the current age cap of 60 to be in line with the prevailing retirement age.
Mrs Josephine Teo251 words
[+11 sentences]The Dependants’ Protection Scheme (DPS) is a term-life insurance scheme that provides insured members and their families with a sum of money to tide them over the initial period should the insured members pass away, suffer from terminal illness or total permanent disability. As of December 2019, about 1 in 5 CPF members between age 21 and 60 are not insured under DPS. This can be due to a variety of reasons. For example, some members chose to opt out as they have no dependants, have similar private insurance coverage, or have sufficient CPF or other savings set aside for bequest. There are also a small number of members who could not meet the underwriting requirements. Automatic inclusion under DPS is only extended to active members who are making regular CPF contribution from work as income protection for these members is likely to be more critical if they have dependants. A regular income also helps these members maintain sufficient CPF balances to keep up with DPS premiums. Members who are not automatically included but wish to be covered can apply directly to private insurers for DPS coverage. Their DPS premiums can be paid using their available CPF savings or cash. From 1 April 2021, the maximum age of DPS coverage will be increased to cover members up to age 65. Members aged 60 and above but below 65 years, whose DPS covers have ceased or will cease before 1 April 2021, can rejoin DPS by applying directly with the appointed insurer.
Maximum and Median Number of Applications for Successful First-time HDB Flat Applicants›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 100w
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Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo37 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development in 2019 and 2020 to date, what is the maximum and median number of application attempts for first-time applicants before they are successful in being invited to select a HDB flat.
Mr Desmond Lee63 words
[+3 sentences]In both 2019 and 1H2020, more than half of the first timer families were successful at their first attempt in a Build-To-Order or Sale of Balance Flats exercise. The highest number of consecutive unsuccessful attempts before a successful attempt in 2019 and 1H2020 were 14 and 10 respectively. In these cases, the applicants had applied mostly for new flats in the mature estates.
Data on Number of Prosecutions in Relation to Illegal Wildlife Trade Involving Corruption, Money-laundering or Fraud in Past Five Years›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 100w
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Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang61 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development (a) in each of the past five years, what is the number of prosecutions that have been brought in relation to instances of illegal wildlife trade; (b) of these prosecutions, how many also involved charges of corruption, money-laundering or fraud; and (c) whether the Ministry will start collecting this data if it is not available.
Mr Desmond Lee39 words
[+2 sentences]The number of prosecutions that have been brought in relation to instances of illegal wildlife trade since 2015 is provided in Table 1 below. No association with corruption, money-laundering or fraud was established during the investigation of these cases.
Update on Allotment Gardening Scheme and Plans to Expand Programme›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 155w
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Ms He Ting Ru66 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development with regard to the Allotment Gardening Scheme (a) how many allotment garden plots have been made available each year since its inception in 2016; (b) how many allotment garden plots have had their lease terminated and on what basis; and (c) whether there are plans to expand the programme to allow more residents access to sustainable farming in their neighbourhoods.
Mr Desmond Lee89 words
[+6 sentences]Since 2016, NParks has made available 1,080 allotment garden plots as part of its Allotment Gardening Scheme. The annual number of plots made available is provided in Table 1 below. Thus far, seven allotment garden plot leases have been terminated early. These were at the gardeners' requests, for reasons such as ill health, relocation, or lack of time. These plots have since been taken up by new gardeners. NParks will continue to progressively make available more allotment garden plots, many of which will be in parks near residential areas.
Statistics on Voters Allocated to Each Polling Station across Last Three General Elections›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 315w
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Ms He Ting Ru58 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Prime Minister across the last three general elections (a) how many voters are allocated to each polling station on average; (b) how many polling stations have had the number of allocated voters exceed 25%, 50% and 100% of the average; and (c) what is the respective maximum number of voters allocated to a given polling station.
Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister)257 words
[+11 sentences]For GE 2020, the Elections Department (ELD) had split polling stations with larger numbers of voters at HDB void decks and pavilions, to allow for safe distancing measures. As a result, there was a larger number of polling stations with fewer voters than the previous two general elections. The percentage of polling stations with 2,000 and below voters, increased from 5.2% in GE 2011 to 9.3% in GE 2015 to 38.7% in GE 2020. Table 1 shows the distribution of voters across polling stations of different sizes. Correspondingly, the average number of voters per polling station dropped from 3,021 in GE 2011, to 2,960 in GE 2015, and to 2,417 in GE 2020. As the average number of voters per polling station varied across the GEs, it would not be meaningful to compare the number of polling stations exceeding the average using different baselines. For GE 2020, there were three large polling stations with more than 5,000 voters, which were not split. They were located in schools and community centres/clubs, and had been used as polling stations in previous elections without problems. Nonetheless, as ELD had noted in its findings on why some polling stations saw long queues in GE 2020, larger polling stations should have been better resourced. For future elections, ELD will split large polling stations where possible. If it is not feasible to do so (e.g. due to a lack of alternative premises in the area), ELD will ensure that these large polling stations are better resourced, including by providing additional manpower and equipment.
Adequacy of Three Primary Schools in Fernvale Constituency to Accommodate Total Number of Children in 2015 Cohort›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 211w
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Mr Gan Thiam Poh43 words
[+1 sentence]asked asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the total number of children in the 2015 cohort in Fernvale constituency; and (b) whether the three primary schools in Fernvale constituency will be able to accommodate all the children in the 2015 cohort.
Mr Lawrence Wong168 words
[+5 sentences]We have been closely monitoring the demand for Primary 1 (P1) places from the new housing developments in Sengkang i.e. within Fernvale, Anchorvale and Sengkang West areas. There are currently five primary schools within 1 kilometre and another 11 primary schools within 1 to 2 kilometres of Fernvale constituency. For this year’s P1 Registration Exercise, which is for the 2014 birth cohort, two out of these 16 schools have a total of about 70 vacancies remaining at the end of Phase 2C (Supplementary). For the 2015 birth cohort which will be registering in the 2021 P1 Registration Exercise, we have projected that there would be a similar number of P1 registrants as the recent 2020 P1 Registration Exercise, and thereafter, we expect demand for P1 places in Fernvale constituency to come down. We will continue to ensure sufficient places for the area around Fernvale constituency, and if necessary, will consider adjusting the P1 intake in some primary schools where needed based on the latest estimate of P1 demand.
Adoption of Government-wide Digitalisation Initiatives›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 461w
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Miss Cheng Li Hui71 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether there has been a significant increase in the adoption rate of Government-wide digitalisation initiatives; (b) how does the Government intend to capitalise on this opportune timing to push ahead with digitalisation and introduce new projects; and (c) whether there are plans to allocate additional funding to support and encourage Singaporeans to be more digital savvy.
Mr S Iswaran390 words
[+20 sentences]COVID-19 has underscored the imperative for Singapore to digitalise. The Government is committed to support businesses and individuals on their digitalisation journey, no matter their starting point. Since March, digital adoption rates have increased significantly. PayNow NRIC registrations have increased by 410,000, while PayNow mobile registrations have grown by 200,000. About 25,000 enterprises are now registered on the Nationwide E-invoicing Network, up from 1,000 in March 2020. With an enhanced Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG), more than 4,600 SMEs have adopted technologies to enforce public health safety requirements and adapt to remote work. Under the Grow Digital initiative, 1,400 enterprises are tapping into overseas markets through pre-approved e-commerce platforms. Beyond accelerating economy-wide digital transformation in the immediate term, we will invest in innovation to catalyse new products, services and business models. This includes collaborating with academia and industry to strengthen research and development (R&D) outcomes. We will develop capabilities of local enterprises and workers, to be more competitive and create economic value for Singapore, in areas such as data, AI, cybersecurity, immersive media and 5G. The Government will continue to digitise services for convenient citizen access to government services. For example, the recent Primary 1 registration exercise was done fully online. As the Government positions our economy for the future, we are equally committed to ensuring that vulnerable segments, including low-income families, seniors and small businesses, are well supported. To this end, we established the SG Digital Office (SDO) and mobilised 1,000 Digital Ambassadors to drive e-payment adoption under the Hawkers Go Digital programme and equip seniors with digital skills under the Seniors Go Digital programme. More than 7,600 stallholders now offer the SGQR Unified e-Payment solution, and over 28,000 seniors have been trained. To support home-based learning needs, IMDA enhanced the NEU PC Plus programme, to subsidise a second computer for larger low-income families with school-going children. More than 10,000 households have benefitted in the past nine months; double the 2019 total. An additional 7,000 low-income households and seniors have further benefited from subsidised broadband, devices or mobile data through the Home Access and the Mobile Access for Seniors schemes. These efforts reflect the Government’s strong commitment to support our businesses and Singaporeans to thrive in a digital environment. We will continue to review and refine our efforts, to ensure that all Singaporeans will benefit in our shared digital future.
Gap in Digital Talent Supply and Demand›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 336w
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Ms Tin Pei Ling31 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Communications and Information what is the projected gap in digital talent supply and demand in Singapore over the next one year, three years and five years respectively.
Mr S Iswaran305 words
[+13 sentences]Digital technology (tech) jobs are in high demand across all sectors of our economy. Over the last three years, tech talent in Singapore has grown by about 10,000 year-on-year. In light of COVID-19, the urgency for companies to digitalise and transform has only accelerated, which will intensify demand for people who can perform these jobs. Notwithstanding the current global economic crisis, net job creation for tech roles remains positive in our economy. In mid-September 2020, there were nearly 10,000 tech-related job postings on WSG’s MyCareersFuture web portal alone. In addition, the Government is partnering industry to create another 6,800 jobs, traineeships and skills opportunities over the course of the year via IMDA’s TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) and WSG’s SGUnited Jobs and Skills initiatives. Fresh graduates from our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), and aspiring mid-career professionals keen to pursue a tech career, will benefit from these opportunities. Over the longer term, we expect the demand for tech talent to continue outstripping supply. We have made deliberate efforts to widen our tech talent pipeline by expanding our Pre-Employment Training (PET) intake in IHLs and investing in Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes led by IMDA and WSG. Over the next three years, our PET pipeline from IHLs will generate around 20,000 local tech talent supplemented by at least 6,250 from place-and-train CET programmes, to keep pace with growing demand, in functions such as Digital Marketing, Software Engineering, and Cybersecurity. Of these 6,250 opportunities, IMDA aims to place some 2,500 mid-career professionals aged 40 and above in good tech jobs. The Government is committed to working with companies to create good career progression opportunities for Singaporeans. We urge Singaporeans to likewise invest in themselves and take advantage of these skills training opportunities, so that they can participate in the digital economy, and stay competitive in this dynamic landscape.
Standardised Clauses for Non-renewal of Telecommunications Service Contracts›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 303w
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Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye87 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether telecommunication companies (telcos) have standardised clauses for the non-renewal of service contracts; (b) whether non-renewal clauses that place the obligation on customers to inform telcos exactly seven days in advance before the end of the service contract, or risk incurring a penalty, are in accordance with the principles of contract law; and (c) whether IMDA is aware as to whether consumers experience an increase in subscription fees after the automatic continuation of their service contacts upon its expiry.
Mr S Iswaran216 words
[+11 sentences]My Ministry and IMDA consider it important for telcos to offer consumers flexibility in service termination. Current service contracts typically include a notice period for service termination, which may vary across telcos. Subscribers are generally not required to notify the telcos on a specific date in order to terminate their services. IMDA has asked the sole telco that used to have this requirement to exercise greater flexibility, and it has complied. Service contracts usually span a minimum period, ranging from three months to two years, during which subscribers may enjoy discounted subscription rates. At the end of the minimum subscription period, telco services roll over automatically to ensure that there is no disruption to access. If the service contracts are not terminated or renewed, consumers may see an increase in subscription rates as they will have to pay the non-discounted rates. Consumers will have the flexibility to renew existing contracts or sign up for new contracts any time after the minimum subscription period ends. Some telcos also offer consumers this flexibility before the end of the minimum subscription period. To safeguard the interest of consumers, IMDA requires telcos to inform subscribers of key contractual obligations upfront, when they sign up for or renew their service contracts. This includes changes to subscription rates after the minimum period.
Wireless@SG Hotspots for HDB Rental Blocks to Ensure Minimum Level of Internet Connectivity›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 236w
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Mr Leon Perera43 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether Wireless@SG hotspots can be rolled out for HDB rental blocks to ensure a minimum level of Internet connectivity for residents who may not be able to afford the subsidised plans with Home Access 3.0 programmes.
Mr S Iswaran193 words
[+9 sentences]The Government is committed to equipping all Singaporeans with a baseline of affordable digital access. Compared to deploying Wireless@SG at HDB rental blocks, the Home Access scheme is a more targeted and practical solution that provides internet connectivity to lower-income households in their homes. Wireless@SG supplements this with free out-of-home connectivity at public sites with high human traffic, such as transport nodes and community facilities such as community centres, libraries, and hawker centres. Under the Home Access scheme, all households residing in HDB rental units are eligible for a heavily subsidised broadband subscription at $9/month, which is about 70% less than comparable commercial plans. For households with ComCare recipients, the out-of-pocket expense could be even lower, at $6/month. Broadband is also provided for free to households with school-going children or persons with disabilities who are beneficiaries of the NEU PC Plus programme. Low-income households can apply to IMDA for these schemes. Low-income households may approach MSF's Social Service Offices (SSOs) to apply for ComCare. If they require home broadband, the SSOs can help with their application for the Home Access scheme and, if needed, provide additional financial assistance for a basic broadband plan.
Households that Have Benefited from Home Access 3.0 Programme for Minimum Broadband Speeds›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 194w
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Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap50 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) to date, how many low-income households have benefited from the Home Access 3.0 programme for minimum broadband speeds; and (b) whether higher minimum broadband speeds can be considered for the Home Access programme to cater for the growing need for online access.
Mr S Iswaran144 words
[+7 sentences]The Home Access 3.0 programme was launched in April 2020 and has supported close to 1,500 beneficiaries to date. The speed of broadband provided under Home Access has improved over the years, in response to consumer needs. Earlier this year, the minimum broadband speed offered was raised from 300Mbps to 500Mbps, with no increase in the monthly co-payment for beneficiaries that opt for a broadband-only plan. This is higher than the minimum speed available on the market, and is sufficient to support common daily activities such as internet surfing, video calls, and video streaming. More than 80% of beneficiaries have opted for the minimum broadband speed of 500Mbbps. Home Access also offers a 1Gbps option for households that prefer higher speed broadband. We will continue to review the Home Access scheme regularly, to ensure that its offerings keep pace with the needs of citizens.
Safe Distancing Guidelines for Outdoor Live Performances›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 505w
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Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry53 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether the Ministry and the Multi-Ministry Task Force on COVID-19 can proactively work with the National Arts Council to come up with proper safe distancing guidelines on outdoor live performances instead of going with a blanket restriction, so that our artistes can make a living.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai452 words
[+16 sentences]The arts and culture community has been significantly affected by COVID-19. The resumption of live performances is important not only to restore a source of livelihood for our arts practitioners, professionals and organisations, but also a way in which the community can contribute to uplifting spirits of Singaporeans. Since 19 June 2020, all workplaces in the arts sector have safely resumed operations. Museums and galleries are now also open to visitors. We have taken a cautious approach towards the resumption of activities in the arts and culture sector, particularly on live performances which carry higher transmission risks. Around the world, we have observed COVID-19 clusters forming as a result of such performances. For example, a choir performance in Netherlands resulted in 102 members of the choir falling ill with COVID-19, while in Japan, at least six clusters of cases were linked to performances in music venues. MCCY and National Arts Council (NAC) have been working closely with MOH and other agencies, such as A*STAR, to develop safe management measures and tools that will help ensure the safety of our performers, crews and audiences in the context of live performances. As announced on 21 August 2020, MCCY and NAC are currently conducting live performance pilots at selected indoor and outdoor spaces, to trial the safe management measures that we have developed. Several pilots, including a traditional music performance at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre, have been completed successfully. The experience of these pilots will allow us to progressively scale-up live performances in both outdoor and indoor spaces. I would therefore like to assure you, Mr Speaker, that MCCY and NAC are working proactively with MOH, through the pilots, on safe management measures to allow outdoor – and indoor – live performances to resume as soon as feasible, even as we continue to prioritise the health and safety of our performers, crew, and audiences. I am confident that our arts groups and practitioners will rise to the challenge, and transform how they present and perform their craft as we transit to the new normal. I also seek the public's understanding that the experience of attending a pilot performance will be different from the past, and ask for everyone’s cooperation to abide by the safe management measures, so that we can better enable our arts community to resume their activities over time. NAC and NHB will continue to support our arts and culture groups and practitioners to engage new audiences, and cultivate new ones, in new and innovative ways. We urge members of the public to also continue supporting Singapore's arts and culture – by attending online shows and donating to your favoured groups and artists, to sustain them and help them emerge stronger after COVID-19.
Updated Timeline for RSAF Operations to Be Moved from Paya Lebar Air Base to Tengah Air Base›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 188w
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Ms Yeo Wan Ling28 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Defence what is the status and updated timeline for the move of the RSAF operations from Paya Lebar Air Base to Tengah Air Base.
Dr Ng Eng Hen160 words
[+6 sentences]Mindef had previously announced that the relocation of Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB) would likely occur about 2030 or beyond and only after the Changi Air Base East and Tengah Air Base have been expanded to house the existing assets at PLAB. Specifically for CAB East, the works there would also need to align with other development works including the building of additional runways for Singapore Changi Airport. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the construction sector severely and caused some project delays with regard to the works at both Changi and Tengah Air Bases. Despite these disruptions, the current assessment is that barring further disruptions, the relocation of PLAB can still occur within previously projected timelines. Site surveys and preliminary designs of the expanded air bases have been completed. The current focus is on the land preparation works that include the realignment of roads and the construction of facilities at Tengah Air Base and Changi Air Base will commence thereafter.
Impact on Opertaional Readiness If Frequency of RSAF Sorties Reduced›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 761w
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Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim46 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Defence whether the operational readiness of the RSAF will be significantly compromised if sorties taking off from Paya Lebar Airbase are clustered into a small number of windows within the day, even if the duration of each window will be relatively longer.
Dr Ng Eng Hen715 words
[+40 sentences]As a small country with no strategic depth, it is critical for Singapore’s survival to maintain a capable and operationally-ready RSAF. Without this crucial deterrence, Singapore's national defences can easily be compromised and with potentially catastrophic consequences. Our own history demonstrates and reminds us of this existential vulnerability. Within hours after Japanese forces invaded Peninsula Malaysia in 1941, General Yamashita sent an air raid over Singapore – 17 planes were involved. With air superiority established, Japanese forces advanced swiftly down and reached Singapore within days. The British forces had to retreat into Singapore and blew up the causeway to slow down the Japanese assault. But without an airforce then to protect our skies, residents on our island were still at the mercy of bombs that fell from Japanese fighter planes. The death and destruction that ensued was horrendous. As one survivor, Mr Conceicao, who was 17 years old at that time, vividly recalled "we saw hands, heads maybe, legs and parts of the human body lying about…this affected us throughout the course of the war and our life". That we have a capable RSAF today able to defend our skies is taken for granted. It’s a virtuous state of affairs, but one that can slip if ever the capabilities of our pilots and planes degrade. And to keep up their skills, RSAF pilots need to train adequately. We recognize the inconvenience and disruption to residents here. MINDEF/SAF has done as much as we can to keep the RSAF training tempo locally to essential levels and activity. Let me elaborate. The RSAF has reduced its local training as far as possible. About half of actual flying training occurs overseas in countries that are willing to provide us those opportunities. On one of my visits to Luke Air base, where our F16s pilots train, I hosted the mayor and residents of the surrounding town to an appreciation lunch. I thanked the mayor for their support and understanding for our fighter detachment’s training there, especially to tolerate the noise, just as our resident here do. He smiled, and replied, "it’s the sound of freedom." Singapore is thankful that we have our good friends and partners in many countries who support our defence efforts. Even for local training, a significant proportion is done through simulators. During actual flying, the RSAF has introduced measures to reduce the noise. First, most of the local flying is conducted over waters rather than land, and avoiding residential areas except during take off, landing and transit to and from training areas. To illustrate, the northern end of the runway at Paya Lebar Air Base is approximately six kilometres from our territorial boundary. The fighter pilots have mere seconds after take-off to bank a sharp left in order to keep within our territorial airspace. Sorties taking off from Paya Lebar Air Base and Tengah Air Base are already clustered where possible, in multiple groups, even when smaller number of aircraft are involved. In addition to these routine measures, the RSAF does adjust its training tempo to accommodate sensitive periods. When national school examinations are held, the frequency of flights are reduced and night flying activities end earlier. During this COVID-19 pandemic where more residents are working and studying from home, the RSAF has kept the level of local flying activities to the minimum needed to maintain operational readiness. Flying is also spread across the week and on selected weekends. This regular training both locally and overseas keep the RSAF sharp and able to protect us well. It’s not against theoretical or imagined threats. Since the 9/11 twin tower attacks in Manhattan, the RSAF has put its pilots and Ground Based Air Defence systems on alert. On any given year, the RSAF responds to more than 350 suspicious air threats. In June last year for instance, there was a bomb threat on an inbound Scoot flight. Our fighters were scrambled and took to the skies within minutes to intercept the aircraft and escorted it back to Changi Airport. That case was reported in the news; many more go unreported for a variety of reasons. This state of high operational readiness of the RSAF is only possible with regular and realistic training. I thank Singaporeans for their continued support to maintain an operationally ready and capable RSAF.
Proposal to Admit all Singaporean Students with Grades that Qualify for Local Universities Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 153w
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Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry35 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry can increase university enrolments for the coming few years so that all Singaporeans with grades that qualify for entry into Government-funded universities can do so amidst COVID-19.
Mr Lawrence Wong118 words
[+4 sentences]This year, MOE and the Autonomous Universities (AUs) have already provided more degree places, in anticipation of higher demand from students whose overseas study plans were disrupted by COVID-19. The AUs extended their application windows by two months, and made around 2,000 more offers to local applicants across a range of courses. MOE will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely, including the situation overseas and the impact on travel restrictions. If necessary, we are prepared to continue to adjust the number of degree places in the AUs, taking into account the number of Singaporeans who meet admissions standards, as well as the medium to long-term national manpower demand for graduates across the different sectors of the economy.
Plans for National School Games (NSG) Competitions and School Sporting Events in Q1 2021›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 200w
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Mr Darryl David32 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education what are the plans for National School Games (NSG) competitions and similar school sporting events that are scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2021.
Mr Lawrence Wong168 words
[+9 sentences]The National School Games (NSG) is an integral part of school life for our student athletes. Due to the COVID-19, we had to cancel NSG and other sporting events this year. MOE is monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely. We plan to resume NSG in 2021 under enhanced Safe Management Measures (SMMs) and are currently working with SportSG on the detailed parameters for the safe conduct of these Games. Key considerations would be to minimise intermingling and contact between student athletes from different schools; provide sufficient spacing at waiting areas; and to strictly adhere to personal hygiene and cleaning protocols. Modifications to some sports may also be required so that students can participate in them safely. We will announce details of the arrangements at a later date. In the meantime, schools have resumed some sports co-curricular activities (CCAs) within the current national guidelines for sports. MOE is committed to providing a holistic education for our students while ensuring that our schools remain a safe environment for learning and growth.
Detailed Study on Effectiveness of Continuing Education and Training Schemes›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 183w
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Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan65 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry and SkillsFuture Singapore will consider embarking on a detailed study together with tripartite partners and academia on (i) the efficacy of current Continuing Education and Training (CET) Schemes in supporting placement, progression and upward social mobility and (ii) the future skills and CET required in the next three to five years across the new and growth sectors/industries.
Mr Lawrence Wong118 words
[+5 sentences]MOE and Skills Future Singapore (SSG) collaborate with many stakeholders to study the impact of the SkillsFuture movement and initiatives. For example, SSG has set up the Workforce Development Applied Research Fund (WDARF) to encourage inter-disciplinary research in the area of workforce development and lifelong learning, and to evaluate the impact of Continuing Education and Training (CET) and lifelong learning policies and programmes. For future skills, SSG has also been undertaking various studies to better understand the needs of new growth areas, so that we can design more effective CET programmes. SSG works closely with many partners in such research. We will be happy to commission more detailed studies together with unions and employers in the suggested areas.
Impact of COVID-19 on Direct School Admission Exercise in 2020›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 364w
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Mr Darryl David49 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education how has COVID-19 affected the 2020 Direct School Admission (DSA) exercise for Secondary schools especially in the absence of school sports or other such events and activities that would have ordinarily facilitated DSA applicants to use objective and quantitative criteria in their DSA applications.
Mr Lawrence Wong315 words
[+13 sentences]In spite of the COVID-19 situation, there continues to be healthy interest in the Direct School Admission for secondary schools (DSA-Sec) this year – with about 30,500 applications, an increase from the 29,000 received in 2019. Schools have recently concluded DSA selections which were conducted via electronic modes. This ensured the safety and well-being of students and school staff by preventing the intermingling of students across schools. A common setting and standardised set of equipment at students’ own primary schools was used for the video-conferencing sessions. This was to ensure that all students would be given a fair assessment, regardless of their backgrounds. With the cancellation of the National School Games and other events due to COVID-19, indicators such as recent race timings, standings and awards were not available. Nevertheless, schools were able to make use of other sources of information, including students’ school records, information provided in their online applications as well as from video-conferencing sessions with the students. These sessions included e-interviews or tasks that enabled students to demonstrate their attributes and potential in particular areas. For example, some students were asked to imitate melodies and rhythms of varying complexity, reproduce a dance sequence, perform ball-handling and different movement skills, or create pencil sketches. With the above adjustments, schools were able to take a holistic approach to DSA selection, taking into account not only the student’s achievements and performance, but also their interest and passion for the talent area, their potential and personal qualities. As in previous years, schools formed selection panels to collectively evaluate each DSA applicant and to ensure objectivity and balance. The selection panels tapped on their experience in talent identification and exercised professional judgement to evaluate and select students who can most benefit from their development programmes. Through all of these measures, we were able to facilitate the smooth implementation of DSA this year, even amidst the COVID-19 situation.
Removal of Annotation Symbol from PSLE Certificates for Students Granted "Access Arrangements"›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 223w
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Mr Don Wee35 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider removing the annotation symbol from the PSLE certificates of those candidates who have been granted access arrangements during the PSLE such as extra time allowance.
Mr Lawrence Wong188 words
[+7 sentences]Examinations are meant to certify the academic achievements of candidates and are administered under a set of standardised conditions. This is to ensure a fair examination and that examination results can be compared meaningfully across candidates. For students with Special Educational Needs or medical conditions, standardised testing conditions may result in them being given an inadequate assessment of their abilities or being unable to take the examinations altogether. To cater to these candidates, the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) provides access arrangements, which may range from exemption from specific components of the examination and provision of extra time, to provision of a separate room or enlarged print. When access arrangements have been granted, SEAB’s policy is to annotate on the examination certificate only when there are significant modifications of the examination. This is done to indicate factually that the candidate has taken the examination under conditions that are different from the standard prescribed conditions, and to uphold the integrity and fairness of the examination. A student's progression to secondary education will not be affected by the annotation, as school postings do not take such annotations into account.
Companies Taking Part and Remaining in SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 219w
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Mr Darryl David71 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education (a) how many companies have participated in the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme (ELP) since it first started; (b) how many companies are currently on the ELP and what is the attrition rate of ELP companies; and (c) what is the percentage of graduates from the ELP who continue to be in full-time employment after the ELP companies have fulfilled their mandatory employment commitments to graduates.
Mr Lawrence Wong148 words
[+7 sentences]To date, about 1,400 companies have participated in the SkillsFuture Work-Study Certificate, Work-Study Diploma and Work-Study Post Diploma Programmes, which were formerly known as the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme. This number has steadily increased from the 34 at launch in 2015. Currently, 378 companies are on these Work-Study programmes. We do not track the attrition rate of companies, as their participation vary from intake to intake depending on their business outlook and hiring plans. An MOE survey conducted on these programmes that concluded between May 2018 and April 2019 found that 89% of the employers who participated reported that they would continue to participate in the programme. The same survey also found that 87% of the graduates were employed in a full-time permanent job six months after graduation. As of October 2019, 59% of the graduates remained with the company that trained them during the Work-Study Programme.
Personal Internet-enabled Device for Each Primary School Student›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 157w
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Ms Hany Soh26 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education whether all Primary school students will receive a personal laptop or tablet with complimentary Wi-Fi access to further support home-based learning.
Mr Lawrence Wong131 words
[+6 sentences]MOE announced in June this year that we will be equipping all secondary school students with a personal learning device by end-2021, seven years ahead of the original schedule. We are currently studying whether to extend the programme to primary school students. As part of this study, we need to better understand how the daily use of such devices might impact younger students, and improve learning outcomes. We are also looking into the concerns raised by various stakeholders about excessive screen time and digital addiction at an early age. While we study this issue, measures have been put in place to ensure that all primary school students will have access to devices for home-based learning. For example, our schools have sufficient devices that can be loaned to students who need them.
Persuading GLCs to Prioritise Singaporean Jobs In Mass Retrenchment Exercises›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 459w
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Ms Sylvia Lim36 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the Government, as a major investor in Government-linked companies, uses its shareholder influence to persuade investee companies to prioritise Singaporean jobs during any mass retrenchment exercise.
Mr Heng Swee Keat423 words
[+21 sentences]As Members of the House are aware, GIC and Temasek operate independently from the Government. The Government maintains an arm’s-length relationship with these investment entities, and neither directs nor influences their commercial or operational decisions. The same applies for the portfolio companies they invest in, whether in Singapore or otherwise. This is an important governance principle that we have carefully safeguarded over the years, which has helped to instill strong commercial discipline in the way they manage their investments. Since the start of COVID-19, the Government has been doing all it can to support jobs for Singaporeans. Our measures apply to all jobs in Singapore, including those in the investee companies. Our efforts to support jobs does not only happen when retrenchment occurs. There are three key prongs to our approach. First, we work with our tripartite partners to stave off job losses. The Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment (Tripartite Advisory) emphasises retrenchment as a last resort, only after employers have exhausted other alternatives such as redeployment and flexible work arrangements. The Government also intervened aggressively upstream to protect jobs when COVID-19 happened, by introducing the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) to support companies in their wage costs. Since the launch of JSS, over $16 billion of payouts have been disbursed, benefitting over two million local workers. COVID-19 is an unprecedented crisis. Even with our best efforts, retrenchments may be inevitable in some companies. Hence, the second prong of our approach is to work closely with our tripartite partners to ensure that retrenchments are conducted responsibly. The Ministry of Manpower has advised employers to adhere to the Tripartite Advisory, and use clear and objective criteria in the selection of employees and conduct the retrenchment responsibly and sensitively. Third, we continue to support job creation and ensure that our workers are ready for these new opportunities. This is done through our Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) efforts and the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package which offers jobs, traineeships and training opportunities. The National Jobs Council, chaired by SM Tharman, is working hard through agencies to implement this package. The Jobs Growth Incentive also aims to encourage companies to frontload their hiring, while our SkillsFuture movement encourages and supports our workers in upskilling and transforming themselves for a post-COVID world. And this is our approach to supporting jobs for Singaporeans across the board, not just in Government-linked companies, and not just for the immediate term through this crisis but also for the longer term, to ensure that employment can be sustained beyond COVID-19.
Ensuring Government Agencies' Compliance with New Grants Governance Framework›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 415w
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Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis46 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) how does the new Grants Governance Framework and rules issued by the Ministry to all agencies differ from the existing framework currently adopted; and (b) how does the Ministry plan to ensure consistent implementation across agencies.
Mr Heng Swee Keat369 words
[+17 sentences]The new Grants Governance Framework sets out clear rules and provides guidance on the entire grants management process. It systematically covers the different stages of the grant life-cycle – from grant design, approval and disbursement, to monitoring and anomaly detection. Emphasis is placed on the importance of proper planning and risk management, so as to ensure effective use of public funds and to safeguard against fraud and abuse. The rules are supplemented by a good practice guide that provides helpful examples and practical advice. These measures aim to raise the standard of grants administration across all agencies. This new framework brings together in one document the guidelines on grants administration that were previously in different documents. The framework also addresses the gaps identified through a multi-agency review of grants management which was completed last year, as well as learning points from the thematic audits of our grant schemes undertaken by the Auditor-General's Office. For example, we have strengthened the supervisory measures for third-party grants administrators and the use of intermediaries. MOF has taken steps to ensure consistent implementation across agencies. We have communicated the new framework widely and at different levels. For instance, MOF consulted various stakeholders involved in operations, internal audit, and finance across many agencies in developing the framework. This ensures that the rules and guidelines are written in a way that the agencies understand easily, so that they are clear on how to implement them. Agencies also subject their grants to regular audits as part of overall governance to ensure compliance with the rules. In addition, as agencies' senior management play an important role in setting the right tone on grants governance and adherence to guidelines, MOF has briefed all Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Government Agencies, and Directors of Finance. We will continue our active engagements with grant practitioners and the internal audit community on the rules and good practices. Finally, the new framework also aims to promote simpler and consistent ways of administering grants, so that our citizens and businesses, especially the SMEs can benefit when they need to apply for different grants. MOF will continue to monitor the implementation of the grants governance framework, and look out for further practical ways to improve it.
IVF Success Rates with Fresh and Frozen Eggs›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 179w
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Miss Cheng Li Hui51 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) in the past three years, how many babies have been born through the use of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF); (b) what is the success rate of IVF when using fresh, versus frozen, eggs; and (c) what are the current measures to help couples address infertility issues.
Mr Gan Kim Yong128 words
[+6 sentences]From 2016 to 2018, 4,673 babies were born through the use of assisted reproduction technology (ART). International scientific literature shows that the success rates for fresh and frozen eggs are largely comparable. MOH has recently enhanced support for couples in meeting their parenthood aspirations. Earlier this year, we removed the age limit of 45 years old for women to undergo ART treatments, and removed the cap on the number of ART cycles for all women. Government co-funding for up to six ART cycles and three cycles of intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure is also available to defray the out-of-pocket costs for eligible couples at public AR centres. In addition, couples can use MediSave to pay for assisted conception procedures, which include both ART and IUI, at all AR centres.
Visitor Quota for Nursing Home Residents Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 316w
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Ms Joan Pereira55 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health for the mental and social well-being of our seniors in nursing homes, whether up to five designated visitors for each nursing home resident can be allowed, instead of two currently, though the current arrangement of only one visitor can visit each day can remain for the safety of our seniors.
Mr Gan Kim Yong261 words
[+9 sentences]Seniors residing in nursing homes are typically frail and more vulnerable to complications of COVID-19 infection. To safeguard their health, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has implemented a suite of precautionary measures in nursing homes from the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, including the suspension of face-to-face visitations on 2 April 2020. The limitations on face-to-face visitations has been important in keeping the risk of infections in nursing homes low. However, recognizing that prolonged suspension of visitations will have an adverse impact on the well-being of seniors and their loved ones, MOH has allowed nursing homes to cautiously resume face-to-face visitations in Phase Two from 19 June 2020. Visits were subject to strict safe management measures, including capping the number of designated visitors at two, allowing only one designated visitor at any one time, as well as limiting the duration of the visit. From 31 July 2020, nursing homes were allowed to make further adjustments to the visitation guidelines, in view that community numbers were low and stable. One of the adjustments was to allow four designated visitors per resident, up from two previously, while maintaining the limit of one designated visitor at any one time. Nursing homes also have the discretion to allow a resident to have more than four designated visitors for exceptional circumstances, such as compassionate reasons, or to allow more members of large families the opportunity to spend time with a loved one. We will continue to monitor the well-being of our seniors in nursing homes and review the restrictions on visitations as the COVID-19 situation evolves.
Subsidy for Dengue Vaccines›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 311w
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Ms Joan Pereira34 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider subsidising dengue vaccines for persons who have had prior dengue infection as affordability is one of the reasons for people not vaccinating against re-infection.
Mr Gan Kim Yong277 words
[+12 sentences]Dengvaxia, which is currently the only licensed dengue vaccine, has been approved by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for the prevention of dengue in individuals age 12 to 45 years living in endemic areas. The vaccine is not suitable for those who have not been previously infected. The World Health Organization recommends that countries considering vaccination as part of a dengue control programme undertake pre-vaccination screening, to avoid vaccinating those who are unsuited. If screening is not feasible, vaccination can be considered in areas with a prevalence of at least 80% by nine years of age. Singapore has a low dengue prevalence at 7% for individuals below 18 years of age. Among adults age 18 to 74 years, the prevalence is 45%, still below the threshold for population vaccination without screening. In view of this, the Ministry of Health's Expert Committee on Immunisation (ECI) has advised that Dengvaxia is not an effective means to control dengue at the population level. Individuals who wish to be vaccinated should first consult their doctor on whether Dengvaxia is appropriate for them. As such, it has not been included in the national immunisation schedules and is not eligible for government subsidy. MOH will continue to monitor the development of the dengue vaccines and review regularly whether they should be included in the schedules. Given the limitations of the available vaccine, vector control remains the most effective way to prevent the spread of dengue. We advise Singaporeans to continue with the 5-step Mozzie Wipeout to remove breeding sites at home and protect themselves from mosquito bites through the use of preventive measures such as the use of insect repellents and mosquito coils.
Flexibility for MediSave Claims for Age-related Medical Treatment›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 341w
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Dr Lim Wee Kiak59 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) whether more flexibility can be exercised over MediSave claims for age-related medical treatment such as macular degeneration; and (b) whether the Ministry will review the MediSave limits for the elderly who have a substantial balance in their MediSave accounts so that they need not top up so much cash when paying their bills.
Mr Gan Kim Yong282 words
[+11 sentences]Through Government subsidies, MediShield Life, MediSave and MediFund, we ensure that healthcare services remain affordable to Singaporeans. MediSave withdrawal limits are sized to adequately cover the co-payment for the majority of patients in subsidised settings. In recent years, we have enhanced the MediSave withdrawal limits to provide greater flexibility for our seniors in managing age-related medical treatment. We announced earlier this year that the annual limit for patients with complex chronic conditions in the outpatient setting will be raised from $500 to $700 from 1 January 2021. This will help them better meet their needs, as the prevalence and severity of chronic diseases typically increases with age. To better support seniors’ long-term care needs, we have just launched the MediSave Care scheme on 1 October 2020, which allows cash withdrawals of up to $200 per month for severely disabled patients aged 30 and above. We have lowered the age threshold for Flexi-MediSave from 65 to 60, allowing younger and more seniors to benefit from this scheme for their treatments and screenings at polyclinics, Specialist Outpatient Clinics, and GP clinics on the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). We will continue to review the MediSave withdrawal limits regularly, to strike a balance between helping Singaporeans pay for their healthcare services and retaining sufficient savings for their longer-term needs. Elderly patients who still face difficulty in paying their healthcare bill after subsidies and MediShield Life can apply for further assistance from MediFund/MediFund Silver. For those who are unable to tap on these schemes, the Ministry of Health will consider appeals to use MediSave beyond the prevailing withdrawal limits on a case-by-case basis. No Singaporean will be denied necessary treatment due to an inability to pay.
Daily Capacity for Conducting COVID-19 Tests›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 168w
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Mr Leon Perera54 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the average level of COVID-19 testing per day for the last month; (b) what is the expected timeline for reaching the target of 40,000 tests per day announced in May 2020; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider publishing the number of tests conducted per day.
Mr Gan Kim Yong114 words
[+6 sentences]COVID-19 testing is a key enabler in the Government’s overall efforts to fight COVID-19. In September 2020, we tested an average of 27,200 individuals per day for COVID-19 using diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. This is approximately 4,700 individuals PCR tested per million total population each day. PCR testing is done using a combination of standard and pooled testing as the circumstances allow. We are on track to have a testing capacity of 40,000 tests a day by November 2020. To provide regular updates on the number of individuals tested, MOH already publishes information on the total number of swabs conducted and total number of unique persons swabbed on MOH's website every Tuesday.
Trends of Healthcare Charges Due to Greater Access to Insurance that Reduces Individual Cost-sharing Burden›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 295w
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Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim59 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) whether there has been any study of the differences, over time, between charges by private versus public healthcare providers; (b) whether this has been appreciably altered by the citizen/PR subsidy; and (c) whether the trend of rising costs has accelerated due to greater access to insurance products that reduce the individual cost-sharing burden.
Mr Gan Kim Yong236 words
[+10 sentences]Between 2017 and 2019, average inpatient bill sizes in private healthcare settings grew by around 7% on a compounded annual growth rate basis. This was about twice the growth rate of 3.4% for average inpatient bills of unsubsidised patients in "A" wards in public healthcare institutions (PHI). Over the same period, average day surgery bills in the private setting grew by 4.3%, compared to 0.6% for unsubsidised PHI patients. As Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents can enjoy government subsidies of up to 80% by opting for affordable care in the PHI setting, it would not be meaningful to compare their charges with those in the private healthcare setting. Some insurance products, such as Integrated Plan (IP) riders with full coverage, which cover the entire co-payment under the IP plan, have contributed to the higher growth rate for private sector bills. While such products are popular because no co-payment is required, the absence of co-payment can inadvertently lead to over-utilisation and rising healthcare costs, and ultimately, higher insurance premiums for all. This is why the Ministry had worked with insurers to introduce a minimum level of co-payment for new IP riders in 2018. This was an important move to preserve the principle of co-payment in our healthcare financing system. This measure will take time to bear fruit. All stakeholders, including patients and medical practitioners, must continue to exercise responsibility when choosing and recommending appropriate and necessary care.
Enforcement of COVID-19 Measures on People with Special Needs›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 154w
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Mr Saktiandi Supaat74 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs in light of some children with special needs finding it stressful to abide by COVID-19 regulations, such as mandatory mask wearing (a) what kind of training do police officers receive to equip them to deal with such individuals if they fail to abide by the law; and (b) how can the Police exhibit more empathy towards these individuals, while ensuring that rules are complied with to everyone's interest.
Mr K Shanmugam80 words
[+5 sentences]Mask wearing is enforced to protect public health. However, Police officers do exercise flexibility when dealing with vulnerable persons, such as children and persons with special needs. The officers adopt an advisory approach when engaging such persons and the caregivers, and advise the wearing of face shields if the person has difficulties wearing face masks. They use simple and clear language. Police officers are equipped with these skills to engage vulnerable persons, as part of their training on general policing.
Regulators' Response to Recent Reports on Local Banks' Involvement in Suspicious Transactions and Money Laundering›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time3 turns · 632w
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Mr Alex Yam47 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Prime Minister with regard to the recent document leaks from the US Financial Crimes Network (a) whether any banks in Singapore are implicated in the money laundering activities; and (b) whether the Government is in touch with the banks named to verify any Singapore connection.
Mr Desmond Choo58 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Prime Minister in view of the recent assertions by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists that a number of banks in Singapore had handled large sums of suspicious transactions (a) how will MAS address the assertions with the banks; and (b) what have been the efforts to enhance our work against suspicious transactions and money laundering.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister)527 words
[+27 sentences]The Members' questions arose from the leaked reports of the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN. Let me explain what these leaked reports are about. Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) are filed by financial institutions if they have reason to suspect that a financial transaction could be related to a crime. The reasons for suspicion may be due to an adverse media story on the customer, or the customer not providing a good explanation for an unusually large transaction. FinCEN receives a large number of STRs on an ongoing basis – 2.75 million in 2019. The leaked reports mentioned in the media articles were filed with FinCEN by banks in the US, involving transactions with banks in almost every country in the world. To be clear, STRs are not in themselves evidence of money laundering. In fact, most STRs are eventually not found to be connected to criminal activities or money laundering. Notwithstanding, MAS is reviewing the information on the leaked STRs to determine if our banks had appropriately detected suspicious transactions, taken timely action to mitigate the risk, and made the necessary filings to the Commercial Affairs Department. If any bank is found to have weaknesses in anti-money laundering controls, MAS will direct it to rectify them promptly. If there has been a breach of Singapore’s anti-money laundering requirements, MAS will take enforcement action. Mr Desmond Choo also asked a broader question on how Singapore is combating money laundering and other financial crimes. I note that Ms Foo Mee Har has also raised a similar question for a later Sitting. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has assessed that Singapore’s regulatory framework for combating money laundering is fully aligned with international standards, and that MAS supervision of the financial sector is robust. For financial institutions at higher risk of being exposed to money laundering, MAS takes a more intrusive approach. MAS directs the financial institutions to take remedial actions, and ensures they report on their implementation of the measures. As I just mentioned, when financial institutions are in breach of our anti-money laundering requirements, MAS will take firm enforcement actions. These include financial penalties, prohibition orders, public reprimands, and revocation of licenses. MAS has published enforcement actions in connection with serious cases, to send a strong deterrent signal. MAS and CAD are continually improving their methods of detection. This includes deploying technologies such as network analytics to uncover well-concealed criminal networks with complicated layers of entities and persons. They have also established partnerships with key financial institutions in Singapore to share information on common and emerging criminal typologies. Building trusted relationships with the private sector further enables case-specific intelligence to be shared among the relevant financial institutions. Further, we leverage international cooperation in combating such crime. Singapore has been playing an active role at the FATF to shape international anti-money laundering standards. We have built strong working relationships with all the leading foreign jurisdictions, enabling proactive sharing of intelligence, joint investigations, and supervisory cooperation. I would like to assure this House that Singapore agencies are vigilant against money laundering risks, and MAS is working closely with financial institutions to continually strengthen our safeguards against these risks.
Number of Women Amongst Those Retrenched in 2020›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 39w
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Ms He Ting Ru16 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower of the number of retrenchments in 2020, how many were women.
Mrs Josephine Teo23 words
[+1 sentence]Based on our latest available survey data, in the first half of 2020, 6,460 residents were retrenched, of which about half were women.
Process for Determining and Reviewing Investable Products in CPF Investment Scheme›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 276w
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Ms Tin Pei Ling56 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the rationale for restricting investable products under the CPF Investment Scheme; (b) how are the approved investment products determined; (c) how frequent is this list of approved products reviewed; and (d) whether Singaporeans can choose to invest in products not in the approved list on a conditional basis.
Mrs Josephine Teo220 words
[+12 sentences]The primary purpose of CPF is to help members save for retirement. Members earn risk-free interest of up to 6% per annum on their CPF balances. Members who are prepared to take some risks may do so through the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS). There is a wide variety of investment products available in the market. Members also vary greatly in their knowledge and understanding of these products. To prevent excessive risk to retirement savings, CPF Board sets limits on the amounts that can be invested as well as the products available under CPFIS. Notwithstanding these limits, members have access to a range of investment products of varying risk profiles. These include bonds, fixed deposits, insurance policies, unit trusts, exchange-traded funds, shares and gold products. Managed investment products and providers are reviewed before they are available through CPFIS. For example, since 2006, all new CPFIS funds must be in the top 25th percentile of funds in their global peer group and have an expense ratio below the cap in their risk category. To ensure that the list of CPFIS products and providers remains relevant, the CPF Board will continue to review it on an ongoing basis. This strikes a balance between allowing CPFIS participants the flexibility to diversify their investment portfolios to enhance their retirement nest eggs, while safeguarding members' interest.
Assessment of Quality and Effectiveness of SkillsFuture Training›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 312w
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Mr Sharael Taha44 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Education whether there are any measures in place to (i) assess the quality of training from SkillsFuture training providers and (ii) measure the effectiveness of SkillsFuture courses, through competency or company-based outcome assessments rather than using course attendance and participation.
Mr Lawrence Wong268 words
[+11 sentences]To assess the quality of training from funded training providers, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) conducts surveys immediately after course completion, to gather trainee feedback on the training quality. Follow-up surveys are conducted with trainees six months after completion of the course to ascertain post-training outcomes, such as the ability to apply the skills learnt at work. 86% of the trainees surveyed in 2019 indicated that they were able to perform better at work after undergoing SSG-funded training. The survey results are taken into consideration by SSG during the funding renewal process. Additionally, SSG conducts regular checks and audits on course delivery by training providers. We share the member's view that we should focus on the outcomes of training, and go beyond input measures like course attendance and participation. This is why SSG conducts regular surveys with employers to gauge the effectiveness of SkillsFuture training programmes. These include the Public Perception Survey on SkillsFuture, which surveys employers on the impact of SkillsFuture training on the work performance of their employees. Another example is the Work-Study Programme Outcomes Survey, a programme-specific survey which measures employers' satisfaction of the programme and effectiveness of the Work-Study approach in training potential or existing employees. Certifiable skills training courses that enjoy a higher tier of funding support are examinable and need to demonstrate clear learning outcomes. Trainees who go through courses accredited under the Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) system are required to take competency-based assessments as part of the course requirement. We take the quality and outcomes of SkillsFuture training seriously, and will continue to ensure that Singaporeans are well-supported in their lifelong learning journey.
Proposal to Ramp Up Construction of HDB Flats as Families Become More Financially Prudent Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 288w
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Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry41 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development whether HDB can consider ramping up the number of flats constructed, especially in mature estates, and reduce the number of upcoming condo developments as families become more financially prudent during this COVID-19 period and beyond.
Mr Desmond Lee247 words
[+7 sentences]The Government plans the supply of public and private housing units under the respective Build-To-Order (BTO) and Government Land Sales (GLS) Programmes carefully, taking into account factors such as prevailing economic and housing market conditions, as well as longer-term demographic and population trends. This is to ensure that the injection of housing units meets demand over the near to medium term, while being sustainable for the entire housing market. To meet demand for public housing, HDB has increased the BTO flat supply from 14,600 units in 2019 to about 16,700 units this year. The flat supply includes a good mix of units in the mature and non-mature estates, to provide a range of choices to home seekers with different budgets and needs. Given the limited supply and high demand for BTO flats in the mature estates, flat buyers who wish to buy flats in the mature estates can consider buying a resale flat in the open market, where first-timer buyers may receive up to $160,000 in housing grants. For private housing, URA has reduced the supply of private residential units on the Confirmed List for the 2H2020 GLS programme, after considering the COVID-19 situation, the economic slowdown and uncertain business outlook. The Government will continue to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 situation on the housing market closely, and calibrate the near and medium term supply of public and private housing units holistically to account for potential shifts in the housing demand and aspirations of the population.
Take-up Rates in HDB's Open Booking Exercises for New Flats›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 297w
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Mr Gan Thiam Poh75 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many applicants have been successful in getting their HDB flats under open booking since it was launched (b) how many have decided not to go for flat selection after they obtained their queue number; (c) whether there are flats that still remained unselected under open booking; and (d) whether HDB will be offering more of such open bookings to those who need to get the flat early.
Mr Desmond Lee222 words
[+11 sentences]HDB launched the open booking of flats in June 2019. This allows home seekers to apply for a flat online, and get their flat selection appointment on a first-come-first-served basis, which can be as early as the next working day. HDB has received a total of about 10,500 flat applications through open booking since its launch. More than 1,000 applicants booked a flat, while the remaining 9,500 or so did not. HDB suspends open booking twice a year to inject a fresh supply of flats. At the most recent suspension on 3 August 2020, 36 units remained unselected, which is less than 5% of the 806 flats made available following the previous injection in March 2020. These unselected flats, together with the fresh flat supply, were made available for online viewing from 2 September 2020. In total, 492 flats were made available for open booking, and home seekers have been able to resume online applications from 9 September onwards. HDB has been exploring ways to offer more flats through open booking. For example, since February 2020, HDB has ceased the Re-Offer of Balance Flats exercises, so that more of the unselected flats from the Sale of Balance Flats exercises can be offered directly for open booking. HDB will continue to refine its sales processes to better meet the needs of home seekers.
Major Infrastructure Projects that May Be Postponed or Cancelled›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 131w
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Mr Seah Kian Peng40 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development whether he can provide an update on the state of major infrastructure projects, specifically the ones that will be postponed or cancelled, if any, given the current economic restructuring that Singapore is going through.
Mr Desmond Lee91 words
[+3 sentences]The current economic situation underscores the need to press on with our economic transformation efforts, so that our firms and workers can emerge stronger, and seize new opportunities following this challenging period. Government agencies responsible for the various economic sector are working closely with their industry partners to review their plans, including for major infrastructure projects. While some infrastructure projects such as the construction of Changi Airport Terminal 5 have been delayed as a result of COVID-19, the Government remains committed to infrastructure projects that are critical investments for future generations.
Smart Sensors for Lightings at Common Areas and Parks›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 287w
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Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan46 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development whether smart light sensors can be installed in all our common areas, parks and the environment to turn on lights automatically instead of having to manually adjust the timings during certain periods or months when the environment turns dark early.
Mr Desmond Lee241 words
[+10 sentences]HDB has implemented the Smart Lighting System (SLS) in all public housing developments with tenders called since May 2018. The SLS incorporates light sensors to sense ambient lighting levels and automatically turn the lights on when ambient lighting is low, for instance during rainy conditions. The SLS covers both the indoor and outdoor common areas of the development, including void decks, corridors, and driveways. Prior to the implementation of the SLS, light sensors would be installed in specific areas that required additional lighting to supplement the lack of natural lighting during bad weather conditions. However, the area of coverage could not be easily adjusted as this would require re-wiring and the installation of additional sensors. In contrast, with the SLS, light sensors are integrated with the lighting network, offering the flexibility to easily adjust or even extend the area of coverage to the whole development should the need arise. HDB is currently working with the Town Councils to extend the SLS to all existing estates under the HDB Green Towns Programme. For the parks under its management, NParks is currently piloting the use of ambient light sensors to automatically activate lighting at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. NParks will evaluate the feasibility of a wider implementation of these sensors in parks, based on the outcomes of this trial. Our agencies will continue to explore new technologies that can better meet the needs of our HDB residents and park users and improve sustainability.
Dislodging of Air-conditioning Duct at NEX Shopping Mall›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 212w
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Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye53 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the circumstances that led to the air-conditioning ventilation duct at NEX shopping mall being dislodged; (b) what are the liabilities of the building owner, management office, and tenant in such cases; and (c) what is being done to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Mr Desmond Lee159 words
[+6 sentences]Following the incident where an Air-Conditioning & Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV) duct detached from the ceiling of a cinema hall in the NEX shopping mall, Building and Construction Authority (BCA) instructed the building owner to appoint a Professional Engineer to carry out a detailed investigation of the incident, and to recommend rectification measures to be taken. The investigation is ongoing and is expected to be completed by end October 2020. However, preliminary findings indicate that a significant amount of water had accumulated in the layer of acoustic material surrounding the ACMV duct. The weight of the accumulated water is likely to have overloaded the brackets that were supporting the ACMV duct, causing them to give way. BCA has alerted other cinema operators to inspect their ACMV ducts and to carry out maintenance and repair works where necessary. BCA will assess what further measures need to be taken to prevent a recurrence of such incidents after the investigation has been completed.
Impact of Work-from-home Practices on Design of HDB Flats›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 370w
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Mr Alex Yam57 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development with working from home becoming a part of our lifestyle (a) how will this impact HDB's design for future homes to be built; and (b) whether there are plans to turn communal spaces in the neighbourhood into working spaces with Wi-Fi to help those who need a quiet space to work.
Mr Desmond Lee313 words
[+15 sentences]HDB flats are designed to provide a living environment that is functional and comfortable. For instance, bedrooms are built with large windows to optimise natural lighting and ventilation, while kitchens are designed to be open to increase the sense of spaciousness. HDB flats are also designed to provide flexibility for residents to reconfigure spaces in their homes to meet their needs. For example, columns in new flats are pushed to the edges wherever possible, so that home owners can have more flexibility in reconfiguring their home layout. Many homeowners have personalised their homes through renovation. There are also ways to create workspaces through use of creative furnishing. We are studying how HDB flats can further support telecommuting – a trend that has been accelerated by the current pandemic. Today, broadband for Wi-Fi ready connections is readily available in all public housing flats, facilitating working and studying from home. HDB is also trialing 'smart-enabled' homes in Punggol Northshore and Tengah so that residents can adopt more smart applications. If feasible, we will incorporate these features into future flats. We have also made available communal spaces within the neighbourhood which can be used for work. For example, HDB has introduced Community Living Rooms, which are located within the void decks, and some of our Community Clubs (CCs) have opened their spaces for work purposes in recent months. Most of these spaces are equipped with basic amenities such as charging points, and access to Wi-Fi networks. For residents who require additional amenities, such as meeting rooms with video conferencing facilities, they have the option of using commercially-run co-working spaces available at three public libraries: Jurong Regional Library, Toa Payoh Public Library and Geylang East Public Library. We will continue to monitor tele-commuting trends, and study ways to convert existing communal spaces into workspaces, as well as to plan and design workspaces upfront in future community facilities.
Grace Period for Parking at HDB and URA Car Parks and Other Measures to Help Food Delivery Riders›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 254w
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Ms Hany Soh44 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development whether all HDB and URA car parks will (i) implement a transitional parking of at least 15 minutes grace period and (ii) provide designated food delivery pick-up points at loading and unloading bays for registered food delivery riders.
Mr Desmond Lee210 words
[+8 sentences]HDB and URA car parks generally offer a 10-minute grace period. The grace period was extended to 20 minutes from April to June this year to cater to the increase in delivery of food and other daily essentials, as a result of Circuit Breaker measures. Since then, based on our monitoring of HDB and URA carpark usage, the proportion of people using the carparks for less than 20 minutes has largely reverted to pre-Circuit Breaker levels, where a 10-minute grace period was generally sufficient for motorists to conduct pick-up or drop-off activities. As the demand for HDB and URA car parks is high, the grace period has to be kept short to ensure quick turnover of vehicles. This prevents congestion in the car park, allows more motorists to use the car park, and ensures that the interests of residents who drive or have season parking are adequately safeguarded. In addition, loading and unloading bays are provided at HDB blocks for quick loading and unloading activities. Delivery riders can use these designated spots for food delivery and pick-up. Nonetheless, we will continue to monitor the situation on the ground, understand the needs of different groups of car park users including delivery drivers and riders, and review the grace period as necessary.
Extension of Social Egg Freezing to More Individuals›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 274w
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Miss Cheng Li Hui69 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether he can provide an update on the issue of social egg freezing; (b) whether the Ministry has reviewed its policy to extend this procedure to everyone, and not only to certain individuals based on medical grounds; and (c) whether the Ministry is aware that a growing number of Singaporeans are going overseas to have their eggs or sperm preserved.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M205 words
[+9 sentences]The Government supports and encourages Singaporeans to fulfil their marriage and parenthood goals as early as possible, to increase the chances of conceiving naturally and reduce age-related problems. Currently, licensed assisted reproduction centres in Singapore are only allowed to freeze eggs when there are medical reasons. For instance, before a woman undergoes chemotherapy treatment that will adversely affect her ability to have a child. Some have asked that egg freezing procedures be extended beyond medical grounds. We are carefully reviewing this. Social egg freezing may benefit some women because of their personal circumstances, for example, they may not be able to find a partner when they are younger, but may want to preserve their chances of conceiving if they marry later. However, we also have to take into account the ethical and social concerns over legalising social egg freezing, including inadvertently causing more to delay marriage or parenthood based on a misperception that they can have a child whenever they wish to. The risks of developing complications during pregnancy also increase with age, even if the child is conceived through a frozen egg. The Ministry does not track or have information on the number of Singaporeans going overseas to have their eggs or sperm preserved.
Streamlining ComCare and COVID-19 Relief Financial Assistance›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time3 turns · 440w
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Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling54 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether receiving the COVID-19 Support Grant and grants under Self-Employed Income Relief Scheme will result in a reduction of ComCare assistance to be received; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider allowing ComCare clients to receive their existing ComCare assistance together with COVID-related financial assistance.
Ms Foo Mee Har42 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how can families facing prolonged periods of unemployment be supported beyond the current ComCare scheme for financial assistance; and (b) whether the COVID-19 Support Grant can evolve to some form of unemployment support.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M344 words
[+16 sentences]ComCare beneficiaries receive a package of assistance which may include cash assistance for their daily living expenses and assistance with their household and medical bills. To provide existing Comcare beneficiaries with longer runway to regain stability during this economic downturn, MSF has automatically extended the duration of their ComCare assistance by six months. This applies to ComCare households whose assistance is due for review by October this year. New ComCare beneficiaries this period will also generally receive at least six months of assistance, to give them a longer runway to regain stability. Since they receive comprehensive support, ComCare clients are not eligible for the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG) to avoid duplicating support for the same purposes. For the same reason, ComCare beneficiaries who receive support under the Self-Employed Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) will have their ComCare assistance adjusted downwards to take into account SIRS support. This approach minimises overlap in government assistance and preserves resources to help those with greater needs. ComCare beneficiaries who have a change in financial circumstances, such as losing their jobs or income, can inform the Social Service Office (SSO) and request for a review of their ComCare assistance. The SSO will assess their new circumstances and adjust the ComCare support quantum as needed. ComCare beneficiaries continue to benefit from other COVID-related government budget support schemes that are broad-based for all Singaporeans, such as the Care and Support Package and Solidarity Payment. These are on top of the ComCare assistance they currently receive. The Government has introduced the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package which will support close to 100,000 jobseekers. The package aims to expand job, traineeship and skills training opportunities to support Singaporeans affected by the economic impact of COVID-19. Employees from lower- and middle-income families who involuntarily lose their jobs, are placed on No-Pay-Leave (NPL) or experience at least 30% loss of employment income may apply for CSG. The CSG application window has been extended to December 2020. The Government will continue to monitor the labour market situation and study how to continue supporting vulnerable workers beyond 2020.
Maintaining Well-being of Families Amidst Increasing Stress During COVID-19 Pandemic›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 846w
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Mr Seah Kian Peng41 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development that given the increasing stresses on families and individuals due to the current COVID-19 and economic crisis, what are the measures adopted to keep families intact and maintain the mental well-being of individuals.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M805 words
[+36 sentences]The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant disruption to our lives. Many have experienced life stressors, at home and at work, including changes to care arrangements for their dependents, or suffered job or income loss. During this trying period, we are also paying particular attention to vulnerable individuals and families who face more acute challenges in their lives. This crisis has led to emotional, psychological and financial distress for many. In the face of crises, we have rallied together stronger as a society. Many citizens have stepped forward as volunteers to proactively reach out to vulnerable persons – ranging from providing for the food and medical needs of isolated seniors, to checking in on the well-being of low-income and other vulnerable households. To offer emotional and mental health support to individuals and families, MSF and MOH jointly set up the National CARE Hotline (NCH) in April 2020, which is manned by trained personnel who provide support to callers impacted psychologically or emotionally by COVID-19. Close to 900 trained volunteers have managed over 27,900 calls to the NCH since its launch, offering callers advice, referrals for specific assistance or just a sympathetic listening ear. MSF also runs other Carelines for Persons Under Quarantine (PUQs) and under Stay-Home-Notice (PSHN), to provide them with emotional support. Aside from providing direct psychological support, callers also received information on and referrals to additional resources where needed. Additional stressors during the COVID-19 period may cause domestic friction and potentially family violence. During the Circuit Breaker period, MSF’s Adult and Child Protective Services received about 10% more enquiries on average, compared to before the Circuit Breaker. Most of them were related to family tensions with no incidence of violence. We encourage families to seek and receive help early, so that they do not escalate to violence. Together with our community partners, MSF will continue to keep a close watch on family violence and provide counselling, intervention, and refuge to those in need of services. Families facing marital, divorce, and parenting stress can also approach any of our 48 Family Service Centres (FSCs) or an online counselling service set up in April 2020 by MSF with the Community Psychology Hub. In the past five months, this service has supported over 700 clients while the FSCs have seen a stable flow of about 1000 clients for parenting and marital issues during the same period. To help families juggle working from home while caring for their loved ones, Families for Life (FFL) launched the #FFLShareTheCare online video series during Circuit Breaker. The series covers topics such as parenting, relationship and communications, and caring for newborns. These videos have been well received, with 2.4 million views so far. FFL is also offering Triple P online, an evidence-based parenting programme, free of charge. Triple P has been proven to be effective, with parents reporting sustained reduction of around 20% in both their children’s problematic behaviour scores and parenting stress scores three months after completing the programme. FFL will continue to promote family bonding and nurture resilient families through its annual family campaigns. To provide financial support to middle- and lower-income individuals adversely affected by the economic impact of COVID-19, MSF rolled out the Temporary Relief Fund in April 2020 and the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG) in May 2020. We have also introduced greater flexibility for low-income households to qualify for ComCare financial assistance. Existing ComCare beneficiaries whose assistance ends between May and October this year would have their assistance extended by six months automatically. New Comcare recipients have also been provided a longer runway of six months’ assistance to regain stability. These measures have worked with other governmental financial assistance schemes to give much needed urgent support to those facing serious financial stress. Social Service Offices have also been facilitating affected individuals to gain access to broader employment and training opportunities by referring them to the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Programme, overseen by the National Jobs Council (NJC). With the impact being more acute for low-income families, MSF has accelerated our outreach to the low-income/vulnerable households since June 2020. Volunteers and community partners from our SG Cares Community Networks have been proactively reaching out to the residents, checking in on their well-being and offering additional support where required. In less than three months, close to 900 volunteers and community partners have reached out to about 13,000 households, successfully engaging over 6,300 households and referring about 2,300 households for further help. As we continue to fight against COVID-19, many Singaporeans have stepped up to show care and support for one another. We are grateful to many volunteers, community partners and everyday neighbours who have selflessly and tirelessly stepped forward to provide resources, care and support for other Singaporeans. We must continue to look out for one another. Let us continue to stand together, and emerge stronger as one people.
Extending Development Support and Learning Support Programme to Differently-abled Children in Pre-schools›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 268w
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written-answer-na-6421
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang31 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry will consider extending the Development Support and Learning Support Programme to children who are differently abled at the nursery levels.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M237 words
[+10 sentences]The Development Support (DS) and Learning Support (LS) Programme is one of a suite of programmes which provides additional developmental support for preschool children. The DS-LS Progamme is currently designed to support preschool children aged 5 and 6 identified with mild developmental delays or learning needs. The DS-LS programme is currently offered at about 550 preschools. Children on the DS-LS programme are given the necessary support such as pull-out sessions with Learning Support Educators or therapists to address their developmental and learning needs. For the younger nursery children, there are issues of whether identifying children with mild developmental delays or learning needs at these earlier ages is appropriate and if intervention via the existing DS-LS programme is suitable. ECDA is studying these issues with agencies. For nursery children with clearer moderate to severe developmental delays, preschools can already identify and refer these children to KKH and National University Hospital as well as the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) where more intensive support can be provided. At the same time, ECDA is scaling up KidSTART to support more low-income families with the development of their children from birth. This will support the development of these children from these families, regardless of whether there are development delays. Taking ECDA's KidSTART programme, DS-LS programme and the EIPIC programme together, these form the range of assistance available to provide additional developmental support for preschool-age children and their families.
Proposal to Review Housing Criteria for Support Grants›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 290w
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written-answer-na-6422
Mr Sharael Taha35 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry is reviewing its eligibility criteria for distributing support grants especially on the use of per capita income of occupants living in a particular address.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M255 words
[+9 sentences]The fundamental objective of various financial support grants is to provide support to Singapore residents who require either temporary assistance due to loss of income or longer-term assistance as they are unable to seek employment due to reasons such as medical illness or family circumstances. These grants are therefore intended for applicants who do not have sufficient savings, assets or income to meet their basic needs. In general, measures such as household per capita income (PCI), gross household income and annual value of property are useful proxies of a household’s financial circumstances, and ability to tide through challenging periods. For large households with higher expenses, PCI is often more meaningful. Applicants with higher PCI are typically more resilient financially and better able to weather financial or employment shocks. Thus, household income or PCI are often used as eligibility criteria for assistance schemes such as ComCare and the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG), which is intended to help employees in lower- to middle-income households who suffered job loss or salary loss. MSF regularly reviews the eligibility criteria of our assistance schemes to ensure that their objectives are being met, and that they meet the needs of target groups. Flexibility is also exercised on a case by case basis when applying the eligibility criteria. Recognising the unprecedented and unexpected nature of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has also implemented other schemes that are not subjected to means testing such as cash payouts and Passion Card top-ups for all Singaporeans, and the Jobs Support Scheme.
Number of Families Helped by KiFAS Grants and Proposal for Extension of the Scheme›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 472w
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written-answer-na-6423
Ms He Ting Ru71 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in each of the last five years (a) how many Singaporean families have been eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS); (b) how many Singaporean families have received assistance under KiFAS; and (c) whether the Government has plans to extend KiFAS to all eligible Singaporean families irrespective of chosen childcare provider, with the same subsidy to be provided to all eligible children.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M401 words
[+18 sentences]The Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) is a means-tested subsidy for families with (i) household incomes within the qualifying income ceiling, and (ii) children enrolled in half-day kindergartens run by Anchor Operators and the Ministry of Education (MOE). Families are prompted to apply for the subsidy during enrolment, and all families who meet the criteria for KiFAS will receive KiFAS support upon enrolment and subsidy application. From January 2020, we had raised the qualifying monthly household income ceiling for KiFAS from $6,000 to $12,000 and increased the subsidy amounts, so that more families benefit from KiFAS. The number of children receiving KiFAS has thus increased by one-third, from an annual average of around 9,000 between 2016 and 20191, to 12,000 this year. Anchor Operators and MOE Kindergartens offer accessible, affordable and quality programmes, and are well-distributed across various locations in Singapore. Anchor Operator kindergartens are further required to charge no more than $160 per month for half-day kindergarten to ensure affordability, and must meet ECDA's quality requirements. MOE Kindergartens charge similar fees and operate under strict MOE oversight to ensure quality. While we have made efforts to enhance affordability of kindergartens, the priority is to enhance affordability of childcare centres as the majority of children increasingly attend full-day childcare programmes, which better serve families' needs. Childcare subsidies are provided to children enrolled in all ECDA-licensed childcare centres. Children enrolled in childcare programmes receive a universal Basic Subsidy and, if eligible, a means-tested Additional Subsidy. For the Additional Subsidy, we had raised the qualifying household income ceiling to $12,000 from January 2020 to benefit more families. Over the medium term, we aim to further enhance affordability in childcare centres by lowering fee caps. Taken together, all childcare centres and Anchor Operator and MOE Kindergartens currently serve more than 85% of Singaporean children enrolled in preschool. The vast majority receive subsidy support. Beyond preschool subsidies, parents can tap on the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, as well as the Child Development Account (CDA) First Step grant of $3,000 and government matching contributions, to offset their children's preschool fees. The Government is committed to investing in early childhood education. Within the next few years, we will double our spending on preschool to over $2 billion per year, up from about $1 billion in 2018. We will continue to improve preschool quality, affordability and accessibility, to ensure that every child has a good start in life.
Display of Labels Depicting Islamic Phrases or Muslim-owned Businesses Status›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 370w
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written-answer-na-6424
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim64 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs what are the plans of MUIS to regulate or educate food and beverage (F&B) operators on the use of labels depicting Islamic phrases or Muslim-owned businesses status in order to avoid confusion amongst the public of the halal status of F&B establishments and potential dilution of the MUIS halal certification mark.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M306 words
[+13 sentences]Halal certification is voluntary in Singapore. Those who apply and are awarded halal certificates are closely regulated by MUIS to ensure that they meet the requisite halal standards. Muslim owners and operators of food and beverage (F&B) businesses may choose not to apply for halal certification on the basis that it is already clear that it is a religious obligation and responsibility for Muslims to serve halal food to other Muslims. Instead, they prefer to highlight their faith, either through labels that indicate that the establishment is Muslim-owned or through the display of Islamic paraphernalia. MUIS will continue to emphasise to F&B businesses the importance of not naming or promoting their establishments in a manner that could mislead consumers. For example, Muslim F&B businesses which opt to only use Islamic paraphernalia or Muslim-ownership labels to indicate they are a halal-food establishment should take care to ensure that their food is halal. The MUIS halal logo also must not be used or modified by businesses that have not attained official certification, so that it does not lead to a dilution of the mark. Action will be taken against businesses that make wilful misrepresentations. It is also important for customers of F&B halal establishments to be alert to establishments that may display misleading information. Halal food consumers should familiarise themselves with the halal certification mark or ask F&B owners for clarification if they are unsure whether the establishment serves halal food if other labels are displayed. For Muslim consumers, dining decisions are a personal choice. MUIS will continue to provide guidance, so they can be more aware of the considerations and implications when making food choices. MUIS has conducted several public education efforts on this matter through mainstream media and various social media platforms, such as the HalalSG Twitter, MUIS' Facebook page, MuslimSG app and various podcast shows.
Complaints about Smoking, Second-hand Smoke and Cigarette Butt Littering at HDB Estates›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 476w
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written-answer-na-6426
Mr Liang Eng Hwa40 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether complaints against smoking, second-hand smoke and cigarette butt littering at HDB estates have increased in the past six months; and (b) whether the measures implemented so far have been effective.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien436 words
[+17 sentences]Over the past six months, the National Environment Agency (NEA) received about 21,000 instances of feedback related to smoking, second-hand smoke and cigarette butt littering at HDB estates, up from about 14,000 during the same period in 2019, or a 50% increase. This increase is likely due to more residents working from home during the Circuit Breaker in April and May, a situation which has continued even post-Circuit Breaker. This has resulted in a higher concentration of people in residential estates and more activity taking place in homes, rather than workplaces. NEA takes a multi-pronged approach, including education, surveillance and enforcement, to tackle unlawful smoking at common areas of residential estates such as common corridors, lift lobbies, void decks and staircase landings. Generally, smokers appreciate the rationale behind the smoking prohibition and most comply willingly after being advised by NEA, Town Councils and HDB. Sometimes, smokers forget and light up where they should not, and friendly reminders from family and friends are helpful to signal the positive social norms that smokers should abide by. Visual reminders put up by Advisers and community leaders, such as posters in lifts and HDB areas where there have been feedback on unlawful smoking, are also useful in reminding smokers to be considerate and entrenching positive social norms. Where unlawful smoking feedback persists, NEA conducts surveillance of the affected block. Since January 2019, NEA has enhanced its surveillance capability with thermal cameras which can detect objects emitting high heat and capture images of the smoking offence. NEA uses the images along with other forms of evidence, such as public feedback, for investigations. Thus far, 270 thermal camera deployments have been made, resulting in enforcement actions being taken against about 100 offenders. Overall, the number of enforcement actions taken by NEA against smoking and cigarette butt littering in HDB estates has increased to more than 8,400 in the past six months of 2020 compared to more than 7,700 in the same period last year. The increase in enforcement actions has been boosted by the use of thermal cameras for surveillance, as well as ramped up enforcement operations by NEA. The issue of smoking is one that requires everyone to play their part. While NEA has improved its enforcement capability, it is not realistic for NEA to constantly monitor all smoking-prohibited places or respond immediately to every instance of feedback, given the fleeting nature of such acts. I urge smokers to be mindful of the health of others, and not light up in smoking-prohibited places. Families and friends of smokers, as well as the general public, can help reinforce the right social norms.
Proposal for Automatic or Sensor-activated Taps and Flushing Systems at Hawker Centres›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 154w
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written-answer-na-6427
Ms Joan Pereira32 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of COVID-19, whether screw taps for wash basins and manual flushing systems in hawker centre toilets can be replaced with automatic ones.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien122 words
[+7 sentences]The Code of Practice on Environmental Health currently states that public toilets should install sensor-operated taps and flushing systems. All new building developments, including hawker centres, are required to comply with the Code. Of the 33 MSE-owned hawker centres, 25 already have sensor-operated taps and flushing systems installed. We will install these provisions in the remaining centres during upcoming periodic renovations. I encourage Town Councils to install sensor-operated taps and flushing systems in HDB-owned hawker centres. This is particularly important in view of public health concerns amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. To support the Town Councils, NEA is providing co-funding under the Toilet Improvement Programme for improved toilet designs that facilitate cleaning and maintenance, including the installation of sensor-operated taps and flushing systems.
Leveraging Work-from-Home Trend to Increase Adoption of Recycling and Reducing Waste›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 308w
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written-answer-na-6428
Dr Lim Wee Kiak30 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment how can Singapore leverage on the work-from-home trend to promote adoption of greater personal acceptance and responsibility for recycling and reducing waste.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien278 words
[+11 sentences]In view of the work-from-home trend, NEA has stepped up engagement to encourage the community to adopt good 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) habits. Additional emphasis has been placed on actions which can be taken by those working from home. These include bringing reusable food containers for takeaway; not opting for disposable cutlery; avoiding food waste by ordering and cooking the right amounts; storing any unfinished cooked food properly for safe consumption later; and emptying and cleaning recyclables before placing them in the blue recycling bins. Last month, NEA launched the second run of the "Say YES to Waste Less" campaign together with partners to encourage consumers to reduce food wastage and consumption of disposables. We are heartened that 95 partners have come on board, an increase from 59 partners last year. These include food delivery service platforms, which have seen increased demand in recent months as more people work from home, as well as operators of major food and beverage (F&B) outlets, malls and retail chains, hotels, schools, and non-government organisations. In all, they cover more than 2,100 premises, an increase from the 1,600 premises last year. Our partners have rolled out several initiatives. For example, by making opting out of receiving disposable cutlery the default option, prompting customers to ask for smaller food portions or consider if they need a bag, and offering incentives for customers who bring their own reusables. We also recently started a Citizens' Workgroup to co-create solutions with members of the public to reduce the excessive consumption of disposables. We look forward to hearing participants’ ideas on how we can reduce the use of disposables, whether working from home or at our workplaces.
Cat Feeders Issued Summonses for Littering›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 130w
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written-answer-na-6429
Mr Lim Biow Chuan22 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in the past three years, how many cat feeders have been summoned for littering.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien108 words
[+6 sentences]In the past three years, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has enforced against eight cat feeders for littering. Food left behind from the feeding of stray animals may attract pests such as cockroaches and rats, and endanger public health. Containers left behind can also collect stagnant water and lead to mosquito breeding. It is therefore important that cat feeders are considerate and clear leftover food and food containers after feeding. Many community cats are taken care of by regular, responsible feeders. NEA and the Animal and Veterinary Service work with the Cat Welfare Society to allow such feeding, while making sure that food remnants are not left behind.
Percentage of Singapore's Recyclable Waste Exported›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 430w
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written-answer-na-6430
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song53 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in each of the last five years, how many tonnes and what percentage of Singapore's recyclable waste has been exported; and (b) how does the Ministry ensure that the exported recyclable waste ultimately gets recycled instead of being incinerated or deposited in landfills overseas.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien377 words
[+16 sentences]We exported about 1,889,000 tonnes of recyclable waste in 2015, 1,757,000 tonnes in 2016, 1,637,000 tonnes in 2017, 1,579,000 tonnes in 2018 and 1,439,000 tonnes in 2019. This corresponds to 41% of Singapore’s total waste recycled in 2015, 37% in 2016, 35% in 2017, 33% in 2018 and 34% in 2019. Ferrous and non-ferrous metals, paper and cardboard waste made up about 90% of the total amount of recyclables exported in 2019. These recyclables have commercial value and fetch competitive prices when exported. Recyclables that are contaminated with hazardous or other wastes, are governed by the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (Basel Convention), which is a Multilateral Environmental Agreement that regulates the import, export and transit of hazardous wastes and other wastes. Our companies are regularly reminded about Singapore’s obligations under the Basel Convention, and NEA will investigate and enforce against any violations. While we are aware of the countries where our recyclables are exported to, we do not have information on how the recyclables are processed and treated in the countries of import, or if they are further exported. We are unable to gather data from companies that are outside our jurisdiction. Recyclables have an intrinsic value. The value is a function of the value of the recycled material, the market price of its substitute, and the cost of recycling, including transportation to an export destination. If there is no export market for it, or if the cost of recycling outweighs the value of the recycled product, the waste collector may choose not to collect the recyclables but to treat them as general waste and send them to the incineration plant. Therefore, my Ministry recognises the need to build up our local recycling capabilities. For example, we are working with the private sector to develop mechanical recycling solutions to turn waste plastics into plastic pellets for manufacturing new products. And chemical recycling to process contaminated plastics that cannot be mechanically recycled. For e-waste, we are developing capabilities to recycle Large Household Appliances, ICT products, batteries and lamps to support the upcoming e-waste Extended Producer Responsibility framework. This will allow us to better extract resources from waste and close our waste loops locally through a circular economy approach.
Expansion of Domestic Waste Recycling Industry›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 505w
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written-answer-na-6431
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song82 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether he can provide an update on (i) the expansion of our domestic waste recycling industry and (ii) NEA's study on e-waste and plastics recycling solutions and technologies and its assessment of their suitability for local adoption; and (b) whether there has been a cost-benefit analysis of exporting recyclables versus owning the capabilities to process them, considering the carbon footprint of transport and the environmental impact on developing countries that import recyclable waste.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien423 words
[+19 sentences]My Ministry recognises the need for Singapore to build local recycling capabilities. The National Environment Agency (NEA) commissioned a recycling landscape study in 2018, which found that it was feasible to develop domestic recycling capabilities for both e-waste and plastic waste. These recommendations provided the inputs to our circular economy approach outlined in the Zero Waste Masterplan that we launched in 2019. The Masterplan will enable us to better extract resources from waste, and create economic opportunities and good jobs for Singaporeans. We are making good progress in developing local recycling capabilities, working with the private sector. Over the next three years, we expect three new e-waste recycling facilities to be set up that will allow us to recycle more than 64,000 tonnes of e-waste per year. At the same time, we are working with research institutes and companies to develop solutions in treating and recycling e-waste in a more energy-efficient and eco-friendly manner. For example, the NTU Singapore-CEA1 Alliance for Research in Circular Economy (SCARCE) is developing innovative solutions to treat and recover resources from e-waste like lithium ion batteries and silicon solar panels, and finding ways to detoxify and recycle plastic parts in e-waste. We are also exploring mechanical recycling and chemical recycling solutions for plastics with industry players. Chemical recycling is an added option to process contaminated plastics that cannot be mechanically recycled. More recycling capabilities are expected to evolve with our upcoming Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for packaging waste, including plastics. To recover more plastics from our waste for recycling, NEA is also conducting a feasibility study for a pilot Plastic Recovery Facility (PRF). If feasible, the pilot PRF will be the first such facility built by the government. We have not done a cost-benefit analysis to compare exporting recyclables with processing them locally. While we are aware of the countries where our recyclables are exported to, we do not have information on how the recyclables are processed and treated in the countries of import, or if they are further exported. We are unable to gather data from companies that are outside our jurisdiction. Nevertheless, we are committed to building up our local capabilities to treat and close our waste loops locally, where feasible, both physically and economically, to enhance our resource resilience. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, we are vulnerable to global supply chain disruption, including disruption to cross-border flow of our recyclables for recycling. As such, my Ministry and the NEA will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to strengthen our local recycling capabilities.
Allocation of COVID-19 Relief Assistance to "Zombie Companies"›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 520w
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written-answer-na-6432
Ms Foo Mee Har48 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the Ministry is aware of the prevalence of "zombie companies" in Singapore and the risk that COVID-19 support schemes may be allocating precious resources to them, hindering the allocation of labour and skills to more productive parts of the economy.
Mr Chan Chun Sing472 words
[+24 sentences]The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have devastated the global economy, and Singapore is no exception. MTI expects GDP growth this year to be between negative 7% and negative 5%. If this forecast is realised, the impact of COVID-19 will be worse than that of past crises, such as SARS and the Global Financial Crisis (or GFC). It will negate the gains that the Singapore economy had made in the last two to three years. This extent of impact required the Government to act swiftly and decisively to provide temporary relief to businesses. We have introduced a variety of support measures to help companies with cashflow, costs, and credit. We have also introduced measures that were designed to help companies retain capabilities or build new ones in the face of a changed environment, including the enhanced Enterprise Development Grant, and Productivity Solutions Grant. We recognise that some companies with unviable businesses might have been able to stay afloat in the near-term by benefiting from some of the support measures. However, the temporary nature of the broad-based support given means that any reprieve enjoyed by such companies would only have been for a short time. This is especially since we constantly review our measures to ensure that they are relevant for the situation. In particular, over the past few months, it has become clear that the economic downturn will be prolonged. The economy emerging from the crisis will also look very different. Rather than sustaining businesses, we need to help them adapt to the new environment. There are broadly three types of companies. The first type of companies still have the opportunity to grow. For these companies, we will look to spur them on to grow further, so that they will create more jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans as they flourish. The second type of companies comprise those that have suffered a drop in demand, but will eventually recover. We will help them preserve their core capabilities as they tide through this difficult period, so that they will be well-positioned to emerge stronger once the economy recovers. The third type of companies comprise those that have seen their business conditions changed permanently. We will provide support to them to pivot to new products and markets. At the same time, our SkillsFuture and Adapt and Grow initiatives will help the workers in such companies reskill and find jobs in new areas. Even with this support, some businesses will inevitably have to cease. By taking this approach, we will be able to reallocate resources, labour, and skills to support those parts of the economy that are still growing, while preserving the core capabilities of our companies that are going through difficult times. This will give us the best chance to create the largest number of jobs for Singaporeans in a fiscally sustainable and efficient manner.
Enhancing Singapore's Regional Trade Hub Status›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 399w
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written-answer-na-6433
Mr Desmond Choo30 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Trade and Industry amidst greater trade tensions and shortening of supply chains, what are the Ministry's plans to enhance Singapore's position as a regional trade hub.
Mr Chan Chun Sing369 words
[+17 sentences]Singapore’s positioning to be a critical node in the global system has not changed, amidst trade tensions and reconfiguration of supply chains. To achieve this, we must continue to position Singapore as the preferred business hub by adding value to businesses that trade with Singapore, trade through Singapore, and trade from Singapore. First, Singapore must build on our reliability as a trusted node. We will continue to remain open for business to facilitate the flow of goods and essential business travel. Singapore's ports have stayed open throughout the COVID-19 crisis. We are working to establish travel arrangements with more countries to progressively enable greater air travel, while ensuring public health and safety are upheld. Singapore will continue working with our trading partners to foster greater global and regional integration, and reduce impediments to the flow of goods across borders. For example, Singapore is working with other ASEAN Member States to streamline non-tariff measures on essential goods such as food and medical supplies. Greater global emphasis on resilient supply chains brings opportunity too. Companies will want to diversify their sourcing and production. Some will look to South-East Asia, and this will benefit Singapore’s businesses and other trade-related services. Second, we will continue to strengthen Singapore’s physical and digital connectivity. Our efforts to enhance our air and sea ports’ connections are complemented by efforts on digital connectivity, such as the digitalPORT@SGTM initiative, which is a one-stop portal for maritime regulatory and port services transactions. We have also embarked on new generation Digital Economy Agreements with countries such as Australia, Chile and New Zealand that will help firms to interoperate more seamlessly and efficiently in the digital economy. Physical connectivity allows businesses to trade through Singapore, while digital connectivity will enable businesses to transcend geographical boundaries and trade from Singapore by capturing value from trade flows that do not physically pass through Singapore. Thirdly, we will continue to focus on innovation, digitalisation, improving productivity, upskilling our workers, and building core capabilities that are difficult to replace. These are fundamentals which underpin our competitiveness, and ensure that Singapore continues to be the preferred business hub of Asia by adding value to businesses that trade with Singapore, trade through Singapore, and trade from Singapore.
Impact of Work-from-Home Trend on Demand for Commercial Rental Property›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 110w
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written-answer-na-6436
Mr Sharael Taha46 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether a study has been commissioned to understand the impact of a work-from-home norm on demand for commercial rental property; and (b) if so, whether there are any measures being explored to soften the impact on the market.
Mr Chan Chun Sing64 words
[+4 sentences]Working from home has become more prevalent in recent years, due to technological advances and corporate policies. COVID-19 has accelerated this trend. The Government has not commissioned a study into the impact of working from home on commercial rental property. Nevertheless, we are monitoring vacancy rates and rentals carefully in order to calibrate the supply of commercial properties in line with changes in demand.
Support for Local Tavel Agencies and Tourism-related Businesses Amidst COVID-19 Lull›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 406w
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written-answer-na-6437
Mr Leon Perera68 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how is STB supporting travel agencies to expand their local tour offerings; (b) whether hostels that are licensed under the Hotel Licensing Board qualify as partners for use of the SingapoRediscovers vouchers; and (c) whether STB will extend the period beyond 31 December 2020 for the 90% reduction of the minimum financial requirement for travel agents to keep their licences.
Mr Chan Chun Sing338 words
[+13 sentences]I will first answer the first and third question. Since global travel restrictions were in place in the first quarter of 2020, STB has been working closely with the National Association of Travel Agents, also known as NATAS, as well as the travel agent community, to help companies tide over the lull by tapping on domestic demand and using this time to upskill their staff to prepare for recovery when international travel returns. When Phase Two reopening began in July, travel agents and tourist guides were permitted to resume tour operations gradually, with appropriate safe management measures in place. Since then, over 200 applications with close to 500 tour itineraries have been approved. To promote these tour offerings, we have featured innovative tour packages and experiences on STB’s SingapoRediscovers campaign site. We have also provided various forms of marketing support, for instance, through STB's Marketing Partnership Programme, where travel agents can apply for a grant to offset their marketing costs. Furthermore, STB has facilitated discussions between travel agents, attractions and hotels to offer combined packages for Singaporeans to enjoy. The minimum financial requirement is imposed to ensure that travel agents have the financial means to fulfil their commitments to customers. In view of the sharp drop in customer business and financial stress on our travel agents, we decided to reduce the minimum financial requirement for travel agents holding a general or niche licence by 90% until the end of this year. We are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to extend this if needed. On the second question regarding hostels' qualification as partners for the use of the SingapoRediscovers vouchers, our primary focus is safeguarding the health and safety of Singaporeans. As backpacker hostels are largely made up of close-living quarters with communal facilities like bathrooms, there is a higher risk of virus transmission associated with the physical setting. We are reviewing if hostels with non-communal facilities can be made safe for staycations, and if so, we will look to include them in the SingapoRediscovers vouchers programme.
Proposal to Extend Cross Island Line Punggol Extension to Seletar Airport, Seletar Private Estate and Fernvale›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 215w
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written-answer-na-6439
Mr Gan Thiam Poh32 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider extending the Cross Island Line Punggol Extension, which will connect Pasir Ris to Punggol, to Seletar Airport, Seletar private estate and Fernvale.
Mr Ong Ye Kung183 words
[+6 sentences]MRT lines are built based on projected travel demand, given that these are very significant publicly funded investments. There are currently no plans to extend the Cross Island Line further to Seletar Airport, Seletar private estate and Fernvale based on projected travel demand. Notwithstanding, commuters have access to the MRT network, through various bus and LRT services. These include bus Services 50 and 102 connecting to Sengkang MRT station on the North East Line, bus Services 70 and 86 connecting to Yio Chu Kang MRT station on the North South Line, and Sengkang LRT connecting to the North East Line. In addition, the opening of the Cross Island Line Phase 1 and Cross Island Line Punggol Extension will add 15 new MRT stations or interchanges to the eastern and north-eastern parts of Singapore, including stations such as Tavistock and Serangoon North which can serve Seletar private estate residents. I have asked LTA to review the connections from Fernvale and Seletar to these stations so that residents can benefit from these stations when they open and enjoy better connectivity to more parts of Singapore.
Regulations to Prevent Reckless Cycling on Footpaths›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 206w
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written-answer-na-6440
Mr Lim Biow Chuan28 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport whether LTA can introduce regulations to ensure that cyclists riding on footpaths do not ride recklessly and endanger other users of the footpaths.
Mr Ong Ye Kung178 words
[+8 sentences]There are already regulations in place for bicycles and cyclists. For example, bicycles must not exceed 20kg or be wider than 70cm, cyclists must adhere to the speed limit of 10km/h on footpaths and 25km/h on cycling paths, and the use of mobile communication devices while riding is disallowed on all public paths. Recently, we also raised the penalties for speeding and reckless riding offences. Those found guilty may be fined up to $10,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 12 months. They may also be charged under the Penal Code for causing hurt. Beyond regulations and harsher penalties, we need greater social consciousness. This is why we introduced a Code of Conduct in 2018, which encourages cyclists to give way to pedestrians on public paths, and slow down when approaching crowded areas, intersections, or crossings. It is important that all users play their part in contributing to a gracious active mobility culture, by being considerate and looking out for one another so as to make our community a safer and friendlier space to Walk, Cycle and Ride together.
Per-flight Environmental Tax and Retaining Pilot’s Skills Via Flight Simulators Instead of Launching "Flights to Nowhere"›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 88w
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written-answer-na-6443
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim67 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry has considered imposing a per-flight environmental tax with regard to SIA's proposed plan to operate "flights to nowhere"; and (b) whether the Ministry has considered suggesting to SIA to have pilots retain skills via simulators and have flight crews' salaries be further supplemented by the estimated additional environmental costs via a Government subsidy, instead of operating such flights.
Mr Ong Ye Kung21 words
[+2 sentences]I thank the Member for his questions. I will address them in my reply at the 6 October 2020 Parliament sitting.
Private Hire Vehicle Companies' Rule for Maximum of Three Passengers›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 138w
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written-answer-na-6445
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan45 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport why does the Government allow the private hire vehicle companies to impose a rule that their drivers take up to a maximum of three passengers only and must leave the front seat empty as it affects both drivers and passengers.
Mr Ong Ye Kung93 words
[+4 sentences]While the government has issued advisories and measures to Point-to-Point (P2P) operators to help combat COVID-19, the P2P operators have also introduced additional measures, such as Grab's requirement for the front seat of vehicles be left empty to create a physical distance between drivers and their passengers. LTA respects the decision of the operators, which is to create a physical distance between drivers and their passengers. But they need to make this requirement known upfront to passengers when they are making their bookings. Grab has since lifted this restriction on 2 October 2020.
Take-up Rate of Point-to-Point Support Package by Private Hire Car Operators›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 242w
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written-answer-na-6446
Mr Gan Thiam Poh57 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport (a) how many private hire car operators have participated in the Point-to-Point Support Package (PPSP); (b) what are the amounts disbursed to each of these private hire car operators through the PPSP; and (c) whether any reasons are offered by private hire car operators who decide not to participate in the PPSP.
Mr Ong Ye Kung185 words
[+8 sentences]The Point-to-Point Support Package was launched in February this year to help drivers tide over difficult times. In total, the three tranches of the package amounted to more than $300 million. Although it was designed as a Government assistance package for drivers, the taxi and Private Hire Car (PHC) operators have been working with the Government and contributed to the Support Package. For the first tranche of the Support Package between March and May 2020, three operators – Grab, Gojek and Ryde – contributed more than $20 million in total to match the Government's assistance for drivers through commission rebates. However, the PHC operators have stopped matching the Government’s assistance in subsequent tranches. The Ministry of Transport do not fault them, because the Support Package was designed as a Government assistance package to start with, and we appreciate their contribution. Instead, the operators have been helping the Government to disburse Special Relief Fund (SRF) payouts to their drivers. As of 30 September, the Government has disbursed about $45 million in SRF payouts to drivers through Grab, $8 million through Gojek and about $60,000 through Ryde.
Proposal to Install Acoustic Cameras to Identify Noisy Vehicles for Enforcement Action›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 153w
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written-answer-na-6447
Mr Murali Pillai21 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry has plans to install acoustic cameras to identify noisy vehicles for enforcement action.
Mr Ong Ye Kung132 words
[+6 sentences]Excessive vehicle noise is caused by a variety of factors, such as illegal modifications to vehicles, vehicle design, and irresponsible driver behaviour. The National Environment Agency (NEA) sets the noise emission standards for new and in-use vehicles. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) requires vehicles to undergo mandatory, periodic inspections to ensure they meet NEA’s noise emission standards for in-use vehicles and have not been illegally modified. In between inspections, LTA takes action against illegally modified vehicles, based on complaints and regular enforcement efforts with the Traffic Police. There are currently no plans to install acoustic cameras for enforcement action against noisy vehicles, as this is a novel technique that has yet to be rigorously tested. Government agencies will continue to monitor new technologies, including acoustic cameras, for better enforcement against noisy vehicles.
Number of COVID-19 Cases amongst Crew of Ships Calling at Singapore Ports›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 384w
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written-answer-na-6448
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong55 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the number of COVID-19 cases from the crew of ships visiting Singapore port waters in the last six months; and (b) what are the COVID-19 safety measures required for all workmen, ship agents' or ship suppliers' personnel and other persons boarding commercial vessels visiting Singapore port waters.
Mr Ong Ye Kung329 words
[+16 sentences]Let me first explain that it is essential for ships and their crew to call at Singapore’s port. We are a major international port, and thousands of ships call at the Port of Singapore every month to deliver goods into our country, bring out exported goods, and ensure that the global supply chain remains undisrupted. Inevitably, some crew members will be infected with COVID-19 and become imported cases in Singapore. Since March 2020, there were a total of 21 COVID-19 positive cases from the crew of three ships that visited Singapore’s port waters. Two COVID-19 positive cases were also detected amongst shore-based personnel. They boarded one of the three ships and got infected, unfortunately. Based on Maritime and Port Authority's (MPA) investigations, the two personnel had consumed meals that were prepared onboard the ship with the ship's crew, using shared utensils. Fortunately, they have since recovered. The precautionary measures for shore-based personnel boarding ships in Singapore’s port waters are stated in two MPA Port Marine Circulars. These measures go beyond the guidelines issued by the International Maritime Organization and the World Health Organization. They include wearing of masks at all times; donning of additional personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles, and surgical gowns except in situations where doing so jeopardises operational and personal safety; minimising time spent on the ship to reduce the risk of infection; and maintaining a safe distance of at least two metres when on board. Crew on board the vessels must also observe similar precautionary measures, when shore-based personnel are on board. In addition, since September 2020, MPA has progressively rolled out Rostered Routine Testing for shore-based personnel who frequently board ships. Port workers, pilots, surveyors, cargo officers as well as launch and supply boat operators are tested once every 14 days for COVID-19. To date, around 1,200 have been tested and all have tested negative for COVID-19. MPA will continue to update its Port Marine Circulars when required, as the pandemic situation evolves.
Proposal for Carpooling by Taxis to Maximise Seating Capacity and Reduce Overall Carbon Footprint›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 110w
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written-answer-na-6449
Ms Hany Soh32 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will allow carpooling by taxi operators so as to maximise the usage capacity of each vehicle and also reduce the country's overall carbon footprint.
Mr Ong Ye Kung78 words
[+3 sentences]There is no regulation prohibiting taxi operators, and other Point-to-Point (P2P) operators, from pooling passengers and creating a new service. In fact, GrabShare and RydePool are existing services that allow commuters to share a ride on a taxi or a private hire car (PHC) with other passengers heading in the same direction. However, in view of the COVID-19 situation, Grab and Ryde have decided to take precautions to suspend the GrabShare and RydePool services on their own accord.
Proposal to Abolish Civil Service Performance Management System of Stack Ranking›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 172w
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written-answer-na-6451
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang19 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Prime Minister whether the Government intends to abolish the Civil Service performance management system of stack ranking.
Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister)153 words
[+7 sentences]The Civil Service seeks to operate a transparent and fair performance management system which rewards officers according to their work contributions. We adopt a system of relative ranking, where an officer's performance is not just assessed by his own supervisor, but also cross-ranked against his peers by a ranking panel comprising direct and indirect supervisors. The system allows us to moderate supervisor subjectivity and establish common and consistent standards of performance assessment, to identify and recognise stronger performing officers. It also correspondingly helps identify weaker performing officers to help them improve their performance. On balance, we find that a system of relative ranking of performance still serves its purpose. Nevertheless, we have also allowed flexibility for deviation where the case merits, depending on the performance of individual officers. We continue to study alternative systems of performance management so that we can ensure our system remains relevant and effective as our operating landscape changes.
Usage Rate for TraceTogether Token and Protection of Users' Data Submitted via Token›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 391w
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written-answer-na-6452
Mr Desmond Choo47 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Prime Minister (a) what is the projected and actual utilisation rate so far for the TraceTogether token; and (b) how will the Ministry safeguard personal data collected from TraceTogether and SafeEntry in light of the users' privacy concerns stemming from the increased risk of cyber-attacks.
Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister)344 words
[+12 sentences]As of 28 September, we have issued about 101,000 TraceTogether Tokens to members of the public. We will progressively expand the distribution across Singapore so that anyone who wants a TraceTogether Token can collect one from a Community Centre nearest their home. The purpose of the Token is to boost overall community participation in the TraceTogether Programme, particularly for those who are not able to download theTraceTogether App. Currently the overall participation (App and Token) rate of TraceTogether Programme is at around half our population, with TraceTogether Programme participants predominantly on the App as community-wide Token distribution had just commenced. The higher the participation rate, the more effective our digital contact tracing efforts, and the safer we can keep ourselves, our loved ones, and our colleagues. The data collected by the TraceTogether Programme is encrypted and stored only for 25 days on the user's App or Token, after which it is automatically deleted. The encrypted data (of up to 25 days) is kept on the device until the user shares it with MOH for contact tracing in the unfortunate (and hopefully unlikely) circumstance that the user tests positive for COVID-19. Because it is encrypted, even if someone unlawfully extracts the data from the App or the Token, they will not be able to make sense of the data. Personal data collected from the SafeEntry programme is also encrypted, and will only be accessed by the authorities when needed for the purpose of preventing or controlling the transmission of COVID-19. The Government is the custodian of the data submitted by individuals, including those from the TraceTogether and SafeEntry programmes, and stringent measures are in place to safeguard this personal data. Only authorised public officers will have access to the data. Under the Public Sector Governance Act, public officers who recklessly or intentionally disclose the data without authorisation, misuse the data for gain, or re-identify anonymised data without authorisation may be found guilty of an offence and may be subject to a fine of up to $5,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, or both.
Measures to Minimise Recurrence of Recent Cases of Trade Financing Fraud›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 358w
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written-answer-na-6454
Mr Murali Pillai80 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Prime Minister in light of the recent cases of trade financing fraud involving billions of dollars leading to steps taken by banks to de-risk from this area, what steps will be taken to (i) ensure that there will be a sufficient number of banks providing such facilities on reasonable terms to traders (ii) reduce the fraud risks involved in such transactions on banks and other stakeholders and (iii) restore Singapore's reputation as a premier global trade financing hub.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister)278 words
[+12 sentences]The fraud cases in the commodities trading sector have been attributed to weak disclosure practices and internal controls among a minority of trading companies. However, we do not take this lightly. To prevent such fraudulent activities and restore confidence, there needs to be a strengthening of standards and practices of transparency and governance in the commodities trading sector, more robust credit risk assessment, as well as a move away from paper-based processes as they are more susceptible to risk of fraud. These are the follow-up actions that banks, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and other government agencies are undertaking. The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), with the support of MAS, Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), is developing a code of best practices to enhance commodity financing standards in Singapore. The banks are currently consulting the trading companies, who themselves have an interest in higher standards being practised amongst all players in the industry. The code should be finalised in Q4 2020. Importantly, MAS is also partnering the industry and other government agencies to digitalise trade financing, and replace the current paper-based systems with electronic documents and data flows. This will better ensure authenticity of documents, and allow banks to obtain data directly from Singapore Customs to perform risk assessment. As we take progressive steps to improve the system, trading companies are facing more rigorous credit assessments and tighter financing conditions. They will be able to access the bank financing that they need, commensurate with their creditworthiness. But the initiatives are necessary, to enhance commodity financing standards and practices, and strengthen Singapore's resilience, relevance and competitiveness as a global commodities trading hub.
Promoting Green Financing amongst SMEs›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 386w
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written-answer-na-6455
Ms He Ting Ru34 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Prime Minister (a) whether the Government tracks the take-up rate of green financing loans and products for SMEs; and (b) what are the plans to make green financing more accessible to SMEs.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister)352 words
[+16 sentences]Green and sustainable financing flows are growing strongly in Singapore. From 2019 till the first half of this year, approximately SGD 4.8 billion of green and sustainability bonds were issued in Singapore. Singapore corporates also borrowed SGD 10.2 billion through green and sustainability-linked loans1 in the same period. While green and sustainable financing has nearly tripled from 2018 volumes2, we are still at an early stage of this journey, as is the case internationally. The green share of total loan and bond transactions3 in Singapore remains modest at less than 5%, reflecting the significant opportunity for growth. MAS does not have data on SMEs' take-up of green and sustainability-linked loans. But we do know that Singapore-based banks have been stepping up on such lending. Notable examples include a SGD 27 million ten-year sustainability-linked loan structured by DBS to Chew’s Agriculture in 2019; and a SGD 14 million green loan from UOB to LYS Energy Group, a home-grown independent solar power producer, earlier this year. We are taking further steps to promote green and sustainability-linked loans to SMEs. One possible solution is to develop lending frameworks that provide simplified processes and set out clear standardised criteria for borrowers. With these frameworks, there would be no need to engage external reviewers to develop, verify and maintain customised green finance frameworks for each borrower. HSBC’s Green Loan Framework for SMEs, which was launched in Singapore in March 2020, is a promising start and MAS will encourage more lenders to develop such frameworks. MAS will also help borrowers defray the cost of customised green and sustainability-linked loans. Later this year, MAS will launch a Green and Sustainability-Linked Loan Grant Scheme which will be open to SMEs and other corporates4. This grant will defray the cost of obtaining independent external reviews to demonstrate that sustainability targets are material, and to verify that the loan proceeds will be channeled to green and sustainable activities. As green and sustainable finance activities grow in Singapore, the anchoring of relevant capabilities here will help to bring such loans into the mainstream while encouraging more SMEs to adopt green and sustainability financing.
Overview of Government's Strategy to Emerge Stronger from the COVID-19 Pandemic›Ministerial Statements53 turns · 34,076w
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ministerial-statement-1499recorded 2020-10-14
Speaker not recorded65 words
[+1 sentence], (proc text)] [(proc text) “That the Ministerial Statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance on the Overview of Government’s Strategy to Emerge Stronger from the COVID-19 Pandemic be considered by Parliament.” – (proc text)].
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang)1956 words
[+10 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Deputy Prime Minister and the Finance Minister for the Ministerial Statement that sets out the context for the Third Supplementary Estimates of Expenditures for FY 2020/2021. Given the very extensive set of fiscal measures that were introduced in quick succession over the last eight months, it is most timely that Deputy Prime Minister Heng updated the House again on the Government’s continued response to the on-going pandemic and outlined the next bound of support. While COVID-19 continues to be a threat to our lives and livelihoods, we are today in much different position than we were in, in March. We now know a lot more about this virus and better able to mitigate the risk than six months ago. We have weathered the sharp spike in cases with our concerted response and has help kept the fatality rate at a very low level. There is now much higher public awareness on the virus and Singaporeans have largely adapted to the new normal of wearing masks, distancing, safe-entries and many other precautionary measures. It is therefore timely that the Government signal that we are entering into a new phase of our battle with the pandemic. And importantly, to also set our sights on how we will eventually emerge from the crisis and press on with our longer term strategic priorities. Sir, I will touch on three areas: firstly, fiscal management; secondly, jobs; and thirdly, economic growth. First, fiscal management. Since February this year, the Government has committed a massive $100 billion to help businesses and Singaporeans cope with the pandemic fallout. To fund this gigantic support package, we have used up all of the accumulated surpluses from the last term of Government and also drawn on reserves for an unprecedented amount of $52 billion.[+2 sentences] As we have just entered into the new term of Government and in its first year, the Finance Ministry would not have any accumulated surpluses at their disposal to pay for the further spending. We know that the COVID-19 support measures continued to be necessary; although we can now be more targeted in the next phase. The continuation of these support measures would cost the Government a further $8 billion.[+7 sentences] In his reply to my Parliamentary Question and also in the Ministerial Statement, Deputy Prime Minister Heng has shared that the additional expenditures will be funded by reallocating monies from other areas where projected spendings have either been delayed or reduced due to the pandemic. I noted from the Third Supplementary Estimates that the main reallocations are from the development items such as: MOT $3.6 billion, which is the highest of the reallocated amount; MTI $745 million; MND $615 million; MSE and MOH, I supposed it is related to hospitals and polyclinics, each about $500 million; and the other Ministries like MINDEF, MCCY, MinLaw for their projects, each a couple hundred million dollars. These are developmental expenditures set aside but unutilised at the moment; and this amounted to $6.8 billion. Also, in the Supplementary Main Estimates, we saw that despite having downward adjustments by some Ministries, there is a net increase of $1.7 billion due to increase in spending estimates by the other Ministries. Taken together, it provided MOF with a net freed-up funding of $5.1 billion to pay for the continuation of the COVID-19 support measures (which costs $8 billion). If there are no new revenue sources to offset, there would be a potential deficit contribution of about $2.9 billion; just a few months into this new term of Government. On the revenue front, the pictures look daunting as well; with latest estimates projecting a drop in operating revenue of $12.3 billion or a 16.1% projected decrease. Even with the NIRC added, the Government is likely to run an overall deficit of $ 74.2 billion; a record number in our history.[+5 sentences] Sir, I have few questions for the Deputy Prime Minister: Firstly, given the revenue outlook and the likelihood of further COVID-19 support needed, how does he envisage that we could balance the Budget in the next two to three years; and constitutionally we need to balance the Budget for the term of Government? Secondly, while the reallocated unutilised funds can temporarily be used to pay for the continued support measures, this outlay would need to happen as soon as the projects meet its progress payment milestones or are completed. Where would the Government find the funding for this outlay if the revenue situation continues to be weak? Thirdly, some of these projects are actually capability investments for the future, which will enable us to emerge stronger. So, these are necessary spending. Would the Government consider a further draw on the reserves again; considering the magnitude and severity of this crisis and these are essentially also investment items?[+19 sentences] Sir, I move on to jobs. In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic crisis, the economic knock-on effects impacted all sectors of the economy. The Government’s swift and broad base support to businesses, helped in averting the situation of massive job losses. With gradual opening up, we have seen some of the demand and businesses recovered. Companies have adjusted to the different operating environment and many pivoted into different business models and products. However, there are sectors and businesses where the pandemic has significantly altered the business propositions or changed the operating landscape permanently. Demand that businesses used to enjoy before COVID-19 may never return. Businesses live and thrive on demand for their goods and services; where they generated revenue to stay profitable, to stay as a going concern. We know that no amount of Government stimulus or support can possibly make up for the lost demand and revenue in a sustained way; or bring back the business viability of the past. As the Government taper down the support and assistances, we can expect the companies to start releasing more workers. Some companies may not survive even with the best of efforts. This is the phase of the crisis where we may see deeper structural adjustments, changes happening to the business eco-system and also inevitably, we will see harsh adjustments to the labour market. Hence, in our next bound of response to the crises, we need to now intensify our efforts to help Singaporeans who are retrenched and unemployed. In particular, greater effort must be channelled to help mid-career PMET jobseekers; as they face the greatest difficulties to find new employment. Making mid-career switches is an uphill task; especially under current circumstances. Job seekers are also often under tremendous pressure to find a new job quickly so that they can continue to support their families. There are also many inherent frictions to content with; such as skills and expectation mismatches, employers’ biasness, individuals’ psychological barriers and many others. We must avoid the situation of structural unemployment from creeping up and taking roots. There are high expectations for our National Jobs Council chaired by Senior Minister Tharman; not only to implement the Jobs and Skills Package but also bringing to bear the resources of the various stakeholders to produce tangible results. One notable commitment by the Government is the setting up of the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centre at the heartlands.[+1 sentence] I am very thankful to MOM and WSG for setting up a SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centre at Bukit Panjang Club. Since the opening in August, hundreds of residents have sought jobs and training opportunities at the centre and I have received emails of gratitude from residents who have found employment through the centre.[+3 sentences] We are, at the grassroots level, stepping up publicity and awareness; including exploring roving centres at different parts of the town or neighbourhood locations just to help as many of our residents as possible. In other words, it makes a great deal of difference to the job seeker, if there is someone to talk to and to hand hold the job seeker through the journey. I remember when I was studying in Australia, I used to visit neighbourhood job centres to look for vacation jobs. The friendly job counsellor were always there to reassure you, to help point out to the opportunities out there and these are all important psychological support as well. So, the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centre is a commendable initiative by MOM and I appeal to the Manpower Minister to continue supporting and resourcing the centres well beyond the crisis.[+10 sentences] Sir, thirdly, on economic growth. Earlier, I spoke on the huge deficit expected for this FY and possibly next; due to higher spending and reduced revenue projections. Cutting cost to balance the Budget would be a painful option. We do not want austerity budgets as it will actually aggravate the situation; both economically and socially. We cannot keep tapping on our reserves in an unlimited way; as that will undermine our long-term viability; including possibly weakening our international credit ratings and weakening our Singapore dollar. Hence, the sound and sustainable path ahead is really to grow the economy. We grow our economy; so that we could, firstly, generate the revenue to pay for the expenditures and, secondly, to create good jobs for Singaporeans. Without new economic growth, not only are our well-being at risk, our survival as a Nation is at stake. I am heartened that our economic Ministries and agencies are going all out to drive new growth and attract new investments; even as we battle the pandemic crisis. We are pressing on with economic transformation, developing capabilities in our companies to digitalise, innovate, internationalise and raise productivity; sector by sector, thanks to the stewardship by the Deputy Prime Minister. MTI and EDB continued to draw in quality investments in recent months like the new Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre, Siemens Advance Manufacturing Competence Centre, Tata Consultancy’s Digital Acceleration Centre and others.[+4 sentences] This crisis actually presents an opportunity for us to seize new growth opportunities if we can quickly respond to the new realities and develop new competitive edges. The Deputy Prime Minister mentioned in his speech about the works by the Emerging Stronger Task Force, the various progress made through the Alliances for Action and remaking Singapore as a global-Asia node by enhancing both physical and digital connectivity. I am glad that he has also raised the bar by highlighting that we are not going for growth just for growth's sake but actually focusing on inclusive and resilient growth. What it means is that the economic growth that we pursue must bring about opportunities for fellow Singaporeans, including continued wage progression and supporting the vulnerable. The Deputy Prime Minister also mentioned how we achieved resilience through a diversified economic structure, where no one industry accounts for more than 20% of our GDP.[+10 sentences] Here, I would like to suggest that another area of resilience that we should look into is the sources of our foreign labour, especially in the low-wage sector. How we can we reduce this dependence and reliance over the medium to long term? Sir, the underpinning fundamentals and values that made us a vibrant, strong and sustainable economy have not change. The Government still has to do what is right and what is in the long-term good for the country and for Singaporeans. As a small and open island state, we have to remain open and competitive. Fostering social harmony continues to be an important nation-building imperative and a necessary condition for sustained growth. We continue to need a capable political leadership and stability to steer us through the storm that will come time and again, and to chart an exciting future ahead. Sir, this crisis has hurt us as a country. But we should also capitalise on this crisis to write another exceptional chapter of the Singapore story. Sir, I support the Third Supplementary Estimates.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Saktiandi Supaat.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh)1772 words
[+19 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I record my appreciation for the Deputy Prime Minister's responsiveness and adaptability to the needs of the population. Looking ahead, we must focus on our medium to long-term strategy to boost our economy, help Singaporeans find jobs and signal a positive vision for our post-COVID-19 economy. I will address the following topics in my speech: first, on unemployment; second, on debt repayments; and third, on boosting infrastructure for economic resilience. We have been and must continue to address these issues, enhancing or changing our strategies, if necessary. Times are changing, so our policies and infrastructure must move with the times. We must heed the changing landscape of employment and the demand for new infrastructure to support growth sectors and changing work habits. Mr Speaker, on my first topic – helping the retrenched and unemployed. It is heartening that amidst depressing news of mass retrenchments and job losses, there are still many job openings to be filled. I note that MOM and WSG are roping in employment agencies as placement partners to assist with job placements. This is a good initiative and idea to tap on the expertise of the recruiters with a good understanding of the sectoral human capital trends and expertise. Perhaps MOM can share more about the top hiring sectors and the specific job roles in these sectors that are being created. What are the targets set for successful job matches and how will the various agencies measure effectiveness of outreach efforts? It would be good if the Ministry can share how it determines the number of job opportunities. Is it based on the number of job listings submitted to SGUnited platforms or are there other factors? A young resident shared that she had spoken to a career consultant who said some employers are still cautious about hiring but posted their job listings to test waters. In case business picks up, they would have a ready pool of applicants to pick from. So, they are not advertising for jobs that are currently available but plausibly in the near future. In my view, such practices would distort the statistics on current job vacancies. The current measures made available by the Government are timely and excellent but clearly focused on keeping Singaporeans gainfully employed. Each employee is supported by up to around $50,000 worth of subsidies over a 17-month period if their companies are eligible for the highest tier of the Jobs Support Scheme or JSS.[+11 sentences] Yet, if someone loses their job and their company does not offer retrenchment benefits, they would receive a smaller amount over a period under the COVID-19 support grant as well as potentially, financial assistance from various organisations. A direct comparison may not be very appropriate as not every employee who benefits under the JSS draws a salary of $4,600 and above but the disparity is apparent. Indeed, having a job is the best insurance to preserve livelihoods. But despite best efforts, some are struggling to find stable employment. The gap between someone who is gainfully employed with income for months and someone who is unemployed will simply keep widening if the economy continues to see scarring in some sectors. And I am not just referring to the atypical scarred sectors such as aviation, travel and retail but even sectors in manufacturing and services with local SMEs. I recently met a 60-plus year old resident who was laid off with no retrenchment benefits after working for the company for more than three decades as the company closed. And his was a narrow expertise in the production line. Mr Speaker, If I may refer to what Monetary Authority of Singapore Managing Director Ravi Menon said on Monday at a forum hosted by the Institute of International Finance, namely that we have not seen the full extent of the crisis and as much as 20% of the economy will face "deep scarring" from which they may not recover. He said that non-performing loans and bankruptcies probably would rise through the start of 2021. This is certainly a cause for concern over the next 12 months. On that basis, if overall average household financial conditions do worsen, I urge the Government to consider allowing CPF members to temporarily tap on a small amount of their CPF to resolve their emergencies if needed, subject to eligibility criteria. In Australia, for example, in July this year, as part of the jobseeker policy measures, those affected by COVID-19 are allowed early release access up to AUD10,000 of their superannuation in fiscal year 2019/20 and a further AUD10,000 in fiscal year 2020/21.[+12 sentences] The intent of the measure is to support people or sole proprietors who are adversely financially affected by COVID-19 and need help to meet expenses. They do have stringent eligibility criteria but accessibility to these funds was created nonetheless. In Singapore, currently at age 55, the CPF account holder can withdraw up to $5,000 from his or her Special and Ordinary Accounts or your CPF savings after having set aside the Full Retirement Sum in your Retirement Account, whichever is higher. I would like to suggest that the Government consider allowing citizens to tap on an early release of $5,000 from their CPF balances, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria similar to that in Australia. Those who are younger than 55 may utilise this sum from their CPF early but there can be an option, if they so wish later, where the funds used can be put back eventually if they withdraw before age 55. These are difficult times and we should exercise creativity and flexibility to ensure everyone gets help in a timely manner. Mr Speaker, I am cognisant that accessing the CPF funds early will affect citizens' future retirement income but this $5,000 amount would have been able to be used in any case upon attaining age 55 as long as they have sufficient funds. At this juncture, it could help meet the needs of some Singaporeans. This brings me to my next focus area on financial solvency of households and individuals. For the unemployed individuals and struggling businesses, mortgages and debt are crippling. I am grateful that the Government will extend loan repayment relief measures into 2021. Can we have more perspectives on the segment of the population who require these deferments? The Government had previously shared some data on loan deferments. We are looking at 38,900 applications for property loan repayment deferments. Out of these, 90% or $20 billion worth of mortgage deferments were approved. It would be good to know what proportion is owed to banks versus those to HDB loans.[+1 sentence] The volume of personal credit deferments has also increased. Which SME sectors are affected most by the moratorium? I worry about a potential "household and corporate debt" cliff effect when the extension of payment moratorium ends.[+1 sentence] I hope there will be further enhancements by the MAS and the Government to monitor the situation to ensure that businesses and individuals have a feasible strategy to make these loan repayments when it comes in 2021. One way is to form an inter-agency post-COVID-19 financial conditions task force to ensure as much help is provided as we wean away from some of the payment moratoriums when it happens.[+15 sentences] But we need to anticipate and take steps to get ready for mitigation now. Mr Speaker, my third topic on post-COVID-19 infrastructure to boost economic resilience. COVID-19 has changed society in many ways and it is unlikely that we will ever return to pre-COVID-19 normalcy. We must plan our infrastructure to align it with our post-COVID-19 vision, especially in shaping Singapore into a global-Asia node of technology and innovation as mentioned by the Deputy Prime Minister in his Statement. In the past months, global tech giants have moved or expanded their operations in Singapore. This is thanks to the excellent foundation the Government has laid in terms of political stability, ease and cost of doing businesses, openness to global talent and a diligent and reliable workforce. Our infrastructure must be capable of supporting these companies' operations. I would like to thank the Deputy Prime Minister for sharing the Government's refreshed economic strategy for a post-COVID-19 world last week and this includes securing our external economic linkages as a vital global node in Asia and rebuilding and growing our physical connectivity as well as enhancing and expanding our digital connectivity. Can the Deputy Prime Minister share plans on building up our data infrastructure, such as how can our fibre and satellite networks be enhanced to be future-proof, go faster and be more reliable? In the past, there have been a number of major Internet outages in Singapore domestically, with one of them even lasting more than a day. Geographic diversification is critical to our economic resilience. Work-from-home arrangements will become a possible norm so we have to consider decentralising the CBD and creating more business hubs in satellite towns around the country with the necessary amenities and data connectivity to support large-scale remote work. Over the course of the circuit breaker, we have also heard from workers and students across different demographics and different sectors facing challenges working at home due to distractions from their family members and neighbours, not having the necessary equipment and so on. So, among some of these amenities could include more shared and private work and meeting spaces for rent or access at the heartlands. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have one final point that I want to raise and this was raised by some of my residents. My last point is on the $3,000 Baby Support Grant.[+1 sentence] Many residents asked me why the grant only applies to babies born from 1 October. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and even before the circuit breaker, many people were laid off or had their work hours and salaries cut. I hope the Government will consider extending eligibility to include babies born in 2020.[+5 sentences] Many would consider 2020 a year of misery but every baby born is a bundle of miracle and this one-off support records our appreciation, encouragement and shared happiness with the family in this difficult year. Sir, to recap, it is heartening to see all the help the Government has raised over the last four Budgets in a space of six to seven months, including help from Singaporeans broadly. We could do with more tailored help for the retrenched, unemployed and viable companies that are struggling. Moving ahead, policies – particularly those concerning employment and infrastructure – must be enhanced to help us move with the post-COVID-19 times to put us in better stead for the future. Mr Speaker, I support the Statement.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang)1590 words
[+7 sentences]Mr Speaker, I would like to start off by acknowledging the close to $100 billion of support measures to deal with COVID-19 as laid out in the four earlier Budgets. While the COVID-19 situation in Singapore appears to have stabilised, the same cannot be said for many other countries and our trading partners around the world. We must remain vigilant and reopen safely to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Singapore. Similarly, on the economic front, we too must take proactive steps to support our businesses and fellow Singaporeans to ensure a sustained economic recovery. On this note, I would like to present four points that I would like to cover with regard to the on-going efforts and plans for Singapore going forward. The first is the continued need for an accommodative fiscal policy. Singapore, like many other countries, has responded to the negative economic impacts via expansionary fiscal and monetary policies. The MAS estimates that the combined Budgets will prevent the economy from contracting by a further 5.6% of GDP in 2020 and 4.8% in 2021.[+19 sentences] I also note Minister Ong Ye Kung’s Statement last week that this is not the time to talk about an environmental tax. I believe this same logic can and should be applied to the lives of all Singaporeans, in the sense that any increase in taxation, especially regressive taxes, such as an eventual GST hike after 2021, could worsen the already precarious financial position that many Singaporeans are in right now. With the depth and duration of the current global economic crisis still to be ascertained, we must caution against being overzealous in strengthening our revenue position through a GST hike. Here, I would like to be clear that I am not for the squandering of resources built up by the blood, sweat and tears of the generations that came before us. In fact, just as Deputy Prime Minister Heng has mentioned, I believe in the need to exercise prudence when planning for the future. However, we need to acknowledge that the current weak economic environment requires sufficiently accommodative fiscal policy. Instead of contractionary fiscal policies, such as raising taxes on consumption, which might, in turn, lower consumer spending, we should be focusing on policies that aim to stimulate and boost domestic demand and keep our economy going. In a similar vein, I agree with Deputy Prime Minister Heng’s position to maintain a disciplined and judicious use of borrowing. There is perhaps scope to rethink our position on debt, however. In May this year, the UK sold negative yielding Government bonds, similar to Germany in 2019, meaning the UK government is being paid by investors to borrow from them. Singapore’s long bond yields are currently at less than 1%. Temasek, a private company, albeit owned by MOF, has issued 50-year bonds at 2.5% – 50 years. In this lower for longer interest rate environment, we should, as a Government, be open to exploring such possibilities, instead of funding our expenditures with higher cost equity funding or funding from our reserves. This is especially if the funds are being used for quality investment projects that will benefit current and future generations of Singaporeans. Mr Speaker, I would like to reiterate the importance of an accommodative fiscal policy environment, more so now than ever. If we, as a country, have the ability to help Singaporeans get back up on their feet in their time of need, then we must do so. The second point I would like to cover is on the Jobs Support Scheme or JSS. The JSS has, indeed, been an important policy measure to support our businesses and save jobs, amidst these trying times. The conversation in my view, however, should move towards considering how we can help SMEs more and how we can more directly support Singaporeans who have lost their jobs. As Deputy Prime Minister Heng has clarified, SMEs currently get $10.5 billion out of the $16 billion that has been given out to firms thus far. That accounts for about 65% of the total amount of JSS being given out. However, SME workers consist of 73% of the local workers supported by JSS.[+5 sentences] At the heart of the policy, JSS aims to save as many jobs as possible during this period. It would, therefore, be more effective to direct a higher proportion of JSS payouts from the scheme towards SMEs, who make up a bigger proportion of jobs saved in comparison to larger MNCs, which tend to have more resources on hand to tide them through the crisis. I would like to take this time to ask about the review of the JSS that has been mentioned by Deputy Prime Minister Heng in his answer to my Parliamentary Question on 4 September and whether the Government will consider redirecting more resources away from companies that have been resilient or even thriving in this period of time, towards companies that are struggling to survive. Administratively, I note that we already provide differentiated rental support for SMEs where, under the rental relief framework, eligible SMEs which have experienced a 35% or more drop in revenue qualify for additional rental relief. As a further example, the Australian Jobkeeper Payment scheme separates the eligibility of the scheme based on business size. For their scheme, businesses with AUD1 billion or less in aggregated turnover require a fall in expected or realised income by 30%, whereas businesses with an aggregated turnover of more than AUD1 billion will require an expected or realised fall in income by 50% or more to qualify for the same scheme.[+7 sentences] This actually helps the Australian government to direct more help to smaller businesses that require more assistance, rather than larger ones with more resources to stay afloat. A refinement, such as this, should not be expected to have significantly higher administrative burden and would definitely be a more efficient allocation of resources to those who need it more. Ultimately, we may need to think of implementing automatic stabilisers instead of discretionary ad-hoc schemes, as I have mentioned in my maiden speech. Direct assistance to companies, such as the Jobs Support Scheme, could arguably provide indirect support to employment. Yet, many have still lost their jobs, even as the companies they work for receive JSS subsidies. I am sure many Members in this House can attest to the frustrations that unemployed residents face, particularly for those who are victims of disguised retrenchments and are unable to receive financial support from the COVID-19 support grant as a result. Rather than providing blanket wage subsidies across companies, it is perhaps the workers themselves that are most in need of direct support and financial buffers in the event of unemployment. Thirdly, I would like to seek clarification regarding the expected NIRC contribution in the revised revenue estimates and FY2020 fiscal position under the Third Supplementary Estimates. In it, I note that the NIRC estimates as at 18 February and the revised FY2020 estimates today are the same at $18.63 billion.[+1 sentence] I would like to seek clarification on how this was determined. In MOF's Addendum to the President's Address in August this year, I note that we have drawn on our reserves equivalent to over 20 years of past Budget surpluses.[+5 sentences] We have used a generation’s worth of savings to combat a crisis of a generation. I understand that the NIRC estimates are based on expected long-term real rates of return and not based on short-term returns which tend to be volatile. However, I would like to ask: if the draw on reserves is that sizable, that is, a generation's worth of savings, would it not cause a rather large decrease in our reserves and, therefore, reduce the NIRC, based on the simple mathematical formulation of returns multiplied by assets? In the spirit of prudence, is it still relevant and an accurate representation to keep the forecasts unchanged? Finally, I would like to seek clarification on the Budget adjustments to Development Estimates. Development expenditures across Ministries are lowered by a substantial $6.8 billion. Among the notable reductions are MOT at $3.59 billion, MTI at $744 million and MND at $614 million.[+9 sentences] As the paper notes, a majority of the lower revised estimates are due to COVID-19-induced construction delays. I would, therefore, like to seek clarification on what the nature of these big-ticket project items are, how much of a delay is estimated in these projects and how much of these can be deferred indefinitely or even cancelled. For example, Changi Airport Terminal 5 has already been delayed for at least two years. I would also like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister if we can consider re-assessing the need for some of this projected spending, in the hope that we might be able to direct more of these resources towards investing in Singaporeans, particularly in the more vulnerable groups in society instead. Mr Speaker, I would like to conclude my speech by summarising what I have said. Firstly, I believe in the continued need for an accommodative fiscal policy environment. Secondly, I enquired about the status of the JSS review, in the hope that we may focus on channelling more funding to vulnerable SMEs and affected workers. Thirdly, I would like to seek clarification on the expected NIRC forecasts in the spirit of prudence. And, finally, I would also like to seek clarification on the development expenditure adjustments, in the hope that we might be able to reassess the necessity of these deferred projects and direct investments into the more vulnerable in society instead.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas)1873 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Ministerial Statement made by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, which provides a clear path forward for our nation to reopen our economy safely and emerge stronger from this crisis. Since the Deputy Prime Minister first presented the latest set of relief measures on 17 August, Singapore’s employment landscape has experienced another sharp contraction. According to the latest labour market report published by MOM, more than 11,000 jobs were made redundant in the first half of 2020. This figure does not include the large-scale layoffs recently announced by Resorts World Sentosa and Singapore Airlines, and we can expect that retrenchment and unemployment numbers will continue to rise in the second half of the year.[+12 sentences] While the figures from MOM’s labour market report are concerning, the reality is that retrenchments could have been a lot worse, if not for the swift and decisive measures put in place by the Government. Many companies have told me that initiatives, such JSS, have been instrumental in helping them to retain their workers while they work on adjusting to the new normal. I am, therefore, heartened that the Government will continue to provide tiered wage support to sectors that are hardest hit by this pandemic. Mr Speaker, beyond job preservation, we also need to provide better mental health support for our workers. In his recent address to the World Health Organisation, Prime Minister Lee acknowledged the impact that COVID-19 has had on the mental health of our population and that protecting mental health takes a collective effort. I fully agree. The Multi-Ministry Taskforce recently announced that more employees will be allowed to return to the workplace and that the Government is working on a roadmap towards Phase 3 of the safe reopening of our economy. Working from home will, however, continue to remain as the default. In recent Parliamentary sittings, I have repeatedly highlighted the challenges faced by our workers who telecommute. They must juggle multiple responsibilities, such as looking after children, taking care of elderly parents and trying to remain productive at work. To make matters worse, because they work from home, their bosses think that it is easier for them to answer work-related calls and emails at any time of the day, even after office hours. Workplace burnout has become an issue, as many employees are not well-rested. To help workers cope with workplace burnout, I recently asked in this House whether it was timely for us to consider a “Right to Disconnect” legislation.[+19 sentences] Since then, Singaporeans have written to me to share their thoughts and personal experiences, support as well as criticism. Let me first address the criticisms that I have received and explain how I think the Right to Disconnect can be applied to our local context. The three most common criticisms against having a Right to Disconnect in Singapore are: One, it would be too rigid to legislate work hours, as every sector is different, and doing so would not be feasible for those working in essential services. Two, productivity would drop if workers are not allowed to work outside of their specified hours and it would erode Singapore’s competitiveness as a global hub. Three, colleagues who work longer hours would obtain better appraisals from their supervisors because this is, after all, a “dog-eat-dog” world. Mr Speaker, these criticisms, while seemingly valid, show that many people do not quite understand the exact scope of a Right to Disconnect legislation. Let me reassure critics that I am not calling for rigid laws that specify working hours, nor am I calling for Singaporeans to be less productive and, certainly, not for Singapore to be any less competitive! It is simply about ensuring that our workers have protected time to rest. But I can see why some have this misconception about rigid working hours. In France, where this was pioneered, their labour laws were modified in the year 2000 to specify that the length of their work week was 35 hours, exceeding which, overtime had to be paid. When the country implemented its Right to Disconnect legislation in 2017, that is, 17 years later, people got confused between the scope of these two separate pieces of legislation and mistakenly thought that it was forbidden to send work emails outside of 6.00 pm. But the reality is that many French workers still choose to work beyond their official work hours and get paid overtime. The difference is that they now have to respect their colleagues’ personal time and cannot expect them to work past official hours for non-urgent, non-critical tasks that can be completed the next working day. For those worrying about the delivery of our essential services, our frontline officers have actually been practising protected time for years. When I was with the Police Force, my officers and I would be on call 24/7. We would receive phone alerts on incidents happening throughout the day. But between the “silent hours” of midnight to around 7 am, these alerts were restricted only to a specific list of critical, sensitive cases. This was to ensure that we were sufficiently well rested, even while we are always on standby. On the criticism that a Right to Disconnect would erode our competitiveness and productivity, research provides evidence to the contrary. According to a 2014 study by Prof John Pencavel from the Stanford University, overworking beyond 55 hours per week causes a sharp decline in productivity per hour.[+4 sentences] He also observed that overwork led to increased workplace accidents and injuries. The professor's findings are not unique, and other researchers have also found that well-rested employees are more productive, more careful and are better able to contribute creatively at the workplace. There were also some who were concerned that a Right to Disconnect would disadvantage them as they felt that bosses tended to favour those who worked longer hours. This is fundamentally an issue of presenteeism at the workplace, which a growing body of research has found to be detrimental to a company’s performance. According to a study by the Global Corporate Challenge, presenteeism reduces productivity and many employers have been moving away from using time spent at the office as a proxy for good performance.[+2 sentences] Staff’s performance should be measured by the outcomes achieved against clear goals set, not by the extended hours spent. Mr Speaker, in simple terms, what I am calling for is that we help our employees carve out protected time for them to rest and recharge. In France, the Right to Disconnect legislation makes it mandatory for employers and employees to negotiate on the protocol for non-emergency calls and non-critical emails outside of working hours.[+7 sentences] Disconnecting is all about creating protected time to rest and recharge – not unlike what MOE does for its teachers during the school holidays. Even the Germans – who according to a survey, work on average five hours more than their contractual hours each week – they too understand the need for clearly defined periods of rest so that they can be more productive the next day. The Germans have a concept called “Feierabend”, which describes the time after their work day ends and when their rest time begins. Our German friends understand that they need to have dedicated time outside of work to rest properly in order to have the energy to work hard and be productive again the next day. For those who remain unconvinced, let me share the experience of Rebecca Wong, a Singaporean currently working in France, who wrote to me last month. She shared that when emails are sent outside of office hours in France, it is usually accompanied with a disclaimer to state that no immediate response is expected. Alternatively, they can use technology to schedule their non-critical emails to be sent out only at 8 am the next working day. These are certainly not radical practices, but baby steps which we can easily adopt here in Singapore. But I do agree with Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamed that we should study in greater detail how a Right to Disconnect legislation could be implemented in Singapore. But in the meantime, I hope that the Tripartite Advisory on Mental Health – which the Senior Minister of State had assured last week would be published soon – will include aspects of the Right to Disconnect. With clearer guidelines, our unions can start a conversation with employers on the protocol to answer non-critical work calls and emails outside of working hours, as well as the provision of appropriate help for those facing workplace burnout, while keeping their identities confidential. I also urge MOM to conduct a yearly survey on workplace mental health.[+14 sentences] This will allow us to track how well our workers are faring mentally, what are the best practices among our companies and guide our collective efforts to provide better workplace mental health support. I hope that tackling workplace burnout will be a key priority in the newly announced COVID-19 Mental Wellness Taskforce. After all, a mentally resilient workforce leads to a safer work environment for all. Mr Speaker, as we gradually move towards Phase 3 of our safe recovery, we need to pay special attention to workplace safety. The latest Workplace Safety and Health or WSH report published by MOM found that workplace accidents and injuries fell for the first half of this year. This is not unexpected in view of the suspension of most work activities due to the circuit breaker measures. The number of workplace fatalities had, however, remained similar to the first half of 2019. As more workers return to their workplaces, there is a need to ease them back gradually into their jobs, as many have not returned to their worksites for months. It is imperative that companies implement a structured re-orientation programme for workers returning to work, especially in high-risk worksites. Companies should also conduct refresher WSH courses for all returning workers so that safety remains at the top of everyone's minds. Experiences from other countries have shown that workplaces have the potential to become super-spreader events. A factory in Sri Lanka where over 1,000 workers caught COVID-19, a five-star hotel in Hong Kong and even the White House are just some of the recent high profile cases of the coronavirus spreading unabated at the workplace. We need to ensure that Safe Management Measures are adhered to strictly. We need to avoid complacency and prevent virus clusters re-emerging from the workplace. To do so, I hope that MOM will finally heed my repeated calls for a mandatory WSH officer at every workplace.[+5 sentences] To conclude, I would like to commend every Singaporean and resident who have been involved in this tireless fight against COVID-19. From our healthcare workers fighting hard at the frontline, to every individual who practises Safe Management Measures every single day – wearing a mask, using SafeEntry, carrying the TraceTogether token and simply keeping a safe distance where possible. It is not easy and we still have a long way to overcome COVID-19, both as a public health crisis and as an economic crisis. Let us continue to stay united, keeping each other safe and sane as we transit together to a new normal. Mr Speaker, I support the Ministerial Statement.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Yeo Wan Ling.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol)986 words
[+12 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak on a topic that is professionally very important to me as the Director of the NTUC’s Women and Family unit, as well as a career woman in the making for the past 20 years of my life. Just two weeks ago, in my Secondary school alumni chat group, one of my alumni mates posed a question to the ladies in the chat group. She asked for our opinions as females progressing in our careers and workplaces. Mr Speaker, Sir, I may like to declare at this time, that I studied in an all-girls environment for 10 years of my life and it was not by design that we excluded men in our straw poll. Now, in that chat group, we have women born in the1970s, 1980s and even 1990s. Many are executives in MNCs, SMEs, some are business owners, recruiters, community leaders and we even have Members of Parliament in there – not just me, but also the hon Ms Carrie Tan. As the answers came in, I saw the most fulfilled and happiest of us, are women who are able to adapt well because they have the opportunity of choice. Due to these choices, they are able to move freely in and out of different work arrangements. Indeed, we all know of sisters, mothers, daughters in our lives who have made changes to their work and lives due to changing family responsibilities. These are women who have heeded the call of motherhood, taken on the role of being sole care-givers, stepped up to take on extra work in the face of job and wage cuts. I recently met with Ms L, who used to work 9 am to 6p m in the office as a manager, but now works full time as an interior designer at home to take care of her home-bound adult special needs brother. She intends to continue to make adjustments to her work and her life as her brother and her grow old together. She is both the sole breadwinner as well as the sole care-giver in her household. I was excited to hear from Deputy Prime Minister Heng that he will be setting up an initiative to look at creating micro-jobs in the community through the good and safe networks of our Community Development Councils or CDCs.[+4 sentences] Women need choices in their work arrangements and I believe that micro-jobbing would be something very welcomed in our communities. In my constituency work, I have come to recognise that more women are coming back to the workforce as part of their efforts to supplement their household incomes. However, in reconnecting with work, the issues that took women away from the workplace still remain. Their children and elderly loved ones still need caring for and women need to be able to be in full control of when they work, where they work and how they work. Thus, the prospects of in-community micro work will be an attractive option for many women. However, in enabling women with this option, we must be certain to be able to provide protection and safety nets. As micro-jobs pick up in popularity and leave the safe protective hands of the CDC and into the invisible hands of the free market, the House may need to consider some protective areas.[+7 sentences] Take Mdm H for example. She was contracted to look after an elderly for three hours while his family members went out for the afternoon. After four hours, the family had not returned, and Mdm H had to leave to pick up her granddaughter from school. The elderly she was caring for told her to come back another day for payment, as his family member had left him with no money to pay Mdm H. Till today, Mdm H has yet to be paid for her services, but she has kindly deemed it to be an act of community service, even though she needed the money for her own family. Mr Speaker, in considering safety nets, we may need to look at the following. One, awareness and education. As micro-jobs and other non-traditional employment types come into play, we will need to educate both micro-jobbers and their service buyers of their obligations.[+5 sentences] Perhaps all micro-jobs below a certain amount needs to be cash upfront payments as an informal industry standard. Such informal practices are set by strong first movers and I look forward to the leadership by the CDCs. Two, contractual safety nets. Micro-jobs run into the danger of work agreements that are contracted with no overriding legal agreements set into place. This is especially so should the work be contracted with individuals as service buyers. Without dampening the spirit of the flexible nature of micro-jobs, it is necessary to look into some standards for issues such as payment terms and service waivers.[+11 sentences] We perhaps can take a page from the Public Transport Council that penalises and fines fare evaders through the Public Transport Council Act. Three, dispute management and mediation. Hassle-free escalation pathways need to be created to protect both micro-jobbers and their service buyers. In Mdm H’s case, she had no recourse other than herself to recover her service fees. She is not covered by the employment act, and TADM would be too large a blade to weld in her representation. Could we perhaps have a mediation hotline set up for a small fee for such cases? Micro-jobs and other non-traditional career pathways can be viable livelihood choices for women seeking to balance work with home. These choices should not be seen to be second-best options. Through implementing strong protective safety nets, we can remodel these choices into strong first choices that merely look different. We need to ensure that no one falls through the cracks, so that we can build for our women to reach for the stars. Mr Speaker Sir, I support the Budget adjustment.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong Mun Wai.
Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member)1944 words
[+5 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance for his Ministerial Statement, which sets the tone for our eventual emergence from the COVID-19 crisis. I fully support the efforts. However, there are some concerns and clarifications that need to be voiced and addressed. At this unusual time, it is crucial that our population has unshakable faith in the Government to lead them. However, the Government does not inspire confidence by hastily increasing taxes and fees while at the same time pledging COVID-19 support measures. Our population could view this act as "giving with one hand and taking with the other." Let me give you some examples that give rise to such a sentiment.[+1 sentence] Firstly, the MediShield Life premium increase of between 11.5% and 35.4% to be effective in early 2021 was announced on 29 September. That means an insured person who used to be paying $1,000 in annual premium will now have to pay $1,350 per year. While this change is under public consultation until end of October, the MediShield Life Fund already has $8.3 billion of total assets and continues to accumulate large surpluses of about $0.9 billion a year.[+8 sentences] Also, the new actuarial assumptions behind the projected future liabilities have not been disclosed. Such information is fundamental in determining the fiscal health of the scheme and justifying any increase in premiums. The increase in coverage which accompanies this premium hike is scant comfort to Singaporeans who are still struggling with the financial woes of COVID-19. In any case, there is also no information on how much this increased coverage would have cost the MediShield Life scheme if it had been implemented in earlier years. Secondly, the 9.3% electricity tariff hike for the October to December quarter of 2020 was announced by Singapore Power, the SP Group, on 30 September. This is already approved by the Energy Market Authority. Here is a power-grid monopolist which does not generate electricity but makes billions of dollars since the liberalisation of the electricity market in 2012, sparing no time in raising prices at the first available opportunity even as Singaporeans struggle under the COVID-19 crisis. While the increase is for paying a higher price for the power generating companies, the gencos, the SP Group could have easily absorbed the increase from the past profits it has earned instead of passing the increased cost on to consumers. Thirdly, on 9 October, LTA announced that the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) at six gantries along the CTE would be increased from 12 October to ease congestion during peak periods.[+19 sentences] While ERP charges at some gantries along the CTE have been reintroduced in July and August following the end of the circuit breaker, it is hard to imagine that congestion has already built up to the pre-COVID-19 level. These untimely announcements were made consecutively in a short period of two weeks, adding hundreds of dollars more to household expenditures during these austere times when every cent counts to the average Singaporean. These policies only act as a catalyst to heighten the already increasing public apprehension of more tax and fee hikes coming their way, giving rise to concerns, such as whether the GST will be increased soon, after 2021, for example, given that $6 billion is still parked under the GST Voucher Fund although the Government needs to draw down from the Reserves – when, in fact, announcing the shelving of the GST increase indefinitely could be a much-needed boost to the ailing consumer sector and remove another potential uncertainty on Singaporeans. We could also then make better use of the $6 billion parked under the GST Voucher Fund. This begs the question of the timing of these tax and fee hikes when the support measures are being phased out slowly. Can these hikes not be shelved till later? Can the SP Group not absorb the tariff increases with their past profits? Can ERP increases not wait? Can premium increases not be deferred for a period of one to two years as the current insurance claims are still way below the collected premiums after all? The man on the street must be baffled by the seemingly contradictory actions of the Government. On the one hand, it is purported that the Government is putting up $100 billion to help with COVID-19 support measures. Yet, on the other hand, the implementation of the tax and fee hikes. Is the country so overstretched financially that we have to replenish our coffers with those hikes in such haste? This leads to the three key questions often asked by Singaporeans regarding the $100 billion of COVID-19 support measures: how is the $100 billion spent? How is the $100 billion paid for? How much reserves are left after paying the $100 billion? Although the Government has given most of the relevant information in answers to Parliamentary Questions, Ministerial Statements and published financial statements, these questions need to be answered in a more precise and simplified manner so that the layperson can comprehend. I have attempted to do this below and I would welcome the Deputy Prime Minister to correct me if I am inaccurate in my humble attempt to address those queries. Firstly, the $100 billion spending is approximately broken down into the following categories: $37 billion of financial transfers to Singaporeans, PRs and local companies; $12 billion of tax and public fee rebates; $29 billion of increased expenditure to fight COVID-19; and $22 billion of loan guarantees. Of the $37 billion of financial transfers, $23 billion is paid to local companies through the Jobs Support Scheme to preserve jobs for Singaporeans and PRs.[+3 sentences] Seven billion dollars are paid directly to Singaporeans in the Care and Support Package, Solidarity Payment, Self-Employed Income Relief, SingaporeRediscovers Vouchers and so on. Of the $12 billion of tax and public fee rebates, $2.5 billion is in the form of rental relief for SMEs and $0.9 billion for worker levy waivers. The drop in GST and betting taxes accounted for about $4 billion. The $29 billion spent on fighting COVID-19 includes spending on the upgrading of testing facilities, providing new housing facilities for the foreign workers, funding projects like the $2 billion allocated to the SG Together initiative, $2 billion to the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package and $1 billion to the Jobs Growth Incentive. The $22 billion of loan guarantees are for the Government to provide guarantees of up to 90% of the loan principal for various forms of credit given by commercial banks to SMEs.[+1 sentence] Hence, this is not an immediate expenditure as the loans are provided for by the banks. The $100 billion support measures are paid for by $18 billion of accumulated fiscal surpluses of the previous term of Government; $52 billion of drawdown from the Reserves; $8 billion of reduced current expenditure for FY2020; and $22 billion in loan capital. According to the Deputy Prime Minister's reply to hon Member Mr Leon Perera in June this year, the $22 billion in loan capital is expected to be repaid in the future and is, hence, fiscally neutral.[+1 sentence] Thirdly, while the Government does not want to disclose the National Reserves for security reasons, it has nonetheless published detailed annual financial information on our national assets and liabilities. In its latest Government financial statements as at end March 2020, it was reported that we own a total of $1.35 trillion in financial assets – and $1.35 trillion is $1,350 billion.[+6 sentences] At the same time, according to the latest revised fiscal position for FY2020, the Net Investment Return Contribution (NIRC) remains at $18.6 billion. Given that the NIRC is 50% of the Net Investment Return (NIR), the NIR for 2020 is $37.2 billion. Accordingly, the net decrease of the total financial assets for FY2020 will be the $52 billion drawdown minus the $37.2 billion NIR, which gives us $14.8 billion. This is still a very sizable sum. But it is not $52 billion or $100 billion. This $14.8 billion represents only a 1.1% decrease in our total financial assets. The conclusion from all these is that we have used up only 1.1% of our total financial assets to fight COVID-19 in 2020.[+25 sentences] We commend the Government for its shrewd financial management skills and, at the same time, Singaporeans can rest assured that our national finances remain intact and we are far from squandering away our past savings. So, it appears that there is no need for the tax and fee hikes to take place so soon. We should let Singaporean households recover from the aftershocks of the pandemic and find their footing before we take further action. The finances of many Singaporeans have been severely affected by COVID-19 and the Government must support Singaporeans as they work to recoup their financial losses. It is the most opportune time to focus on grooming the resilient Singaporean and not just economic resilience. Economic resilience belongs to the Government-led economic development model, which has become ineffective in these technologically disruptive and pandemic-prone times. Now, we want each resilient Singaporean to become an independent decision-making unit which, collectively, will make Singapore a stronger economy and society. The first step to grooming the resilient Singaporean is to re-examine our overall safety net policies, like the CPF, MediShield Life, CareShield, HDB lease and so on which will go a long way to increase the confidence of Singaporeans and re-boost their energy to rise to the challenge to build our economy and society. The crucial economic inputs in this new era are creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, and not land, capital and cheap labour anymore. We also have to understand that civil servants are not the best persons to decide which entrepreneur to help or which industry to promote. We need the resilient Singaporeans to make those crucial decisions on their own. The Government's role should be restricted to being a facilitator and custodian of our funds but the actual work of building our future economy should be left to entrepreneurs and experts in different fields from the private sector. Intrinsic motivation with a buy-in by our citizens will go much further and last longer than extrinsic instruction from the Government. Recently, both the Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition have commented on inter-generational equity. My humble opinion is that before we talk about equity, we must not forget that the next generation can do well only if this generation continues to do well. If we do badly, the next generation will not be able to hold on to whatever financial assets we leave behind for them. And now, there is a grave danger that this generation may not do as well as the previous one, if we leave things the way they are. We have to move away from the "one-size-fits-all" attitude and adopt a more dynamic mindset that moves with the times. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that going forward, no strategy will be effective if Singaporeans are not convinced by the facts and figures. It is my belief that they will not be ready to participate in any governmental endeavours wholeheartedly. We have to strengthen our social safety net before we can convince and attract Singaporeans to take up the entrepreneurial challenge. This is an opportune time to rethink and to re-calibrate as we move forward post-COVID-19. I hope the information and ideas I have shared can help Singaporeans understand our current situation better and in turn help the Government to achieve a better outcome from the strategies announced by the Deputy Prime Minister. The Progress Singapore Party intends to continually bring up ideas for discussion in this Parliament. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Ministerial Statement.
Mr Ang Wei Neng (West Coast)1337 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, when COVID-19 hit, the first priority was to ensure that those who needed help received it swiftly and generously. We have unprecedented four Budgets. The Government has tapped into our precious reserves, to give out billions of dollars to help businesses, workers and individuals. We are nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Singaporeans are appreciative of the various COVID-19 support measures. However, it may be timely for us to calibrate the manner in which funding is given out. Before I proceed further, Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to declare my interest as part of the management team in ComfortDelGro and my interest as an Advisor to the Singapore Port Workers Union or SPWU.[+2 sentences] I would like to focus in particular on the Jobs Support Scheme or JSS, where the Government is helping businesses to co-fund up to 75% of the first $4,600 of monthly wages for Singaporean employees. It has kept many businesses afloat. It is reported that 75,000 jobs were saved due to the JSS.[+2 sentences] The benefits are good. The cost is also high. The total amount disbursed under JSS will likely exceed $15 billion.[+4 sentences] It is apparent that COVID-19 has a very different impact on different industries. Some, like aviation, tourism and the events industries, are badly hit. Some, like supermarket chains, IT companies, logistics companies and medical companies are doing better than previous years. However, all companies receive JSS, including companies that thrive due to COVID-19. In the written reply to my Parliamentary Question last week, we understand from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance that as at 24 September 2020, more than 700 firms have declined and/or returned JSS payouts.[+1 sentence] It is very noble of these companies. In June 2020, more than 130 companies have already returned $97 million of JSS payouts.[+17 sentences] I suppose the accumulated returned JSS payouts by now would be worth a few hundred million dollars. I hope Deputy Prime Minister Heng can provide us an update and give recognition to these companies. MOF has stated they "do not intend to instruct firms that report profits to return their JSS payouts, whether in whole or in part". Rather, firms are encouraged to use the JSS payouts to hire more Singaporean workers or to accelerate their transformation efforts. To this note, one good example of a business that has utilised its JSS funds in a meaningful way is Shell. Taking its own initiative, it is providing $10 million it received from JSS, to run courses for its staff in demand areas like data analytics and data mining. PSA International has also informed the union that it will use the JSS payouts to not only accelerate the digital transformation in PSA, but the entire marine logistics industry as well as financing some of Singapore's COVID-19 activities. We hope more firms will follow the lead of these companies. Meanwhile, I would like to offer another avenue for firms that are profitable to put JSS payouts for good use. From my interactions with many Social Service Agencies or SSAs, I understand that most SSAs are struggling to raise fund especially this year when the economic recession is very bad. For example, Singapore Hospice Council has only been able to meet 10% of its fundraising goals. It does not help that some may have even more beneficiaries to care for during these difficult times. Thus, I would like to urge profitable companies that receive JSS payouts to donate part of the payouts to charities. When these charitable organisations receive the donations, the Government will also match dollar-for-dollar and the companies that donate will enjoy 2.5 times tax deductions. This is a win-win situation. The donation would greatly benefit the vulnerable, the disadvantaged and the disabled. In contrast, almost 2,200 employers were under review for suspected abuse of JSS. Of these, 444 were denied payouts either partially or in full to the tune of almost $10 million.[+25 sentences] I would like to urge MOF to name these companies, to make it public the culprits behind this such fraud so as to serve as a strong deterrent to other companies. In addition, we understand some of these cases came to light due to whistleblowers. I would like to ask MOF how we can facilitate the public to furnish information of such abuses. At the same time, would MOF consider charging some of the more blatant culprits in Court? JSS funds are our money, our reserve and our lifeline. We want JSS to save jobs. We do not want JSS to be abused or enriched greedy individual shareholders. I would like to urge every Singaporean to be vigilant on the use of JSS, to report abuses and to encourage profitable companies to donate part of the JSS payouts to charities. Mr Speaker, Sir, we want to make sure that Singaporeans and businesses who need help would not need to jump through hoops or wade through red tape to qualify for funding. For example, many staying in property with an annual value of more than $21,000 but do not own a property and yet need some help, could not qualify for many of the COVID-19 support grants. Could MOF consider relaxing the criteria? Meanwhile, some of the support schemes pertaining to individuals will expire soon. For instance, the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme or SIRS, will disburse its last payout in October, this month. What will happen after that? Going forward, I would like to ask if the Government would consider continuing the SIRS schemes as many Singaporeans still need help, but calibrating it so that it is more targeted. For instance, SIRS could be fine-tuned if MOF were to extend for another six months. Rather than a binary approval of yes or no to a fixed payout of $3,000 for three months, the SIRS amount disbursed could differ according to the criteria like past income or type of housing. This might allow those who are currently not eligible for SIRS, like those who stay in private property with an annual value of more than $21,000, to receive a smaller SIRS payout. In addition, part of the payout could be in the form of vouchers so that the recipients will have to spend them rather than save for some of them. And this will help to further pump prime the economy. To reiterate, I would like to appeal to Deputy Prime Minister Heng to extend the SIRS and widen the criteria to benefit more Singaporeans. But the quantum could taper off gradually, to allow the self-employed persons who may have grown dependent on the payouts to wean themselves off. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, I urge the Government to give out another round of Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers to low-income families to buy food and necessities from neighbourhood shops and hawker stalls. Many residents and neighbourhood shops in Nanyang and West Coast feel that the vouchers are timely and useful. CDC vouchers are unlike the $150 vouchers recently given out by the Government to families living in 1-room and 2-room flats. The latter can only be used in large supermarket chains and CDC vouchers can only be used in neighbourhood shops. During the outbreak, the business of big supermarket chains was booming while that of neighbourhood shops was very poor.[+1 sentence] Hence, I hope the Government will take more care of the neighbourhood shops. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, it is clear that COVID-19 will be a part of our lives for some time. It is thus not practical or feasible for the funding schemes that have helped Singaporeans and businesses to continue in the same form. But it is imperative that help still needs to be given because people and businesses are still suffering.[+2 sentences] I hope these schemes will be fine-tuned and tweaked to better suit Singapore's needs, especially now as we have a clearer picture of the impact of COVID-19 on different segments of the society. I support the Ministerial Statement.
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling (East Coast)2327 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, over the past months, the concerted effort put in by the Multi-Ministry Task force, the various agencies and fellow Singaporeans have contributed to flattening the curve and bringing down the number of COVID-19 cases. The importance of the $100 billion financial support cannot be underestimated as it has helped cushion the economic impact of COVID-19 for many individuals and families.[+6 sentences] Of late, in my weekly house visits, I hear more residents who have been displaced from jobs, unable to restart their work as freelancers in different industries and more company are undergoing restructuring. This impact fallout is hard and real. It will lead to social and economic problems if not addressed for the short to the mid term. This is only the beginning for us as a country and people in gingerly threading the path as we look towards emerging from COVID-19. We must now put extra focus in our efforts on re-opening our borders safely, rebuilding our economy and prepare for the future unpredictability. There are three areas I would like to touch on, with respect to soldiering on for our future, specifically the future of our industries and our workforce. The key areas are: one, creating key verticals eco-system under Singapore Inc.; two, nurturing the green economy; and three, creating an inclusive growth workforce On the first area, during the initial stage of COVID-19 when cases were exploding in some countries and borders begin to shut, the fault-lines in the supply chains globally were apparent.[+4 sentences] This was not simply a sign of how securing necessities like masks, food products, and so on was critical. It strongly reiterates the pressing importance for Singapore to invest in economic resilience and sustainability as a source of competitive advantage. There is a need to relook at the overall business continuity planning of supply chains, both in the public and private sectors. As Deputy Prime Minister Heng mentioned about the need to transform our economy and be ready for a post-COVID-19 world, it is thus timely that we look at strengthening our local start-ups, our SMEs and even the large enterprises to boost our foundation and economic resilience as the world becomes increasingly volatile and uncertain. During the height of the pandemic where A*Star was able to produce the Fortitude test kit and many countries were keen on having the “made in Singapore” label for items, it demonstrated that Singapore, despite being a small nation, we do have the talent pool and resources to build our line of defence and increase our resilience to the best extent possible that can weather this current health crisis and other challenges ahead.[+5 sentences] So, contrary to what Member Mr Leong Mun Wai has said that he thinks our economic strategy has been a failure, I would like to put it this way. While Singapore’s economy has been diversified with a strong focus towards the tertiary industry of services, take for example financial, intellectual property or healthcare and biotechnology hubs, I think we need to move beyond this as we cope with all the global changes. How can we foster greater resilience in our economy by looking further and developing some things around our primary and secondary industries. for example, our energy or agri-food supply chains? To spur our economic growth, we need more than just innovative business ideas and funding. We must create business niche as well as aggregate our capabilities in some core parts of the market segments, in order to have an eco-system that well supports the design, production and associated services of different verticals. Some exist today, but others are areas we have to begin building in our future economy.[+1 sentence] Let me take an example about agri-food. There is a goal of 30 by 30 local produce to supplement Singapore’s nutritional needs.[+5 sentences] Some initiatives have been earmarked to support this goal like the NParks Community in Bloom gardens where planting edibles and urban farming are being allowed at rooftops of HDB multi-storey car parks. Additionally, with the mix of efficient use of technology, agriculture in Singapore has also evolved to agri-tech with areas such as aquaculture and stacked farming. I would like to ask what are the other milestones set out for us to assess and track how the industry has successfully transformed in order to make sure that we do really meet this goal? As the UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development noted, gaps in the scalability and feasibility could impact the sustainability of agri-tech. How does the Ministry have oversight on greater integration of technology throughout the entire value chain, from production to consumption; and sufficiency of players within the value chain itself? For such industries of strategic importance, it is worthy that we can further develop existing companies to grow to the point where substantial economies of scale can be enjoyed and thereby having the financial muscles to weather the volatile changes – similar to what has been done previously in the financial sector with our domestic banks like DBS, OCBC and their peers, and thus becoming a very key pillar in the local economy.[+37 sentences] So, I would like to say I disagree with what Member Mr Leong Mun Wai has said. He thinks the Government should not be picking the players or the winners, and leave it purely to the private sector. Well, I think the Government has really not quite been doing this and did not pick any of the players. But I would like to say if we want to move forward and have an active participation, I would think the Government needs to play the role of being an active business catalyst, a facilitator and a binder. And why is it important as we move forward to do this? Because without this sort of role in the Government being that player, I think it is probably very difficult for us to create a more comprehensive eco-system, an eco-system where you have a multitude of different players, not only from the private sector, the smaller businesses. It is difficult for them among themselves to decide how exactly to participate within the value chain. So, I would like to say, in contrary, I hope the Government can take a more active role on this aspect. On the next thing about nurturing the green economy, I think the topic of green economy is no longer one about carrying buzzwords or even a feel-good factor to be a part of. It is one of existential needs and one which has both social and political implications. Over the past few years, there has been growing focus on building a sustainable economy for Singapore. The capitalisation on the creation of a green economy for our next generation was also identified. While the vision has been explained on the National Roadmap and some high level plans have been outlined on how to achieve this vision, there remains a need for greater clarity and communication between the Ministry and its citizens to better understand what this green blueprint means, in terms of implication on the economy and the country. By so doing, it would better allow citizens to identify the opportunities, the role each can play and how we can move towards the same goals that is set for the green economy. One of the immediate questions we have would be how do we equip our citizens with the relevant skills in order to capitalise on and that are required for this future green economy? I believe this begins in building the knowledge and pipeline for the future. Looking at the education front, Institutes of Higher Learning have identified that the future economy would be one that requires inter-disciplinary thinking. One example is that of National University of Singapore making a step in that direction with its preliminary consultation on the proposed College of Humanities and Sciences. This is a step in the right direction as we review issues of the likes of climate change. Tackling climate change cannot be addressed by just having a narrow understanding of environmental sciences, but rather an appreciation of economics, anthropology and public policy. As individual and society, we have to better understand the balance and trade-offs involved on how the economics work for public and private sectors, how do societies evolve across time and space and the impact of different aspects of public policies. This would ultimately bring about a different rhythm in our conversations of where and how to spend public funds, understanding the complexity of issues that require addressing at phases or using multi-prong resolutions and recognising interdependencies across many areas of society. This will facilitate more participation and result in more active and balanced discussions that are helpful to tackling increasing multi-faceted issues. Meanwhile, for those currently in the workforce, how can we better prepare them for this green economy? Take for example in the construction industry, there are some bright spots such as green specialists, green building architects and designers, green energy project management, and others that individuals can be trained and certified in. Similarly in agriculture, urban farming would be an avenue for those whose interests lies in food and research. New jobs will be created and even new work scopes that do not exist today can be ready and be available in future markets. Thus, to capture this future growth and ensure we have local talents to meet the job requirements, we have to begin now to adjust and adapt mindsets to changing times. Jobs should not be judged by today’s lenses and how glamorous it may be. With a heavy reliance on technology and science, even mundane roles in traditional farming will excite those that are keen to move beyond laborious work. Moving towards a green economy may take many dimensions. While we may find that we could see a lack of gumption and probably open attitude to try new things, not so much the lack of opportunities nor the imposition of relevance of tomorrow. And, lastly, Sir, I would like to highlight fostering of inclusive growth in our workforce. In my past speeches, I have spoken on the need to extend holistic aid and uplift the low-wage workers, seniors and special needs community. This pandemic has once again showed us that they are indeed the most vulnerable groups as many of them hold jobs as essential and front-line workers in our economy. Much has been mentioned on seizing opportunities in this challenging time through upskilling to upkeep one’s competitiveness in the workforce. However, the fundamental question is how successful has the upskilling profile been in ensuring Singapore’s workforce remains competitive? Will the Government be tracking statistics of people skills upgrading in relation to job enhancement opportunities or its corresponding ability to remain in the workforce?[+1 sentence] While “what skills” has been an often-talked subject, “who gets access to training” is another pertinent question. The $500 to $1,000 top-up in SkillsFuture credit is useful to better enable Singaporeans to take up new courses and for them to pick up new skills. However, there always remains groups of individuals like the low-wage workers and special needs community who even before COVID-19, have been unable to take up courses for personal upgrades. Their reasons for not doing so are varied, some because they have to balance multiple jobs, others care-giving duties, lack of funds or lack of suitable courses that is catered to them in language or academic qualifications. They are left out from being able to upgrade not due to lack of will, but more a lack of time and the need to first survive. For these groups, the stipend may not be adequate as the opportunity cost of forgoing a job to attend these programs are indeed high.[+1 sentence] So, I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister what can we do to bring different skills and development to them with very specific curriculum that is embedded through funding their employers for in-house upskilling? With that said, I must mention that wages for the worker in some sectors at the 20th percentile in the last five years have, indeed, grown faster than the median worker as it was supported by the Progressive Wage Model or PWM. The Workfare schemes including the Special Employment Credit will also be further enhanced in January 2021 to improve their retirement adequacy through cash as well as CPF top-ups. Further, through incorporating the skills upgrading element into justification of increasing their wages for those in the cleaning, security and landscaping industries, I think beyond this support, I look forward to the expansion of the PWM to other service sectors for more inclusion and coverage on a wider group of individuals.[+1 sentence] At the same time, I would ask that we rethink about the need and the impact of these workers in service industries when the economy at any point of time has to shut for a period, for example, like our recent circuit breaker. Low-wage workers and even those in the special needs community struggle to find alternative jobs and may end up being displaced from the marketplace for even a longer period after the economy restarts.[+1 sentence] The larger impact they face goes beyond income, as a daily routine has already become disrupted and this sort of abrupt disruption has a huge impact on their mental state, especially for those with special needs – they can be inevitably scarred. With the new and future economy, can we find avenues for more micro jobs to create for not only the seniors but also the special needs adults?[+4 sentences] With wider acceptance of remote working, this model seems to be the work for the future that we are shifting to. Can we better adapt to support the special needs community? Sir, in conclusion, I stand in support of the Third Supplementary Estimates. There is no better time than now for us to work together and create the future workspace and economy that will put Singapore on a better footing as we charge forward.
Ms Raeesah Khan (Sengkang)973 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the stress fractures of many societies in the world today that are traditionally not discussed as much. The area that I am keen to speak on today is mental health. I would first like to disclose my involvement as a founder of an organisation that works on social issues including mental health. Mental health is increasingly an issue that Singaporeans face. The Singapore Mental Health study in 2016 noted that millennials between ages 18 and 34 were more likely to report experiencing a mental health issue compared to other age groups.[+1 sentence] However, mental health issues continue to be stigmatised, as respondents in this survey cited. The study found that 11 years is a median time between when they first experience symptoms and when they sought help for obsessive compulsive disorder; four years for bipolar disorder and alcohol abuse; two years for generalised anxiety disorder and one year for major depressive disorder.[+18 sentences] Many residents have approached me to seek advice for how they can receive help to improve their mental health. They have also shared their experiences accessing mental health services. One resident shared on the long waiting times to access psychotherapy at IMH. The earliest appointment she could get was in February of next year. As Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong noted, stigma and the lack of mental health literacy may be contributory factors to the delay. Even as we are more aware, there are some misconceptions of mental health. This stigmatisation might only have hurt us as we deal with the mental damage that the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought. I remember reading the concerns of mental health practitioners during the initial circuit breaker measures which categorise them as non-essential. An IPSO online survey done during the circuit breaker indicated that one in four respondents were not in good mental health. The vulnerability to stress exists across a population regardless of their work situation. To be clear, this is not unique to Singapore. A recent WHO survey has noted that COVID-19 is disrupting mental health services in most countries. As this pandemic continues, we must guard against the long tail effect on mental health, as experts are predicting. An editorial on the Lancet Infectious Diseases publication noted that "to minimise the impact of the pandemic, we must also address the substantial unmet mental health needs of whole societies with a focus on the most vulnerable". A High Court judge in a recent sentencing also drew attention to mental health access. She said, and I quote, "As a society, it is critical to continue with efforts to improve and enhance access to mental health services". I could no agree more with the sentiments expressed. But there has been innovation in this time of crisis. Singapore saw the establishment of a National Care Hotline in April, now manned by 900 odd volunteers, which also has served over 28,000 calls by this August. On World Mental Health Day, Prime Minister Lee has announced the establishment of an inter-agency taskforce to look at the psycho-social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population.[+13 sentences] I welcome these developments but I believe we can go further to make a huge step in destigmatising mental health issues, and improving and expanding on current services. In fact, this period may be a good launching pad for Singapore to make a society-wide effort to destigmatise mental health issues. Mr Speaker, I would now like to make some suggestions. Firstly, I propose forming a Mental Health Committee with various stakeholders involved, stakeholders such as Government reps, mental health practitioners, VWOs and social workers, and also people who have experienced issues pertaining to mental health. It is important that we bank on the expertise and experiences of our fellow citizens who can help shape and lead the change that we need. Secondly, improve the quantity and quality of information on mental health resources. Finding suitable treatment requires time and effort from an individual. Therefore, improving the quantity and quality of information about mental health resources may encourage more people to seek help. Cognitively, many may be unable to find the appropriate mental health service as it can seem like an overwhelming experience. Having helpful guides for people to navigate the many options may be more helpful to those who wish to take that first step. Thirdly, ensuring that mental health remains affordable especially for youths, especially as mental health prevalence has been largely on young people. However, they may hesitate to resolve their issues as mental health treatments are long term in nature and the cost of treatments can stack up quickly, especially for those who need weekly treatments. Can there be reviews on treatments and coverage? For instance, MediSave withdrawal limits for inpatient psychiatric treatment is subject to a withdrawal limit of $150 per day but physical treatment is subject to the to the withdrawal limit of $450 per day.[+7 sentences] If we truly want to take mental health in this country seriously, we should not draw distinctions between psychiatric and physical treatment. Lastly, consider adding social, emotional learning to our education curriculum and mental health campaigns. Preventive work needs to be done alongside destigmatisation efforts. And that includes learning the appropriate language to use when speaking to a family member or a friend who has a mental health condition and what actions to take when they are in severe distress. An effort to improve mental health is not only good for the self but good for our country. Psychological defence is an underlying key pillar of our Total Defence and it will serve Singapore well when any Singaporean, even at their most mentally vulnerable, can trust that society at large will also have their back. I hope the authorities will take this opportunity to reset the conversations on mental health for the betterment of society.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Hazel Poa.
Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member)1287 words
[+28 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, first of all, I would like to declare that I own an education company as I will be talking about education in the rest of my speech. The Deputy Prime Minister spoke extensively about the economic plans to address the post-COVID-19 situation in Singapore, but not enough on how to prepare our people for the future. Upskilling and re-skilling our workforce is part of the solution but it is a reactive approach. If upskilling and re-skilling were our only recourse, Singaporeans will always find ourselves one step behind. Instead of focusing only on giving working adults new skills to survive the new economy, we should also look into preparing our youths to thrive in the future. Instead of preparing for jobs that we cannot foresee, we need to focus on building resilient growth mindsets in our young people today. Why are Singaporeans losing out in the job market in our own country? Employers repeatedly cite the lack of creativity and risk-taking, not to mention poor communication skills as reasons for this. Our grade-centric education system was also cited as a contributory factor. In addition to facing competition for jobs from foreigners, we are increasingly facing competition from machines as well. Currently, standardised written examinations often reward behaviours like memorising and regurgitating facts and standard answers but encouraging such behaviours make our people most vulnerable to being replaced by machines. What is not easily replaced by a machine, however, is the ability to think creatively, take risk and communicating and social skills. These are the same skills that employers find Singaporeans lack. Now, with digitalisation accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is even greater urgency to hasten the pace of education reform as old methods of teaching and learning become obsolete. We had been facing growing uncertainty even before the pandemic struck. The key to thriving in uncertain environments is adaptability. To help build the ability to adapt to different or changing circumstances, we need to provide a learning environment that is non-standardised and non-prescriptive, one that constantly contains elements of unfamiliarity. In other words, diversity. Diversity is also an important factor in the fostering of creativity and innovation. The modern innovations of today have always required inter-disciplinary approaches to reach fruition, a point also brought up by the hon Member Cheryl Chan earlier. So, similarly, I believe that our educational system not only needs to be diverse in terms of curriculum, but in student mix as well. First, diversity in curriculum. We need to offer a wider range of subjects to students and greater flexibility in choices and combinations. In other words, an a la carte approach rather than set menus. Here, I would like to quote the American psychologist Abraham Harold Maslow, who said, "It is no more necessary to study animals before one can study men than it is to study mathematics before one can study geology or psychology or biology." Take the range of Primary school subjects, for example. In UK, their primary schools have 11 core subjects including design and technology, history, geography and computing, plus three optionals. In Finland, they have 13 core subjects including environmental studies, religion, history, social studies and guidance counselling, plus optionals in art and skill subjects. In Singapore, although we have nine core subjects, only four of them are assessed in the PSLE.[+4 sentences] This unequal treatment skews time and effort towards the four subjects, effectively further narrowing the range. Secondly, diversity in student mix. The practice of streaming students with similar abilities and aptitudes into groups reduces opportunities for our students to interact with others who are different. This has already been highlighted in a CNA documentary "Regardless of Race". While MOE is moving away from streaming towards subject-based banding which removes the labelling, it does not change the fact that students are still grouped based on similar results in each subject.[+6 sentences] Students with different skill sets and interest will have few opportunities to share and discuss diverse thoughts and ideas. It also stymies broader social interaction and the development of people management skills. Thirdly, diversity in pathways. Over the years, additional pathways have been created for older students. At the Primary school level, children are still on a single track with all Primary students taking the PSLE route. But as any parent knows, the PSLE is a stressful exam for students and parents alike because the outcome has very important implications on a child's future education and development. While some feel the PSLE is necessary for Secondary school posting, there are others, like myself, who believe it is premature to assess students at the age of 12 to determine their educational paths. I therefore urge MOE to consider a pilot project of through-train schools from Primary to Secondary levels without going through the PSLE, to give parents the option to choose an education path that may be better suited for their children's future.[+1 sentence] With so much depending on the results of examinations like the PSLE, it is not surprising that Singapore students have a high fear of failure compared to students in other countries. In an OECD survey, it was found that three in four Singapore students fear failure as compared to a global average of 55%.[+2 sentences] I believe high-stakes examinations contribute to the building of such fears by making the price of failing too high to pay. Such fears can inhibit risk-taking entrepreneurship and the willingness to venture into the unfamiliar. Assessments should take into account the learning value of failing by giving them multiple opportunities to try again.[+6 sentences] A single failure should not mark you for life. For example, in the UK, national examinations like GCSE are conducted twice in May and November. I hope MOE can give our students similar chances. To introduce greater diversity and differentiated learning into our education system, we need smaller class sizes. With Singapore's total fertility rate dropping, the number of school-going children is decreasing. This would have been a good opportunity to decrease class sizes, but MOE has instead closed schools and reduced teacher recruitment. The number of education officers dropped from 36,400 in 2016 to 33,700 in 2018. The NIE intake dropped from 1,256 in 2016 to 556 in 2018.[+5 sentences] Not only is this a missed opportunity to reduce class sizes, it also reduces meaningful job opportunities for Singaporeans. I urged MOE to reconsider its approach. In our local Universities, the tuition grants given to foreign students are already a recurring bugbear for many Singaporeans, and is a popular theme in media reports. Many Singaporeans are perplexed at why foreigners are given Government subsidies and question this use of taxpayers' money. In Australia and UK, full fee-paying foreign students are an important source of revenue. In UK, these students contributed 11.9 billion pounds to the UK economy in 2016. In Australia, they contributed $37.6 billion to the Australian economy in 2019. With good global rankings, our Universities should similarly be able to attract full fee-paying foreign students. We can adopt a similar model, develop this industry and use the revenues to further subsidise the education of local students.[+6 sentences] Foreign student enrolment, however, should not be at the expense of the enrolment of local students. In conclusion, I wish to reiterate that we are not embracing customised learning to the detriment of our children. When we personalise education, we will be able to look at everything we do in life as an education in itself. No longer bound to a classroom, children will be free to learn from life, learning to think creatively, take risk and adapt quickly in youth. Children will become more resilient in adulthood and better able to handle any crisis that comes their way. Sir, I support the Ministerial Statement.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Tan.
The Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Manpower and Trade and Industry (Dr Tan See Leng)627 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to issue a clarification to Mr Leong Mun Wai's earlier suggestion that SP Services was being opportunistic when it raised the electricity tariffs in Q4 of 2020. I would like to clarify that SP buys electricity at the full cost of producing it and delivering it to all consumers. These are generating companies or gencos – whatever that is procured is passed on to the gencos. And then, the gencos charge consumers at the same price. That is known as the entire regulated tariff. SP does not benefit from the increase in tariffs directly. The increase in Q4 2020 tariffs are primarily due to fuel cost increases. Perhaps to share a little bit more, between July and September, in this same quarter, the crude oil price, Brent crude oil price, went up by a whooping 47%.[+4 sentences] This fuel cost increases are incurred by many of these power gencos. The additional amount of electricity tariffs that SP can collect or collected from the consumers in Q4 of 2020 will then be passed on to these power gencos to offset their fuel cost increases. I have also alluded to earlier on that we have provided Singaporean households very targeted support – very, very targeted support – for their utilities bills. I would like to reiterate, each household with at least one Singapore citizen, has received a one-off $100 Solidarity Utilities Credit in their July or August SP Group utilities bill. On top of that, the GST Voucher - U-Save has also been doubled this year through a one-off a one-off GST Voucher - U-Save special payment. Eligible HDB households with five or more members also received a first tranche of further GST Voucher - U-Save rebates of between $60 and $100 per household in October.[+3 sentences] A second tranche will be sent out and dispersed in January 2021. If I break it down, the 1 to 2-room HDB flats get up to six to eight months of support. The 3- to 4-room HDB flats get four to six months of support for their utility bills. On top of that, in my reply to the question that hon Member Liang Eng Hwa had asked, I have also said that close to 50% – about 48%, to be exact – of all of our households have already switched over to the Open Electricity market retailer.[+10 sentences] So, quite a vast majority of this 48% is on fixed price plans. So, they are not affected by the change in electricity tariffs. So, we are talking about the balance and of this balance, the Government has stepped out in a huge way to support them. Now, I guess I am a bit disappointed in a sense that I am past my 50-year mark and in all my 50-odd years, this is the first time I have seen the Government spending so much to support all of us here in this country. We understand the concerns that many of our fellow Singaporeans have in terms of tariff pricing increase. Perhaps for the hon Member Leong's consumption, fuel costs actually do constitute a huge part of the tariff. In fact, in terms of the entire continuum of the gencos, the fuel costs actually come up to anything from a third to up to 50%. We have had a period of time when we have benefited from low costs of importing of this fuel from overseas but we are seeing some upswing in terms of pricing coming back up. The Government is also doing everything it can to move into some other forward thinking measures to ensure that we can manage the volatility and also the price fluctuations. I hope that I am able to clear this point of clarification with everyone.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong.
Mr Leong Mun Wai246 words
[+13 sentences]Mr Speaker, thank you. I thank the Minister for his clarification of some of the points. In fact, just now, the Minister had already touched on the electricity tariffs, so, there is some understanding on that. My point in the speech is that we are generally advocating that we should be paying more attention to grooming Singaporeans to be more resilient. As a result, the pricing of all these public services is a part of it. I am just expressing an opinion that perhaps the SP Group could have waited a little bit longer. The whole pricing mechanism of the electricity market and all that – that is another topic we can deal with. For example, we know that SP has made a lot of profit when the electricity wholesale market collapsed from 2012 to 2018. They did not actually pass on the benefits to the consumer at that time because the retail market was still in the process of being liberalised. So, they had made some profits – in fact, a lot of profits – during those years. Why can they not just wait a little bit longer? This is just a general policy attitude and things that we are trying to express here – that we hope, going forward, if we want to develop a different model, we need the Singaporean to be more resilient. Of course, there are many facets to that and we can discuss more and more of that going forward.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Tan.
Dr Tan See Leng249 words
[+9 sentences]I think that how we have worked together as a nation, Mr Speaker, Sir, in terms of making sure that our support is very surgical, very precise, very targeted to the group of people who needs it most, perhaps not because of the fact that they lack resilience – I think, in fact, many of them are very resilient. In fact, from many of my Meet-the-People Sessions – people from the 1-room, 2-room flats, the 3-room, 4-room flats. I hope Mr Leong is not saying that they are not resilient because we want to support them. In fact, I think that many of them are in circumstances are beyond their control. Where we think that support is needed and where it is targeted, we will not hesitate to make sure that we are able to not just care for them but to also carry for them. I think that has already spoken volumes. To the point about fluctuations and volatility in energy markets – we are a very small country and 95% of our power supply comes from fossil fuels, which we are also trying to see how we can move out to reduce our carbon footprint, so that we can go on to more renewable energies. If you talk about this 95%, we are subject to fluctuations. I have said it many a time that the gencos do need to have some form of returns because they have also invested significantly in the infrastructure here in our country.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong.
Mr Leong Mun Wai63 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, I understand that the prices of electricity need to fluctuate with crude oil prices or natural gas prices. However, in terms of pricing the electricity tariff, one question I want to ask is: did SP make a lot of profit from 2012 to 2018 when the electricity prices market collapsed but they have not passed on the benefits to the consumer?
Mr Speaker10 words
[+2 sentences]Would anyone want to respond? Senior Minister of State Chee.
The Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Transport (Mr Chee Hong Tat)313 words
[+7 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join this debate. I cannot help but notice that Mr Leong Mun Wai has made a wrong attribution to the SP Group – their commercial model and their business model. He mentioned the wholesale price has gone down and why is it that the SP Group did not pass on the savings? Let me clarify. SP Group is the grid operator. They provide the infrastructure to transmit and distribute the electrons that are being produced by the generation companies – as Minister Tan See Leng mentioned, the gencos. After the electricity is produced, the SP Group's transmission and distribution system, the grid, then transmits the electrons from the power generation companies to the users. SP Group's returns, how that is determined – the Energy Market Authority or EMA, as the regulator, will then look at the assets that the SP Group has put in place and calculate what is the fair rate of return for those assets. It is actually separate from the price of electricity in the wholesale market. That is not what the SP Group earns.[+1 sentence] As Minister Tan was saying earlier, that is what the gencos are charging for producing the electricity. SP Group is the entity that transmits the electrons. They earn a return for the infrastructure that they have put in place, the grid infrastructure that they have put in place.[+3 sentences] I think it is important for us to be clear on what is the business model of the various entities before we make comments like: why are they making so much money and they are not passing it on? Why are they making so much profit and they are not passing through some of these to consumers? Mr Leong needs to understand what the facts are so that we can have a meaningful discussion based on accurate facts.
Mr Speaker54 words
[+6 sentences]Thank you. My electrons need to be somewhere else. Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 4.05 pm. Sitting accordingly suspended at 3.42 pm until 4.05 pm. Sitting resumed at 4.05 pm.
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo (East Coast)1940 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Ministerial Statement by Deputy Prime Minister on the Government's strategy to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic. Sir, while the Government must continue to support households, workers and businesses to manage during this difficult period as many had been impacted, it is imperative that we now look forward and prepare for the post-COVID-19 new normal. While we must protect lives, we must also continue to grow in order to secure livelihoods. I will speak on three areas. First, re-making Singapore as a global-Asia node of technology, innovation and enterprise with digital as a game-changer, while building up our domestic eco-system as a home base for innovation. Second, preparing Singaporeans for the digital world and doing this at scale.[+10 sentences] This is critical if we want inclusive growth and Singaporeans to be ready and able to seize the opportunities. Third, the important role of the Government needs to continue to play in building and strengthening Singapore as a Smart Nation through the right investments in infrastructure and, more importantly, policies. Let me now touch on the first point. The strategy to be a magnet to attract leading companies, including technology companies and building strong local companies, is an important one. Singapore's success in attracting top technology companies and start-ups to locate their operations in Singapore and providing an eco-system to nurture local companies and start-ups is strategic for growth. In this new normal, we have seen that digital is, indeed, a game-changer. COVID-19 has disrupted many aspects of life and forced people to think about new ways of doing business. Digital technology has accelerated the disruptions and has played a crucial role in enabling connectivity and operations to continue when physical borders and interactions are restricted. But ultimately, technology is about addressing needs and solving problems. Digital technologies enable agility and new business models to respond to these needs and to capture new opportunities. Deputy Prime Minister Heng, in his speech, spoke about the progress made with the implementation of our industry transformation maps (ITMs) to restructure our economy, sector by sector, firm by firm. This transformation is important as it affects 23 sectors and our businesses within these sectors.[+5 sentences] The shifts driven by the digital transformation and, now COVID, have taught us, however, that the disruptions businesses are facing are not coming from traditional players but non-traditional competitors. For example, a non-banking player like WeChat handles an array of payment transactions for more than a billion users in China without the need for a bank account. So, the new opportunities that are being created from the adjacencies between industries and partnerships across sectors are also equally important. As we drive the ITMs, how are such disruptions being addressed with the work that we doing with the ITMs and the opportunities that present themselves? How are they also being leveraged? Having global technology giants, like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, LinkedIn, Facebook and, more recently, the best Chinese tech companies, Alibaba, BtyeDance and Tencent, making Singapore their Asian headquarters and base for their operations in the region, coupled with Singapore becoming a regional and global hub for technology and start-ups not only creates quality jobs – and this is very important because we need quality jobs for Singaporeans – but it brings with it talent and, more importantly, know-how that creates a vibrancy and a buzz to drive innovations and investments.[+15 sentences] But to that point, as these opportunities present themselves, I would like to touch on the second point that Singaporeans must also be ready for them. And today, as we have discussed quite a bit in this House, many Singaporeans have had their jobs impacted or at risk of having their jobs impacted. At the same time, companies are hiring. But we are saying is, many times, that match is not quite there. So, I want to touch on this point that we must also look at how we ready Singaporeans. And this is not something that we can leave to chance. We must be deliberate in preparing Singaporeans for these new opportunities and we must be able to do it at scale. If there are too few people with the appropriate skills for the jobs created, this not only has a gap but increases the cost of talent and will drive business cost up and, therefore, again, create other disamenities. So, more importantly, while there are good jobs available, Singaporeans must be ready for them. Training at scale – I spent a lot of time thinking about this point about training at scale because it is not easy. How do we do it? This is done in schools today. It is done in tertiary institutions. However, with technological disruptions, many in the workforce are finding that they need new skills to stay relevant and to take on new opportunities. So, the training actually needs to happen for those who are in the workforce and not just for those who are entering the workforce. And COVID-19 has just accelerated this even more. So, what we need to do is to have platforms for training large groups of experienced people in the workforce to build new skills, especially digital skills, and this process needs to be iterative because technology and changes in the workforce will continue to keep moving and it is not static.[+7 sentences] So, training must be demand-led and, therefore, a very key competent of this must be the companies. They must be key participants in the development process and the programmes to provide context. Understanding what industry and employers need will allow us to appreciate the skills and competencies needed to do these new jobs and the appropriate training and development programmes. Precisely because we are preparing people for the digital world which is fast moving and dynamic, agility is an important criterion embedded in these programmes. In today's context, to achieve relevant training at scale and to do it in a timely manner are difficult. Why? Because while training and development are available and we have lots of it, it is disparate. Many different institutions provide development programmes but they are in silos.[+1 sentence] What do I mean by that? We must get educational institutions to come together for training programmes and endorsements of each other's training programmes to support a mutual recognition of prior learning so that we can accelerate the learning because what we need is speed but not speed in just getting it done, but quality.[+30 sentences] So, we have got to recognise the adjacencies. What does not happen enough today is the understanding of competencies that individuals already have in the workforce, because what individuals have is knowledge of businesses and that is a very, very precious knowledge. What we need to then equip them is today's skills to accentuate that knowledge. And that part, I think, we also have not done very much in profiling what we have in the workforce today. And being able to then say to individuals, "What is the experiences, competencies that we must preserve, and then accentuate?" We talk about data analytics, for example. Data analytics only make sense if you understand the business. Otherwise, you do not see no pattern. You do not see the pattern at all, unless you know the business. And then, suddenly, illumination happens, but how do you marry the two? You have got to preserve what is in the workforce; where is the experience? And many of our mid-career people have these. But they are at a loss because they lack that little piece to join the puzzle. And we need to do this and scale that – I repeat that. This will then allow us to leverage all the adjacencies – the adjacencies of what educational institutions themselves are doing, but also the competencies we have in the workforce and the experiences as well as what the companies need; and bringing that knowledge together. So, how do we create these right platforms to get people in the workforce and those whose jobs have been impacted to participate? That is the other thing. Because until your job is impacted, you tend to just keep working. You forget about upgrading yourself and picking up the skills when you do not need them. Because it is too late sometimes when you need it. And that is the point. How do get people to go for the appropriate training. It is a very bad analogy but I just could not find another example. I asked myself, "What have we done in Singapore that we brought people altogether really fast and really quickly?" And actually, the mask distribution was amazing, because there was a need! And because there was a need, we pulled people together, we brought the resources together, and people came together. But this is not a one off. You got to keep doing it. So, same thing – we then use the same mechanism to do the next round and the next round. And so I think we need to think about training in that aspect; not training for a skill but really to equip people with the pieces that they need to then function effectively and be able to take the opportunities. To make this happen at scale will require the policy framework – most importantly to bring stakeholders together, meaning companies, training institutions and people in the workforce to address demand, accelerate training and encourage experienced people to want to learn – what I call a culture of continuous curiousity in learning.[+6 sentences] The last point I want to talk about is the Government's role in Smart Nation. To foster a culture of innovation to support growth and quality of life for Singaporeans, I firmly believe that as much as we want society and businesses to participate, the Government now has a very important role to play in making the Smart Nation's efforts really scale and be really forward-thinking. And no one else will be able to do that. Not businesses because businesses have a PNL to run. They are never going to be that much ahead, unless they are doing R&D. Otherwise, you need the Government to play that role. In today's context where digital is critical for resilience and agility, it is even more important that the Government continues to drive and strengthen Singapore's Smart Nation efforts.[+1 sentence] I must say the Government has been doing a good job in this, and I am glad that we started this early because otherwise, we would not have been able to respond the way we did so far. Investing in state-of-the-art open and connected infrastructure, business friendly environment, policies, intellectual property, data and cybersecurity laws will provide the eco-system for people and businesses to thencome together to create value.[+3 sentences] It is not about digitalising the economy as much as I have talked about digital, let me be very clear. It is not about digitalising the economy, but it is about connecting Singapore to the world and in understanding the opportunities such that Singapore can be relevant, so that our people and our businesses continue to have opportunities and better lives. In conclusion, Mr Speaker, Sir, as we adapt to the COVID situation and keep our people safe, we must move forward and grow our economy and most importantly, the eco-system to provide quality jobs for Singaporeans. To do so, Singapore must continue to invest in the eco-system to develop the digital capability of our workforce to be ready for the opportunities that do exist in the post-COVID-19 world.[+1 sentence] While the journey will not be easy, I am confident that if we do it together, truly together, we will emerge stronger.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied)598 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented in scale and depth. This crisis also marked the second and third times in history that the Government drew on its past reserves to fund a recovery package. At $52 billion, these were the largest ever draws on past reserves – 13 times what was drawn in 2009 during the Global Financial Crisis. During the debate on his Ministerial Statement in June, the Deputy Prime Minister clarified that there is no legal or constitutional obligation for the Government to restore the draw from past reserves. Nevertheless, he said that the Government is committed to rebuilding the reserves, although he said that the Government cannot be definitive about how long that would take.[+10 sentences] Can the Deputy Prime Minister now clarify if the Government intends to return all of the $52 billion drawn and if it will include interest? I am concerned that a commitment to restore $52 billion within a short time frame may subject our people to unnecessarily high levels of austerity and constrain the Government's fiscal space. Austerity can have a contractionary effect on the economy. It could slow economic growth and cause some painful cuts to public services, which might impact the poor. Can the Deputy Prime Minister assure Singaporeans that they will not have to go through a period of austerity after the economic crisis is over, in order to restore the reserves? If the Government's commitment remains to restore the full amount of the reserves, then will the Deputy Prime Minister share the broad timelines for this restoration? I am aware that he responded to similar questions from Members back in June, but he did not give any indication as to how long it will take. He only said that it would depend on Singapore's economy emerging stronger so that we would be in a better position to build our resources. Sir, a timeline of two years, 20 years or 30 years will make a huge difference in the provision required in the Budgets of current and future governments. This will translate to vastly different levels of tax hikes and spending cuts required to meet these provisions. For example, a restoration timeline of two years will require the provision of $26 billion a year. This is clearly impossible even in the best of times, as the Government's highest ever Budget surplus was $10.9 billion in FY2017, which was an exceptional year. Even a timeline of 30 years will still require a provision of $1.7 billion a year on average.[+8 sentences] This is more than the combined FY2020 Budget for the Prime Minister's Office and MFA. During this 30-year period, we could also face multiple economic crises where more deficit funding may be necessary. There might be even a need for a further drawn past reserves in order to battle another crisis, which would set the timeline back even further. Given the Budget impact of potential provisions to restore this extraordinarily large amount to the reserves, I feel it is important for the Government to provide more clarity about its broad timelines to do so. The $52 billion draw on past reserves during this crisis was necessary to prevent excessive job losses, make up for a decline in investments, boost consumer spending and stabilise aggregate demand. The reserves have served their purpose in this crisis. As we plan beyond this current crisis, let us consider carefully how much we want to burden the next generation of Singaporeans with the committed repayment of this draw on past reserves. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Sharael Tahar.
Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Punggol)2416 words
[+7 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I rise in support of the Ministerial Statement made by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. I would like to declare my interest as an employee in the aerospace industry, one of the 22,000 workers in the industry, many of whom whose employment or income have been affected by the pandemic. I would like to touch on three key areas. Firstly, as we rebuild and grow our physical connectivity, we – people, Government and businesses are responsible to do so while protecting our lives and livelihood. Secondly, we need to incorporate the lessons learnt from this pandemic and build on the Industry Transformation Map to create an inclusive and resilient society with a dynamic and growing economy. Thirdly, though the pandemic has brought challenges for us to overcome, we must also leverage on the opportunities it brings while preparing for the upcoming challenges facing our workforce to remain competitive in the global market. As Deputy Prime Minister Heng has shared in his Ministerial Statement, compared with last year, passenger traffic has fallen by more than 98% in August. This has had a huge impact on the livelihoods of many Singaporeans.[+6 sentences] I am in support to rebuild and grow our physical and digital connectivity. Our position as an airhub is not only important to those working in airlines such as SIA. Our position as an airhub is a strategic economic asset as it serves as a conduit for other industries and it is the source of livelihoods for many of our fellow Singaporeans in dependent industries. Take for example, the following residents in Pasir Ris. Mr Faizal Sains, father of seven, a licensed aircraft engineer who works in the maintenance, repair and overhaul industry. Mr Ahmad Khalili, father of two, who works for a major airframer and ensures aircrafts for airlines from across the world, not just SIA, are dispatched safely and reliably. The Tan family – Mr Tan drives a taxi and Mrs Tan is a tour agent whose family has to deal with more than 50% drop in their income.[+12 sentences] Mr Foo, who sells prepaid telephone card supporting his 80-year-old mother and his income has since significantly dropped because there is no demand for prepaid cards by local Singaporeans. And many similar Singaporeans families whose livelihoods are dependent on Singapore's status as an airhub. While Minister Ong, shared the plans for us to safely, and in a controlled way, open up our borders to protect our livelihoods, it is also important that as a community, we come to the realisation that it is our collective social responsibility to ensure that the safe management measures are adhered to, in order to protect each other. As we look beyond our shores, we see countries such as Australia, South Korea and Japan hit by the second wave of infections. As we open up, we must work together in order to minimise the risk of that happening in Singapore. We must not let our guard down and slip into complacency. We must be psychologically prepared to overcome the challenges that still loom ahead. Businesses such as restaurants, cafés, shops and workplaces must ensure that safe management measures such as sufficiently-distanced tables and chairs, are adhered to. We must continuously remind each other, to keep a social distance, wear a mask, practice SafeEntry and Tracetogether, because together, we can minimise the risk of infection and we can swiftly contain the episode in the event a transmission occurs. As we work towards rebuilding our physical connectivity, we need to remain vigilant and protect both our lives and livelihood. As we aspire towards an inclusive and resilient society with a dynamic and growing economy, we need to incorporate the lessons learnt from this pandemic and integrate these lessons into the Industry Transformation Map. We must take actions now that will allow us to not just get through COVID-19, but more crucially, transform and prepare us for our next lap of inclusive economic growth. With six of 10 of us Singaporeans working as PMETs, the past six months have been the biggest exercise in redesigning jobs and reassessing the way we define work.[+9 sentences] Many of us have not been back to office, yet we remain productive. To cite an example, one of the Pasir Ris residents, Mr Ismail, is in his late 30s, smart and gets around in a wheelchair as he lost his foot to diabetes. Working from home, behind a computer, he is equally, if not more capable of performing an office-based job just like everyone else. The past six months have taught us that for some jobs, it also did not matter that you start working remotely at 8 am at home or work every single minute including extended hours. We found a way to remain equally productive in this new flexible environment. Can this provide an opportunity for care-givers, who need to have more flexible work schedule to take care of their young and the seniors? Could this also be the solution for mothers or fathers, who gave up their career and now want to rejoin the workforce while still taking care of their loved ones? We must incorporate these lessons learnt, to provide more equal employment opportunities for the seniors, less-abled as well as care-givers seeking employment such that Singaporeans will benefit from the inclusiveness of employment opportunities and there is a place for these each and every Singaporeans in our industry transformation. This is an opportunity to relook at how we work closer with help-groups such as SGEnable and Agency of Integrated Care or AIC to ensure that there is a place for all Singaporeans in our inclusive growth. COVID-19, new technology and digitalisation will also bring about structural changes that will give rise to unemployment and place greater pressure on the vulnerable lower wage workers. Hence, it is important that the Tripartite Working Group, comprising of MOM, NTUC and SNEF, work together to expedite the implementation of the Progressive Wage Model across other sectors.[+5 sentences] Through the Industry Transformation Map, the Tripartite Working Group can chart out opportunities and create stepping stones for the vulnerable groups to upskill and go up the ladder so that they have a lower risk of being redundant in the future. One example could be for the pump attendants who tend to comprise our senior workers. I had a very interesting conversation with my 12-year-old daughter earlier this week. My daughter asked, “Dad, what will happen to the Uncle at the pump station when all cars are electric?” That got me thinking. As we move from hybrid to electric cars with our goal of phasing out vehicles with internal combustion engines, what will happen to these pump attendants, petrol station clerks and similar lower wage workers in industries that are undergoing transformation even as I speak? This is where the Progressive Wage Model complemented by the Workfare Skills Support Scheme and other needs-based social safety nets such as ComCare and KiFAS will be able to help lower wage workers with needs-based support.[+3 sentences] More importantly, these initiatives help to provide the stepping stones to train and increase the skillset of these lower wage workers to prepare for the changes to their respective industries that lay just beyond the horizon. When the majority of us are working from home, we took a while, but we managed to reach the a new norm. Many found that the savings from commuting time can be productively used as exercising time or time for the family. A study by EngageRocket, in partnership with Singapore Human Resource Institute and Human Resource Professionals showed that nine of 10 employees shared that they would like to continue with some form of remote working as a new way of working.[+10 sentences] This new norm on the way of working could improve our worklife balance and quality of life as we are able to use the time more productively. Remote working has brought many opportunities. However, it brings additional challenges. In the past six months, while we have enjoyed working from our our homes in Pasir Ris, Punggol or Jurong, it also means that our jobs can be done anywhere else in the world. Whether it is in Pasir Ris or a cafe in India, for example, PMET job competition is no longer confined within Singapore. The challenges our PMETs face is no longer a question of quota to protect our jobs but rather how do we ensure the Singaporean workforce is competitive in the global market. Global companies will be looking at how the Singaporean workforce create additional value. This is no longer a question of lowest cost but one of creating best value to maintain the competitive edge and remain relevant in the global workforce market. The pandemic has shown that digital capabilities represent the game changer to open markets and opportunities for businesses which then creates jobs and ensures that jobs are preserved. Companies that leverage on these digital capabilities and evolve their business model have been able to survive and unlock growth during this downturn. Take for example, the company cited by Deputy Prime Minister Heng, Decks Pte Ltd which increased its sales tenfold after it revamped its e-commerce platform.[+8 sentences] As much as it is about increasing the workers digital skillset, it is also important for us to look at the mindset, and the ability to leverage on these opportunities that are available. We need to equip our workforce with the softer skills of change management in driving changes to the workplace. To quote Charles Darwin, “It is not the strongest or most intelligent who will survive, but those who can best manage change.” This is especially true in at this juncture, as we, in Singapore, will have to transform to not only just get through COVID-19, but more crucially, gain strategic advantages that prepare us for the next stage of economic growth. With the right skillset and mindset, we need to leverage on these opportunities to drive the change. We have invested heavily in SkillsFuture courses. As we look at assessing the training providers and courses, the effectiveness of SkillsFuture courses should not only be based on attendance or the number of courses taught but rather it should also be assessed on its ability to drive real changes. We must structure and integrate training with business solutioning to support business performance and industry transformation. One example is a course I attended on Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt. It is an operational excellence course and in order to receive the course subsidy and certification, the attendee will have to prove that he has brought improvements to drive a $1 million cost saving for the organisation.[+10 sentences] This same concept can be applied for digital courses. An example would be for a company to receive full subsidy if the attendee to the course can show proof that they have led the change and contributed in some form to the digital transformation for the company These are just some examples of how we can integrate training with business solutioning so that our investment in resource, both time and money, is able to generate change. I would like to thank our fellow Parliamentarian Mr Yip Hon Weng for the question he asked earlier, how can Singapore workforce remain competitive with remote working. With the right skillset, the right mindset and working together to leverage on the opportunity the Singapore eco-system brings, we need to drive this change, this game changing transformation to develop the competitive edge for economy and our workforce. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): As we rebuild and re-establish our physical connectivity, we need to be cognisant of the importance of doing so in a safe and controlled manner. Businesses and the general public must continue to maintain our psychological resilience and not be complacent about the safe management measures that should be implemented. Among others, businesses such as restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as workplaces must ensure safe management measures are adhered to. In our efforts to rebuild physical connectivity, we need to protect both our lives and our livelihoods. We need to use the lessons learnt from this pandemic and apply it to the Industry Transformation Maps. For example, working from home has changed the employment structure We have to learn from this experience and re-design jobs to provide inclusive growth opportunities for older and less able workers.[+2 sentences] We need to provide equal job opportunities for the elderly, the disabled as well as caregivers who are seeking employment. This is to ensure that there is a place for these Singaporeans in our Industry planning and they can also reap the benefits of this inclusive job opportunity. Structural changes will cause workers to lose their jobs and exert greater pressure on workers who are more vulnerable to these changes We should support the Tripartite Working Group. We need to accelerate the implementation of the Progressive Wage Model for certain industries and provide opportunities for more vulnerable groups of workers to upgrade their skills.[+1 sentence] While working from home has created many opportunities, it is also accompanied by several additional challenges. Competition for PMET jobs is no longer limited to Singapore alone. This means that the question of foreign worker quotas becomes less relevant when compared to the need to ensure that Singaporeans remain competitive in the global job market. To ensure that we remain competitive in the global market, we need to have the right skills, the right way of thinking and the ability to seize the opportunities available We need to equip our workforce with soft skills, such as change management, to implement changes at work.[+7 sentences] To quote Charles Darwin: "The one who survives is not the strongest or the most intelligent, but it is the one who can best manage change". (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, in summary, as we rebuild and grow our physical connectivity, it is our collective social responsibility to ensure that we protect our lives and our livelihood. As we aspire towards an inclusive and resilient society with a dynamic and growing economy, we need to incorporate the lessons learnt from this pandemic towards creating inclusive growth. This pandemic is often called the crisis-of-a-generation. However, many have also called this, an opportunity-of-a-generation. With the right skillset, right mindset and leveraging on opportunities that are available, we can transform, our future, and together, we will emerge from this stronger. On that note, Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion by Deputy Prime Minister Heng.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang)1348 words
[+5 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, in my Unity Budget debate speech in March this year, I spoke on the theme of environmental resiliency and the need to set a bold green agenda to guide Singapore's trajectory development. Deputy Prime Minister Heng said in his Unity Budget speech in February this year that we must address climate change. He said that we will be updating our commitment to the Paris Agreement and take a further step to chart our vision for low carbon sustainable future Singapore. Even as the Government tackle the effects of COVID on our economy and attempt to mitigate its effect and work on the recovery of our economy, we must concurrently work on our efforts to address the climate emergency. We cannot afford to do less. This is not merely because we have timelines and obligations under the Paris Agreement, we also have to keep playing our part to address the climate emergency in the meantime. We cannot afford to let COVID crisis distract, delay or derail us from our pledge to the 36% cut on emissions intensity by 2030.[+8 sentences] Our COVID recovery efforts and policies must also be sustainable and be planned with sustainability in mind. The importance of sustainability at the forefront of economic recovery should not be underestimated. The World Economic Forum has, in fact, called on all countries to pursue and I quote, "a great reset, a commitment to build a fairer, more sustainable and more resilient future following the COVID crisis". I cannot agree more. May I take the opportunity to ask the Government for an update on our efforts in the past seven to eight months since the Unity Budget and for an assurance that Singapore is on track to meet our goals and timelines for the Paris Agreement. I next move on to certain issues relating to helping those affected by COVID. Last month, I had asked in a Parliamentary Question whether there will be further assistance for the self-employed beyond the Self-employed Relief Scheme or SIRS. Minister Josephine Teo said that MOM would study the possibility of extending SIRS. Last Monday Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said in his Ministerial Statement that the Government is studying the support for the self-employed workers who are most vulnerable and will provide an update before the end of the year.[+3 sentences] Mr Speaker, Sir, I welcome these announcements and I am sure self-employed Singaporeans who still require assistance will be eyeing the outcome of the Government's deliberations. Meanwhile, I would like to urge the Government to some more of the self-employed Singaporeans who still need help and who have hitherto not receive any assistance at all. Firstly, I like the Government to consider granting limited assistance to at least some of the self-employed Singaporeans who have hitherto been ineligible for SIRS. In some of the SIRS cases I did for my residents, I noticed that cases have, for example, been rejected if in the previous year the applicants have been earning salary of more than $2,300 dollars a month or who have not been earning trade income.[+6 sentences] Applicants may not have declared trade income in 2019 primarily because they have just started business in that year and have sunk start-up costs into their venture. Income may not become immediately upon starting up a business. It may take time. In some of these cases, they were hoping for business to take off and trade income to come this year. Unfortunately, the COVID crisis took place this year instead and had serious effects on their business. That is why they need help from the Government. Others were turned away because their spouse recorded income of more than $70,000 last year or the annual value of their condo has exceeded the annual value limit.[+20 sentences] For many of these people, they have endured much of this year and face the year-end closing with dwindled savings, and worst, and mounting business and household debts or expenses and worse still, little prospect of their bleak business outlook coming to an end soon. I urge the Government to provide some support to some of these Singaporeans who may have narrowly fallen short the current criteria under SIRS but who may still need help. This is especially if they can show that despite their best efforts in sustaining or restoring the fortunes of their businesses, they are still not out of the woods, or if they can show that they are also actively looking for a job or are undergoing courses to retrain or upgrade themselves. The Government can consider giving them a lower level of grant as compared to the full payout under the scheme to give allowance to the fact that they had originally not complied with the original criteria of the scheme. Unless the Government explicitly expects some of these affected to sell their properties to raise funds, the challenges that many such Singaporeans face cannot be underestimated nor disregarded. How long can they last? Moreover, many in this category have shared that in better times, they have been contributing by paying a higher level of taxes. In their hour of need, surely, some consideration must be given to that. Separately, a resident of mine who owns a discotheque expresses deep concerns about the continuing closure or restrictions on businesses like his. Businesses like his, including clubs and bars, see no end in sight in the restrictions imposed on them. At the same time, they have to continue to pay rent and salaries. I would like to ask whether the Government has any update for these businesses and whether they will be getting any additional assistance. This crisis has also exposed some shortfalls of how our current eco-system may not assist some who have got into trouble because of COVID-19. For example, a constituent of mine is trying to come back from abroad with her two children due to the COVID-19 situation. Job prospects here for her are not good, to say the least, and she does not expect to find a job immediately. She cannot afford to rent commercially. She did not have a relatively high income in the past years but her earnings rendered her ineligible for subsidised HDB rental. She was told to buy a BTO but we all know from present BTO waiting times that she is not likely to get a new BTO at once. Buying a resale flat may pose a difficult financial hurdle. What should a person in her position do? Next, the Government has announced last week that parents with Singaporean children born from 1 October this year to 30 September 2022 can get a one-off $3,000 grant to help them defray the costs of raising a child amid the pandemic.[+1 sentence] A resident wrote to me over the weekend. He and his wife just had their first baby in August this year. They are baffled that the grant will only apply to parents with children born from 1 October.[+1 sentence] They had thought that the grant was meant to provide support to new parents during the pandemic period. My resident told me that if the purpose of this grant is to encourage new births amidst the crisis, then the grants should apply to births in nine or 10 months from this month. He emphasised by that having the start date from 1 October, it has "selectively ignored parents who were impacted the most as we do face the same problems or even more than those parents who have their babies from 1 October". He asked, "why were they included for the support and us, who had our babies months earlier, were neglected?" He felt disheartened that "the Government has chosen to ignore us who are directly impacted by the pandemic." I hope that the Government will extend the grant to all children born from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, from February 2020 onwards. Parents who gave birth to children in this period had to bare the brunt of the difficult challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.[+1 sentence] Mr Speaker, Sir, notwithstanding my concerns, I support the Supplementary Budget.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Yip Hon Weng.
Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang)1005 words
[+21 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I register my appreciation for the Government's many efforts to protect Singaporeans' livelihoods. This is important as we face rising unemployment now. But I wish to raise some concerns related to helping Singaporeans to get new jobs, especially for our seniors. I was struck by Prof David Chan's comments at a recent forum by the National Library Board on "Living with the Pandemic" and in his recent book "Combating a Crisis". I am sure they resonate with Members as you meet many Singaporeans at your Meet-the-People Sessions and during your house visits. Prof Chan described how the pandemic has uncovered new vulnerable groups. He also discussed how we need to better understand the reality from these groups' perspectives. This is so that we can work effectively with them to navigate post-pandemic challenges. Mr Speaker, Sir, one of these groups is Singaporeans above 40 years old at the middle to upper income levels. This group was earning a comfortable salary for many years. But they are now retrenched or had to close down their businesses. As such, they are often left on their own to deal with their unemployment and its many associated adverse effects. This is unlike those in lower paying jobs who have benefited from the many Government schemes. Specifically, many in this age group have high mortgages to pay, schooling children and elderly to look after. The challenge for them is not just to get any job but one that gives them a minimal sustenance income. The common advice given is to adjust expectations, be less choosy. However, it is not so straightforward. Yes, luxuries can be cut out to reduce the financial burden. But if they are forced to take up a new job just to meet their basic needs, the individual ends up not having the time and capacity to retrain or to seek out a more relevant job. This is not optimal for him nor for the economy. Take for example, Mr Tan, a 50-year-old father who stays in a terrace house in Yio Chu Kang. He came to see me at the Meet-the-People Session. He was recently retrenched from his five-figure monthly salary sales job.[+2 sentences] He told me he has gone for numerous job fairs and sent out many resumes. However, he still cannot land a job. He was hoping to find one with a salary of a few thousand dollars for his family to survive. He is now a Grab driver and he does not qualify for the SIRS scheme because of his housing type.[+19 sentences] I still remember his parting words to me at the Meet-the-People Session: "I have been paying taxes all my life before this. Why is the Government not helping me now?" Some may continue to hold out for as long as they can. This is not because they are choosy with unreasonable expectations but because they need a job that can pay their minimum bills. For seniors, especially those supporting dependents who are in schools or universities, the stakes are even higher. It is well and good to say, "Go for training, upgrade your skills", but realistically, when you are in your 50s, 60s, with mounting bills and financial commitments, you do not have the luxury of time and resources to pursue a new career. To them, such exhortations are meaningless slogans. They may even be mistaken for a disconnection with ground realities. To create real job opportunities that result in appropriate placements, we must do more to match the job nature with the jobseeker's knowledge, skills and other work-related characteristics. Yes, we now have many job vacancies in cybersecurity, data analytics, AI and so on. However, these are usually jobs that require deep technical skills. These skills cannot be acquired in a short time. This is especially so for those in their 40s and above, lacking the prerequisite technical skills. Mr Speaker, Sir, this is the core of the problem: how do we quickly connect with employers who are prepared to offer jobs that come with training? I agree that employers have to be patient as their new employees get up to speed with the necessary knowledge and skill set. We can say it is short-term pain and long-term gain for the companies to embrace IT and to move on to the new post-COVID-19 era. But the reality is companies have practical finances and many other post-pandemic realities to deal with too. How can Government provide more targeted financial help to companies? What other effective drivers can we employ to change the situation quickly? One way is for the Government to dedicate more resources to the job redesign initiatives.[+5 sentences] In this way, we can take a more proactive and structured approach to speed up transformation of growth sectors. How can jobs be redesigned to allocate wider scope, higher responsibilities, so that it can better fit someone who has some seniority in his previous career? In this regard, we need more tailored support as an extension from the Seniors Go Digital movement to help jobseekers improve their digital skills. It can even be something basic like enhancing their online job search and communication skills. This can be done, for example, via community classes to learn Excel skills or how to use Zoom effectively for team meetings. In the same vein of using a targeted approach, it is heartening to learn that a new tripartite work group is being formed to look into improving the salaries and well-being of low-income workers.[+1 sentence] We need more focused and specific solutions to better address the challenges of workers in different sectors. In this way, we work towards increasing their wages and accessibility to training opportunities without risking the loss of jobs.[+3 sentences] This is especially important for older workers, many of whom may not be as educated but willing to work. Mr Speaker, Sir, let us all learn to see things from another's perspective, discover more quickly what needs to be addressed and work towards having specific solutions to specific challenges. Sir, I support the Budget.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Edward Chia.
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah)1795 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, my speech today will focus on three interconnected areas of our economy where I believe further refinements can enhance our global competitiveness. Firstly, I would like to touch on the interconnection between retaining local jobs with enterprises. The Jobs Support Scheme or JSS has clearly helped to save good jobs and kept many Singaporeans employed through this year. It does that by providing wage support to the employers, giving them the resources to retain their local employees when revenue has taken a severe beating this year. The extension of the JSS to March 2021 is a strategic necessity and I support the tapering of the JSS to ensure fiscal prudence as we look towards the long-term growth of the Singapore economy. The next JSS payouts will be made in October 2020 and March 2021, with a six-month gap in between.[+8 sentences] I would like to suggest that an interim payout in December 2020, as it is necessary to enforce the interconnected value of the JSS to the enterprise's cash flow. Many companies are only beginning to see sustainable revenue returning. For other companies, they may need the cash flow support for their industry's uneven recovery. Such an intermediate payment will not increase any cost to the Government. It spreads out the payouts and instead increase the relevancy of the JSS in this next phase. Otherwise, the risk to these jobs will increase, which runs contrary to the goal of the JSS. I hope MOF will consider my suggestion to help enterprises during such economic uncertainty while focusing on the long-term growth of Singapore. Secondly, I would like to focus on how we can build future industry roadmaps such that they take into consideration our connection with the region. The Industry Transformation Maps or ITMs were first launched as part of a $4.5 billion industry transformation package in Budget 2016. They were industry-specific roadmaps which aimed to take an integrated approach where trade associations and chambers, companies and the Government worked together to help each sector prepare for the future. These ITMs are currently being reviewed to ensure relevance and effectiveness.[+14 sentences] I would like to propose that we frame ITMs 2.0 in the context of the region because this would be the right time for our industries to start building new capabilities that can immediately include broader opportunities beyond our shores. Asia as a region will continue to grow even as COVID-19 has thrown a massive curveball. From North Asia to Southeast Asia and the Oceania region, the entire region is in the midst of a global re-orientation as it takes its cue from uncertainties from the US-China tensions. New supply chains are being reimagined as fast as new markets are emerging following the rapid uptake in digital transactions from the variety of circuit breakers or movement control orders employed by governments to contain the spread of COVID-19. This is the time to prepare our industries to include the region in our bid for continued competitiveness. Singapore is already inking digital agreements, and new travel bubbles are on the cards. ITMs 2.0 should include components where the region is integral. One obvious area would be to ensure that the Continuing Education and Training or CET as well as SkillsFuture components for each ITM include understanding the industry models of our neighbours, the supply chains in these countries, the ways of doing business and the cultural context of how things are done. Even language courses could be included as we need to be more connected at the people-to-people level for economic and social win-win outcomes. Another area would be for the new ITMs to focus on our regional opportunities even more within the internationalisation component of the blueprints. Encouraging more cross-country business chamber collaborations or joint ventures in the co-creation of new products and services that can serve two or more cities could provide a larger market, even at the prototyping stage. Making the region a core context of our ITMs rather than the "next step" would accelerate how our companies are thinking in this new decade. This crisis is the right moment to pivot our local enterprises away from a local mindset. An added area under ITMs would be the welfare of our low-wage workers. Minister Josephine Teo mentioned about the formation of a new taskforce that will explore ways to raise the wages of our low-wage workers.[+21 sentences] While the ITMs are being reviewed to ensure its relevancy in the ever-changing environment, each ITM should also focus on the low-wage workers in their own industries. They should dovetail upskilling of these workers, thereby leading to higher wages with higher productivity. Moreover, higher productivity should also lead to business sustainability. Businesses need to remain competitive and avoid passing on the cost to consumers. We must ensure both upskilling of our workers and business sustainability to avoid a case where a low-wage job becomes no job. This is especially so with the growing trends of automation. For example, the role of cashiers at supermarkets is needed lesser with auto check-out machines and cashless payments. These cashiers need to be upskilled and their jobs redesigned to take on higher value-added jobs so that they can continue to be employed, enjoying good wages with better skills and productivity. Hence, ITM 2.0 needs to ensure that as we push industries towards innovation, it has to be coupled with upskilling and job re-design to ensure our workers are not displaced. My final area of focus would be to draw the all-important interconnection of technologies with design. While we encourage innovation driven by technology, we should also encourage innovation driven by design. We only have to look at countries, such as South Korea, Japan and Denmark, to appreciate how they have embraced both technological advancements with deep design capabilities resulting in innovation that has provided economic and societal returns for their citizens. Design is the economic equivalent of creation with the user and customer at the core. It is about designing for specific needs of markets and segments so that real value can be unlocked. Design is also the skill to bring about integration and synthesis – how different technologies or platforms could be organised into appropriate economic units that are scale-able. Design capabilities are even more essential today when we look at how technologies have evolved. For example, we are now seeing how social and live commerce has cut into omni-channel sales because buyers are now showing signs that they prefer to purchase through existing well-designed social messaging platforms rather than another app. I believe that we need to match our investments in technology with a renewed focus on design – a 21st century duet of design and technology where we draw the value out of these interconnected twin engines of growth. Just like how we do not isolate one specific technology from another, we must go beyond looking at design simply as vertical industries, such as publishing or furniture, but, rather, cross-sectional skillsets, such as interaction design and experience design. We must also go past buzzwords like "design thinking" to better appreciate the deeper substance of design, which is a serious academic discipline of creation that focuses on divergent and convergent problem-solving with the user and customer at the core. Many of our Autonomous Universities and Polytechnics have already included design as a core curriculum. Even the recently announced proposed integration of the Faculty of Science with the Faculty of the Arts and Social Sciences at NUS will see design as one of the compulsory core modules.[+7 sentences] We need to deepen this capability inside companies and across industries so that new technologies can be even more successful. Design leaders and design departments need to be created to work with the strategy and digital functions of the business. A good example of a local company that has brought design into its core business is DBS. DBS strives to be the "Apple in banking". DBS uses design methods and approaches to focus on serving customers better both in their digital services as well as in their branches. I am sure all of us have heard of ATMs. But I recently found and learned about BTMs – the Branch Teller Machine! DBS discovered that many senior residents were still queuing in their branches to withdraw cash because they value the traditional passbook over card-based ATMs. Hence, DBS created the BTMs where seniors can simply scan their passbooks to withdraw cash and still have their passbooks updated without having to wait for a physical counter to be available.[+5 sentences] This has shortened waiting times for seniors while continuing to provide the all-important psychological and emotional comfort for this segment of seniors who still want to use their passbooks. This BTM example shows the user-empathy element in interaction design when adopting technology. This is possible when technology solutions are designed and implemented with the customer at the core. Thus, DBS is able to be socially inclusive while still using technology to enable productivity of their business. I believe design is a critical partner for technology and this will further enhance our country's competitiveness in the economic sphere. Our public service needs to embrace design in significant ways, too.[+1 sentence] I would like to urge IMDA, which is the lead agency for technology adoption, to build its own design capabilities so that all future roll-outs of new plans will have an even stronger design-empathy component in them. This could also be the right time for Design Singapore Council to undertake a strategic update of the Singapore Design Masterplan that was launched in 2016, considering how much has changed in just the last two years.[+4 sentences] Design 2025 would require new thinking, especially in the spheres of economic inter-connections and societal value creation. I would like to conclude my speech by echoing Deputy Prime Minister Heng’s economic strategy for Singapore. We need a dynamic and growing economy to deliver our priorities as a society. In a nutshell, we need to, one, ensure that our enterprises survive and grow to save jobs and livelihoods of Singaporeans. Enhancing the next phase of JSS with an interim payout in December will aid in this endeavour.[+1 sentence] Two, we must ensure that our next phase of ITMs is focused on cross-industry and border collaborations with a deeper cultural understanding of the growing Asia region. In addition, the new ITMs should also ensure the upskilling and job re-design of our low-wage workers while ensuring business sustainability.[+3 sentences] Three, we must augment innovation driven by two-fold engines – technology and design. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in this way, I am confident that Singapore can continue to retain and grow our competitive edge in today's fast-changing world and emerge stronger. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Ministerial Statement.
Mr Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Fahmi Aliman.
Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman (Marine Parade)937 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Deputy Speaker, today, I would like to affirm my support for the Supplementary Supply Bill while speaking on how we can and must continue to support and uplift our low-wage workers. During Budget 2020, it was announced that Singaporeans who had been receiving the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) payments for work done in 2019 will receive a Workfare Special Payment (WSP) of $3,000 in 2020, with the second tranche being paid out this month.[+1 sentence] This has been much welcomed by the WIS recipients. Since the implementation of WIS in 2007, Singaporeans aged 35 and above in the bottom 20th-30th percentile of the workforce has received over $5.5 billion in support.[+7 sentences] This is an effort to be applauded, but we must continue to see how the scheme can better benefit our citizens and uplift the workers who need it the most. I previously called for the Government to consider providing a higher WIS payout to workers in the essential services to acknowledge their actual social value and the hardship faced in their line of work. This has been even more prevalent in the last few months, where many of our essential service workers have stepped up to become our "everyday heroes", continuing to keep Singapore clean, green and safe. Perhaps, the Government can reconsider this suggestion with a view of giving these workers greater recognition. Under the current structure, the WIS payout is dependent on the age and income of the worker. In general, this means that older workers and those with lower incomes will receive higher payouts. This differentiation assumes that younger workers have greater potential to move up the career ladder and, with that, move up the wage ladder. The Government must study if this assumption still holds and consider lowering the age eligibility to 30 years old for workers to qualify for WIS.[+2 sentences] While I do not discount that we should support our older workers, it does stand to reason that our younger workers may have dependants, such as elderly parents or young children, which can be a strain not only financially but also mentally. Any extra income that these workers receive from the WIS can make a difference to many families and workers with young children. Another improvement to WIS is for the Government to consider having the payout to be the same across different age groups, based on the worker’s income, meaning that a 35- or 65-year-old worker earning the same salary, will receive the same payout quantum.[+9 sentences] Mr Deputy Speaker, last month, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo had announced the PWM Mark to recognise companies which voluntarily pay their workers progressive and fair wages with good job advancement pathways. This is a step in the right direction in recognising that all of us, be it workers, employers, the Government and the greater community, have a part to play in creating an environment conducive to improve their work prospects. The creation and implementation of the PWM Mark should involve unions, employers and the Government to ensure that the PWM Mark will take into consideration the specific circumstances of each occupation and industry. More importantly, each stakeholder should lead by example to be the first movers. Only then can we see PWM Mark gaining traction on the ground. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, please allow me to speak in Malay. (In Malay): Another way to keep supporting our workers is for the Government to consider extending the Jobs Support Scheme or JSS. The JSS has helped businesses and companies to retain local workers during this economic downturn and its impact should not be underestimated. As mentioned previously, more than half of the jobs that were saved are due to the JSS alone. While this should be commended, the Government should consider extending the JSS beyond March 2021 especially in industries where the impact of COVID-19 is more keenly felt.[+12 sentences] A large number of these industries are industries with a large proportion of low-wage workers such as the retail sector, or the food and beverage sector. This measure can help us save jobs for our local workers, while we are slowly and cautiously rebuilding the economy. As I mentioned earlier, the WIS has supported many low-wage workers by providing additional income to them. I urge the Government to continue looking at how the scheme can benefit more workers, such as through higher WIS payouts to workers in essential services, as an acknowledgement of the hardship faced in their line of work, especially during this COVID-19 period. The Government may also wish to reconsider the assumption that younger workers should get lower WIS payouts as they are more likely to get wage increments. In addition, I am very much encouraged by the PWM Mark so that companies that pay progressive and fair wages to their workers will be recognised. Workers, employers, Government and the community are all playing a part in creating a better environment for our vulnerable workers. I would like to encourage more companies to participate once the scheme is ready. (In English): In conclusion, as Deputy Prime Minister Heng mentioned, we are currently in the “test of a generation”. I echo his sentiments that there is light at the end of the tunnel for us as a country to emerge not only stronger and more united, but also emerge as a society with more empathy who believe in creating a fair society for future generations. But we are not out of the woods as yet and we must remember not to leave behind those who are most vulnerable in our society. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Ministerial Statement.
Mr Deputy Speaker6 words
[+1 sentence]Minister of State Mr Alvin Tan.
The Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Trade and Industry (Mr Alvin Tan)2306 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, COVID-19 has disrupted the lives and livelihoods of Singaporeans and has also brought us together. I would like to thank everyone for cooperating with the safety guidelines and regulations and taking the necessary precautions to curb the spread of COVID-19. This has been a difficult journey for all of us and, because of all of our collective sacrifices and effort, we have managed to flatten the COVID-19 infections curve and have kept the number of community infections low. Based on MTI’s advance estimates released today, the Singapore economy contracted by 7% on a year-on-year basis in the third quarter of 2020. This was an improvement from the 13.3% contraction in the second quarter and came on the back of the phased re-opening of our economy following the circuit breaker.[+6 sentences] But we are coming from a low base. Notwithstanding the improved performance in the third quarter, the recovery path ahead is expected to be slow and uneven across sectors. As the COVID-19 situation here in Singapore stabilises, we have the opportunity to reopen our economy safely, in a careful and calibrated manner. And the importance of reopening in a careful and calibrated manner cannot be overly emphasised, as the hon Members Mr Louis Chua and Mr Sharael Taha had mentioned earlier. But since we exited the Circuit Breaker on 2 June, we have been resuming more activities in a safe and progressive manner. We are currently in Phase Two and have reopened most of our economy, subject to safe management measures in place. About 95% of businesses are now allowed to resume operations and more people are returning to office.[+20 sentences] About two weeks ago, we took another significant step towards restoring economic activity. We allowed more employees who have been working from home to return to their workplaces for up to half their working time. We have also allowed work-related events at the workplace to resume. But as we strive to maintain Singapore’s position as a business and transport hub, we are progressively reopening our borders. We are establishing reciprocal green lanes to conduct essential travel with other countries and regions and with the necessary safeguards in place to ensure the safety of Singaporeans and our international visitors. We are piloting new concepts to support our businesses in this new operating environment. These efforts will allow us to play a role in setting the global standards required to resume activities safely. A couple of examples. The first is cruise. Some cruise lines will soon start to operate cruises, under stringent hygiene and safety measures, for safe cruising. To ensure the highest hygiene and safety standards, Singapore is one of the first countries in the world to develop and implement a mandatory audit and certification programme for cruise lines. A CruiseSafe certification is required before a cruise can commence sailing, and cruise lines which have been allowed to operate have since reported an overwhelming number of bookings received. We have also begun pilots of events and activities with a larger number of attendees. For instance, we are piloting the resumption of MICE events of up to 250 attendees. Under STB’s Safe Business Events Framework, event organisers are required to demonstrate their ability to meet specified health and safety outcomes before they are allowed to pilot events. We will continue to adapt and adjust our protocols and assess how we can allow more large-scale events to proceed. Critically, we have also ramped up our testing capability and capacity and we are evaluating alternative tests and sampling methods as they become available, to ensure they can be deployed safely and effectively. In the immediate term, countries that manage the COVID-19 situation best can reap economic dividends, as they will be able to minimise any further disruptions to lives and livelihoods. To do so, our business and community must continue to stay vigilant and exercise social responsibility as we resume more activities. Sir, in the past few months, many businesses have benefited from the schemes and programmes that we rolled out earlier this year to help them tide over the immediate challenges. For instance, our loan schemes have helped firms to address immediate cash flow issues. I want to update the House that as of September 2020, more than 18,000 enterprises have taken up loans under the ESG’s loan scheme, such as the Temporary Bridging Loan Programme.[+4 sentences] As announced earlier this week, we are further extending and calibrating the loan schemes to ensure enterprises can continue to access financing for their cash flow, trade activities and project needs. At the same time, there is a pressing need to help businesses build new capabilities, as Members have shared earlier, and adapt to new realities because there is no going back to a pre-COVID world. So, we are encouraged that many businesses have taken the opportunity to strengthen their capabilities and capture growth opportunities. For those that need it, they can get support available through grants, such as Productivity Solutions Grant, Enterprise Development Grant and Market Readiness Assistance. Since the start of this year, ESG has supported over 28,000 projects under these schemes to help our companies increase productivity, build new capabilities and expand overseas.[+7 sentences] We have also announced enhancements to these schemes, as we continue to support companies to tap new sources of growth and adjust to the new operating environment. For instance, we are expanding the scope of the Market Readiness Assistance grant to include support for participation in virtual trade fairs, so that companies can find new business opportunities overseas without any physical travel. But as I have said earlier, our economic recovery will be uneven. So, some sectors will progressively recover, while others will have to pivot or restructure. That is the reality. We must, therefore, also ensure, as Members have suggested, that our assistance is more nuanced and targeted. MTI looks at the firms in three broad areas. First, for the firms in sectors with good growth prospects, such as biomedical manufacturing, we will help them scale faster and create more jobs for our workers. For firms the second bucket where they are in sectors that are facing a temporary drop in demand due to COVID-19 but will eventually recover, such as F&B and aerospace manufacturing, we will help them to preserve capabilities, consolidate capacity and tide them through this period. Third, for firms in sectors which have changed permanently, such as social entertainment, we will help them to pivot into new markets and businesses.[+1 sentence] Earlier on, the hon Member Mr Dennis Tan had mentioned about discotheques. I just wanted to say that since March 2020, pubs, bars, nightclubs, discotheques and karaoke lounges have not been allowed to operate as their operations pose higher risks of transmission arising from prolonged contact over a period of time. But I wanted to assure the House that the Government has been in consultation with the night life industry and we are finalising the support measures to assist them with the affected firms and employees and we will announce more details shortly.[+10 sentences] But moving forward, we need to reposition our economy to capture these new opportunities and support our enterprises as they transform and restructure. We must also set our sights on capturing new growth trends brought to the fore by COVID-19 and by positioning Singapore as a global-Asia node for technology, innovation and enterprise – the points raised by Members Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Ms Jessica Tan. But in an increasingly complex global economy, we will not compromise on our hard-won reputation as a safe, trusted and well-connected business hub for companies and workers to pursue growth. We have a good foundation; we have worked hard to create the right macro-conditions for cross-border trade and investments and innovation – even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. What is critical is that we have kept our supply chains going, our businesses open and ensured that goods and services continued to flow freely and efficiently through Singapore and we will continue to do so. In MTI's discussions with foreign chambers and businesses, they have recognised these efforts and deeply appreciate our commitment to a free and open trading system. Earlier, Member Ms Jessica Tan had mentioned about the new economic space in an increasingly digital world. This is very important as our interactions with the global marketplace of digital ideas are critical for new opportunities. I will share about how we will help businesses tap onto these new growth opportunities beyond our region. First, we have been working on the Digital Economy Agreement which complements our network of Free Trade Agreements by establishing international rules, setting benchmarks and aligning standards in areas of digital trade. Singapore signed its first two Digital Economy Agreements this year with Chile, New Zealand and also with Australia.[+25 sentences] As we will do so with more partners. This supports the interoperability of Singapore’s digital platforms and systems, such as e-payments or e-invoicing on digital identities, with those in other countries. It is very important that we smooth this out with different countries and we have mutual recognition and standards of interoperability. Why? This will allow our companies, especially SMEs, to internationalise and do business overseas. We will continue to encourage innovation and support companies in the journey to develop new products and solutions. This will enable us to capture new opportunities, especially those led by changing preferences and needs, for example, consumer needs. I think somebody mentioned earlier about purchasing online. For instance, the growing concerns about supply chain disruptions and climate change have led, for example, to the demand for sustainability-related products. The hon Member Ms Cheryl Chan spoke of the agri-food industry earlier on. I would like to assure her that MTI is focused on developing this sector and playing the role, as she mentioned, of the catalyst, and we are taking on an active role. Last week, I had an overseas trip to St John's Island where I visited the Singapore Food Agency’s Marine Aquaculture Centre. The Marine Aquaculture Centre houses a cluster of companies set up to innovate sustainable aquaculture solutions. So, they are feeding shrimps, sea bass and others. It is a sustainable recirculating aquaculture system or RAS, as they call it. One of the companies was Adisseo, which announced the set-up of its first-in-the-world Global Aquaculture Research station in Singapore. This research station will focus on innovative nutrition, health and technologies to develop optimised aquaculture feed solutions for the region and beyond. Another example is homegrown start-up TurtleTree Labs, which uses biotech to recreate the full composition, functionality and taste of milk in a lab environment. This method of producing milk is 95% less resource consumptive, as compared to regular milk production practices. It is an example of a novel solution towards sustainable dairy production globally and could potentially strengthen Singapore's long-term food diversification efforts. So, we will continue to build on our public investment in research and innovation through the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 plan. We will take into account shifts in the COVID-19 situation, as we guide public sector R&D to identify critical technologies for Singapore and drive solutions that will meet the changing needs of Singapore and our global partners. That is on the business side. For workers, as we restructure our economy and seek new growth opportunities, some jobs and livelihoods will be affected but the Government will continue to work closely with our workers, businesses and industry partners to help them seize the new opportunities available. On their end, our workers must also keep an open mind and be nimble to capture opportunities, including entering sectors which are new to them. And as a Government, we will support our workers as they pick up new skills and prepare for new opportunities. We have been doing so through the SkillsFuture Credit programmes under SGUnited Jobs and Skills package and WSG's Professional Conversion Programmes or PCPs.[+2 sentences] But at the same time, our businesses must also do all they can to retrain workers, retain and treat them fairly. And we will support them as we do so. For instance, businesses can use the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit to cover their expenses on workforce transformation initiatives, including job redesigning and training for workers. The Jobs Growth Incentive also provides salary support to encourage businesses especially those which are expanding, to hire more local employees, which the Minister for Manpower had mentioned earlier.[+7 sentences] We have been working industry partners, including Trade Associations and Chambers or TACs, and unions, to provide valuable support in this journey. So, you are not alone. I will give you an example. For instance, the extensive network and industry knowledge enable these TACs to reach out to companies and workers to facilitate job matching and training. An example is the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association or SSIA, who I spoke to a couple of weeks ago. SSIA has been working with WSG on a Professional Conversion Programme to attract jobseekers who are new to the electronics industry, and this is a growing industry. SSIA also partnered training institutes like Singapore Polytechnic and the NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education to train and re-skill the workers as they make a career switch. Since 2016, SSIA has facilitated the placement of over 1,200 workers into the electronics industry through the programme.[+5 sentences] And we will continue to help our businesses and workers to adjust and transform. Our journey is fraught with challenges, as businesses and workers will need to make painful but necessary adjustments to adapt and to transform. But as I mentioned in my maiden speech, Singaporeans are no strangers to difficulties and challenges since our nation's founding. We have been through many ups and downs over the years, but we have always risen above the challenges and bounced back from adversity. We will continue to press on with resilience and will overcome this challenge together.
Mr Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Shawn Huang.
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong (Jurong)902 words
[+14 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, we face immense challenges. COVID continues to cause massive disruptions to many industries. As we hope for normalcy and eventual recovery, we must expect that recovery will not be uniform. For some, the impact of COVID will have permanence. Some countries will recover faster and with less disruptions. A few will face more permanent dislocation. We can already observe shifts that will affect us with permanence: the changes in the nature of retail, the realignment of supply chains with reshoring of capabilities, how educational services are being delivered, and the rise of teleworking – just to name a few. What does it mean for us? There are a few things to think about. The world has become more global, more digitally connected, sophisticated and culturally attuned to global competition. And at the same time, the world has also become more localised where circumstances have forced corporations and governments to rethink their strategies to build local economic resilience. With such a backdrop, how do we build up our local SMEs to become regional and global champions? For us to do well, we must be able to stack the competencies of different industries to build services and products. We have much unrealised potential in Singapore that has the legs for expansion. One of these local SME is BH Global.[+2 sentences] When it first started in 1963, it was a small hardware company selling electrical products. It has evolved. The mass fever screening equipment that you see at Changi Airport is locally produced by them. Today, it is being deployed worldwide in major airports in Europe, US, UK, India, Kuwait and many more.[+13 sentences] I wanted to suggest to them that they should start printing the Singapore flag on their product. BH is continuing with this strategy of stacking different competencies, for example, cybersecurity for ships, advanced materials for marine sustainability. The true productivity gains of our Singapore companies must be their ability to develop cross industry solutions, to be able to stack different competencies and develop high value products and services to compete regionally and globally. In Singapore, we have strong and diverse competencies within a small geographical area. We are better poised to collaborate and leverage on one another's strength. As the African proverb states: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." We must move away from focusing on being faster, cheaper and better. We must develop an eco-system to enable Singapore companies to move into high value, differentiated markets. Closely related to our survival is sustainable infrastructure. We are now increasingly aware of the dire impact of climate change. This includes food shortages, large-scale human migration, threat to our coral reefs and extreme weather events. An area of growing interest is the concept of a circular economy: resources are being recycled in a loop to maximise their value. One such example is the collaboration between Sports Singapore and Dow to upcycle 300,000 pairs of used shoes into sports infrastructure, such as jogging tracks, fitness areas and playgrounds. According to the World Green Building Council, building and construction account for 39% of all carbon emissions in the world and with buildings' operational emission accounting for 28%.[+21 sentences] We must be strive to look into more sustainable methods of construction, such as the use of steel structures. They are usually stronger, lighter and easier to recycle. Steel buildings can almost be entirely recycled. The rails, frames and cladding can be melted to make new steel, and this takes three times less energy than making new ones. The concrete floors for steel structures can be much thinner than regular concrete floors, and the salvage rate for such buildings is around 94%. It enables manpower savings of up to 20%, allows flexibility in design with less columns and load-bearing walls, less dust and smoke at construction sites and is environmentally sustainable. Another sustainable action is to be deliberate in building new infrastructure. This means not demolishing existing structures unless we really need to. We should look into the conservation or to design future buildings to enable modular upgrades, lifespan extension and to be retrofitted for other purposes. South Beach Tower and our National Gallery Singapore are noteworthy projects. Repurposing and integrating conservation buildings can be environmentally sustainable and modern. For example, in London, one of the world's most prestigious art galleries, the Tate Modern, is located at a former power station on the banks of the River Thames. By deploying modern technology, it uses 54% less energy and generate 44% less carbon today with natural air circulation and advanced temperature controls. The recent proposal to conserve Golden Mile is also noteworthy. Another consideration is conserving and repurposing the “zhap tze yit lau” Diamond Blocks located in Jurong. Both Golden Mile and the Diamond Blocks have the potential to become the hallmark of conservation and sustainability. I recall vividly a number of Singaporeans had expressed a sense of loss over the demolition of existing structures over the years. Demolition for progress and development is crucial to land-scare Singapore. But as we grapple with ways to feel connected with our heritage and in our aspiration to protect the environment, we should explore with increasing urgency the alternatives. Like recycled steel, we constantly recast ourselves for the future but deeply aware of our history that made us who we are. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Ministerial Statement.
Mr Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Vikram Nair.
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang)922 words
[+5 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of this Motion. It is hard to imagine that when this year started, COVID-19 was still a little known virus in China and it seemed to be largely contained at that time. I looked back at my Facebook page and still saw happy gatherings and get-togethers at the beginning of the year. Barely 10 months later, the world is a different place. Many have lost and continue to lose loved ones to the virus. Globally, the number stands at 38 million infected people and 1.09 million people have died.[+15 sentences] Global travel has frozen and all across the world, economic contraction is the reality. For those who have not been directly impacted by the virus, livelihoods remain a key concern. Much has been mentioned in this debate about the uneven impact of the virus. And one of the most stark example of this is perhaps the US. The US is the country with the largest number of cases and the largest number of deaths from the virus. Yet, at the same time, US stock market indices continue to make new highs. What this really shows is that there are many companies that continue to thrive even as others in this virus. This is what the Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter would have called creative destruction. There are new businesses coming up, they innovate and break the mould even as old ones suffered and get destroyed. The gains in the US markets are largely driven by tech stocks that were not only unaffected by COVID-19, but in fact have thrived in that environment. Against this backdrop, Singapore has done remarkably well in its fight against COVID-19. From early on, a Ministerial Committee was formed which met regularly and coordinated decision making with a focus to contain the virus. Coordinated efforts were taken as the need arose. And if we look back, the developments in this was really quite significant. It started with guidance, eventually, restrictions became more serious as the spread of the virus grew in Singapore, culminating in a two-months circuit breaker where many of us remained at home. As a result of all these efforts, although we had a spike in cases, largely from a combination of Singaporeans returning from abroad as well as a spread in the dormitories, fatality rates were kept low and are amongst the lowest in the world. Our testing rates are now amongst the highest as a percentage of the population and we had expanded our medical capacity so that everyone who needed medical attention would be able to get it.[+1 sentence] At the same time, the economic impact of COVID-19 has been significantly cushioned by the Government. The wide range of measures provided – from jobs support packages for employers, rental reliefs for businesses and supplementary income for both employees and the self-employed – has provided many Singaporean businesses the ability to stay afloat and provided many Singaporeans with money to spend even if their income has dropped.[+10 sentences] This is important because if businesses shutter, then when the economy recovers, there may be significant gaps and recovery may be stalled. Life is slowly becoming more normal, and while wearing masks has now become part of our lives, most Singaporeans are otherwise returning to work and more and more businesses are opening doors and resuming. Some sectors remain under significant pressure, including travel and tourism, as well as those related to oil and gas. Singaporean businesses also continue to be under pressure and as Government support is taken away, things may get more difficult, which is why it is important to continue to provide some buffer for them to stay in business. Against this backdrop, I believe these latest Budget measures provide a well-thought through suite of measures focused on economic continuity. I think it rightly recognises that performance across sectors is uneven and provides tailored support as needed. So, in sectors such as aviation, retail and tourism, support packages, which include the Enhanced Aviation Support Package, which is a temporary redeployment scheme for affected employees so that they can still get jobs at the moment while at the same time, they get to return to the industry if it recovers. The wage support packages for hiring new employees are helpful, particularly for companies in the start-up sector, as it helps share the risk of hiring new workers. That greater support is given for hiring workers above 40 or workers with disabilities is also a good incentive to help groups that may otherwise have a harder time finding jobs. The lifeline of businesses is of course credit and the bridging loan programme supported by MAS continues to provide businesses with credit lines even as the outlook remains uncertain. The low interest rate environment is also helpful as this keeps the cost of borrowing lower for businesses. I would also like to congratulate the National Jobs Council for curating 117,500 opportunities as at end of August.[+2 sentences] Given that we do not know when hard hit sectors will recover and given the current warnings that the economic scarring is likely to take full effect in the coming months om the MAS, I think it is important for us to continue to create new opportunities so that displaced workers can find new jobs. While “creative destruction” is a necessary component of development and progress, as a Government, I think we can help our people to continue with their lives even if the businesses they are working in get disrupted and they are forced to change.
Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang)1204 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will deliver the first half of my speech in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to express my support for the Supplementary Supply Bill and thank Deputy Prime Minister Heng for his Ministerial Statement. Deputy Prime Minister's statement emphasised developing Singapore into a Global-Asia node of technology, innovation and enterprise which will be supported by a strong, skilled and yet inclusive workforce.[+14 sentences] I am very much encouraged by the plans to prepare our nation for the next phase as we emerge from the uncertainty of the past few months. We are not out of the woods yet but we must stay positive, do our best, and work hard for our future. I am inspired and moved by the many Singaporeans who are taking brave steps to learn new skills, take on new jobs, and adapt to a very different world. I am grateful for the unity and cooperation of Singaporeans and residents during this difficult time. Unlike some parts of the world which are polarised over measures to contain the virus, we are working together to overcome this pandemic based on scientific advice, logic and common sense. People from all walks of life are putting up with inconveniences and making sacrifices for the greater good. All these qualities put us in good stead for the future. I am confident that we can achieve the goal of remaking Singapore as a Global-Asia node of technology, innovation and enterprise. In view of the difficulties we face, this is an ambitious, perhaps even audacious, vision. This vision requires a huge investment in our human capital, especially as we want to achieve it together with the objective of inclusive growth. We are deep in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We must seize the opportunities presented by new technologies, particularly in the digital domains of the Internet of Things, robotics, artificial intelligence and cloud computing, just to name a few. If we fail to do so, we will become irrelevant. Being a small nation state with no natural resources, our survival will be at stake. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I appreciate that SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centres in the HDB estates will reach out to the disadvantaged ones to help with job matching. The extension of the COVID-19 Support Grant and the continued support for households, such as the GST Voucher, Grocery Vouchers, Service and Conservancy Charges or S&CC rebates, and Workfare Special Payment, are also helpful. However, there is room for us to do more. I appeal to the Government and its agencies to make an additional effort to provide a better living and learning environment for the underprivileged children.[+5 sentences] In a knowledge-intensive future, these children will not stand a chance if they live in overcrowded flats with access to borrowed equipment, limited or slow connectivity and minimal adult supervision and guidance. We may need to tighten our collaboration with the volunteer groups and private companies which are willing to sponsor and mentor these children as well. This will be a worthwhile investment to help them break out of a vicious poverty cycle. Allow me to quote from the 28 September article, "The Equality Issue” of the Bloomberg Businessweek. Harvard economist Raj Chetty's research suggested that, and I quote, "Improving education for poor kids wouldn't just help them personally...it should also boost the economy overall. An analysis of the patents filed by 1.2 million Americans found that children of the top 1% are 10 times more likely to be inventors than equally smart kids from other backgrounds...if...children from low-income families could invent at the same rate... these 'lost Einsteins' could quadruple innovation in the US.” I would venture that we can expect a similar situation in Singapore with regard to our future in innovation.[+21 sentences] Children grow up quickly. Within 10 to 20 years, we will be able to see the fruits of our efforts in these children. In less than a generation’s time, we can boost literacy and education levels, reduce crime and recidivism rates, and improve health outcomes. But we must be prepared to intervene more, and the earlier the better. As the saying goes, "A stitch in time saves nine". Early intervention is important and necessary. Under our laws, children already have rights for living necessities, education and healthcare. What we need is effective oversight for children in low-income families to ensure that they are receiving these essentials. For example, if the adults in the families pass away or are imprisoned, the state must step in to protect and provide for these kids. Children unaccounted for must be traced. Schools should alert relevant agencies when children do not seem to cope well. Protecting them, helping them, lifting them up will prevent a future group of potential permanent underclass. We should watch over our children as zealously as we would over our reserves. I would like to suggest that for the underprivileged children, a “Children and Youth” equivalent of the Agency for Integrated Care to be set up in order to enable coordinated and holistic oversight. The children must have guaranteed access to basics, regardless of their families’ situation – accommodation, food, water, electricity, mentoring, healthcare, transportation and so on. The agency should also provide and manage the eco-system of support, such as supervision, mentoring and fostering, so that these vulnerable kids will have better chances of growing up healthy and well-adjusted, enjoying school and be capable of learning well. Increasingly, underprivileged kids who will find it harder to catch up with their peers in a knowledge- and skills-intensive economy. Can the kids from these underprivileged families fulfill the specialised roles required by the Foreign Direct Investments brought in painstakingly by the Economic Development Board? I am not too sure. Deputy Prime Minister mentioned that the best way to protect the welfare of our workers is a good job. Thus, we need to ensure that these underprivileged kids can level up and have a good education now so that they can take on the specialised roles and uplift their families in 10 to 20 years’ time. For workers in the lower income brackets, Government will help them by expanding the implementation of the Progressive Wage Model or PWM to more sectors.[+1 sentence] I am heartened by recent announcement about the Government’s commitment to this. The cleaning, landscaping and security sectors have already seen the fulfilment of the four objectives of PWM, namely, career progression, skills upgrading, higher productivity and wage increases. Hopefully, more sectors will follow, such as for the waste management, construction, retail, food and beverage, accommodation and hospitality sectors. With the PWM, we can look forward to attracting more Singaporeans to work in these essential jobs and becoming less dependent on foreigners.[+2 sentences] During the transition period, we may face some difficulties recruiting Singaporeans. However, I am optimistic that the pressure from the demand for the services will drive productivity and result in better work conditions for these jobs. Workers will be paid higher wages and be respected as professionals in their own right.[+2 sentences] Building a strong Singaporean Core in these various sectors will boost our resilience. On this note, allow me to conclude with my support for the Statement.
Mr Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leon Perera.
Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied)18 words
[+2 sentences]Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. Sir, it is my understanding that I am due to speak tomorrow.
Mr Deputy Speaker10 words
[+2 sentences]You would like to speak tomorrow? Is that your intention?
Mr Leon Perera6 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir.
Mr Deputy Speaker6 words
[+2 sentences]All right then. Ms Joan Pereira.
Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar)931 words
[+5 sentences]Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, today, I would like to speak on helping those who have fallen through the cracks and the issue of a harmonious society. During this difficult time, I would like to appeal for more help for the sandwiched class, especially our young families. The young parents are just starting out in their new careers and new family lives when this crisis struck. I have spoken to many young families in my constituency and I share their worries. I hope the Government will consider providing higher subsidies for their children’s medical and insurance expenses, including some support for expenditure for the third child onwards. Next, I welcome the one-off $3,000 Baby Support Grant or BSG, for newborns.[+1 sentence] This will be in addition to the current Baby Bonus cash gift of up to $10,000. The BSG is intended to help parents of Singaporean children born between 1 October 2020 and 30 September 2022 to defray the cost of raising a child amid the pandemic, and hopefully, to also encourage couples not to delay parenthood.[+4 sentences] However, I have received a lot of feedback from parents whose babies were born after the onset of the pandemic this year but before 1 October 2020. I understand that all policies have to have a specific start date. But I also understand how difficult it has been for parents who were expecting or who just gave birth during or after the circuit breaker period. They shared with me how they had trouble getting a confinement nanny, grappled with the challenge of obtaining supplies when shops were closed and how they fretted over getting necessities for their newborns. Many couples also could not have their parents visit and help out due to safety measures during the circuit breaker period. I appeal to the Government to consider extending the $3,000 Baby Support Grant to all Singaporean babies born in 2020 so that we can better support our young families in these very trying times. I hope babies born to single mothers can also be included to help reduce stress for the mother in an already very challenging situation.[+20 sentences] Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): I have received a lot of feedback from parents whose babies were born after the onset of the pandemic this year, but before 1 October 2020. I understand that all policies must have a specific start date. But I also understand how difficult it has been for parents who were expecting or who just gave birth during or after the circuit breaker period. They shared with me how they had trouble getting a confinement nanny, grappled with the challenge of obtaining supplies when shops were closed and how they fretted over getting necessities for their newborns. Many couples also could not have their parents visit and help out due to safety measures during the circuit breaker period. I appeal to the Government to consider extending the $3,000 Baby Support Grant to all Singaporean babies born in 2020 so that we can better support our young families in these trying times. I hope babies born to single mothers can be included too to help reduce stress for the mother in an already challenging situation. (In English): For vulnerable families, they need more support and guidance during this very difficult time. Will the Government be channeling more resources into counselling services for them? How about setting up mutual support networks, supported by experienced professionals and other community partners, where they can learn helpful tips from one another and provide mutual encouragement? It is important for them to know that they are not alone and to realise that they do not need to walk this journey alone. Next, I would like to express my concern and slight alarm over the increasing discomfort in some parts of our society towards the idea of a cosmopolitan Singapore. We have to be very vigilant and take proactive steps to ensure that this will not worsen as it may lead to fault lines widening in our society. I am worried that part of this problem may be along racial lines, which may cause discomfort among members of our minority groups. I think that the acknowledgement of this problem is important in order for us to start the process in managing this issue. National education for our young and public education for the rest of us will continue to be essential. All of us must understand that a Singapore that closes its doors to the outside world is bad for all of us. I am keenly aware that some of these questions and comments arose because there is an impression that foreigners are here competing with Singaporeans for jobs. We need to strike a balance between meeting our economic needs and maintaining our social fabric. If we were to keep our goal of being an open, global and regional hub, we need to accept the presence of international firms and foreigners living and working with us in our society. But I wish to call upon the Government to be more selective and ensure that only foreigners with specialised skills or experience that are less commonly found in our local workforce are brought into Singapore so that our citizens will feel more secure and can be convinced that the foreigners are here to add value and not compete for their jobs and other resources.[+2 sentences] We have to keep a careful balance so that we do not feel overwhelmed while trying to maintain our economic competitiveness. Sir, I would like to conclude with my support for the Ministerial Statement.
Overview of Government’s Strategy to Emerge Stronger from the COVID-19 Pandemic›Ministerial Statements94 turns · 41,959w
· 293 highlighted
ministerial-statement-1512recorded 2020-10-15
Speaker not recorded65 words
[+1 sentence], (proc text)] [(proc text) “That the Ministerial Statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance on the Overview of Government’s Strategy to Emerge Stronger from the COVID-19 Pandemic be considered by Parliament.” – (proc text)].
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leon Perera.
Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied)2917 words
[+9 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought havoc on the economy of the world and Singapore and as the virus mutates and countries react, we must realise that our efforts may resemble the labours of mythological Sisyphus – who kept rolling a boulder up a hill, only to see it roll down again and again – at least until an effective vaccine is widely available and may be even lasting beyond that. However, we do need to look beyond COVID and to do that, we have to look before COVID. There were many deep economic trends already gathering pace before COVID, including rising geo-political tensions, nativism and economic nationalism. Mr Speaker, Sir, in my speech today I shall focus only one of these trends – industry disruption. The rise of Industry 4.0 or disruptive industries more broadly has been much talked about around the world, among economists, experts, business persons, unions, activists and politicians. Industry 4.0 refers to the Fourth Industrial Revolution where data from the Internet of Things and other sources revolutionises economic activity. Industry disruption more broadly refers to the recent wave of new technologies and business models that threaten or, should I say, promise to disrupt existing industries. Simply put, these refer to new industries like drones which may displace conventional last-mile delivery, including food service delivery, artificial intelligence or AI which may displace clerical jobs or functions like para-legal work or even radiology, autonomous vehicles which may displace jobs like taxi and private hire car driving and quantum computing which is possibly the mother of all disruptions and may drive machine learning, pattern recognition and other activities traditionally associated with AI beyond the bounds of what is conventionally recognised as AI today, in turn potentially displacing many skilled white-collar jobs. What does the advent of all these disruptive industries mean for Singapore? A Cisco Oxford Economic Study in 2018 projected the following: 85,000 existing roles will disappear from the labour market, pushing workers into other industries and occupations. Singapore is said, according to this report, to confront a gap in average skill levels of 14.3 on a scale of 0 to 100 – higher than Vietnam at 13.4, Malaysia at 12.7 and Thailand at 8.5. According to this report, the three sectors in line for most displacement in Singapore are: firstly, wholesale and retail with 80,000 jobs displaced; secondly, manufacturing with 55,000 jobs displaced; and thirdly, transport with 50,000 jobs displaced. Also, the 2017 Global Future of Works Survey by Willis Towers Watson found that companies in Singapore expect automation will account for an average of 29% of all work done the next three years, a big increase in 14% of work being done using automation in 2018 and just 7% in 2015.[+20 sentences] Mr Speaker, Sir, these forecasts were made before COVID. Some may argue that these are alarmist projections. But it is possible that COVID-19 has, in fact, delayed the advance of these disruptive industries by delaying timelines for R&D and new business investment. As COVID recedes, the threat and opportunity from these disruptive trends may return to the old trajectory, which means that many jobs in Singapore will be jeopardised not from COVID but from long-term industry disruption. Sir, I enjoyed reading former US presidential candidate and entrepreneur Andrew Yang's compelling book about industry disruption, aptly entitled "The War on Ordinary People". It argues that the threat of industry disruption hollowing out middle market, skilled jobs as chillingly imminent. Among the examples he cited was that of a person who was exchanging emails with another person whom he thought was the secretary of a business associate. He later discovered that the person he was emailing with whom he had exchanged pleasantries and had a fruitful conversation over email was, in fact, an AI-driven bot. Lest anyone misunderstand my reference to Andrew Yang, let me make clear that I am not arguing for universal basic income or UBI here, as I think the jury is still out on the topic and addressing UBI now would be premature – though it is something we should keep an open mind about. Sir, the Government has been cognisant of the risk to the jobs from industry disruption. Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in his COVID-19 Statement in Parliament last week spoke about providing holistic support for vulnerable workers and for ensuring that workers have the skills to stay relevant. He also spoke of the even greater urgency for middle aged and middle income workers to gain new skills and transition into jobs with good long-term prospects. Schemes such as the PCP, CSP, SGUnited Traineeship, Mid-Career Traineeship and others have been put in place, some for a long time, some recently to address the systemic risk to jobs in certain industries as well as the risk to employability among certain segments such as older PMETs. There are various CETs and SkillsFuture programmes for training. The newly formed National Jobs Council has said that it will work with the Future Economy Council on the overall upgrading of the economy, including addressing the issue of future proofing jobs. However, there are limitations to these schemes. Firstly, these schemes have not yet made a huge impact on the job market. The tsunami of industry disruption that is likely to emerge in future argues for more scalable schemes which induce more workers to join the industries of the future, including industries that are not big employers right now. In 2019, close to 4,500 individuals were placed through PCPs which is comparable to the placement achievement in 2018. However, this is a very, very small percentage of the labour force. Under the Adapt and Grow initiative, including PCP and CSP, more than 31,000 local jobseekers were placed in jobs in 2019, similar to the 2018 number.[+30 sentences] However, not all of these placements would be in emergent disruptive industries. Secondly, these schemes address certain types of at-risk segments such as older PMETs or those who are retrenched. There is perhaps insufficient attention at the policy level to industries that are doing okay now, like delivery or driving jobs or certain types of clerical and service jobs which are at risk from industry disruption a few years down the road but for whom there is no urgency on the part of employers and employees to prepare for a more uncertain future right now. To raise the example of jobs like driving taxis and private hire cars which are I and others have spoken about in the past, many of these jobs could be wiped out by autonomous vehicles in the years to come. Many younger entrants to these industries may find themselves on the wrong side of industry disruption when they hit their late 30s, 40s or 50s, at which time reskilling and transitioning to a new industry will be hard. Should we not give some thought to these challenges and encourage these workers to plan for the same? Sir, let us now look at the same issue from the perspective not of workers but of the economy as a whole. We do want to attract and root disruptive industries in Singapore so that they can become engines of our economic growth. Why? Because if we anchor the technical skills, employee qualifications, business know-how and entrepreneurial talent behind these industries of the future in Singapore, that will enable us to export these skills to the region and the world, thus facilitating high-quality, inclusive economic growth. If there is an insufficient supply of workers for these new industries, workers whether through traditional industries including sunset industries, that means these new industry investments may not come to Singapore. Rather, they may go to Hong Kong or Bangkok or Jakarta or Shanghai or Hyderabad. Or it could mean that if and when these new industries land in Singapore there would be too few Singaporeans with the will and skills to take jobs there so workers will have to be imported on Employment Passes and special passes. This may mean that it would hard to establish a strong Singapore Core in such industries going forward. It may also mean that these investments may be less firmly anchored in Singapore in the future. Mr Speaker, Sir, one response to all of this is to say, "We don't want disruptive industries, let's legislate to ban them". But I do not think any serious commentator or stakeholder will really argue this nowadays. Such a move would doom us to economic irrelevance. So, I would not spend any more time addressing that straw man argument. How then can we attract and anchor disruptive next generation industries in Singapore and, at the same time, and in tandem urge our workers to transition from sunset at-risk industries to these new industries, thus creating a virtual cycle of enhancing employability and protecting jobs on the one hand and attracting and rooting these industries in Singapore, on the other? There are a few chicken and egg conundrums here. The first conundrum is how do we attract employees to join or to train for riskier, less mature disruptive industries like AVs, AI and so on when they may not feel assured that there will be a job there at the end of their training or that the job will be sustainable. The second conundrum is how do we nurture the growth of such industries in Singapore when there are few workers with the relevant skills in the short term, without relying on an unsustainable importation of skilled foreign workers? Sir, to address these questions, I shall conclude my speech with a few suggestions. Firstly, Sir, I would suggest that our economic agencies study a new model for attracting and supporting investments in next generation industries. Many of these industries rely on highly specialised skills that may not be taught in courses available in Singapore or courses that are widely subscribed to. The lead time to create a critical mass of Singaporeans trained in these skills could be years and the challenge faces the chicken and egg problem discussed above. As in many Singaporeans may not want to invest in such training out of uncertainty about whether it would be worth. However, workers with such skills may be available at short notice in other cities in the world to be recruited for work in Singapore. Silicon Valley, for example, London or Israel or China. In order to attract and support such investment projects that create jobs, either from foreign investors or from domestic investors and entrepreneurs, can our economic agencies offer limited term foreign work passes for individuals with such specialised skills?[+1 sentence] The term could be five years, for example. To attract big investment projects in a competitive investment climate, a mix of fixed term and non-fixed term Employment Passes could be offered. For the fixed term passes, the idea would be that the employer would be expected to hire a Singaporean to fill that position when the term of the pass ends. That fixed term, say, five years could then be used to set up training for Singaporeans to acquire those skills.[+8 sentences] That could be formal academic training or employer-led training, using one of the many existing schemes that we have. When the term ends, there would be enough Singaporeans with the relevant skills to fill that position; and if they are not and that is proven, the pass can be extended a little longer. The presence of the employer in Singapore with fixed term foreign work passes will provide some assurance to prospective Singaporean employees that their efforts to train for a role in this new industry would be likely to lead to a good job. By adopting an approach like fixed term work passes, we can bring in foreigners with rare but future-ready skillsets while buying time for Singaporeans to be trained in those very same skillsets, in a way that gives some assurance to those Singaporeans that the training would have a decent chance of landing him or her a good job in a future-ready industry. Sir, fixed term work passes will also be attractive to foreign professionals because they would have several years of working experience here. They may also be able to find another employer, perhaps in a different industry before the end of that term. Otherwise, they could be posted to another city by their employer. Sir, before I leave this point, I would like to make the observation that as the pace of disruption picks up, Singapore would benefit from a redundancy insurance scheme but one in which additional income support can be tied to training and reskilling for growth sectors. Some economists have argued that the Scandinavian economies succeeded in shifting big sections of their workforce – for example, in Sweden's obsolete shipyards – to more productive skilled occupations, thereby facilitating the upgrading of the Swedish economy at a much faster and more durable pace.[+3 sentences] In contrast, some states and cities in the US saw de-industrialisation because they did not have concerted state-sponsored retraining and income support policies. This led, in some cases, to entire communities and regions becoming impoverished and facing social decay, in turn fueling populist politics. Journalist Thomas Gross, in a 2018 article wrote and I quote, "Most Swedish workers who are replaced by machines fairly quickly land another job as good as their old one, thanks to a network of job security councils jointly run by industries and unions, that retrained laid-off workers in skills that are still in demand and out of reach of robots. Moreover, while unemployed and learning new skills, workers are buoyed by a safety net that includes generous jobless benefits." Sir, going forward, Singapore will need to seriously up its game in both skills upgrading and interim structural income support with the latter tied to the former.[+2 sentences] Secondly, I would suggest that the Government look into working with employees and other stakeholders in industries at risk from disruption to get them to anticipate the risks and start planning for what to do if and when their industry gets disrupted and they lose their job. This is not an idea without precedent. Denmark's national skills anticipation system, for example, seeks to compile accessible and detailed information on labour market trends and skills demand for 850 occupations in order to: firstly, support the work of job centres in helping individuals find better job opportunities; and secondly, to informed education, employment and skills policies.[+13 sentences] Denmark's main skills anticipation activities include: skills forecasting, for example, statistical forecasting of education status and the demand and supply of labour; skills assessments, for example, quantitative sectoral assessments on imbalances in the labour market; skills foresight, for example, sectoral assessments on future needs in the labour market and employer surveys. Sir, in the past, I have also spoken in this House about the Korean jobs dictionary which aims to compile and disseminate information about the nature and outlook for most types of jobs in Korea. The aims and approach, while not similar to the Denmark example I cited, have some points of commonality. At this point, let me declare my interest as a CEO of an international research consultancy that undertakes research on such issues among other things. And lastly, we currently have various mechanisms and platforms for workers of the receiving end of industry disruption to receive help in respect of job matching and career coaching. I have referred some of my constituents in Serangoon onto such services and they are not without value. However, it is less clear if the providers of such services practise an approach where one career coach sticks with a prospective employee from end-to-end, seeing him or her through to a successful placement. The KPIs for such agencies and data on success versus failure are also not clear. What is the ratio of success? How does it vary, based on industry vocation, gender, age, race, PwD status or other variables? It would be good for such data to be made public so that success can be measured and debated publicly. In doing so would not mean accepting that the employee has no responsibility for her or his success in finding a new job. It would just mean that some transparency and a proper account management approach may be more effective in enabling us to refine our strategies for finding jobs for displaced workers. In the UK, for example, around 13,500 work coaches and job centres hired by the department for work and pensions aim to move jobseekers on benefits or income support into employment. A single work coach will follow a claimant throughout their time on benefit, helping to match claimants to jobs that suit their skills and help to fill skill gaps by offering training to claimants who require it.[+3 sentences] Work coaches are trained to play a complex role, almost like a social worker – in listening, encouraging, advising and ensuring jobseekers have access to support. Work coaches seek to understand the barriers faced by each jobseeker and deliver a personalised approach to support them, sometimes coaching them to develop the requisite skills and confidence. Mr Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, the coming wave of industry disruption and job displacement will affect jobs in a way that is hard to underestimate. And thus has it always been when cars replaced horses, when electric power replaced gas lighting and so on and so forth. It behoves us to prepare for that coming wave by considering ideas, like fixed term foreign work passes, jobs anticipation programmes and end-to-end KPI-driven jobs coaching.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms He Ting Ru.
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang)1630 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, like many expecting parents, the news of the one-off Baby Support Grant is a welcome one for our family as it will go towards defraying the costs of having a new child amidst the global uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. It is also good to hear the Government reiterate its commitment towards supporting Singaporeans who aspire to get married and have children. However, the policy start date of 1 October this year has meant that parents with newborns today do not benefit from the grant. Can we consider extending this grant to parents with children born since the onset of the pandemic?[+2 sentences] It is noteworthy that the Baby Bonus Scheme was introduced on 1 April 2001, almost 20 years ago, and has gone through numerous rounds of enhancements, the latest being in 2012. Parenthood tax rebates and other types of tax incentives are also given in an attempt to boost the birth rate. The Marriage and Parenthood Package is also stated to cost the Government approximately $4 billion a year. Yet, in 2019, our Total Fertility Rate was 1.19, and appears to be on course to stubbornly remain far below the replacement rate of 2.1 and still ranks amongst the lowest in the world.[+18 sentences] To make matters worse, we are now anticipating that couples will put off their parenthood plans, which will in turn have knock-on effects on our population's fertility rate. Singapore is not alone in trying to boost our birth rate, as fertility rates around the world have also been falling. However, we should ask ourselves, are there any blind spots in the way we have tackled this issue? Have we focused too much on the financial aspects of child-rearing, and forgotten to tackle other significant barriers to having children? The matter needs to be dealt with in a holistic way. It is notable that studies have shown that in developed economies, greater gender equity is correlated with higher birth rates. That is, better support given to women boosts fertility rates. To address this, one important area would be the role that fathers play in child-rearing. Just last weekend, while visiting friends for lunch, our two-year-old announced that he needed to go to the toilet. My husband stood up to take him, and was immediately met with a chorus of amazement and praise for being such a hands-on father. Would the same have occurred if a mother had brought her child to the toilet? Should we not also think hard about what it says about the roles of mothers and fathers that we are expected to sing high praises for fathers who change nappies or who bring their children out to "give their wives a break"? To be sure, we should not knock positive changes in fathers becoming more involved in bringing up their children in recent years. Yet, at the same time, it strikes me that we should be making better and more conscious efforts to view parenting as something that both parents have equal stake in, and that domestic and child-rearing work should not be the purview of mothers only. Looking at this from the other side, I would like my sons to grow up in a world where they have the freedom to decide for what works for their families. If they would like to have children, they should feel completely at ease to choose to stay at home be stay-at-home fathers, and not be seen as a "failure" or "not manly" enough for choosing this path. Every family should have a right to decide what works best for them and their children's care needs. And our policies must support their choices. As a first step, the Workers' Party has called for enhanced shared parental leave of a total of 24 weeks that would allow couples to decide how best to split the care of their newborn child, with a minimum of 12 weeks to be given to the mother.[+14 sentences] Our current policy of a new father being able to share only up to four weeks from the mother's leave only encourages the sense that it is primarily a mother's job to care for her newborn. However, leave policies are only the tip of the iceberg. As children grow, they require an incredible amount of care and attention. The emotional, physical and time demands on carers have been made worse by the pandemic. And I am not the first to point out that studies from all over the world have shown that parents, particularly mothers of young children, have found lockdowns especially challenging and have seen their share of caring responsibilities multiplied. Given that the end of the pandemic and its social and economic effects are probably nowhere in sight, we should pay special attention to the needs of young families to ensure that they are not burning out while trying to cope with what is after all a unique situation. We must encourage employers to support greater flexibility and career options and ensure this recalibration of work is accessible to both mother and father. This will allow families to make childcare arrangements that work for their particular circumstances. This move away from traditional work structures must not be seen as a cost borne by employers. Instead, it is the key to fully unlocking the human capital in their employees. With a bit of trust on both sides, businesses would benefit from better motivated employees with a resultant increase in productivity. Businesses should seize on recent disruptions caused by the pandemic and turn it into an opportunity to rethink about how we work and understand why it is important that we allow more flexible working arrangements in our businesses. For parents and family members who chose to stay at home to care for the next generation, I reiterate the call I made last month for better support and recognition for informal carers. We often hear jokes about maternity leave being a four-month long holiday, and stay-at-home mothers are idle "tai-tais". But anyone who has had to spend any amount of time being responsible for a young child would quickly debunk these ideas. However, there have been scant studies and time-use surveys done on parents in Singapore and there is also little research on parental burnout.[+2 sentences] Now would be a good time to conduct these to enable us to better understand the strains and pressures that these parents face. It is only when we have better identified these problems that we can start looking at the solutions as a whole, and change the narrative to better support and recognise the invaluable work of these unpaid carers. To add to the mix, our unforgiving and high stakes education system has created significant anxiety around raising children and is cited as a reason why families hold off on having kids or have fewer kids.[+5 sentences] I hear of parents having to volunteer for many hours to get their child a chance at a top Primary school, of the multitude of tuition or enrichment classes that parents send children to, and the stress that parents undergo whenever a key examination looms. We must relieve the pressure on parents and build a more forgiving education regime, where children are given fairer opportunities to succeed from kindergarten and up, and where kids and their families are not made to feel like the next examination will determine their life trajectory. Reducing class sizes, increasing the support and training for teachers to focus on a more inclusive and nurturing system would be a good first step as we start to tackle the stresses caused by our demanding education system. Having said all of this, one can only imagine how much more difficult this year has been for single parents who often have less access to alternative resources and support structures. It is only natural that single parents end up more stressed and burnt out than their married counterparts. Regardless of whether we believe such family structures should be encouraged, their children are innocent and better support for their parents only benefit these children. Therefore, I would like to ask for a clarification from the Minister if single parents too will be eligible for the Newborn Support Grant, and if not, whether they can be included. To close, the $3,000 of additional payment for families is a welcome. However, the effectiveness of this policy is limited by the extent to which the Government is willing to lean in to encourage and foster greater gender equity in the home and drive more flexibility in the workplace.[+7 sentences] This one-time payment must not obscure the importance of doing the hard work of changing the culture around care-giving and what we define as work in the context of family, even if these measures do not have an instantaneous effect like a transfer into a bank account. The importance of getting this right cannot be understated. Fertility is inextricably linked with sustainability and of increasing concerns about the Earth's finite resources. Even as we work to boost our birth rate, we must take action now to soften the impact and address the concerns of a world where an inverted age pyramid will become the norm with all the economic implications that come with it. We must no longer operate within the parameters or assumptions that we can keep our economic strategies along traditional population and economic growth models and ensure that we are not at the same time tackling increase costs of our ageing population, while maintaining inter-generational fairness. Our CPF, care systems and even physical spaces must now begin in another shift towards a society where older people will form part of majority. We must also combat ageism, embrace innovation, productivity and entrepreneurship, for a golden age, and the time to do so is now.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Dr Wan Rizal.
Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar)1269 words
[+7 sentences]Mr Speaker, before I begin, I would like to declare my interest as an educator in an Institute of Higher Learning. Mr Speaker, I would like to commend Deputy Prime Minister Heng for his Ministerial Statement last week and express my support. The Deputy Prime Minister’s Statement was an extensive one. I am heartened by the strong people focus in the Statement, placing front and centre, the interests of our people as the Government pushes forth with its plans for the economy. Not only were the strategies outlined broad in nature, it is also clear that the Government is paying special attention towards inclusive growth to ensure that vulnerable groups also keep pace, survive and thrive coming out of this crisis. Three areas resonated strongly with me. Firstly, the prioritisation of skills. One critical message in Deputy Prime Minister’s speech was a strong focus on jobs and in building our human capital through prioritising skills.[+10 sentences] I believe that skills prioritisation must begin early – even before commencement of jobs. Here, I am referring here to the Institutes of Higher Learning. Relevant courses must be identified and prioritised at the Pre-employment Training stage, whereas courses that are more specialised should be pushed towards the Continuing Education Training stage. In that way, all our graduates are assured of a solid yet flexible foundation that can be applied in other disciplines. For example, an aviation engineering student may be provided with a strong engineering foundation coupled with modules relevant to Industry 4.0. Similarly, a student doing tourism may be provided with a strong business foundation. This will provide them with the much-needed agility in an ever-changing job landscape. Second is in linking skills and practice. It is important for us to close the skills and practice gap so that Singaporeans can quickly apply and put into practice what they have learnt. This matching of skills to actual practice also creates a synergy between companies and requires skilled manpower and our workers who are equipped with these skills. The SGUnited Traineeships programme and SGUnited Jobs and Skills package are good examples of the close relationship between in skilling our workforce to meet the actual needs of the industry.[+1 sentence] Our graduates pick up relevant skills to a job which then leads to a transitioning to more long-term employment. A number of my students are in this programme and so far, their experience has been very positive. This gives me confidence to request further that we create more apprenticeship programmes so that this notion of work and relevance becomes a mainstay in our overall education to employment pathway.[+1 sentence] Additionally, I hope we also give allowance to our workers and grant them flexibility in pursuing new skills. This can be in the form self-development, to break the monotony of work, or a form of further upskilling to increase their value in the profession. We could, for instance, mandate a protected time of half a day during the work week so that our workers can take on courses and enhance their skill sets.[+3 sentences] Finally, digitalisation and digital literacy. Looking to the future, leading the digitalisation bandwagon allows us to unlock the growth that comes with it. We have experienced how technology has been critical in navigating us through this crisis. It has allowed many of us to work, study and remain connected. But in that aspect, I hope that the Government pull all stops to ensure that all Singaporeans, including the elderly and our children, have access to devices and are digitally literate.[+17 sentences] To be digitally literate means that our people not only know how to use technology meaningfully, but we have laid foundations for them to explore in this area more confidently. There have been stories of our children being given laptops by their schools, or community agencies, but not knowing how to effectively use these gadgets towards learning. Our elderly too may need more support in adapting to a digital economy. They may own the right smart-phones, but may still struggle to log in to and out of simple apps. Therefore, as we move into the digital economy, we must ensure that all people are digitally literate. In the schools and the Institutes of Higher Learning, I hope that our curriculums will continue to emphasise digital and data analytics skills so that our future generations are effective at using technology as a tool to solve complex problems. Mr Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): In his Ministerial Statement last week, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat gave a comprehensive overview of Singapore’s position in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis so far. The Government is working hard to secure the economy with a focus on manpower skills and further strengthening Singapore's workforce through technology. I hope that education in Singapore will emphasise the importance of skills, especially those related to the current industries, as the foundation for all courses in Polytechnics and Universities. In that way, all graduates are assured of a solid yet flexible foundation that will give them the opportunity to try other disciplines. This will ensure that our children are ready to address the current challenges in the industries and provide them with the much-needed agility in an ever-changing job landscape. As for technology, it is an enabling tool and can unlock opportunities. For example, companies using digital payment platforms can develop their businesses in cyberspace. Embracing technology will enable us to continue progressing with the increasingly vibrant wave of digitalisation and I urge that we reap its benefits. (In English): Being an educator for the past 15 years, having taught from the Primary school to University levels, I have seen how our education system has progressed and evolved over the years. Our education system is not perfect, but it also has considerable strengths which we should recognise. Coming from the Normal stream, I am heartened that our education system has shifted to the subject-based banding, concurrently slaying one sacred cow. However, the elephant in the room remains, and that is your PSLE.[+1 sentence] Like how different perspectives may see this elephant, we have to be mindful of the many trade-offs that may come with it. If we do do away with PSLE, what is the alternative?[+2 sentences] It may become a pure through-train system and this may worsen the pressure in Primary 1 registration, as you all have known by now. Regardless, I do believe that this is one area that we should continue to explore. Being a physical education or PE teacher myself, I am heartened to see the shift of focus from the more academic subjects to PE, to the Arts and even Music.[+1 sentence] Contrary to what some Members of this House may perceive, I believe that this is one clear indication of how our education system has become much more holistic. I am confident that having laid such solid foundations in our education system, it has prepared us sufficiently for the future. This COVID-19 situation has exposed the strengths of our teachers.[+6 sentences] Their dedication and their ability to adapt is amazing. Our teachers work hard to ensure that we meet the diverse needs of our diverse students. I believe that there should always be a balance between drills and free exploration, formative and summative assessments, group work as well as individual work, and of course, the mingling and teaching, based on the different and diverse abilities of our students. Our teachers have been amazing in ensuring that. And I hope as we move forward, we continue to provide them with the best support and work-life balance as it is possible. Mr Speaker, I support the Statement.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang)2198 words
[+12 sentences]Mr Speaker, the Supplementary Budget continues to lend support to hard-hit businesses and workers even as the state of the economy remains precarious. It also begins the important process of repositioning the Budget away from crisis support to crisis recovery. That said, I have a few additional thoughts. I will share about how I believe the process of de-globalisation is both on-going and persistent, and about how we need to do more to pivot away from our historical focus on being an entrepot for the rest of the world towards fostering internally driven growth focused on raising the productivity of our domestic firms, especially small and medium enterprises or SMEs. Before I proceed, allow me to declare that I am an educator at a business school and that I have occasionally provided economic and strategic views for an investment advisory firm. Minister Heng stressed the importance of enhancing connectivity to ensure that our economy is ready for when the pandemic is behind us. He reiterated our commitment to reviving our air hub and transshipment capabilities. As a student of the international system for the past few decades, nothing would make me happier than to see a revival of such a globalised world. That said, I believe that it is imperative for us to have a Plan B if this does not occur. Mr Speaker, the pandemic is often viewed not so much as a harbinger of new trends, but an accelerant of existing trends Minister Heng himself alluded to this – the possibility of structural shifts. In this vein, it is worth pointing out that the breakdown in global integration significantly predates COVID-19. The Global Financial Crisis of 2008 marked the beginning of a dramatic turnaround in global financial flows. Several years ago, the McKinsey Global Institute observed that cross-border capital fell from 12% of global output for the decade until 2010 to a little more than 7% since then. Global banks, especially those in advanced economies, have divested at least $2 trillion in assets.[+2 sentences] Even in financially open Singapore, capital flows have steadily eroded as a share of our national product and we experienced a surge in outflows in the most recent quarter. The financial crisis did not just usher in a decline in financial flows. The aftermath saw a massive collapse in international trade and despite fitful starts and stops, global merchandise exchange has pulled back from peaks of more than half of global GDP to about 44% last year. The global trading regime is fraying with the World Trade Organization operating a dysfunctional dispute resolution system and repeated violations of open trading principles by major economic powers, most notably in the Sino-American trade war of 2018 and 2019.[+1 sentence] And closer to home, our historical entrepôt model is challenged as never before. Our trade in goods as a share of income, fell by more than 40% over the past decade and these trends are hardly positive, with the growth of non-oil exports dipping into negative territory through most of 2019, way before the pandemic visited our shores.[+22 sentences] And now COVID-19 has completely devastated the global movement of people, with the international tourism virtually vanishing overnight, and even typically more resilient work-related migratory flows are under threat, as corporations rethink their need for business and conference travel, and upend historical cross-border relationships in favour of reshoring previously outsourced business operation and shortening international supply chains. The fear, then, is even after a vaccine is discovered and the world is able to return to normal, that new normal and encompasses permanent structural changes in a manner by which the world conducts business and pleasure. Mr Speaker, these trends are worrying from the perspective of our banking on a return to connectivity as a key source of our economic growth. If anything, major economies are turning inward, with China's stressing "internal circulation" – a euphemism for a domestic turn – Europe is preoccupied with ensuring the integrity of its own union, and the United States – once the bastion of globalism – eschewing the multilateral system that it once used to champion. If this fracturing into a multipolar world persists, our traditional approach of positioning ourselves as a global intermediary could face unprecedented stress. Thankfully, it is possible for us to prepare more deliberately for a Plan B. Minister Heng also spoke about the importance of Technology, Innovation and Enterprise – a theme that he has mentioned in speeches at least since 2016. Clearly, the Government is aware of this alternative model. What I am suggesting is a willingness to commit to this shift in a more decisive fashion. Although many forms of international exchange are in retreat, there is one channel that has been further advanced by the pandemic – the even greater importance of global information and knowledge flows. As borders shut down worldwide and work-from-home arrangements become the norm, the information has become the lifeblood of many organisations and countries trying to stay afloat. Service-based businesses digitised their back ends and sought to bring their front end operations online. And goods oriented firms were forced to resort to online strategies to keep demand afloat. Many of these digitally transform functions and automation disintermediated jobs will never return to their pre-pandemic states. It is therefore time for our small and medium enterprises to make the bold transition as well. The Government has rolled out a host of grants such as the Enterprise Development Grant and Productivity Solutions Grant, aimed at this very purpose. This is important because such firms account for 99% of our local companies, but only contribute to half of our national income. However, we have precious little information as to whether these funds have succeeded in raising the productivity and enabling the digital transformation of these firms, as the Government has not released systematic studies of either the coverage nor the efficacy of these programmes. To know whether we are on track, we have to know how far we have come and how far we have to go. And as much as financial assistance, especially in the recessionary environment, can help our SMEs eke by, financial support will only go part of the way toward helping our companies realise their full potential. Beyond relieving financial constraints, SMEs need to build stronger fundamental business skills and capabilities. Such skills in marketing to a diverse regional market, adopting best practices in bookkeeping and budgeting and inventory management are not sexy skills, but essential ones. Programmes of this nature such as Startup SG Founder, Enterprise Leadership for Transformation and various business tool kits can be made more proactive in identifying and approaching qualifying individuals and firms, especially in industries that have lagged in terms of adoption.[+3 sentences] Similarly, we have to ensure that those who have undergone SGUnited jobs and Skills Future re-skilling programmes, continue to closely meet business needs. This can help avoid mismatches that can lead to disappointment and discouragement and experience that one of my residents, Danny, shared regarding the continued difficulty faced by his colleagues in securing work despite having undergone retraining. More generally, what is the return proposition of such training and how is it evaluated? How much are we expanding per a trainee, and what is the placement rate for programme graduates?[+7 sentences] It strikes me that a dedicated unit within Enterprise SG, tasked with identifying, supporting, disseminating and evaluating skills development can be an important complement to our primarily financed focus efforts. My colleague, the hon Leon Perera has also offered a host of additional considerations. Similarly, many public-private venture funds such as Startup SG tends to privilege technologically oriented firms. While such investments are appealing in that they can lead to the next Carousell or Grab, we cannot leave the vast majority of old economy firms behind. Moreover, raising productivity levels in such firms is not limited to deploying the latest technology or adapting AI solutions. They are often derived from much more modest sources such as focusing on improving core management practices. Such practices in performance evaluation, conflict management, team motivation are skills that could be lacking in smaller family run businesses, inhibiting their ability to grow. Our iTalent and iSkills programmes are one such way forward, but the current participation rate, involving a few dozen firms, remain a drop in the ocean.[+8 sentences] Moreover, our funding and support policies should look beyond just the infotech or biotech space. Growth can arise from what many may dismiss as pedestrian businesses, such as coffee roasting and brewing, automotive repair or elderly care. What is required is a willingness to disrupt the existing market regime, but rather than promoting winning firms or championing winning sectors, we should strive to create an environment where every firm, especially SMEs, can potentially succeed. At the aggregate level, what this means is that our regulations could be prepared to be more flexible to ease the wrenching shifts that will accompany structural transformations in our economy. Some sectors may, despite our best efforts, may be destined to shrink and we should ease the teething pains for those poised for expansion. SMEs that have traditionally focused on trade in goods must evolve to add value higher up the ladder. And those who provide services must learn to deliver these across borders. This may also mean greater regulatory forbearance on the part of Government. For example, finance start-ups often find themselves held to reporting requirements comparable to those of establishing comments, while there have been occasional initiatives toward easing pilot regulatory sandboxes as well as easier ACRA reporting requirements during COVID-19, executives from a number of fintech start-ups I have spoken to, reveal that they still find these standards that regulators hold them to, impossibly stringent.[+1 sentence] We should also be more aware of the unintended consequences of our policies, even when enacted in good faith, especially in terms of how they affect small businesses. One owner of a hawker stall in Lucky Plaza, for example, shared with me about how recent policy to only allow either odd or even numbered IC numbers into the mall resulted in the complete decimation of foot traffic, rather than just a halving.[+6 sentences] On a positive front – the number of permissible businesses allowed under existing programmes such as the Home-Based Small Scale Business Scheme can be re-examined and expanded if possible. And if the world does eventually carve itself out into multiple regional markets, our firms must be ready to compete within our economic sphere – which is southeast Asia. This means recognising that a Singapore firm is essentially an ASEAN firm. The Government has understood this for a long time, but we have to make sure that our workforce and our people fully embrace this identity. Doing so has become even more imperative in what is promising to become an increasingly balkanised world. Our workers should be prepared to spend time in our ASEAN neighbours, learning specificities and idiosyncrasies of our neighbouring markets and returning to Singapore to disseminate the knowledge they have gained and their experiences, either with their sending firms or by starting new companies of their own. Government can play an even greater role in fostering this expansionist mindset, beyond internationalisation grants. It can do so with a wider recognition of ASEAN languages in the schooling system, incorporating exchanges and internships in Southeast Asia as a required component of Secondary and post-Secondary programmes, further enhancing the exposure of local firms in exhibitions at regional trade shows and co-financing early career stints for PMETs in other regional capitals.[+8 sentences] After the Allied bombing of Japan in World War II, many major cities there were destroyed. In principle, the architects of post-war Japan could have chosen many other locations to site their new economic hubs. But ultimately rebuilding occurred in those very same cities that experience some of the greatest destruction, a testimony to the incredible resilience of cities. Our forefathers have already made Singapore into a globally competitive city and we will rise again after the crisis is over. To inherit this destiny, we have to be willing to be even more economically nimble, to recognise the limits of further leveraging our trade and transportation infrastructure alone. The strength of any modern city is his ability to be a gathering place for innovators to exchange debate and improve their ideas. We must ensure that our SMEs fully participate in this knowledge based future economy. Mr Speaker, please allow me to recap. In the globalising world, we need a Plan B to cater to the possibility that the post-COVID-19 world will be more fractured and insular. We must transition our economy urgently and decisively by increasing the contribution of SMEs to our growth engine. Government can help in this process with more than just financing, which is still our major focus. It can do so with moves to improve the productivity of these businesses via enhance business skills and management training, exercising greater regulatory flexibility to foster a stronger risk-taking mindset and pushing additional educational and experiential initiatives that strengthen our regionalist worldview.[+1 sentence] Undeniably, the germs of many such programmes already exist. My contention is that we need to accelerate and scale up these efforts.[+2 sentences] Notwithstanding these additional suggestions. I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Hany Soh.
Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee)2050 words
[+13 sentences]Mr Speaker, "ensuring that the last, the lost and the least are being adequately taken care of" is my impression of what our Government and the community have endeavoured to do in a decisive and united manner for the past several months when tackling with this COVID-19 Pandemic. I speak in support of the Supplementary Bill and will be emphasising my speech today on the following two points: one, the efforts to better support our seniors in their transition towards i-banking services as our country steps up on its Smart Nation initiatives digital connectivity; two, the suggestions with regard to building environmental sustainability within our community to fight climate change. In relation to the first point, pertaining to digital banking for seniors, Mr Speaker, please allow me to speak in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): In the face of COVID-19, many senior citizens, especially those living alone, feel helpless and are at a loss. Before the outbreak, they often went out with like-minded friends. They will participate in community activities, they will go to a coffee shop or hawker centre and sometimes, they will order a cup of coffee and spend the whole day chatting with old friends. However, when the circuit breaker came into effect, all of a sudden, they seemed to be at a loss: "I don't know how to use a smartphone. How can I get online and have a video conversation with my grandson?”, “I am alone at home facing the four walls. I am so bored. When can I go back to the CC with my friends and do our health dance?”, “The queues at the wet market are too long, I am too weak to stand for such a long time.”, “When I go to the supermarket, I am too slow to compete with others. Is there a way to improve the situation?" These are the complaints I often hear from them. Fortunately, the Government has worked together with businesses, community organisations and Singaporeans to overcome these challenges. For example, our digital ambassadors have helped the elderly to take the first step towards digitalisation and help them acquire digital skills at three levels, so that they can keep in touch with their friends and relatives via video link, make e-payments at hawker centres and markets, and use SafeEntry in the SingPass mobile's visitors registration system to log in and out of wet markets.[+7 sentences] Our local enterprises such as NTUC FairPrice have also set aside a special time for senior citizens and persons with mobility issues to purchase daily necessities in supermarkets with peace of mind. In addition, their neighbours and Residents' Committees have also demonstrated the kampung spirit by helping them to buy food and essentials items and deliver them to their doorstep. Yet, one thing that cannot and should not be done by someone else on behalf of the elderly is bank transactions involving money. In recent years, all the banks have undergone transformation by introducing more artificial intelligence, encouraging customers to use online transactions and making banking more invisible. These moves have reduced banks' operating costs by a lot, for example, in rentals and manpower. This is also in response to the Government's call for technology transformation and further strengthening Singapore's position as a global Asia node of technology, Innovation and enterprise. But my concern is: have our seniors kept up with this technology advancement? Recently, in Woodgrove, two local bank branches around Fuchun area were closed; one in mid-August and the other is undergoing renovation. Residents who need counter services have to walk about 30 minutes to go to the branches in the shopping mall.[+7 sentences] This is very tiresome for the elderly and those who have difficulty moving around. Many elderly living in the seniors' Studio Apartments told me that they live off their CPF retirement money and government subsidies every month. Because of this, they will personally go to the bank at least once a month to use the counter services to withdraw money. Some of them are illiterate and some have poor eyesight. Hence, they are less inclined to use ATM cards to withdraw money. Most of them do not know how to use Internet banking either; they are fearful that they may transfer their lifetime savings to others if they click wrongly. Another advantage of counter services for senior citizens is that they form a line of defence against fraud. Frontline bank staff are specially trained to sense suspicious transactions and would verify with the customers repeatedly, so that they do not fall victim to fraud syndicates.[+1 sentence] If Singaporeans, especially our senior citizens, are to keep pace with technological changes and accept and use online banking services, the banks should fulfil their social responsibilities by using their resources to work more closely with the Government and the community. Banks can work with IMDA to set up e-banking training kiosks at bank branches in the neighbourhood centres and digital transformation offices at CCs, to help seniors apply for online banking tokens, and teach them how to use online banking services with peace of mind.[+6 sentences] I am confident that with the guidance and help of dedicated people, our seniors will gradually accept and move towards a more diverse digital life. (In English): Like many First World countries, Singapore has begun taking steps to address the issue of climate change and environmental sustainability. While this is a good first step, it is important to ensure that this movement continues to gain momentum amongst our Singaporeans. J F Kennedy once said, and I quote, "Ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country." Apart from the Government's efforts in transforming our industries to build a sustainable economy and providing opportunities for the green section to be a growth industry in its own right, every individual in Singapore should also play our part to ensure the preservation of the environment we live in. Semakau Landfill is our only offshore landfill in Singapore. For the past few decades, we have relied on it for our waste disposal while being fortunate enough to be unaffected by any harmful toxins, awful smell and appearance. However, Semakau Landfill has been filling up faster than expected, with our projections for reaching capacity changing for the worse.[+1 sentence] This is attributed by several different factors. One, being a general increase in consumption by residents without sufficient implementation of the 3Rs.[+1 sentence] To rectify this, we will need to encourage responsible consumption of resources, such as food, water and energy, while advocating for environmentally-friendly means of disposal for non-perishable items such as electrical appliances. The second being that many recyclables are being disposed as general refuse, which in turn wastes landfill space and energy to incinerate.[+1 sentence] A renewed focus on recycling will go a long way towards slowing down the landfill’s rate of usage. The other being that residents are largely reluctant to repair broken items which typically cause many faulty electrical and electronic appliances to be thrown away as rubbish instead of repairing it and extending its lifespan.[+22 sentences] With these factors at present, how should we step up our 3Rs efforts nationally in order to achieve measurable outcomes and a positive impact for our environment? Mr Speaker, in Woodgrove, we have a G.E.L mission. "G" pertains to Green Living initiatives. Through the feedback which I have gathered from our Woodgrove residents and various community partners, I wish to suggest a few ideas for consideration. Firstly, Education. I believe that education can go a long way towards inculcating values that favour the 3Rs. We should therefore endeavour to educate every student and resident on good 3Rs practices through experiential learning. MOE can also consider incorporating Responsible Resource Consumption Saving Tips as part of the school curriculum. Over the years, various schools in Woodgrove have participated in North West CDC’s Reduce@Northwest, where students would conduct door-to-door house visits to encourage families to reduce energy and water consumption and food wastage in their homes, while also imparting knowledge on fighting climate change. The schools also adopted another North West CDC’s initiative called WeCare We Recycle @ Northwest, where students are educated on proper recycling practices to counteract the high contamination rate of existing blue recycling bins. As part of this initiative, active recycling points are set up within the participating schools, enabling our students to put the knowledge that they have learnt into good use by taking the lead in active recycling. It is important to continue to engage schools as partners and educate our children on these recycling and energy saving tips, so that they will in turn educate their parents and influence the people around them to conserve resources and adopt eco-friendly practices at home and in the community. Secondly, we can measure and reward the amount of savings on electricity and water by each household. I believe that we should measure the reduction of resources consumed through the use of monitoring systems powered by digital applications. It can be difficult to understand one’s contribution towards the greater whole while adhering to the 3Rs; if we can show them that tangible change is occurring through their actions, I believe residents will be further encouraged to continue these good habits. Meanwhile, we can also introduce new initiatives to encourage the use of energy or water saving devices and appliances in every household. If coupled with the aforementioned monitoring systems, we may see increased adoption islandwide. To jumpstart these schemes, we can first work with grassroots volunteers and schools to engage residents via a pilot project that "adopts" a pioneer batch of select blocks, which students will visit and share energy saving tips with every household. These blocks can thereafter be monitored and their outcomes measured to evaluate the results of these measures. To further incentivise adoption of the energy saving measures, we can grant the block showing the highest drop in energy and water usage with rewards such as grocery shopping vouchers or ActiveSG credits. Lastly, ground-up initiatives. I believe that the People's Association or PA, as the foundation of the community, can eb a valuable ally in our mission to encourage ground-up initiatives by the community for adopting of the 3Rs wihtin our community. For a start, our Community Clubs, CCs, especially those that are to be built or scheduled for renovation, should endeavour to achieve the BCA Green Mark "Platinum" certification.[+6 sentences] The BCA Green Mark is the national green building rating system which evaluates a building for its environmental impact and performance. Not only will this raise awareness of the importance of green living, it also ensures that the CCs islandwide will attempt to reduce their own emissions as a result. Next, the PA can also help to provide platforms for residents to exercise green living, for example with organising events that encourage residents to pick up the 3Rs. Some CCs and RCs in Singapore have already begun doing so, through collaborations with the Northwest CDC, Tzu Chi Foundation and NEA with a monthly "recycling day" where residents can bring out their recyclable waste for sorting and processing, fostering good habits and also presenting an opportunity to bond as part of a community. Another option that we can consider to do is to hold regular flea markets for the exchanging or trading of pre-loved items between residents in the halls of our CCs. On such flea market days, we can take the opportunity to also welcome community partners or residents to share tips on adhering to the 3Rs. One of my residents in Woodgrove Zone 5, Christy, she shared with me her hobby of "Turning Trash to Treasure" – she would often go around the neighbourhood, sometimes to pick up and collect abandoned broken furniture. What she will do is, she will clean it up, she will refurbish it with a new coat of painting and transform it into fashionable new furniture as gifts for the community. I believe that introducing such concepts can raise awareness and encourage more residents to conserve resources by sharing and reusing pre-loved items to minimise waste generation. Just like the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change is a very challenging global issue that cannot be resolved overnight. That said, I am confident that together, we will overcome these challenges and emerge stronger as a nation.
The Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development (Ms Indranee Rajah)1265 words
[+8 sentences]Mr Speaker, I announced the Baby Support Grant or BSG last Friday, a one-time cash payment for all Singaporean children born from 1 October 2020 onwards for two years. Parents of babies born in October and expectant parents are happy and we are happy for them. At the same time, however, since the announcement, we have received feedback and appeals asking why 1 October 2020, and whether the commencement date can be brought forward to cover children born prior to 1 October 2020. Members, too, have asked about it in this debate. Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Dennis Tan and Mr Saktiandi, yesterday and Ms He Ting Ru, today. Ms Tin Pei Ling1 and Miss Cheng Li Hui2 have also filed Parliamentary Questions. I fully understand that parents who are not eligible to receive the Baby Support Grant are disappointed, especially since this has been a challenging year for everybody. The questions asked are fair ones and it is only right that I should address them and explain our considerations when designing the scheme and also our approach to the appeals that have come in. In a NPTD and MSF Survey in June, three in 10 Singaporean couples said that they were planning to delay having a child due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[+6 sentences] They expressed worries about the global COVID-19 health situation, as well as job and income insecurity. This is understandable as having a child is a major decision and a long-term commitment. We know couples consider many factors when deciding on when to have a child – whether care-giving support is available, the impact on their career plans, and most fundamentally, whether they are prepared mentally and financially. The pandemic has affected our lives and livelihoods in a major way. Employment and financial stability have therefore become even bigger considerations for many couples and made them rethink if they should have a child in the next one to two years. So, the fact that couples are considering delaying having children is a cause for concern. We are also concerned because we recognise that fertility declines with age and chances of conception are much higher when couples start earlier. Hence, we developed the idea of the Baby Support Grant to augment the existing Baby Bonus Cash Gift to provide extra support for parents who wish to have a child, so that they will not postpone their parenthood plans.[+1 sentence] When designing this scheme, we explored several options for the start date. Given the policy intent to encourage more couples to proceed with their parenthood plans, we could have taken a very strict approach and if you take a strict approach, it would mean that the start date should be nine months after the date of announcement, which would actually be July 2021.[+6 sentences] Indeed, one of the residents wrote in to say that "if the grant was meant to encourage couples to have children, then children born in October 2020 should not qualify, as the child is already conceived prior to the grant announcement". But this would mean that all babies born between now and July 2021 will be left out. We then considered providing this additional support only next year, with effect from 1 January 2021, and then drawing on next year's Budget. However, we felt it was important to get the support out as quickly as we can, to help more Singaporeans with their parenthood aspirations. Announcing the plans next year could mean that couples may delay attempts to have a child in the meantime. So, we tried hard to see how we could do this earlier. While the Government's fiscal situation is tight, due to the support given to Singaporeans and businesses throughout the year, we were able to set aside some Budget this year, to provide additional support to more Singaporean parents starting as soon as we could. Hence, we decided to make it effective from the month of announcement, that is, 1 October 2020.[+12 sentences] I know parents of babies who are not eligible to receive the Baby Support Grant are disappointed and I can fully understand why. They would have experienced inconveniences and challenges in caring for newborns this year, especially during the circuit breaker. From coping with new visitation guidelines and restrictions at healthcare facilities, to making quick adaptations when they could not get sufficient help to care for newborns, to juggling care-giving duties while working from home when infant and childcare centres were closed. However, we would like to seek the public's understanding that specific start dates are required for any new measure or enhancement. Regardless of the effective start date, there will always be some babies who are born before it. The appeals we have received to change the start date of the Baby Support Grant have come with a wide range of suggestions for the start date. To give you a sense of this, just let me run through some of them. Some have suggested that the Baby Support Grant should cover babies born in September on the basis that it is so close to October. But this would mean that all of those in August upwards would not get it. Others suggested April 2020 as that was the start of the circuit breaker – and obviously, that was when all the hardships really kicked it, but that would mean all those before April do not get it. Miss Cheng Li Hui, in her Parliamentary Question has suggested 7 February because that was when DORSCON Orange was declared. So, if we go with those, then all those in January will be left out. Many have suggested that it should be with effect from 1 January 2020 as that was when the pandemic started and indeed there is a petition supporting this date. But, on the other hand, there is another petition asking for the grant to cover all children who are one year and below on 1 October of this year.[+3 sentences] In other words, that the effective date should be 1 October 2019. We have also received an appeal that the grant should be given to children under the age of seven years. So, you can see, it is not straightforward. Each group has reasons for the dates proposed and looking at it from their perspective, these reasons are all valid, but we can only choose one date and whichever date we choose, there will be groups who are not covered. We chose October as the commencement date for the reasons mentioned earlier and we seek your understanding, that is why we are maintaining this date. But we will, however, accede to appeals for the Baby Support Grant from a specific group of parents – those whose babies were born before 1 October 2020, but whose certified Estimated Delivery Date, or EDD, was on or after 1 October 2020. In other words, born prematurely although the EDD was 1 October 2020 onwards. The National Population and Talent Division will provide more information to parents on how they can do so. That said, it is important to understand where the parents who have asked for an earlier date are coming from.[+1 sentence] They, too, would appreciate support. So, I would like to reassure them and Members, that even without the Baby Support Grant, there is still substantial Government support for these parents.[+2 sentences] Some of these new measures commenced in 2019/2020, which young children born since 2014, including the babies born from January 2020, would benefit from. With your permission, Mr Speaker, may I ask the Clerk to distribute handouts with information on the Marriage and Parenthood Package available to parents?
Mr Speaker13 words
[+1 sentence]Please do.
Ms Indranee Rajah1382 words
While the extra Baby Support Grant is for babies born from 1 October 2020, parents whose babies were born before 1 October 2020 will receive, and in some cases, have already received cash and cash-like benefits, which were last enhanced in 2015 and 2016. They would have received, for example: (a) between $8,000 and $10,000 in the Baby Bonus Cash Gift; (b) $3,000 First Step Grant, deposited into the Child Development Account or the CDA, without parents having to first save into the CDA; (c) between $3,000 and $15,000 in Government co-savings for the CDA; and (d) a $4,000 grant which is deposited into the Medisave account that is open for every newborn, that is the Medisave Grant for Newborns. So, the total cash and cash-like support that parents can receive ranges from $18,000 for their first child to $32,000 for their fifth and subsequent children, even without the Baby Support Grant.[+4 sentences] This is over and above the other support in the Marriage & Parenthood Package, some of which we also enhanced this year. Let me highlight some of these. First, more subsidies for infant and childcare. There have been suggestions from the public that more help with affordable childcare will go further than a one-off cash grant. Since 1 January 2020, the household income ceiling for the Additional Subsidy has been raised from $7,500 per month to $12,000 per month.[+2 sentences] This means that many more households can receive this support. The amount of subsidies provided have also been increased. Today, after the enhanced subsidies, families can receive up to $1,310 each month in infant care subsidies or up to $767 each month in childcare subsidies.[+4 sentences] A working couple who earns a combined income of $8,000 a month, pays $524 per month per child for full-day infant care at an Anchor Operator pre-school. This is about one third less than what they would have paid previously. When their child turns 18 months, the amount that the couple needs to pay for childcare at an Anchor Operator will further reduce to $280 per month. Next, free National Childhood Immunisation Schedule or NCIS vaccinations and developmental screenings. From 1 November 2020, that means next month, all Singaporean children – and this applies to all Singaporean children today regardless of when they were born – can also receive free childhood vaccinations on the national schedule and developmental screenings, at all Polyclinics and Community Health Assist Scheme General Practitioners or CHAS GPs.[+21 sentences] This extension of fully subsidised services at our CHAS GPs will improve affordability and accessibility for parents, who can now enjoy these services islandwide. Next, support for households, jobs and salary amidst COVID-19. The other source of concern on the part of many parents, like other Singaporeans, are the employment-related challenges and anxieties at this time. Raising children during the COVID-19 pandemic can be more challenging, especially if a member of the family has lost his or her job. We recognised this earlier in the year and provided more support for households, as well as jobs and salary support. To provide more assurance and support to Singaporeans with their household expenses during this period of economic uncertainty, the Government provided the Solidarity Payment and Care and Support – Cash payout in April and June, to every Singaporean aged 21 years and above. This amounted to $600 to $1,200 per Singaporean, depending on income. On top of this, we gave each parent with at least one citizen child aged 20 years and below as of 31 December 2020, an additional Care and Support – Cash payout of $300, that is an additional $600 per couple. Hence, a Singaporean couple with a child, including those with babies born before 1 October, could already receive up to $3,000 in additional cash support this year. In addition to these, all households with at least one Singaporean citizen member would have received the Solidarity Utilities Credit of $100. Eligible HDB households can also receive up to 2.5 times their regular GST Voucher – U-Save and up to 3.5 months of Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) Rebate. Such a household living in a 4-room flat with five or more can receive $800 in U-Save and 2.5 months of S&CC Rebate this financial year. On the support for jobs and salary, the Government has also provided significant support to ease concerns about employment. This includes employment and salary support through the SG United Jobs and Skills Package and the Jobs Support Scheme. I have listed the financial support, but we all do know, of course, that it is not just about the money or the finances because there are other things that are factored in when couples are deciding to have a child. In this regard, we have taken many steps to make sure that we provide additional support, from increasing the number of pre-school spaces to also working on flexible work arrangements. Ms He Ting Ru earlier spoke about a holistic approach and I am so glad that she agrees with us because these were exactly the recommendations of the Citizens' Panel on Work-Life Harmony. Those included recommendations to further encourage and enable companies to provide flexible work arrangements, such as through recognition schemes as well as the nomination of Work-Life Ambassadors. The Panel also called for the shift of societal norms over time, to one where family time and other life priorities are placed above work and workplace practices become more progressive and family-friendly. So, we can see that the idea here is that it is not just about money but how to make Singapore a place that is conducive for families as a whole. Ms He had a specific question on singles and whether the Baby Support Grant, or BSG, would be applicable or whether they are eligible for it. The answer is that they would not be eligible for it.[+2 sentences] The BSG is a one-off grant to help reassure couples and minimise delays in their marriage and parenthood plans. The BSG is an add-on to the Baby Bonus Cash Gift which, in itself, was designed to encourage marriage and parenthood. So, it is not quite consistent to extend it to singles in this context. However, I would like to assure all that Government benefits that support the growth and development of children are given to all Singaporean children, regardless of the marital status of their parents. So, benefits that are available to all parents to support them in their care-giving responsibilities would include childcare and infant care subsidies, the MediSave Grant for newborns, MediShield Life coverage from birth, infant care and childcare leave, the Foreign Domestic Worker Levy concession and, in addition to the above, every Singaporean child will benefit from education and healthcare subsidies and has access to social assistance, regardless of their parents' marital status. In 2016 and 2017, we further extended support to unwed parents, including the Government-Paid Maternity Leave and the Child Development Account which includes the CDA First Step, that is, the $3,000 I mentioned earlier, and the matched co-savings from the Government.[+7 sentences] These benefits aim to support the child's developmental and care-giving needs, as well as the parents' efforts to provide for the child. As society continues to evolve, our policies will be updated to keep pace with societal realities. Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has made this a difficult year for everyone. Many groups of fellow Singaporeans need our support. Parents who have children, or are planning to have children, are one such group. Hence, I am heartened by the efforts of many corporates and community partners which have joined the Government’s efforts in further supporting Singaporeans on their parenthood journey. I hope that many more will come on board. We do understand the difficulties that families, especially those with babies and young children, face during this period, and have implemented measures like the one I described earlier. We will continue to support families during these extraordinary times and I seek Members’ and fellow Singaporeans’ understanding about the start date for the Baby Support Grant, which is one additional measure among many.[+1 sentence] This Government remains committed to supporting the marriage and parenthood aspirations of Singaporeans and we will continue to review and enhance the strong suite of measures already in place to help Singaporeans form and grow families.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Leader of the Opposition.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied)170 words
[+9 sentences]Thank you, Speaker. To Minister Indranee Rajah, thank you so much for that response to some of the questions the Workers' Party Members of Parliament had on the Baby Support Grant. I fully recognise the trouble and the issue about settling on a start date for a grant like this which was unexpected by many members of the public. Having said that, would the Government consider extending the Baby Support Grant to Singaporeans who have received some of these COVID-19-related subsidies, such as SIRS and the COVID-19 Support Grant, because they have already exhibited particular difficulty arising out of their circumstances once COVID-19 started? So, they are already pre-qualified in that sense to be in need and, hence, they have received Government subsidies. These are mainly Singaporeans at the lower to lower middle income group. So, the extension is not really about a date that will reach back for all Singaporean parents, but specifically for lower to middle income Singaporeans. Would that be something the Government could consider? Thank you.
Ms Indranee Rajah234 words
[+1 sentence]I thank Mr Pritam Singh for his question. I think the approach that we would take is this. This particular scheme has a very specific policy intent, which is to encourage those who are delaying to proceed with their parenthood plans.[+1 sentence] So, for those who are already low income, proceeding with parenthood plans would add to some of the responsibilities that they have. If they are low income and they have children from 1 October onwards, they will get the Baby Support Grant.[+3 sentences] No issue. I think Mr Singh's question is: can we extend the Baby Support Grant to those born before 1 October who are low income. For those, what we will do is we will utilise the existing schemes that we have for the low-income to make sure that they are taken care of and their needs are taken care of, because we do actually have a very strong social support system. The SSOs were set up for this purpose, ComCare was put in place for this purpose and there are many different schemes which are aimed at that. So, the assurance that we can give is that if you are low income and you have had your child before 1 October and you have financial difficulties, we will help you.[+1 sentence] It does not necessarily have to be in the form of the Baby Support Grant, but we will still help you.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon)118 words
[+3 sentences]Thank you, Sir, and I thank the Minister for the reply. I would just want to make further points for the single unwed parents. I think this Government has said that single unwed parents are no less a mother or a father just because the child is born outside of marriage. So, I really hope the Government could reconsider not providing the Baby Support Grant to the single unwed parents. We also have to bear in mind that the median salary of a single unwed parent under 35 years old is about $600 a month. So, the $3,000 is actually about five months of their salary and it could really provide a lifeline for them during this pandemic.
Ms Indranee Rajah83 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, I had addressed the considerations that we had in mind with respect to single unwed parents.What I would reiterate – because I think the learned Member's concern is whether or not they would have adequate support. So, irrespective of whether they have the Baby Support Grant, if they are, indeed, struggling and if they are in need, please do approach the SSO. There are other schemes available and in place and we will look to see how we can support them.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Gan Thiam Poh.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh927 words
[+15 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister for the very assuring and heartwarming confirmation of all those measures that have so far been implemented by the Government. I believe Singaporeans actually appreciate it. Speaker, Sir, I support the plans of action, as detailed in the Ministerial Statement. I am confident that this suite of measures will facilitate our progress and ensure that we emerge from this crisis stronger. We will be a competitive yet inclusive economy, a dynamic yet sustainable one. In order to stay relevant and be an active participant on the world stage, we have to remain open to the world. We need to attract more quality investments and accept investors, entrepreneurs, specialists and professionals who can work with us in order to prosper as an economy and society. Bringing in investments and attracting organisational set-ups here will create jobs and other opportunities for Singaporeans. We need these regional and international collaborations to stay ahead of the competition, increase our value and usefulness to the world, thereby ensuring our survival and prosperity. The better approach is not to stay away and shield us from competition in this rapid technologically advancing world. We should rather face the competition and equip Singaporeans with leading skills and tools to make us stay ahead of competition. Even as we welcome foreigners to share their knowledge and skills with Singaporeans, we need to be mindful of the risk of being over-reliant on a particular country, source or nationality. We should also take note of social costs and other implications that might outweigh the benefits in the longer run. Hence, we should be open but selective, monitor the employment market closely and take proactive steps to maintain the right balance. I would like to suggest that the Government reconsider imposing a foreign worker levy instead of minimum qualifying salary to regulate the hiring of foreigner workers, such as Employment Pass or EP holders. A levy proportional to the salary of the EP holder is fair and can be justified.[+8 sentences] It provides another revenue source for the country as the Government continues to invest in Singapore holistically. While cost is one of the major concerns for investors, Singapore has many other attractive advantages which more than make up for the higher costs. These include a conducive business environment, security, stability, excellent infrastructure and telecommunications, updated facilities and amenities, transparency and efficiency. These are all prime determining factors for businesses and workers too. While other countries are grappling with COVID-19, we must continue to invest in both our infrastructure and human capital and provide incentives to pull in companies and individuals to place their investments in Singapore. The good cycle of investments, jobs and opportunities will bring many benefits to our island and our people. Hence, we need to continue with our major infrastructure investments that will support our economic growth for the benefit of Singaporeans in the face of the slowdown. I would like to appeal for further incentives for companies to employ locals, in additional to the Job Growth Incentive or JGI, especially to support those who are middle-aged and above who have been retrenched and finding it difficult to get jobs. This is a group of Singaporeans whom I am especially concerned about.[+1 sentence] May I suggest that up to half of the 50% or 25% support to be paid to employees as Workfare Income Supplement or WIS to narrow the job and income expectations mismatch? It would be good to balance these measures with quotas for foreign PMETs to encourage and incentivise companies to employ Singaporeans. Could the JGI be a long-term policy coupled with support for employers to provide permanent upgrading and upskilling of Singaporean workers? May we extend the COVID-19 Support Grant or CSG to those who were not eligible for the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme or SIRS? Can we also enhance the WIS payout for lowest 25% income group with more payment for the lowest tier, with up to 50% more grants to supplement their income?[+11 sentences] In addition, would MOM look into a hybrid of WIS, CSG and SIRS to form a new scheme to incentivise employment, reduce the pain from income reduction and narrow the job/income mismatch? Notwithstanding, I do agree that all these have to be done with proportionally increase in productivity through job redesign, use of technology, automation so on and so forth, so that our workers are better skilled, productive and equipped, as compared with peers in other countries for the same job with better output. This would help mitigate avoidance of cost inflationary. We need to expedite the industry transformation, for example, more use of machinery in town cleaning jobs and higher productive method in construction industry to reduce reliance of foreign workers and higher income for our Singapore workers. We all need to be very clear that we cannot afford to be complacent in an environment which is advancing rapidly technologically. What is the norm today can easily be disrupted. To ensure that Singaporeans can remain in a leading position in the fast-changing and competitive world, we must continue to invest and equip all Singaporeans with the best skills, knowledge and tools. Singaporeans must be the assets which attract investors. We can further incentivise the investors and businesses to equip and train Singaporeans with leading and competitive skills. The Government should continue with the overseas training and study internship initiative for our citizens so that they will gain wider exposure and market knowledge and deepen their problem solving skills. With that, I would like to conclude with my support again.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon)1767 words
[+10 sentences]Sir, this COVID pandemic has badly affected our economy, many lives and livelihoods. But if there is something positive, it has reminded us about the important things in our life, the things that we may have taken for granted. Sir, I learnt a very painful but important lesson over the circuit breaker. I realised that I missed out on so much of my children's childhood over the last couple of years. While working from home, I was able to spend so much time with my little ones. Together – Ella, Katie, Poppy and I cooked, ate, played, enjoyed bedtime stories and even managed to set up a tent in our living room. Before this pandemic, I was never able to spend so much time with them. I was often out on the ground at work, like most of us, and by the time I got home at night, the kids would be fast asleep. The reality is that work from home is something that us, as Members of Parliament will not be able to completely do as our work is often on the ground. But many fellow Singaporeans can benefit from it. In a survey of 9,000 respondents across night 90 companies conducted this May, 90% of respondents said they wanted to continue working from home.[+6 sentences] Singaporeans do want such an arrangement. Sir, we should respond positively and legislate the right to work from home for all employees and require employers who reject the request to provide specific business-related reasons. Working from home will benefit all employees, whether you're married or single. Employees will have better work-life balance, more freedom, spend less time commuting and it promotes employee well-being. Beyond this, there are four other main reasons why we should give people the right to work from home. The first reason that it will be better for fathers. A survey conducted by Focus on the Family Singapore this year found that out of nearly 2,500 fathers, 70% became more involved with their families during the circuit breaker. Of this group, more than 80% said they connected better with their kids.[+22 sentences] This pandemic has hurt many Singaporean families but it has also provided opportunities for parents, especially fathers to bond with their children like never before. A recent media article spotlighted the stories of several fathers during the circuit breaker and how COVID-19 has given fathers a chance to bond with their kids. Marketing manager Imran talk about how his wife and him are so glad that he has now more time to play and eat together with his two toddler children. Imran talked lovingly about how his kids now miss him even when he stepped out of the house briefly. Shahid Nizami, a managing director, spoke about how he had to strike a balance between working from home and supervising his son, Kain's home-based learning and how he jammed with his son for a virtual talent competition, with his son on drums and the dad on a guitar. He said, "This has been really special for both of us." It is clear that many fathers now want to reconsider their work-life arrangement and we should not waste this opportunity. The right to work from home will give fathers more flexibility and more time to spend with their loved ones. Second, the reason this working from home would help benefit mothers. One mother, Sheena, wrote to me, expressing her joy at seeing more fathers picking up their kids from schools these days as a result from our work from home policy which she says used to be a rare sight previously. Fathers picking up their children from school is part of a bigger solution. A study conducted this year by the US National Bureau of Economics found that a pandemic would likely cause fathers to become more interested and experienced in childcare, reducing the childcare responsibilities on mothers and increasing gender equality at the workplace. This rings true for Singapore too. An IPS study found that fathers who had more time to be with their children at home were able to better develop effective childcare skills. When fathers become more adept with handling childcare responsibilities, their families rely less on the mothers for childcare. This not only improves delegation of home responsibilities more equally between fathers and mothers but allow working mothers to focus better at work. In short, when fathers buck up at home, mothers get to lean in at work. Gender equality happens when everyone chips in. The third reason is that it would be good for businesses. It does so by increasing productivity. A 2011 guide by the tripartite committee on work-life strategy says that working from home enhances business performance and competitiveness for employers as employers can optimise manpower and resources deployment. International examples back up this point. A study again by the US National Bureau of Economic Research found that employees of China's largest travel agency, Ctrip, were 13% more productive while working from home.[+2 sentences] Having employees work from home also help companies reduce fixed costs, such as office rental and workstation set-up costs and staff turnover related costs. As early as 2001, MOM stated that work from home allows workers to better combine their work and personal responsibilities which helps to reduce absenteeism and attrition. Ctrip, the Chinese travel agency I mentioned previously, halved their attrition rate of their employees, with a work from home policy.[+8 sentences] Businesses that allow their employees to work from home do grow stronger. Let us help our businesses recover from this COVID economy in a way that emphasises efficiency and reduce costs. And through the Productivity Solutions Grant, the Government is also helping to make a work from home policy possible for businesses. The fourth and final reason for legislating the right to work from home is that it will be good for our economy. I cited research showing that a work from home policy reduces employee attrition. What I have not mentioned is that so often, this attrition employees are women. When you add up the effects on the national level, we see shocking trends. Let us talk about female labour force participation rate. On that, Singapore scored 61.1% in 2019, far below other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam at 72.5%; Cambodia at 75.2% and Lao PDR at 76.8%.[+4 sentences] It is often said that Singapore's only natural resource is our people. Yet, we are not even employing half of our people, our women efficiently. Why is our female labour force participation rate so low? According to the McKinsey Global Institute, the culprit is care-giving and childcare responsibilities. The study estimates that if we close this gap, more than $26 billion could be added to the Singapore's GDP by 2025.[+12 sentences] We need every dollar of that and we need to close that gap. The solution is to empower our mothers to work from home. Teresa, a working mother wrote to me, saying that working from home has meant that she did not have to worry about childcare arrangements and could pick up her children from childcare, bring them to appointments and take care of them when they did not have school. The right to work from home will provide parents like Teresa and many other employees with legal grounds to request to work from home when they need to without being penalised. It will enable those who have been discouraged and forced out of the workforce to rejoin their fellow Singaporeans. In these hard times, Singapore's economy needs every leg up we can get. The right to work from home will help. Finally, let me address potential downsides and how we can solve them. MOM has previously stated that this legislation can have unintended consequences for the very group it is meant to benefit and protect. For example, it may discourage employers from hiring groups seen as likely to take up the benefits. I am equally concerned about such outcomes. So, I studied the issue. The UK has done what I am calling for. It provides the right for all workers to request for work from home, which employers can reject only based on certain business reasons. A study conducted in 2018 found that less than 5% of UK workers who worked from home or used staggered hours experience negative consequences due to their working arrangement.[+10 sentences] It is extremely unlikely that getting to work from home hurt someone's career. By contrast, the study found that work from home has been shown to reduce women's likelihood of working part-time after childbirth, reduces the motherhood penalty and potentially increase wage premium for women, especially in the longer run. In other words, the evidence suggests that legislating the right to work from home would help, not hinder women from succeeding at the workplace. Sir, in conclusion, I hope we will legislate this right to work from home. Employers can reject the request with specific business-related reasons and employees who want to choose to work from the office can still feel free to do so. I believe this is a good middle ground win-win proposal. For years, we told everyone that work from home helps with work-life balance, reduces employees absenteeism, leads to higher productivity, saves costs of office space and attracts and retains value employees. It even helped save lives during this pandemic. For months, we make it law. All I am asking is that we now make this law permanent. Minister Lawrence has said that working from home must be embraced as a new normal even after circuit breaker ends. We are now at a 50% work from home policy and I urge the Government not to reduce this any further, but instead take a step forward and ensure that work from home truly becomes a new normal.[+8 sentences] Let me end by stressing that work from home is not just for fathers and mothers. It is for those are not married as well. At some point in our lives, we will have to care for someone else – be it children parents, grandparents, spouses, partners, friends and other loved ones. We will all need to be care-givers some day and we should have the flexibility to do so. Working from home also helps with work-life balance and our well-being so it is also about caring for ourselves. Let us emerge stronger, as I have said many times in this House, spend time with those you love. One of these days, you will either say "I wish I had" or "I'm glad I did". Let us give our people a better chance of saying "I'm glad I did".
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Dr Koh Poh Koon.
The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Koh Poh Koon)3051 words
[+10 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, during the Debate on the President’s Address recently, I spoke as Deputy Secretary-General of the NTUC and urged the tripartite partners to come together to conduct an in-depth study on the implementation of the Progressive Wage Model, or PWM, across more sectors, so that we can move faster in this aspect when the economy recovers post-COVID-19. Various Labour Members of Parliament – from former Secretary-General Lim Swee Say to former Parliamentary colleague Mr Zainal Sapari – have in their Parliamentary speeches over the many years also push for a faster and wider implementation of the PWM. Hence, NTUC welcomes the announcement to form a Tripartite Workgroup for Low-wage Workers to take concrete actions on this very important agenda. Uplifting lower income Singaporeans have been a core mission of the PAP Government right from the outset. The PAP was born from the unions in the 1950s. Taking care of our workers has been a critical part of our DNA as a party. We have achieved what few have done over the last six decades, but the task is never finished. It is something that we must and will keep working on. Under the PAP Government and with the support from the Labour Movement, the lives of millions of Singaporeans have been greatly improved: more than 90% of Singaporeans own their homes; our children get much better education; we invested in upgrading skills of our people so that they can stay employed and improve in their careers even as our economy transforms through the decades. We have made significant progress in the past 10 years. The wages of workers at the lowest 20th percentile have increased by 24% in real terms in the last five years and by 39% over the last 10 years.[+2 sentences] This was a big lift and faster than for those higher up on the wage ladder. It has also helped moderate income inequality in Singapore which is now at its narrowest in almost 20 years. The Gini coefficient calculated using the widely used OECD methodology, fell to 0.35 in 2019 after accounting for Government transfers such as Workfare Income Supplement.[+4 sentences] All these did not happen just by itself. It is not by chance. It was brought about by sound economic policies, and the tripartite partners working actively to intervene to support workers. We implemented the “Triple Uplift” formula comprising the PWM, Workfare Income Supplement or WIS, and the National Wage Council or NWC recommendations. The PWM lifted the wages of close to 80,000 cleaners, security officers and landscape workers.[+17 sentences] Their wages have increased by 30% in real terms in recent years without the loss of jobs. The PWM also enables them to climb the skills-ladder, improving their future employability and their wage progression at the same time. This has been a significant achievement because the workers in these sectors tend to be older or with limited education and, therefore, are at a higher risk of this employment. It required very involved negotiations and firms, companies have to undertake changes of many of their practices to do so. Workfare is another significant intervention. It acts like a form of negative income tax. The Government tops up the income of our workers earning less than $2,300 per month. There are many other efforts, all part of the on-going task of uplifting our workers. Skills upgrading and job placement efforts by the NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute or e2i, working with Government agencies help many workers access better jobs, better pay and better job prospects. Bus drivers’ salaries jumped by more than 20% since 2015 with the new bus financing framework supported by the labour movement and National Transport Workers’ Union or NTWU. In the last five years or so, we have pushed hard on our ITM efforts as well. This brought together tripartite partners integrating skills upgrading together with business transformation, productivity enhancement and innovation to catalyse change as a whole of eco-system to also create better jobs and better job prospects for our workers. Raising the income of our less skilled and low-wage workers is, therefore, a holistic and a continuous effort. Through Workfare, the PWM and our efforts involving various stakeholders to boost skills and productivity in every sector, we are demonstrating exactly what Mdm Halimah spoke about in social solidarity. Our low-wage workers get an uplift in incomes through Workfare, supported by our taxes through the PWM and by productivity improvements. The upshot is that we can achieve higher incomes for low-wage workers without putting their employment at risk and minimising cost increases for our consumers. How about the coverage of PWM? The Government has committed to working with its tripartite partners to extend the PWM to all sectors in a manner that is appropriate to each and every sector's unique conditions.[+5 sentences] I should point out also that the PWM in the existing sectors have also helped lift wages in the other non-PWM sectors as well. If we look at the occupations that are traditionally deemed as comprising workers with lower income – clerical support, service staff, tradesmen, operators, cleaners, labourers – there are, perhaps, about slightly over 850,000 workers doing these jobs in Singapore. The vast majority of them actually earn above $1,300 a month. According to MOM, the residual number of low-wage workers who earn below $1,300 is about 100,000 workers. About a quarter of them actually are self-employed so they would not have benefited from any minimum wage, to begin with. With Workfare and employer's CPF contribution included, only about 56,000 across a variety of job roles earn less than $1,300.[+5 sentences] Of these, only about 32,000 are full-time employees. So, what the Workers' Party wants to achieve with the proposed minimum wage of $1,300 a month, we have already achieved through PWM and many other policy measures, such as Workfare Income Supplement. With this latest tripartite move, we will further reduce this number. We have, in fact, actually made tremendous strides over the decades. But as I said, it is still unfinished business. The Workers' Party have called for a Minimum Wage of $1,300 a month to be applied across all sectors, as a quick way to cover everyone else.[+12 sentences] As I have just highlighted, this is a very small number of 32,000 to over 50,000-over, about 1.7% of our local workforce. Let me state that we are not ideologically against a minimum wage. In fact, the first rung of the wage ladder in the PWM is a form of sectoral minimum wage. Senior Minister Tharman has also called the PWM a “Minimum Wage Plus” – Minimum Wage plus a ladder for wage increase through upskilling. So, the idea of having some form of a minimum wage is not new and we share the same objective to uplift the incomes of low-wage workers. Where we differ though is the approach to getting there. All programmes and policies have pros and cons and so too a single blanket minimum wage. Its appeal is that it is seemingly a quick way to raise the wages of workers who have to benefit from PWM – and maybe many other initiatives. But there are actually risks to jumping onto this single blanket minimum wage. First, there is the question of its effectiveness in helping our lowest skilled and most vulnerable workers and not inadvertently putting them at a disadvantage. It is difficult to find the right a single minimum wage for all sectors. If it is not set too low, then the benefit to workers in many sectors will be limited and defeats the purpose of having a minimum wage in the first place. For example, the starting salary for a cleaner in Town Councils today under the mandatory PWM is already $1,442. With overtime pay, Workfare Income Supplement and Annual Wage Supplement or bonuses, this would be much higher than the $1,300 a month that the Workers' Party proposes as a minimum wage. Indeed, because of the mandatory PWM, the Workers' Party Town Councils' cleaners are being paid based on the PWM and not based on their Minimum Wage![+11 sentences] But if the Minimum Wage is set too high, then businesses especially the SMEs, cannot afford to pay. They will have to pass the costs on to consumers if they are able to or cut back on employment of workers of lower educational standards or skills, or, in the worse case scenario, go out of business. In an ideal world, of course, a high Minimum Wage will force industries to invest more in technology, invest in items that can raise the productivity and favour the most efficient firms without lowering overall employment. But in practice there will be winners and losers and it is our SMEs who are the most vulnerable and our most vulnerable workers will also be at risk of losing out. Sir, we all want to help low-wage workers to earn more. But in practice it is difficult to arbitrarily prescribe a single higher salary for all sectors and all industries. There must be a basis for setting the Minimum Wage that reflects the realities of each sector, including the profile of the low-wage worker sin that that particular sector so that it is sustainable, it benefits them and it avoids any unintended costs. Veteran union leaders with long experience on the ground understand the importance of working this out and arriving at the tripartite consensus, so that “low wage” does not inadvertently become “no wage”. If I may share what my good brother in the unions, Brother Toh Hock Poh, will always say when it comes to complex issues, "Ah nay kan duah, wa nang za teo zoh liow, ko tan li la kong" in Hokkien. Sir, if you do not mind I have to do this to justify the charisma of Brother Toh Hock Poh and show his charisma – what it means is; "If it was so simple, we would done it long go." So, a single Minimum Wage is no panacea. The second risk – with a single blanket Minimum Wage is the inevitable politicisation of wage setting.[+36 sentences] What do I mean? Today, let us say we can all agree to $1,300 Minimum Wage proposed by the Workers' Party, a “moral imperative” as Mr Singh puts it in his recent Facebook post. But what next? What happens next? How will this number change from this year to the next and on what basis? In a political contest, a political party will surely come along and say, "Well, $1,500 will reflect higher 'moral imperatives'". Yet another will come along and say, "$1,300 is good; $1,500 is better, but $1,700 must surely be more 'divine' moral imperatives". It can become a political auction. When this process, this political auction gathers momentum and becomes detached from market realities, the Minimum Wage escalates beyond what employers are able to pay. And the jobs of our more vulnerable sisters and brothers in these sectors will be threatened with the risk of unemployment. So, I am not so much concerned by what Mr Singh and the Workers' Party is proposing for now, but what it portends for the future – the possibility of a political auction that will price out our lower skilled workers, our brothers and sisters, and disadvantage our smaller enterprises, our SMEs. This is not an academic issue. We are seeing this kind of political processes, this political auction, happening in other countries. What is a better way? At NTUC, we believe the PWM is one way of doing so. Under PWM, we can engage the different stakeholders of each industry, work out how to address their concerns and challenges, and arrive at a consensus with a basis that they can all actively support. With this sectoral tripartite consensus building approach, it is much less likely for a political auction to happen. We can and should do more to help the lowest paid in our society but we must go about doing it in a way that ensures the upside while minimising the downsides. The cure surely should not be worse than the problem it tries to solve. A third complication, and this is a major one, is the question of migrant workers. In most developed countries, the legal Minimum Wage applies to all workers including migrant workers. If the Minimum Wage is driven simply by a "moral imperative", then the natural question to ask is whether it should include non-Singaporeans such as migrant workers, including our foreign domestic workers. I do see an online petition going on now in the honour of Mr Singh's name, with all the text he put into his Facebook on the page calling for people to petition to support Minimum Wage for foreign domestic workers as well. So, perhaps, Mr Singh should also take this chance to explain to Singaporeans what the position of the Workers' Party is when you advocate for Minimum Wage. Now, if businesses cannot bear the resulting cost, is there also a "moral imperative" to help our SMEs? This is a particular pertinent consideration at this time, when we are in a deep COVID-19 crisis. Many companies, especially our SMEs, such as those in the construction sector, are suffering and not quite out of the woods. What is Mr Singh's views on this? I do note that in his Facebook post, the very first line and I quote, "A universal Minimum Wage for the Singaporean worker is not just a moral imperative, it is an act of national solidarity, one that is even more relevant in today's economic environment". I have been listening to some of the speeches of many of the Workers' Party's Members in the House yesterday and today, and I must thank them for sharing the Government's view on improving career coaching, reforming our education, supporting our workers, helping our SMEs. And the Member Jamus Lim's earlier speech talked about supporting SMEs, which I am sure will be welcomed. But if we juxtapose this together with his speech at the last Sitting about raising Minimum Wages, how does it square away? Are we supporting SMEs or are we adding more oil to the fire, so to speak? Perhaps it will be better explained in Chinese, we call it 雪上加霜. With the companies in a deep economic freeze now or economic recession, is what is being proposed by the Workers' Party – raising wages through a Minimum Wage legislation – going to add more frost to the snow in companies in deep winter right now? Mr Speaker, Sir, I seek the support of this House for us to continue to push for PWM. NTUC will continue our conversations with our tripartite partners via the newly convened tripartite Workgroup on expanding PWM, to ensure that we take into account the concerns of all our stakeholders for a sustainable implementation of the PWMs, even as we work collectively to help ourselves to get out of this economic recession. In the interim, the PWM Mark that was recently introduced by Minister Josephine Teo in Parliament as a potential means of recognising firms that voluntarily pay progressive wages, is something that we welcome.[+4 sentences] We welcome such ideas as it would enable consumers to choose whether to support progressive-minded firms. While introducing a PWM Mark is a good first step, voluntary schemes on their own may not be attractive enough for companies to come onboard. Government must be prepared to use regulatory levers to help incentivise firms to adopt the PWM Mark, such as requiring companies that access Government schemes or bid for Government contracts to come onboard this voluntary Mark. That way, we can also raise the awareness of consumers and service buyers to price the contracts fairly, and build trust towards eventual mandatory PWM for other sectors. Beyond the lift and escalator PWM becoming mandatory in 2022, NTUC had also submitted a proposal to the Government to form a Tripartite Cluster for the Waste Management Industry to introduce a PWM focusing on the waste collection sub- sectors. We look forward to the Government’s strong support and will work closely with our tripartite partners to bring about better wages, welfare and work prospects for the low-wage workers in this sector. In expanding the PWM, we should also consider studying other approaches to complement the existing PWM efforts, such as setting a sectoral wage benchmark as a first step for companies in sectors where there are currently no regulatory levers to mandate a PWM.[+14 sentences] The benchmarks would be a good way, a good starting point, a first step towards empowering workers with greater awareness of wages in their own occupations and their sectors. This can be done through leveraging various sources of data that we currently have, such as the Occupational Wage Survey Data. In sectors with a more variegated employment landscape such as Food Services and Retail, sectoral wage benchmarks may help catalyse more companies to embark on uplifting the livelihoods of our lower wage workers. This, of course, in time to come, can evolve into a PWM. The Tripartite Workgroup could also study lower wage occupations that cut across multiple sectors to see how best to help improve their wage prospects. Some job roles, clerical job roles, for example, do not neatly fall into one particular sector and it is horizontal across many sectors. Having employers, Government and union at the same table would enable us to have frank and deep discussions on policy innovations to move the way forward. Mr Speaker, Sir, there is much work to be done to uplift more lower wage workers, many of whom provide essential services for all of us. We should recognise what the Government and the tripartite partners have achieved in providing a genuine uplift for the workforce, especially our lower wage workers, and be willing to adopt new approaches. Indeed, the PWM and Workfare Income Supplement have major new approaches in recent years and we, of course, remain open to new ideas. Achieving social equality and enabling lower income families to improve their lives is never a simple task. There is no silver bullet. It is also continuous hard work. NTUC and the tripartite partners will focus on this real hard work of uplifting wages of low-wage workers and seek public support for our workers, while hoping to avoid all the possible downsides.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied)1026 words
[+4 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Minister of State for his extensive comments on this matter. I was not intending to speak in this debate but in view of the questions that he has put to me arising from a Facebook post, which was a response to another Facebook post or two Facebook posts by the Minister for Manpower and the NTUC Secretary-General, I will put the position out. Because when we campaigned in the last election, a Minimum Wage was one of the central pillars of our ambit of the proposals that we had put to Singaporeans. So, I would like to start with, actually, what I felt was a very powerful line from the Senior Minister of State, which was he is not so much concerned at our proposal of a Minimum Wage. And indeed, there is no reason to be very concerned about it because what we are talking about is those Singaporeans who earn below the $1,300 mark.[+6 sentences] It is not a number that has come out of the sky. I will explain shortly. The Senior Minister of State has been helpful in providing some data. I believe a newspaper article, just a few days ago, from a former parliamentarian, someone who I think many of us parliamentarians enjoyed listening to, the economist Walter Theseira, asked some important questions. He asked what are the sectors where Singaporeans are earning less than $1,300? How many workers are impacted? And for those who are significantly below the $1,300 floor, what will happen to them? And that is precisely my question for the numbers that the Senior Minister of State had shared – about the 100,000, a quarter of them self-employed; 56,000 not full-time workers, if I remember correctly, and 32,000 are full-time.[+1 sentence] Very important figures. I think this is the first time the Government has shared these figures.[+23 sentences] And my question quite simply is, do we need to wait so long to cover these Singaporeans? Can we not consider how we can cover them immediately because it is not a small number. It is a large number. If you think of 60,000 rental units available from HDB and you compare that with this number, it is significant – it is quite a lot of Singaporeans who need some help. So, my Facebook posts really was not to diss or dismiss the PWM. It was to nudge the Government, to tell the Government, "Hey, wait a minute. Can we move faster on people who are really, really at one end of the spectrum?" So, I think the Senior Minister of State understands that context, so that is not so much the issue. So, that was the first question, whether we can reach out more quickly to these individuals. And I do not believe SMEs would be significantly impacted, with all respect to SMEs, employers and businesses who have also made their views known also in the mainstream media over the last one, one and a half months, perhaps. This number of Singaporeans, we can look after them, we can take care of them, and we can do it quite fast. If there is anybody who can do it for the people who I know as my friends in NTUC, I am pretty sure they are going to work hard with the Government to make that happen. So, I hope the Government takes them up. My second point is about politicisation, which was what the Minister feared. Are we going to get into an auction when one party says $1,300 and another one says $1,500? This is where we probably have to defer to the experts. The National Wages Council is potentially one forum. And there are also some useful statistics we can use, like the average household expenditure on basic necessities; how much really does it cost for the Singaporean family who is at that end of the spectrum. And the Minimum Wage or the floor can be set at a number which is realistic and correspondent to that. Actually, the bigger concern I have with the PWM and some of the sectors that the Senior Minister of State has been referring to, is potential profiteering on the back of raising wages for Singaporeans. My question to the Senior Minister of State is what mechanisms are available in NTUC, with MOM, to ensure that companies do not do that. Now, I say this because earlier this week, I just sat in our usual weekly Town Council meeting and I am aware that certain lift maintenance contracts are coming up for renewal. I have some numbers from the lift companies. For one lift company, costs are going up by 47%.[+7 sentences] Another lift company, 5%, 10%, 5%, 10%, something of that nature, over a few years. So, because we have different contractors, they have different proposals. Now, if all this increase is going to the Singaporean worker, then I am prepared to take on that burden to persuade our Town Council residents that we need to raise S&CC. I am prepared to take it on because Singaporeans are going to benefit from it. But my question is, is that a realistic hike in costs? So, I would like the Senior Minister of State to share how can we be sure that as the PWM moves forward and particularly for raising of salaries, those costs will go to our workers and will not be translated into profits. I think the Senior Minister of State had a question on the ambit of our Minimum Wage proposal. The Minimum Wage we are proposing does not include foreign domestic workers at this point.[+4 sentences] It does not include foreign manpower at this point because there are other regulatory levers, especially for foreign workers – quotas, levies. I know they serve specific purposes, but I think you will have to implement this and see how best to work the overall manpower situation that SMEs demand and what the economy demands. Coming back to the important number, it was, I think Senior Minister of State said 1.7% of the population. I am sure Senior Minister of State agrees with me that –
Dr Koh Poh Koon1 words
[+1 sentence]Workforce.
Mr Pritam Singh102 words
Workforce – I beg your pardon. 1.7% of the workforce.[+6 sentences] Thank you. I am sure Senior Minister of State agrees with me that we can do and we can move quite fast for this people. I will be prepared to work with Senior Minister of State to ensure that we can actually reach out to these Singaporeans as quickly as the Government can. Because, I do not think it is acceptable that any one, any Singaporean is earning below this number. It is simply not acceptable. And if we can do something about it in double quick time, let us do it.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Dr Koh Poh Koon.
Dr Koh Poh Koon664 words
[+7 sentences]Mr Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some of his clarifications. I must say it is quite easy to propose a Minimum Wage and then when we ask questions about what it is based on and how they will implement it – does it include foreign workers and all – they say, "Government go sort it out". I think if as Brother Hock Poh said, "If it is so easy to do, we would have done it with any long ago". Proposing it for panel of experts to do, do research and studies, that could be one way, but that is actually also what the tripartite partners do. We look at data, but we incorporate the consensus of all the stakeholders including businesses so that they also must be prepared to price this into their business cost and have a way to also socialise it to the consumers. Indeed, as the hon Member said, when there is a wage ladder that goes up or any cost increase for Minimum Wage, this cost will have to be passed to the consumers at some point. So, there has to be a cost implication in the cost impact. The good news of course is that the PWM, as it stands today, applies only to Singaporean local workforce, Singaporean workers. So, wage increases for PWM only benefits Singapore workers.[+3 sentences] That is why I asked the question about proposing a blanket single Minimum Wage across all sectors, which has to necessarily cover all workers. Because in many developed countries, the concept of a Minimum Wage, as it is applied, includes migrant workers as well. So, I think we have to be careful about what we are saying here, because to buck the norm, to be different, there must be a real strong justification. The data, 1.7% percent of the local workforce, it is not a very clean data because it includes a whole group of people across different job roles.[+11 sentences] But it also includes people who are technically "employed" but they could be employed in jobs like hawker assistant, helping a family member. They are drawing a salary, but they are happy to be just getting $700 a month helping the father or the mother or something like that, manning a store, for example. How do you legislate a Minimum Wage to say that the father who runs the store, employing the son as as a worker, as an employee, has to add a cost on and mandate it? Those are the challenges when you go down to the bottom. They will be the challenges of implementation. Research, data, all these are good. If I may use Brother Hock Poh's words again, he said "Wo jiak yam bi li jiak bee zuay" or I eat more salt than you eat more rice; "Tak chek jin ho", but "ai zor jin gan kor" or easier said than done. So, his point is this, reams and reams of data and research is good. But in practice, is always harder to do, because there are practical considerations, there are pushbacks. So, that is why a negotiator approach with stakeholders is the most important. In the area of working with our stakeholders, I believe that that is why when we work on the negotiated outcome, there is always that balance that can be struck. Where the businesses are prepared to absorb the cost; if not, they have a way to rationalise how to pass the cost on to the consumers. I am glad to hear that Mr Singh is prepared to also raise the S&CC charges to justify for higher wage cost when we eventually push up the mandatory PWM for the lift and escalator sectors, to make sure that our brothers and sisters in this sector get get paid a fair wage.[+1 sentence] And I think collectively we ought to socialise Singaporean consumers to the need to up the wages of those at the lower end and demonstrate social solidarity.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim456 words
[+6 sentences]Thank you, Speaker, and I thank the Senior Minister of State for his impassioned defence of the PWM model. I would just take the opportunity to just clarify a few points and perhaps obtain some clarifications as well. One of them is that Senior Minister of State mentioned a few times that a lot of these affect real lives and I have no doubt that they affect real lives because that is precisely what we are fighting for. But, with all due respect, as much as it will be lovely to always rely on folksy wisdom and beliefs by labour union leaders, at the same time, it is important to realise that when when we talk about studies that show that the Minimum Wage does not lead to any appreciable increase in unemployment, this is based on careful consideration and not just beliefs. It is worth reminding ourselves that there was a time in the 16th century, when people believed that the sun revolved around the Earth. But that belief is not in fact the same as evidence and all evidence from countries all over the world demonstrate that a Minimum Wage has minimal impact on unemployment as long as it is not set too high. So, that leaves us with discussing why, what is too high? And again, I think we made a clear justification on why we believe that $1,300 is a justifiable number.[+3 sentences] But why we believe as well that it is important to be open to other possibilities is because we, likewise, do not want this number to be politicised. There are lots of numbers that can be politicised, the interest rate can be politicised. We ensure that the central banks do not politicise the interest rate by making sure that they have independence. Which is why, one way forward is to ensure that we have an independent wage board comprised of academics as well as representatives from both the Labour Movement as well as employers to come up with a number so that is not politicised.[+6 sentences] I will just close by pointing out one thing. It is that I do not believe in schadenfreude. We have been throwing out Chinese idioms so I will define that 幸灾乐祸. I do not think that supporting SMEs, as I said in my speech just now, is exclusive from supporting a Minimum Wage, which I mentioned in my maiden speech. In fact, I would just remind everyone that Henry Ford who invented the automobile understood this. He said he has to pay his workers enough so that they can buy his cars. So, when we pay our workers enough, it need not be the case that our small businesses end up suffering as a result.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh45 words
[+1 sentence]Thank you, Speaker. I believe Senior Minister of State has not answered my question with regard to how the tripartite partners assess in a particular sector whether profiteering is taking place on the back of what ought to be wage increases for our Singaporean workers.
Dr Koh Poh Koon70 words
[+2 sentences]Sir, I think the simple answer to that is that in a tripartite PWM model, the wages are pegged to a skills ladder, that can be verified by either a participation in a course or verified through an industry accredited programme. So, with the skills increase, the person would then be justified for wage increase, based on the larger job scope or a more productive outcome in the work delivered.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh143 words
[+2 sentences]I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answer. But I am more referring to a case where like the Labour Annual this year in May, talked about extending the PWM to the lift and escalator sector and I believe there is one more sector, I am not sure whether it was waste management, but one of them. My point is, this is in the future, but some of these companies are already pricing it in today and is that legitimately correct for them to do so?[+2 sentences] Apart from that, if there is a reason for a vendor to assert that actually the cost is being overstated here and PWM is being used as an excuse to increase costs, what recourse would the Government consider? Will there be a committee that we can potentially go to to address some of these matters?
Dr Koh Poh Koon65 words
[+2 sentences]Sir, then the simple process is to make sure that the Town Council when you tender contracts, you have a process of evaluating a competitive tender to assess the points of merit surely, unless you are talking about collusion among various vendors for the same project. Otherwise, there has to be somebody who is prepared to price his service or his product competitively and reasonably.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leon Perera.
Mr Leon Perera381 words
[+8 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. Just some points of clarification to the Senior Minister of State, Dr Koh Poh Koon, who gave a spirited defence of the PWM model. We have said that we do not think that PWM and Minimum Wage are mutually exclusive. My first question is really how long does the Senior Minister of State envisage the rolling out of the PWM to all the vulnerable workers who are now earning very low incomes; how long would that take? The number could be 100,000 or 36,000 depending on the definition used, but how long we are going to take to address the needs of that group? Secondly, Senior Minister of State Koh also talked about how a Minimum Wage inevitably becomes politicised, but the Senior Minister of State presumably does not feel that PWM inevitably becomes politicised. Why does Minimum Wage inevitably become politicised but the PWM model does not also become a political football and become politicised. Third point of clarification is really on how the Minimum Wage may hurt our SMEs. Senior Minister of State did say that the number of people who will be affected by a minimum wage of $1,300 per month could actually be very small.[+4 sentences] So, how does such a small number actually effect a very substantial hurt or a disadvantage to SMEs if the number is basically small? In making this point, I would note that some discussions publicly that have happened about Minimum Wage within the business community, that have been reported in The Business Times and so on, have shown that many business owners are in fact open to a Minimum Wage if it is not set too high because they also want to pay their employees with dignity. The last point is really on the Senior Minister of State who talked about the contrast between Minimum Wage and Progressive Wage Model that with the Progressive Wage Model, you are less likely to lose jobs because that is a negotiated outcome with employers. But would the Senior Minister of State accept that you can have a process to set a Minimum Wage nationally, with reference to research and facts that involves consultation with employers before that Minimum Wage is set, so you do not surrender that advantage as well.
Dr Koh Poh Koon471 words
[+4 sentences]I think in my speech, I did explain that different sectors have different eco-systems, different kind of skills requirement and therefore different starting pay even for certain lower job roles. And therefore, if at a national level, it is very hard to decide on one number that everyone can agree to as their starting pay. How would that process be to make sure tat there is convergence on one single number – to have the lowest end of a cleaner and a lowest end of a clerical staff – all having the same minimum wage that is acceptable across different industry sectors? So, that is a practical challenge that cannot be overcome so easily with a single Minimum Wage. How do we help the lower wage workers, maybe the 1.7% that we spoke about? I think when we look at this, wage is only one aspect of helping a lower wage worker. Today, with Workfare, we already top up the wages and that is one way of helping them without having to make employers jump through the hoops, without having to make disadvantaged workers that have to do a lot of heavy lifting to get to the Minimum Wage, for example.[+14 sentences] Bear in mind that this segment of workers, some of them could have disabilities that may not be able to embark on the kind of jobs without Government support to begin with. So, by giving some of these Workfare supplements, we actually top up the kind of wages because otherwise, an employer may not be prepared to employ someone with a certain disability that may not be able to fulfil the full function of the job scope. This is where you will end up leading to dis-employment for a particular segment of vulnerable workers. So, it cannot be a one-size-fits-all because there are different segments of people, different industry demands. How long? I think the process will be something that we want to do now, talk about it, discuss it, work out some schematics. But when can we implement? Obviously, we have to look at the economic situation as well because this will be probably the wrong time to push for increased wage costs onto our SMEs who are already suffering. Why would the PWM structure be less likely to be politicised? Because it has tripartite negotiations. It is not decided politically by one party. The employers naturally will push back as well if what we are proposing for the sector is not sustainable to them, business-wise. If what is being pushed from just a political base would put them out of business and make them non-competitive, there will be a natural push back. Otherwise, if it is just a single number that is decided based on politics, I think this is where the danger of the slippery slope occurs.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim232 words
[+4 sentences]Thank you, Speaker, and I thank the Senior Minister of State for the clarification. Just two quick points. One on the issue of heterogeneity, needing each sector to have their own specific Minimum Wage. I would actually put it across even more simply. What I believe that the Workers’ Party would argue is that if you can establish that the Minimum Wage for the lowest paying sector within the PWM is at least $1,300, it is absolutely fine if the other sectors were willing to pay more than that $1,300, for that particular lowest pay sector.[+3 sentences] The other point is I think it is actually a bit disconcerting to bring in special cases like disability and the individual that happens to work part-time for his father, or even to talk about earning more than one $1,300 if someone works overtime, because honestly these are, if I may use the term, straw man. We are not comparing these particular special cases. We are talking about individuals without disability that happen to be working just regular full-time work week and are nevertheless struggling to make ends meet. Even if it is 32,000 people, I do not think that any of these 32,000 people feel that they are being taken care of.[+1 sentence] And I also do not feel that we should let them, in as rich a society as we are, flounder on their own.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Edward Chia.
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah)72 words
[+1 sentence]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Businesses need to stay competitive and avoid passing all costs to consumers to stay competitive. So, an increased wage has to be coupled with an increase in productivity.[+2 sentences] If not, it may actually lead to no wage. So, could I seek clarifications from the Workers’ Party on whether they actually recognise the downside risks of low wage becoming no wage, especially when technology automation is increasingly being adopted?
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh59 words
[+5 sentences]I would like to clarify with the Member. I do not believe any of us made that specific remark. But I would like to ask the Member in return: is he agreeable to pay the 100,000 workers, specifically narrowed down now to 32,000 workers, $1,300 as a business employer? Is he prepared to do that? I hope he is.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Edward Chia.
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui154 words
[+8 sentences]Mr Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his clarification. I think as a business owner, the responsibility is not to a specific sector of employees but to the entire company. Sustaining a business means providing jobs for the whole company. So, a business owner needs to look at sustainability, and it is the responsibility of a business owner to look at productivity increase because that is what makes businesses profitable, viable and then scalable to be able to provide more jobs for Singaporeans. So, an arbitrary Minimum Wage may actually be more negative for a business. We need to look at it as a holistic approach, helping businesses upskill their employees, helping businesses to grow their business. So, as the businesses grow, we can provide more to our workers and we can actually hire more workers. I think that is what businesses are looking towards in terms of good effective policy.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Carrie Tan.
Ms Carrie Tan (Nee Soon)162 words
[+3 sentences]Thank you, Speaker. Actually, to be honest, that is a really big debate going on and I think to avoid just discussing this purely on theoretical or rhetorical menace, I would like to ask both sides of the House, including the Senior Minister of State, from the position of someone who is also declaring my interest as strategic advisor to Daughters of Tomorrow where we work actively with employers and businesses to advocate directly to them for what we call livable wages for the employees. Is there anything that Senior Minister of State Koh might want to share that Members of Parliament, backbenchers, or even community groups can do to help the Government in this effort to encourage more employers in different sectors to think about different ways and using different angles to encourage them to pay the employees more, and in return reap the benefits of a workforce that has higher morale and give higher loyalty to the companies and businesses.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Senior Minister of State.
Dr Koh Poh Koon346 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, if we look at what will employer be thinking when he wants to interview and employ somebody. The first thing he is asked is: do you have the skills that I need to do the job, and for the skills that you have, what am I prepared to pay you? If we stipulate a Minimum Wage or whatever wage there is, but the employer feels that this is not worth paying for, or if you set the wage too high, he will say, “Well, with this money, I might as well buy a machine to do this job. Because I will amortise this machine over one year, two years, and my return is immeasurable, beyond the ROI". This worker will never get the job if he is priced too high. On the other hand, if you fix the rate too low, but yet the worker does not have the skills to do the job, no matter how low you price the Minimum Wage, I would not employ the person anyway because there is no skills to it. So, that is why in the PWM construct, it is not just a wage ladder – rising wages across a spectrum, but actually, there is a skills ladder that is tied to it so that as the employee gets the skills that justify the productivity, the work output and the work delivery, the wages commensurate with their skills will be paid to the employee.[+3 sentences] Because the employer will then feel that these jobs that he can do with these skills are justifiable for the wage and costs that I am going to bear for which I can actually be competitive as a business and recover it through my my business. So, it has to go hand-in-hand. It cannot be de-synced from one another. The problem with a Minimum Wage is that it is not connected to any skills ladder. It is a number, and the employer then has to decide if the employee makes the mark or is too costly for him, and that number can fluctuate.
Mr Speaker66 words
[+7 sentences]Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting for a minimum of 20 minutes. Because it is not progressive, so it is a maximum of 20 minutes as well. We will take the Chair at 4.30 pm. Sitting accordingly suspended at 4.08 pm until 4.30 pm. Sitting resumed at 4.30 pm.
The Senior Minister of State for Manpower (Mr Zaqy Mohamad)3033 words
[+11 sentences]Mr Speaker, Members of the House, MOM understands that Singaporeans have been through much hardship over the past few months. Many Members have spoken on the challenges and concerns of our workers across all segments. Our infection rates have gone down and we have been able to proceed with the slow and steady re-opening of our economy. Yet, it would be a mistake to think that we are going back to pre-COVID-19 norms. As other speakers in this House have observed, it is unlikely that things will be the same again. Many industries will take time to recover and, when they do, they will look quite different from what it is now. The way we work has already changed and will continue to change. For instance, companies and workers alike have had to adapt to telecommuting. Not all these changes are bad. On the contrary, the pandemic has spurred the pace of digitalisation, upskilling and improving the resilience of our workforce and supply chains. The Government has put in place substantial effort and resources to help our businesses and workers deal with the impact of the pandemic. For example, we have provided extensive support to businesses through the Jobs Support Scheme, with wage subsidies of 75% to help businesses retain workers. Deputy Prime Minister has announced that this support will be extended until next March.[+6 sentences] Right now, our focus must be to help our businesses and our workers to emerge stronger from this crisis and to seize new opportunities ahead. We should work on the basis that short-term relief measures will continually and eventually taper off. This is why economic agencies under MTI as well as agencies that lead the ITM sectors, such as MAS and IMDA, are intensifying efforts on job creation. MOM and WSG will work with these agencies to support employment. Well before the JSS phases out, we have introduced the Jobs Growth Incentive or JGI. The JGI will provide salary support for businesses which bring forward their hiring plans and hire more locals. Eligible employers will receive up to 25% of the first $5,000 of gross monthly wages, or $15,000 for up to 12 months, for new local hires aged below 40. For each new mature local hire aged 40 and above and for all persons with disabilities or PwDs, Government support is doubled to 50%. Thus far, we have committed $1 billion to this initiative, and we encourage more firms to make use of the JGI to expand hiring.[+24 sentences] The SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package is our key push to help our workers to enter new jobs. Where this is not yet possible, we are helping jobseekers to acquire the skills that will put them in a stronger position when the economy begins to recover. It pools together jobs and training opportunities for Singaporeans across the public and private sectors. Under this Package, we have curated 117,500 jobs as at end-August, including jobs, company-hosted traineeships, attachments and training opportunities and training places. With the exception of SGUnited Traineeships which are designed for fresh and recent graduates, these opportunities are all open to mid-career individuals. More than 33,000 jobseekers have been placed into SGUnited Jobs and Skills opportunities. Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about how the Government determines the number of job opportunities available under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package and the job roles created by the top hiring sectors. We have been putting out the total number of committed opportunities available under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package in our weekly Job Situation Report. The number of committed opportunities is based on approved places under the various SGUnited Jobs and Skills programmes, such as, one, career conversion programmes, traineeships, company attachments and training courses; two, public sector and other Government-funded jobs; and three, private sector jobs that are advertised on the national MyCareersFuture.sg jobs portal. There are opportunities in almost every sector. Not surprisingly, the key contributors are growth sectors, such as information and communications, healthcare, professional services, finance and insurance and manufacturing. Examples of jobs in the top five sectors include: software, web and multimedia developers, nursing professionals, management and business consultants, financial analysts and engineering professionals. But I should also point out that even in sectors badly-hit by COVID-19, there is hiring. In tourism and retail, for example, business models are changing fast. Employers see a need to reskill existing staff as well as to bring in fresh talent. It is, therefore, important not to write them off. To help our local jobseekers access and get more information on the available jobs and skills opportunities, Workforce Singapore (WSG) has organised various career workshops, seminars and walk-in interviews, reaching about 38,800 individuals between July and September 2020. We have also brought career matching services closer to the heartlands. So, we have launched the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centres in phases since early July and, by end-August, one had been set up across all 24 HDB towns. Although all satellite career centres were only in operation from end-August, Career Ambassadors have advised around 4,200 jobseekers by now. We are heartened to hear Mr Liang Eng Hwa sharing that his constituents have found this to be helpful and that many were able to secure jobs after going to these centres. That being said, when so many businesses are restructuring, mismatches in jobs and skills must be expected. We recognise the tremendous adjustments needed by both jobseekers and employers to give each other a chance even if they do not look like perfect fits. Many jobseekers have shown such courage and resilience. Around 39% of workers retrenched in the first quarter of 2020 had re-entered employment by June 2020. Of these, seven in 10 re-entered employment within a month of being retrenched and five in 10 possessed transferrable skills that enabled them to switch to a different industry.[+6 sentences] For jobseekers who are prepared to take the leap to change vocation or join a new sector, our career conversion programmes and company-hosted traineeships and attachments can help to make this switch easier. At the same time, we are also seeing businesses changing their mindsets. Instead of looking only for jobseekers who already have the experience and skills, businesses often find that when they widen their search, they find good candidates. The Government has been working closely with such forward-thinking companies in the private sector. And in doing so, these companies have created new opportunities for Singaporeans while placing themselves in a good position for economic recovery. Mr Yip Hon Weng has highlighted that mature workers aged 40 and above are likely to face greater difficulties in making a career switch. We are aware and recognise the challenges this group of jobseekers face. I have already mentioned that the JGI will provide higher salary support for new mature local hires – double that, compared to non-mature hires.[+1 sentence] Moreover, under the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package introduced in the Unity Budget earlier this year, we have ramped up our career conversion programmes to more than 14,000 places this year. This aims to support mid-career jobseekers in reskilling for new occupations in sectors with good long-term prospects. We have also boosted the salary support for all workers aged 40 and above who are enrolled in career conversion programmes, in particular, for non-PMETs, from 70% to 90%.[+18 sentences] This year alone, our career conversion programmes have helped 6,100 mid-career jobseekers to acquire new skills and switch into new occupations. These include close to 100 Professional Conversion Programmes or PCPs, covering across 30 sectors, and specialised career conversion programmes under the Tech Skills Accelerator or TeSA for the ICT sector. For mid-career jobseekers who may not be able to secure a job straightaway, the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme provides attachment opportunities hosted by companies. These opportunities provide jobseekers with valuable industry-relevant experience and help them to build up their skillsets and networks, while receiving an allowance. The Government will co-fund 80% of the training allowances for trainees under these programmes, while the organisations fund the remaining 20%. The public sector has also introduced a Work and Skills Immersion Programme in capability areas, such as ICT, food science and technology, social services and healthcare sector. Open to fresh graduates and mid-career switchers, successful applicants are employed full-time, typically on a two-year basis, and will receive structured on-the-job training, preparing them to take up roles in the economy once we recover. Miss Cheryl Chan has also pointed out that our upskilling and reskilling strategies need to take into account certain vulnerable groups, such as special needs individuals, and we agree fully. The Open Door Programme helps PwDs enter suitable jobs and integrate them into the workplace by providing support for job placement, training and cost of job redesign. The Open Door Programme training grant was recently enhanced in July, with more course fee subsidies of up to 95% and training allowance of $6/hr, as well as a new training commitment award of $100 per completed eligible training course. The training courses are curated to ensure that they equip our PwDs with industry-relevant skills. This includes courses in software and technical design skills, and courses that help PwDs work in emerging sectors like logistics, or in new jobs that may involve automation. There are also customised Train and Place Programmes for specialised jobs. And looking ahead, SG Enable is also working to expand courses in sectors with long-term growth opportunities, such as healthcare, education, banking and finance and computing. On our foreign Work Pass policies, there was already an intense debate last month. So, I will just summarise some of the points that were brought up by Members. The Government will continue to make adjustments to calibrate the flow, keeping in mind Mr Liang Eng Hwa's reminder not to over rely on foreign manpower. To that end, we update our foreign worker policies on a regular basis. At the Work Permit and S Pass level, we cut the services quota from 40% to 38% and the S Pass quota from 15% to 13% in 2020, and this will be further reduced to 35% and 10% respectively in 2021, that is, next year.[+6 sentences] We will also cut S Pass quotas for the construction, process and marine shipyard sectors from 20% to 15% from 2021 to 2023. At the Employment Pass or EP level, MOM has also tightened the framework recently. This is why we raised the salary hurdle – to nudge employers towards better quality. And this also means that applicants who do not meet the higher hurdles must come under the S Pass framework, where there are quota controls. We have extended the job advertising duration from 14 to 28 days. When assessing EP and S Pass applications, we will place additional emphasis on efforts made by employers to build up and retain a strong Singaporean Core. We also regularly take employers to task for pre-selecting foreign candidates and disregarding qualified local candidates. This year alone, 90 employers have had their work pass privileges suspended because of infringements under the FCF.[+9 sentences] We will also be engaging an expanded group of employers to review their hiring practices, including firms whose Singaporean Core has been weakening, or whose EP and S Pass workforce are also overly concentrated from a single foreign nationality source. Members such as NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Koh Poh Koon earlier have spoken passionately on supporting our lower wage workers. We all share the same aspirations in this House. As various Members have also spoken earlier in clarification of Dr Koh's speech, we do not want any Singaporean to be left behind. We want to uplift and care for our fellow workers as best as we can. This Government and our tripartite partners stand in solidarity with our low-wage workers. Our approach has worked. It has worked. We are progressively narrowing the gap between the incomes of our low-wage workers, and those in the middle. In the three sectors where the PWM has been implemented, real incomes have increased by around 30% in recent years, outstripping the 21% of real income growth at the median across all sectors.[+1 sentence] As for the overall workforce – that means those with PWM and those without PWM collectively – real incomes of our full-time employed resident workers at the 20th percentile have also increased cumulatively more than the median. The incomes of our 10th percentile full-time resident workers today, currently stands at $1,517. One decade ago, the incomes of this percentile of workers was at $1,000. This amounts to a 50% increase over the last decade.[+16 sentences] There has certainly been progress, if you look at our measures and how the whole eco-system works. But more importantly, we have done so, while keeping unemployment low for years, up till COVID-19 broke out early this year. The risk of disemployment is a key factor that the Government is very sensitive to. With regard to literature, the fact is that the jury is still out there. Economists have not conclusively found that Minimum Wage will not create disemployment. In fact, I am told it is a very hotly contested area and economists continue to debate this issue. Recent studies have found that the range of estimates for the disemployment effect of Minimum Wage is wide. Moreover, studies have shown that the disemployment effects could be stronger for certain groups of workers. For example, Harasztosi and Lindner found that the disemployment effects due to increases in Minimum Wage in Hungary were considerably larger in the tradeable and exporting sectors than in the non-tradeable or service sector. Others, such as economists Meer and West have shown in their research in the United States that Minimum Wage may not cause immediately disemployment effects, but still impact job growth. Some studies, when you look at it, they relate to disemployment from the averages perspective. But I think it is also important when you look at some of this evidence, the preponderance of evidence show that low-skilled workers are actually most at risk when you talk about job loss. So, we need to deal with the specifics. Look at the natures of our profile of low-wage workers in Singapore and the nature of how this would affect them in specifics. We are not ideologically against Minimum Wage, PWM or what have you, but I think what we want is the best from each of these systems that will benefit Singapore, benefit our low-wage workers; but at the same time, we avoid the downsides and the trade-offs. This is very important for us and that is why we take a very serious view on disemployment. Our sense of solidarity with our low-wage workers also goes beyond wages. We have taken a careful and practical approach to implement a holistic suite of measures: Workfare that tops up the income of low-wage workers by up to 30% and provides targeted training support that supports better employment outcomes.[+14 sentences] I think it is important that we support them beyond just the wages, and we also have Special Employment Credit to offset their wages and improve their employability. Silver Support is also provided to support retirement adequacy. So, on top of the wages that they get, Government supports them with a slew of measures to uplift their income to support their homes. It is also important to inculcate care and respect for our low-wage workers. So, our measures go beyond just wages. With Workcare, we will improve low-wage workers' working environments in appreciation for their work, such as through the provision of proper rest areas for outsourced workers. I think the question would be this – can we be a nation with a strong social compact but without Minimum Wage? When we think of countries with high standards of living, strong social policies, and with good and advanced economies like us, we often think of Scandinavian countries like Norway, Denmark and Sweden. Like Singapore, these countries do not have a single Minimum Wage, and yet they still have vibrant, cohesive societies. In place of a single Minimum Wage, these countries have robust dialogues between stakeholders, resulting in collective agreements on wages at the sectoral level. This is akin to our sectoral tripartite approach in our existing PWMs and future tripartite efforts. The Tripartite Workgroup for our low-wage workers, will be studying this important issue with an open mind. They will work to refresh the consensus on what works best for our low-wage workers, and to ensure that more of our low-wage workers can benefit. Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Dennis Tan have asked about the criteria for SIRS. In the first two tranches of SIRS, we have disbursed over $1.1 billion. With the third and final tranches, SIRS is expected to cost $2 billion in total, almost double the original $1.2 billion set aside.[+1 sentence] This is a significant expansion of an already sizeable programme. Altogether, about 195,000 individuals have received support under SIRS.[+1 sentence] We have already been exercising flexibility in the qualifying criteria to support more self-employed persons, or SEPs. About two in three unique applications have been approved.[+7 sentences] And for the remaining one third, applicants may have been earning much higher incomes, they could have resided in higher value properties, or own two or more properties with their spouses. As SIRS was intended to support SEPs, employees who lost their jobs or experienced income loss were redirected to the COVID-19 Support Grant. Where there were other areas of need, we have referred unsuccessful applicants to the appropriate agencies for follow-up assistance. On the suggestion by Mr Saktiandi Supaat to allow citizens in need to tap on their CPF balances early, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng in August, the Government is studying appropriate ways to provide support to working Singaporeans, including SEPs, in the event of prolonged loss of income, beyond existing schemes. Mr Speaker, in this debate, Members have raised a broad range of suggestions to address the needs of almost every worker segment. We take these ideas seriously and will study them closely; rest assured. MOM will continue to make every effort to ensure that Singapore and Singaporeans are not just able to tide over the immediate challenge ahead of us, but also are set in good stead for the future beyond that.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Darryl David.
Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio)1425 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, one of my favourite sayings is, "When you are up to your neck in crocodiles, do not ask which way the river is flowing." Essentially, what it means is that when you are in a tough tight, difficult situation, solve the situation, focus on getting out of the difficult spot and give that priority over everything else. I believe we have seen our Government do this in the past six or seven months with five Budgets that have been rolled out to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Singaporeans and Singaporean businesses. JSS, SIRS, CSG, various industry support packages, different industry grants – they have all provided valuable lifelines for Singaporeans and Singaporean companies to pull them out of the river of crocodiles and get them out from a very difficult period, and would be important to continue to be that supportive foundation that Singaporeans can reply on moving forward.[+9 sentences] While the Government has done a good job, so far, with regard to immediate crisis management and to meet immediate needs, of our Singaporeans. The fact remains that there are, to paraphrase Deputy Prime Minister Heng, "profound uncertainties ahead". So, I am heartened that the key phrase in the Statement is the strategy to emerge stronger. In other words, now that we are out of that immediate danger, what can we do to navigate the river to be mindful of the currents to ensure that our boat sails in that right direction; being mindful, of course, of all the crocodiles that are around us. I would like to focus on opportunities that our Government can take during this period and in coining the term opportunities, I would like to echo a phrase that PA Deputy Chairman Minister Chan Chun Sing was quoted as saying "an opportunity of a generation" – that COVID-19 could be seen as an opportunity of a generation. So, I would to like to see how opportunities could be explored during this period in the Sports & Fitness and Arts & Cultural industries to make them a more essential part of our community and society. Mr Speaker, Sir, most of us would agree that sport has the ability to transcend boundaries and bring people together regardless of their race, language or religion. COVID-19 has indeed had a significant dampener on sports. You need to have spectators to have meaningful sporting activities, and just even play together, you need to have people come together, and understandably so we could not do that in the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides that, COVID-19 has also had an impact on those who are in the sports and fitness industries, regardless of whether they are hired employees, freelance coaches or instructors or owners of sports and fitness related businesses. It is thus heartening to note that some activities such as the Singapore Premier League or SPL will be resuming soon, this weekend, if I am not mistaken, and the Government has managed to relax the guidelines and constraints around sporting activities.[+2 sentences] I would like to ask if the Government has a plan that is dedicated to helping and assisting those who are in the sports and fitness industries, that will not only help them through these immediate challenges, but also reflect a mid-to-long term strategy for how the sports and fitness industries could thrive and flourish in the new normal that we will all undoubtedly find ourselves in. I would also like to focus now on opportunities for those in the arts and culture industries. I am aware that my Parliamentary colleagues, Members of Parliament, Ms Carrie Tan and Minister of State, Ms Low Yen Ling had a good debate about safeguarding the livelihood of our Arts & Culture professionals in Parliament last week. And it is heartening to know that MCCY is taking steps in this direction, especially in terms of helping to support our Arts & Culture freelance performers and also in terms of creating professional opportunities or projects that our performers can work on.[+1 sentence] No doubt, many of the practitioners, professionals and organisations could rely on some of the schemes such as JSS & SIRS for support as well. What I would like the Government to consider is what more can be done, in the mid-to long-term to ensure that we are better to support the Arts & Culture and Sports & Fitness industries. It would be good, in Arts & Culture for example, if the MCCY could see how they could partner with the MOE to bring arts and culture more into the curriculum and integrate arts and culture into our schools' curriculum – not just in terms of subjects being taught by MOE such as music, art or drama which are sometimes taught in formal context by trained MOE teachers, but by ensuring that all students are exposed to the various arts at all levels of the curriculum.[+9 sentences] For example, MCCY and MOE could leverage on the performing expertise of our arts professionals to engage and employ them even as auxiliary educators of sorts for them to come into the schools and bring real-life artistic experience to our students. Using our arts performance like this would, I believe, be a win-win situation because it will allow our arts performers an alternate revenue stream, something else they can do besides their actual performing and it also allow our students to be exposed to and be taught by and be nurtured by as it were, actual, professional arts practitioners coming from the arts industry. I believe that some schools do engage professionals now on an independent ad hoc basis, but what I proposing is, perhaps, having a dedicated core of arts and culture professionals who are actually considered auxiliary MOE educators and having these educators being deployed in a structured formal manner to every MOE school in the country, and through this way we also educate and bring our young people or young adults into the world of arts and culture through forms such dance, music, singing and so on. I would like to briefly refer to the article in The Sunday Times, last Sunday, where it was reported that there are many musicians who have decades of experience, but who cannot get teaching jobs due to a lack of a formal music degree. I believe it was Cultural Medallion recipient Jeremy Monteiro, himself is a world renowned pianist who said, and i quote, “It would be a waste if local musicians, who have years of experience in the industry, but no formal education, are not allowed to formally teach part-time or full time too.” The same, perhaps, could be said of theatre practitioners or dancers as well. If our concern is that such professionals might not have sufficient teacher training, then I strongly recommend that MCCY, perhaps, work with MOE to see how these professionals could undergo basic teacher training certification in the fundamentals of education, for example, how to impart education, how to work with curriculum and so on while concurrently actually bringing their art and their craft, in working with the students. I believe that incorporating more of the arts and culture into our school’s curriculum and involving more of our arts professionals in the delivery of this curriculum is a huge step in the right direction. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to end my speech with a quote by Prime Minister Lee from six years ago, at an event marking the 30th Anniversary of the Lasalle College of the Arts. I do not know if Prime Minister remembers this or not. It was in 2015, I believe, Prime Minister or 2014 and I quote, "Creating jobs, upgrading workers, making Singapore a more attractive place to work – these are all important things in life." And I agree. "You have to put bread on the table. But 'Man does not live by bread alone'. We do wish for the finer things in life, to appreciate beauty and love, and something uplifting for the spirit." Mr Speaker, Sir, sports, arts, culture, these are indeed uplifting for the spirit and I believe that it is about getting that balance right that even as we extend support to these industries, I would hope that the Government can go one step further to take this opportunity to further embed sports, arts and culture not just in the fabric of our community, but in the psyche and the soul of our people as well.[+1 sentence] With that, I end my speech in support of the Ministerial Statement.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim341 words
[+9 sentences]Mr Speaker, I just wish to take the opportunity to clarify a question that Senior Minister of State Zaqy mentioned about the Minimum Wage and the literature. I think it is important to be clear what the literature says and I wonder if he could clarify. He did cite single studies which show that the Minimum Wage, perhaps, may generate occasional instances where unemployment levels may go up but we should be clear. It is always easy to cite individual studies and that is why in academia we do not rely purely on a single study to support our case. Rather we do something called meta analyses so these aggregate and evaluate the totality of the results. If you look at the totality of the results, I think it is fairly clear that – and I am happy to cite a specific study. So, for the case of the UK you can look at the study by Dube in 2019; for the case of the US, you can look at, in addition to the famous Card and Krueger study in 1995, more recent evidence as well, for Brookman in 2010 for international evidence. The point is, look, I am not trying to make this a battle of studies. But I think we need to come to some kind of agreement that we do not make proposals about the Minimum Wage on the basis of a single study that favours the outcome that we have approached the issue. Rather, we have to base it on the totality of the results and I think if you look at the totality of the results, you will see that a very low Minimum Wage – what the Workers' Party is proposing is a minimum wage of $1,300.[+2 sentences] This would fall far below the minimum wage of every, almost every other developed country and all these studies have been based on Minimum wages that are much higher than the number that we are proposing here. So, I think it is important to keep that in mind.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Zaqy Mohamad.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad547 words
[+2 sentences]First, I thank the Member Jamus Lim for his, I suppose, clarification. The point I made earlier was that this is not about studies and not about particular studies actually. It is about this, the studies being hotly contested and the academia, I think you can throw studies to each other and we can never come to conclusive position. So, I think this is about how we have applied, how we have also shown how wages have grown and I have shared the examples earlier, where our low-wage workers have seen wage growth – 30% in the last five years without Minimum Wage.[+8 sentences] Or actually, we did have Minimum Wage through our PWM or Minimum Wage Plus to some extent. So, conceptually, ideologically, we have clearly said that we are not against one idea or the other. We can throw studies at each other and, like I said, it is hotly contested, even among academia. What is important is this: that we want to reap the maximum benefits of what these studies have shown and how others have applied it. I have also shared others, like in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, have also shown strong, social solidarity without implementation of a single Minimum Wage, using the same approach that we have had – using sectoral consensus to make sure that we have uplifted our low-wage workers. Studies aside, \what we have to look at is our local context. Has the current system work? So, I have shown that at the 10th percentile, as I said in my speech earlier, we have seen wage growth. At the 10th percentile, it was $1,000 10 years ago; it is now $1,500-plus. We have seen a 50% wage growth in the last 10 years for the lowest income threshold.[+11 sentences] I do have to also reiterate the fact once again because the Workers' Party tends to forget this in its deliberations always that our system works in tandem as a holistic system, it is a whole system. It is not just PWM but Workfare that we use to top up. I also said we use Silver Support. I think many of your residents too would have enjoyed Silver Support in their old age. This is exactly the profile that needs the most help and we top up the income so that they are not left behind. And that is why I think it is important that beyond putting studies, showing analyses, meta analyses and what have you, but really getting down on the ground, working in consensus meet the employers too and making sure that the downsides are managed and do not impact our lowest skilled workers who are likely at risk when it comes to job loss. So, the risk of disemployment is something that we are very sensitive to and that is why we have the Tripartite Workgroup on the Low-wage Workers. We need to study this quite carefully as we chart the path ahead. So, it is not just something simple, you could do it within a short span of time without understanding the impacts, the consequences for our low-wage workers. So, we have to be very careful. So, it is not about academic and studies but, really, lives of Singaporeans and how we want to uplift our low-wage workers.
Mr Speaker10 words
[+1 sentence]Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, if you have a fresh perspective.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim143 words
[+4 sentences]Yes, thank you and I will just note them. I am really happy that Senior Minister of State Zaqy has raised the example of Scandinavia because, in fact, it is true that Scandinavia does not have a Minimum Wage but that is in part because they also have unionisation rates in the order of 70% to 80%. So, there is a very strong collective bargaining representation there. In fact, part of the reason why they do not want the Minimum Wage is because they do not want to get into a situation where a Minimum Wage might push wages down below a certain mark which, as I explained, is not in fact the lived reality of our low-income workers who are struggling with some of the lowest wage rates, even with the $1,300 that we proposed as a Minimum Wage among developed countries.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad212 words
[+9 sentences]So, let me put it to the Member again that, yes, we do have a similar system, the tripartite negotiation but we are a much smaller country and you cannot say that our wages do not increase. It is one thing to say that the system has not worked. On the other hand, I put forth the numbers to show that the system has. So, if you tell me that the low-wage workers have stagnated in the last 10 years, I say the numbers show otherwise. I think it is not just about academia or theory out here. It is real practitioners talking here. We have worked the system, we have worked and the unions have worked the ground too, employers have been working with us and our system works too. So, we all have our uniqueness but the issue here is: is our system working? Have the wages of our lowest 10%, for example, if I take it to that level, has it gone up? Yes, there will be some but this is an area we have to look at and that is why the Government is serious. We have put in the Tripartite Workgroup for Low-wage Workers specifically to see how we can do better in uplifting our low-wage workers.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong Mun Wai.
Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member)16 words
[+2 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to pose four questions to the Senior Minister of State.
Mr Speaker16 words
[+2 sentences]We do not have time to pose four questions, I have said that. Perhaps, two clarifications.
Mr Leong Mun Wai44 words
[+1 sentence]Okay, two clarifications. One is that do you not think that the Minimum Wage that Workers' Party is proposing and PSP is also in favour of something similar called Living Wage.[+1 sentence] Do you not think this is a very bold idea or that —
Mr Speaker28 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Leong, we have been discussing this for the past, quite a long bit of time. It has been discussed. Do you have a fresh perspective to add?
Mr Leong Mun Wai123 words
[+1 sentence]Okay. So, I am asking do you not think that this can be a bold idea to implement during this period of very uncertainty and we have to emerge from the crisis.[+2 sentences] We can always put in new measures to support the implementation of a new Minimum Wage or living wage. This is one question. Second question is that I think the point about there being a danger of losing competitiveness or losing jobs may be a bit overblown.[+3 sentences] Because in terms of the level of competitiveness, the level of Minimum Wage or living wage that we are proposing is actually very low level. So, it would not affect the overall wage level immediately. Secondly, in terms of the loss of jobs —
Mr Speaker5 words
[+1 sentence]That was the second point.
Mr Leong Mun Wai1 words
[+1 sentence]Sorry?
Mr Speaker11 words
[+3 sentences]Two points. You have made your two points. Mr Zaqy Mohamad.
Mr Leong Mun Wai3 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, thank you.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad24 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, these points were all answered earlier on by Senior Minister of State Dr Koh Poh Koon so I shall not repeat them.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Edwin Tong.
The Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law (Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai)16 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope I can bring a fresh perspective on an entirely different topic.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]I hope so, too.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai4547 words
[+25 sentences]Sir, I have previously spoken in this House about how the Singapore society is like a tapestry, woven out of diversity, bound by community, forged from a shared sense of destiny. Every part of Singapore, coming together, for a beautiful, tightly knitted, cohesive fabric. These diverse strands of our social fabric include our arts, culture and sports sectors. Mr Darryl David has spoken passionately about these three sectors and I will address his queries. These sectors make the Singapore tapestry even more beautiful, vibrant, and meaningful. These strands coe together, to represent the heart of Singapore. In recent times, like the many threads which make up the fabric of our society, these strands have come under strain. The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally affected the way in which we interact and socialise with one another and has threatened to unravel some of these threads. But we know that even as we battle the pandemic, it is critical for us to ensure that each of these threads – our arts, culture and sports sectors – remain vibrant, cohesive and remain very much a part of the Singapore Tapestry. We must continue to sustain and develop them. And they, in turn, must continue to be an avenue through which Singaporeans fulfil their aspirations, dreams and desires. These threads must also continue to connect Singaporeans from all walks of life and be able to inspire and imbue a sense of pride in being Singaporean. Sir, Members will agree that, in one way or another, our lives have been touched by the many contributions and achievements of our artists and our athletes alike. Our sportsmen and sportswomen, past and present, have been a source of inspiration to many Singaporeans. We share the joys of their success and we feel the pain of their defeat. The events and programmes of our arts community reach ever wider and growing audiences. They fill us with pride. They also teach and they inspire us in a way which almost nothing else can. All of this is possible because we have, over time, nurtured the best talents, helped them along in their journey, developed them, given them a boost in their chosen craft, built a platform from which they can showcase their talents. So, we owe a lot also to our community of trainers, coaches, instructors and freelancers, all of whom contribute richly to this landscape. As Mr Darryl David says, we must do what we can to rally behind them during this difficult time. Sir, Deputy Prime Minister has spoken about the unevenness of COVID-19's impact on the different sectors. Whilst some sectors have seen a measure of recovery, the past few months have really not been easy for those in the arts, culture and sports sectors. Fundamentally, these sectors thrive on large group gatherings. Theatre, performances and competitive sport – they all play to an audience. Yet, this is precisely what we cannot now do, as we continue to fight against COVID-19, to keep Singaporeans safe and to keep the virus at bay. We have had to suspend large-scale events and limit group sizes to five.[+9 sentences] These measures are necessary but we must not forget that they have severely impacted the viability of businesses and the livelihoods, particularly of freelancers in these sectors. In the almost three months that I have been at MCCY, I have met a broad range of people across the various sectors. I have met with many leaders of our National Sports Associations, talked to athletes, coaches and freelance instructors. I have also heard from artists, musicians and arts educators. Many have been so very generous in sharing their views and vision with me, giving me a good grasp of the industry and good ideas for the longer term development of these sectors. But they also spoke candidly about their here and now, their immediate challenges, and I think all of us in this House understand those difficulties. Over the past few months, MCCY has rolled out dedicated support measures for our sectors to supplement the assistance they already receive from the broad-based Government measures. We understand what many are going through and we know that we must, where we can, help them further. Let me outline a few of these initiatives. To help them manage overheads, we have provided rental waivers to tenants in SportSG facilities and arts venues, as well as venue hire subsidies for users of our cultural institutions.[+2 sentences] We have also supported practitioners to hone their digital skills and expertise in areas, such as business literacy. And many of them, in turn, support the industry as a whole. The Arts and Culture Resilience (ACR) package has generated over 10,000 work and training opportunities, of which almost 4,000 alone were for freelancers. It has also supported close to 1,200 digitalisation projects and programmes by local artists and organisations.[+21 sentences] For example, the Jazz Association of Singapore – Mr Jeremy Monteiro is their Music Director, someone that Mr David mentioned earlier – they were one of the first recipients of the Digital Presentation Grant. They went online overnight and launched multiple digital programmes, including JASS@Home, a digital concert in celebration of UNESCO's International Jazz Day 2020. This featured performances by many local musicians. I attended many of their presentations – high quality, innovative, entertaining but I think, most of all, comforting, to the many Singaporeans and, especially, in these times. On top of that, in the true spirit of giving back, JASS has also started their own Crisis Fund to assist local jazz musicians affected by the crisis with short-term financial aid. So, JASS receives a grant from the Government but they also pay it forward. Bhaskar's Arts Academy was also awarded the DPG for DashaTanMatra (10 Subtle Elements), a series of 10 mini digital presentations of new dance, music works, webinars on Bharatanatyam, and re-adaptation of past repertoires. We will continue to support the industry as they seek to go digital. Another practitioner I met recently was Ms Emmeline Yong. She was an investment banker in New York. She gave it all up, returned to Singapore to pursue her passion in visual arts and she set up Objectifs in 2003. Objectifs is an example of an arts organisation that MCCY is committed to supporting. It has a strong sense of mission to nurture and also provide a platform for other practitioners and freelancers to hone, practise and exhibit their craft. With the support of the ACRP, Objectifs put up free photography and videography courses for arts practitioners and other freelancers to help them create strong social media content to outreach, a campaign to pitch their offerings. To better support freelancers or smaller set-ups, the Arts Resource Hub (ARH), set up under the National Arts Council (NAC), provides targeted support for all of them, including co-working spaces, talks, clinics on financial planning, probono legal support, digital tools and copyright – a broad spectrum of what is needed, giving them a platform and tools for these artists to pursue their craft and also build on their dream, much like what JASS and Objectifs have done. In the immediate short-term, the ARH has also provided freelancers with aggregated information and assistance to help them tap on the broader Government programmes like the Self-Employed Persons Income Relief Scheme (SIRS), COVID-19 Support Grant and the SEP Training Support Scheme. At the same time, MCCY has also worked with people within the community spaces to develop platforms to bring digital experiences and also blended programmes, which are often hybrid in nature, to blend or both in-person and virtual and finding platforms to bring more of these to Singaporeans. For example, #SGCultureAnywhere by NAC is an integrated campaign that profiles the best of Singapore arts. Our cultural institutions and major arts companies have also made their content available on new digital platforms, such as SISTIC Live. Those of you who have not gone on SISTIC Live, I encourage you to give it a try. In sports, we developed ActiveSG Circle as a virtual sports centre to encourage and inspire Singaporeans to get active, as well as to provide a marketplace for sports and fitness instructors and their potential students and trainees to get in touch with each other. Jasmine Wong, a certified KpopX fitness instructor, has conducted 85 virtual classes on the Circle since April.[+9 sentences] Through the Circle, she has discovered new ways to reach out to both existing and also to new students, with reasonable fees, to make these classes and these interactive sessions a lot more accessible. SportSG has also introduced Blended, an initiative to encourage sport event companies and organisers to transition to events that blend virtual and physical participation which Singaporeans can look forward to more of in the coming months. This format will certainly be with us for some time and we will continue to study how we can support them better so that instructors, coaches and other freelancers alike can continue to reach out to an audience and, as far as possible, even in these times, to continue with as much as they would have done in normal circumstances as possible. Sir, let me now touch on what else we will be doing to support these sectors in the immediate term. MCCY will provide immediate assistance to critical segments with special talents. We know that if we lose these talents, inadvertently or otherwise, in this pandemic, it could take years to recover. It would set us back in our efforts to promote arts, culture and sports in Singapore. So, for the arts and culture sector, we will be providing an Operating Grant under the ACRP to support arts and culture organisations and also those in closely-related sectors. They hold key talent capabilities in our eco-system and we must not lose them. Eligible arts and culture organisations will receive a one-off ACRP Operating Grant of either $75,000 or $50,000 which they can use to defray their operating costs, and the amount depends on the size of their organisation.[+1 sentence] We hope organisations that receive this grant will provide work opportunities for the many employees in this sector, including the freelancers. Pay it forward, like what Objectifs and JASS have done. This grant is expected to benefit over 300 organisations and more information will be made available by NAC in end-October and we will also reach out directly to eligible organisations to tell them about this and to assist them in their application. With this grant, we expect to fully utilise the $55 million set aside for the ACRP by the end of FY2020.[+28 sentences] Sir, for the sports sector, we will add a further $25 million for new and expanded measures. Added to the earlier announced $25 million package, this makes for a total of $50 million available to the sports sector. Let me say a little more about how this will be administered. First, some background to our sports eco-system. It is made up of a diverse range of different institutions, from the National Sport Associations (NSAs), to the private academies and clubs. They are private leagues that run the sports facility as well. They are run privately. And, of course, the whole mass of coaches and freelance instructors, they all make up a very rich and vibrant sports eco-system. They all play an important role in our collective efforts to build a strong pipeline of athletes to mould and shape them and to support them on their quest for competitive success on both the domestic and international front. Many private academies and clubs, in particular, complement the efforts of our NSAs. They enrich training and talent development, and they also offer a range of different competition opportunities. Take the Aquatic Performance Swim Club or APSC, or the APS Swim School, for example. It is a private swimming academy which has, over the years, contributed significantly to the identification and talent of Singaporean swimmers. Since 1996, the APSC has channeled swimming talents spotted from the APS Swim School into specialised competitive swimming training, diving and also synchronised swimming. They have also provided competition opportunities across a range of different levels and through its many myriad of events. We understand the impact that COVID-19 has had on these private academies, such as APS and others, the leagues and facility operators and we understand the challenges they go through. Many of them need some measure of support, if nothing else, to tide over the period. Recently, the Cage and other such similar sport facility operators also reached out to me to share their concerns. They spoke about the inevitable loss of revenue because of the safe management measures. They had to close. They were not allowed to open. And they had difficulties affording rent and continuing to sustain the salaries of their staff. And we can well understand how these restrictions have impacted their ability to operate. SportSG has worked with many such businesses to allow them to resume some programmes and activities safely, coming out of the Circuit Breaker. But I am sure Members in this House will agree that we do not want these operators to be a casualty of the pandemic. Our sporting landscape, with its broad spectrum of different players and options, will be the poorer if that happens. While the resumption of sports activities since June has alleviated some immediate operational concerns, we recognise that there is still the longer term sustainability and survivability. And I think that is a major area of stress for many of these operators. With this in mind, the Sports Resilience Package (SRP) will provide eligible businesses with an operating grant to cover up to 25% of their total operating expenses, capped at $15,000 a month. And this will last for six months, beginning from October 2020 right through to March 2021. We hope to be able to support up to 150 sports businesses with this operating grant, helping operators who do not currently receive Government funding.[+4 sentences] This grant will also ensure that our critical sports businesses which contribute richly, as I have said, to our athlete pipeline development and training, do not close down due to the pandemic, do not marginalise the programmes that are available for athletes, allowing our athletes to benefit from the best training programmes. Sir, let me now touch on some of the mid-term measures to partner our arts and sports community to innovate and adapt to the new environment. The last few months have shown that going digital is paramount, in fact, completely necessary. It allows our businesses and freelancers to reach out to existing audiences, to newer and also wider audiences, allowing higher quality content to be developed and also a degree of interactivity, despite the fact that you are communicating across two screens. Under the SRP, we will provide $5 million to help expand the existing Blended initiative to include eligible private academies and clubs as well.[+22 sentences] We recognise the work that they do and we have extended this programme to them, aiming to support 100 projects, which will, in turn, see the participation of about 450,000 Singaporeans in sports programmes over the next six months. We will also set aside an additional $4 million for sports businesses and freelancers to enhance the quality of their own digital productions to become even more interactive and more engaging and attract a greater following on their platforms. In addition, we will work with MOE and other partners to ensure that our students continue to have access to high quality arts experiences as part of their holistic education. Let me speak a little bit about this. The intent, Sir, is to continue to nurture and develop an appreciation, and hopefully, eventually ignite a passion for the arts in our young. The young will make up our audiences, our supporters and our patrons, and of course, the practitioners, in years to come. I have noted Mr Darryl David’s suggestion to engage our arts practitioners as auxiliary educators in schools. In fact, to ensure that students can benefit from the knowledge and experience of our arts practitioners, which I agree with Mr David it is a critical resource, NAC has worked with NIE International since 2012 to develop a course on the Essentials of Teaching and Learning for arts practitioners, precisely to become arts educators. NAC has also worked with other partners such as the Social Service Institute and SEED Institute to develop relevant pedagogical skills to complement what they are already do and are able to practice so that they can then seamlessly work with children with special needs and pre-schoolers. One needs to merge or blend what you have in your own experience as an arts practitioner with the relevant pedagogical skills so that pre-schoolers and those with special needs can also benefit from such education. NAC is working with arts educators to convert their student-facing programmes, such as the NAC Arts Education Programme, into digital or blended forms in the same way as we do for so many other programmes so that they become more accessible and we can reach a wider audience. NAC has also paired up with NIE to develop an e-learning primer and an e-pedagogy course for the arts, which will be launched in December 2020 and made available to arts educators at no cost. Let me assure Mr David that we are committed to ensuring that arts and culture remain an integral part of the curriculum, as students continue to develop awareness of our cultural heritage. Today, I am sure Mr David knows, museum-based learning forms a key component of the Primary Arts syllabus, with a recommended learning journey for Primary 4 students to the National Gallery in Singapore or to the Singapore Art Museum. On top of that, all Primary 6 and Secondary 2 cohorts will also visit the Asian Civilisations Museum and the National Museum of Singapore respectively, to enhance their learning and also to complement what they are taught in school, out of the classroom, as far as possible. Sir, I would like to next speak on the role which freelancers play in our sectors and address the challenges they face, besides what I mentioned earlier, in the programmes. There is a certain messiness in the way in which the sports and arts practitioners are organised. That is not only inevitable, but perhaps also useful to keep the sector fresh, and maintain some of that carefree entrepreneurial spirit. Hence, MCCY and our agencies have taken a light touch towards freelancers in the past, recognising the value of spontaneity and flexibility in their work – one day you can work on your own, another day you can come together and collaborate with another institution, but there is that spontaneous freedom. But COVID-19 has thrown into sharp focus the importance of having some dedicated organised framework to look after these freelancers to support their efforts, to help them apply for and get into the programmes that the Government has put up. We, my colleagues and Minister of State Low Yen Ling in particular, have reached out to many freelancers, and we will continue to do so – to help them to level up and to allow them to bring in more diversity to their craft. The sport freelancers I have met have also expressed their desire to do so. To support them, we have set aside $2.5 million under the SRP for two initiatives. First, coaches who are registered under the National Registry of Coaches or NROC can receive a training allowance of $10 per hour when they take up courses run by CoachSG, and this is when you take it up beyond the Continuing Coach Education courses that they take. Second, CoachSG will select 50 to 80 pairs of Level 2 and Level 3 NROC-registered coaches to participate in its structured mentorship programme.[+1 sentence] To encourage more to sign up for this programme to raise their coaching expertise so that once we are back – closer to what was normal before – these coaches will become more relevant and have more skillsets to impart to their trainees. To encourage this, participants will be provided between $400 and $600 per month to sign up for this mentorship programme.[+30 sentences] Likewise, for arts freelancers, MCCY and NAC, through the ARH, will work with them to step up on efforts to help them tap on available resources, to support them, identify and facilitate also work opportunities, skills upgrading, and also help them leverage on digital technology. It might not always be as easy for freelancers to be doing this on their own. We recognise that and we have a team set up to look into their needs, and to see how best to organise this, to organise the efforts to pair them up with available programmes. We encourage our freelance artists in the community to contact the ARH directly should they need assistance. Sir, the COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably disrupted our sectors. We are facing both short- and longer term challenges. The Government is committed to helping as many as possible in the sector to pull through, to remain viable, and to continue to play a rich part in the Singapore Tapestry. In the immediate short term, the financial measures that I have outlined briefly will help. But we know that the most sustainable way to help our sectors is to allow for the activities to resume not only at scale, but also safely. We are as eager as our artists, and our athletes, and the wider community for this to happen, and we have been working towards this goal. Recently, my colleagues and I attended several live performance pilots, including those by the Singapore Dance Theatre, Bhaskar’s Arts Academy, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, to name a few. These were carried out safely and successfully. We are reviewing now how we can fully resume and scale up live performances for the sector, with the appropriate measures to always prioritise the safety of our audiences, the performers and the crew. In the coming days, we hope also to progressively reintroduce programmes at museums in a safe manner as more social activities resume. As Mr David pointed out. Singaporeans can also look forward to the return of the Singapore Premier League this Saturday, after a hiatus of more than six months. The teams have resumed training, initially in small groups of five, subsequently full-squad training. I met a few of them when I visited the Lion City Sailors Football Club at Bishan stadium a few weeks ago. I could see that they were all keenly motivated by the desire to get back onto the field and to compete. We are also working with health authorities to pilot the resumption of spectator sports and mass participation sport events in the near future. In particular, we will have to find new modalities for mass participation events to avoid large concentrations of people at one place and also to consider the use of blended models in some of these events. One such example of a blended event pilots is the “Run as One” event, where small groups of runners were given time slots to compete across a fixed route over the course of two weeks. So, you are given the best example of own-time-own target – go at your own time but complete the distance. Nowadays everyone has a fitness tracker, and you can track your time and the distance covered. These examples give us some options in how we will introduce or reintroduce mass participation events. These pilots also allow us to test and refine the sports formats, with the goal of making them as safe as possible and also to try to maximise the amount of interactivity and fun that participants and spectators want to enjoy. Sir, besides arts and sports, we know that, perhaps especially in these times, many turned to religion as s source of solace, spiritual comfort and well-being. Therefore, we have been working closely with religious organisations to resume more activities safely. My colleagues and I have visited many such religious organisations, or the ROs, over the last couple months. It is encouraging to see they have adapted so very quickly, put safety as the primary consideration, and have been committed to working closely with the Government, placing the well-being of their devotees first. Following a successful pilot of the increase in worship limits to 100 persons, all ROs have been allowed to conduct congregational and worship activities/services for up to 100 persons – with the necessary safe management measures in place – that has been the case since 3 October 2020.[+1 sentence] We continue to be in constant dialogue with our religious leaders. Many have shared that singing and live music are integral to the way they practice their faith. So, we have commenced two separate pilots, in selected ROs – one to allow up to 250 persons at a time for worship services; and another a pilot to resume live music for worship services across different faith groups. We will see how that goes, study them, take on the lessons to be learnt, and consider whether we can extend the higher worship limits and live music subsequently to all other ROs and religious activities.[+21 sentences] Finally, Mr Speaker, coming back to the packages that I have outlined today. Much as these will help many tide over this period, we also know that it will take more than just financial assistance to sustain and to develop these sectors. People must be able to see and also appreciate, the intrinsic value that arts, culture, and sports can bring to our community. It brings us together. It allows us to rally behind our athletes, our Team, our sporting heroes. It builds and it shapes Singapore, and the kind of Singapore we want to live in, in a way which nothing else can. Singaporeans have turned to the arts, culture and sports to find respite, inspiration, and even to uplift spirits over the last few months in these times. Now, our practitioners need you as well. I urge all of us to support them as much as we can. Whether it is for the established artists, or the nascent sporting talent, they all thrive on having an audience. They will perform even more gracefully – I am sure, compete more vigorously when they are cheered on by an appreciative audience. I think we all can see why. I hope we can also be receptive to the new ways of consuming the arts, culture and sports. Some of the programmes, like Bandon that I mentioned earlier, please get onto them, please experience them for yourselves. Support them as they bring better content, programmes and events to you. To our practitioners in all these sectors, I encourage you to stay determined, continue to hone your craft, build your skills, train, compete, perform. Each of you will continue to be a vital part of the Singapore Tapestry, bringing together rich patterns and colours drawn from each of your diverse contributions and special talents, and your own achievements in arts, culture and music, and sports. All of these threads make for a more vibrant, exciting and cohesive Singapore. Be assured that we value the work that you do, and the Government will support you. Thank you, Sir. With that, I support the Ministerial Statement.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Carrie Tan.
Ms Carrie Tan201 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, I would like to make one point, but please pardon me, I have few lead-ups to that point. I thank the Minister for all these packages and support the MCCY has shared about for the Arts community and I am truly grateful for all these that we have budgeted for in the immediate short term of the pandemic which I know is difficult and we need to be prudent with our resources. But as with all things, I think we need to begin with a goal in mind. My question to the Minister is how far are we as a country setting our sights for the future of our Singaporean Arts for the sector? Do we have and what is our ambition for Singaporean Arts internationally if there is even one at this moment?[+1 sentence] We have given a lot of tribute to how the Arts and the Sports make up the Tapestry of Singapore, provide social cohesiveness, but I would like to encourage and seek the Minister's clarification on whether there is any thinking right now, or there will be any thinking in the near future, about planning for the Singaporean arts scene to become internationally successful and viable.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai374 words
[+4 sentences]Sir, I thank Ms Tan not only for her question now, but really, also for the Adjournment Motion that she filed some weeks ago. It had given us a lot of food for thought and really, we took on board the points as we looked at what else we could do, how else you could support the immediate short term of the freelancers, the coaches and the performers. But more importantly, I am very cognisant of the points she makes about the longer term vision. It is precisely because we have to have the ability to have the longer term to be able to prepare our artists today and to protect them. Ms Tan might know that we have a Culture Academy.[+4 sentences] The culture Academy is really a set up to look at the short-term needs, the industry and also to chart the longer term goals. In fact, just this morning I had a meeting with many of our Arts Institution heads. We had an interesting dialogue and the same question has come up. We have come a long way. The fact that we have so many different cultural institutions and we had a room full of people from the different types of arts from visual, to theatre, to performing, to music, says a lot about how we have grown that sector over the past years. But, we are never content with where we are and I share Ms Tan's passion to make Singapore art not just local but also global, to blend what we want to do here with our unique Singaporean heritage and identity, with what we can deliver on the world stage.[+2 sentences] And if Ms Tan is looking for recognition, just look at the exhibition today at the National Museum, started on the 8 October 2020, the Venice Biennale exhibition, Music For Everyone, and you will see that actually that exhibition has been on the world stage. Events like that in the past, as well as events in the future, will continue to nurture to grow and will give each of these artists as best a pipeline as possible, as best a development pathway as possible for them to shine on the world stage because ultimately that is what we want.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Xie Yao Quan.
Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong)2502 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to speak on three key areas today. First, to offer some perspective on the truly extraordinary measures that the Government has taken in its Budgets to deal with this crisis, such that we are even in a position today to debate about the way ahead. Second, to highlight the struggles that Singaporeans continue to face in the immediate term and what more we can do to support Singaporeans. And third, to look ahead and seek clarifications on the Government's strategy to invest in our long-term capabilities and priorities. First, on what has been truly extraordinary in the Government's four Budgets this year and the latest set of support measures. Sir, the Government now estimates that in this fiscal year, it would spend $27 billion for the Jobs Support Scheme, $1 billion for the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme or SIRS, and more than $1.5 billion each on Workfare Special Bonuses for low-wage workers and rental rebates for businesses. More than $31 billion in total, or almost 7% of GDP, directly injected by the Government into our economy to save jobs, keep viable businesses afloat and put a floor beneath an unprecedented economic contraction.[+1 sentence] By any count, this is extraordinary. The Government also estimates that it would spend more than $4 billion in Care and Support cash payouts, GST vouchers, service and conservancy charges rebates, utilities credits and Passion Card top-ups.[+1 sentence] More than $4 billion, directly into the hands of households, to boost the Government's support for households in these difficult times. More extraordinarily, the Government has maintained its initial commitment of $6 billion in the Unity Budget for the GST Voucher Fund.[+2 sentences] Six billion dollars that it is setting aside, amidst a crisis, for future GST Voucher payouts, because the Government knows that the GST Voucher scheme is a permanent commitment. And so, I completely disagree with the hon Member Mr Leong Mun Wai, who suggested yesterday that, because the Government is putting $6 billion into the GST Voucher fund, he has raised apprehension about an impending GST hike and in fact, the $6 billion should be spent elsewhere. On the contrary, the Government is doing the responsible thing, by recognising the GST Voucher scheme for what it is, a permanent commitment by the Government to help Singaporeans and keep GST progressive for all Singaporeans.[+1 sentence] Therefore, we must stay the course. And staying the course we are, in other areas as well, the Government has maintained its initial commitment in the Unity Budget for all other sums, for various endowment and trust funds: $5 billion to the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund, for our 100-year defence plan against rising sea levels; $2 billion to the National Research Fund, $2 billion to the Skills Development Fund and almost $1 billion to the ElderCare Fund, to save up for our future healthcare needs.[+30 sentences] More than $10 billion in total that the Government has set aside again during the crisis for our strategic, long-term needs. More than $10 billion that the Government has remained committed to, despite all the fiscal exigencies of the crisis. By any count, these are extraordinary measures. I thought these bear mentioning, because it is so easy to underestimate the scale of the Government's response to the crisis, so easy to overlook the Government's fundamental commitment to think long-term and so easy to take for granted the resources that we now have to sustain our response to the crisis while building a better future together. I hope that by highlighting these, we would have a better sense of perspective as we debate the Government's strategy to emerge stronger from the pandemic. Sir, with this sense of perspective, I would like to highlight the immediate struggles that Singaporeans continue to face, and what more the Government can and should, do. I have two suggestions. First, on the COVID-19 Support Grant. The COVID-19 Support Grant aims to help Singaporeans cushion the impact of the pandemic on their livelihoods. It is meant to work alongside ComCare assistance, which remains available, and indeed has been enhanced for the lowest income households in Singapore. So, ComCare is designed for one particular segment. The COVID-19 Support Grant, for another segment. One of the criteria for the COVID-19 Support Grant is income loss of at least 30% for three months. Sir, I have residents who narrowly miss this criterion. One resident in particular lost 30% income for two of three months and 29% in the remaining month. He did not get the grant, despite my appeal for him. I was told there were no extenuating circumstances in his household to justify an exception, as his other family members are working and so the gross household income should continue to be sufficient for their needs. Sir, I understand where the agency is coming from, but if my resident's income had fallen by just one more percentage point, he would have qualified for the grant and all of these considerations about household income and circumstances would have been moot. And while the responsible policymaker would make sure that the next $1 in income support is given to the household that needs it the most, I urge that we also consider what the next 1% point drop in income would mean for a household in the middle income segment. The median income in Singapore is about $4,000 a month. Take a 25% drop, that represents $1,000 less each month. A resident in this situation would not qualify for the COVID-19 Support Grant at all. And we can point to the $3,000 that the resident still draws each month and say this is sufficient. But I urge that we consider from the resident's perspective, his or her lived reality, his or her expectations, burdens and commitments, and what that $1,000 loss might feel for him or her. I therefore suggest that we pro-rate the COVID-19 Support Grant, based on the extent of income loss up to 30% and avoid the all or none cliff effect of the current criterion. In making this suggestion, I am well aware that wherever we draw the line in a policy, there will always be those on one side of the line who feel like they have missed out. And yet, in many of our policies, we have drawn not one, but multiple lines, such that it is a gradient rather than a cliff. This is the case with housing grants and this is the case with healthcare subsidies in the Pioneer and Merdeka Generation Packages and CHAS. Pro-rating the COVID-19 Support Grant would provide calibrated relief for more middle income households and better cushion the lingering economic pains of the pandemic for Singaporeans. Sir, my second suggestion to address the immediate struggles of Singaporeans is with regard to job matching. As of end August, almost 120,000 openings have been curated under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package and more than 33,000 jobseekers have been placed into these openings. While this has been encouraging progress, it remains that around 84,000 openings are as yet unfilled.[+33 sentences] More importantly, if we cut through the statistics and think about the thousands of Singaporean jobseekers as individuals, with lives to build and families to feed, grappling with the uncertainties of a search that has been going on for months, trying to stay strong amidst the deflating radio silence after that application that was sent out weeks ago, or after that interview last week that seemed to have gone went quite well – then it becomes abundantly clear to us that we not only need to walk alongside each Singaporean each step of the way, but also deliver outcomes for these jobseekers. In other words, I urge the Government to double down on job matching and get many more openings filled much more quickly. One of my residents was holding a full-time job. She successfully applied for another role, in a different sector and was told that her first day will be in April. So, she resigned and started serving her notice period. Then, the global economy worsened, the department she was slated to join got shut down and the offer that she had accepted got withdrawn. She ended up with nothing – she could not go back to the company she had resigned from and there was no other opening in the company she was slated to join. It has been seven months since. She has sent out more than 80 applications. In her words, "anything to get me started, I applied." And in her words, from "using various platforms, cold-emailing, career fairs, I have tried them all." She is 25 years old. Another resident of mine was manufacturing vaccines with a major pharmaceutical company here, but was let go after her contract expired. Her applications for similar positions had been without success, despite relevant experience. In her words, "it doesn’t make sense." She had also applied for other positions in MedTech and healthcare. It has been again months. She tells me she simply hopes to support her ageing parents, who probably cannot for work much longer. She says her "mind is dropping to almost negative now". She asks me to put myself in her, quote, "dusty shoes". She is 34 years old. Then there is this other resident, 44 years old, holds a Master's in Chemical Engineering, retrenched three months go – still searching and still interviewing. Yet another resident, this one, in his 50s, with more than 25 years of managerial experience. He has been searching for 10 months. In his words, "when recruiters see my age, they just pass me over." He told me he does not mind at all a lower pay or position and he told me he wished his career coach would have more time for him, because in his view, time is of the essence in certain openings. Of course, there are happier stories too. There is the resident who was an air stewardess and is now signing up for a training course with monthly allowance under the SGUnited Skills Programme to become a healthcare assistant. And there is this resident, who switched from being a bar executive in one of the top bars in Singapore, to being a lift technician with one of the top OEMs in Singapore in the market. I told him I hope he would consider joining our Town Councils some day. Sir, the anxiety and struggle of Singaporeans and Singaporean jobseekers is palpable. We have to match these jobseekers with available opportunities much more quickly. And we need to do this because we must maintain hope amongst our people and maintain hope in our society. To this end, I propose that we resource e2i and WSG decisively beyond today's levels to enable decisive outcomes for Singaporeans.[+9 sentences] Anecdotally, a big part of the challenge in job matching has been about expectations, concerns and mindsets, on the part of both jobseekers and employers. Therefore, we need an intensive relationship-management approach, focus on building the relationship with each employer and jobseeker, really understand and work the accounts, broker a match with persistence and finesse, and ultimately, convert and secure a placement. I think we are know where we want to go. We are aligned in terms of our objectives. We have the schemes in place. But I am asking that we resource much more decisively because we need the outcomes for Singaporeans a lot more quickly. Sir, I have spoken about keeping our eyes firmly on helping Singaporeans through their immediate struggles. At the same time, I would like to look ahead and seek clarifications on the Government's strategy to invest in our long-term capabilities and priorities. Deputy Prime Minister and the Finance Minister has said that the latest set of support measures would not draw further on past reserves but be funded by the reallocation of reduced spending, as well as deferred development expenditure. The total amount of deferred development expenditure is almost $7 billion.[+3 sentences] This includes more than $3.5 billion for transport infrastructure, more than $0.5 billion for healthcare infrastructure, more than $0.5 billion for waterworks and land preparation for the AgroTech zone at Neo Tiew and more than $150 million for MCCY. Given the Government's weak revenue outlook for the next few years, I share hon Member Mr Liang Eng Hwa's concerns about how we might be able to fund these deferred projects in future. I appreciate the Government's commitment to minimise its draw on past reserves, but I wonder if current revenues originally budgeted for strategic development should be set aside in a fund for deferred spending while additional, exceptional COVID support measures continue to be funded exceptionally with a further but prudent draw on past reserves, instead of reallocation of deferred development spending. At the same time, I hope the Government could clarify our overall outlook for these key investments. Certainly, we should not expect a catch-up in deferred capital expenditure in the next few years. And so, I echo the hon Member Mr Murali Pillai's question and ask: are we looking to push out the investment timeline, or are we expecting to cut back on our overall level of investment?[+10 sentences] These investments concern our long-term connectivity with the world and within Singapore. They concern our water and food self-sufficiency. They concern our healthcare capacity, and our capacity to stay healthy through community sports. So, we would have very hard and very important choices to make. Sir, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): To combat COVID-19, the Government has announced four Budgets decisively and introduced additional assistance measures in August. The Government has allocated tens of billions of dollars to tackle the immediate challenges. The scale and decisiveness of these efforts are evident to all. But the economic impact of the pandemic on Singaporeans will not abate soon. I urge the Government to continue to address the immediate needs and concerns of Singaporeans while looking into the future planning and implementing the Emerging Stronger strategy. First, one of the current conditions for the COVID-19 Support Grant is a reduction of at least 30% in income for three consecutive months. I suggest that the Government provide wage subsidies based on the degree of income loss of the applicants so that more Singaporeans can receive appropriate assistance to avoid the current cliff effect.[+4 sentences] I would also like to urge the Government to put in more resources to improve the success rate of the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Programme to give more hope to the many workers who are still looking for jobs. (In English): Sir, in conclusion, I ask that the Government provide more calibrated support for the broad middle, more effective job matching for workers across all age groups and age groups, and more clarity on our long-term investment strategy in key capabilities that will shape our survival and success. I am confident that we will remain a hopeful and united people, determined to build a better future for ourselves and future generations. Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Murali Pillai.
Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok)108 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Government's strategy to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic outlined in the Ministerial Statement delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on 5 October 2020. As the hon Member Mr Xie mentioned just now, the resources committed under the four Budgets are significant. It amounted to about $100 billion and this is on top of the other measures, such as special relief measures for debtors and tenants.[+2 sentences] I wish to offer a comparative perspective as to how we fare in relation to Asian countries. With your leave, Sir, may I be allowed to use the LED screen to flash the slide?
Mr Speaker14 words
[+1 sentence]If it helps, that will be fine.
Mr Murali Pillai1747 words
[+3 sentences]Obliged. Sir, you have here an extract of a report from the Asian Intelligence which was issued on 23 September 2020. We see here, Sir, that Singapore is first among 12 Asian countries, in terms of the fiscal commitment to the COVID-19 fight. The stimulus package that we have endorsed in Parliament here amounted to 21% of the GDP.[+3 sentences] This compares to Japan, which is second, and comparatively, it comes in at 15.9%; South Korea comes in at 14.4%, and so on. So, from this perspective, Sir, we can see we compare relatively well. But it is not just the amount. It is also the positive impact on the lives and livelihoods in Singapore. It is worth restating what Deputy Prime Minister had said in his Statement that "The four Budgets are estimated to prevent the economy from contracting by 5.6% of GDP this year and 4.8 % next year." Furthermore, he said that "an estimated 155,000 jobs are likely to be saved in these two years too." At the same time, we owe a duty to spend the money well.[+18 sentences] What do I mean by this? Sometimes, we have to spend more; sometimes, we have to spend less. And the Budget itself is replete with some examples of this. Just a few hours ago, the hon Minister Ms Indranee Rajah, gave an example of how sometimes we need to spend less when she announced the Baby Support Grant scheme. She took pains to explain that the grant is aimed at couples who were put off by the COVID-19 pandemic and to encourage them to start and raise families. She also explained that for lower income families, there are already a number of grants and programmes to help them. So, from that perspective, it may not make sense to extend the grant and spend more money. On the other hand, there are programmes where we have to spend more to spend well. What are these programmes? Well, we have the COVID-19 Support Grant which was extended by the hon Deputy Prime Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat. The extension now would cover Singaporeans who suffer a fall in income or lost their jobs after December 2020. This is welcome relief for the affected families. Not only that. He also extended the Workfare special payment to Singaporeans who did not receive Workfare last year, but did so this year. And, in this way, many low-income families, mind you, the WIS is triggered in relation to low-income workers earning $2,300 per month or less, so more low-income families would benefit from this extension. I think although we spend more, we spend it well to help these families. In my speech, I would like to concentrate on three budgetary measures for individuals. First, the Special Financial Relief Programme (SFRP) (Unsecured). I filed a Parliamentary Question or PQ on this earlier this month. I had suggested an extension of the programme in my PQ and I am glad to note that MAS has decided to extend this programme which is originally scheduled to finish in December 2020 to 30 June 2021.[+5 sentences] Under the SFRP (Unsecured), the savings for an individual can be significant. The average card interest on outstanding sums attracts 26% per annum. Converted loans under SFRP (Unsecured) are imposed 8% per annum over a five-year tenure. So, Singaporeans facing debt pressure are well advised to consider the SFRP (Unsecured) during this extended period. In my respectful view, the take up rate is low and can be improved. In his reply to my PQ, the hon Senior Minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, informed that under this programme, financial institutions granted more than 8,100 conversions amounting to $200 million of personal unsecured debt.[+20 sentences] I think the pool of Singaporeans who are heavily in debt is bigger. I say this because in 2017, MAS introduced measures to tighten unsecured credit limits to those heavily in debt. In that announcement, MAS stated that there were an estimated 60,000 borrowers in this pool or 4% of total unsecured credit users. I would assume that this pool should have grown during this crisis with the declining economy, falling income and loss of jobs affecting some families. But if I am right, I would suggest more proactivity on the part of the Association of Banks in Singapore or ABS and the Credit Counselling Singapore to publicise this programme more so that they can reach out to individuals bogged down by this debt. It can also be made compulsory for financial institutions to consider inviting the debtors to SFRP (Unsecured) before considering legal action as a last resort. Before leaving this topic, it would be remiss of me if I did not commend the Financial Institutions & ABS for coming together with MAS and the Govt to implement SFRP (Unsecured) to help Singaporeans facing debt pressures. The Financial Institutions could have just insisted on the strict terms of their contract; they would not be wrong but they did not. It is a great example of SGUnited and how banks are helping Singaporeans facing the debt pressure as a result of the pandemic. Next, I suggest a re-look at the funding model for skills upgrading for Singaporeans. Skills upgrading for Singaporeans is an important pillar in our Roadmap for the Future as outlined by the hon Deputy Prime Minister. Deputy Prime Minister Heng said "We will…need extensive upskilling and continual reskilling of our workforce, to equip our workers to continue to get good jobs. We want to do so for every worker at every age." On the point about "doing so for every worker at every age", I wish to share an e-mail that I received from Mr John Tan, my resident. He is turning 35 this year. He is married with one bubbly son who is two years old. He applied for a three full-day Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) course. The total course time is 25 hours. He pointed out that for Singaporeans aged 21 and above, they get 40% subsidy. The original course fee was $1,016.50, with GST, so he had to pay $641.50, with GST. For Singaporeans aged 40 and above, however, they get 90% subsidy. For them, they need only pay $161.50, with GST.[+8 sentences] I do appreciate why we need to incentivise our older worker to upskill by providing them with a higher subsidy. Given the current challenging environment, there is an opportunity to up the tempo for upskilling and re-training even amongst our younger Singaporeans, so that they get into better-paying jobs with better prospects. I therefore suggest that we use a tiered approach that incentivises Singaporeans to re-skill as they get older instead of backloading the extra subsidies only when they reach 40. In this way, we will be able to nurture a reskilling attitude in all Singaporeans. Finally, I wish to speak on the Government’s additional plans to foster inclusive growth. I welcome these moves. The hon on Deputy Prime Minister said "In the design of our support schemes, we have been deliberate in channelling additional support to vulnerable groups, to help them access opportunities and stay in good jobs". This is a laudable objective. In particular, I support the plan to provide a higher tier of wage support of 50% under JGI to all Persons with Disabilities, a point that hon Member Ms Denise Phua made during her Adjournment Motion yesterday.[+10 sentences] She had delivered a very compelling speech. In that speech, she made a point that how we treat persons with disabilities is shaped by the attitude of society. I fully agree with her and I would say that a similar point can be made in relation to ex-offenders. In my speech in February 2020 on occasion of the Unity Budget, I applauded the introduction of Enabling Employment Credit or EEC to incentivise employers to employ and retain persons with disabilities. I also said that a similar credit scheme should be provided to incentivise employers to employ ex-offenders. I shared the story of Mr R, an ex-offender who was earning a depressed wage on account of his background. I continue to meet several residents who are ex-offenders who find it difficult to get jobs or are being underpaid during this pandemic. The hon Minister for Home Affairs shared useful statistics on the plight of ex-offenders just yesterday pursuant to my Parliamentary Question. He informed that the economic downturn brought about by COVID-19 has made the job market more challenging for ex-offenders. The Yellow Ribbon Singapore has stepped up its efforts to help these offenders and I must pay tribute to Yellow Ribbon Singapore and its partners for their stupendous work in getting work for ex-offenders so that they can complete their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. In terms of statistics, the hon Minister for Home Affairs mentioned that over the past years 2017, 2018 and 2019, the percentage of ex-offenders who found employment within three months are 55%, 56% and 53%.[+11 sentences] This year to date, I do not have a percentage but 1,534 ex-offenders have been employed, thanks to Yellow Ribbon Singapore. These figures are lower-bound estimates as they do not include self-employed persons, such as delivery riders or private hire car drivers. A lot of hard work has been put into this, so as to achieve these figures, but I think we can do much more. Remember, these are able bodied Singaporeans. Even though we assume that we have another 20% in self-employed jobs, I would suggest that our Government and whole of society can do much more to bring down the roughly 30% unemployment amongst our ex-offenders. This will be in accord with hon. Deputy Prime Minister's objective outlined in his Ministerial Statement about channelling additional support to vulnerable groups. It will be a good signal by our society to ex-offenders that we remain invested in their rehabilitation and reintegration even in these challenging times. I seek the hon Deputy Prime Minister's views on this. Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I applaud the Government for taking decisive steps to protect the lives and livelihoods of Singaporeans and transform our economy to be even more ready for the uncertain future that we face. The suggestions I have made are intended to ensure that Singaporeans who join our workforce continually upgrade themselves to grab the opportunities our future brings and to strengthen the inclusivity element of our Government’s strategy to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic as outlined by Deputy Prime Minister Heng in his Statement. I support the Ministerial Statement.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Poh Li San.
Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang)1003 words
[+16 sentences]Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance for the additional help to businesses and workers outlined in his Ministerial Statement. In response, I have some clarifications and recommendations. We are all aware just how COVID-19 has severely disrupted businesses and livelihoods. Air travel has ceased, borders are closed and our daily average of about 100,000 Malaysian workers commuting from Johor is significantly lower. Many local factories are extremely short-handed and facing harsh challenges. Some of these factories are located within the Woodlands Industrial Area, which happens to be in the division I look after. My volunteers and I tried to assist by attempting to match some of the residents who were seeking jobs, especially within 2 km of their homes. We always knew that there is a stark mismatch between the jobs and the expectations of jobseekers. However, this pandemic has forced us all to rethink and recalibrate our approach to address the mismatch between the employers and the job seekers. Ultimately, we need happy workers. Since the middle of this year, I have been actively planning and organising both online job webinars and physical job fairs with support from NTUC e2i for our Sembawang residents. We partnered several MNCs and home-grown companies in the electronics and manufacturing industries to be part of these job fairs. Some of the jobs available involve operation of complex machines that are far more automated compared to the older labour-intensive assembly lines. Singaporeans are not enthusiastic about the opportunities to work in these manufacturing companies. After speaking to the hiring teams, I had a better understanding. To be able to apply for some of these jobs, you need a NITEC certification or even a diploma for more technical job roles. Most operators' roles will require a 12-hour-shift and the average monthly pay is between $1,000 and $1,400 and may require workers to wear the cleanroom jump smocks. Now if you do not have any qualification, you can easily make $1,200 to $1,400 or even more as a cleaner or a food delivery rider.[+4 sentences] If you have a driving licence, you could also make more than $2,000 per month. It is obvious that many job seekers will shun job opportunities in the manufacturing industry because the entry pay is simply a non-starter. There is a concern that should the borders remain closed, many of these factories will be unable to fulfil their orders, this is especially so for high growth industries like semi-conductor manufacturing. The labour shortage situation will inevitably threaten the future of these companies and also affect Singapore’s economy. The manufacturing industry contributes approximately 20% to our GDP and it averages $100 billion in value.[+1 sentence] It is the biggest contributor to our economy. Foreign workers take up about 60% of the jobs in this sector.[+28 sentences] Over the weekend, two pieces of good news were announced. First, MNCs are staying firm on their growth plans in Singapore despite the COVID-19 pandemic and they include companies in the semiconductor sector. Second, a new task force will be formed to study how to raise the wages of low-income workers and to push for productivity growth. Now, due to the crisis situation, we do not have the foreign workers to help our factories. So, should these companies have to wait for circumstances to improve and while waiting, hope not to have a painful death or should they take this opportunity to rebuild our Singapore Core? The answer ought to be obvious. We must relook at the unemployment problem. We need proper intervention and improvements. We need to address the criteria for job offers, instill better working conditions, implement job redesign and relook at how workers are remunerated. I thank the Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon for his comprehensive sharing on the Progressive Wage Model and how low-wage workers in certain sectors have benefited. I would like to ask Deputy Prime Minister if it is possible to then allocate part of the Budget to raise the pay of manufacturing industry workers, to a more acceptable level benchmarked against industries which have implemented the Progressive Wage Model. Another question is: how can Progressive Wage Model be applied directly to these manufacturing companies in order to assist them, to be able to attract local workers instead of always having to rely on daily cross-border commuting foreign workers? Instead of providing a COVID-19 Support Grant of $800 for three months to Singaporeans and PRs who are still searching for jobs, this $800 could become a contribution of $400 per month for six months as a top-up to the current pay of $1,400. A manufacturing industry worker could easily get $1,800 per month instead of remaining jobless. As Singaporeans, they will still qualify for Workfare Improvement Supplement while the manufacturing companies could attempt to address the short-term labour shortage by hiring available Singaporeans and PRs. Can such a solution be considered? Similar to the manufacturing industry, you hear the same problems with the nursing homes and community hospitals. Currently, 60% of the community healthcare sector staff are foreigners and 40% are locals. With rapid ageing in Singapore, the demand for healthcare assistants will only increase, and if it continues this way, the supply will be very limited. I met several housewives who have prior care-giving experience and are keen to join the healthcare sector. However, the entry salary of $1,400 to $1,600 per month is a key deterrent because the net take-home income after deducting their CPF, meals and travel expenses will only be a few hundred dollars. I am certain that if the monthly salary is around $2,000, they will be more likely to consider such job offers. Workers must feel appreciated and taken care of. Only then will they give their best to be positive and productive. Any employer will benefit from happy workers. We need happy workers. Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope that Deputy Prime Minister and the relevant Ministries will look into my suggestions. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Ministerial Statement.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Foo Mee Har.
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast)1697 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, I rise in support and thank Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat for outlining the Government’s strategy to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has led to permanent changes across industries. Even as COVID-19 continues to rage on in many parts of the world with new waves of infection, Singapore is, indeed, in an enviable position to shifting focus to recovery and growth and seizing opportunities in a new world order. Significantly, we announced the Hong Kong and Singapore travel bubble today which, hopefully, represents a pathfinder to revive our air travel.[+1 sentence] Much has been done to cushion the impact of COVID-19 on workers and businesses and it is now time to press the reset button and focus our efforts on building new capabilities for the post-COVID-19 world. With the honour of speaking last, I would like to cover Singapore’s fiscal position, SkillsFuture 2.0 to make training efforts impactful and the need for an enhanced version of COVID-19 Support Grant.[+1 sentence] Sir, the allocation of close to $100 billion to support families, workers and businesses effectively means that almost all the accumulated surpluses from the last 20 years have been consumed in dealing with this crisis. I am comforted that the additional measures announced by the Deputy Prime Minister do not require any further draw on our reserves and will be funded by re-allocating monies.[+9 sentences] The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to be protracted, so it is prudent that we adopt a financially sustainable approach as we settle in for the long haul. To this end, we must ensure that the COVID-19 response measures are targeted, prudent and implemented cost-effectively. We must also critically review and prioritise future expenditures, in line with tighter fiscal space. We must ensure that the choices we make are prioritised to deliver the best outcomes for our people and businesses. With sharp deterioration in growth outlooks expected of all major economies, Singapore’s revenue outlook will remain uncertain and challenging for several years to come. I guess we were all worried when the Deputy Prime Minister spoke about the need for higher taxes. Given the gloomy economic environment, residents are understandably concerned about the impending GST hike. I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the original sums worked out by the Government still hold – that is, to provide a $6 billion Assurance Package to cushion the impact of the GST increase when it comes for the majority of Singaporean households, whilst counting on foreigners and tourists to contribute to a substantial share of the additional revenue. Travel disruptions will surely impact GST collections from foreigners and tourists. The assumptions behind the GST hike must be reviewed to take into account the impact of COVID-19 on people and businesses. COVID-19 has also led to an accelerated growth of e-commerce. It has, therefore, become ever more urgent for Singapore to arrest tax leakage in cross-border online transactions and level the playing field for our retailers.[+28 sentences] The exponential growth of e-commerce may yield substantial GST contributions if the tax regime is enhanced. We may not be able to avoid raising taxes to fund our rising expenses, but we must continue to find ways to keep taxes and transfers progressive and fair. I have spoken about wealth tax in my earlier speeches. Sir, I would like to declare my interest as the CEO of an education and research institute serving the finance sector. COVID-19 has accelerated structural shifts and we must redouble our efforts to equip our people with the necessary skills to thrive in a post-COVID-19 world. Singapore has the foresight to launch SkillsFuture more than five years ago. The movement was driven by the imperative to have Singaporeans develop new capabilities for the future and embrace a culture of lifelong learning in order to ride the waves of change brought upon by rapid technological disruptions and economic restructuring. This imperative is now more urgent than ever. Whilst the SkillsFuture movement has galvanised much awareness on the need for lifelong learning and led to greater participation in training programmes, Sir, it is less clear how SkillsFuture training is linked to the attainment of distinct quantifiable skills, career advancement and wage growth. I often hear the frustrations of residents, particularly those who have been retrenched, that their efforts to attend training courses are not matched by recognition accorded by prospective employers and made very little difference in their job search efforts. Employers themselves have shared their own frustrations. Many employers, especially the SMEs, are at a loss as to how they may identify the right training programmes best suited for their employees to support the restructuring of their business. Sir, notwithstanding the Government’s strenuous efforts to tackle unemployment and retrenchments, surveys have found that employers expect a talent crunch this year – this very year, a talent crunch – and 42,400 vacancies remain unfilled as of end-June 2020. With growing acceptance of remote working, businesses are widening their talent search for skillsets and deep knowledge beyond Singapore’s shores, under the Work From Anywhere in the world policy. It is, therefore, of paramount importance that we support our adult workforce with an education regime capable of equipping them with skills and capabilities that match the labour needs demanded by employers and industry robustly. Starting from a position of strength, SkillsFuture 2.0 must evolve to foster stronger linkages between training programmes, skills acquisition and improved career prospects. Training that people attend must count. To achieve this, I call for a Government-led effort to introduce a new category of training programme, maybe called Industry Skills Training (IST) Scheme. A key feature of this IST Scheme is the requirement to address labour force demands, with the strong involvement of prospective employers and industry group in training design and delivery, in collaboration with the training providers. The Swiss and Swedish Vocational Training Systems are useful references in designing the IST Scheme. The Governance framework of IST programmes must facilitate clear identification of training needs and accountability of training effectiveness and quantifiable outcomes, with the industry and employers both playing pivotal roles. The programmes should be anchored upon a clearly laid out, systematic skills ladder for the respective sectors organised along ITM clusters and include training for new business models and solutions within that sector. Skills certification should be portable and should, if it works, right skills are being charted, correlate with pay levels. IST programmes should provide a clear training pathway for new entrants to the industry as well as for existing employees. Where appropriate, credit-bearing structured internships should be an integral part of the training. Training providers should be incentivised to achieve positive employment outcomes linked to their training and not just focused on the delivery of these programmes. Sir, Singapore’s effort to emerge stronger must be accompanied by our ability to successfully help our people retool and reskill. Mr Speaker, I support the Government’s approach on the Jobs Support Scheme transitioning to a much more differentiated level of support for companies. I would like, nevertheless, to repeat my call that well-intended assistance to companies that may not have a viable future in the post-COVID-19 world may hinder restructuring efforts and slow down re-allocation of labour and resources.[+1 sentence] Sir, I have seen the pain and frustration of residents who are stuck with companies with poor prospects, anxiously waiting and hoping for their "old" business to recover whilst fearing their eventual closure. So, I would like to call on the Deputy Prime Minister to review the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG) to allow workers who voluntarily leave companies in sectors with poor prospects to also qualify for CSG.[+1 sentence] It is time we pivot our assistance to support our people rather than simply preserving any and all jobs. Remove the involuntary unemployment requirement from CSG for workers in selected sectors and set our people free to pursue more promising careers.[+7 sentences] Sir, whilst I understand the need to exercise prudence and care when providing financial assistance, many residents have expressed their frustration with the CSG application process. The biggest hurdle for many is the documentary evidence of income reduction, requiring the co-operation of employers. For example, one of my residents told me that her employer threatened to terminate her services altogether, if she reported her pay reduction in order to qualify for CSG. Less educated senior residents who work in low-wage jobs struggle the most with the application process. Even though residents find comfort in the extension of CSG support till the end of this year, many are unsure about how they may meet the requirement to prove to the authorities that they had made sufficient effort in job search and training in order to qualify for this support. Sir, with 46,000 or 35% of applications rejected, I would like to ask the Government to seriously review the CSG scheme to address the challenges faced by residents. The scheme should allow room for unique circumstances and empower approving officers to apply good sense and compassion in hardship cases that may not neatly fit the criteria. With the impact of COVID-19 likely to be protracted and uncertain, the support level provided under various support schemes will also need to be reviewed and extended beyond the period currently provided by the Deputy Prime Minister in his Ministerial Statement.[+2 sentences] We need to provide for families a sustained level of basic daily expenses, medical coverage and retirement adequacy should their livelihoods continue to be disrupted. We cannot stop at the time that we have indicated if the situation continues. With many residents experiencing income reduction, I hope the Government will also review the very strong policy lever they have, the Workfare Income Supplement as a possible means to top-up the income for low-wage workers whose pay has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.[+2 sentences] Mr Speaker, we are confronted by the greatest crisis of our generation but, just as Sir Winston Churchill said, we should, I quote, “never let a good crisis go to waste”. This may be just the catalyst that reskills, transforms and strengthens Singapore’s greatest resource – our people – and catapults us into the forefront of an international recovery when the tides are with us once more.
Overview of Government's Strategy to Emerge Stronger from the COVID-19 Pandemic›Ministerial Statements3 turns · 7,942w
· 47 highlighted
ministerial-statement-1515recorded 2020-10-15
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Deputy Prime Minister
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (Mr Heng Swee Keat)7901 words
[+10 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, let me start by thanking Members for the thoughtful debate. Members have raised many useful points over more than 12 hours of the debate. So, if I take 20% of your time, there would be still be 80% of the points that will not be addressed. But my respective Ministry colleagues will review them. Keeping the pandemic under control remains our top priority. As I shared last week, we are in a stable position. Cases of infection have dropped. We have a plan to further re-open our economy safely. But we must stay vigilant, to stay ahead of this virus. Our economy is also showing early signs of recovery. GDP in the third quarter of this year picked up after the sharp contraction in the previous quarter. However, compared to the same quarter last year, GDP still contracted by 7%.[+18 sentences] The International Monetary Fund or IMF's latest projections for global growth in 2020 is -4.4%, a less severe contraction than the June forecast of -5.2%. But the IMF also warned that recovery is prone to setbacks. Although it seems we have turned the corner, we are not out of the woods. Major risks remain. The virus continues to spread globally. Just last week, the World Health Organization recorded the largest one-day rise in cases, with an increase of more than 338,000 cases globally. Our economic trajectory also hinges on how other countries manage the pandemic and reopen their economies. And even if our GDP growth figures rebound, the jobs situation will remain challenging for some time. It is, therefore, critical that we support our workers and businesses through this crisis. Several Members shared their views on the COVID-19 support measures. Let me set out the considerations behind our support during this crisis and into the next six months. At the start of the crisis, no one could predict how severe the virus situation would become and how badly our economy would be affected. COVID-19 is both a health and economic crisis. It has caused both a simultaneous supply and demand shock as trade links were disrupted and consumer demand plunged. In the face of an unprecedented crisis, our priority was to flow support to as many affected people and businesses, and as quickly as possible. The Jobs Support Scheme, or JSS, is one example of this support. Let me assure Mr Louis Chua that the current design of the JSS already tilts this support towards SMEs, as wage costs forms a greater share of their business costs. SMEs, on average, receive more than five times as much JSS support per dollar of revenue compared to the average JSS recipient. Together with other schemes, we have committed about $100 billion, or 20% of our GDP, over five support packages.[+1 sentence] Our schemes and programmes have dampened the adverse economic impact of COVID-19. As I mentioned in my Ministerial Statement last week, our measures are expected to avert a 5.6% loss in real GDP this year and save an average of 155,000 jobs each year in 2020 and 2021.[+3 sentences] They have also kept our unemployment rate in check and reduced long-term scarring on our economy. As the COVID-19 situation in Singapore stabilises, the next pressing task is to help our economy recover. Our support must therefore evolve from "resuscitate" to "rejuvenate". To do so, we must shift from a focus on job retention to a greater emphasis on creating jobs. This was why I announced the tapering of the JSS and introduced the Jobs Growth Incentive, or JGI.[+27 sentences] We are also pivoting from broad-based relief to more targeted support, to better cater to the needs of our sectors and firms. Broadly, the firms fall into three categories. First, those that will see greater demand in the post-COVID-19 economy. I encourage these firms to make full use of the suite of capability development grants to expand and grow. The JGI will also support them to hire more locals. The second category are firms in sectors that are suffering a temporary drop in demand now but will eventually recover. We will help them recover faster and emerge stronger. For the tourism sector, the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers will help encourage domestic consumption. For the aviation sector, the Enhanced Aviation Support Package will help firms retain core capabilities to position for recovery. I share Mr Sharael Taha's view that being an air hub is strategic to our economy. For the arts and sports sectors, Minister Edwin Tong has just shared further details of the Arts and Culture, and Sports Resilience Packages. I hope these will alleviate Mr Darryl David's concerns for the sector. However, there could also be cases where a firm's potential failure due to this crisis would significantly impact Singapore's competitiveness or national security. In such instances, we cannot preclude the possibility of Government taking some action to ensure these strategic capabilities are preserved. The exact form of support will depend on the circumstances. But the bar for any Government action will be high. The Government will also exercise prudence and ensure public funds are well used. The third category are firms where the outlook remains bleak as there are fundamental changes in their operating environments. They will need to reinvent themselves and pivot into new products and sectors. As Minister of State Alvin Tan mentioned yesterday, the Government is finalising a set of measures to support nightlife businesses. These measures will be announced next week. I agree with Mr Saktiandi Supaat that as firms recover, we need to taper the support carefully to avoid a cliff effect. In addition to the extensions of financing schemes and payment moratoriums, customised restructuring schemes will also be available for those who need more tailored support. We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust where needed. Taken together, these measures will help our firms recover, in a more targeted and efficient manner. Given the scale of this crisis, we may not be able to save every business and every job, but we will support every worker. We launched the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package earlier this year to create opportunities in jobs, traineeships and skills training. The National Jobs Council has curated 117,500 opportunities as of end-August.[+7 sentences] We are working on the next bound of tripartite efforts to develop more opportunities. I will share more details tomorrow. Mr Xie Yao Quan asked if we could accelerate job matching for our displaced workers. Indeed, we have been working to speed this up through multiple channels. There is now an SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centre in every HDB town. We have also held multiple career fairs at locations islandwide. As a result, we have seen a steady increase in placements. From July to August, more than 9,000 individuals were placed into training or job opportunities, bringing the total number of placements to over 33,000.[+14 sentences] Of these, close to 30,000 were jobs. In this period of restructuring and recovery, I urge both employers and jobseekers to keep an open mind and be willing to adapt and adjust. Members have also highlighted concerns over a few groups of workers who are at higher risk of income loss or who face difficulties finding a job during this period. I share these concerns. We are fully committed to supporting them. The first group is our mid-career professionals. I agree with Mr Yip Hon Weng that we must intensify our efforts to help our retrenched mid-career workers reskill and find new employment. This is why we introduced additional support for them via the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package and the SG United Jobs and Skills package. I also encourage our mid-career jobseeker to stay resilient and adaptable. As Mr Vikram Nair pointed out, "creative destruction" is inevitable. Some jobs may never return. Changing industry and potentially taking a pay cut for now is certainly painful, but will put you on a better footing in the post-COVID-19 economy. At the same time, I urge companies to be receptive towards hiring mid-career workers. They have much to offer with their wealth of experience. With the JGI, eligible companies will also receive higher Government funding, at up to 50% of the salary of each new local hire aged 40 and above.[+6 sentences] Ms Denise Phua will be pleased to know that this same 50% support is also available to employers who hire persons with disabilities, regardless of age. I also agree with Mr Murali Pillai's idea to extend the 50% JGI support to ex-offenders. I have asked MOM to take this up. They will announce more details in due course. Another group of concern is our self-employed workers, as Mr Dennis Tan and others have highlighted. This was why we introduced the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme, or SIRS, to provide relief to those with less means and family support. By the end of this month, over 195,000 of them would have received three payouts, amounting to $9,000.[+29 sentences] The three payouts were sized to cover affected self-employed persons till end-December 2020. The Government is studying how to continue supporting this group of workers beyond 2020. But like other support schemes, we will need to taper towards normalcy. We will provide an update before the end of the year. Another group we are watching out for is our lower wage workers. I agree with Miss Cheryl Chan that we need to extend holistic support to uplift our low wage workers. Indeed, many of them are in frontline service jobs which have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and safe management measures. For those who are retrenched, we will support them under the SG United Jobs and Skills initiative. So far, we have facilitated the placement of 17,000 non-PMET workers into new jobs. This is more than 50% of the 30,000 placements facilitated as at end-August. As mentioned at my Ministerial Statement last week, we will expand PWM to more sectors over time to benefit our low-wage workers, while making sure that businesses can absorb this change. I agree with Senior Minister of State, Zaqy Mohammed and NTUC Deputy Secretary-General, Dr Koh Poh Koon for their cogent explanation on the strengths of the Progressive Wage Model. Indeed, we should avoid a blunt approach, especially when we are in the midst of battling this crisis. Let us focus on supporting our workers and businesses especially SMEs. I commend our tripartite partners for agreeing to form a Tripartite Workgroup on Lower Wage Workers to study how to expand the PWM to more sectors and push for greater productivity growth. I fully support this tripartite partnership and look forward to their recommendations. Besides the Progressive Wage Model, we also have the Workfare Income Supplement, or WIS, which Mr Fahmi Aliman mentioned. This boosts the wages of our workers who earn below $2,300 monthly with an income supplement of up to 30% through cash and CPF payouts. PWM and WIS must be seen as an integrated package. Take 65 year-old Auntie Geok, for example. She works as a cleaner and earns $1,500 each month, thanks to the PWM. On top of that, she receives Workfare payments at $333 per month. Taken together, she has a monthly income of at least $1,800. Auntie Geok also benefits from the one-off Workfare Special Payment of $3,000 this year, to help tide through this difficult COVID-19 period. Besides our at-risk and vulnerable workers, we are aware that COVID-19 has affected the livelihoods of many Singaporeans at large. For those who faced job or income loss, we provide relief through the COVID-19 Support Grant, or CSG. I thank Mr Xie Yao Quan and Mr Ang Wei Neng for their suggestions on the CSG. We have designed our schemes to ensure support is targeted towards those who are most in need. As with any eligibility criteria, there will be exceptions along the margins. For individuals with extenuating circumstances, we exercise flexibility when we consider their appeals. We have also extended the CSG till 31 December 2020. As suggested by Mr Leon Perera, in our recent extension of CSG, we have required applicants to actively participate in job search or attend training. Given the continuing impact of COVID-19 on jobs, we are studying how best to support our workers in this crisis, and how to link support to job search and reskilling, so as to better protect the welfare of our workers.[+43 sentences] In summary, let me reassure Members that we remain determined to support our firms and workers through this period. While we have made a shift to prepare our firms and workers for recovery, we recognise that the COVID-19 situation remains uncertain. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and provide additional support where necessary. Mr Speaker, Sir, even as we battle the immediate fallout caused by COVID-19, we must not lose sight of our longer-term nation-building efforts. In my Ministerial Statement last week, I sketched out the broad strokes of our economic strategy. I am glad that many Members have contributed many useful ideas. Mr Liang Eng Hwa puts it well. "The crisis has hurt us as a country. But we should also capitalise on this crisis to write another exceptional chapter of the Singapore story." Unlike other countries, Singapore is both a city and a nation. Cities are nodes sitting at the cross-roads of many flows – goods, capital, people, and ideas. They are open and outward-looking. Nations are communities with a common identity and destiny. They look out for and care for one another. Singapore is a global city – open to new and exciting flows. But we are also a nation – we have to make a living for ourselves, stay united and defend our independence. Managing this unique dual identity is critical to our success. We have to stay open to the world while forging our own identity, stay globally connected while remaining independent, and embrace diversity while being socially cohesive. These seemingly conflicting objectives are not choices, but necessities for us. And they will always define us as a country, and guide how we manage our economy and society. This dual identity has shaped our economic journey. Since Independence, we have adopted outward oriented policies, embraced free trade and welcome foreign multinationals to base themselves here. Over time, companies like Infineon, Johnson & Johnson, and Rakuten have established regional and global operations in Singapore. They bring their know-how and business networks to Singapore, and create a vibrant ecosystem to nurture our local companies and start-ups. These foreign firms also give our companies opportunities to become part of a global value chain. For example, Zumata, a local start-up, was engaged by Sompo, a global Japanese insurance player, to automate the handling of customer queries. Sompo ended up applying their prototype solution not only in its contact centre in Singapore, but also in its Philippines outfit. Through this process, Zumata was brought into an overseas market as well. It is these kinds of synergies – between foreign and local firms, between MNCs and start-ups – that will continue to anchor Singapore as a true Global-Asia node of technology, innovation and enterprise. Mr Gan Thiam Poh had correctly reminded us that such collaborations ensure our survival and prosperity. They bring good jobs to Singapore, and ensure that new businesses continue to seed themselves in our soils. This is why we have always been relentless in encouraging our people and firms to upskill and transform themselves; to ready themselves for such new opportunities. And this is how we make sure jobs and industries are future-proof – exactly what Mr Leon Perera spoke about. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim also spoke about activating a Plan B, to get local firms to transform and go regional. The fact of the matter is that this economic transformation has been our plan all along. And in fact all of these years, we have been reinventing our economy over and over again. Assoc Prof Lim mentioned the Government has spoken about technology, innovation and enterprise since 2016. Sir, I thank him for following our plans. Twenty sixteen was also when we started our Industry Transformation Maps, or ITMs. But we have a broad base of companies, numbering several hundred thousand. Uplifting all of them, along with our workers, is not a straightforward matter. Our agencies like Enterprise Singapore, and in fact, all our economic agencies and our tripartite partners have been working decisively and closely with businesses on their transformation journeys. And we have gained some headway. For instance, between 2016 to 2019, overall productivity of our economy measured by real value added per actual hour worked rose by 2.4% per year – an improvement over the 2.2% per annum growth in the preceding three years.[+8 sentences] COVID-19 has accelerated the pace of change. It has given us added impetus to help our businesses find new opportunities and take new strides. And I know businesses are doing what they can. Business owners I spoke to, tell me about how they are working to transform their operations and upskill their workers. We will double down on our efforts to support them in this journey. And this is what the next iteration of the ITMs seek to achieve. We are consulting widely across industries and firms as we refresh our ITMs – as part of our preparation for ITM 2.0, as Mr Edward Chia mentioned yesterday, and many Members have given helpful suggestions. Mr Chia raised a very good point about how supply chains are being reimagined, and how this is a good opportunity for our firms to further expand themselves into the region. To support our firms, we have a range of schemes including, amongst others, the Market Readiness Assistance Grant, the Enterprise Development Grant, and the Double Tax Deduction for Internationalisation.[+5 sentences] Mr Chia's other point on how innovation can be augmented by the "two-fold engine" of technology and design, is also useful. This will help our firms differentiate themselves in this age of the online marketplace. Another way firms can differentiate themselves is to offer innovative products and services born out of cross-cluster synergies. Ms Jessica Tan and Mr Shawn Huang had insightfully observed that we need to recognise and harness adjacencies across industries and across jobs. Indeed, that is what we are doing. The 23 ITMs are now clustered into six clusters and we are seeking to look at the synergy within clusters and across clusters, as well as the impact that digitalisation has across all clusters.[+1 sentence] So, all of these will bring about the potential for systems-level innovation across our economy. So, I urge our firms to tap on platforms like the Open Innovation Platform launched by IMDA. It allows companies to crowdsource innovative solutions from over 9000 companies for their challenges.[+17 sentences] And we have seen very successful partnerships. Teho Ropes & Supplies is a local firm that provides systems solutions to the marine and offshore industries. Through the platform, it was matched with Ent-Vision, a local AI start-up. Ent-Vision tapped on its experience in supply chain and logistic solutions to build a machine-learning system for Teho that automated the labour-intensive customer quotation process. At the same time, Ent-Vision built on this newly gained domain knowledge to develop a new product and segue into the maritime sector. The Green Economy also presents opportunities for firms to seize early mover advantages. These opportunities range from clean energy solutions and low-carbon technologies, to innovations in the built environment, and the development of green financial tools and markets. We invested R&D in these areas early, as part of our 2020 Research, Innovation and Enterprise plans. The next step, as Miss Cheryl Chan rightly identified, is to equip our people with the know-how. Work in under way on this very important area. For example we have set up the Energy Efficiency Technology Centre to offer training programmes, on top of existing SkillsFuture courses that will train Singaporeans in sustainability sectors. Mr Speaker, Sir, the heart of our economy is our people. The objective of growing our firms is ultimately to create quality, well-paying, and sustainable jobs to benefit Singaporeans. Ms Foo Mee Har highlighted a pertinent point, that the future of work may be very different post-COVID-19. The rise of digitalisation and the gig economy will make the job market more volatile. Job types and work arrangements will also evolve, as Ms Yeo Wan Ling and Mr Louis Ng had pointed out. At the same time, Singapore is facing an ageing population. Our current old-age support ratio, defined as the number of working-age adults compared to the number of seniors aged 65 and above, is 4.3 to 1; this is the current number.[+61 sentences] By 2030, this ratio is projected to become 2.7 to 1. Put another way, each adult will need to work twice as hard to support our seniors in 2030. Or, we can work twice as smart. And of course, we will also support seniors to stay active in the workforce if they wish. That is why we will redouble our efforts to support Singaporeans of all ages to stay well-educated, well-trained and well-skilled. This Government will spare no efforts in providing our people with the avenues to fulfil their fullest potential. We take a life-cycle approach to do this. To give every child a good start in life, we provide affordable, quality pre-school education. I agree with Mr Don Wee on the importance of uplifting our disadvantaged children. He had put it very well, that "a stitch in time saves nine". We will continue to help those who start off with less. We have programmes like KidSTART, UPLIFT and Learning Support Programme to help them. For our youths, they benefit from a good education system that equips them with the latest knowledge and skills. And just before or just after they enter the workforce, they can tap on schemes like the Global Ready Talent Programme to study and work overseas. They will gain valuable real-world skills and insights from foreign markets, to support their career aspirations. I thank Ms Hazel Poa for her point on the need to promote diversity in our education. This is in fact, something that MOE has been doing for years. However, even with excellent pre-employment education, our workers will need to be proactive about upskilling and reskilling. The new economy will require workers who are versatile and know how to build on existing skills, embrace lifelong learning, and be able to move between adjacent industry clusters. But upskilling is not the responsibility of workers alone. Companies too, must play their part. They should actively participate in the development of training programmes, redesign jobs, and encourage employees to upskill. As Ms Jessica Tan rightly pointed out, training should be demand-led to ensure industry relevance. And Ms Foo Mee Har has just proposed an IST, Industry Skills Training. Ms Poh Li San also suggested meeting the needs of the manufacturing sector. Indeed, there is a very wide range of labour market issues – the demand for labour, the supply of labour, the changing labour profile, the way that we can more effectively match jobs and skills, and how we can develop the right skills profile and the right jobs profile to meet the needs and aspirations of our people. These are issues that we will continue to study but we will provide strong support to our workers and firms. Finally, for our senior workers, it is never too late to learn new things, or even transition to another industry. The National Silver Academy offers a wide range of subsidised courses, from Starting a Home Business to Taking Care of the Aged. With the Retirement and Re-employment Ages set to be raised by 2022, those who want to continue working can choose to do so. With these efforts, we hope that Singaporeans, regardless of age, can continue to learn and upskill so that they not only have good jobs, but experience good wage growth. These efforts to upskill our workforce will help us to stay ahead of the global curve. Coupled with openness to ideas, innovations and innovators, we secure a brighter future. As a global city, our economic competition and collaboration are with other global cities like New York, London, Frankfurt, Shanghai and Mumbai. These cities have their own hinterlands and can draw talent from millions and billions of their own nationals. In Singapore, we draw from a domestic population of about four million locals. As Ms Joan Pereira has aptly put, "a Singapore that closes its doors to the outside world is bad for all of us". As the global economy undergoes changes driven by technology and innovation, it is even more critical that we assemble the best possible team to stay useful and relevant to the world. We want to make sure that we have the best players in our team, playing to one another’s strengths, working together as a team. This is why we must remain open to the best talents from all over the world, so that we can put forth the best team and step out onto the world stage. By bringing the best to our shores, we learn from them and synthesise good ideas from around the world. Our scientific community, for example, has gained from the diversity of exceptional minds that have come to call Singapore their home. Leading researchers Prof Sir David Lane and Prof Birgit Lane have provided thought leadership that has spurred our advancements in the biomedical sciences. The late Nobel Laureate Dr Sydney Brenner was also a giant in the global scientific community, who helped us set up the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) in 1985. Today, IMCB is a world recognised biology institution. We also send our best minds overseas to learn from others. Mr Philip Yeo, former chairman of A*STAR, started the A*STAR scholarship with the hope of grooming outstanding Singaporeans in science and technology. We have since awarded more than 1,500 scholarships to some of our best students, and many are now back in Singapore with a global network and contributing significantly in our R&D efforts. Our openness has also allowed our locals to collaborate with the best. The Cooling Singapore 2.0 programme facilitated by the National Research Foundation has brought together an international team of researchers from our local universities and researchers from ETH Zurich. This joint team is working with our public agencies to develop new modelling and simulation models to support our urban planning and policy-making. A good complement of foreign students and researchers in our universities have also made good nests for innovations that are going global. For example, Pedra Technology is a deep tech medical start-up that came out of NTU’s labs. Its founders are a Korean, two Singaporeans and a UK citizen born in India. This diversity will put them in good stead to expand into these different markets. Mr Speaker, Sir, I started by speaking about how Singapore is unique in our dual identity as both a global city and a nation. As a global city competing and collaborating with other global cities, it is crucial that we remain open and at the same time, invest in our people. That way, we remain relevant and useful to the world. Singapore is a nation. We must take care of our people and build a cohesive and resilient society. Several Members spoke about the need to continue supporting our households, especially the lower income, through this crisis. Indeed, we have moved decisively to support households with an unprecedented $5.9 billion of household transfers this year.[+1 sentence] This is the largest amount we have ever disbursed in a single year. Over 2.8 million Singapore residents have benefited from some combination of our Care and Support Package, Solidarity Payment and Solidarity Utilities Credits.[+1 sentence] All Singaporean households, regardless of property type, have received relief in some form, with lower and middle income households receiving higher levels of support from the Care and Support Package. On average, citizen households received $1,500 of support for each household member, equivalent to about half a month of their income.[+1 sentence] More support was provided for lower income households. For households in the bottom 50% based on per capita household income, the support received was equivalent to an average of two months of their income.[+11 sentences] In addition to household transfers, we have also introduced the Community Development Council or CDC Vouchers Scheme to help households in need with their daily expenses, while supporting local hawkers and heartland merchants. There are now more than 8,000 merchants on board. As of September 2020, more than 300,000 Singaporean households have benefited from the first tranche of the CDC voucher scheme. Mr Ang Wei Neng will be pleased to note that we intend to disburse a second tranche over the next few months. Ms He Ting Ru spoke passionately about supporting the needs of young families. To ease the financial concerns that couples may have about starting a family in the near-term, we have also announced a one-off Baby Support Grant of $3,000 for each child born from 1 October 2020 to 31 September 2022. Minister Indranee has earlier addressed some of the concerns raised by Members, so I will not dwell further on this. I hope all this support has gone some way to help our households alleviate the impact brought about by COVID-19. As part of our efforts to build a cohesive society, we must also ensure that vulnerable groups are not left behind. I agree with Dr Wan Rizal and Ms Hany Soh on being digitally inclusive, especially for our seniors. To support our seniors, IMDA launched the Seniors Go Digital movement in May 2020 to encourage seniors to equip them with digital skills. Since June, we have deployed 1,000 Digital Ambassadors, to rally the community and volunteers to support our seniors, hawkers and heartland enterprises to acquire digital skills. I am glad that as of end-September, more than 28,000 seniors have participated in at least one training programme.[+1 sentence] I also agree with Mr Melvin Yong and Ms Raeesah Khan that mental health is a rising concern, especially during this COVID-19 period. Ensuring access to mental health care is a major priority and requires our collective effort.[+1 sentence] This ensures we have happy workers. We have set up a COVID-19 Mental Wellness Taskforce to study ways to strengthen our community (mental) health services, to support new vulnerable groups that may emerge due to the pandemic.[+14 sentences] As one of the initiatives under the Singapore Together Action Networks, we have also set up the Youth Mental Well-being (YMWB) Network. This allows anyone who is interested in improving the mental health of young people to contribute, kickstart discussions and take ownership of the projects. Building a cohesive society requires the effort of not just the Government alone, but of all Singaporeans together. COVID-19 has shown how far we have come as a community, as a society, and how resilient we are as a people. Many of us have contributed and even made personal sacrifices in our fight against COVID-19. I thank all Singaporeans for doing your part. This is why we are in a more stable position today. I am glad that there continues to be many ground-up community movements to help those in need. For example, KampungKakis, a neighbourhood buddy system to support the elderly, low-income families and vulnerable residents during the COVID-19 crisis. Volunteer kakis were the additional eyes and ears of our grassroot leader, who guided their kakis-in-need to available resources and ensured vulnerable residents received assistance. Our Social Service Agencies have also been working tirelessly to support those who need a helping hand. To support these efforts, we have the Enhanced Fundraising Programme to provide dollar-for-dollar matching for some charities. This is in addition to enhanced tax deductions for donations to charities with IPC status. I am also heartened that donations for COVID-19 related causes have remained resilient. Key donations platforms such as Community Chest, the Sayang Sayang Fund, and Giving.sg received a total of $100 million in donations from January to August this year.[+49 sentences] This is already more than the overall donations received by the Community Chest and Giving.sg throughout 2019. I encourage those who can to continue donating generously. And as Mr Ang Wei Neng suggested, companies can donate their JSS payouts to worthy causes. For instance, Lockheed Martin has donated their JSS payouts to The Invictus Fund and The Courage Fund. For those who have donated, I thank you for your contributions. Mr Speaker, Sir, it is heart-warming to see the deep reservoir of social reserves that we have grown as a cohesive and resilient nation-state. This is the spirit of SG Together in action – a community of deeds, where we support one another, combine our various strengths, and make sure no one is left behind. Let me now turn to the points made by Members on our fiscal situation. I mentioned earlier that Singapore is both a global city and a nation. As a nation, we have spending priorities that cities do not have. Yet unlike other cities, we do not have a federal government to bail us out. As a nation, our planning horizon cannot be just 10, 20 or even 50 years like a company or an individual. We have to think about the countless generations that come after us. This is why it is critical that we remain fiscally prudent, to make sure that we spend within our means, and also leave something behind for future Singaporeans. For this latest Fifth Support Package, we are able to fund it entirely from Budget reallocation. As mentioned in my Ministerial Statement earlier, our guiding principle is prudence, not austerity. The Government did an extensive scan, Ministry by Ministry, to identify deferment or reductions in expenditure. Some expenditures such as those for MRT lines, HDB upgrading, and sewerage and drainage works were deferred arising from delays due to the circuit breaker and the safe re-opening of the construction sector thereafter. Some expenditures were also lower than earlier projected due to COVID-19 and safe distancing measures. However, most of these are not savings but delayed spending which will still be incurred in future years as Mr Liang Eng Hwa has rightly pointed out. Mr Xie Yao Quan suggested that we should not delay critical projects. Indeed, for projects that are critically important, we will resume these. These projects are needed to raise Singaporeans’ standard of living and our economic development. We will push ahead when the conditions allow. We are also already reviewing major infrastructure projects to account for the longer term impact of COVID-19. For example, the construction of Changi Airport Terminal 5 has been put on hold for two years amid uncertainties over how COVID-19 will change the aviation sector. There could be further deferments or reductions in scale, if demand takes longer to recover. Conversely, we may also need to build in more resilience and safety features, which could raise project costs. Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked how we would balance our Budget. I thank Mr Liang Eng Hwa for being forward-looking. In fact, looking ahead, our fiscal situation will get tighter. Our revenues in the medium term are expected to be subdued and uncertain for two reasons. First, global economic growth will likely remain weakened for several years. Second, we can expect global competition for tax revenue to intensify. Many advanced economies have accumulated more debt to fund their COVID-19 responses, which they will need to repay. There is added impetus globally to push for "re-allocation" of taxing rights under the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project, or BEPS in short. So, even as we contend with these revenue challenges, we cannot lose sight of our goal to secure the long-term needs of Singapore. As I have shared on multiple occasions, we expect expenditure to increase in public healthcare and pre-school education. This is vital to ensuring we can take better care of our old and young. In order for Singapore to continue thriving as a global city tomorrow, we must ensure our financial security as a nation today. We are therefore making the responsible decision today, to study how we can strengthen our fiscal toolkit. Even before COVID-19 struck, we have explained that we are looking into borrowing for major long-term infrastructure. This will help to spread out the hefty upfront costs equitably across current and future generations who will benefit from such investments. Our approach will be a principled and prudent one. We will borrow only for infrastructure that benefit multiple generations, and ensure that our debt level and future repayments are sustainable. I am glad that Mr Louis Chua echoed our stance to maintain a disciplined use of borrowing for projects that will benefit multiple generations of Singaporeans We will not borrow just to make up for revenue shortfalls or be opportunistic in timing the market. However, for recurrent spending like healthcare and education that benefits the current generations, the responsible way is to pay for them using what we earn, through recurrent revenues like taxes. This discipline ensures that every generation earns and pays its share. Several Members have asked about the timing of the GST rate increase. In February this year, I announced that the GST rate will remain at 7% in 2021.[+4 sentences] However, we cannot defer the GST rate increase indefinitely. The GST rate increase is to support our future needs in healthcare and pre-school education. We will continue to study the timing of increasing the GST rate carefully, taking into account the pace of our economic recovery, our revenue outlook and how much spending we can defer to later years, without jeopardising our long-term needs. Ms Foo Mee Har asked if our assumptions behind the GST rate increase have been affected by COVID-19. Indeed, GST collections this year are projected to be down by 14% from what we had estimated before the start of the year, mainly due to the travel disruptions and the impact of the circuit breaker.[+1 sentence] We expect collections to continue to be lower than usual until international travel recovers fully, which we expect to be at least a couple of years away. However, let me assure Ms Foo that we remain committed to helping our people manage the impact of the GST rate increase. We have already set aside a $6 billion Assurance Package for GST to cushion the increase for Singaporeans when the GST rate is eventually raised. For most households, this will offset at least five years' worth of additional GST expenses incurred and for those living in 1- to 3- room HDB flats, equivalent to about 10 years' worth of additional GST expenses.[+17 sentences] On top of the transitional support, we have the permanent GST Voucher scheme, which will be enhanced to provide more help to lower income households and seniors. I would also like to point out that over 60% of the GST borne by all individuals and households is from foreigners residing in Singapore, tourists and the top 20% of resident households. Mr Leong Mun Wai's suggestions to shelf the GST rate increase indefinitely means that we lose the additional revenues from this group which we can use to improve the lives of Singaporeans. I do not know if Mr Leong is aware of this. Mr Speaker, Sir, over the five support packages this year, we are committing about $100 billion to fight COVID-19. And as what Mr Murali Pillai has just showed us in a chart earlier, our fiscal support is very significant, very significant for Singapore and very significant compared to many other countries. And we did not incur a cent of debt to fund our package. This is unlike many other countries, which had to borrow further to fund their COVID-19 response, despite already being at high levels of debt. In Singapore, we are fortunate to have a rainy-day fund built up over the generations that has allowed us to mount a quick and strong response. We are drawing up to $52 billion from our past reserves to fund the support packages. Several Members have asked for clarifications on this $52 billion draw. So, let me address them. Mr Louis Chua asked how the draw on reserves would impact the Net Investment Returns Contribution or NIRC. Yes, there will be some impact to NIRC but the design of the NIR framework is to provide a stable, sustainable source of income to our Budget, smoothed out over market cycles. This means that when the projected returns and value of the net asset base goes down, we do not see an immediate proportionate decrease in NIRC. In the same way, in periods of sharp spikes in the market and asset values go up, we do not see an immediate increase and overspend. Mr Gerald Giam asked about the Government's plans to put back the sums drawn from our reserves. To be clear, under our Constitution, there is no legal obligation for the Government to put back the amount drawn from our past reserves. Rather, it is about having the moral obligation and sense of duty to current and future generations and the recognition that we are stewards of our reserves which have not come by easily. So, it is not possible for me to be definitive on how long it will take for us to build up sufficient surpluses to make up the $52 billion.[+1 sentence] I would like to remind everyone that the COVID-19 crisis is not over. The scars it will have on our economy and the global economy are still unknown. But I can say that it will not be two years, and I certainly hope it will not take us 50 years. How long it will take also depend on the choices we make as a country and Government – whether we continue to manage our resources prudently. We remain committed to running a broadly balanced Budget over each term of Government and will assess the viability of returning the amount drawn, depending on our fiscal position.[+44 sentences] Mr Leong Mun Wai has suggested the amount of reserves drawn is much less than $52 billion and he has cited several figures in his speech. I will not repeat his computation but I will just make two points. First, the NIR framework is based on expected long-term returns, not actual returns. So, it is incorrect to estimate the actual return by multiplying the NIRC by two. Second, in considering the amount that we are spending from our reserves, it is wrong to subtract the returns from the $52 billion to derive a net spending figure. In addition to the draw, we continue to spend NIRC which also comes from our reserves. And furthermore, the amount drawn from the reserves would have generated returns in perpetuity without a draw. So, the draw of $52 billion is unprecedented and no one should downplay its size or significance. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how our reserves allowed us to remain nimble in times of uncertainty. When I delivered the Unity Budget in February, we did not foresee a need to draw on our Past Reserves. In fact, Mr Pritam Singh said at the debate then that the Government had, and I quote, "the privilege of far more budgetary elbow room, both political and fiscal, than any previous government in Singapore's history." In the short span of 100 days since the Unity Budget when Mr Singh made these remarks, we have delivered three more Budgets and had to propose a draw of up to $52 billion from our Past Reserves to help save lives and livelihoods. Therefore, as you can see, we face great uncertainties. It is too early to conclude that we have unlimited space. So, we need to be more circumspect when it comes to using more reserves, as we are confronted with greater uncertainties ahead. First, the global economy and financial system will be more volatile. The build-up of debt globally introduces instability in the financial system, which can lead to or exacerbate crises. Second, we are seeing increasing risk of geopolitical conflicts and deglobalisation. Third, scientists have warned of the risk of another serious international epidemic caused by a new unknown disease, Disease X. Not if, but when. Sir, I am sure that we all want Singapore to be here for the long haul. As long as Singapore continues to exist, the question is not whether there will be an externally induced crisis but when. If we spend more or even all the returns from our reserves annually, future generations will likely have a smaller buffer in a world of greater uncertainty. We must therefore ensure that we continue to spend within our means and hand over to our children more than what we have inherited from our previous generations. Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked whether the Government would consider a further draw on reserves, considering the magnitude and severity of this crisis. Indeed, there is profound uncertainty in this trajectory of this pandemic and its economic impact. We must act early and decisively to support our workers and businesses when needed. So, I am prepared to propose to the President a further draw on our Past Reserves should it be necessary for us to do so. In the medium to longer term, our approach is to adapt and find new ways to generate growth. We must work hard to get ourselves back in a position where our economy is growing and we can build up reserves for the future again. This is the sustainable and prudent way forward. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me conclude. This COVID-19 crisis is a test of how far we have come as a global city and a nation. How we respond will determine how far we will go. Singapore's dual identity as both a city and a nation has given us agency, nimbleness and unique strengths. But it has also conferred upon us some unique challenges which we have turned into successes. In the face of new threats and opportunities, we must continue to stay open as a global city yet closely-knit as one people and one nation. Over the next few months, we will continue to study ways to help our businesses and people emerge stronger. Our consultations for Budget 2021 have already begun. The Emerging Stronger Taskforce is pressing on with the Alliances for Action to seize growth opportunities for Singapore, even as we deal with COVID-19. I have also set up teams to look into how we can better support workers and households in the post-COVID-19 world. Our battle with COVID-19 is far from over and the road ahead in a post-COVID-19 world will be uncertain. But I am confident that if we stay open and stay united, we will continue thriving as an exciting and vibrant global city and emerge stronger as a more cohesive and resilient nation. And most important of all, we must retain our core values. Three days ago, one Mr Sim, who was on medical leave wrote to us. He was very concerned about the public discussions that we are having, particularly on the use of reserves.[+1 sentence] Let me quote. He said, "Singapore could not afford instability, not like big countries. Once our reserves are used up, Singapore is gone.[+1 sentence] It will be forever gone. We do not have natural resources to fall back on." So, Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank all Members for your comments and I leave you with this sobering thought from one of our citizens.
Mr Speaker38 words
[+3 sentences]Clarifications? Really nothing? Very good. Pursuant to Standing Order No 44 (2), the Motion to consider the Ministerial Statement on the Overview of Government's Strategy to Emerge Stronger from the COVID-19 Pandemic lapses at the conclusion of debate.